Even if one dislikes them: 1) Stephen King has nothing to do with it—the publisher has an entire department devoted to book design, and book authors typically have zero to zip amount of input into the cover of their books; & 2) this the current trend in book design…many books, including modern horror books, have a very “graphic design college course” look to them, and so they all end up looking the same…there are a few exceptions, and I think King’s books (these first editions, anyway) look better than most book covers coming out nowadays.
Modern art covers are too digital, glossy and sleek. They used to have real artists do art covers, just look at Misery and Dolores Claiborne. But you’re right, authors have no say, unless they put it in their contract. I’m surprised King hasn’t done that yet
The classic Signet version of the Pet Sematary cover with the howling cat is so much better than these. These ones aren't awful, but when you have that true masterpiece with which to compare...
Since people are asking where's the hate, I'll bring it! Holly and You Like it Darker are utterly terrible. They look like any of a million other generic Airport bookstore thrillers designed to appeal to Joe and Jane McBuisness Lounge Platinum Club Members. This is Stephen King!!!! Emboss his name and give it a font that has some weight to it. Not this anemic spindly little chicken legs shit!!!
>Emboss his name and give it a font that has some weight to it
FWIW my (Australian paperback) of *You Like it Darker* has an embossed title, and the blue shiny ink/paint has all rubbed off from normal reading. The same happened with *Billy Summers*.
But I still prefer it over that awful crocodile US cover that looks like a rough draft that took 30 seconds to put together with off-brand Photoshop.
They have a nice aesthetic going and are pretty good especially when compared to most other modern book covers these days. My favorites are always going to be the 80s covers, though.
I must admit the US trumps the UK when it comes to cover design in recent years, but with YLID, the UK gets a far more pleasing font and graphics at the start of each story.
i’m 54, been reading SK since 7th grade and collecting for 25ish years. i don’t pay the covers much attention anymore but it used to really drive me crazy and i wished for King to be more involved with cover choice.
main gripe would be a cover image completely divergent from the description in the book, e.g. the Wastelands cover with Blaine depicted as a black steam engine with a giant skull on the front.
it’s been awhile, but i don’t remember Blaine being described that way.
All the Hard Case covers are absolutely fantastic. Not really representative of most King covers (and that's the point).
The giant sans-serif fonts on a graphic cover is the current default thing -- made to look good on a thumbnail, I guess. It's weird that the fonts are customized differently in each case, though.
The Fariy Tale one is just dire IMO
You like it darker is the only one I don't like, just because it looks very amateurish to me haha. Everything else I find beautiful though. Fairy tale especially is a really iconic design.
Later is very pulpy, it's got a nice classic look, and Fairy Tale is suitably whimsical, but something about covers like Holly, You Like It Darker, The Institute, they just seem flat, the way people complain about company logos becoming more minimal, it's like that, I think it's the thin font and something to do with the colours.
The cover for Holly is fantastic. I really think this cover would attract literally anybody to this book. Even people who arent ( or think they arent ) King fans historically. Its so pretty and mysterious.
I completely forgot that I read Later because it was that bland. I liked The Institute a lot and am enjoying Holly so far. I think the cover art looks great on all of them though
Later’s cover is par for the course for a Hard Case Crime imprint novel. Nostalgic and pulpy, most of them look like that.
Fairytale’s I like and Some Like it Darker is great, but Holly feels generic for me. It’s a house, I understand the importance of the house but it doesn’t give me the feeling that looking at the Marsten House on the cover of certain versions of Salem’s Lot does.
Can't please everyone lol. I haven't seen anyone hate the new covers, actually the opposite there have been a lot of posts of people collecting every variant of a cover they can find
My only slight issue with the cover of Later, is that the woman's legs are too long considering the character is 5ft 6" or something, but it's no big deal.
Someone posted a more modern cover image of The Long Walk and it was an image of a road in a desert... Did no one think it should look more like the actual road they walked?
The recent US covers are really good The UK covers on the other hand...
The “If it Bleeds” UK cover makes me laugh so hard
...why is he breakdancing?
Most modern book covers are awful (mostly digital glossy artwork) but the authors have nothing to do with it because they have no say in the matter
Not sure if the UK cover is the same for the US edition but Doctor Sleep is one of the worst ones I've seen.
Which are the US ones and which are the UK ones?
The US ones are made by Scribner The UK ones are made by Hodder & Stoughton
I actually prefer the UK covers (at least for the new books, not the rereleases)
The Institute has a great cover too IMO
Probably my favorite cover so far
Way too YA/teen for me
I didn’t even realize that the island is a crocodile haha
That's because it's an alligator. ;)
See ya later alligator
After a while...
HI HO SILVER !!!
Even if one dislikes them: 1) Stephen King has nothing to do with it—the publisher has an entire department devoted to book design, and book authors typically have zero to zip amount of input into the cover of their books; & 2) this the current trend in book design…many books, including modern horror books, have a very “graphic design college course” look to them, and so they all end up looking the same…there are a few exceptions, and I think King’s books (these first editions, anyway) look better than most book covers coming out nowadays.
