Archive for the ‘Science Fiction’ Category
Friday, December 28th, 2018
Here’s the “miscellaneous signed fiction” from that Camelot 60% off sale. (There should be one more Camelot roundup, of reference books, tomorrow.)
Bradbury, Ray. The Dragon. Footsteps Press, 1988. First edition chapbook, #187 of 300 signed, numbered copies, Fine. Has wrappers with a transparent red Mylar window. “But wait,” you cry, “didn’t you already pick up a copy of this chapbook?” Yes, but that one had a blue Mylar window! I told you book collectors were crazy…Bought for $20, marked down from $50.
Burgess, Tony. Pontypool Changes Everything. ChiZine Publications, 2010. First hardback edition and first edition thus, #27 of 150 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Novel that was the basis of the 2008 film Pontypool, which I very much enjoyed, as well as additional material not in the 1998 softcover first edition. Bought for $30, marked down from $75.
Bryant, Edward. A Sad Last Love at the Diner of the Damned. Wormhole Books, 2001. First edition hardback, one of (according to Chalker/Ownings 2002) 52 hardback copies, signed by Bryant and numbered 143 (suggesting they just grabbed random chapbook copies to bind rather than a particular number range), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Chapbook of a story that originally appeared in Skipp & Spector’s The Book of the Dead. Bought for $30, marked down from $75. I was at the Armadillocon midnight reading where Ed read this story…
Card, Orson Scott. Hamlet’s Father. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, #130 of 1000 signed, numbered copies. Stopped buying Card a while back, but the controversy over this made me want to pick it up just to piss people off. Bought for $14, marked down from $35.
Hughes, Rhys. Engelbrecht Again!. Dead Letter Press, 2008. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, with signature plate laid in. Since I’m one of the few people who actually owns (and has read) The Exploits of Engelbrecht, the short story collection about the titular dwarf surrealist boxer, obviously I had to pick this up. Bought for $20, marked down from $50.
Powers, Tim. Down and Out in Purgatory. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #192 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $24, marked down from $60.
Simmons, Dan. This Year’s Class Picture. Subterranean Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #144 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Originally appeared in Skipp & Spector’s Still Dead (I guess hardback reprints of stories from Skipp & Spector zombie anthologies is a minor theme for this post.) Bought for $20, marked down from $50.
Thomas, Ryan C. Salticidae. Thunderstorm Books, 2013. First edition hardback, #65 of 75 signed, numbered copies (out of 150 copies total), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a story not in the other edition. Oversized. Not familiar with the author, but I do collect giant spider novels. Bought for $30, marked down from $75.
Looking at the Burgress and Bryant scans, it may be time to get a new scanner…
Tags:Dan Simmons, Ed Bryant, Fantasy, Footsteps Press, Horror, Orson Scott Card, Pontypool, Ray Bradbury, Rhys Hughes, Ryan C. Thomas, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press, Thunderstorm Books, Tim Powers, Tony Burgess, Wormhole Books
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Wednesday, December 26th, 2018
Back to cataloging those Camelot Books sale purchases:
Morrell, David. Black Evening. Cemetery Dance, 1999. First edition hardback, one of 1500 copies signed by Morrell, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Short story collection. Bought for $16, marked down from $40.
Morrell, David. Stars in My Eyes: My love Affair With Books, Movies and Music. Gauntlet Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #29 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Essays on Morell’s favorite books, movies and music, including essays on Richard Matheson, Dan Simmons and William Tenn, in addition to Geoffrey Household’s Rogue Male, the inspiration for First Blood. Bought for $20, marked down from $50.
Morrell, David. Rambo: First Blood II. Borderlands Press/Gauntlet Press, 2016. First hardback edition, first signed/limited edition, and first edition thus, with material not in the Jove paperback novelization, #27 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. (The original First Blood is a very good action movie, but it’s a great novel.) Bought for $24, marked down from $60.
Straub, Peter. 5 Stories. Borderlands Press, 2007. First edition hardback, #328 of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $24, marked down from $60.
Tags:Books, Borderlands Press, Cemetery Dance, David Morrell, Gauntlet Press, Horror, Limited Editions, Peter Straub, signed, small press publishers
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Tuesday, December 25th, 2018
This was the only thing I won in that Waverly/Quinn auction of science fiction firsts, despite bidding on several other lots. It was a four book lot, the least of which (The Black Book of Clark Ashton Smith) I already had and which will go in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Smith, Clark Ashton. Ebony and Crystal: Poems in Verse and Prose. Auburn Journal, 1922. First edition hardback, #522 of 525 signed, numbered copies, a Very Good copy with pronounced foxing to inside front and rear covers, cracked inner hinge and cloth pulled away from binding staples to rear (which, looking from the construction, I’m guessing is an endemic flaw for this book), slight bend at head and heel and slight wear at points, sans dust jacket, as issued. Currey, page 453. Not in Bleiler’s Guide to Supernatural Horror. Bleiler Checklist (1978), page 181. Sidney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams, page 128-128.
