So it wasn’t enough that Camelot Books had a sale. Right before that, PS publishing had a sale on their website, so after the Camelot order came in, I received three more big boxes of books to catalog:
Posts Tagged ‘Joe Hill’
Library Additions: Nine PS Publishing Books
Saturday, January 5th, 2019Library Addition: Joe Hill’s A Little Silver Book of Sharp Shiny Slivers
Thursday, June 29th, 2017Just got the new small press Joe Hill book in:
Hill, Joe. A Little Silver Book of Sharp Shiny Slivers. Borderlands Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #439 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Part of the Borderlands Little Book series.
Note that I’ll have copies of this for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog [Now sold out – LP], but keep in mind how popular Joe Hill is, and that this sold out per-publication, it won’t be cheap…
Lame Excuse Books October Catalog
Saturday, October 15th, 2011Once again, it’s time for “Lawrence posts the latest Lame Excuse Books Catalog as a big block of text.”
Welcome to Lawrence Person’s Lame Excuse for a Book Catalog! Once again there’s lots of great stuff, including new books from Joe R. Lansdale, James P. Blaylock, Robert E. Howard, and Paul Di Filippo, as well as notable older first editions by Stephen King and Robert A. Heinlein, some signed Joe Hill books, numerous small press books from Subterranean, Night Shade, Golden Gryphon, PS Publishing, and Prime, among others, plus a few sale books (including a lot in the trade paperback section). Most in-print books start at $3 off cover price, and as usual I only have one or two copies for many titles, so you might want to act quickly.
I should also note that a lot of the things I’ve had around for a while have been disappearing over he last few months. The Best of Michael Swanwick? Gone. Want some of those signed Subterranean Press John Scalzi books? Sorry, they’re all gone. The Collected Zelazny? Down to my last copy of Volume 6, and the rest are gone. Those signed copies of R. A. Laffery’s Serpent’s Egg I had lying around and selling slowly for years and years? Sold the last one. (I do have one of the signed East of Laughters left, if you act quickly; I think there’s actually a bit of a Lafferty revival going on right now.)
Anyway, if you were putting off buying something thinking “Hey, Lawrence at Lame Excuse Books will have that for a while, I can put off getting that,” you might want to think again. I try to keep my inventory pretty light, so when something is gone, it’s GONE.
Also, since I have a few books that have been sitting around for quite a while, I’m going to make the following offer to regular customers (i.e., anyone receiving this email):
1. Add one or more grab-bag mass market paperbacks (my choice) to any order for $1.
2. Add one or more grab-bag hardback or trade paperbacks (again, my choice) to any order for $2.
Further clarification:
• Maximum number of grab bag books is ten total per order
• All SF/F/H or related
• I promise it’s a book I thought was worth selling when I cataloged it
• I won’t include any duplicates in the same order
• I won’t include any media tie-in books or any books 2 or higher in a series
• I might include an ex-library book, but only one per order
• Regular shipping charges apply
• To sweeten the deal, the first five grab-bag orders for both paperback and hardback/trade paperback orders will receive a book signed by the author
$1-2 is a pretty low risk proposition, and there’s a good chance you might get something you like. You pays your money and you takes your chances.
The URL for the main Lame Excuse Books webpage is:
https://www.lawrenceperson.com/lame.html
I’m still doing a Lame Excuse Books Twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/LameExcuseBooks
Payment, Contact & Shipping Information
E-mail me at lawrenceperson@gmail.com. I can hold books ten days on e-mail or phone requests (please leave a message on my voice mail for the latter: (512) 569-9036). U.S. shipping is $5.00 for the first book, and $1.00 a book thereafter. Foreign shipping is at cost (please inquire; for most locations, Global Priority starts at $13.00). Books may be returned in the same condition sent for any reason within 10 days of purchase for a full refund. Please make checks payable to Lawrence Person. I can also take Paypal payment to this e-mail address at http://www.paypal.com, and I can take MC and Visa directly through my merchant account.
Please mail checks to:
Lawrence Person
Lame Excuse Books
P.O. Box 27231
Austin, Texas 78755
Finally, if you want me to take you off this mailing list, please let me know. I hate spam just as much as the next person.
Now the books!
Hardbacks
LP1895. Bishop, Michael. Brighten to Incandescence. Golden Gyphon, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection. Back in stock. $15.
LP1896. Blaylock, James P. The Affair of the Chalk Cliffs. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, one of 1,500 copies signed by Blaylock, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. A Steampunk Langdon St. Ives adventure. List is $35, but since I managed to double-order this, let’s sell it cheap. $28.
LP1456. Brite, Poppy Z. Antediluvian Tales. Subterranean Press, 2007. First edition hardback, one of 400 numbered copies signed by Brite in a better binding with marbled endpapers, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. Collection of short stories all written before her home town of New Orleans was flooded. $35.
LP1898. Dann, Jack. Junction. PS Publishing, 2011. First hardback edition (it was originally a PBO in 1981), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Story of a boy who’s town is right next to Hell. Looks interesting. $30.
LP1777. De Lint, Charles. Eyes Like Leaves. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, signed by De Lint. $25.
LP1878. Dick, Philip K. The Complete Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 1: The King of the Elves. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. If you don’t have the Underwood/Miller Collected PKD set, then you need this. If you do, you should know that is expanded from the edition, incorporating new story notes, and two added tales, one previously unpublished, and one uncollected. So if you’re a serious Dick fan, you probably need this as well. Now $5 off cover price. $35.
