Since I’m about to send out the October Catalog today, it’s probably high time that I posted the September Lame Excuse Books catalog here as just a big old text dump.
Hardbacks
LP3849. Asimov, Isaac. Triangle (The Currents of Space, Pebble in the
Sky, The Stars, Like Dust). Doubleday, no date [but 1961). First
edition hardback (code C13 on page 516, as per Currey), a merely Good
copy with significant wear to top front corner and slightly less wear
at left head, trace of abrasion wear at right heel, plus bumping at
head, heel and points and slight foxing to gutters. Omnibus edition of
The Currents of Space, Pebble in the Sky, and The Stars, Like Dust.
Currey, page 20. Reading copy. $5.
LP3850. Asimov, Isaac and Martin H. Greenberg. Isaac Asimov Presents
The Golden Years of Science Fiction: Second Series. Bonanza Books,
1980. First edition hardback (“h g f ed c b a” letter line on
copyright page thus, combining Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF
Stories 3 (1941) and Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories 4
(1942), a Fine copy save mild age toning to pages in a Fine,
Mylar-protected dust jacket. Best of reprint anthology feature stories
from Asimov himself (“Liar!” and “Nightfall”), Theodore Sturgeon
(“Microcosmic God”), C. M. Kornbluth, Kuttner & Moore, Alfred Bester,
Lester Del Rey, Fredric Brown, Hal Clement, Ross Rocklyn etc. A
mixture of familiar and unfamiliar stories from the dawn of the Golden
Age. $10.
LP3851. Biggle, Lloyd. Monument. Doubleday, 1974. First edition
hardback, a Near Fine copy with remainder speckling at heel, slight
bumping at head and heel, trace of wear at points, and very faint
staining to gutters, in a Near Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket with
slight wear at points and slight dust staining to white portions of
dust jacket. Novel of an idyllic world threatened by a greedy
developer. I remember enjoying this when I read it in my youth. $5.
LP3853. De Camp, L. Sprague. Solomon’s Stone. Avalon Books, 1957.
First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as
per Currey), a Very Good only copy with a thin line of black stain to
bottom of front free endpaper and half title page, and a line of much
lighter blotches, half a nickel size or smaller, on page block edged
near top, a line of black staining from an old-style dust jacket
protector across bottom of book, and, and on rear free endpaper two
tiny spots of staining and, most intriguing, the ownership stamp of
DONALD A. WOLLHEIM, in a Near Fine-, modern Mylar-protected dust
jacket with very slight spine fading, one tiny tackhead-sized spot of
light staining and slight wrinkling around edges of rear cover,
wrinkling to top front corner, and a thin line of edgewear at bottom
of front; not a perfect copy, but with a very interesting provenance.
A demon-summoning goes wrong, and only an exciting, swashbuckling
quest for the titular stone can set it right. Laughlin and Levack, de
Camp Bibliography 81. Currey, page 135. $25.
LP3854. De Camp, L. Sprague and Fletcher Pratt. The Carnelian Cube.
Gnome Press, 1948. First edition (stated; does NOT say “Second
Printing” like so many copies), a Very Good- copy in the first state
(blue) boards, with fading to spine and along edges, a couple of
white, tack-head sized spots to front boards, and mild bumping at
head, heel, and points, lacking the dust jacket. The first Gnome Press
book. Laughlin and Levack, de Camp Bibliography 9. Currey, page 132.
Chalker/Owings (1991), page 197 (“Original novel of an archeologist
who discovers a stone that can open parallel worlds”). Kemp, The
Anthem Series page 191. A solid reading copy. $10.
LP3855. De Camp, L. Sprague and Fletcher Pratt. Wall of Serpents.
Phantasia Press, 1978. First edition hardback thus, a reprint of the
1960 Avalon first edition, a Fine- copy with one tiny white spot each
at top front and rear tips, trace of wear at tips, and a trace of bend
at head, in a Fine-, Mylar protected dust jacket with one tiny nick of
wear along bottom front edge, trace of wear at points and a price
sticker over price on flap. Harold Shea/Incomplete Enchanter novel,
which I remember enjoying quite a bit in my youth. The very first
Phantasia Press book. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 339. How does cover
price sound? $12.