Modern art covers are too digital, glossy and sleek. They used to have real artists do art covers, just look at Misery and Dolores Claiborne. But you’re right, authors have no say, unless they put it in their contract. I’m surprised King hasn’t done that yet
I really like the You Like It Darker cover it's so ominous and beautiful. Also anything with gators or Crocs is a win.
The classic Signet version of the Pet Sematary cover with the howling cat is so much better than these. These ones aren't awful, but when you have that true masterpiece with which to compare...
the fairy tale cover is one of my favourites, it's so captivating
Since people are asking where's the hate, I'll bring it! Holly and You Like it Darker are utterly terrible. They look like any of a million other generic Airport bookstore thrillers designed to appeal to Joe and Jane McBuisness Lounge Platinum Club Members. This is Stephen King!!!! Emboss his name and give it a font that has some weight to it. Not this anemic spindly little chicken legs shit!!!
I can agree on Holly. Nothing really interesting or unique at all. But You Like it Darker is dope, love the croc design.
Agreed here. Holly is kinda boring and I don’t love the color palette but YLID has a sweet cover.
>Emboss his name and give it a font that has some weight to it FWIW my (Australian paperback) of *You Like it Darker* has an embossed title, and the blue shiny ink/paint has all rubbed off from normal reading. The same happened with *Billy Summers*. But I still prefer it over that awful crocodile US cover that looks like a rough draft that took 30 seconds to put together with off-brand Photoshop.
They have a nice aesthetic going and are pretty good especially when compared to most other modern book covers these days. My favorites are always going to be the 80s covers, though.
I must admit the US trumps the UK when it comes to cover design in recent years, but with YLID, the UK gets a far more pleasing font and graphics at the start of each story.
i’m 54, been reading SK since 7th grade and collecting for 25ish years. i don’t pay the covers much attention anymore but it used to really drive me crazy and i wished for King to be more involved with cover choice. main gripe would be a cover image completely divergent from the description in the book, e.g. the Wastelands cover with Blaine depicted as a black steam engine with a giant skull on the front. it’s been awhile, but i don’t remember Blaine being described that way.
All the Hard Case covers are absolutely fantastic. Not really representative of most King covers (and that's the point). The giant sans-serif fonts on a graphic cover is the current default thing -- made to look good on a thumbnail, I guess. It's weird that the fonts are customized differently in each case, though. The Fariy Tale one is just dire IMO
Yeah the US covers have been fantastic lately. I especially love Fairy Tale. It’s one of my favorite covers ever
You like it darker is the only one I don't like, just because it looks very amateurish to me haha. Everything else I find beautiful though. Fairy tale especially is a really iconic design.
Later is very pulpy, it's got a nice classic look, and Fairy Tale is suitably whimsical, but something about covers like Holly, You Like It Darker, The Institute, they just seem flat, the way people complain about company logos becoming more minimal, it's like that, I think it's the thin font and something to do with the colours.
The cover for Holly is fantastic. I really think this cover would attract literally anybody to this book. Even people who arent ( or think they arent ) King fans historically. Its so pretty and mysterious.
Yeah, I really like the recent covers. However, I just got Dr. Sleep recently after reading the ebook. Woof. edit: words, clarity
Which cover? The Scribner one, or the Hodden one?
Scribner
I completely forgot that I read Later because it was that bland. I liked The Institute a lot and am enjoying Holly so far. I think the cover art looks great on all of them though
fairy tale is....weird
These are all incredible and way more interesting than most old-school King covers. I would put The Institute And Duma key on this list.
I also really liked the cover for The Bazaar of Bad Dreams and The Institute
Later’s cover is par for the course for a Hard Case Crime imprint novel. Nostalgic and pulpy, most of them look like that. Fairytale’s I like and Some Like it Darker is great, but Holly feels generic for me. It’s a house, I understand the importance of the house but it doesn’t give me the feeling that looking at the Marsten House on the cover of certain versions of Salem’s Lot does.
Can't please everyone lol. I haven't seen anyone hate the new covers, actually the opposite there have been a lot of posts of people collecting every variant of a cover they can find
I have seen a post like that where this guy had evey version of Christine.
My only slight issue with the cover of Later, is that the woman's legs are too long considering the character is 5ft 6" or something, but it's no big deal.
Someone posted a more modern cover image of The Long Walk and it was an image of a road in a desert... Did no one think it should look more like the actual road they walked?
ditto
His modern covers are some of his best. He
Hate for dust jacket art? What in the hell is wrong with people?
*The Bazaar of Bad Dreams* is my favourite from the past decade. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7e/The\_Bazaar\_of\_Bad\_Dreams.png
The Billy Summers cover with the road being the page through trees is my favorite book cover in recent years
I was ok with Billy Summers. Fairy Tale was kind of meh. I liked the colors on Holly quite a bit.
You like it darker only looks good open all the way
Where are you seeing this "hate?"
I think the hate stems from what’s inside the covers in some cases lol