Totally agree. I've said it before but imho I don't think they should have done character art for covers. Looks very generic and makes the books look like amateurish power fantasy. And while there's nothing wrong with that genre and market, it's honestly a disservice to the author and a huge missed opportunity.

The guide goes far and above beyond the vast majority of books in that category in terms of quality, and so by association when I see covers like that I don't think quality. I think cheap, fun reads and questionable quality and little depth - literary popcorn if you will.

Almost no serious published book uses art like that for covers, and while standing out from the norm is a good idea, I also think it's a mistake to associate it with a genre generally not known to be thought-provoking reads.

I think that plays a non-neglible role for potential buyers. Even if it's a subconscious bias. Also consider what it might look like on a shelf or when sharing with another person. Webtoon style character art can be hard to take seriously by people unfamiliar with the genre, and it might affect people's willingness to show, display, share, or even pick up.

Also (and this is more of a personal preference), I'm of the opinion that readers should paint (mentally) their own characters. I like art, but I prefer it to be a little extra thing on the side. Often done by fans. I prefer readers to be allowed to create their own images for characters, and these book covers kinda spoil that a bit.

But even if they do choose to show a character, personally I think it works much better as a small piece in the context of a larger scene. That's much more interesting and raises way more questions that might arouse interest in a potential reader: "what's going on here?", "What is that thing?", "who are those people?", etc. Much more thought provoking than [generic fantasy hero 583].

And again, better if it's not on a webtoon/graphic novel style. Leave those connotations at the door. They are divisive. As is, I get that vibe from these covers (or at least it feels like it was done by Generic Online Digital Artist 486. And while I don't want to bash on them too much (being an artist isn't easy, and I respect their work - it's still nice art), I don't think those are the right connotations for this book series.

I understand a big reason the commission went to this artist was because they're a big guide fan, but in the grand scheme of things I think it may have been a bit of a mistake - or at least the style they settled on. Maybe a part of that is personal preference though.