Book Lovers Inc.
Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
The Good, the Bad and the Are-You-Kidding-Me?
Filed in Book Covers , The Geeky Lover , The HEA Lover Posted on June 6, 2011 @ 2:00 pm
16 comments
This week we decided to cross European borders and give you…*drumrolls* Japanese covers!
Just so you know, searching for covers on the Japanese Amazon when you don’t know a word of the language is a risky adventure. We finally decided on a few covers from well known authors.
I hope you’ll enjoy this visit to Japan.
Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb #4 in the Death series
Susi: I haven’t read that one yet but I have no idea what the cover should tell me. On what is the violet woman sitting? I have no idea. This cover confuses me- it’s like one of these visual illusion thingies. But I have to say I love how the Japanese title looks but more because of the flow of the symbols. Pretty.
Caroline: Optical illusions fascinate me. If I tell you what I see when I look at the cover you’ll think i’m crazy (again). To me it looks like the purple woman is sitting on a manual razor. I’m still not sure what the background is supposed to be. The cover could have been really good if the woman had been better incorporated in the background.
Susi: First thing I thought was tanning bed. LOL
Caro: LMAO Indeed that would explain her skin color LOL
Nalini Singh – Caressed by Ice
Susi: I’m not sure if that is my lousy way of remembering details but I don’t think that Brenna has white hair. I always thought the name was more cuz of Judd being so cold as a Psy and not feeling the emotions and all that. She looks so precious and vulnerable- not like Brenna at all. O_o
Caroline: Lol you’re right Brenna is not a white-haired girl. So this cover is a bit ridiculous. I admit I find it pretty to look at, probably because of the white fur. But yeah Judd is not a shifter. And this is not Brenna. *sigh*
Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward
Susi: It is as orange as the original LOL but why isn’t Marissa blond? Or is she? In her back the hair looks black but the bangs in her face look blond. I’m so confused. But besides that it is kind of hot and fitting. Like it. And it is prettier than the original.
Caroline: I think this might be my favorite cover of the BDB series. I love that we see the couple so well. And the woman looks in heaven. It’s sensual and I also like how the title looks like the dagger (or is that only me?).
Susi: You are right it does. That’s pretty cool.
Caro: I’m always right. Just sayin’ 😉
Midnight Sins by Cynthia Eden
Susi: Okay so Cara is gorgeous blond woman. It seems in Japan they don’t like blond woman on covers. LMAO I think this one is pretty plain though. Nothing special and it doesn’t rock my socks off at all. Not bad not good. *shrug*
Caroline: This is a pretty Blahh cover. I haven’t read this book so I can’t judge, but it looks like every cover you’d see. She looks to be having fun though 😉
Susi: Yeah fun with herself. LOL
Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
Susi: Hmmmm…really doesn’t look like Georgie and why are the books on the cover so old? And I don’t like that the lower half of the cover is just black. So much wasted room. But perhaps they were out of ideas. And yes Georgie isn’t blond in the book so the Japans get one hair-color point now. 😉
Caroline: Is that supposed to be Georgina? LOL RIGHT!!! She looks too sweet and young and well nothing like the seductress Georgina is. Also I’m not sure but I think the title translates as A Bookstore full of Dangers (correct me if I’m wrong). And yep Susi the question is why the old books? O_o Not really a hit.
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong
Susi: I’m not sure what this cover wants to tell us. I just know that I’m feeling cooler now. The faces are weird, put together like that.
Caroline: This cover is puzzling me. I’m both horrified and fascinated. I like how they superposed Elena’s face and a wolf’s face. It’s scary but it does show how there’s a beast inside her. Elena is very pretty in the book and very blond, so this works for me!
Susi: Where is the wolf face? I can’t see it. Are we looking at the same cover? O_o
Caroline: O_o on the right side!
Susi: You mean what looks like finger colors on her face? Ahhhh okay I see that. LOL
Caroline: O_O LOL Susiiiiiiiii it’s obvious, isn’t it? Guys do tell us if you see the wolf! I’m not crazy right? RIGHT?
Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
Susi: Can I say just LMAO. OMG what is this? LOL Even bf laughed at it. That dtops. Very weird. This does not look like urban fantasy at all. It look like a manga for kids. Seriously? That’s not kick ass. and she looks like 13 tops. Do parents in Japan want their 12 year old girls to read about stuff like this? Well…
Caroline: Sadly I laughed too when i saw it. I’m still hoping that this is not a novel but a manga version of the book. Sadly I’m pretty sure it’s the novel. Rachel is supposed to be a kickass witch not a little girl from a boarding school. And seriously, she’s been in so mch trouble, I’m quite certain she’s never been smiling like that. Jenks is funny though. *shrug* Really not appropriate for this book.
Susi: Let’s hope it is a manga version. LOL
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Susi: Again, Bwahahhahahahahha. At first it reminded me of The Watcher series by Lukyanenko. It could fit for Anton but Harry Dresden? Not so much. But I never read those and I always think of that gray cover with him at a grave when I think about him. But could be that he looks like a raver. Who knows. LOL
Caroline: *sob* What did they do of my poor Harry Dresden! *sob* Lol indeed he looks like a raver. Harry is just sooooo no this. I will give them this, they got his talisman and rings right but that is all. I should also mention that he is not 12… *sob* Poor Harry.
