For me...it deoends on the context of the book. If it has a dark tone then the first. If it's not too dark...more enlightening...then the 2nd

The top one.

I had the privilege of hearing him speak in Sheffield in c1972 and still remember some of the things he told us about the conditions he was held in in communist Romania.

Definitely the first one. It's more inviting and in fact, comforting looking. I think that's a winner.

Wrong colors, wrong impression. You really don't want any religious symbols, if you are promoting atheism.

Talk more about why atheism.

There has been far too much talk about why not religion. The points against religion has been over emphasized. Not that they are invalid.

Religion itself, does that type of repetitive brainwashing. So the approach needs to be far more positive about atheism itself.

Atheism is perceived as negative, because of that over emphasis against religion.

Think positive, as well as make a "positive" cover approach. That actually is as well a atheistic approach.

In marketing, the positive approach works better, than the negative divisive approach. Your cover needs to be that positive.

I'll give you a bad example that shouldn't be taken. Your second cover is far too much like "Buckland's Complete book of witchcraft" cover. That book already has a negative connotation.

Definitely the first one 🕯

yes, if the answer is rooted in like archaic wisdom id pick top, but if its more modern then bottom

I like the bottom one more

Top one

1st one.

First one. It's an attention grabber, and that's what counts.

A makes me more likely to read it