Lilith

 

I really don't know what it is about old entertainment (whether it's VHS box art from my sister blog or books on here) and getting the absolute worst person available to do your cover art, but man did people have a boner for it back in the day. To be fair, this isn't exactly "hideous" as much as it is "strange and unpleasant" but that still makes it strange and unpleasant, and, like, I highly doubt that anyone would buy this book as a result of its cover. I know we say that all the time, to not judge a book by its cover, but how can you possibly stand by that creed when they're THIS. BAD?

I haven't read the book, I'm never going to, but I have a pretty good feeling that whatever this image is trying to portray within its story, its context is completely lost as a book cover here. First of all, judging from this artwork, I can't tell what period this book takes place in. That looks like a rather nice mirror, perhaps even from the 50s or 60s but the guy is dressed like a pirate (look at those frilly sleeve cuffs!), and meanwhile Lilith is apparently able to summon crows to do her bidding? Is this about witches? Is it about pirates? Is it about pirate witches? I'd....actually, I'd read that, that sounds awesome, honestly. Whatever it's about, it's not made clear by this image, and on that margin alone, it fails to sell the book.

Judging from the background of the book art, it looks like this mirror is perhaps in an attic somewhere? Those look like rafters above them. So maybe this guy found a mirror that leads to a magical land? And that perhaps, in this magical land, lives Lilith? Queen of the crows, apparently? I really don't know what this book is about guys. I'm sorry. I didn't read the back cover, and I sadly didn't take a photo of it either.

The odd thing is, I looked this guy up, the guy who illustrated this cover, and he was like...a respected and well successful dude. He did a ton of cover work for fantasy novels, and he died really young in his late 50s. I just don't understand how you go from doing shit like this:

To doing shit like "Lilith". Look at this stuff. That dragon creature is badass, and those people are riding dinosaurs to, what I can only assume, are caves made out of dinosaur heads! This is awesome stuff here! Dragons and dinosaurs and buff chicks in skimpy outfits! And then...Lilith. What happened here? This was the fall of a giant. Maybe the chick isn't named Lilith at all, maybe the guy is just high as hell and thinks he's gonna go to the Lilith Fair and meet this beautiful girl and her awesome crow pet. I really like that crow, guys. That's a good crow, right there.

You know what, I'd go through that mirror to meet that crow. That's it. This post is now solely about that crow. Maybe that crow is named Lilith, and the woman is its pet, and the guy wants to go through to be with...the...crow and...

...I think I'll stop on that idea now. That was gonna go somewhere none of us wanted it to real fast.