# Don't judge by the cover!



## The Grey Sage (Jan 11, 2012)

I was reading a novel the other day in Barnes and Noble. At first it looked appealing and then 12 pages in the content became so vile and provocative that i literally threw it down. So I was wondering, *What's your story of opening a book to find something completely different than what you were expecting?*


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## Reaver (Jan 11, 2012)

I was twelve years old when the movie Dune came out in the theaters (yes, I'm REALLY old) and to this day, it's still among my top five favorite movies of all time.  I rushed out and spent a bunch of hard-earned paper-boy money on the novel and found...a REEEALLY long, drawn out, expansive story that the 2 hour, 20 minute movie pretty much skimmed over and only used the exciting parts.  Talk about disappointing. I still have the book, but I really haven't read the whole thing more than twice in the last (YIKES!) 28 years.


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## Neurosis (Jan 11, 2012)




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## Ketsuki (Jan 11, 2012)

Wow, that is really eerie Neurosis 0.0 
It actually reminds me of the original Drakengard game on the PS2 if you've ever played it. 

Sorry to go off topic, and yes there have been a few covers (and even the odd blurb from time to time) which have tricked me into picking them up thinking that they would be interesting and entertaining for them either to go against the cover art, leave the best bits hundreds of pages in or just not be my cup of tea : /


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## The Blue Lotus (Jan 11, 2012)

* Try this one out.*

I picked this book up at a yard sale, the back cover was missing so I thought it was a book on art and sculpture. 
I was like 7... Boy was I surprised!

http://www.amazon.com/Men-Love-Nancy-Friday/dp/0385333420

And embarassed all the heck!


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## Philip Overby (Jan 21, 2012)

I think there are a lot of bad book covers that actually have quite good books underneath.  So I usually look at the back of the book for the synopsis and don't rely so much on the book cover.


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## TWErvin2 (Jan 21, 2012)

Covers catch my attention, as to titles. But I not ony read the back of the book and the beginning, but I skip in about a third of the way through and see what the writing is like and what's going on (content). Often I'll skip ahead and read a short bit about 2/3 of the way through.  Me, I don't read the end. I'm not one to do that ahead of getting there.  So far, that's really helped avoid pitfalls in reading (I just don't have enough time to 'waste' on a crappy book).  Of course, back when I was in college with required reading...that is another story 

Of course, I also depend on friends and fellow readers who I trust and who know my tastes and interests.


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## Aurelian (Jan 24, 2012)

Lets be serious we all judge books by their covers. i recently quit a book because i felt like the author didn't know how to write anything other than bloody gory slaughter (It made me queasy and believe me that's saying alot).


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## Arcturus (Jan 25, 2012)

I don't willingly read books where the author's name is bigger than the title.  It's a pet peeve of mine and it makes me wonder why they even bother putting the title on the cover if the author is so important.


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## Steerpike (Jan 25, 2012)

I do use covers, to an extent. I don't read blurbs on the back of books, so covers are the initial attractor, and then I will take a look at the first few pages.


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## void141 (Jan 25, 2012)

If it is not a leather bound book with the gold-embossed title I don't like it. They hardly ever make those anymore, which is why I am forced to ignore the book cover and judge the book by what's inside instead


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Jan 25, 2012)

Arcturus said:


> I don't willingly read books where the author's name is bigger than the title.  It's a pet peeve of mine and it makes me wonder why they even bother putting the title on the cover if the author is so important.



GERALD J. M. MCFARQUHAR
The Sword Legend of the Legendary Sword​


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## Arcturus (Jan 25, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> GERALD J. M. MCFARQUHAR
> The Sword Legend of the Legendary Sword​



This seriously made my day.  I can see the _The Sword Legend of the Legendary Sword_ trilogy right now:
Book I:  The Preface of Originating the Beginning Origin 
Book II:  The Lost Object which was Hidden in Obscurity
Book III:  The Unique Power that is Rare and also Uncommon

Heh.  I might reconsider that pet peeve if this series ever gets written.