LP3857. Dent, Lester. Hades and Hocus Pocus. Pulp Press, 1979. First
edition hardback (stated), a Fine-/Fine- copy with trace of wear at
heel, top front point bumped, and very slight crimping to
Mylar-protected dust jacket head and heel. Reprints two short
horror/weird menace novels from the pulps by the creator of Doc
Savage. $12.
LP3850. LP3858. Dickson, Gordon R. The Dragon Knight. Tor, 1990. First
edition hardback (“First edition November 1990/10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1”),
a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. Sequel to The
Dragon and the George. $10.
LP3859. Dickson, Gordon R. The Dragon on the Border. Tor, 1992. First
edition hardback (“10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline on copyright
page), a Fine- copy with slight bend at heel in a Fine,
Mylar-protected dust jacket. Third in the The Dragon and the George
series. $8.
LP3861. Fanthorpe, R. L. (as Karl Zeigfreid). Radar Alert. Arcadia
House, 1968. First American hardback (the Badger hardback and an
America Vega Books mass market paperback preceded; according to ISFDB,
the “11” on the copyright page indicates a November print date, not a
printing), a Fine- copy with discolored brown sticker ghost on the
front free endpaper, otherwise mint. I seem to remember that at one
point, this novel was listed somewhere (The Illustrated Book of
Science Fiction Lists, perhaps?) as the fastest novel ever written,
produced in one day worth of dictation to the famous typing school.
$10.
LP3862. Fford, Jasper. The Well of Lost Plots. Viking, 2004. Second
printing of the First American hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine,
Mylar-protected dust jacket. A Thursday Next novel. $5.
LP3863. Friend, Oscar J. (AKA Owen F. Jerome). The Kid from Mars.
Frederick Fell, 1949. First edition hardback (“First Printing August
1949”), a Very Good+ copy with slight abrasion wear to publisher’s
name at heel, slight head and heel bumping, former owner’s plate
inside front cover, lacking the dust jacket. Virgil Finley
frontispiece. A Martian trained from birth to survive on Earth travels
there to find an elixir for his dying race. 333, page 29. $5.
LP3864. Friedberg, Gertrude. The Revolving Boy. Doubleday, 1966. First
edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy (and looks like a full cloth
rebind), with all the usual flaws, page blocks dusty, lacking a dust
jacket; call it a Good+ Ex-Library copy. Novel of a boy who keeps
turning around to orient himself to receive signals from a distant
star. “Friedberg’s stripped-down but literate and humane telling of a
tale with a catching sf premise has made this short novel into a minor
classic in the field” – John Clute, SFE online. Sturdy reading copy.
$5.
LP3867. Gibson, Walter. The Shadow: A Quarter of Eight & The Freak
Show Murders. Doubleday Crime Club, 1978. First edition hardback
(stated), and first book editions of both these short Shadow novels,
an Ex-Library copy but the only signs are ancient glue yellowing on
front free endpaper and to both inside front and rear covers were it
was previously glued down, plus bumping at head and slight bumping at
head, in a dust jacket with slight glue-darkening bleed through to
bottoms of flap, plus bumping at head and heel, but no tape ghosts on
book or dust jacket; call it a Very Good/Very Good+ Ex-Library copy; a
fairly presentable copy. Two novels of the famous pulp hero who can
cloud men’s minds. $10.
LP3868. Hassler, Kenneth W. Intergalac Agent. Lennox Hill, 1971. First
edition hardback (“1” on copyright page), a Near Fine+ copy with a
small but nasty price sticker ghost to front free endpaper, otherwise
pristine, in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with one tiny
pinhead nick to upper spine and very slight age darkening to flap-fold
edges, otherwise pristine. A retired agent is hired to hunt aliens who
hunt humanoids. Note: While Hassler published books with some of the
same houses as R. L. Fanthorpe, SFE and ISFDB has him as a separate
(American) writer. $10.
LP3869. Heinlein, Robert A. Assignment in Eternity. Fantasy Press,
1953. First edition hardback in the Currey A binding (brick red, with
HEINLEIN 3mm high on spine), a Fine- copy with the barest bit of bend
at head and heel and a trace of foxing along inside gutters, in a
Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with a tiny bit of edgewear at heel
and a trace of dust soiling to white rear dust jacket, otherwise a
stunningly attractive copy. Collects four novellas, including “Gulf”
and “Jerry was a Man.” Gifford, Robert A. Heinlein: A Reader’s
Companion, page 49. Thorner, A Guide Through the Worlds of Robert A.
