Posts Tagged ‘H. P. Lovecraft’

Newer Entries »

The Lame Excuse Books Catalog for March 2011

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

Greetings, and welcome to the latest installment of Lawrence Puts The Latest Book Catalog Up as a Whopping Big Block of Text Without Any Formatting. All these are available for sale. (Check out the Lame Excuse Books page for my previous stock and payment details.)

Hardbacks

LP1872. Anderson, Poul. The Collected Short Works of Poul Anderson Volume 3: The Saturn Game. NESFA Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Bob Eggleton cover. I still have one copy of Volume 2 around if you need one. $26.

LP1247. Attanasio, A. A. Radix. William Morrow and Company, 1981. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy, some of the usual flaws (see Ex-Library Note), including stamps on all three edges, interior stamps and dj protector remnants inside front and rear covers, a slight bit of spine lean, and a slight bit of wear at heel; however, the dust jacket is in Near Fine shape, with moderate, slightly uneven (from a successful sticker removal that left no other signs) sunfading to spine, but otherwise complete and very attractive. Spine out, there is no sign this is an Ex-Library copy. The true first hardback edition of Attanasio’s first book (and a Nebula Finalist), and very uncommon thus (reportedly only 1000 hardbacks were done). $100.

LP1874. Bacagalupi, Paolo. The Alchemist. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Novella set in the same fantasy universe as Tobias Buckell’s simultaneously published The Executioness. $18.

LP1875. Buckell, Tobias. The Executioness. Subterranean Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Novella set in the same fantasy universe as Paolo Bacagalupi’s simultaneously published The Alchemist. $18

PBTBCombo1: Pick up both The Executioness and The Alchemist for $35.

LP1519. Bradbury, Ray. Moby Dick: A Screenplay. Subterranean Press, 2008. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. The basis of the John Huston movie. $29.

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.

LP1253. Bujold, Lois McMaster. Falling Free. Easton Press, 2001. First edition hardback thus (“Collectors Edition”), and first non- book club hardback edition, a Fine- leatherbound copy, new and unread (though with a slight “scratch” to top edge gilt finish), sans dj, as issued. Winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel. This edition contains a new introduction by James Gunn, as well as original artwork. Easton Press “Collector’s Notes” laid in. Precedes the NESFA edition by several years. $49.

LP1838. Butler, Octavia. Patternmaster. Doubleday, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with previous owner’s signature on inside front cover and slight spine lean (but NO remainder spray) in a Near Fine dust jacket with a few tiny scratches and abrasions, tiny bit of foxing on interior flap edges, and foxing to blind side of dust jacket spine. Still a very attractive and presentable first edition of Butler’s first book. $60.

LP1053. Campbell, Ramsey. The Overnight. PS Publishing, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, one of 500 limited copies signed by Campbell (plus an additional 200 slipcased), new and unread. Full length horror novel set in a bookshop. What self-respecting book junkie can resist that? Only have one. $30.

LP889. Campbell, Ramsey (Poppy Z. Brite). Told By the Dead. PS Publishing, 2003. First edition hardback, one of 500 numbered “trade” hardbacks signed by Campbell and Introduction author Poppy Z. Brite, Fine in a Fine dj, new and unread. Full length short-story collection. Had an extra around a while I forgot to list. $35.

LP1385. Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. Tor, 1985. First edition hardback, an externally clean Ex-Library copy, with dj flaps formerly attached to book, pocket removal on FFE, and discard stamp on title page, otherwise VG with slight spine lean and slight wear at heel, in a Fine Mylar-protected dust jacket. Formerly my own personal copy. Far and away the most difficult domestic Hugo and Nebula winner of the last quarter century; you’d have to go back to Lord of Light in 1968 to find a domestic Hugo & Nebula winner that goes for more. $495

LP1628. Carey, Jacqueline. Kushiel’s Dart. Tor, 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight dust staining to head in a Fine- dj with just a tiny trace of wear at the top outer tips. First in the Kushiel series. Supposedly very good, very popular, and very kinky. $35.

