I was recently told that my book will not sell because there are no Science Fiction Babes on the cover. "Oh well," thought I. You see, there aren't any babes (per se) in the story, so I didn't even think to put one on the cover. In retrospect, what would have happened if I had put a partially-clad buxom lass on the cover, regardless? I have to agree: I probably would sell more books, although the readers would also undoubtedly be disappointed after the fact.
The moral question: Is it better to become a best-seller with horrible reviews and no fans, or a bad-seller that is well-liked and respected by a small but loyal reader base? Only time will tell, but I've put my money on the later.