Friday Face-Off: Horizon
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:
“Your ‘beautiful’ ship killed its crew, Doctor.”
~ a cover featuring a HORIZON
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Mad Scientist’s Daughter by Cassandra Rose Clarke
There’s something dreamy and everlasting about the concept of a horizon, which is probably why the original cover for this book immediately popped into my head when I saw what was today’s theme. At its core, The Mad Scientist’s Daughter is a love story, but it is also a heartbreaking character study of its protagonist Caterina Novak, daughter of a brilliant yet a eccentric inventor and cybernetics expert. We follow Cat’s development from childhood to her adult years, witnessing as, at five years old, she first lays eyes on Finn, the android her father brings home to be her tutor. But as Cat grows, she discovers Finn is different from other androids. With every year that passes, their relationship becomes increasingly complicated as Cat starts to see Finn as someone more than just a tutor and friend.
When Angry Robot was sold to Watkins Media, a lot of their books/authors also ended up being picked up and re-issued by Saga Press, and this was one of them. So today we’ll be doing a simple head to head, comparing the covers to these two editions:
Angry Robot (2013) vs. Saga Press (2016)
Winner:
Although the newer Saga cover has an edgier and more modern look, there’s a reason why the original Angry Robot cover works so well. I feel it is better at capturing the atmosphere and tone of the story, and the art style also lends the image quite a bit of nostalgia and personality, not to mention it uses the horizon to great effect.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
The BiblioSanctum 
I definitely like that first cover better. It’s pretty nice.
LikeLike
I love the atmosphere of it!
LikeLike
Not a lot to choose form, but def the first one 🙂
LikeLike
Yay, happy you agree too 😀
LikeLike
I agree with the others. Neither cover excites me but the first one is better!
LikeLike
HAha, that seems to be the general consensus this week!
LikeLike
I know you’re never to judge a book but its cover, but that original Angry Robot cover I would definitely pick up off the shelf. The other? Not so sure.
LikeLike
I agree, couldn’t have put it better myself!
LikeLike
I like the first cover as well. The second one strikes me as a tad odd.
LikeLike
Same! Plus, I just feel it’s all wrong for the story.
LikeLike
I’ve always loved the original cover for this book, so I completely agree with your choice😁
LikeLike
Yep, I took have a soft spot for the original cover 😀
LikeLike
That half-Moon hanging over the horizon, and the color choice, make the first cover a clear winner: there is a definite mood of mystery and… well, expectation, that comes across quite loudly there! 🙂
LikeLike
Yep, that first one seems like the clear winner, for everyone this week!
LikeLike
I like the original one better too. It’s beautiful. I love the looming moon.
LikeLike
Yes, same. And the way it seems to “pop” from the cover 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That Saga cover is very dramatic but the Angry Robots is my favourite – and a great choice for this theme.
Lynn 😀
LikeLike
Thank you, I actually struggled a bit to find a cover this week 😀
LikeLike
Oh, it has to be the Angry Robot cover – apart from anything else, the robot WASN’T the scientist’s daughter! I loved this book… you’re right – it’s got a highly memorable, almost dreamlike quality. Fabulous choice for this week!
LikeLike
Agreed, I don’t really “get” the Saga cover, tbh. They made HER look like the android there and it’s like, um no!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know! That’s exactly what I thought…
LikeLike
I love the first cover!
LikeLike
Yep, that one is getting lots of well deserved love!
LikeLike
I personally prefer the Saga cover …
LikeLike
Definitely two interesting covers on this one, I do prefer the one you went with.
LikeLike