Looking for tips on how to get proper covers for series

Diruuo · 10-15-2015, 11:13 AM

Alright so I find myself with several problems when it comes to updating metadata in books, and specifically covers.

If I want to choose between different covers (and see all of the available ones) I need to edit each book individually. Is that the case or am I missing something?

Can anyone give me any advice on how to go about getting a same-set of covers for a series of books? I'm trying to update covers for Terry Brooks' work and I keep finding covers of both differing styles and sizes so in the end I have a jumble of cover styles for a set of a few books. Is there any way I can go around that problem and maybe get my covers from a different place? The original covers of my sideloaded epubs are pretty spotty, low quality mostly of differing styles so the image comes out blurry on the lock screen.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

theducks · 10-15-2015, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diruuo

Alright so I find myself with several problems when it comes to updating metadata in books, and specifically covers.

If I want to choose between different covers (and see all of the available ones) I need to edit each book individually. Is that the case or am I missing something?

Can anyone give me any advice on how to go about getting a same-set of covers for a series of books? I'm trying to update covers for Terry Brooks' work and I keep finding covers of both differing styles and sizes so in the end I have a jumble of cover styles for a set of a few books. Is there any way I can go around that problem and maybe get my covers from a different place? The original covers of my sideloaded epubs are pretty spotty, low quality mostly of differing styles so the image comes out blurry on the lock screen.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Yes!

Search the Internet Plugin

(I use the 'Google for Images')

AnemicOak · 10-15-2015, 11:34 AM

When I need a cover I generally get my covers via a Google image search and then filter to the highest resolutions (can always downsize if needed) and work my way lower if I don't find anything, or see if the publisher has a "bookseller services" site where they offer covers with a decent resolution (some are now integrating this into their regular sites). Sometimes I have better luck than others.

GeoffR · 10-15-2015, 11:41 AM

I usually find the publisher's website is the best place to get covers. Some publishers have high resolution covers available for download from their website even though they put crappy low resolution versions (or no cover at all) in the ebook itself.

Edit: But you might need to look at the publisher's site in a different country, depending where you are. For example I have found that Random House UK doesn't provide high resolution covers, but Random House Australia does, for exactly the same book.

fidvo · 10-15-2015, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Yes!

Search the Internet Plugin

(I use the 'Google for Images')

And in the case of fantasy/sci-fi authors such as Terry Brooks, you can also use Search the Internet to look up the author on the Internet Speculative Fiction Database (isfdb.org). For sci-fi authors, that's the first place I check for covers. They have every edition of each book listed, almost always with covers. They're usually medium to high quality, though there are some exceptions.

Admittedly it takes a while to get used to navigating the site, because it's not as clean as, say, Fantastic Fiction. But it's more accurate.

theducks · 10-15-2015, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fidvo

And in the case of fantasy/sci-fi authors such as Terry Brooks, you can also use Search the Internet to look up the author on the Internet Speculative Fiction Database (isfdb.org). For sci-fi authors, that's the first place I check for covers. They have every edition of each book listed, almost always with covers. They're usually medium to high quality, though there are some exceptions.

Admittedly it takes a while to get used to navigating the site, because it's not as clean as, say, Fantastic Fiction. But it's more accurate.

for that tip. My paper collection is OLD. Many covers (if found at all) are the Modern versions

Diruuo · 10-16-2015, 05:32 AM

Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions! You guys helped me immensely!

Based on the suggestions here I did some digging around. First I went up Del Rey books which seemed to be a sub set of Random House. Following some links around I got to Terry Brooks' collection that had nice fancy "download Hi-res" buttons on all the covers so I got original crisp gorgeous covers for my entire Terry Brooks' library!

Is there any detriment to have very high resolution images as the books' covers in Calibre and to an extension the ereader? My Kobo Aura has seems to have no issue displaying them, and it doesn't even take long to load them once they're cached so I assume there's no issue but I ask anyway.

Thank you once again for the help!

GeoffR · 10-16-2015, 05:58 AM

There is a Calibre tweak maximum_cover_size which will cause covers to automatically be reduced in size when added to Calibre if they are too large.