LP1900. Di Filippo, Paul. Little Doors. Four Walls Eight Windows, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection, back in stock. Only have one. $12.
LP1901. Di Filippo, Paul. Princess of the Linear Jungle. PS Publishing, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Sequel to A Year in the Linear City. $17.
LP1263. Erikson, Steven. Fishin’ With Grandma Matchie. PS Publishing, 2005. First edition hardback, one of 400 limited, numbered copies signed by Erikson and introduction author Graham Joyce, a fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. $21.
LP1460. Erikson, Steven. The Lees of Laughter’s End. PS Publishing, 2007. First edition hardback, one of 1000 unsigned hardback copies, Fine in decorated boards, sans dj, as issued. The latest Bauchelain and Korbal Broach book set in Lamentable Moll, in a very affordable hardback edition. $15.
LP1905. Farmer, Philip Jose. Up the Bright River. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, one of 1500 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection. How does 25% off cover price sound? $30.
LP1906. Heinlein, Robert A. Podkayne of Mars. Putnam, 1963. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey, p. 233), an Ex-Library copy with all the usual flaws (pocket, stamps, stickers, tape, etc.), otherwise Good with significant wear along bottom boards, spine lean, cracked front hinge and general wear, in a Good+ dust jacket missing a 1/2″ x 1/2″ chip from head, faint dampstain along top of rear cover, and other touches of general wear, price of $3.50 intact. Heinlein’s last juvenile, and surprisingly hard to find these days. $95.
LP1635. Hill, Joe (writing name for Joseph Hillstrom King). Gunpowder. PS Publishing, 2008. First edition hardback, one of 500 unsigned copies in decorated boards, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, new and unread. Signed by Hill (with a drawing of a planet) at the 2011 World Horror Convention. $30.
LP1907. Howard, Robert E. The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 750 copies signed by artist Greg Staples, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, new and unread. Huge, handsome, and lavishly-illustrated volume. $7 domestic shipping, considerably more overseas. Only have one. $145.
LP1640. King, Stephen. Stephen King Goes to the Movies. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, one of 2000 copies (and the only hardback edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Includes five stories by King that were made into movies (“1408,” “The Mangler,” “Low Men in Yellow Coats” (made into Hearts in Atlantis), “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption,” “The Mist” and “Children of the Corn,” each with new introductions by King about how the moves were made and what he thought of them. Illustrations by Vincent Chong. With two color printing and heavier than usual paper, this is a lavish production beyond even the usual high Subterranean Press standards. I haven’t read all the stories in here, but the ones I have are among King’s best. Recommended. $49.
LP1908. King, Stephen. The Little Sisters of Eluria. Donald M. Grant, 2008. First edition hardback, one of 4,000 Artists copies signed by artist Michael Whelan, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and foil-stamped slipcase, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. “This volume contains [the expanded version of The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger] as well as the novella The Little Sisters of Eluria which chronicles an earlier adventure of Roland’s as he persued the Man in Black. Published in a larger format than the Dark Tower series which enhances Michael Whelan’s thirteen full color plates and over twenty three black & white designs.” A nicely lavish production I’m offering at $5 off the cover price. Only have one. $90.
LP1909. Kress, Nancy. Nothing Human. Golden Gryphon, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with two tiny (1/16″) closed tears at head, otherwise new and unread. Novel. Thanks to that flaw, you can pick it up at half cover price. $13.
LP761. Lafferty, R.A (Gene Wolfe). East of Laughter. Morrigan (UK), 1988. First edition hardback, one of only 260 numbered copies signed by Lafferty and Wolfe, Fine in Fine dj and slipcase, new and unread. An additional Lafferty story, “The Story of Little Briar-Rose: A Scholarly Study,” and Wolfe’s postscript, “Scribbling Giant,” appear only in the limited edition. The binding is also in a slightly better grade of cloth that matches the slipcase. A chance to pick up a signed edition of one of the late, great R. A. Lafferty’s weird, wonderful books. $36.
LP1846. Lake, Jay. The Sky That Wraps. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 1,000 signed copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection by the author of the Hugo-nominated Mainspring, and a swell guy to boot. $35.
LP1847. Lake, Jay. The Specific Gravity of Grief. Fairwoods Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of only 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. With an introduction by Maureen McHugh. Novella about a man with cancer (with which Jay has had more than one bout), so probably not something for the light reading pile. Only have one. $20.
LP1911. Lansdale, Joe R. Hyenas. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. New Hap & Leonard novella. Even though this is the trade edition, this copy is signed by Lansdale. $22.
LP1910. Lansdale, Joe R. Zeppelin’s West. Subterranean Press, 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine dust jacket; if you look carefully at the top edge, you can see that there’s a very slight bow to the rear board near the spine, though you couldn’t tell looking at it on the shelf. Signed by Lansdale. First volume of Lansdale’s steampunk romp featuring the head of Buffalo Bill Cody preserved in a jar, as well as many other famous historical personages, fictional and otherwise. Long out of print from Subterranean. $49.
LP1912. Niven, Larry/Derwin Mak. Eeriecon Chapbook Ten: Doubling Rate/Willpower. Buffalo Fantasy League, 2011. First edition hardback chapbook, one of only 15(!) hardback copies, signed by both authors, Fine in a Fine dust jacket. Only have one. I think it’s safe to say that there are more than 15 serious Niven collectors in the world… $150.
