Excuse me for a second while I go off the deep end -- < rant > Like so many other things in this universe that is laughing behind my back, I have an opinion on the book cover. I do think the cover could be more true to the words; however, I DO NOT think it is bad. On blurbs, I believe that it should be either an excerpt or an accurate synopsis of the book as a whole. There is a difference between having an opinion and commenting on something, and CRITICIZING someones effort(s). People should only criticize if they can do better. Let me make my position clear: critics should have a nice cup of STFU until they can justify their existance by doing more than knocking down the accomplishments of others. < /rant > Ok, I'm done. We now return you to our regular program, "Who is Mario this Week" Warlord "Definition of a critic: one who comes down out of the mountain, after the war is over, and shoots the dead." > -----Original Message----- > From: Steve Hubbell [mailto:usagigoya at hotmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 4:44 PM > To: dragaera at dragaera.info > Subject: Re: book by its > > > I don't know what the ratio between "new" blurb is intriguing readers and > "continuing" true-blue-buying-in-hardcover-months-early-from-Amazoners (I > assume that is what you meant, since I prefer to support my local > bookstores). > > I can say that the blurb by Roger Zelazny was a large influence > on my buying > Jhereg, Yendi and To Reign In Hell way back in the early > eighties. Zelazny's > blurbs also influenced me to try Sheri Tepper's first book King's > Blood Four > (and sequels). > > I loved the Stephen Hickman covers on Jhereg and Yendi and have to admit > that they also were a large influence. Back then, I think cover > art was very > influental in trying new authors. (I still love the cover art > being selected > for each new Vlad Taltos book.) > > Now-a-days, there are so many new authors out there all writing similar > stuff and all sporting similar looking cover art that it is hard > to choose > what to try. An author whom you like recommending a new or previously > unknown author is STILL helpful in making a choice. > > >From: "Steven Brust" <skzb at dreamcafe.com> > >To: "Philip Hart" <philiph at SLAC.Stanford.EDU>, "Dragarea" > ><dragaera at dragaera.info> > >Subject: Re: book by its > >Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2003 14:10:05 -0700 > > > > > > > > > Question for SKZB or the powers-at-Tor - any idea what the ratio of > > > hmm-the-Zelazny-or-T.Williams-blurb-is-intriguing purchasers to us > > > true-blue-buying-in-hardcover-months-early-from-Amazoners is? > > > >As I understand it, blurbs are less designed to appear to readers than to > >the buyers for various chains and major outlets. Er, if that doesn't > >answer > >your question, you'll have to rephrases it. > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Instant message in style with MSN Messenger 6.0. Download it now FREE! > http://msnmessenger-download.com > > >