Why fuss over the cover of a book?

Some time ago, I asked friends and acquaintances which of two covers they preferred. (I am vague about this because I no longer recall what social media I used for my inquiry.) But I am able to reproduce both covers and also add that I chose neither of them. Instead I worked with a cover designer to come up with this.

The decision was made more difficult because the first two covers had been designed and given to me by a friend. In honor of those gifts, I am reproducing the covers here with an explanation of why I decided on a new one.

This cover appeared most attractive to many viewers, but I had to admit to myself that although it was attractive to more browsers because of the action evoked, it was misleading. Agamemnon Must Die is not about warriors or war although there is a fight scene and the story is set after the Trojan War. It is about those who watch and wait and the consequences of they did.

Of the two covers, I preferred this as it evoked the dark atmosphere of the story even though I like to think that it is a story of individuals who defy their fate with affection and spirit. But then I decided that the helmet does not belong to the era, late Mycenaean. It struck me as being almost Roman in style. (I did like, however, the "hollow men" feel of the disembodied armor.)

But I chose to commission the final cover in order to incorporate the Mask of Atreus, commonly referred to as the Mask of Agamemnon because it is an artifact genuinely from the period and is in fact iconic of the generation of the Trojan War.

Agamemnon Must Die will be published November 1, 2014.