/lit/ - Literature

>>745315
>>745332
Quoting the art director of Tor:

"In this case, we loved the hardcover art but we were worried that it would be hard to make out at the smaller paperback size. Since we felt we got the right tone across the first time, we decided to go back to Jon and see if he'd be up for revisiting it. (It also helped that I knew he really loved the book.)

You are right that it is unusual to go back to the same artist for new cover. More typically, if we are changing the cover for mass market, we are doing so to get a completely different feel on the book. Sometimes it's because we failed to get the hardcover the right audience, other times it's just the nature of paperback publishing versus hardcover publishing.

Most paperbacks are _not_ bought in bookstores, they are bought on impulse in drug stores, airports, supermarkets, etc. Because of that, the feeling is that you have to "STOP THE SHOPPING CART!" Things need to pop more, more foil and emboss, etc. Hardcovers are often bought in bookstores were people take their time and browse more...plus you have a lot more room to do more subtle things with."

Though in this instance she's talking pic related cover. I'm still not sure where the new US paperback covers came from, and I don't think I'll research further.