Why are the US covers so awful?

[Darth Krewl]

A french friend I met on a french forum read them in spanish, so I suppose she found them, but I couldn't say where... She read till LoC the last she spoke of it...

 

I have bought the german version, and the cover are goods. In fact, those are Sweet's covers, but silvery shade, and I admit they are far morr acceptable so :)

 

We have the book published, yes, but with a bad translation, and we had Knife of Dream this month. Two days ago if I'm not mistaken. And with twice as much books.

 

Yeah, your friend must have found them in Spain, I guess. Spaniards are much more into fantasy than other Spanish speaking natives. I live in Mexico and here, fantasy is practically non-existent. All you can find is the usual suspects (LotR and Potter). Other than that, you have to buy imported books in English. Which is how I've gotten most of the WoT books (others, I bought online at Amazon).

 

As for the translation, I don't like the words they've chosen for some terms in Spanish, like Channeling and the Forsaken (translated as the "Renegades"!). So, I understand what you're saying. Also lost in the translation are the different "accents" that RJ used for each region. All in all, characters lose a lot of personality and color this way and the whole thing feels lame, if you know what I mean.

[Jagen Sedai]

The US covers suck, hmm?

 

Okay, well on ALL of those UK covers the snake and wheel symbol is backwards.

 

Just saying'.

 

:P

[Sid]

If you're not used to driving in the UK and have to for some reason, it does kind of seem like a mirror universe...

[talligan]

Wasn't there a random extra person on the TEotW cover?

 

But I really *really* like the e-book covers.

[Lynchgrinch]

But I really *really* like the e-book covers.

 

 

Agreed, the e-book covers are the greatest....the only one i didnt realy like was the one for tDR......no where near as epic as the american front cover IMHO.

[mb]

Title question, awful or not is only a matter of opinion.

 

To me, the US covers look fine. And I consider them better than the UK covers since the UK covers are pretty much the same design for each book.

[T00thbrush]

We have the book published, yes, but with a bad translation, and we had Knife of Dream this month. Two days ago if I'm not mistaken. And with twice as much books.

 

The French edition is indeed a disgrace. Thank God we can read it in English. The translation is so bad I even remember one of the French books glossaries saying Tam al'Thor used to be a freaking Warder. What the heck?

[Demiandre]

Indeed Toothbrush! (you're french?) Or an Aes Sedia refering to Green Ajah logic, Kari passing for an Aes Sedai, Aiel carrying swords. Arlette Rosenblum did an awful job at translating the books. (We did a petition for a better translation, and Praise her ironically as Arlette, May She Live Forever). But the new one (I don't even know her name) seems even worse from what I heard...

[T00thbrush]

Yup, I'm French. I used to be on Pierre de Tear a long time ago... Can't possibly imagine the new translator is worse that Arlette, May She Live Forever (), but I've got to say I haven't really wanted to know anything about the French books since TFoH...

Edited November 30, 2010 by Toothbrush

[Demiandre]

Yup, I'm French. I used to be on Pierre de Tear a long time ago...

 

You should come back there, the RP started again, and the forum is moving again with lot of new faces (I became modo and Jury des Joutes/Conseil RP). What was your pseudo there, If you don't mind the question?

 

I agree with you, I started english book at the same time I believe

[T00thbrush]

My nickname was Stefanof. I've got a pretty crappy memory but I think I might have gotten myself into too many arguments back then (I used to be very headstrong ). It was a pretty good community though, I've had a little lurk around a little while ago when ToM came out, checked out what everyone was thinking, etc... :)

[Demiandre]

Oh yes indeed, I heard of you, and read a lot of your post (long time lurking during the slowing of the forum) and you indeed seem to have a reputation for arguing and stuborness :)

 

It's strange to speak english on an english forum with a french who also was on the Stone :D

[Guest Dutchsmurf]

 

I would love hardcover copies of the UK editions by Orbit Books, with just the symbol of the wheel. Very classy. I have a few of them in paperback.

 

Are they available in hardcover? I did a quick search the other day and could only find paperbacks.

 

Sent using Tapatalk

 

 

yep, although i've only got 12 and 13 in british hardback. i've got 5-9 in american hardback...book 1 in american paperback and books 1-11 in uk paperback...oh yeah and new spring and the guide in uk paperback.

 

I'm pretty sure you can nab up the british hardcovers of amazon.co.uk, and yes they do look pretty damn classy ;) but as scrappy and "wrong" as they are, the american ones will always have a special place in my heart, i plan to get them all by some point.

 

I tried looking everywhere (starting at amazon.co.uk), but they only have the paperback version of that cover of the older books. So anyone else has any idea where you can buy the older books with that cover (as hardcover version)?