LP48. Carter, Raphael. The Fortunate Fall. Tor, 1996. First edition hardback, Fine/Fine-, unread, with trace of wear to matte black cover. One of the best first novels of the 1990s. Recommended. $10.

LP655. Cherryh, C. J. Cyteen. Warner Books, 1988. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy, with all the usual flaws, otherwise G+/NF+ with spine lean, significant wear to bottom boards, long black marker line on heel, spine leaned and slightly concave. Well-worn, but an attractive dj for an Ex-Lib, and a true first of a Hugo winner. $8.

LP1386. Clarke, Arthur C. Earthlight. Ballantine Books, 1955. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), an Ex-Library Copy, with two lines of black marker on half title page, small stamp and writing on copyright page, “Salvage” stamp on FFE, pocket and stamps on RFE, and tape ghosts to boards, otherwise VG- with moderate dust soiling to top page block and wear to bottom boards in a VG+ dust jacket with 1″ x 2″ yellowed repair tape to head to repair what appears to be two 1/2 x 1/8″ sections of dj loss along front and rear join folds; save for that, this is a very attractive dust jacket in a Mylar protector that shows no signs of being from an Ex-Lib copy, and save the tape, the rear white panel appears to be free of the usual soiling. All and all, better than a shelf-filing copy of one of Clarke’s better novels, depicting a military conflict centered around a moon colony and near-Earth orbit. The Ballantine Books hardbacks of this era had very small runs compared to the simultaneous paperback editions; while this is not quite as hard to find as Childhood’s End, it’s hard enough. $225.

LP1119. De Camp, L. Sprague. Time & Chance. Donald M. Grant, 1996. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. De Camp’s massive, Hugo-award winning autobiography. $24.

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… $37.

LP1395. Dick, Philip K. Voices from the Street. Tor, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Dick’s last previously unpublished novel (or at least the last for which a manuscript is known to exist). David Hartwell tells me that it’s actually much better than it’s reputation. $12.

LP1260. Disch. Thomas M. The Prisoner. Dennis Dobson, 1979. First hardback edition, an Ex-Library copy, with faint signs of pocket removal from FFE, and stamps to copyright page, in an otherwise VG copy with spine lean, slight wear at heel, and a half a dime-sized stain to RFE, in a VG+ dj with no visible Ex-Lib signs, some slight 1/8″ or less chipping at head and heel spine joins, and a touch of darkening along top and bottom dj edges. Quite a presentable copy, actually. Based on the cult TV show starring Patrick McGoohan. $25.

LP658. Dozois, Gardner. Strange Days: Fabulous Journeys with Gardner Dozois. NESFA Press, 2001. First edition hardback, Fine in Fine dj, new and unread. A short story collection, not completely overlapping with Slow Dancing Through Time and Geodesic Dreams. This also includes his 1995 travel diary, his novel Strangers, and introductions to the works by people like Michael Swanwick, George R. R. Martin, Ian MacLeod (whose name is misspelled on the back cover), Kim Stanley Robinson, Robert Silverberg, etc. Gardner is such an excellent and influential editor that it’s easy to forget what a fine writer he was before taking over Asimov’s. You need it. Signed by introduction author Connie Willis. $24.

LP1334. Dozois, Gardner, editor (with Bruce Sterling, Howard Waldrop, Lucius Shepard, Michael Swanwick, William Gibson, Frederik Pohl, Bruce Sterling, John Crowley, Orson Scott Card, Karen Joy Fowler, Robert Silverberg, James Patrick Kelley, Avram Davidson, Nancy Kress, Joe Haldeman, Walter John Williams, James Tiptree, Jr., George R. R. Martin, Lucius Shepard, R. A. Lafferty, Pat Cadigan, James P. Blaylock, Lewis Shiner, Kim Stanley Robinson). The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Third Annual Collection. Bluejay, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dj with one 1/2″ closed tear at top front (right through the dj protector). Signed by Haldeman, Sterling and Waldrop. Man, look at that list of names above! If you want to know why Dozois won more Best Editor Hugos than anyone else, here’s a good place to start. With the exception of S. C. Sykes, every single person in this collection was or is a major writer in the field, even though many were just starting out when he picked these stories. This is one of the strongest of all the Year’s Bests he’s done. All the Bluejay Year’s Best volumes are hard to find now in any state or condition, and hardbacks firsts are nearly impossible. Highly recommended. $115.

