Cover Roulette: Eragon

Posted on August 30, 2020August 29, 2020 by Jennifer

I did my first cover roulette post a while ago for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and it was so fun I wanted to do another! Luckily I found another popular book that has had many different editions made, and I wondered…

What other awesome covers have I missed?

Alright, I know, I know I’m talking about Christopher Paolini a lot. But it’s because what he writes is fantastic, and was personally formative for me growing up. I’m dying of happiness reading To Sleep In A Sea of Stars right now (releasing Sept. 15), and wanted to do a cover tribute to the book that really introduced me to the joy of dragons and epic adventures and fantasy.

Eragon.

Let’s begin.

The cover I know

This is the cover I came to know very very well. It was the cover I pulled off my shelf many times to read it again. It’s still the most immediately related in my mind to the idea of “dragons.”

2008 Russian: with doodles!

Alright, this seems a bit more whimsical than I would expect for this book or for Russians. I see maybe a fairy and a gnome in those doodles, as well as an angry sun. I can’t immediately think of how any of those would relate to this book…

2006 Persian: coy Saphira

This super close up of the dragon Saphira with the extreme black vignette makes her look shy. Like she’s hiding a bit out of sight, just coming out enough to say hi.

That is not who Saphira is. 😂

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: The Joy Luck Club

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Jennifer

What other awesome covers have I missed?

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan just had it’s 30 year anniversary in 2019. In her preface to the 30th anniversary edition, Tan says that she expected her little collection of stories to disappear off shelves by six months after publication, as most debut books do. And, well… now she’s writing a 30 year anniversary preface for yet another re-publication. Pretty awesome.

I’m also finally picking this book up. It’s one of those “been meaning to for years” books that I’ve been interested in, but just never got around to. Well, now I’m around to it! Which made it feel like the perfect pick to check out some of the many covers it’s had from 30+ years of popularity.

The Cover I Know

In my college library basement, I stumbled on the “Amy Tan” section. Loved the gorgeous simple covers, already knew I’d probably love her works. Finally reading it now. ^.^

2016 Russian: A Takeover / Merge

I adore this cover interpretation. The Chinese dragon wrapping around the Statue of Liberty, such an American symbol. I love the way it shows the cultures blending, as the fire from the torch becomes like the dragon’s fire, and I just absolutely love it entirely.

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Posted on April 22, 2020April 22, 2020 by Jennifer

What other awesome covers have I missed?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is over a decade old now, which was a startling realization. This book was probably the first dystopia novel I read, and as far as I can tell set off a whole chain of young adult dystopia novels coming out around the same time. It blew me away. Judging by all the other cover versions I found for various years and countries, I wasn’t the only one. ^.^

*A note on this set: some of the images I could find were smaller than the others, but they were so interesting that I wanted to include them anyway. Please forgive the inconsistency in sizes and enjoy the range of styles!

The Cover I Know

Identifiable primarily by the mockingjay symbol with the arrow, the mostly-black cover, and the blocky text for the title.

2009 Serbian: not that different

This is pretty similar to what I know. The author’s name is even the same sound if you said it aloud, so I’m sure I’d know what this was if I saw it at a bookshop or at the airport.

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Posted on February 8, 2020 by Jennifer

What other awesome covers have I missed?

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz was one I enjoyed at the time and have now mostly forgotten. Honestly, that’s the fate of most of what I read — hence why I started writing more about what I read! What I usually remember about this book is that it had gay characters and it had an amazing cover. Since it became quite popular, I’m sure it has other cover renditions now, as well! So I investigated and was not disappointed. 😁

The Cover I Know

It’s mostly the scripted font and the line designs around the title that I loved most about this. I had no idea there was an old pickup truck on the cover, too, and I definitely thought there were more stars. Still, a quiet and wondrous image befitting the characters’ names and the story.

2017 Bulgarian: Even better!?

I… actually like this even more than the one I know! It has more stars, and a dramatic nightscape, which is more of how I remembered the other one. The silhouettes are working for me here, too.

