Friday Face Off : Spaceships and Explosions #VintageSciFi

FFO

Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy .  This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers.  The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite.   Future week’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme.  I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.  I’m currently linking up with Vintage Sci-Fi and if you also want to link up then please do so but this isn’t a requirement simply my way of highlighting events.  This week’s theme:

An Aerial encounter – spaceships and explosions

This week I’ve gone for another vintage sci-fi book and one that I read previously (I think for a previous Vintage sci fi event).  The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A Heinlein and here is a small selection of the covers:

My favourite.  I may have mentioned that I’m quite often a sucker for the SF Masterworks covers and this week is no exception.  I love the colours and this fits the bill so perfectly:

Harsh2

Do you have a favourite?  And have you read this book?

I’ve updated the list now to include themes for next year.  If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know.  Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions.  Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books.  If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:

Next week – An Alien Encounter – ‘we come in peace’ or maybe not.

2021

January

Vintage Sci-Fi month – if you’re taking part you could try and find some vintage style covers

22nd – An Alien Encounter – ‘we come in peace’ or maybe not.

29th – A favourite classic or vintage sci-fi

February

5th – A Book with a romance that you enjoyed

12th – Furry – a beast, something cuddly, or a fur covering

19th – Serpentine – could be a snake, could be a snake-like font, could be a snakeskin style cover

26th – A book with ‘Magic’ in the Title

March

5th – March is named for the Roman God of War – a Roman style cover or a cover with a God or Gods or simply a book about war

12th – Middle Grade – choose whatever pleases you

19th – Ruin or derelict, old and worn, could be the book itself, a building, a place

26th – A picture within a picture

April

2nd – A train or tram – travelling down the track, could be old style, futuristic, overhead, down below.

9th – Cartoonish or graphic

16th – I have to have it – a cover that gave you ‘grabby hands’

23rd – Your current read (if it has covers to compare) or any recent read

30th– A series that you love – highlight all the books in the series

May

Month of Wyrd and Wonder

7th – A Series where the cover changed midway through – which style do you prefer most

14th – The earliest fantasy you recall reading – or the first fantasy book you really loved, maybe the book that kickstarted your love of fantasy

21st – The Top Hat

28th – The Hood

June

4th – The nose boop – any animal, or human, with a close up shot.

11th – A cover that annoyed you and why

18th – Out of Perspective, or make you feel a bit dizzy

25th – Upside down, back to front or topsy turvy

July

2nd – A book with a landscape you’d like to visit

9th – A Wicked Grin

16th – Books with ‘book’ in the title

23rd – A Black Hole – could be in the universe or going deep into the ground

30th – Chaos – maybe too much going on in this one

August

6th – “They cluck their thick tongues, and shake their heads and suggest, os so very delicately!” – The Motel

13th – A favourite holiday read

20th – Dressed to kill (could be literally someone dressed to kill, or someone dressed up for a big night out

27th – Sunbathing or on the beach

September (RIP event)

3rd – 1920s feel, noir detective

10th – I’m Henry the Eighth I am – let’s look at Kings or other Emperors/rulers

17th – Books with ‘Murder’ in the title

24th – A favourite thriller

October

1st – A Halloween read

8th – Chills – anything at all that almost makes you too scared to pick up the book (your own pet hate)

15th – Your favourite book of magic

22nd – Books with ‘Queen’ in the title

29th – Must be gothic

November – Sci Fi Month

5th – Your earliest sci-fi read or the first sci-fi you reviewed

12th – A book with ‘star’ in the title

19th – Futuristic vista

26th – A Black Hole – in the universe or going deep into the ground

December

3rd – Windswept, the classic figure, stood majestically, with wind blowing out in a fetching way

10th – A fairytale retold

17th – Winter Solstice approaching – anything cold and seasonal

24th – All things fire – red hair, red covers, fire breathing dragons, simply fire?

31st – What’s your catnip – if it’s on a cover you have to pick it up

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19 Responses to “Friday Face Off : Spaceships and Explosions #VintageSciFi”

  1. maddalena@spaceandsorcery

    One of the fondest memories of my long-ago classic reads… 🙂
    I like both your choice and the one right next to it in the list.

    • @lynnsbooks

      Yes, I picked this one up as part of Vintage SciFi and I confess I felt a bit daunted and expected it to be a tough read but it really won me over.
      Lynn 😀

  2. Friday Faceoff – Who doesn’t want to fly around in a spaceship? #Brainfluffbookblog #FridayFaceoffspacebattlecovers | Brainfluff

    […] was to compare UK and US book covers and decide which is we prefer. This meme is being nurtured by Lynn’s Book Blog and this week we are featuring covers with SPACE BATTLES. I’ve selected Earthlight by Arthur C. […]

  3. sjhigbee

    There are soooo many covers for this one – you haven’t got my favourite here, but I do very much like Harsh6 – the lovely blue and yellow vintage offering on the top row, second in on the left… I like that it has a good view of the Moon! This has been such a fun week:))

    • @lynnsbooks

      Yes, I only showed a very small snipped, mainly because I was going for covers with spaceships or explosions very much in mind. Can’t wait to see which book you went with Sarah.
      Lynn 😀

      • sjhigbee

        Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke:)). It’s got some really enjoyable covers…

  4. Mareli Thalwitzer

    Hi Lynn! May I just say I like the Title?? LOL!!! I know nothing about sci-fi and even less about vintage sci-fi, so I’ll just sit quietly in my little corner until February when I will join you guys again for Friday Face-off.

    Have a good weekend and happy reading!

    Elza Reads

  5. Tammy

    I like the last two the best. I love those Masterworks covers too!

  6. waytoofantasy

    Good one! I lied the one you picked because of the colors. 🙂

  7. Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

    Yes. that’s the one that jumped out at me too!

  8. Lexlingua

    Completely agreed with your chosen cover, which makes this old old book more accessible for the modern reader. Interestingly, dome FFO bloggers chose this book for the previous week’s prompt (“moon” in the title).

    • @lynnsbooks

      Yes, I could have chosen this for the previous week -if only I was more organised.
      Lynn 😀

  9. So much Vintage SciFi, I can’t keep up! | the Little Red Reviewer

    […] Book Blog has a cover art gallery of one of my favorite vintage titles, The Moon is A Harsh Mistress by […]

  10. lydiaschoch

    Wow, it’s had so many different covers over the years! I did read it years ago.

    • @lynnsbooks

      That’s the beauty of older books for this particular theme – there are usually plenty of covers available.
      Lynn 😀

  11. jessicabookworm

    I must admit I am a big fan of the SF Masterworks’ super cool covers and this one is no exception: look at that gorgeous purple colour, contrasting with the burning yellow and stark black! Gorgeous 😍

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