LP1527. Egan, Greg. Incandescence. Gollancz, 2008. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dj with a tiny bit of crimping at head, new and unread. Far future SF novel, and the first in several years for Egan. Precedes the Night Shade edition. Gollancz seems to have cut back drastically on their hardback print runs; this came out May 15, and was already OP in hardback on June 1, and I had to scramble around to find some in the UK. $49.

LP1836. Egan, Greg. Zendegi. Night Shade Press, 2010. First U.S. edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Egan’s latest novel, set in a post-theocracy Iran and a popular virtual reality game. $15.

LP1688. Farmer, Philip Jose. The Other in the Mirror. Subterranean Press, 2009. First hardback edition (and first thus), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Collects three novels (Fire and the Nigh, Jesus on Mar, and Night of Light), previously published as paperback originals. Only have one. $35.

LP487. Fuentes, Carlos. The Good Conscience. Ivan Oblensky, Inc., 1961. First edition hardback (“First Printing” stated), an Ex-Library copy will all the usual flaws, otherwise G+/NF- with wear to head and heel as well as a thin line staining at top and bottom boards (almost certainly from an old style library dust jacket protector), front hinge starting to crack and shallow chipping at dj head. His second novel. $15.

LP1879. Garton, Ray. Darklings. Bloodletting Press, 2004. First hardback edition, one of only 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. $30.

LP1461. Gaiman, Neil (Gahan Wilson). M is for Magic. Subterranean Press, 2007. First Limited Edition, one of 1000 copies signed by Gaiman and illustrator Gahan Wilson, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. New collection of stories, theoretically of the children-friendly variety, but I’m sure all Neil’s fans will want a copy, especially given the usual wonderful Gahan Wilson illustrations. List price is $60. Your price: $45.

LP1785. Gentle, Mary. Ash: A Secret History. Gollancz, 2000. First edition hardback (the American edition was broken up into four paperback volumes, the first volume of which preceded this), a Fine- copy with a few pinhead sized spots of black ink to the front free endpaper (transfer from a former magic marker over the price on the dust jacket that wiped right off, leaving no sign on the dust jacket itself) and one page with the very tip slightly dog-eared, in a Fine- dust jacket with one tiny wrinkle at head, and one very faint brownish spot, smaller than a half dime, at the top of the inner flap; just short of a perfect copy, as these are all extremely minor flaws. Huge (1,110+ page), ambitious fantasy (with science fiction elements) about a female mercenary captain in a middle ages very different from our own (a world where a Visigothic Carthage not only never fell, but which lives under the Penitence, a sort of supernatural perpetual twilight), framed by a scholar reading the manuscript of same, only to find elements of this divergent reality leaking into our own. Recommended. $65.

LP1058. Glass, Julia. Three Junes. Pantheon, 2002. First edition hardback (numberline goes down to I, “First Edition” statement present) in a first state dj (no mention of Good Morning America), a Fine-/Fine- copy with just the barest trace of bumping at head and heel, and a phantom wrinkle to top front cover just above title. National Book Award winner. $10.

LP1880. Hamilton, Edmund. The Complete Edmund Hamilton, Volume One: The Metal Giants and Others. Haffner Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. First volume of the collected stories of this early science fiction giant, whose career started before and continued into the Golden Age. I’ve picked up a few Haffner Press titles to see how they sale, and like all of them this is a big fat, square book. Only have one. $5 off cover price. $35.

