Tuesday, March 08, 2022

I Have Chris Hammer Covered!

 


Since I'll be sharing my review of Opal Country tomorrow, I thought I'd do a cover-off of the book. This will be a first because, not only is it a cover-off, it may as well be a title-off as well. Let me show you what I mean.

 


I've been hankering to read one of Chris Hammer's books for some time, and I have to admit that the title of this one made me grab a UK edition. You see, I love opals, and I knew there were opal mines in Australia. What I didn't expect was the fact that the book was given a different title in the UK. Guess what? I'm glad it was because Treasure and Dirt doesn't do much for me. How do you feel about it? Which title works for you-- Treasure and Dirt or Opal Country? Some part of me does wonder why T&D works better in Australia...

As for the covers, I give the UK edition a narrow lead simply because of the colors. Neither cover really sets my world on fire. The Australian cover does remind me of the main character trying to take one of the walks he prefers and nearly being flattened by the searing heat, but the colors of the sky and the windmill in the UK cover are more eye-catching to me. Between those elements and the title, the UK edition would be the one to make me stop in a bookshop and pick it up.

What about you? Which cover do you prefer? Australian? UK? Too close to call? Or does neither one float your boat? Inquiring minds would love to know!

23 comments:

  1. Definitely the British cover. Color combination is very nice and the title is better. I like the placement of the author's name above the title, too.
    I can't read what's at the top, but I find the cover compelling without that.
    Can't wait to read your review. I liked Scrublands, although I htink we agreed that the ending was like a Cabot Cove situation with so many murders within s small population. I did like it though.

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    1. I'd still like to know why Treasure and Dirt won the day in Australia. Just one of those little curiosities that hover around my head like a gnat.

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  2. Opal Country definitely wins my vote, Cathy! I'm not sure why that other title was even chosen (but then, you don't want my diatribe on the way book titles change for different countries' markets). The cover art on the UK cover is a lot more appealing to me, too.

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    1. I have a feeling that our diatribes on the subject of book titles might be very similar!

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  3. I like the title Opal Country better than Treasure and Dirt. Opal Country title would catch my eye and make me investigate it further. I did like Scrublands by Chris Hammer very much. Do want to read this book. I like the Australian cover the best. I can sense the desolation and heat the walker will encounter. Hope this book is good.

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    1. It is. The proof will be out tomorrow. :-)

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  4. I, too, love opals. I haven't read Chris Hammer, but I'm adding Opal Country to my list. Definitely the UK cover!

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    1. I think he's going to be an author you'll like, Jen.

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  5. I find myself preferring the UK cover but wishing it used the Australian title.

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    1. What? We have a masculine title versus feminine title? ;-)

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  6. What an observation? Masculine vs. feminine title?
    Maybe people in Australia have so many huge areas of arid land in the sun that it inspired their cover.
    Every time I read a book from Australia I get such a sense of vast areas of dry land with the sun beating down where one can perish in the sun and without water.

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    1. I knew my observation would get a rise out of someone.

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    2. No rise, just remarking on an interesting observation. It made me smile.

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  7. I like Opal Country much better as the title, because it's more specific and evocative. Treasure and Dirt seems much more generic.

    I like the colors and font of the UK cover (though I'm another who has trouble making out the top blurb in this image), but I prefer the image from the Australian cover. The windmill on the UK cover is one that I associate more with Oklahoma or Texas, so it doesn't work as well with that title. But the image on the Aussie cover fits with my expectations for large stretches of their country, so I would expect it to match up to the story - and to my preferred title choice, too.

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  8. Good gosh, what were they thinking in Australia? Terrible title, boring photo.
    The UK cover, besides being much more dramatic, also has an excellent tag line ("opals, bodies … Noting stays buried..."). It is very enticing and works, as for that reason alone I wanted to read the book. Your review later confirmed my interest.

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    1. Thanks so much for your input, Kathleen. I liked that windmill and the more dramatic colors in the sky on the UK cover because, to me, they hinted that change was coming. The cleansing wind of the law was coming to Finnegans Gap.

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  9. Is this the third book in the series with the character from Scrublands? If so, I should read the second book. I did like Scrublands.

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    1. There are three books with the character of Martin Scarsden in Scrublands which was book one. Opal Country features different characters, so you shouldn't have to read any other book first.

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  10. OK. Have to see what the library has, as I don't feel like purchasing books from Australia.
    I do want to read the sequels to Scrublands eventually.
    Just brought home 10 books from the library. A gold mine!

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    1. I wouldn't want to purchase books from Australia either. My copy of Opal Country came from the UK. And that library haul does sound like a gold mine!

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  11. A gold mine and an avalanche. Must get to work reading.

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    1. One thing that growing up in a library taught me is how to stack books so that there are no avalanches. ;-)

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