Friday Face-Off: Panorama
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“Lawns and rocks and heather and different sorts of trees, lay spread out below them, the river winding through it.”
~ a cover featuring a PANORAMA
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Today, I’m featuring one of my favorite fantasy novels of all time! It would take another novel just to outline the plot of this 1000+ page tome and describe all my thoughts and feelings and how much I love it, so I say let’s just skip straight to covers:
From left to right, top to bottom:
Tor Books (2010) – Gollancz A(2010) – Gollancz B (2015)
Bulgarian Edition (2012) – Turkish Edition (2014) – Spanish Edition (2012)
Polish Edition (2014) – Russian Edition A (2013) – Russian Edition B (2016)
Winner:
I’ll be honest here, all the other covers are just a formality. There’s ever only been one for me, and that’s the Tor cover by artist Michael Whelan. I have been in love with this gorgeous piece ever since I first laid eyes on it, and years later, my feelings have not changed one bit. Not only is it a breathtaking work of art, it’s the only cover here that manages to capture all the sweeping majesty and immense scope of The Way of Kings and all that the novel represents. None of the other covers can even convey a fraction of its epicness, not even close. The full image of the Tor edition is a panorama in every sense, showcasing the otherworldly beauty of Roshar’s Shattered Plains in all its storm-swept glory.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
The BiblioSanctum 
This one’s a no-brainer for me. Michael Whelan’s cover is just phenomenal and captures Roshar perfectly. I mean, look at those cloud formations! *clutches heart*
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Yeah, those gorgeous clouds!
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Whelan all the way!
The rest have not the same feeling of the land, thought that Russian B cover does get it right
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I dunno, the pose of the figure looks so odd 😀
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I’m always a fan of Whelan so yeah his cover is definitely fave. I always like his skies/ clouds!
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I know, right! I’m mesmerized by the colors.
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I sort of like the Gallancz B version but I think it’s because of the colors in all honesty. I’ve never read these series but I know they are much loved books. I’m amazed there are so many covers though.
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Yeah, I do love the white, black, and red color scheme. Choices, choices 😀
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Yeah I love the colours in that first book.
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Agreed, they’re so rich, and the color combinations are so dramatic.
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Michael Whelan every time – he’s just brilliant. I wanted to use these covers too to be honest – they’re so amazing – but I think I do tend to get stuck in repeating myself sometimes and I think I’ve already used these covers a number of times so decided to step away!
Lynn 😀
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Yeah, honestly, I was surprised I hadn’t used this one yet. I was like, you’re going in!
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This book has definitely been blessed by the cover gods! They are all really good. I love the one you picked, and I also love the Gollancz B😊
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Yeah, the Tor covers are all very beautiful. Their covers for book 2 and 3 aren’t bad either, but I always come back to this one.
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The Tor cover is the one that shouts “epic fantasy” with the loudest voice 🙂
There was really no choice here…
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Absolutely! It is everything I want in an epic fantasy cover!
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awesome choice! Wow that art is amazing!
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Isn’t it? I love it!
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Great choice! I like the Gollancz versions (just cuz they’re similar to the Mistborn covers I own haha), but I do think the Whelan will be prettier in person. 🙂
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I like how all the UK versions of Sanderson’s covers “match”! But yeah, when it comes this series, it’s the Tor versions all the way 😀
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I haven’t read the book so without that affecting my judgement I think I like the Polish Edition (2014) best! Though I do really like the one you picked too, and the panorama picture is better than the cover!
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Definitely, I had to show the full image!
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The art for these books is stunning!
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Yes, Michael Whelan is amazing!
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Yer choice be the correct one. And for the reasons ye stated. Arrrr!
x The Captain
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Glad ye agree, matey! 😀
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Woah, I love the 2015 Gollancz one, I wish I had it! I own the 2010 version..
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Yeah, I like it when publishers put out a new cover for new editions!
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*whispers* but what abou the french cover??
Hahaha, I still love the US edition more, I’m currently dying while I’m waiting for the third book to come ou in mmp so I can finally read ittttttt
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I don’t know how I could have missed the French cover! Though it may have been the same as one of these featured here, I only put up those that look different so that might have been why 😀
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