I didn't add the trope, but I personally find the covers (especially of Melusine and Corambis) to be very embarrassing to have visible in public. They reek of Fabio-esque, muscle-bound-stud romance novels, and don't accurately represent the characters much. Especially Felix on the cover of Melusine. For one thing, his eye color(s?) is wrong. Also, why is he shirtless? He hates exposing his back to anyone because it's supposed to be covered in scars (something missed by the illustrator). The "tattoos" look like they were hastily added in MS Paint, and the way his hair is blowing in the wind like a cheesy model is just so cringe-worthy. To me, it just looks like someone searched for stock photos of attractive redheads and photoshopped the guy into a sewer scene. But, of course, art is subjective. That's just my take. The author has said that she doesn't mind the covers. Maybe we should move the trope to YMMV?
Edited to add that I'm not a "homophobic dudebro" or sex-repulsed. Although if I were, I don't think it ought to invalidate my opinion of the cover art. My objection isn't the shirtless-ness. It's the inaccuracies and the romance novel aura that the covers project, which I don't think is representative of the quality or tone of the books.
Edited by florianschild
At the end of Corambis, our boys are packed off to a lighthouse in a hick town in the middle of nowhere. Doesn't this seem like the absolute worst place for Felix— fashionista, social butterfly, gay lothario, theater enthusiast and devotee of rare books— to to search for happiness? (Mildmay, being less interested in most of the offerings in large capital cities, might fare better.) With such a small pool of local men, how many gay lovers can Felix drum up? Won't he be bored to tears, waiting months for the latest book on magical thaumaturgy to arrive? Isn't he going to pine for the arts that he's used to— top-notch opera, ballet, drama, and comedy on stage? Grimglass may be a nice place for him to retreat and get his bearings, but I have a hard time believing this is a "happy ending" if we expect the situation to be permanent.
Has it occurred to anyone else that Felix may have a paternal half-brother in Thamuris as well as a maternal half-brother in Mildmay? Think about it: Magic seems to run in Troian houses, but Methony was a very weak wizard— and Mildmay didn't inherit any magical abilities at all. By contrast, Felix and Thamuris are among the most powerful wizards of their generation. They're also just a few years apart in age. Granted, Felix and Thamuris's father would probably have had to be someone outside Methony's covenant for this to work, but given that Methony was known for doing Anything That Moves, that seems plausible enough.
What is so “contemptible” about the covers? Oh, no, shirtless men!! How many book covers have women showing off cleavage and thigh? There’s nothing wrong with the covers unless you’re a homophobic dudebro, or maybe a “sex-repulsed ace.”
Edited by Nebulita Hide / Show Replies