Fantastic Figures of Fantasy Book Covers – Feb 2011

Here we are again, another month down and another round of cover art to scour for those gems of character images that make us pick up a book just to get a closer look.  It was a slower month this time around on both the male and the female side, but in the end there was quality over quantity, and that’s what matters most.  So without further blathering, allow me to introduce to you the cover hotties of SFF books for February 2011.

Men

The winner for me, hands down, is my boy Matthew Swift, looking the same on the paperback release as he did on the hardcover of Kate Griffin’s second book in the series, The Midnight Mayor; Or, The Inauguration of Matthew Swift.

And no, this is not a bias simply because Matthew Swift and his blue electric angels are one of the characters I would most want a date with; this dude is a looker. Straight up.  He wins fair and square.  (And the suit and the burning wings and the flippin’ awesomely apt background map of the London subways don’t exactly hurt, either.)

Second place is going to be a tie between two novels, either of which might have been in first if the man on the cover had been *that much* closer in the painting in order for us to get a slightly better look at him.  First up in author-last-name order is Mark Chadbourne’s The Scar Crow Men.

This guy is one of those handsome-in-a-normal way guys…everything about his face is so perfectly average that it’s…kind of perfect.  And he’s all intrigue-y and sword-carrying and stuff.  Swoon.

Second second place is on Where Angels Fear to Tread by Thomas Sniegoski.

I wish he were closer to the “camera.”  So pretty. He’s also got that heedless, I have nothing to lose so I’ll go anywhere recklessness that women seem to find irresistible–I’ve said it before, CONFIDENCE, baby–and he’s at least smart enough to get a great WTF expression going when an angel of the lord actually appears before him.  Also?  Love that he’s totally set to light-broadsword duel said angel.  This is what happens when Star Wars is set in Middle Earth.

First runner up is from Gail Z. Martin’s The Sworn.

I had a lot of hope for this cover when I saw it in small, but upon blowing it up to full size it was a bit…meh.  I mean, there’s nothing wrong with the guy, and he’s decent looking enough that I wouldn’t even have to preface introducing him to my friends with “he’s really funny” or something, but…also not someone I’m drawn to in a crowd without that kind of personality involvement, either.

Up next is Simon Canderous on the cover of Anton Strout’s latest installment in the series, Dead Waters.

So here’s the thing:  I’m fairly sure this is the same cover model they’ve been using the whole time, and I’m fairly sure he’s getting hotter with every cover.  The first one he was much more as Simon is described in the books–entirely average and not noteable–whereas now he’s creeping up toward that “yes, I go talk to him at the house party” zone.  At this rate, by book 6 he might be in the winner’s circle.

Also in the mix for consideration this month was Joe Abercrombie’s The Heroes (American edition).

Specifically for the dude on the left and almost the dude on the right, too. But mostly the on one the left, so let’s take a closer look at him:

Sadly, he is not prominent enough to jump ahead of the pack, but since I suspect this is Calder, in real life he’d probably just lop off the heads of the guys in front of him so he could be the prettiest again.  Or poison them…that seems more his style.  But since this is not real life, he is still in the also-rans.

Finally for men this month is Jasper Kent’s Thirteen Years Later.

Love this guy’s hair.  Not a fan of long hair in general, but this one reminds me of Luscious Lucius from the Harry Potter movies (yes, that is what I call him in the context of the films, because, yo–TRUTH), and that is always a good thing.  He’s probably hiding something cray-cray under that mask, if his eyes are anything to go by, but I have a soft spot for epic hair.

Women

This was a slimmer month for women than for men, I think, but the outstanding cover image could definitely hold her own against any month:  Blood Wyne from Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series.

Okay, yeah, it is a Berkley book, which we normally exclude, but this is one of those bad ass chicks that is super hot.  Girls may want the bad boy, but some boys want the bad girl.  Braids are sexy, as well.

Up next is Katharine Kerr’s License to Ensorcell.

This girl is cute; I just wish we could see more of her–she is wrapped in enough clothes to sweat out the winter.  Doesn’t she have magic to keep her warm?

Finally in the top three for the ladies is Death’s Sweet Embrace by Tracey O’Hara.

She has that mature girl look that knows you don’t have to worry.  Also she looks like she can handle herself if things get too rough.

First in the almost-but-not-quites this time around is from Alayna Williams’ Rogue Oracle.

She might actually be a little too slim, but isn’t she cute.  Sometimes cute needs to triumph over sexy, and this girl can do that.  I’m sure she is great in the sexy department, too, though, with a hair style and clothing change.

Also in the mix is the girl from Down to the Bone by Justina Robson.

Sexy girl and guns–need I say more?  The only problem I have is those wings; are they attached to her?  Cause that could break the case for her in this list.

And lastly we have Rachel Caine’s Unseen.

Rachel Caine books always make the list, as they have some sort of girl that can take care of herself.  Usually accompanied by an awesome classic car or motorcycle.

So that’s it for this month.  Did we leave off your favorite cover?  Feel free to call us out for it in the comments–or tell us if we got it right!