LP1913. Reynolds, Alastair. Troika. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Tale of humans finding an enigma in space. Out of print from the publisher. $35.
LP1914. Smith, Clark Ashton Smith. The Collected Fantasies Volume 5: The Last Hieroglyph. Night Shade Books, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. They were supposed to send this to me last year, but it slipped their mind. I only have one, and the other volumes I’ve sold out of. $37.
LP1915. Rucker, Rudy. Jim and the Flims. Night Shade Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. New novel about aliens from another dimension taking up residence with the protagonist. Only have one. $22.
LP1916. Swanwick, Michael. Dancing With Bears. Night Shade Books, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. His latest novel, featuring con-men Darger and Surplus. $22.
LP197. Tepper, Sheri. Gibbon’s Decline and Fall. Bantam, 1996. First edition hardback, Fine in a Fine dj, new in dj. $5.
LP1918. Williamson, Jack. The Collected Stories of Jack Williamson Volume Eight: At the Human Limit. Haffner Press, 2011. First edition, hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. Last volume of the Collected Williamson. $37.
Trade Paperbacks (including proofs and chapbooks)
LP1194. Aylett, Steve. Toxicology. Gollancz, 2001. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with the hardback) thus, with six stories (two original to this edition) not in the Four Walls Eight Windows edition, a Fine- copy with a tiny bump at head, otherwise new and unread. Very weird postmodern slipstream stories. $7.
LP1919. Beagle, Peter S. Strange Roads. Dreamhaven, 2008. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, signed by Beagle and artist Lisa Snellings. At 72 pages, pretty hefty for a chapbook. Only have one. $12.
LP532. Blaylock, James P. Thirteen Phantasms. Edgewood Press, 2000. An “Advance Uncorrected Proof”; of the first hardback edition, F with a glue bump at heel (as bound) and a blue ballpoint pen correction to the zip code on the cover (presumably by the publisher). $8.
LP925. Clement, Hal. Noise. Tor, 2003. Advanced Uncorrected proof of the hardback first edition, a Fine copy, unread. His last novel. $8.
LP874. Datlow, Ellen & Windling, Terri. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Sixteenth Annual Collection. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2003. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with the hardback edition), a Fine- copy with one small, faint, tackhead-sized dust stain to lower fore-edge, otherwise new and unread. Lots of the usual suspects, including Neil Gaiman, Elizabeth Hand, Karen Joy Fowler, etc. These are always worth picking up. $5.
LP1440. Delany, Samuel R. Silent Interviews: On Language, Race, Sex, Science Fiction, and Some Comics. Wesleyan University Press, 1994. Second printing of the trade paperback edition, a Fine- copy with a trace of haze rubbing and a few pinpricks of wear, otherwise new and apparently unread. A quick look shows this a few orders of magnitude more accessible than Delany’s deconstructionist “close reading” criticism. $5.
LP1708. Dick, Philip K. Puttering About in a Small Land. Tor, 2009. Advanced Uncorrected Proof of the first Tor edition, trade paperback format, a Fine copy, new and unread. Good to see Tor bringing back some of the more obscure mainstream Dick titles into print. This edition isn’t scheduled to be published until December. $10.
LP1920. (Dick, Philip K.) Carrere, Emmanuel. I Am Alive and You Are Dead: A Journey Into the Mind of Philip K. Dick. Picador, 2005. First trade paperback edition, a reprint of the hardback that came out the previous year, a Fine copy, new and unread. $5.
LP772. Di Filippo, Paul. Lost Pages. Four Walls Eight Windows, 1998. First edition trade paperback original, NF with some wear to matte black cover. Strange literary alternate history tales where Kafka was a costumed superhero, Anne Frank a Hollywood movie star, etc., with Robert A. Heinlein, Philip K. Dick, Alfred Bester, etc., all appearing as characters. $8.
LP1300. Di Filippo, Paul. Shuteye for the Timebroker. Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2006. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. $13.
LP703. Friedman, Kinky. Steppin’ on a Rainbow. Simon and Schuster, 2001. An Advanced uncorrected reader’s proof (side-bound trade paperback format), Fine- with a trace of handling to front cover. Mystery set in Hawaii. The latest weirdness from this gonzo country music singer turned author. $7.
LP746. Elrick, George S. Science Fiction Handbook. Chicago Review Press, 1978. First edition trade paperback (simultaneous with the hardback edition), VG, with general yellow and wear to white covers. Provides a long section of definitions on SF topics relating to fiction, astronomy, physics, etc., plus a reading list. $3.
LP1367. Genoa, Chris. Foop! Eraserhead Press, 2006. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread, with bookmark signed by the author laid in. Ostensibly a time-travel novel, I heard someone (maybe John Barnes) rave about this on a panel at Worldcon. Supposedly very weird, somewhat Steve Aylett-ish, and has “something funny on every page.” Gets blurbs from James Morrow, Christopher Moore and Nick Sagan, among others. Looks like fun. $8.
LP1921. Hill, Joe. 20th Century Ghosts. PS Publishing, 2005. First edition trade paperback (simultaneous with the hardback states), one of 1000 copies, a Fine copy, new and unread. A very solid short story collection. At the World Horror Convention in Austin this year, Peter Straub and I talked about how we’re both fans of the story “pop Art.” This copy has been signed (with a simple drawing) by Hill at that convention. $49.
