Changing Book Covers

[Emma]

Just went out to get my next Twilight Saga book....Eclipse, and I notice that they changed the text on the spine. They now all read "Twilight Saga Book..." and what ever number it is in the series. Well, now they don't match my other two books beacause they don't say that. I hate it when the covers are not the same!!!

[Carolyn F.]

Charlaine Harris' Sookie and the Twilight books do have tons of different covers. Get's kind of confusing.

[Shannon]

Another one is the Anita Blake series. There's at least three different cover designs in the US issued releases. And unlike Twilight and Sookie, that series doesn't have cover versions with actors from movie/tv adaptations.

[Emma]

Is there a way of getting the "old" covers, the ones without the book numbers, or am I stuck?

[Shannon]

Maybe look on ebay or used book sellers.

[Emma]

Thank you Shannon! I'm going to try that! :)

[Caramelle]

Another good place to look is www.alibris.com
They have a large selection of books to choose from and offer discounts through emails.

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I too am picky when they do change the cover or suddenly change the format of a series!!

I understand the whole hardcover to paperback version. That I get. But what i dont get is when they release most of the series in trade and/or mass paperback then suddenly a hardcover book in the series shows up! Then, they fluctuate the formats!

Examples:

Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon, most are paperback. Acheron comes out in hardcover (but then again. it's a large and amazing book! Milestone of the series). But then One Silent Night and Dream Warrior comes out in paperback only to be followed by Bad Moon Rising and No Mercy in hardcover!!
I already have a difficult time fitting all my books into my shelf and have them in order, now i have to deal with size changes?! (Lol, easy fix would be waiting on the paperback to be released, but how can I for this series?!?)

Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, They changed the cover for Darkfever from the 'Mac/Jericho couple' hardcover to the blue scene for the paperback and continued with that style with the next 3 books! Now my covers are different. :(

However, A bonus to the cover change thing is when they changed the covers for Karen Marie Moning highlander series! I have to admit, if the older harlequin/Fabio type covers were still used, i may not have picked up the series.

Another pet peeve! Releasing boxsets when then series is not over!!
Examples:

Twilight Saga. They released the first 3 in a boxset. So now the first 3 are in their cuddly box when Breaking Dawn is the outsider (actually I dont mind, since i really didnt like Breaking Dawn)
Harry Potter. I wanted to see when the complete series (1-7) would be available in boxset. I found a boxset that was from books 1-6.
Why people?! Why?! I know its a marketing ploy to make more money offering sets. But wouldnt it be smarter to COMPLETE the set before hand?!

Sorry about my major rant. I design stuff for a living, so things like that do bug me.

[Andrea]

I really hate it when they make a movie from a book and then publish the book with the cast from the movie on it. That really bugs me.

[[deleted user]]

I hate that too. I hate the True Blood Stackhouse covers!

I hate when they change design all the time. My Anita Blake series has 3 different types of covers- campy vampy ones, sexy ones, and now those stark " I write stark detective stories, really!" covers of today.

I also don't like those tall paper backs. I've got several series that have regular sized paper backs, then all of a sudden they'd throw in one of those tall "easier to read" ones. I think the Carpathian series is one that threw a few of those in the mix.

[Caramelle]

Andrea wrote: "I really hate it when they make a movie from a book and then publish the book with the cast from the movie on it. That really bugs me."

OH! YES!!! The 'movie tie-in' versions!! Using the Eclipse book as an example, there are the following versions:

Hardcover
Collectors Edition Hardcover
Trade Paperback
Movie Tie-In Trade Paperback
Movie Tie-In Mass Market

Its still the same story in every book! Why need more than one at the same time?!

Plus not everyone pictures the characters as they are in the movie!

[Heather]

It is all about the $$$. I have to admit that I bought the three Twilight Saga books with the new covers. I couldn't help it..

[Camilla]

I really dont like the changing covers either. Infact, I always go for the original cover, and if I have, lets say, 4 in a series, with the original cover, and then I can only get the 5th one with a new cover.. I'm not going to buy it.. When its a series, they have to be from the same "cover-series" if I can call it that.. Like with the Sookie books. Couldnt dream of buying them with the characters on the front.

[Gemma]

I really liked the Tv character covers of the True blood books. It means I can oogle Eric lol! I admit I now have a matching set after a big mismatch of books before. They do have a loving home now! my mom! :)

[Brenna]

I hate when that happens. For instance, some of Kenyon and Feehan's series books keep changing styles and reissuing back books with the newer covers but not the newer books with a style to match the older covers. It's a marketing thing, and it's really annoying for readers.

Brenna

[Emma]

And it's not like you can avoid it. Let's say you bought the Twilight Saga when the paperback versions where released. Twilight through Eclipse didn't have the extra text on the spine, they added it recently........ But Breaking Dawn was just released in paperback so
the only version you can get is the one with the extra text! So tempted to go buy the newer versions. Arughhhh!!

[Ann aka Iftcan]

lol, I love this topic. Of course, I collect covers. Some of the books I own I have in 3 or 4 or even 5 different covers. are examples of my mania for book covers. Of course--what I REALLY prefer are the old "classic" covers from say 1930's to 1970's or so.