Smith, Clark Ashton. Odes and Sonnets. The Book Club of San Francisco, 1918. First edition hardback, #70 of 300 copies, a Very Good copy with long, thin abrasion along outer front edge, pinhead black spot to spine, word “Clark” worn away from spine label, and two faint dime-sized splash marks to rear cover, sans dust jacket, as issued. Thin, oversized volume printed in three colors (red, green and black) on uncut sheets (so half the poems are rather difficult to read). Not in Currey. Not in Bleiler’s Guide to Supernatural Horror. Not in Bleiler’s Checklist (1978). Sidney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams, page 127.
Smith, Clark Ashton. The Star-Treader and Other Poems. A.M. Robertson, 1912. First edition hardback original, a Near Fine+ copy with top front point bumped, a few traces of grubbiness to rear boards, and an Ex-Libris sticker inside front cover under flap, in a Very Good+ dusty jacket with slight loss at head and top points, a few spots of grubbiness hear and there, a crease to inside front flap at bottom, a thin line of abrasion at heel; quite a nice copy for a book more than 100 years old. Not in Currey. Not in Bleiler’s Guide to Supernatural Horror. Bleiler Checklist (1978), page 181. Sidney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams, page 128.
All bought for $976 at auction, including buyer’s premium.
Tags:Books, Clark Ashton Smith, Fantasy, Horror, poetry, Science Fiction
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Thursday, December 20th, 2018
Two more signed Bradbury firsts:
Bradbury, Ray. Dogs Think Every Day is Christmas. Gibbs/Smith, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Bradbury: “Marion! Chuck!/Enjoy! Love!/Ray Bradbury/Valentine’s /Day/1999!” Small trim size hardback containing the illustrated title poem and an introduction. I suspect this and the companion volume, With Cat For Comforter, were issued for the pet store trade. Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought off eBay for $36.
Bradbury, Ray. We’ll Always Have Paris. Morrow, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Bradbury: “Russ,/Ray Bradbury.” Short story collection. Tiny story: At the most recent Half Price Books coupon sale, they had several signed early Bradbury firsts from the late Fred Duarte estate for sale, but the condition was too poor for me to buy any of them. Then they had a signed copy of this, which was unpriced. “How much for this one?” “Let me check.” Comes back a minute later. “$150.” “Pass.” Then I went online and found this copy for $25, including shipping…
Tags:Books, dogs, poetry, Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction, signed
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Monday, December 17th, 2018
These were all books I picked up at various Houston Half Price Books stores the day after Thanksgiving. Those without prices were bought at half cover price.
Chabon, Michael. Moonglow. Harper, 2016. First edition hardback, one of an unstated number of signed limited copies sold by Powell’s Books, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket in a special slipcase, with a non-fiction Moonglow chapbook containing “The Box,” “The Facts,” and “The Interview” (Near Fine, with slight creasing) laid in. #63 in the Powells’ “Indiespensible” series, special signed editions sent out to book club members with various extras. Bought for $25.
Crais, Robert. The Wanted. Putnam, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Crais. I was looking through the discounted section of a Half Price Books, saw that this was a nice copy, thought to myself “I wonder if it’s signed,” picked it up, and it was. Hence George Locke’s dictum: “Don’t look for books, look at books.” Mystery novel. Bought for $3.00.
Duncan, Andy and Ellen Klages. Wakulla Springs. Tor, 2015. First edition hardback (evidently a reprint of an electronic version), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, presumably as issued. Weird trim factor, being a small format hardback sightly smaller than a paperback. Bought for $4.99.
Howard, Robert E. Trails in Darkness. Baen, 1996. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight edgewear to top front cover and slight foxing to inside covers. Volume VII in the Robert E. Howard library.
Howard, Robert E. Beyond the Borders. Baen, 1996. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy. Volume VI in the Robert E. Howard library.
Kuttner, Henry (& C. L. Moore). Clash By Night. Hamlyn, 1980. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with a a long crease across the front cover. Short story collection. Kuttner’s name alone appears on the cover, but the title page also has C.L. Moore’s name, and all the stories are collaborations between the two.
Sammon, Paul M., editor. Splatterpunks: Extreme Horror. St. Martin’s Press, 1990. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight edgewear at head, heel and points. Signed by contributors Joe R. Lansdale, Ed Bryant, Nancy Collins and Chas. Balun. I had a copy of this (and I’m cited as an expert in here), but I didn’t get Ed Bryant to sign my copy, so this was a nice find. Bought for $12.49.
