These are the last books from that private collector sale.
Haldeman, Joe. Worlds Enough and Time. Morrow, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Haldeman. Third book in the Worlds trilogy.
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Scholastic Press, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Illustrated young adult novel. Winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal and basis of the 2011 film Hugo, which I also enjoyed.
Another volume in the Charnel House signed, limited edition reprint line of all Powers’ novels.
Powers, Tim. An Epitaph in Rust. Charnel House 2023. First edition hardback, #54 of 200 numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
I will have one copy available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Baxter, Stephen. Xeelee: Endurance. PS Publishing, 2017. First edition hardback, letter D of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket and a Fine decorated slipcase. I collected Baxter for a while until he become too prolific for me to keep up with, but I did like the Xeelee books. Bought from Camelot Books for $50.
(Lovecraft, H. P.) Joshi, S. T. Black Wings VII: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Original anthology, including stories from John Shirley, Ramsey Campbell and Steve Rasnick Tem. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have a small number of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Silverberg, Robert. Monsters and Things. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, #100 of 100 signed, numbered copies in decorated boards signed by Silverberg, editor Stephen Jones, and illustrator Randy Brocker, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with erratum sheet laid in noting that one of these stories (many of them written under pseudonyms) actually was from Donald Westlake writing as Richard Stark. Oops! Already sold out from the publisher. I will have a small number of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
There was a Forum (UK) auction that had a fair amount of science fiction in it, so I bit the bullet and bid even though it was one of those dread “no in-house shipping” deals. And I’m glad I did! Even though I did get rooked for £100+ for shipping, I managed to pick up a number non-fiction works about Jack Vance for only £163.80 (including buyer’s premium), so £263.80 total. Here’s the first item from that lot.
(Vance, Jack). Rawlins, Jack. Demon Prince: The Dissonant Worlds of Jack Vance. Borgo Press, 1986. First edition hardback (plasticized boards), a Fine copy with “KATER-BOUND” sticker to rear cover (presumably as issued). Critical companion to the works of Jack Vance. Depending on the title, Borgo either did plasticized boards with the trade paperback encased, or cloth with the cover of the trade paperback pasted to the front; this is one of the former. I can’t recall ever seeing any copy of this title before, much less the hardback variant. Hewett, M.126. Cunningham, F.2.
(Vance, Jack) Jean Luc Esteban. Jack Vance: Works published in PULPS magazines 1945-1975. LuLu, 2023. First edition (POD) hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. An odd reference work, showing the full-color cover illustrations, title pages, first few story pages, and interior black and white illustrations, for every story Jack Vance published in pulp magazines for the covered period. (Never mind that by the 1970s, the magazines publishing Jack Vance weren’t pulps and hadn’t been for some time.) Sort of an strange work, with high production values (all the page are slick stock, not just the ones for the color illustrations) and odd editorial choices (the Table of Contents is at the rear, and there are a lot of pages left unnecessarily blank). Also, there is no magazine or illustrator index. But buying this is a whole lot less expensive than tracking down every single issue covered. If this is the sort of reference work you think you need, then you need it, and if you don’t, you don’t. Note also that there are four slightly variant titles this could be known under: the spine says Jack Vance in Pulps 1945-1975, the front cover says Jack Vance in Pulps First issues 1945-1975, the half-title page says Jack Vance Pulps Editions 1945-1975, and the title page says Jack Vance: Works published in PULPS magazines 1945-1975. Yeah, the book could have used an editor…
Two collections of Harlan Ellison essays bought directly from the Ellison website.
Ellison, Harlan. FOE: Friends of Ellison. Edgeworks Abbey, 2019. First edition (stated) trade paperback original (these are Print on Demand books; the POD barcode page states “10 February 2019,” making it possible that these were run off as part of the initial batch run off for the Ellison website sales), a Fine copy. Collection of non-fiction essays, introductions and appreciations of other writers (Jack Vance, Richard Matheson, Philip Jose Farmer, Robert Silverberg, etc.). Bought for $20 (half-off the $40 list price) from the Harlan Ellison Books website.
Ellison, Harlan. Why do you call me Ishmael when you know my name is Bernie?. Edgeworks Abbey, 2019. First edition (stated) trade paperback original (these are Print on Demand books; the POD barcode page states “16 June 2019”), a Fine copy. Collection of non-fiction essays on various topics, including one on Lafferty. Bought for $20 (half-off the $40 list price) from the Harlan Ellison Books website. This now shows up as out of print there.