[Camille-Dhark Nytmhare]

What more frustrating is my dumbass buys the book thinking I have not read it because after all it IS a new cover. And then Arrrrrrghhhhhh.... the first 3 chapters sound so familiar... This usually happens with books I've read several years back. Goodreads has been a life saver. I can now catalogue my books.

[Jj]

Heather wrote: "It is all about the $$$. I have to admit that I bought the three Twilight Saga books with the new covers. I couldn't help it.."
Im with you there Heather, I have bought all the saga (up to Eclipse) with the new and old covers..and yeah there are some characters that they do not portray the characters described in the books..books are waaaay better because everyone has their own version of them!

[Kelley Anne]

Gem H aka *Dhelirious* wrote: "I really liked the Tv character covers of the True blood books. It means I can oogle Eric lol! I admit I now have a matching set after a big mismatch of books before. They do have a loving home no..."

I have no problem with Eric being on the new covers of the Sookie Books but what REALLY got me was when the "tv" cover for Club Dead came out, there were cast members on the cover that aren't in the book!!!! What? That made absolutely no sense to me! How about if you only put cast members on it that are actually in the story! Sounds like a lot better idea to me!

[Gemma]

Yeah that kind of sucks! My mum keeps asking "is so and so in the books?"

maybe eric should just be on all the covers! Lol!

By the way has anyone seenthe ne rolling stones magazine cover?

[Melanie]

Sometimes new covers are a marketing thing, but also many publishers do not own the art on their books. They lease it for a period of time from the artist (who is then free to re-sell/lease his art to another publisher-- this happened on my first historical, Iona. The cover was originally on an Arnette Lamb book). If the lease expires before a book is reprinted, then the publisher must buy/lease a new cover.

But mostly it's a marketing thing :-).

[Mariel]

It bugs me when they change up from cute covers to ugly covers. The tv covers for Sookie aren't nearly as good as the old ones.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

I agree Mariel. I really like those comic bookie looking ones.

[new_user]

Changing book covers don't look nearly as cool on the shelf, do they? :( Ah well, sometimes the covers are new and improved. I don't know if I would repurchase the whole series with the new cover, like I've seen some people do.

[Emma]

Went out today to get my last book...Breaking Dawn. Now I have two with book numbers and two without. Oh well :( I was going to wait until I finished New Moon, but I figured I better get it before they change the covers again!!

[Tracy T.]

I'm usually not too picky when it comes to covers, as long as I get all of the same kind. If I start buying in hardcover, then I need to have all hardcovers and same with paperback. The only cover change that bugged me a little was BDB with Rehv's and JM's books. They just look out of place to me.

There are some series though that need new covers. I wish they'd step away from the cheesy covers to more sophisticated ones.

[Caramelle]

Tracy wrote: "I'm usually not too picky when it comes to covers, as long as I get all of the same kind. If I start buying in hardcover, then I need to have all hardcovers and same with paperback. The only cover ..."

YAY!!! Im not the only one who likes to have a constant type of edition!

I was a little distraught when Rhev's book was released in hardcover and was considering to wait till the paperback was released...but didnt.

Another instance was when I wanted to read the Fever series, knowing that they would be released in hardcover, but already missed out on Darkfever's hardcover edition, I actually searched online for the hardcover and made sure I got one before buying the rest of the series...sad, i know. But then they changed the design style of the covers. That I had to cope with.

Darkfever Covers: (From Left to Right) First Edition Hardcover, Paperback edition (new design for covers for books 1-4), Newest cover design for re-release.

As for the cheesy covers. The more 'harlequin/Fabio' the cover looks, the less interest I have in them. Main example: The Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning.
...
Im so glad they changed the cover, or else I would have missed out on a great series.

[Mariya]

i dont mind the change for some covers if the orginal cover s r bad and hard to look at that u dont even want to buy it. like if the second cover design looks better than yea.

for the fever series i think that the first 2 covers, hardback and paper back should be the same. but i agree with the third one. i think it is beautiful, but i wish that one was in hardback too.

as for the highlander, oh, god. that one did need a makeover, seriously. yuck. i like the updated cover.

i think that if the cover is updated to a new one, it should only be updated once! and that they should have it in both paper back and hardback.

i'd seriously love to get paperback but sometimes the text is so small hardback is better for me

but like for the twilight series, ridciolous. like we'd buy that book more than once. and only crazy movie fans would buy all of the covers. weird. why spend all ur money on the same damn book.

i agree wit changing covers if they look better than the orginal, like the highlander one really needed it!

for the fever series i havent bought them, i checked them out at the library, and i will buy them but now i cant decide which version to get. i should get the hardcover but i like the new paperack cover better, i wish the new paperback was in hardcover format.

[Tracy T.]

Caramelle wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I'm usually not too picky when it comes to covers, as long as I get all of the same kind. If I start buying in hardcover, then I need to have all hardcovers and same with paperback. T..."

You will never catch me buying a hardcover for a paperback series I collect or vice versa unless I absolutely have to. It looks so much better on my bookshelf if things are uniform.