LP1922. Hughart, Barry. Eight Skilled Gentlemen. Doubleday/Foundation, 1991. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with the much rarer hardback edition), a Fine- copy with a bit of wear along the spine edges. third and final master Li & Number 10 Ox book, and one that keeps selling for me. Highly recommended. $20.
LP1923. Lafferty, R. A. Aurelia. Donning Starblaze, 1982. First edition trade paperback original (no hrdback has ever been published), a Fine- copy with just a tiny trace of wear at head and heel. Haven’t read it, but I’m pretty sure it’s weird. Like a lot of Lafferty, it’s getting pretty hard to find these days. $49.
LP1893. Leicht, Stina. Of Blood and Honey. Night Shade Press, 2011. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Stina is a friend and long-time member of the Turkey City Writer’s Workshop, so it’s good to see her first novel make it out into the world. This is a fantasy set against the Troubles of Northern Ireland in the 1970s. signed by Leicht $12.
LP1924. (Lovecraft, H. P.) Lockhart, Ross E. The Book of Cthulhu. Night Shade Books, 2011. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Cthulhu Mythos anthology, a mixture of new stories and reprints, with stories by Gene Wolfe, Charles Stross, Kage Baker, Ramsey Campbell, Thomas Ligotti, Bruce Sterling, etc. At 500+ pages, it’s a lot of Cthulhu for your money. Hopefully I should be able to sell you a copy; I paid for four from Night Shade and have only received one so far… $14.
LP774. Panshin, Alexi and Cory. The World Beyond the Hill: Science Fiction and the Quest for Transcendence. Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1989. First trade paperback edition, having being preceded by the Elephant limited hardback, VG, with creasing to front and back cover, and slight creasing, wrinkles, and wear to spine. A history of science fiction’s “Golden Age” which won the Hugo for best non-fiction. $8.
LP709. Prachett, Terry. The Last Hero. HarperCollins, 2001. Uncorrected proof (trade paperback format) of the first U.S. edition, Fine-, mint and unread save for a booksale sticker to spine. A proof of just the text portion of this illustrated Discworld novel. $15.
LP1204. Shan, Darren. The Vampire’s Assistant. HarperCollins, 2000. First edition trade paperback original (preceding the American), a Fine- copy with just a trace of wear to matte black cover and phantom crease to top rear corner. Book two of The Saga of Darren Shan and sequel to Cirque du Freak. Well-regarded YA vampire series. $5.
LP776. Shirley, John. Black Butterflies. Mark V. Ziesing, 1998. First edition trade paperback original, Fine- with a neat former-owner’s signature on the inside front cover. Some of Shirley’s darker stories. $12.
LP710. Shirley, John. Eclipse (Volume One, A Song Called Youth trilogy). Bluejay Books, 1985. First edition trade paperback original, NF with slight edge staining, the usual slight age yellowing of spine and back, and a tiny bump at heel. $8.
LP1305. Sterling, Bruce. Visionary is Residence. Thunders Mouth Press, 2006. First edition trade paperback original (no hardback edition), Near Fine with a faint, non-breaking crease along the spine, despite it being a new, unread copy. Short story collection. Signed by Sterling. $15.
LP1925. Taylor, H. P. Shadowmancer. Putnam, 2004. Advanced Reading Copy of the hardback first edition (trade paperback format), a Fine- copy with a few faint scratches on the lower spine, otherwise new and unread. Well-received young adult fantasy novel. $49.
LP1926. Taylor, H. P. Wormwood. Putnam, 2004. Advanced Reading Copy of the hardback first edition (trade paperback format), a Fine- copy with a tiny bump at heel, otherwise new and unread, with review materials laid in. Second in the series following Shadowmancer. $49.
LP1209. Utley, Steven (Tuttle, Lisa). The Beasts of Love. Wheatland Press, 2005. First edition trade paperback original (as a POD book, there are technically no first editions as such, but I got this straight from the publisher at Armadillocon shortly after it came out), a Fine copy, new and unread. The latest short story collection by this talented and prolific ex-Austinite most famous for his collaborations with Howard Waldrop. Introduction by Lisa Tuttle. $15.
LP1370. Waldrop, Howard. Howard Who? Small Beer Press, 2006. Trade paperback reprint, a Fine copy, new and unread. Signed by Waldrop. Waldrop’s landmark first short story collection, one of the best SF collections of the 20th century, out of print for nearly two decades, with such classic stories as the Nebula-winning “The Ugly Chickens,” “The World, as We Know’t”, “Horror We Got,” “Mary Margaret Road Grater,” and “Heirs of the Perisphere.” Highly recommended. $12.
LP374. Willis, Connie. To Say Nothing of the Dog. Bantam, 1997. ARC of the hardback first edition, Fine- with bumps to head and heel and contact stickers on front cover. Hugo winner, Nebula finalist. Signed by Willis. $75.
LP1928. Zivkovic, Zoran. Steps Through the Mist. Polaris, 2003. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Either linke short stories or an episodic novel. Like the other Polaris books, this is an odd trim size: thicker than a chapbook and slightly taller and wider than a mass market paperback. This Belgrade edition precedes the U.S. edition by three years. $20.
Mass Market Paperbacks
LP1930. Jeter, K. W. The Night Man. Onyx, 1990. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Fine copy, new and unread. Jeter’s horror PBOs are not as common as they used to be. $5.
