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: “The question of whether or not we are alone in the universe…has been answered.” – A cover featuring something/someone historic.
This was an easy week! I’m sure there will be lots of cool historic examples, so it should be fun to visit everyone’s posts. I immediately thought of The Hunger by Alma Katsu, a dark retelling of the events that took place in 1846 with the infamous Donner Party, settlers who were crossing the Sierra Nevadas but got stranded during a deadly winter snowstorm. I was happy to see so many great covers already for this book, even though it was just published last year. My historical element is a covered wagon, which you can see on a couple of these covers. Take a look:
U.S. Hardcover edition 2018 | German edition 2018
Bulgarian edition 2018 | U.S. large print edition 2018
Italian edition 2018 | Hungarian edition 2018
Spanish edition 2019 | U.S. paperback 2019
It’s tough to choose a favorite! I’m partial to the original U.S. hardcover, because it feels so menacing, but I also love the Hungarian and Spanish covers. I honestly don’t understand the U.S. paperback at all, though! I feel like maybe that was a scene in the book and I’m just forgetting it, but that cover has such a literary feel to it, which is misleading. In the end, I can’t stop looking at the German edition. It feels like a painting but also gives you a sense of the scope of the mountains. Also, there is that weird lurking figure in the lower corner:
I think they all did a pretty amazing job! Apart from the original cover and the last US one, they all sort of captured the winter part of the story so well.
I must say i love the hungarian one a lot. When i still lived in hungary, i used to buy a lot of books from that publisher (Agave) because the quality of the books & the art was so just so above the others that were around that time.
You knew I’d have a comment or two right. Actually there are some pretty good covers. I like the Bulgarian and Spanish editions although a lot of them are pretty cool. Great choice even if the book isn’t a fave or mine!
Visually I really liked the first US hardcover, but if it’s with a snow storm I agree with you that the other fits better! Really liked these covers in general, they show the seriousness
I like all the covers. but the Hungarian version looks the creepiest to me. (Appropriately creepy, I mean.) I haven’t read the book because the real-life events are too horrific. I like FAKE horror, you know, like a zombie here or a man-eating plant there.:-)
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I haven’t read the book but based on your description I like the Bulgarian version the best with the Spanish version a close second. But they’re all very evocative.
These are all so beautiful, Tammy! I see so many similarities and differences. I’d have a hard time choosing but I love the one you chose! I still need to read this book!
Great idea for this week’s topic! I actually really like a lot of these! The one you chose is great, it really does seem like a painting. I’ve been confused by the U.S. paperback as well! The U.S. hardcover, Spanish, and Bulgarian are also ones I really love.
I like the German edition the best- it’s menacing plus it has a sense of vista. Looking out over the river like that. I like the Bulgarian and US large print versions as well though.
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I’ve been wanting to read this one since I met the author at WFC (she was super cool btw). Love a lot of these covers, but I love the one you went with, feels super dramatic.
They’re all so bleak! I’m laughing at the mountain of skulls because I think that one’s overdoing it a little bit 😛 I like your choice and the Bulgarian edition.
You’re right, that one you choose does give a great sense for the scope of the mountains, but I like the US Hardcover one best just for how it looks!
Amazing covers for an amazing book! The Hungarian cover reminds me of the one for Outpost 😉
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I own the first cover but I’m drawn to the ones with snow. Great choice this week!
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I’m sort of partial to the Spanish and Bulgarian editions myself. I thought the same thing about the paperback cover being misleading (although I haven’t read this book). I was thinking it looked more like a cover for The Ring or some kind of thriller.
I’m drawn to both the Bulgarian and the German covers. I just love the way the mountains are presented. I agree about the U.S. paperback. It’s pretty but it doesn’t seem to fit in with any of the others.
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I like the spanish edition best and the one you chose second best!
Sounds like such a cool book! I don’t even know which one I would have picked but your choice was an excellent one at least! 😛
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Inspired choice – why didn’t I think of this. Sometimes my mind just goes blank. And I like your favourite too with the character in the foreground – ominous.
Lynn :d
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