LP1404. Hand, Elizabeth. Illyria. PS Publishing, 2006. First edition hardback, one of less than 400 signed copies (limited to Postscripts subscribers, plus 200 unnumbered copies, of which this is one), Fine in decorated boards, sans dj, as issued. This year’s Postscripts Christmas special. Only have one. $30.

LP1690. Harris, Charlaine. The Julius House. Scribner, 1995. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy with small previous owner’s name in blue ink on FFE and slight spine lean, in a Near Fine+ dj with a slight crimping at head and heel and some slight, non-breking creasing to back top and back fold, otherwise fairly nice. Part of the Aurora Teagarden mystery series by the author of the enormously popular Sookie Stackhouse vampire books. $34.

LP1534. Heinlein, Robert A. Project Moonbase and Others. Subterranean Press, 2008. First edition hardback, one of only 750 copies signed by introducer John Scalzi and illustrator Bob Eggleton, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. A huge, 546 page volume containing the screenplay for the SF film of the same name, plus eleven finished teleplays and two story outlines for a projected television show. This, and a forthcoming companion volume, are the last unpublished Heinlein material existent, and 750 is a pretty puny print run considering the huge number of Heinlein fans. No unsigned edition. $60.

LP1637. Hodgson, William, Hope. The Collected Fiction of William Hope Hodgson Volume 5: The Dream of X and Other Fantastic Visions. Night Shade Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dj, as issued. Fifth and final volume of the collected Hodgson. The first printings of all the rest are out of print. $28.

LP1881. Kuttner, Henry. Terror in the House: The Early Kuttner, Volume One. Haffner Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Kuttner was one of the greats, did his best work in short fiction, and is an under-appreciated writer today, so I’m glad to see Haffner collecting all his stories. Only have one. $5 off cover price. $35.

LP1882. Kuttner, Henry, and C. L. Moore. Detour to Otherness. Haffner Press, 2010. Haffner Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Moore was another great writer who did her best work in short fiction, and the two of them together were usually pretty damn good. Only have one. $5 off cover price. $35.

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. $65.

LP1884. Lansdale, Joe R. Christmas With the Dead. PS Publishing, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dj, as issued. Zombie story. According to Joe, this has been fast-tracked to be turned into a film. $14.

LP18840. Lansdale, Joe R. Christmas With the Dead. PS Publishing, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Now out of print from the publisher. $35.

LP1277. Lovecraft, H. P. (edited by S. T. Joshi). Collected Essays Volume 3: Science. Hippocampus Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. I haven’t seen a print run listed for this, but according to the publisher, the print run for the hardbacks for the first two volumes was only 250 copies (and I’ve sold all my copies of those). $34.

LP1346. Lovecraft, H. P. Collected Essays Volume 4: Travel. Hippocampus Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. I know that there were only 250 copies of the hardback printed for some of the earlier volumes, and of the five copies I ordered, I only have one left. $34.

LP1414. Lovecraft, H. P. Collected Essays Volume 5: Philosophy, Autobiography & Miscellany. Hippocampus Press, 2007. First edition hardback, one of only 250 hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. The final volume of Lovecraft Essays. $34.

LP1885. Martin, George R. R. A Feast for Crows. Voyager, 2005. One of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in slipcase, as issued, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. List price is $100. My price? $65.

LP1018. McAuley, Paul [J.]. Whole Wide World. HarperCollins/Voyager (UK), 2001. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dj with a tiny bit of crimping at head and the barest trace of edgewear, otherwise new and apparently unread. They evidently took the J. out of his name in hopes of fooling the computers and making this his breakthrough mainstream technothriller. Actually looks like an SF murder mystery. This UK edition precedes the Tor edition by a year. $10.

