[Evil Agent]

Let's not fool ourselves. There's some BAD Fantasy cover art out there. What are your personal worsts? I'm sure there's worse out there that I don't know, but what comes to mind is...
1. Hildebrandt Bros. cover for The Sword of Shanara (sp?)
2. Every Terry Goodkind cover except for Wizard's First Rule. Have you SEEN Temple of the Winds? It's all okay except for Richard's horrendous face! Anyone agree?
3. I have mixed feelings about the Wheel of Time covers. Some of them are alright, and colorful, but again I don't like the close ups of the main characters faces. They're always so cheesy.

[Cadfael]

This one...

Black House (http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0007100442.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg)

But a brillant book!!!

In this case.. the US edition was the better one... but not by much.

[wolfshead]

Darrel K. Sweet is worst, without a doubt! Deformed figures with big red noses and side parted red hair (no matter how they are described in the text), people wearing gaudy purple/red parti coloured mock medieval garb and naff feathered caps. To be fair, his landscapes are pretty good, but when he does people--oh my!

[Sammie]

I have mixed feelings about the Wheel of Time covers. Some of them are alright, and colorful, but again I don't like the close ups of the main characters faces. They're always so cheesy.


Confession - i never even contemplated buying any WoT while they had the hectic covered-in-people-and-colours-and-things-happening covers that they used to have here in the UK. The new UK covers, like this one (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/185723300X/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2_cp/026-4879073-7998002), i much prefer. I guess maybe cos now it looks more like a grown-up's book!?

[sunback]

The great hunt, worst cover art ever

[Rob B]

I don't particularly care for the US covers of Kate Elliot's Crown of Stars series. The first two (King's Dragon & Prince of Dogs) weren't too bad, but books 3 & 4 (The Burning Stone & Child of Flame) I simply don't like.

However, the UK covers look more polished and less cheesy, for lack of a better term.

Regardless, the series is very good thus far. The covers kept me from giving these books a try for the longest time, until the high praise at this here forum.

[Warewolf]

I would have to say the previous versions of Guy Gavriel Kay's books. I mean, I would never have picked up any of those books because the covers turned me off so badly. Luckily, a friend forced me to read some of them... :)

Darryl K. Sweet is hit or miss with me (usually more miss). Some of his stuff for Modesitt's Recluce series is pretty good, especially The Magic of Recluce.

I like the covers to Goodkind's books. Keith Parkinson is probably my second favorite fantasy artist behind Michael Whelan...

[Eventine]

Any US covers...

And I second the Hildebrandt Brothers cover for Sword of Shannara as worst ever

[Gagged Man]

Cover to the original version of Dragons of Autumn ?? (can't remember last bit). It was awful (IMHO) but the book was good.

[athenix]

Rosemary Edghill's The Warslayer ... ee gads, the cover almost turned me off of it. Cover art by Carol Heyer. It just looked so hokey - and while I realize it was supposed to, it looks like some ... I can't put words to it.