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: Chinese New Year/Year of the Rat – A Chinese-themed cover or a cover with a rat.
I decided to go full rat this week with a book I’m sure other bloggers will also use, it’s so obvious! I’ve selected The Rats, an old horror story by James Herbert. There are plenty of rat-centric covers to choose from. Take a look at some of my favorites:
Macmillan edition 1999 | Kindle edition 2011 | UK edition 1974
UK Paperback edition 1974 | UK Paperback 1980 | Spanish edition 1975
Signet mass market paperback 1975 | Finnish edition 1993 | UK hardcover 1991
Hungarian edition 2008 | French edition 2003 | Dutch edition 1981
I love a bunch of these! How about that Hungarian cover, lol? It looks like more of a crazed dinosaur than a rat. The Spanish edition is pretty funny as well. But my favorite is the 1974 UK paperback edition, with a mean looking rat front and center:
Hard decision! I think the UK paperback is my favorite because the rat on the cover looks too darn menacing and intelligent for a normal rat!
Priscilla Bettis recently posted…R.I.P. Daddy
What a fabulous choice for this week’s theme, Tammy:). My favourite is the Finnish edition – that rat superimposed against the famous London skyline sent a shiver down my back – I’m afraid of rodents and this is the one that looks most lifelike! But you have a great strong selection, here…
I felt sure somebody would go for this book this week so I decided to go for something else. I think the cover I owned was the other UK 74 edition but I love your choice – look at the expression on the rat’s face – that’s one crazy rodent.
Lynn 😀
I really like the Kindle edition 2011 (never thought I’d say that – the Kindle covers are usually a poor substitute for the originals), but it’s that Signet mass market paperback 1975 that reminds me of the cheesy horror covers that so defined my youth.
Bob @ She Leads he Reads recently posted…Book Review: The Centaur’s Pony Collection by Alexis Furr
I like the Kindle edition best too and I agree with Bob, that is odd. However, the one you chose is pretty awesome as well. But I have to say…WTF is up with the 2008 Hungarian edition? What is that supposed to be – a rat on steroids?
I think I like the Kindle edition 2011 the best. The Hungarian cover is really… something xD
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Review: Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau
Yikes! Haha beware the rats! I think I like the Kindle 2011 and the Finnish one the best.
Greg recently posted…Cosmic Concepts
It’s possible I read this one, but if so I must have erased all memory of it – most probably because of the… main characters (((shudder))) . 🙂
The 1974 UK edition is the one that makes my skin crawl more than any other: that horde of rats coming out of the tunnel gives me nightmares!
Maddalena@SpaceandSorcery recently posted…MOONTANGLED (The Harwood Spellbook 2.5), by Stephanie Burgis
I really want to read this one!!! So many cool covers and I like the one you picked but I picked the UK edition. 🙂
Oh my gosh, those rat covers all made me feel so twitchy and itchy, so I scrolled through them somewhat quickly! LOL! I can’t pick a favorite, but the one with the face covered in rats has made me close my mouth tightly lest a rat footie get in somehow. Bleh!
Ha ha me too! Way too many rats in one place:-)
My husband and I got Chinese food last night, and the Lunar New Year made me think of this post. I was telling me husband about it, and then he got all squirrely about the rats, too. I think you’ve done your job 😀
This one is so much fun, Tammy! It reminds me a little of the Secret Rats of Nimh book I was obsessed with as a kid. That Hungarian one IS funny. I love your choice.
I think these rats might be a lot meaner than the Rats of Nimh:-)
I like the UK edition 1974, reminds me of that scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!
How have I never heard of this?! By the way my favorite cover is the 2011 Kindle edition. 🙂
Lauren @ Always Me
Well, this book may be obvious but I wasn’t familiar with it. I do wonder if I’ve seen some movies inspired by it, though. 🙂 I think my favorite cover is the French edition, with the rat sitting atop the Earth. An ominous bit of foreshadowing, perhaps?
I like your pick and I’m also drawn to both the Finnish edition and the French one.
Suzanne @ The Bookish Libra recently posted…Review: THE GOD GAME by Danny Tobey
Hah, nice pick! I think out of all the ones I do like the one you went with best. 🙂
I love these face offs. I think my fave is the UK edition 1974.