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Posted on January 18, 2020February 14, 2020 by Jennifer

What other awesome covers have I missed?

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was talked about extensively for quite a while, and now that I’ve read it, I totally see why. For those outside the United States, the impact is likely a bit different than for those of us inside the US. Regardless the message and weight this book carries has clearly resonated around the world, as it’s been published in many, many different countries.

The Cover I Know

Starr with her sign, which has now become pretty iconic for the story. The title phrase on it works well into the story. This reflects it well I think, with the inclusion of her ripped jean short to her feet tilted a bit nervously, though clad in what I’m sure are top of the line sneakers.

2018 Indonesian

Working on the same idea as the cover I know, this one takes it a step further by sticker Starr amidst people who seem to be at a funeral (which would make sense). Her discomfort is even more obvious here, even as her anger is still clear in her holding the sign/photo instead of flowers, as the others do.

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: The Handmaid’s Tale

Posted on December 2, 2019November 24, 2019 by Jennifer

I did my first cover roulette post a little while ago for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and it was so fun I wanted to do another! Luckily I found another popular book that has had many different editions made, and I wondered…

What other awesome covers have I missed?

Tonight’s book is one I have, somehow, still not read. It’s been on my shelf since I was in high school. It’s now a tv mini series (or something like that?). I even read the graphic novel recently, which ultimately just made me think I should really read the original. Well, before I get to The Handmaid’s Tale, lets take a look at some of the covers!

The Cover I Know

Okay, to be honest, part of why I probably never ended up reading this when I was younger was because this dowdy cover was next to flashy shiny ones with dragons and magic on my bookshelf. And, let’s be real, that’s still the case. But I’ll still read this… eventually. ☺

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: Throne of Glass

Posted on October 24, 2019October 25, 2019 by Jennifer

I did my first cover roulette post a little while ago for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and it was so fun I wanted to do another! Luckily I found another popular series that has had many different editions made, and I wondered…

What other awesome covers have I missed?

Tonight’s featured book is Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, in homage to one of my favorite young adult fantasy series’ ever. Every book that’s come out has blown me away, and I’m putting off reading the last book because I don’t want it to end. For now, let’s take it back to the beginning and check out some alternate covers.

The Cover I Know

If this doesn’t scream “magic elvish assassin princess” I don’t know what does. It also definitely screams “READ ME, I’M AMAZING” ♥

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: City of Bones

Posted on October 3, 2019July 7, 2021 by Jennifer

What other awesome covers have I missed?

Tonight’s featured book is City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. When this series first came out, I was immediately sucked in. It’s one of the few series I ever started when it first came out and had to actually wait for the new books to come out! It’s also one of the first series that made me think, “Wow, that cover is so pretty I would buy it just to look at it on my shelves.”

The Cover I Know

The coloring! It’s so ominous and creepy, and the weird swirling tattoos on Dude’s body were intriguing. I knew magic would be involved for sure, and I’m always down for magic. The demons were just a bonus!

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Cover Roulette

Cover Roulette: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Posted on September 15, 2019December 26, 2019 by Jennifer

At some point recently, I was looking for an alternate edition on Goodreads to match the one I had actually read. Simple enough. But then I noticed that some of the other editions of the book had some seriously dope covers! Got me to thinking…

What other books have covers I’ve never seen?

If you have no idea what the illustrated editions of Harry Potter are, THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. Huge, beautiful illustrations. Hardbound book. Built-in bookmark ribbon. Definitely check them out, because it 100% brings the stories to life in a really wonderful way. You can see some of the artwork by Jim Kay on his website, and trust me, they look even better on the big printed pages.

So in honor of my excitement over Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated Edition by Jim Kay coming out on October 8th (less than a month!!!) here are some of my favorite covers for it, from around the world and through the years.

The Cover I Know

Published 2000. So this is the cover I’m familiar with. You’ve got the signature font for his name, Harry front and center with his fellow champions of the Goblet behind him, a spiny dragon tail in front of him, egg and wand in hand, and in the back there, a shadowy hooded figure…

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