[Mariya]

if something comes out in hardback first i find that they stick to it and release paperback a couple of years later. but if something is in paperback, ugh. i just knoe at some point they will switch. so i usually buy hardback, but that's for the young adult books. for the adult books almost all of them r usually in paperback and its usually if something is really popular like the fever series or mercedes thompson where they go and release hardcover.

but i wish they would release hardcover and paperback at the same time if they switch over.

[Caramelle]

Tracy wrote: "Caramelle wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I'm usually not too picky when it comes to covers, as long as I get all of the same kind. If I start buying in hardcover, then I need to have all hardcovers and same..."
Lol. I try to do that too. but its hard not picking up the latest release of a series that you've totally fallen for!
At the moment im waiting for the trade edition of the latest release of Kelley Armstrong's 'WOTO'. I havent started reading the series yet, so those I can wait for.

The newest covers for the Fever series are amazing! But I already own the hardcover versions and not very willing to buy another set. However much i like the cover...its still the same story, just different packaging.

The cover for Shadowfever - the last book of the series - is getting a special treatment! It looks amazing!

Regarding the paperback issue...
'Acheron' by Sherrilyn Kenyon. It was a huge book in hardcover and when i saw it on paperback, the print seemed to compressed.
Hardcovers have the pleasing to the eye feature. Paperbacks have the portability feature.
If either are set up properly and the text is legible and readible, i wouldnt mind going for either edition. JUST DON'T SWITCH EDITIONS MIDWAY THE SERIES!!! GAH!!!

[Mariya]

yea. i like hardbacks b/c its easier on the eyes. but yea. look at the shadowfever cover. AMAZING!!!! just talking about the mention of shadowfever makes me wanna read it like rite now. CANT WAIT!!! love the newest fever cover but will probally be getting the hardback b/c ill be buying shadowfever(NO WAY AM I WAITING AT THE LIBRARY!!) which is in hardback format.

[Christine]

I know it's not about vampires, but The Chronicles of Narnia has about a million different cover versions by now. Just when I think I've seen them all, another rears its head...

But I actually don't mind. I enjoy seeing all the different covers and their interpretations.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

I checked at my library--the waiting list for Shadowfever was already at 67. No telling what it is now. But I'm going to buy it for my Nook. I've been gradually (1 a pay day) getting the rest of the series loaded onto my Nook. The week before Shadowfever comes out, I'll be sitting down and re-reading the entire series, so that everything is fresh in my mind for when it is available. (only 16 weeks, 3 days and 1 hour, 52 minutes.--but who's counting.)

[Mariya]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "I checked at my library--the waiting list for Shadowfever was already at 67. No telling what it is now. But I'm going to buy it for my Nook. I've been gradually (1 a pay day) getting the rest of..."

haha. i just looked and my libarary is at 115 requests. i rather just buy it than wait. im going crazy enough as it is. i predict if i waited for it at the library i wouldnt get it until like 4 or 5 months later. i had the fifth mercy thompson book on hold at the library which had similar to 100 something people reserving it and im still waiting for it and i reserved it in june. im like at number 28 now though.

[Irene]

I thought I was the only one with that problem. I hate it when the book covers change and they don't match what I've already got.
Technology... now that I've got an eReader, I'm just glad when I get a cover.

[Cee]

I hate I can't find the Sookie Stackhouse books with the woman with the red lips on them. They only want to sell me the True Blood ones. They just don't match...

I really can't buy books with a different cover, even if I'm dying to read the books.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Poor Celine. Did you try ebay? Sometimes you can find them there, and there are a lot of people who sell books that keep an ebay presence, so you don't have to wait. Just hit the "buy now" key and check out. :o)

[Cee]

Thanks Ann, didn't think of that. I'll try it (:

Now I have been trying to sell the four copies I have to a friend, so I can buy the box set, and leave it up to her to find a solution. Your way probably will save me a lot of money and a friend.

[Sophie]

It is sooooo brilliant that i am not the only one that gets really annoyed by all this cruddy changes and inconsistencies in the publishing of series!! i generally like to have a matching set for series... just looks so much better.. but then again i wouldnt go out and buy a series or book again just so that i had the new cover or match up the different ones... i dont mind paying an extra couple of dollars to get one to match the set, but that is as far as i go..

Just wish that they didnt make it an issue! So Stupid!! grrr...!!

[Ann aka Iftcan]

lol guys. Hey, I have one series that I own that was written over, like a 40 year span of time. Want to talk about totally different takes on covers. . . There are about 30 or so books in the series, and its composed of a bunch of interconnecting series. But even with those smaller series, there isn't a lot of cohession on the covers. Altho I do admit--I liked the OLD covers the best. There's just something about the "classic" covers (i.e. covers from the 40's, 50's and early 60's) that you don't find any more. Maybe it was the innoucence of the time, or that the covers actually used real artists to create them. I don't know--just something about them that's a lot more "fun" than the ones now.

[Irene]

I have bought duplicate books so that I can get matching covers

[Caramelle]

I was just at a bookstore today, the latest 'Darkfever' cover is now officially released.

I was tempted to get it.