LP1886. Morris, Mark, editor (Joe R. Lansdale, Lucius Shepard, Alastair Reynolds, etc.). Cinema Futura. PS Publishing, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Companion volume to Cinema Macabre, with the likes of Joe R. Lansdale, Alastair Reynolds, Mike Resnick, etc. providing commentary on important SF movies from Metropolis to Avatar. If you’re a serious movie buff you probably want a copy, and I only have one. $42.

LP1284. Pohl, Frederik. Gateway. St. Martins, 1977. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), an Ex-Library copy with all the usual flaws, otherwise VG- with moderate wear at heel, slight bumping to head and heel, and sticker ghosts on covers, in a NF- dj with slight crinkling at head, library sticker on spine, and three tack-head sized spots of wear that may or may not be on the dj itself rather than the protector, not clipped, with price of $8.95 intact. Signed by Pohl. Hugo and Nebula winner. Perhaps the hardest domestic SF novel of the 1970s to find. $95.

LP1887. Stephenson, Neal. Zodiac: The Eco Thriller. Subterranean Press, 2011. First hardback edition, one of 500 copies signed by Stephenson, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, in slipcase. First hardback of Stephenson’s second novel, and the usual quality Subterranean Press production. Let’s list this at $10 off the publisher’s price. $140.

LP1888. Stross, Charles. Scratch Monkey. NESFA, 2011. First edition hardback, one of only 800 numbered trade copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Previously unpublished novel of far-future, galaxy-spanning SF. 800 copies (plus 200 signed, slipcased copies) is ridiculously low for a Stross book, and the copies I got have numbers in the 790s, so you might ant to pick one up sooner rather than later. $24.

LP523. Turtledove, Harry. Agent of Byzantium. First edition hardback, Fine/Fine-, with barest trace of edgewear to rear cover. Part of the “Asimov’s Presents” line edited by Gardner Dozois. $13.

LP1889. Vance, Jack. Book of Dreams. Underwood/Miller, 1981. First hardback edition. On the exterior, this is a Fine copy; unfortunately, someone has annotated this volume with highlighting and several different colors of pen, including notes on the title, quarter title, and half-title page, so call it Very Good-. The fifth and final Demon Prince novel, and the hardest of the five to find by a good measure. $49.

LP1890. Watts, Peter. Starfish. Tor, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket, with just the barest touches of wear hear and there, otherwise new and unread. His first novel, and increasingly hard to find since Blindsight was a Hugo finalist. $49.

LP696. Warren, Bill. Keep Watching the Skies! American Science Fiction Movies of the Fifties: Volume II: 1958-1962. McFarland, 1986. First edition hardback, VG+ with slight scuffing to covers (mainly the back) and three tackhead to quarter sized stains to top edge, slightly affecting FFE at top, in yellow decorated boards, sans dj, as issued. The second volume of Bill Warren’s excellent and engaging set documenting and reviewing the science films of the 1950s, and is roughly twice the size of its predecessor (and includes a few films left out of that volume). Covers everything from The Time Machine and Village of the Damned to Plan 9 From Outer Space. Also includes cast and crew listings for the films covered. Truly a must for anyone with an interest in SF films of the era, and has earned the Howard Waldrop seal of approval. Recommended. $35.

LP1192. Wells, Martha. The Element of Fire. Tor, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dj with just a trace of edgewear at extremities, otherwise immaculate. Difficult to find in any edition, nearly impossible for the hardback, and doubly so for a signed copy. $49.

LP207. Williams, Walter Jon. Aristoi. Tor, 1992. First edition hardback, Fine in a Fine DJ. His best SF novel, IMHO. Recommended. $15.

LP1069. Williams, Walter Jon. The Rift. Harper Prism, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dj with traces of bumping at head and heel; extremely minor for a book this large. His disaster novel, where the real life New Madrid fault along the Mississippi River gives way. $10.

LP1103. Willis, Connie. To Say Nothing of the Dog. Bantam, 1998. First Edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dj, with very faint bumps at head and heel (including a very slight wrinkle at heel), and the barest trace of haze rubbing to the rear cover. Otherwise this is a beautiful copy of a Hugo winning first that’s recently gotten quite pricey. Signed by Willis. $70.