LP1933. Shirley, John. The Brigade. Avon, 1981. Paperback original (PBO) first edition, Very Good+, with spine creasing and lean. One of Shirley’s most difficult PBOs, and I don’t think it’s ever been reprinted. $10.
LP1934. Zelazny, Roger. Ace, 1966. First edition paperback original (PBO) (no statement of printing on copyright page, F-393/40¢ on cover, as per Currey), a Near Fine- copy with a line at head and some touches of wear, otherwise nice and square, with usual foxing to inside cover and age darkening to pages. Hugo winner for best novel. Levack, 34a. $3.
Pictures from the World Horror Convention in Austin, Friday, April 29, 2011: Part 2
Saturday, April 30th, 2011
The front of Kasey Lansdale’s head.
Stina Leicht, Mikal Trimm and Guest of Honor Joe Hill. This was right before Hill discussed that most important of philosophical question: If you have a cloth spiderman mask in your pocket (and really, who doesn’t?), and two guys rush into the store you’re in with shotguns, do you instantly put on the mask and start wailing on then? I pointed out that since this is Texas, and we’re all armed, the issue was probably less pressing here than in Maine.
Chris Roberson, Joe Hill and John Picacio doing some serious comic geeking.
Three women, six different hair colors.
Jessica Reisman.
Sanford Allen, showing Scott Cupp the ticket that doesn’t let him into Willie Wonka’s factory, but does let him on Captain Morgan’s ship.
Scott Cupp, and people I don’t know who seemed to be discussing adultery among TSR employees.
F. Paul Wilson in the center.
John Skipp, just before he went trekking off to a lost city in the jungles of Peru.
The art show reception. Even though this is Austin, in real life the room was not that shade of burnt orange.
Most Significant Book Acquisitions in 2010
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011You may have noticed that I bought a lot of books last year. Since I’m getting ready to do another “this is what I bought recently” post, I thought I would do a recap of my most significant acquisitions in 2010. These may be significant for being important, valuable, cool, beautiful, hard to find, or some combination therefore. As usual, all of these are Fine/Fine copies unless otherwise listed. Ala George Locke’s Spectrum of Fantasy volumes, I’m listing where I got them and how much I paid, plus occasional notes on the books (with links if I’ve already described them before).
- Bear, Greg. Sleepside Story. Cheap Street, 1988. One of 52 signed and numbered, traycased “publisher’s edition” copies, a fine copy in tray case, sans dust jacket. For full details see here. Bought for $175 from a notable SF book dealer having a 50% off sale.
- Bradbury, Ray. Dark Carnival. Arkham House, 1946. First edition hardback, good only, with lettering on spine almost completely worn away, spine lean, general wear, and lacking the dust jacket. Bought from someone selling their late father’s collection (mostly, alas, book club editions) for $20.
- Brunner, John. Stand on Zanzibar. Doubleday, 1968. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just the tiniest bit of wear. Replaces an ex-library copy. (I bought this online back in June for $199.99 and forgot to list it last time around.) Brunner’s undisputed masterpiece.
- Dick, Philip K. Eye in the Sky. Gregg Press, 1979. First hardback edition. Fine-, with a tiny bit of crimping at head, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought from a notable SF dealer having 50% off sale. Replaced an Ex-library copy in my collection.
- Dick, Philip K. Vulcan’s Hammer. Gregg Press, 1979. First hardback edition. Fine, sans dust jacket, as issued. Replaced an Ex-library copy in my collection.
- Hill, Joe. Horns. PS Publishing, 2010. First UK and first limited edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by both the author and artist Vincent Chong in traycase with three extra chapters not in the trade edition, extra art not in any other edition, etc. a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and traycase. Notably thicker than the slipcased edition. Bought at a pre-publication dealer discount from the publisher.
- Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. Chatto & Windus, 1932. VG- only, lacking the dust jacket. Bought for $35 from a notable SF book dealer having a 50% off sale. I don’t usually buy books without dust jackets, but the price was right for this space-filling copy of this famous dystopia.
- Lafferty, R. A. The Devil is Dead. Gregg Press, 1977. First hardback edition, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Found at Recycled Books in Denton for $36. Replaces a more worn copy in my library. For a while this wasn’t too hard to find, but recently copies have become scarce. In fact, it seems like a lot of the rarer Lafferty books have gotten scarce as of late. Looks like years of just about every SF writer talking up Lafferty have finally paid off…
- Lovecraft, H.P. Collected Poems. Arkham House, 1963. VG/VG, with top inch of boards discolored and sun-fading to dj spine. Bought at auction for $75.
- Oliver, Chad. The Wolf is My Brother. Herbert Jenkins, 1968. First UK and first hardback edition, a Near Fine copy in a Good+ only dust jacket, missing an irregular 3/4″ x 1/2″ chip at head, and shallow chipping and edgewear. I didn’t even know there was a hardback until I chanced across this copy (though it is in Currey). No other copy online as of this writing. Bought for $50 during a Half Price Books coupon sale.
- Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Secker & Warburg, 1949. See here for full details. Arguably the most important novel of the 20th century. Bought from a notable SF book dealer for $500.
- Powers, Tim. Deliver Us From Evil. Charnel House, 2010. One of 100 signed, numbered copies in slipcase with accompanying manuscript page. See here for full details. Bought at a pre-publication dealer discount from the publisher.
