Fantasy cover art trends! via Orbit books

[camille]

Very cool! A bar chart and everything!
http://www.orbitbooks.net/2010/08/16...-art-part-one/

From the Orbit site:

" 1) We have concrete evidence that the big three fantasy cover clich?s (?castles?, ?glowy magic?, and ?swords?) are in decline. The 50% reduction in castles can only mean one thing.

2) The number of dragons on covers held steady this year. The dragon population seems to be in perfect balance ? but we can?t tell if that?s because new dragons are being born to replace old ones, or if last year?s dragons are just really healthy.

3) This year we didn?t spot a single unicorn (though it?s possible a unicorn was hidden under one of the hoods.) To all unicorn-lovers out there, don?t lose heart. Unicorns are rare ? like double rainbows ? so a year without them will only make their inevitable reappearance that much more magical. "


AWESOME!

[H.P. Lovesauce]

I shouldn't wonder about the decline in castles with the housing market the way it is.

[Lane]

Of course they didn't spot a unicorn. If a unicorn is spotted, it loses its powers. Or so I've been told.

[camille]

The unicorns have all moved into the castles. Real-estate grabby landhogs.