Really enjoyed this when I read this a while back, and I tracked down a nice affordable first.
Russell, Eric Frank. Wasp. Avalon Books, 1957. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with one 1/2″ closed tear are top rear head, and tiny bit of wrinkling on bottom front edge near heel, and just the barest traces of dust soiling to an otherwise bright white dust jacket. Military SF adventure novel of a spy sent to a hostile alien planet to bring down the government through psychological and guerilla warfare, like a wasp crashing a car by attacking the driver. Bought from a notable UK dealer for £200 plus shipping.
For a while, there was an “X, but it’s Y” trend on YouTube, where people would take something familiar and alter it in presumably amusing ways. (I think “every time they say bee it gets faster” is one of the better known examples of the trope.)
The Skinner-Chalmers “Steamed Hams” scene from The Simpsons has been the source of a lot of these videos. Most of them don’t do anything for me, but for some reason, “Steamed Hams, but it’s the French New Wave” tickled my fancy.
Paperbacks are the final batch of books I picked up in the Metroplex. I generally don’t picked up unsigned paperbacks these days, but so many of these were perfect or near perfect examples at very attractive prices. All these are from Half Price Books.
Brackett, Leigh. The Ginger Star. Ballantine Books, 1974. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight wear at heel, edges and points, otherwise a tight, square copy. Currey, page 52. Bought for $2.
Brackett, Leigh. The Hounds of Skaith. Ballantine Books, 1974. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with slight bumping to bottom corner and a trace of edgewear, otherwise a tight, square copy. Currey, page 52. Bought for $2.
Brunner, John. The Productions of Time. Signet, 1967. First paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight darkening to pages and a trace of edgewear to points. 1967 Nebula nominee for Best Novella. De Bolt, The Happening Worlds of John Brunner page 203. Currey, page 72 (he says the text was “badly edited” without Brunner’s approval). Bought for $2.99.
Davidson, Avram. Rogue Dragon. Ace, 1965. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ cover price, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with just a trace of edgewear at top outer point, but tight and square with bright white portions of cover. Currey, page 131. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Bought from Half Price Books for $5.
Davidson, Avram. Rogue Dragon. Ace, 1965. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ cover price, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with a tiny crease across the Ace logo at head, otherwise tight and square. Currey, page 131. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Bought for $3.
Harrison, Harry. The Man From P.I.G.. Avon/Camelot Original, 1968. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with one spine crease and usual mild age-darkening of pages. Currey, page 225. Bought for $1.99.
More first editions bought in the Metroplex from Half Price Books and Recycled Books.
Gingrich, Newt and William R. Forstchen. Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant: The Final Victory. St. Martins, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gingrich. Bought from Half Price Books for $7.99.
Hubbard, L. Ron. Ole Doc Methuselah. Theta Press, 1970. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with age-darkening to white portions. Fixup novel of linked stories originally published 1946-1950. Strangely, there is no printing at all on the spine or cover of the book itself. Currey, page 256. Bought for $12 from Recycled Books.
Kelly, James Patrick. Think Like A Dinosaur. Golden Gryphon Press, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with about 3/8″ slight abrasion or fade to the very top of the front cover, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wrinkling at head and heel and slight edgewear at points and top of dust jacket, inscribed by Kelly: “To Katelein/Keep writing/+/:/Yr pal/Jim/ 4/19/98.” Short story collection. Supplements a perfect but unsigned copy. Bought for $11.49.
Miller, John J. (George R. R. Martin). Wild Cards: Death Draws Five. iBooks, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and two small indents to bottom boards and slight bumping at top points in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and top points. Solo Wild Card novel by Miller. At some con years back, Miller told me this was actually the rarest Wild Cards book. Precedes the Tor edition by 15 years. Bought from Half Price Books for $11.48.
Smith, Michael Marshall. The Servants. Earthling Publications, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a small wrinkle to the bottom of the front flap. Precedes the UK and Eos editions. Bought from Half Price Books for $7.99.
Stross, Charles. Empire Games. Tor, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with bumping at head and heel. Merchant Princes novel. Bought from Half Price Books for $4.99.