Heinlein, page 19. Patterson, Robert A. Heinlein in Dialogue With His
Century Volume 2: The Man Who Learned Better l 1948-1988, page 97.
Oleander/Greenberg, Robert A. Heinlein page 146. Currey, page 232.
Chalker/Owings, page 161. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 44. $295.
LP3872. Heinlein, Robert A. Have Space Suit – Will Travel. Scribner’s
Hudson River Editions, 1958 [i.e. 1977]. Reprint hardback, a Near
Fine- copy with slight bend and wear at head and heel, large ink name
and penciled price to front free endpaper, and a trace of wear at
points, in a Very Good, Mylar-protected dust jacket with a narrow 1/2″
long by 1/8″ wide chip at top front of dust jacket, and a trace of
dust soiling to rear; quite nice spine out. Celebrated Heinlein
juvenile of a boy who wants to go to the moon winning a space suit in
a contest. Adventure ensues. Part of the uniform “Hudson River
Editions” line Scribner’s used in the 1970s as a “classic reprints”
edition line, where Heinlein rubbed elbows with Fitzgerland and
Hemingway. A decent copy of a distinctive yet bland edition. $10.
LP3873. Hill, Douglas. The Huntsman. Atheneum, 1982. First American
hardback edition (ISFDB has this and the UK out the same month, but
Reginald’s Science Fiction and fantasy Literature, 1975-1991 shows the
UK edition preceding), a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel
in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with small, slight crease to
bottom front flap tip and barest trace of age darkening to top of
white flaps, otherwise pristine. A woodwise master huntsman (and
possible changeling) hunts the aliens who took his foster father and
sister as slaves. $25.
LP3874. Hogan, James P. The Anguished Dawn. Baen Books, 2003. First
edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head in a Fine-,
Mylar-protected dust jacket with bumping at head and a trace of wear
at points. Humans attempt to recolonize a post-cataclysm earth. $5.
LP3875. Hogan, James P. Martian Knightlife. Baen Books, 2001. First
edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a
Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. Private eye/saint thwarts criminals
and investigates the fate of the vanished Martian race. $5.
LP3876. Howard, Robert E. Almuric. Donald M. Grant, 1975. First
edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a trace of bend at heel, in a Near
Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket with slight wear along dust jacket
folds. Howard writing something of an Edgar Rice Burroughs pastiche,
where an earth man is transported to a distant planet where he is
beset by “apelike humans, winged demons, and a multitude of monsters.”
$12.
LP3877. Howard, Robert E. The Iron Man. Donald M. Grant, 1975. First
edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine, Mylar-protected dust
jacket with slight wear along front spine fold and moderate dust
soiling tp white rear cover. All Howard’s boxing tales, focused on
fighters too tough to be knocked out. Recommended. $10.
LP3878. Laumer, Keith. Star Colony. St. Martin’s Press, 1981. First
edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket
with just a trace of wear at top points. Novel about the rediscovery
of a lost human space colony, plus some aliens. $10.
LP3880. McCaffrey, Anne. Moreta: Dragonlady of Pern. Del Rey, 1983.
First edition hardback (“10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline), a Near
Fine+ copy with slight bend at head and heel, trace of dust soiling to
page block edges, in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with tiny,
faint crease to bottom corner of front flap, and a trace of crimping
to head, heel and points. Copies are common, but collectable copies
seem far less so. $15.
LP3881. McCaffrey, Anne. The Worlds of Anne McCaffrey (Restoree,
Decision at Doona, The Ship Who Sang). Andre Deutsch, 1981. First
edition omnibus thus (no additional printings listed), a Fine- copy
with slight bend at head and heel, in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust
jacket with one small white “$7.95” pricing sticker on bottom of dust
jacket flap, not covering original “£9.95 net/UK ONLY” price on flap;
given the age of the sticker, I just decided to leave it be. Omnibus
edition of Restoree, Decision at Doona, and The Ship Who Sang, among
the better regarded of her non-Pern novels. This seems to have gotten
a tad pricey, with not terribly many copies online, and I’m pricing
this $25 cheaper than the cheapest copy there. $49.