For covers sent to the device there is not much point having them larger than the device's screen resolution, and there is probably some size limit above which you will see problems, but I haven't noticed any problems with sending 1440x1080 covers to my 1024x758 Glo.

theducks · 10-16-2015, 09:52 AM

Older ADE based devices will barf (just abort during loading) books with Hi Res (1K+,1K+) images.

(Finding WHY? this book is a pita. Code (RMSDK) invalid?, No. CSS error?, No. Oversize segment, No. (Chapter Number) Images huge

)

eschwartz · 10-16-2015, 01:46 PM

I avoid hi-res covers for the simple reason that they are a waste of storage space.

The covers I have (start out with) are perfectly readable and IMHO quite decent quality, without taking up a lot of space.
Mostly they come from Amazon

Amazon downsizes images in Kindle books to match the target device capabilities.

10-15-2015, 11:13 AM	#1
Diruuo Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 26050 Join Date: Sep 2015 Device: Kobo Aura	Looking for tips on how to get proper covers for series Alright so I find myself with several problems when it comes to updating metadata in books, and specifically covers. If I want to choose between different covers (and see all of the available ones) I need to edit each book individually. Is that the case or am I missing something? Can anyone give me any advice on how to go about getting a same-set of covers for a series of books? I'm trying to update covers for Terry Brooks' work and I keep finding covers of both differing styles and sizes so in the end I have a jumble of cover styles for a set of a few books. Is there any way I can go around that problem and maybe get my covers from a different place? The original covers of my sideloaded epubs are pretty spotty, low quality mostly of differing styles so the image comes out blurry on the lock screen. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

10-15-2015, 11:41 AM	#4
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	I usually find the publisher's website is the best place to get covers. Some publishers have high resolution covers available for download from their website even though they put crappy low resolution versions (or no cover at all) in the ebook itself. Edit: But you might need to look at the publisher's site in a different country, depending where you are. For example I have found that Random House UK doesn't provide high resolution covers, but Random House Australia does, for exactly the same book. Last edited by GeoffR; 10-16-2015 at 01:51 AM. Reason: Different countries

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10-15-2015, 11:34 AM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	When I need a cover I generally get my covers via a Google image search and then filter to the highest resolutions (can always downsize if needed) and work my way lower if I don't find anything, or see if the publisher has a "bookseller services" site where they offer covers with a decent resolution (some are now integrating this into their regular sites). Sometimes I have better luck than others.

10-16-2015, 05:32 AM	#7
Diruuo Enthusiast Posts: 46 Karma: 26050 Join Date: Sep 2015 Device: Kobo Aura	Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions! You guys helped me immensely! Based on the suggestions here I did some digging around. First I went up Del Rey books which seemed to be a sub set of Random House. Following some links around I got to Terry Brooks' collection that had nice fancy "download Hi-res" buttons on all the covers so I got original crisp gorgeous covers for my entire Terry Brooks' library! Is there any detriment to have very high resolution images as the books' covers in Calibre and to an extension the ereader? My Kobo Aura has seems to have no issue displaying them, and it doesn't even take long to load them once they're cached so I assume there's no issue but I ask anyway. Thank you once again for the help!

10-16-2015, 05:58 AM	#8
GeoffR Wizard Posts: 3,821 Karma: 19162882 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Te Riu-a-Māui Device: Kobo Glo	There is a Calibre tweak maximum_cover_size which will cause covers to automatically be reduced in size when added to Calibre if they are too large. For covers sent to the device there is not much point having them larger than the device's screen resolution, and there is probably some size limit above which you will see problems, but I haven't noticed any problems with sending 1440x1080 covers to my 1024x758 Glo.

10-16-2015, 09:52 AM	#9
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,079 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Older ADE based devices will barf (just abort during loading) books with Hi Res (1K+,1K+) images. (Finding WHY? this book is a pita. Code (RMSDK) invalid?, No. CSS error?, No. Oversize segment, No. (Chapter Number) Images huge )

10-16-2015, 01:46 PM	#10
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I avoid hi-res covers for the simple reason that they are a waste of storage space. The covers I have (start out with) are perfectly readable and IMHO quite decent quality, without taking up a lot of space. Mostly they come from Amazon Amazon downsizes images in Kindle books to match the target device capabilities.

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