I didn't have anything to suggest. O_o I agree that if a betterment suggestion is available, it should be used, but you don't have to have a replacement ready to say something doesn't look right.
Can you not be your own critic? Look at the mock-up I put together in 30 minutes. I offered suggestions of how every aspect of it could be changed, what I didn't like about it, and so on. If you can't critique yourself, then what good would critique of others be?
You gradient looks like it was done in less than two minutes. The colour scheme just doesn't fit, particularly the top colour. It's too light, not saturated enough. And the back cover just looks so boring.
I can critique myself when I don't spend any quality time on a mockup like you did before. But the latest one was more than a mockup.
I chose the back cover to be blank because of the most fantasy book cover's I had viewed. In order for me to add something there, it would have to also go well with the front cover and the rest of the style of the book. Everyone says the title isn't good, so what color scheme can fit good? If I make it darker, then it will blend with the background image and won't get the attention. I would have made it darker easily but the book still needs to give attention to the title, unless you don't want to know the title of the book you're reading...
Well, I would suggest a yellowy font, but that might clash with the parchment beneath. :\ The main thing that bugs me is the font itself. I think it's the H in particular. It would probably look better if the font was changed--not necessarily the color.
Mr Greens is a lot more dramatic, with a nicer title typography, although like Phant suggested I wouldnt use a gradient: With a background as bold and dark as that, you may be able to get away witha completely white text? I prefer the thin border on this one, too.
The border on Phant's is too thick IMO, and pretty ugly. The main typography is aligned way too close to the border, too. In all it's a pretty dull and MS word template-like design. I wouldn't buy it.
I've updated the cover, changed the font to a "freeware" one and changed the gradient/color etc to a more better one.
EDIT: Gave the book more of a "published" feeling by adding the Random House publishing logo and changed the info on the back. It was done as an example only, nothing else
Now that's a decent looking cover. Not a fan of the squiggle coming off the r's, though. Also not a fan of the layer styling on the text, but it does look better than the previous rendition. Back cover is still too plain though; You've got plenty of space to add something there. Maybe some fire along the bottom or a pool of blood coming from the side.
@Adam: I can't do anything about the squiggle thingys you mention because they are part of the font I used. I could get rid of them personally but I would have to rasterize them and that would mean less ability to be edited later on. Back cover is really good in my opinion. In order for me to add something there, I would need a high quality and nicely done fantasy art to fill the space. But I think it looks good the way it is
I know how to do that also, but it's the same thing basically. I won't be able to adjust the size and the space of the letters if I do that cause it won't be a font anymore but a shape. I can also do it with a shape but it will be more demanding...