LP3882. McCarthy, Cormac. No Country for Old Men. Knopf, 2005. First
trade edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and
heel, in a Near Fine dust jacket with a 2″ long, very faint wrinkle at
the bottom of the front cover, slight crimping at head and heel, and a
plastic anti-theft security tag affixed to the blind side of the rear
flap; as I have no experience removing these from dust jackets, I’m
leaving it in place, and it doesn’t seem to leave any trace on the
jacket’s outside. His brilliant modern western of a Texas man who
stumbles across an ox-box full of cash in the aftermath of a drug
shootout near the Texas border, the relentless pursuit of him by a
terrifying, remorseless killer, and of the sheriff tracking the
latter’s bloody trail. Made into the Academy Award Best Picture winner
of the same name filmed by the Coen Brothers. Highly recommended. $65.
LP3883. McDevitt, Jack. The Engines of God. Ace, 1994. First edition
hardback (“First Edition: October, 1994” on copyright page), a Fine-
copy with tiny bit of bend at head and heel and a few faint (pencil?)
lines at head, in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with what looks
to be a tiny amount of wrinkling and a trace of haze rubbing along
spine join lines under the Mylar. One of Jack’s best. Recommended.
$20.
LP3884. Morressy, John. Kedrigern Chronicles Vol. 1 The Domesticated
Wizard. Meisha Merlin Publishing, 2002. First edition hardback (“First
MM publishing edition: June 2002” and “0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline
on copyright page), a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust
jacket. Omnibus edition of two novels (A Voice for Princess and The
Questing of Kedrigern) originally published as PBOs, plus several
short stories, all set in the same fantasy world, plus new foreword
and afterword by the author. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 526 (and who
noted about the publisher “The hardcovers are very short run and hard
to find”). $75.
LP3885. Morressy, John. Kedrigern Chronicles Volume II Dudgeon &
Dragons. Meisha Merlin Publishing, 2002. First edition hardback
(“First MM publishing edition: July 2003” and “0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1”
numberline on copyright page), a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected
dust jacket. Omnibus edition of two novels (Kedrigern and the Charming
Couple and Kedrigern and the Dragon Comme Il Faut, the latter of which
being the first English-language appearance anywhere, as it was
previously published only in Poland), plus several short stories, all
set in the same fantasy world, plus new foreword and afterword by the
author. Hardbacks of this seem to be priced like Unobtanium online.
$300.
LP3886. Morrison, William. Mel Oliver and Space Rover on Mars. Gnome
Press, 1954. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy, with tape
ghosts on decorated boards and endpapers, stamps on title page, and
foxing rectangle from sales slip (still present) on half title and
opposing page, lacking the dust jacket; call it a Good+ Ex-Lib, a
sturdy reading or space filler copy. On the place side, it dates from
before Gnome Press started using crappy paper, so the pages themselves
are in good shape and un-browned. Juvenile, and the author’s only
novel. Chalker/Owings page 201 (“A boy and his sapient dog join a
Martian circus”). $5.
LP3889. Norton, Andre. Ride Proud, Rebel! World Publishing Company,
1961. Later printing, an Ex-Library copy in pictorial library rebind,
with stamps, pocket removal, etc. Call it a Very Good- Ex-Lib copy,
and quite a sturdy reading copy. Historical Civil War novel about a
confederate cavalry scout, probably aimed at the YA market. $5.
LP3890. Norton, Andre. Sea Siege. Harcourt, Brace & World, 1957. This
looks like a later printing of the first edition, with the “D.11.68”
code on the copyright page possibly indicating a fourth printing in
November, 1968, or possible a book club edition, a Near Fine- copy
with slight wear to bottom boards and heel, slight bend at head, a
light, half-dime sized spot to front panel, and a few other tiny
touches of wear, in a Near Fine dust jacket with a thin line of
abrasion at heel, touches of wear at points, small price stick on
front flap partially covering “GE” in “SIEGE” and “ton” in “Norton,”
but no price on flap and eight titles listed on back, including many
published after the 1957 copyright date. A fairly attractive copy of
the original dust jacket art. $10.
