In which Rolanni is cranky

[rolanni]

So, over here at Tor.com, there are at this writing 19 reviews and one interview on display on the first page.  Three of those 19 reviews are for Baen books; the rest by Publishers Divers.

The three Baen books under review are:  Cauldron of Ghosts, by Weber and Flint, The Sea Without a Shore, by David Drake, and Carousel Sun, by Sharon Lee.

There's a reason I'm telling you this.

Of the  three Baen books reviewed, two are held up and mocked for their covers, before the review is even engaged.  Full disclosure:  One of those is Carousel Sun, which has a rooster on the cover. Which is apparently hilarious.  Especially since, yanno, there's a rooster in the book.  The other book so mocked is Cauldron of Ghosts.  David Drake's book, I am actually relieved to report, received a respectful and affectionate review, with no mention of the cover.

Now, 'way back before the rocks cooled, I reviewed professionally.  And what I reviewed was the stuff between the covers --  the story arc, the characters, the structure, the theme.   The cover was understood to be a sales piece, and I, the reviewer, was understood not to be an artist, an art reviewer, or an art director.  The only time I might mention the cover would be to point out that the author's name was spelled wrong.

While I do very much understand that Baen covers are considered highly mockable in the wider SF community, I question that mocking when it appears on the site of a competitor, and when the only two covers mentioned at all are Baen covers.  This strikes me as dishonest at best, and agenda-driven at worst.

Back in the day, had I suddenly made it my mandate to include cover art in my reviews, I would have reviewed all the covers, in order to provide my readers with a balanced opinion of all the books.  Because that was, after all, my job.

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Plus there's the fun fact that authors have little say, much less control, on the covers wrapped around our writing . . .

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

As for myself, I like your book's cover.

[danielmedic.livejournal.com]

I agree.

[wystii.livejournal.com]

Cover art is more a reflection of the publisher than the author. Back when I used to buy paper books, it made a diference to me if I had a choice between a british publisher's cover and an american publisher's. Just an art style preference, I'd say. I'd buy the book regardless of cover if the choice wasn't available.

Very unprofessional of the reviewer to make such a blatant stab at a publisher at the author's expense.

Personally,I don't tend to like Baen's covers. I find the people depicted quite ugly, but it doesn't stop me from ebook shopping almost exclusively at Baen. Love the Stories they publish.

[oneminutemonkey.livejournal.com]

I certainly can't speak for my colleague at Tor.com, since we've never really had a conversation, but it seems clear that she has her personal tastes. I almost never touch on the subject of a cover, unless it truly wows me. :)

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Well, it's good to know that it's the reviewer's personal choice, and not a Tor.com policy, to poke fun and/or mention only at Baen covers.

Thanks, Michael.

covers etc.

[nocal-kathyf.livejournal.com]

I have to say that I really enjoyed all of David Mattingly's covers of your books. I haven't liked the ones with the new artist (I apologize, don't have the book in front of me) that has done the Carousel books nearly as much (though I liked the rooster cover). However, it is what is between the covers that counts and I will always buy your books and Steve's books and your books together. Covers are the choice of the publishers, not the author, as mentioned above and that is what should be reviewed. Although it would be nice if they changed the color of the ribbons on the guys in the 3rd cover. Pink just doesn't seem to fit there for some reason. Oh well. I'm looking forward to the book, which I will get in e-arc, and for my Kindle, and in paperback or hardback versions.

Re: covers etc.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I like what Eric's done with the carousel covers -- and the new one, while breaking the pattern, is Just Stunning, IMHO. (I think the sashes might actually be red, but the moonlight's leaching the color.)

They are very different from the Liaden covers David Mattingly's been doing for us, but I think both artists accurately portray what's inside the box, so to speak, and make prospective readers pick up the book for a closer look at the words -- which is what covers are for.

[quotidian-c.livejournal.com]

I'm going to go against the crowd here to say I don't think it's inappropriate to mention the cover in a review as part of the overall package. It _would_ be inappropriate (and ridiculous) to imply that the cover has a bearing on the text of the book or was controlled by the author, but I don't think Bourke does that. While they are gently mocking, neither description gives me a negative impression of the book - in fact I went into the body of both reviews with a smile.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I'm going to go against the crowd here to say I don't think it's inappropriate to mention the cover in a review as part of the overall package.

I would agree with that, provided each review included a comment on the cover.

The point of the rant above is that the reviewer chose two books, from the same publisher, to ridicule, and to forward her (apparent) opinion that Baen Books is a . . .slightly ridiculous. . .enterprise. There were, strictly in my own personal opinion, other fertile grounds for cover art mockery among the rest of the books she reviewed, and yet she withheld her wit. This tells me that the reviewer has an agenda with regard to Baen Books.

covers

[nfurman.livejournal.com]

You have a right to be cranky... I would be cranky, in fact I am. That is blatant c....p. Seems a lot of the world is inhabited by this lately. I love your books. And to be honest, your covers are not bad, though I am not that kind of visual and don't necessarily go by cover. Sold too much SF over the decades not to be more concerned with writing content and quality. You have those in spades. March on, stay well.

Re: covers

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Overall, we have been enormously fortunate in our cover art, and have worked with some very fine artists, starting with the "accident" of Agent of Change being given to Steve Hickman as his Very First Cover for Del Rey.

Re: covers

[nfurman.livejournal.com]

Quite right, and I love your Carousel covers too. Those I really like a lot.

[ironore.livejournal.com]

Baen has done pretty well with your book covers. Other authors, not so much. They focus a bit too much on bright colors and overly actiony shots. But the Liaden stories? They've been good covers.