Tags:Andy Duncan, Books, C. L. Moore, Ed Bryant, Fantasy, Henry Kuttner, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, Limited Editions, Michael Chabon, Nancy Collins, reference works, Robert Crais, Robert E. Howard, Science Fiction, signed, splatterpunk
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Friday, December 14th, 2018
The family of a late SF bookseller finally finished getting getting his stock online, so I checked out their newly christened website to see what was there, and immediately snapped up two books I thought were under-priced:
Bester, Alfred. Tiger! Tiger!. Sidgwick and Jackson, no date (but 1956). First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), a Near Fine- copy with bookstore stickers (Foyle’s) inside front cover (under flap), slight bumping at head and heel, darkening to page edges, and a tiny bit of spine lean, in a Very Good- dust jacket with three significant chips at top front, longest two 1″ long by 1/8″ high and 3/4″ high by 1/4″ long near flap join, with shallower chipping at head, heel and points, slight age darkening to white rear cover, and a 1 1/2″ closed tear at top front cover near spine join. These would be significant enough flaws that I would have avoided buying this copy except that it was only $40! That’s somewhere between 1/5th and 1/10th what it’s worth. The true first edition, first printing of Bester’s masterwork, later published in the U.S. as The Stars My Destination, and a science fiction keystone I’ve lacked for a long, long time. I will probably purchase facsimile dust jackets to wrap around to better display both this and the item below better. Currey (1979), page 33. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 33. Locke, Science Fiction First Editions, pages 18-19. Wendell, Alfred Bester, pages 28-36. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-19. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 2168—2172. Day, Supplemental Checklist of Fantastic Literature, page 8. Aldiss, Billion Year Spree, page 247.
Heinlein, Robert A. The Past Through Tomorrow. Putnam, 1967. Second printing, a Very Good copy with one BB-sized indention in the spine with a small hole in the middle, with slight bumping at head and heel, in a Poor dust jacket (and it’s not even the right dust jacket, having coming from a book club edition) with the front, back and spine split into three panels (now taped back together), with further chips, tears, separation between the pieces, etc. Inscribed by Heinlein: “To Karol, Best Wishes/Robert A. Heinlein.” For some reason, this is one of the hardest of his books to find signed by Heinlein. Bought for $200. This is only the second signed Heinlein in my collection, after a signed book club edition of Time for the Stars I bought from David Hartwell for $40.
Tags:Alfred Bester, Books, Robert A. Heinlein, Science Fiction, signed
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Wednesday, December 12th, 2018
Saw references to this (which might have preceded the trade edition) online, and finally found a copy cheap.
Chabon, Michael. The Yiddish Policeman’s Union. HarperCollins, 2007. First edition hardback, one of 1,000 copies signed by Chabon in a wooden slipcase, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap (I think it’s the publisher’s, which is why I haven’t removed it). Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel. Supplements a trade copy of the novel inscribed to me by Chabon right after he won the Nebula for it. Original list price was $150. Bought off eBay for $50.
Forgive the crappy scan, since it’s still in the shrinkwrap…
Tags:Books, Hugo Award, Limited Editions, Michael Chabon, Science Fiction, signed
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Tuesday, December 11th, 2018
The only thing these two have in common as that I bought them 50% off the listed price at Half Price Books during their coupon sale.
Campbell, Bruce. If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B-Movie Actor. St. Martin’s Press, 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Campbell: “Hey Audio Adam/Stay Groovy!/Bruce Campbell.” Autobiography of the Evil Dead star. Bought for $9 from Half Price Books, discounted from $18.
Haldeman, Joe. Vietnam and Other Alien Worlds. NESFA Press, 1993. First edition hardback, #18 of 175 signed and numbered (and 8 lettered) copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for $25 from Half Price Books, discounted from $50.
Tags:Bad Movies, Books, Bruce Campbell, Joe Haldeman, Movies, Science Fiction
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Tuesday, December 4th, 2018
Three books from the same Subterranean Press order that came in:
Blaylock, James P. River’s Edge. Subterranean Press, 2018. First edition hardback, #487 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, in publisher’s bag. New Langdon St. Ives steampunk adventure.
Lansdale, Joe R. Driving to Geronimo’s Grave and Other Stories. First edition hardback, #571 of 1500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, in publisher’s bag.
Silverberg, Robert. The Emperor and the Maula. First edition hardback, #239 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, in publisher’s bag. Far future Scheherazade novella, never published in complete form before.
Please note that all three of these will be available in the Lame Excuse Books catalog I’m emailing out this week. Drop me a line if you want a copy.
Tags:Books, James P. Blaylock, Joe R. Lansdale, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Subterranean Press
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Monday, November 19th, 2018
Like the Fletcher Pratt book I bought a few months back, here’s a difficult signature I found cheap:
(Smith, Cordwainer) MacNair, Harley Farnsworth. The Real Conflict Between China and Japan. University of Chicago Press, 1938. First edition hardback, a Very Good copy with spine and page blocks slightly grubby, lacking a dust jacket (possibly as issued). Formerly Paul M. A. Linebarger’s copy, with his signature, “Duke” and “1938” written at the top of the front free endpaper. Linebarger is most famous for writing science fiction under the pen name Cordwainer Smith (as well as Carmichael Smith and Felix C. Forrest). He was also a renowned Sinologist whose father was one of the chief advisors for Chinese nationalist leader Sun Yat-Sen (indeed, I also own a copy of Linebarger’s non-fiction work The Political Doctrine of Sun Yat-Sen, as well as his book Psychological Warfare, which was used for many years as a text at West Point). Books signed by him are uncommon. Bought off eBay for $45.
Tags:Books, Cordwainer Smith, Science Fiction, signatures
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