- (Powers, Tim) Berlyne, John, editor. Powers: Secret Histories: A Bibliography. PS Publishing, 2009. One of 26 signed, lettered Deluxe copies in slipcase with two companion volumes, The Waters Deep, Deep, Deep and bound, photographic reproduction of the original hand-written manuscript for The Anubis Gates, not included with the trade or Slipcased editions. Slipcase and Anubis Gates volume very slightly bumped, otherwise Fine/Fine.
- Temple, William F. 88 Gray’s Inn Road. Sansato Press (AKA Ferret Fantasy), 2000. Roman-a-clef that features a thinly-disguised Arthur C. Clarke (who provides the introduction) as a character, with Clarke’s signature plate affixed to the FFE, reportedly one of only 50 such copies. Found at Recycled Books in Denton, priced the same as the non-signed edition (I paid $32 for it). Replaced a non-signed copy in my collection.
- Vance, Jack. Bird Isle/Take My Face. Underwood/Miller, 1988. One of 500 signed, numbered sets in slipcase. Found at Recycled Books in Denton for $160 for the set.
- Vance, Jack. The Dark Side of the Moon. Underwood/Miller, 1986. One of 200 signed/numbered copies. One of the rarest Underwood/Miller Vance books. (Are they being snapped up by Pink Floyd fans?) Found at Recycled Books in Denton for $160. Replaced a trade copy in my library.
- Wells, H. G. The World of William Clissold. Published by Ernest Benn (UK) 1926 in three volumes, one of 198 copies signed by Wells on the title page. For full details see here. Bought at the main Austin Half Price Books for $175, marked down from $350, during their coupon sale. Scott Cupp told me this copy formerly belonged to him, and that he obtained it at one of UT’s library sales.
H. G. Wells: The World of Williams Cissold, three volume set of the first edition, signed by Wells
The limitation page, with H. G. Wells' signature
- Zelazny, Roger. Bridge of Ashes. Gregg Press, 1979. (Replaces my Ex-Library copy.) Found at Recycled Books in Denton for $40.
- Zelazny, Roger. Hymn to the Sun: An Imitation. NA Publications, 1996. Poetry chapbook, a Near Fine- copy with some rubbing to price code on rear cover, spot on front cover, and black dot at heel. I missed this when it came out, and it’s been devilishly hard to find. Bought it off a dealer on Amazon, of all places, for abut $25. (99 times out of 100, Amazon is going to be higher than buying directly from a dealer on Bookfinder for collectible books.)
- Zelazny, Roger. Nine Princes in Amber. Doubleday, 1970. An Ex-Library copy, but cleaner than the Ex-Library copy previously in my collection. Reportedly Doubleday ordered their warehouse to pulp all Zelazny’s books the same day this came in from the printer, so only review copies, pre-orders, and library copies escaped the pulper, which is why non-Ex-Library copies are exceedingly rare. The first Amber novel, and one of Zelazny’s best. Found at Recycled Books in Denton for $160.
Library Additions, January 25, 2010—July 11, 2010
Sunday, July 11th, 2010It’s been a while since I listed additions to my library, so here’s an update for my fellow bookoholics that includes everything since the weekend of my Archer City trip. All are new and unread Fine first edition hardbacks in Fine dust jackets, unless otherwise noted. Now that I’ve finished staining and varnishing a new bookshelf, and moving books around to accommodate it, I hope to do a more detailed photographic post on my library, since a few people complained that they couldn’t read the spine titles in the last set of pictures.
Books that I have available for sale through Lame Excuse Books are marked LEB (though some of those titles won’t appear on the stock page until after I send out my book catalog later this month), while other current publications contain Amazon links.
- Baker, Kage. Not Less Than Gods. Subterranean Press, 2010. One of 474 signed, numbered copies.
- Barron, Neil, ed. What Fantastic Fiction Do I Read Next? A Reader’s Guide to Recent Fantasy, Horror and Science Fiction. Gale Research, 1998. Non-fiction. Issued without dj.
- Bear, Elizabeth. Bone and Jewel Creatures. Subterranean Press, 2010.
- Bear, Greg. Hegira. Dell, 1979. PBO original, NF-.
- Bond, Nelson. Mr. Mergenthwirker’s Lobblies and Other Fantastic Tales. Coward-McCann, 1946. NF in a VG, price-clipped dj. Inscribed by Bond.
- Campbell, Ramsey. Creatures of the Pool. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
- Chabon, Michael. The Final Solution. Fourth Estate, 2004. One of an undetermined number of copies signed on a special limitation page issued by the publisher.
- Datlow, Ellen and Teri Windling, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Thirteenth Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2000. Inscribed to me by Datlow.
- Datlow, Ellen, Gavin Grant and Kelly Link, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2007: Twentieth Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2007. Inscribed to me by Datlow.
- Datlow, Ellen, Gavin Grant and Kelly Link, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2008: Twenty-First Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2008. Inscribed to me by Datlow.
- Del Rey, Lester. Mortals and Monsters. Ballantine Books, 1965. PBO, Fine-.
- (Dick, Philip K.) Williams, Paul. Only Apparently Real: The Life of Philip K. Dick. Arbor House, 1986. Non-fiction. Fine copy in wraps, as issued (no hardback).
- Domenici, Joe. Bringing Back the Dead. Thomas Dunn, 2008. Inscribed to me by the author.
- Duncan, Andy. Night Cache. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
- Erikson, Steven. Crack’d Pot Trail. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
- Fernandez-Florez, W[encesiao]. The Seven Pillars. Macmillan and Co., Ltd. (UK), 1934. First edition hardback, a NF/G+ copy.
