The Friday Face-Off was created by Books by Proxy, where each week bloggers can showcase books with covers centered around a weekly theme. You can visit Lynn’s Books for a list of upcoming themes. Join in the fun each Friday by finding a book whose cover is based on the theme!
This week’s theme: “He sounded like a man who had slept well and didn’t owe too much money.” A cover that is “noir.”
This week’s pick isn’t necessarily a noir story, but the prompt specifically says that the cover should be in the style of noir, so I’m going with Stephen King’s Joyland. The original edition is published by the well-known mystery/noir publisher Hard Case, so bonus points for that! Ha ha. This was a departure for King and lots of his fans didn’t really like this book, but I thought it was well written and actually pretty good. Here are a selection of covers, take a look:
Hard Case Crime paperback 2013 | Hard Case Crime hardcover 2015
Hard Case Crime ?? Mystery edition | German edition 2014
French edition 2014 | Thai edition 2015
Finnish edition 2015 | Portuguese edition 2015
I have to say I’m not really fond of any of these except the Hard Case editions, and for my favorite I’m going with the edition I own. Yeah, I prefer women with CLOTHES on, ha ha! Plus, I think this cover captures the spirit of the story the best:
Definitely, without doubt, hands down the winner – I love that cover.
Lynn 😀
Bahahaha I prefer women with clothes on as well, so that one is my favourite as well
Great pick! Definitely agree with your choice here, it’s got that noir look as well as being a bit pulpy. Happy Friday!
I agree with your choice! It has a really cool pulp vibe to it <3 Tho I also like the French 2014 edition!
Brittany recently posted…Friday Face Off: Noir
I love the first one best but the one next to it has a lovely retro noir feel to it.
Ya, I would go with that one too. Stephen King is all noir, in general, isn’t he lol.
What’s the matter with cover designers and scantily clad women??? 😀
I like your choice and also the German edition: that lighted billboard somehow hints at some encroaching Kingian darkness…
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…Novella Review: GREEN-EYED VIPERS (Powder Mage #0.6), by Brian McClellan
That one’s my favorite too- I think it’s a striking cover. I like the 2015 one, not because she’s scantily clad lol (no, really!) but the carnival in the background, across the water, with the prominent Ferris wheel- I don’t know, it sort of has a pulpy feel for me like the first one does. I also like three and four- three for the same reason, and four for the Vegas style sign which is kinda neat. The first one though definitely.
Greg recently posted…Bookcover Spotlight #174
I really like the one you chose as well, it has the most personality and a great style. It’s definitely something that would catch my attention. I tend to prefer clothes on as well, haha. I really need to read some Stephen King!
Jordan Rose recently posted…Month in Review: September 2018, In Which I Actually Did Something Exciting (For Once)!
I kinda like the French edition the most I think, although none of them would be favorites of mine probably.
That Hard Case Crime Mystery one is um, quite the thing lol. I have to go with the one you chose!
I like noir and I like King, but for some reason I haven’t read this one yet… but I agree with you on the best cover. 🙂
French edition 2014 gets my vote. I never knew there were so many covers for this book, some of them are great while others are truly dreadful, lol!
I love noir covers. I’m going with your pick. I think I might have seen that cover on Greg’s blog before. I like the covers he shares on his Sunday Post.
Laura Thomas recently posted…31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #6 ~ Megalodon In Paradise
Yes – I like your cover choice, too, Tammy. I haven’t read this one, but it looks a bit too creepy for wussy old me…
Your choice is my favorite as well. I’ve not read the book but really like the look of that cover.
I do not like the girl in the bikini – that is not what the book is about. I think your choice is my favorite as well. But man, that Thai edition – that’s the stuff of nightmares – WTH???