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Susi: Yes I am evil and shallow but first thing I thought was: why is her ass so huge? Why? Yes they want it to look like a dress of that time but isn’t that a bit too much? Other wise I like it. way better than Gails last 2 covers. And it reminds me of my youth when I still watched shows like Mila Superstar. *sings the jingle*
Caro: Oh Susi I should show you some of the dresses of that time. THIS is a tamed one! Some would be so huge you could rest a plate on the backside. lol. I really like this cover. It’s pretty and it fits the book perfectly. I love her face, you can see mischief on in her smile. And yes I agree, this cover is definitely better than the latest in the series. *sob* Please Orbit change them!! *sob*
Susi:
Favorite: Ward/Carriger
Worst: Dead Witch Walking
Caroline:
Favorite: Ward/Carriger (I swear i’m not cheating!)
Worst: The Dresden one. *sob*
What do you think? Which is the best and which is the worst?
Do you enjoy ‘manga style’ covers?
Any country you’d like us to visit in the future? Any recs? (we’ll try our best)
PS: Neither Susi nor I can read Japanese so if you can and see we’re wrong somewhere feel free to tell us =)
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..Does Dead witch walking include a tiny fairy? Anyway yup 13 year old girl.
And Bitten is ugly!
You aren't alone! I see the wolf on Bitten too….but they could have done a significantly better job with the photoshopping there. Hell, I could have done a better job and I'm not that great with Photoshop.
As for Soulless….well, it IS better than Heartless and Timeless. So really, what's not to love?
I'm not as put off by the manga covers, but I used to read manga quite a bit. In that style, all the characters look like they're 12 until they're 50 (yep, even porn ones look that age).
As for "Succubus Blues", at least they snuck in the Space Needle on the upper left. Besides, since Georgina can look however she wants, a cute pouty look is perfect for the Japanese market.b 🙂
@Blodeuedd Yes it actually does but I never ever imagine him like that. He was more un-pixie like. LOL
@draconismoi I really still can't see it. And yes I agree- we shouldn't complain about the Carriger ones. LOL
@Sheree I never read those but I have to say that it is kind of weird how they always depict the characters. So young..really weird but oh well. Asians always do look younger as they are to me. *shrug*
Souless won my heart over – definitely better than European versions! And this mischievious smile? Alexia at her best!
Kudos for the research, girls! You are amazing!
Hmmm…
I don't think I like any of those covers! Dead Witch Walking is the worst. Ugh. I guess the Lover Revealed cover is fine.
Great research!!
I love the BDB cover – waaay better than the American version. It's actually beautiful!
@anachronist That is true. I love that she actually looks human and has an expression.
@Diana There really seems a to be a big cultural distance- I wouldn't drool for any of those either. And thank you all the hard work was done by Caro. I woke up on Sunday and she already raiding amazon.jp. LOL Can't let her alone for a few minutes. *wink*
@Julia Yes I agree it is- it just niggles that the hair is weird. But definitely better than the original cover.
Yes, my favorite post, lol!
OMG, what with Rapture in Death cover??? o_O!! Really2 awful!!
Susi and Pattepouile, this one is my favorite series (you must try In Death series, great romantic suspense with science fiction and the most hotter Hero ever, LOL).
My favorite is Soulless. With Japanese people job mostly as mangaka (or comic author, don't know what the correct term), this one so beautiful :)…
@Blodeuedd Yep as Susi said there is a Pixie as main secondary character. He's awesome!!! anyway yep it looks like a kid book.
I do like Bitten though *stuck tongue's out* <==coz i'm very mature
@Draconimoi Teehee I hear ya! I'm even thinking of getting the latest Gail Carriger in ebook forms so i don't have to look at the covers.
Hey what's up with everyone hating the bitten cover? I still like it.
@Sheree LMAO I'm not a manga reader so I didn't know LOL This is a bit disturbing.
Yeah I guess the fact that she can look like anything she wants does open the door to any interpretation 😉
@Anachronist THANK YOU! *g* I'm glad you're enjoying our post =) Yep Alexia looks wicked on it. Love it, it's so her!
@Diana I couldn't believe it was the Kim Harrison book when I saw this. There is another cover out in that series and it's NO better.
@Julia I love it too, it looks awesome. I really like the colors and the model on it. At least this one doesn't look bland like the originals.
@Susi Hehe that's for all the times you do all the work for the both of us 😉 <=3 <3
@Ren I started the first Death book months ago, but couldn't get interested. I don't think it's the book's fault but I'm not in a 'detective' book mood. I WILL read it though…just not sure when 😉
I don't usually like manga covers but Soulless is awesome.
I like Soulless the best, because it relates well to the books. Bitten relates okay (yes on the wolf) but it is an unattractive cover.
Worst for me is Dead Witch Walking. I'm too familiar with that series to consider this cover an accurate representation. It looks more appropriate for Sailor Moon or Card Captor Sakura, or one of the many other "Americanized" Japanese TV anime series.
You gals are showing true devotion to the column today!
@Ren LOL exactly. Do you have any idea on what she's sitting?? LOL
@Caro <=3 <=3 back LOL
@LSUReader O_o I think I'm wolf-blind. LOL And LOL Sailor Moon = so true. Thanks sweety
@LSUReader oh mu, yes Sailor moon LMAO At least they didn't put Trent on the cover LOL
@Susi I can't believe you don't see the wolf lol
Dead Witch Walking is the beginning of a very amazing series called "The Hollows". If ever in question always look for the novel. It will obviously be better than the manga. Manga is more childish than the real thing…
I love the Hollows series. In any form lol
Oh as for Succubus Blues I think the cover is perfectly fine o.O They probably don't have a translation for Succubus Blues so they had to make it something else. That or the content may have changed according to their language and so they changed the title. You'll find that with a lot of books. Like if you look at the German translation for "Twilight" It doesn't translate as plain "Twilight". As for the picture, I don't see how it doesn't look like her. She is sweet. She has emotion. She's not all seductive all the time. Maybe they are portraying her other personalities more than the sexy one.