- Gaiman, Neil. The Facts In The Case Of The Departure Of Miss Finch. Night Horse Comics, 2007. Hardback graphic novel.
- Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. HarperCollins, 2008. Fine in a Fine- dust jacket.
- Harrison, Harry. Bill, the Galactic Hero. Doubleday, 1965. Fine in a Near Fine, slightly spine-darkened dust jacket.
- Hill, Joe. Horns. PS Publishing, 2010. First UK and first limited edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by both the author and artist Vincent Chong in traycase with three extra chapters not in the trade edition, extra art not in any other edition, etc. a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and traycase. Notably thicker than the signed, slipcased edition. LEB
- Hill, Joe. Horns. PS Publishing, 2010. First UK and first limited edition hardback, one of 500 copies signed, slipcased copies. LEB
- Houdini, Harry. The Right Way to Do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals. Easton Press, no date (probably around 2000); Reprint of the 1906 wraps original done as part of the Treasures of the Library of Congress series. Hardback, no dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction.
- Howard, Robert E. Cthulhu: The Mythos and Kindred Horrors. Baen, 1987. PBO, Fine (replaces a VG copy). LEB
- Koontz, Dean R./ Bulmer, Kenneth. The Fall of the Dream Machine/The Star Venturers. Ace, 1969. PBO, NF.
- Kowal, Mary Robinette. Scenting the Dark. Subterranean Press, 2009.
- Lansdale, Joe R. The Best of Joe R. Lansdale. Tachyon, 2009. TPO. LEB
- Lansdale, Joe R. and Keith, editor. Son of Retro Pulp Tales. Subterranean Press, 2010. One of 200 signed, numbered copies, signed by all the contributors. LEB
- Leiber, Fritz. Selected Stories. Night Shade Books, 2010. LEB
- Ligotti, Thomas. Songs of a Dead Dreamer. Subterranean Press, 2010. Hardback. First edition thus.
- (Lovecraft, H. P.) Joshi, S. T. Black Wings: Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. PS Publishing, 2010. LEB
- Mitford, Bertram. The Sign of the Spider. Methuen & Co., 1896. VG- copy, no dust jacket (may not have been issued with one).
- Partridge, Norman. Lesser Demons. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies with bonus chapbook.Red Rover, Red Rover.
- (Pohl, Frederik) Hull, Elizbeth Anne, editor. Gateways. Tor, 2010. Tribute anthology.
- (Powers, Tim) Berlyne, John., ed. Powers: Secret Histories. PS Publishing, 2009.
- Reynolds, Alastair. Deep Navigation. NESFA Press, 2010. LEB
- Reynolds, Alastair. Terminal World. Gollancz, 2010. Signed by the author. LEB
- Shea, Michael. The Extra. Tor, 2010.
- Shepard, Lucius. Viator Plus. PS Publishing, 2010. LEB
- Shepard, Lucius. The Tanborn Scale. Subterranean Press, 2010.
- Simmons, Dan. Black Hills. Reagan Arthur Books, 2010. Inscribed to me by Simmons.
- Tymn Marshall B. Horror Literature A Core Collection and Reference Guide. R. R. Bowker, 1981. Non-fiction. No DJ, as issued.
- Vance, Jack. Hard Luck Diggings. Subterranean Press, 2010. LEB
- VanderMeer, Jeff. Finch: The Rebel Samizdat Edition. Underlands Press, 2009. One of 350 signed, numbered copies with a Murder By Death CD laid in, in wax-signet sealed (!) Mylar bag. LEB
- Wellman, Manly Wade. Giants from Eternity. Avalon, 1959. A Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket.
- Wilson, F. Paul. The Last Rakosh. Overlook Connection Press, 2008. One of 500 signed/numbered copies.
- Zelazny, Roger. The Dream Master. Ace, 1966. PBO, Fine. LEB
- Zelazny, Roger. Four for Tomorrow. Ace, 1967. PBO, Fine.
- Zelazny, Roger. Hymn to the Sun: An Imitation, DNA Publications, 1996. Poetry chapbook, a Fine- copy with some rubbing to price code on rear cover.
- Zelazny, Roger. This Immortal. Ace, 1964. PBO, Fine. LEB
- Zivkovic, Zoran. Impossible Stories 2. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
What Should I Read in 2010?
Monday, February 8th, 2010In the Before Time, the Long Long Ago (i.e., before I started this blog), I would ask The Vast Wisdom of Usenet (i.e. rec.arts.sf.written) what books I should read this year. Now that I have the blog, I’m posting the question here.
Below are 100 books (or a more, counting multiple titles by a single author) of fiction I’m considering reading in 2010. With a few exceptions (like forthcoming books), they’re all books I already own in first editions. Most likely I’ll get to considerably less than 100. The first few are books I’ll probably get to (or have already read), whereas the rest are a little vaguer (and in alphabetical order by author). That’s where you come in. Tell me which of the books below I should or shouldn’t read, and why. If a book’s not on the list, it’s probably because I’ve already read it, or have no interest in it, won’t get to it this year, etc., so save your electrons instead of suggesting alternates (there are plenty of other places for that). And if I list Book #2 in a linear series, rest assured I’ve already read Book #1.
I don’t promise I’ll read all the highest rated works, but those most highly praised are considerably more likely to be added to the reading stack, which is what’s happened the previous years I’ve done this.