LP3891. Onions, Oliver. A Little Tan Book of Terror. Borderlands
Press, 2026. First edition hardback, one of 350 signed, numbered
copies signed by editor (and publisher) Thomas F. Monteleone
(Borderlands: “we only print 350 copies but if anyone has matching
numbers above 350, we make sure they continue to get it,” and my
numbers are higher), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust
jacket, as issued. Short story collection. For some reason, I got the
impression that Onions (like so many writers in David Hartwell’s The
Dark Descent, which is where I first encountered him) was a 19th
century writer, but all these stories appeared between 1910 and 1922,
and Onions himself didn’t die until 1961. $32.50.
LP3892. Pearl, Jack. The Space Eagle: Operation Doomsday. Whitman
Publishing Company, 1967. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy in
decorated boards with slight abrasion wear at head and heel, less at
points, with former oiwner’s name in ink on decorated inner front
endpapers and decorated rear free endpaper, and a number “50” on
decorated front free endpapers, sans dust jacket, as issued. Looks
like a young adult space pilot adventure. $5.
LP3893. Pohl, Frederik. Digits and Dastards. Donson, 1968. First
hardback edition (“First published in Great Britain 1968,” as per
Currey), a Fine copy in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with just
a bare trace of age-darkeing to white dust jacket. Short story
collection. $49.
LP3894. Pohl, Frederik and Jack WIlliamson. Undersea Quest. Dobson,
1966. First UK hardback edition, a Near Fine+ copy with slight bend at
head and heel and a small Foyle’s bookstore sticker under front front,
in a Near Fine+, Mylar protected dust jacket with age darkening to
spine and a few spots of dust soiling to white dust jacket, First book
in the trilogy. $35.
LP3895. Pohl, Frederik and Jack WIlliamson. Undersea Feet. Dobson,
1967. First UK hardback edition, a Near Fine copy with slight bumping
at head and heel and a small Foyle’s bookstore sticker under front
front, in a Near Fine, Mylar protected dust jacket with slight bump at
heel, slight age darkening to spine and moderate dust soiling to white
front panel. Second book in the trilogy. $35.
LP3896. Pohl, Frederik and Jack WIlliamson. Undersea City. Gnome
Press, 1958. First edition hardback (stated, as per Currey) in Currey
B state gray binding, a Near Fine copy with slight bump at head,
slight bend at heel, a tiny, light brownish stain to bottom front
edge, and the usual Gnome page darkening of the era, in a Near Fine-
dusty jacket with shallow chipping at head, heel and front points and
a trace of yellowing to very tops of white flaps), inscribed by both
authors [in Williamson’s hand in black ink] “For Eric/Bests!/Jack
Williamson/[in Pohl’s hand in blue ink]and/Fred Pohl.” Third book in
the trilogy. Chalker/Owings, page 204. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page
265. (Note: Both Chalker/Ownings and Kemp called for a first state of
black lettered in red rather than Currey’s red lettered in black; I
suspect this is a mistake Chalker made that Kemp copied.) I’m not
seeing any copies online signed by both these Grandmasters. $350.
LP3898. Roberts, Keith. Kiteworld. Arbor House, 1988. First American
edition, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at heel in a Fine-,
Mylar-protected dust jacket with just the tiniest touch of age
darkeing to very top of front flap, otherwise perfect. One of the few
later novels by this UK author to find a mainstream American
publisher, and possibly his most popular over here. $5.
LP3899. Romero, George A. and Daniel Kraus. Pay the Piper. SST, 2026.
First hardback edition, one of 500 copies signed by Kraus and
illustrator Dirk Berger, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, with tissue
closure stickers laid in. First signed, limited edition and first
hardback of this Louisiana swamp monster with a grudge novel started
by Romero and finished by Kraus. Oh, and Kraus just happened to win
the Pulitzer Prize this year for his novel Angel Down, which should
probably up the number of people who would like to buy this book.
$145.
LP3900. Russell, Eric Frank. Men, Martians and Machines. Crown, 1984.
First American hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust
jacket. Collection of Russell’s linked Jay Score android space pilot
stories. Volume 1 in Crown’s Classics of Modern Science Fiction
series. This edition adds a Foreword by Isaac Asimov and an
introduction by series editor George Zebrowski. Nevins, The
Encyclopedia of Fantastic Pulp Heroes, page 230. $10.