LP1552. Willis, Connie, with Cynthia Felice. Light Raid . Ace, 1989. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy with all the usual flaws, otherwise Near Fine/Fine copy with a trace of spine lean. Signed by Willis and Felice. $10.

LP1432. Wilson, Robert Charles. Julian: A Christmas Story. PS Publishing, . First edition hardback, one of 300 numbered copies signed by Wilson and introduction author Robert J. Sawyer, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. For those who care about such things, the numbers on the ones I got were all between 10 and 20. Out of print from the publisher. $28.

LP1705. Zelazny, Roger (Neil Gaiman). The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny Volume Three: This Mortal Mountain. NESFA Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. The third in a six volume series of all Zelazny’s short fiction. Neil Gaiman and David Hartwell each provide an introduction. This volume also includes a deleted sex scene from The Guns of Avalon. Another cool thing about this series is a uniform illustration position on the dust jacket so that the spines form a unified picture. I’ll be getting the rest in as they’re published. Highly recommended. $4 off the cover price. $25.

LP1706. Zelazny, Roger (Joe Haldeman, Steven Brust). The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny Volume Four: Last Exit to Babylon. NESFA Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. The fourth in a six volume series of all Zelazny’s short fiction. Joe Haldeman and Steven Brust each provide an introduction. Again, $4 off the cover price. $25.

LP1752. Zelazny, Roger. The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny Volume Five: Nine Black Doves. NESFA Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. $25.

LP17520. Zelazny, Roger. The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny Volume Six: The Road to Amber. NESFA Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. $25.

LP1891. Zelazny, Roger. Eye of Cat. Underwood/Miller, 1982. First limited Edition, #207 of 300 numbered copies signed by Zelazny, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. A novel of a man of American Indian decent stalked by a fearsome alien he captured many years before. $80.

LP1815. Zelazny, Roger. Nine Princes in Amber. Doubleday, 1970. First edition hardback (Currey, p. 571, Levack 28a) with First Printing stated and date code L16 on page 188 , an Ex-Library copy with all the usual flaws, including pocket remains to rear, numerous date stamps and paper attachments to FFE, book taped to dust jacket with non-archival tapes, the remains of which have now discolored, with spine lean, worn bottom boards, in a a largely intact but worn dust jacket, with sun-faded spine and stamp at spine heel, numerous white-line creases along spine and at top front of book, a few shallow chips (1/16″) on front dj bottom, small spots of abrasion near the line creasing next to (but not on) the “N” in “Nine” on the front cover, moderate discoloration to white back cover, and general wear; call it a Good/Good Ex-library copy, since the book is very well read, but still structurally sound. The first book in the Amber series. The story is that Doubleday’s warehouse was mistakenly ordered to pulp all Zelazny’s books the same day this one arrived from the printer, which means that only pre-orders and library sales escaped the pulping, and why the vast majority of the very few copies that come up for sale are Ex-Library copies. Normally a book in this condition would only be a space filler copy, but this is so rare that it may have to suffice unless you’re willing to drop a couple of grand for a non Ex-Lib. Highly recommended. $350.

LP1754. Zelazny, Roger. The Sign of the Unicorn. Doubleday, 1975. First edition hardback (Currey, p. 571, Levack 33a), a Near Fine copy with a bookplate and previous owner’s signature on the FFE in a Near Fine- dust jacket, with a 1/2″ semi-closed tear on rear bottom spine join, a 1/2″ closed tear on front bottom spine join, tiny flecks of white rubbing along rear spine join, a 1/4″ closed tear on bottom rear, and some slight dust staining to white rear dust jacket, but otherwise a very presentable copy. The third Amber novel, and getting harder to find. Highly recommended, as are all five of the original Amber novels. $49.