- Gene Wolfe: The Sorceror’s House
- John Scalzi: The God Engines
- Joe R. Lansdale: Vanilla Ride
- China Mieville: King Rat
- Steven R. Boyett: Elegy Beach
- Joe Hill: 20th Century Ghosts
- Philip K. Dick: Collected Stories Volume II or Radio Free Albemuth
- Michael Moorcock:The War Hound and the World’s Pain or The Final Programme
- Greg Egan: Crystal Nights
- Peter Ackroyd: Hawksmoor
- J. G. Ballard: Crystal World
- Iain Banks: Against a Dark Background or Matter
- John Barnes: Kaleidoscope Century or Mother of Storms
- Stephen Baxter: Traces or Mayflower II
- Peter S. Beagle: A Fine and Private Place
- Greg Bear: The City at the End of Time
- Poppy Z. Brite: Plastic Jesus
- Tobias Buckell: Sly Mongoose
- Octavia Butler: Fledgeling
- Jack Cady: The Night We Buried Road Dog
- Michael Chabon: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
- John Christopher: No Blade of Grass
- Susanna Clarke: Ladies of Grace Adieu
- Hal Clement: Iceworld
- Avram Davidson: The Adventures of Dr. Esterhauzy or Limekiller
- L. Sprague de Camp: A Gun for Dinosaur
- Bradley Denton: Laughin’ Boy
- Paul Di Filippo: Lost Pages or Fractal Paisleys
- George Alec Effinger: What Entropy Means to Me
- Harlan Ellison: Deathbird Stories
- John M. Ford: The Dragon Waiting
- Neil Gaiman: Fragile Things or The Graveyard Book
- John Gardner: Freddy’s Book or The Wreckage of Agathon
- Ray Garton: Night Life or Nids
- Jane Gaskell: The Serpent
- Joe Haldeman: The Accidental Time Machine
- Peter F. Hamilton: Mindstar Rising
- Robert E. Howard: Conan the Barbarian
- Nalo Hopkinson: Brown Girl in the Ring or The Salt Roads
- Shirley Jackson: We Have Always Lived in the Castle or The Lottery
- M. R. James: More Ghost Stories Of An Antiquary
- K. W. Jeter: Noir or Dark Seeker
- Ha Jin: Waiting
- James Patrick Kelly: Strange But Not a Stranger
- Stephen King: Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass or The Colorado Kid
- Russell Kirk: The Surly Sullen Bell (and yes, I’ve read the 2 Arkham House collections)
- Henry Kuttner and/or C. L. Moore: Mutant, Fury, Black God’s Shadow or No Boundaries
- R. A. Lafferty: Archipelago or The 13th Voyage of Sinbad
- Fritz Leiber: Night’s Black Agents
- Stanislaw Lem: Solaris
- Jonathan Lethem: Motherless Brooklyn
- Thomas Ligotti: Grimscribe, Noctuary, or The Shadow at the Bottom of the World
- Ian MacLeod: Breathmoss and Other Exhalations
- Ken MacLeod: Giant Lizards from Another Star or The Execution Channel
- Gregory Maguire: Wicked
- Barry Malzberg: Hervoit’s World
- Richard Matheson: Duel or What Dreams May Come
- Ian MacDonald: River of Gods
- Maureen McHugh: Mission Child or Nekropolis
- Sean McMullen: The Miocene Arrow
- Larry McMurtry: Lonesome Dove
- Ward Moore: Bring the Jubilee
- Pat Murphy: The Falling Woman
- John Myers Myers: Silverlock
- William F. Nolan: Things Beyond Midnight or Wild Galaxy
- Naomi Novik: Throne of Jade
- Patrick O’Leary: Other Voices, Other Rooms
- Chad Oliver: The Shores of Another Sea or The Winds of Time
- Susan Palwick: The Fate of Mice
- H. Beam Piper: Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen
- Tim Powers: Three Days to Never or Pilot Light
- Alastair Reynolds: Redemption Ark
- Rudy Rucker: Master of Time & Space or The Secret of Life or White Light
- Matt Ruff: Fool on the Hill
- Salman Rushdie: Midnight’s Children
- Joanna Russ: The Female Man
- Karl Schroeder: Permanence or Lady of Mazes
- David J. Schow: Crypt Orchids
- Michael Shaara: The Herald or The Killer Angels
- Michael Shea: A Quest for Simbilis
- Lucius Shepard: Floater or Aztechs or Viator
- Lewis Shiner: The Edges of Things or Black and White
- Dan Simmons: The Terror or Hard as Nails
- Robert Sladek: Roderick
- Neal Stephenson: Zodiac or The Big U
- Charles Stross: The Fuller Memorandum (forthcoming)
- Theodore Sturgeon: Microcosmic God: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon Volume 2
- Steph Swainston: The Year of Our War
- Thomas Burnett Swann: The Day of the Minotaur
- Karl Edward Wagner: Darkness Weaves
- Howard Waldrop: The Moone World (forthcoming)
- Manly Wade Wellman: The Sleuth Patrol, The Last Mammoth or Fastest on the River
- Martha Wells: The Element of Fire
- John Whitbourne: To Build Jerusalem or Binscomb Tales
- Liz Williams: The Demon and the City
- Jack Williamson and James E. Gunn: Star Bridge
- Connie Willis: To Say Nothing of the Dog
- Jack Vance: Star King, The Languages of Pao, or Ports of Call
- Roger Zelazny: Wilderness or DonnerJack