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## Reaver (Jan 26, 2012)

I'm right there with you on being put off by author's whose name dominates the cover, Arcturus.  I'd much rather read a book because it's well-written...not because of examples like Mr. Clayborne demonstrated.  By the way, I believe that there's a new book by Mr. McFarquhar: "The Perilous Danger in the Castle Palace's Subterranean Dungeon".  I hear it's getting rave reviews.


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## Arcturus (Jan 27, 2012)

I'm suspicious of McFarquhar now.

Does he have an assembly of ghostwriters by any chance?


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Jan 27, 2012)

Gerald J. M. McFarquhar writes all his novels from an ancient castle in the mountains of eastern Estonia. The castle has no electricity or running water; instead, teams of local goatherds cycle through 18 hours a day as McFarquhar dictates his novels to them. They speak no English, so instead they use talc to mark phonetic sounds on ancient green chalkboards, which are then shipped at great expense to Mexico to be transcribed and translated by the Oatalata people. McFarquhar claims that by this process, the energies of the universe are imbued into his words and thus makes his books so popular, which justifies the giant font his name is printed in as well as the semiannual visits from seventy-seven oiled slaves pulling a golden pyramid, atop which sits a eunuch holding a diamond-carved platter with his royalty check on it.


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## Arcturus (Jan 28, 2012)

So in other words, Gerald J. M. McFarquhar is essentially the literary equivalent to Willy Wonka. Smashing.  

Oh, and I just realized another thing.  I tend to judge publishing companies by the cover too.  

I was searching for an uncensored version of _The Picture of Dorian Gray _and realized that most of the covers depict Dorian as a brunette.  Despite the lengthy paragraphs Wilde wrote of describing Dorian as a blonde, the publishers decide this?  Did they even read the book or are they just stupid?


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## The Grey Sage (Jan 30, 2012)

There are times that the author is actually good and the book great but the title is smaller. But it is rare. Really rare. Once in a blue moon. Diamond in the rough... ok so I can't think of any, but I'm sure there's got to be some.


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## Reaver (Jan 30, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> Gerald J. M. McFarquhar writes all his novels from an ancient castle in the mountains of eastern Estonia. The castle has no electricity or running water; instead, teams of local goatherds cycle through 18 hours a day as McFarquhar dictates his novels to them. They speak no English, so instead they use talc to mark phonetic sounds on ancient green chalkboards, which are then shipped at great expense to Mexico to be transcribed and translated by the Oatalata people. McFarquhar claims that by this process, the energies of the universe are imbued into his words and thus makes his books so popular, which justifies the giant font his name is printed in as well as the semiannual visits from seventy-seven oiled slaves pulling a golden pyramid, atop which sits a eunuch holding a diamond-carved platter with his royalty check on it.



So _*that's  *_why he's just published his fifth book.  I was going to post this on the "announcements" thread, but I figured I might as just do it here:  *"The Deity God's Retaliatory Revenge" *.

Look for it in bookstores and on e-book next Monday.


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## aderyn (Jan 30, 2012)

Arcturus said:


> I was searching for an uncensored version of _The Picture of Dorian Gray _and realized that most of the covers depict Dorian as a brunette.  Despite the lengthy paragraphs Wilde wrote of describing Dorian as a blonde, the publishers decide this?  Did they even read the book or are they just stupid?



I noticed this too!  It does make you wonder if they even bother reading it!  I think they simply want to portray him as dark, which is missing the point really.


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## TWErvin2 (Jan 30, 2012)

aderyn said:


> I noticed this too!  It does make you wonder if they even bother reading it!  I think they simply want to portray him as dark, which is missing the point really.



Covers aren't necessarily created to be an accurate reproduction of a novel's contents. An actual scene from the story, or the exact color of clothing isn't always important. In the case of the image on the cover The Picture of Dorian Gray in question would be an example (see above posts). 

Consider the cover to be a marketing device or tool, one to get attention and to give an initial 'feel' or suggestion of what the novel is about to a potential reader.


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