Trade Paperbacks

LP1892. Bennett, Robert Jackson. Mr. Shivers. Orbit, 2010. Advanced Reading Copy (ARC), trade paperback format, of the first edition, a Fine copy, new and unread. First novel. As you can tell from this review, I’m think it’s pretty good: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2011/02/review-mr-shivers-by-robert-jackson-bennett/ . $10.

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. $14.

LP1894. (Zelazny, Roger) Kovacs, Christopher C., compiler. The Ides of Octember: A Pictorial Bibliography of Roger Zelazny. NESFA Press, 2010. First edition trade paperback original (no hardback edition), a Fine copy, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. Same size and with a cover that extends the matching Whelan spine cover from the six-column Collected Zelazny set. Only have one… $23.

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | No Comments »

The Vocabulary of Cthulhu

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

A list of the frequency H. P. Lovecraft used certain words in his fiction.

I suggest you check out these hideous, foetid, eldritch, nameless, unutterable words.

Tags:, ,
Posted in Books, Horror | No Comments »

Items in Evidence of a Case of Bibliomania (or, How I Spent $1,000 in One Week and All I Got Were These Cool Books)

Sunday, February 6th, 2011

You may have noticed that I buy a lot of books. This year I had another family event in the Dallas area in mid-January, so I took time out to drive up to Recycled Books in Denton (where I found so much cool stuff that time last year) once again, though this time I only found $500 in books worth buying (as opposed to the $1,200 last year). And the same week I had an order come in from a notable SF book dealer having a 50% off sale, including a couple of Stephen King signed/limited editions. I don’t normally concentrate on limited and ultra-limited editions, but when one comes along at the right price…

So here’s a description of what I bought. As usual, all books are Fine hardback first editions in Fine dust jackets, unless otherwise noted. The books on their side in the first picture are ones I bought to sell, and should show up in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

Stuff I bought at Recycled Books in Denton:

  • Clement, Hal. The Essential Hal Clement Volume 1: Trio for Slide Rule & Typewriter. NESFA Press, 1999. Signed by the author: “Hal Clement”/Harry C. Stubbs”. Bought for half cover price ($12.50).
  • Clement, Hal. The Essential Hal Clement Volume 2: Music of Many Spheres. NESFA Press, 2000. Signed by the author: “Hal Clement”/Harry C. Stubbs”. Bought for half cover price ($12.50). Replaces an unsigned copy in my library.
  • Clement, Hal. The Essential Hal Clement Volume 3: Variations on a Theme by Sir Isaac Newton. NESFA Press, 2000. Signed by the author: “Hal Clement”/Harry C. Stubbs”. Bought for half cover price ($12.50). Replaces an unsigned copy in my library. When Hal was a guest at one Armadillocon one year, I ended up driving him to and from the after-con BBQ dinner, and we discussed his career flying B-24 Liberators in World War II…
  • Etchison, Dennis. The Dark Country. Scream Press, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine- dust jacket, with sheet laid in describing how the book was one of two boxes of distributor returns with imperfect covers, and were the last first printings available, and had been signed by both Etchison and artist J. K. Potter.
  • Howard, Robert E. The Sword of Conan. Gnome Press, 1952. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with wear at head and heel, but otherwise a bright, beautiful dust jacket.