LP3901. Russell, Eric Frank. Sinister Barrier. Dobson, no date (but
1967). First UK hardback (price of 21/s, as per ISFDB), a Fine- copy
with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine+, Mylar-protected
just jacker with slight crimping at head and heel and a very small
wrinkle to the very bottom of the front flap, slight dust soiling
along right rear flap fold, and a trace of wear at points. $15.
LP3902. Schmitz, James H. The Demon Breed. Ace/SFBC, 1968. Book club
and first hardback edition (code 24 K on page 187, as per Currey), a
Near Fine copy with slight wear along bottom boards, slight wear at
head, slight bend at head and heel, and slight wear at points, in a
Near Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with slight wear at head, heel
and points, a closed 1″ hairline crack at bottom front, slight age
darkening to white letters on spine, and a few other touches of wear.
Currey, page 427. $10.
LP3904. Smith, Cordwainer (pseudonym for Paul M. A. Linebarger).
Norstrilia. Gollancz, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a
Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. Overnight, a scion of the titular
Australian-settled planet becomes the richest man in the galaxy, buys
Earth, and is plunged into the intrigue of an underpeople rebellion on
Earth. Pringle, SF 100 list 46. Pringle, Ultimate Guide to SF page 223
(“Highly original, wacky and episodic”). A fun novel. Recommended.
$49.
LP3905. Vachss, Andrew. Flood. Donald I. Fine, 1985. First edition
hardback, a Very Good copy with abrasion at heel front join, wear and
crimping at heel, slight bend at head, unsuccessful erasure marks on
front free endpaper over price there, in a Very Good, Mylar-protected
dust jacket with 3/8″ x 1/8″ chip to top front corner and shallow
chipping at other points, a trace of crimping at head and heel, and a
tiny crease on top of front flap. Solid reading first edition of
Vachss’s first novel. $6.
LP3906. Vachss, Andrew. Knopf, 1993. Shella. Knopf, 1993. First
edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and
heel, in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with crease to bottom front flap
tip, inscribed by Vachss: “Re: Cameron —/Stay strong!/Andrew Vachss.”
$9.
LP3907. Vance, Jack. The Houses of Iszm. Underwood-Miller, 1983. First
edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine-, Mylar-protected dust
jacket with four small, light silverish spots, the largest slightly
smaller than dime-sized, the smallest nailhead sized, in a line near
head starting on front cover and running across the spine to the back
cover, all four stretched out across 2″ total; noticeable, but the
rest of the jacket is perfect. The tale of an attempt to steal a seed
for a living house. Hewett, A12.h. Cunningham, 41.c. Let’s mark this
considerably cheaper than any other copy online. $35.
LP3908. Vance, Jack. The Last Castle. Underwood/Miller, 1980. First
hardback edition, an oversized, illustrated hardback, one of 1,000
copies, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel, trace of wear
to points, a couple of pinprick nicks to bottom boards, in a Fine-,
Mylar-protected dust jacket with bend at heel; just short of a perfect
copy. Vance’s Hugo- and Nebula-winning novella of decadent future
human aristocrats faced with revolt by their alien slaves. Hewett,
A30.d. Cunningham, 45.b. Chalker/Owings, page 432. Recommended. $49.
LP3909. Vance, Jack. Monsters in Orbit. Dobson, 1977. First hardback
edition, a Fine copy in a Fine-, Mylar-protected dust jacket (there’s
a tiny bit of white showing at the top; after investigating, this is
not chipping, but where the very edge of the dust jacket was
accidentally folded over when applying the dust jacket protector, and
should be able to be corrected with some time and patience). Hewett,
A20.b. Cunningham, 58.b. Currey, page 499. $45.
LP3910. Weinbaum, Stanley G. The Red Peri. Fantasy Press, 1952. First
edition (stated), in Currey A binding (black cloth stamped in gold), a
Fine- copy with slight dustprint to page block edges, in a Near Fine,
Mylar-protected, price-clipped dust jacket with a tiny bit of
age-darkening to rear cover. Short story collection. Currey, page
511. Chalker/Owings, page 160. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 39. An
exceptionally nice copy, save for the price clip. $15.
LP3911. White, James. Double Contact: A Sector General Novel. Tor,
1999. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head
and heel in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. Part of his
long-running space hospital series. $7.
