sad Harry
by mitalapo

Comment:
tied for my 2nd higest vote (with an 8)
i love the monstrous face here with the teeth. the texture of the fruit does wonders for the "skin".

Apple Jack
by ShutterPug

Comment:
my 2nd highest, i'm giving this an 8 for a fantastic rendering of jack skellington! The leaves add a great flavor here, as do the spiced recesses of the face
an 8

A la recherche du temps perdu - Marcel Proust
by mariuca

Comment:
I truly had this figured for the Posthumous entry

Grapes of Wrath
by snaffles

Comment:
congrats on the top 10 finish Susan!

Piercing by Ryu Murakami
by P-A-U-L

Comment:
wow....that's more detail than i ever thought i'd see regarding a bull's nose. have to say it's quite humorous, though generally unappealing to me.
technically well done for the focus and detail.
*edited* forgot to include vote before - this gets a 6 from me

I Robot, by Isaac Asimov
by sfalice

Comment:
Personally, given the source and the image here, I like the connection of the sun setting on the time of man as the superior force on the earth, with the "eye" watching us observe the last light, while still obscuring the horizon (our future with them over us).
One may also see a lack of technology being active in the dark buildings below, indicative of overthrowing the machine in the end, and we have gone full circle to rely on the sun, the way our ancestors did, with the reminder of what almost was, looming prominent in the foreground - sterile and lifeless.
i have to say that i think this is going to be a contender for my favorite image in the challenge and a definite 9+

Zafar Mahal - "The Last Mughal" by William Dalrymple
by dougi555

Comment:
Love the detail and shading, as well as the continual nature implied in the design.
I'm not familiar with the book but after a quick look it seems the image is at least geographically in keeping, and the image does certainly seem to be mausoleum-esque.
I keep having the sensation that it is not level, caused mostly by the small bit in the bottom center, but upon righting myself to the image realize that it is this aspect, and not the whole image, that is causing my skew.
The pillars and archways do wonders to draw the eye to the shaded mural on the wall.
overall i'm giving this an 8 9 and would expect this to finish in the top 10.
this is also getting a favorite (and bumped score) after finishing all voting.

Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
by Stagolee

Comment:
The color palette and open landscape are perfectly suited to your title. I personally like the "approaching darkness" feel, there is little "warm and fuzzy" that can be taken from this image.
a 7 8 from me (upon reviewing my comments and votes when finished)

The Snows of Kilimanjaro, by Ernest Hemingway
by hahn23

Comment:
personally, the grass in front ruin the symmetry for me. i tried with a printscreen and cropped the image just above the grass and prefer that look substantially more. the grass draws your eye down to the bottom 10% or so of the image, and away from the mountain, which i think would be your primary subject based on the title.
there is sufficient evidence of the cold weather in the ice on the lake and snows on the mountain.
a 6 7 from me (after finishing and reviewing), though I could easily see voting higher without the grass

Wuthering Heights, a dark and ugly place
by Ammie

Comment:
Liking the detail captured here, and the sense of foreboding inside the building.
7 from me