[T00thbrush]

Oh yes indeed, I heard of you, and read a lot of your post (long time lurking during the slowing of the forum) and you indeed seem to have a reputation for arguing and stuborness :)

 

It's strange to speak english on an english forum with a french who also was on the Stone :D

 

Yeah, a little bit, but these guys might get confused if we revert to good old French

I've always been headstrong stubborn as a mule (probably always will be, let's face it) but I got carried away a hell of a lot more when I was younger (not that I'm old or wise now...). Oh well. We all *facepalm* when looking back to who we used to be at one point Don't know if you've seen them while lurking, but I did have fun writing those "papers" about Galad and Elayne, although I clearly needed to lay off the insults

Edited December 1, 2010 by Toothbrush

[Jblaylock]

Oh... my....

 

 

I've always hated the US covers, eccept for Eye of the World; but even that cover always bothered me due to the simple fact that, as I read the book for the first time, I was constantly waiting for the "extra" person in the lineup on the cover to be introduced. He never was...

 

 

 

That being said...

 

 

 

The French covers are so bad they make me want to light myself on fire.

 

 

 

Edited December 1, 2010 by El Oscuro

[Demiandre]

I think we all agree on that. We are the master of ugliness. Yeah! Or not so much... but then, for once we do something better than the other ;D

 

Toothbrush, will have to look, didn't saw those papers. Or maybe yes, but a long time ago, and my memory isn't what it was months ago. P.S : nice blog, btw...

[T00thbrush]

The French covers are so bad they make me want to light myself on fire.

 

It is widely believed a high percentage of French fantasy readers have experienced an above-average rate of 3rd degree burns. Coincidence? I think not, Mr Watson!

 

@Demiandre, thanks I have to admit WoT gets even better when you read it all by yourself in the Australian wilderness

[Demiandre]

Haha indeed Toothbrush. Take care or you'll be burned out, El Oscuro. ^^ it need a lot of practice to look at french cover safely. If you overstep your limit, there are great risks

 

You know toothbrush, it's closer to read them in your bed, under warm blankets, with sweets and refrechements. No need to go THAT far ;)

 

But I believe that shall be awesome indeed

Edited December 2, 2010 by Demiandre

[T00thbrush]

But you could have the best of both worlds and be in your bed (in the car), with a cold beer (from the esky) and whatever treats you've packed with you, camping in the Aussie wilderness, and reading WoT !

[Jagen Sedai]

So I want to see what the French covers look like--any

one got pics?

[Demiandre]

There are two or three on the previous page.

 

Lords of Chaos

 

The Great Hunt

 

The Eye of the World

 

And at this link, some more :

 

http://recherche.fnac.com/Search/SearchResult.aspx?SCat=2%211&SID=d5582fb7-7a75-772c-b168-d86b8ae878c6&UID=0717437C0-A6CE-8E70-1ABC-D0B2FFA27555&Origin=fnac_google_home&TTL=061220101926&OrderInSession=1&Search=Robert+Jordan&download_ebook=&bl=HGLIrera&sft=1&submitbtn=Ok.

 

(EDIT : anyone knows how to rename a link so it can be shortens?? It takes an awful lot of place...)

 

The best are the Fleuve Noir edition (since book 7VO, 13 VF IIRC) the ugliest Pocket, or maybe Rivage. I'm not yet sure... :)

 

Enjoy ^^

Edited December 5, 2010 by Demiandre

[T00thbrush]

God... I do think that Pocket edition of the very first book takes the cake by a mile. I mean... buttcheeks... who wants to read a series that starts with buttcheeks!? Apart from that, it looks to me to be more of an SF cover than fantasy...

[moratcorlm]

Those might make no sense, but they're artistically much easier on the eyes than Sweet. Even the Vitruvian-globe thing.

[Xader]

Yes, the French covers do seems to beat all in crappiness.

 

But my least favorite US cover has got to be LOC.

 

They're factually inaccurate, as expected, but what really drives me crazy is that it looks like the cover of a trashy romance novel...

[dawnflower8]

 

THIS is the french cover of the second book in french version (from Whitebridge to the Eye, more or less), The Eye of the World. Don't be disgusted by your covers. We have the ugliest...

 

 

This one also, from the Dragon Reborn...

 

 

And last but not least, the fourth book (second part of TGH) in another edition. The covers for this edition were awful at first, but became almost acceptable with time. Well, I shall admit I droped after LoC and went to the UK version :)

Is that supposed to be a trolloc on TEotW cover? 

And TDR cover has an actual DRAGON on it...and what characters are those supposed to be anyway?