LP3913. Wolfe, Gary K. and Archbishop John J. Myers. Space Vulture.
Tor, 2008. First edition hardback (“First Edition: March 2008” and “0
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline), a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected
dust jacket. A modern spin on the old space pirate adventure novel.
$5.
LP3914. Zelazny, Roger. Nine Princes in Amber. Gregg Press, 1979.
First Gregg Press edition (“First Printing, March, 1979,” as per
Levack), a Fine copy in a Near Fine+, Mylar-protected dust jacket with
one thin, white crescent ine of white just above the “O” in “ROGER” at
top of dust jacket, slight edgewear at points, and a trace of edgewear
at head and heel. The first volume in the original Amber series, one
of the greatest fantasy series of all time. Levack, 29.n. This Gregg
Press edition has become a substitute for people unwilling to pay the
four figure prices for a non-Ex-Library copy of the original
Doubleday first. Highly recommended. $145.
LP3915. Zelazny, Roger. Roadmarks. Centipede Press, 2026. First
limited edition, one of 400 numbered copies signed by introduction and
glossary author (and Zelazny bibliographer) Christopher Kovacs and
artist Pascal Blanche, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in
publisher’s shrinkwrap. Novel of a man that can drive between
different times, places and timelines. Instantly out of print from
Centipede upon publication. $145.
LP3916. Zelazny, Roger. Trumps of Doom. Arbor House, 1985. Second
printing of the first edition, a Fine- copy with a trace of bend at
head and heel in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. First book in
the second Amber series, featuring Corwin’s son Merlin. Recommended.
$5.
LP3917. Zelazny, Roger and Robert Sheckley. Bring me the Head of
Prince Charming. Bantam Spectra, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine-
copy with slight bend at head and heel and a tiny bit of excess paper
flash to two pages, in a Fine dust jacket. The first in a humorous
fantasy trilogy. $35.
LPGrabBag: SPECIAL HARDBACK GRAB BAG OFFER! Since I have so many books
from this library acquisition, I have a lot that fall below value
thresholds I consider worth listing, but are still fine as reading
copies. Book club editions, later printings, jacketless copies, etc.
If you’re just looking for cheap reading material, I’m offering a grab
bag of 5 books for $5. One Grab Bag per customer, and usual shipping
charges apply.
Trade Paperbacks/Chapbooks/Etc.
LP3918. (Dick, Philip K.) Williams, Paul. Only Apparently Real: The
World of Philip K. Dick. Arbor House, 1986. First edition trade
paperback original, a Fine copy. Biography of Dick by his close friend
and literary executor. $20.
LP3919. Swanwick, Michael. Basil, Pepper, Salt, and Garlic Greens: A
Year in a Witch’s Kitchen. Dragonstairs Press, 2026. First edition
chapbook original, one of 80 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy.
Short stories tied to seasonal dishes. Sold out from the publisher.
$35.
LP3920. Swanwick, Michael. Red Dog. Dragonstairs Press, 2026. First
edition chapbook original, one of 80 signed, numbered copies, a Fine
copy. “Red Dog is Michael Swanwick’s collection of essays, some
fictional, about life in western Pennsylvania.” Sold out from the
publisher. $35.
Mass Market Paperbacks
LP3921. Block, Francesca Lia. Primavera. ROC, 1994. First edition
paperback original, a Very Good+ copy that looks Fine from the spine
out, but with two significant flaws (a 1/8″ deep x 3/4″ crescent at
top of the rear cover that almost was chipped away, so I put a small
piece of archival tape on the inside cover to keep it there, and a
former owners name to inside of front cover), plus slight wear to rear
corners. Sequel to Ecstasia. $20.
LP3922. Ellison, Harlan. From the Land of Fear. Belmont Tower Books,
1974. Paperback reprint (though the first edition with this artwork),
a Near Fine+ copy with previous owner’s name on blurb page, and a
trace of edgewear, mainly at points, otherwise a tight, square copy.
Short story collection, some of which have not been reprinted in any
other Ellison collection. $5.
LP3923. Ellison, Harlan. Spider Kiss. Pyramid, 1975. First edition
thus (“Pyramid edition published July 1975” and “V3883 l $1.25” on
front cover, as per Currey) and first under this title (originally
published as Rockabilly), a Very Good+ copy with wrinkling down spine,
former owner’s name on inside front cover, and slight edgewear,
otherwise a nice, square copy. “A faboul rock novel of the funky
fifties.” Diane and Leo Dillon cover. Richmond, Fingerprints on the
Sky page 108. Currey, page 179. For some reason, copies of all these
Pyramid Ellisons have gotten harder to find as of late. $25.
LP3924. (Frazetta, Frank) Silke, James. Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer
Book 4: Plague of Knives. Tor, 1990. Second printing paperback
original, a Very Good copy with spine creasing, slight foxing to
inside covers, and slight edgewear. Fourth in a series of sword and
sorcery paperbacks based on Frazetta’s famous “Death Dealer” painting.
All the books in the series are starting to get pricey. $20.
LP3925. Garton, Ray. Invaders from Mars. Pocket Books, 1986. First
edition paperback original, a Very Good+ copy with one spine crease,
bookstore stamp on inside front cover and price stamp on blurb page,
trace of lean, and some edgewear. Novelization of the Tobe Hooper
movie. $5.
LP3926. Garton, Ray. Seductions. Pinnacle Books, 1984. First edition
paperback original, a Very Good+ copy with slight spine creasing, mild
corner crease to top front cover, slight age darkeing to white cover,
moderate foxing to inside covers, but otherwise a pretty square copy.
Garton’s first novel. $20.
LP3927. Jeter, K.W. The Night Man. New American Library/Onyx Horror,
1990. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight
edgewear. Teenage boy gets revenge by way of an imaginary friend.
Blurbed by Joe Lansdale and Ramsey Campbell. A very nice, square copy.
$15.
LP3928. Lee, Tanith. Red as Blood or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer.
DAW, 1983. First edition paperback original (precedes the SFBC edition
by a couple of months), a plasticized Ex-Library copy with stamps,
stickers, etc., and age darkening to pages; call it a sturdy, Very
Good- reading copy. Her celebrated darker and/or more erotic
retellings of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Recommended. $10.
LP3929. Lee, Tanith. Tamastara or the Indian Nights. DAW, 1984. First
edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with the barest trace of
edgewear at head and along the bottom edge, and very slight foxing to
inside covers, otherwise a tight, square, beautiful copy. Short story
collection. $10.
LP3930. McDonald, Ian. Out on Blue Six. Bantam Books, 1989. First
edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with the barest trace of wear
at points, otherwise a square, perfect copy. Novel of a utopian world
that turns out not to be so perfect after all. $10.
LP3931. Rucker, Rudy. Spacetime Donuts. Ace, 1981. First edition
paperback original, a Very Good copy with spine creasing and lean,
long thin crease along front cover join, some edgewear, and light page
toning. “Free drugs! Easy sex! No job hassles! Some people just don’t
know when they’re being oppressed!” Another weird Rucker novel
involving strange physics. $10.
LP3932. Rucker, Rudy. White Light. Ace, 1980. First edition paperback
original, a Near Fine- copy with a faint 1″ wrinkle at bottom of
spine, crease on top rear corner (and a smaller one on bottom rear
corner, light edgewear, the start of a thin crease along front cover
join, and slight age toning, but otherwise a nice square copy. “A
transfinite mathematician with a propensity for out-of-body travel
should never get drunk.” More Rucker weirdness. $10.
LP3933. Shirley, John. Three-Ring Psychus. Zebra, 1980s. First edition
paperback original, a Near Fine copy with very faint, non-breaking
spine creasing, edgewear, and start of a hairline crease along front
spine join, otherwise nice and square. Very weird early Shirley SF
novel. $5.
LP2901. Simmons, Dan. Song of Kali. Tor, 1986. First paperback edition
(preceded by the Bluejay Books hardcover), a Near Fine copy with a
1/2″ crease to rear bottom corner, traces of edgewear and slight
age-darkening to pages, signed by Simmon. His celebrated debut novel,
a horror novel set in India. Not a lot of signed copies of this
online. $45.
LP3934. Sladek, John. Roderick. Caroll & Graf, 1987. Paperback
reprint, a Very Good+ copy with spine creasing, top front corner
crease, slight edgewear, and a bit of waviness to pages under that top
corner crease. Novel of a robot raised as a human. Complications
ensue. Probably his most celebrated novel. $5.
****