  • Howard, Robert E. The Pride of Bear Creek. Donald M. Grant, 1977. First edition thus.
  • Howard, Robert E. Mayhem on Bear Creek. Donald M. Grant, 1979.
  • Howard, Robert E. The Vultures. Fictioneer Books, Ltd., 1973.
  • (King, Stephen) Collings, Michael B. The Stephen King Phenomena. Borgo Press/Starmont House, 1987. First edition hardback, Fine- with slight bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. One of a very small number bound in boards by Borgo Press.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. A Fist Full of Stories. Cemetery Dance, 1996. First edition hardback, one of only 26 lettered copies bound in leather, containing two additional stories (“Subway Jack” and “Belly Laugh or The Joker’s Trick or Treat”) not in the trade or regular limited edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, in traycase. Decided to pick this up since I already have the lettered edition of For a Few Stories More.
  • Lovecraft, H. P. To Quebec and the Stars. Donald M. Grant, 1976. Non-fiction. I have no idea why they printed this as an oversized book when the margins are those for a regular book. Sadly, Jack Chalker and Mark Owings The Science Fantasy Publishers sheds no light on the issue either…
  • Pohl, Frederik. The Age of the Pussyfoot. Trident Press, 1969. First edition hardback, Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket with edgewear along far front edge, with review slip and photo of Pohl laid in.
  • Vance, Jack. The Book of Dreams. Underwood/Miller, 1981. First hardback edition, Fine, sans dj, as issued. Fifth and final book of the Demon Princes series, and the hardest to find. Replaces an imperfect copy.

    • Stuff I bought at 50% off from a notable SF dealer:

  • Brunner, John. Quicksand. Doubleday, 1967. First edition hardback, Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket with a few spots of staining or dust soiling. Signed by Brunner.
  • King, Stephen. Desperation. Donald M. Grant, 1996. First edition hardback, one of 2000 signed, numbered copies bound in leather, Fine, sans dj, as issued, in leather traycase.
  • King, Stephen, and Peter Straub. Black House. Donald M. Grant, 2002. First edition hardback, one of 1520 numbered copies signed by both authors, bound in leather, a Fine copy, sans dj, as issued, in leather traycase. Met Straub at the 2009 Readercon, and he seemed like a nice guy.
  • (Shaver, Richard) The Hidden World, Spring, 1963, Issue # A1. Magazine edited by Richard Palmer and dedicated to “The Shaver Mystery,” a pseudoscientific belief system that “detrimental robots” (or “deros”) live in caverns deep into the earth, and which beam mind-control rays at humans on the surface, occasionally taking people (and especially women!) as captives. I already have issues 2-4 as part of my crank/pseudoscience library.
  • Williamson, Jack. Wizard’s Isle: The Collected Stories of Jack Williamson, Volume Three. Haffner Press, 2000.

    • Of course, since that week, more books have come in…

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 4 Comments »

    Library Additions: November 15, 2010-January 14, 2011

    Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

    Here are all the books I’ve added to my professional library over the past two months. Every time I start to think I’m slowing down I buy a bunch more stuff…

  • Baker, Kage. The Hotel Under the Sand. Tachyon, 2009. Trade paperback original, Fine.
  • Beagle, Peter S. The Line Between. Tachyon, 2006. One of 250 signed, numbered copies, Fine, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Beagle, Peter S. The Unicorn Sonata. Turner Publishing, 1996.
  • Beagle, Peter S. Your Friendly Neighborhood Magician. Tachyon, 2006. Chapbook, one of 100 signed copies, Fine.
  • Bear, Greg. Foundation and Chaos. Harper Prism, 1998.
  • 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. See here for details.
  • 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 back in June and forgot to list it last time around.)
  • Carriger, Gail (pen name for Tofa Borregaard). Soulless. Orbit, 2009. Paperback original, Fine- with slight spine creasing. Thought I’d pick this up since we swanned about together at Worldcon before she hit the big time…
  • Chabon, Michael. Manhood for Amateurs. Harper, 2009. Non-fiction.
  • Cherryh, C. J. Cuckoo’s Egg. Phantasia Press, 1985. First edition hardback, one of 350 signed, numbered copies, in slipcase.
  • Clark, Alan M., Randy Fox and K. J. Peterson. The Pain Doctor’s of Suture Self General. Arts Nova Press, 1995. First edition hardback, one of 550 signed, numbered copies. Art book.
  • Clavell, James. Shogun. Atheneum, 1975. VG with spine worn, slight separation between page block and backing at head, and stains to page block edges, in VG, price-clipped dust jacket.
  • Dick, Philip K. Eye in the Sky. Gregg Press, 1979. First hardback edition. Fine, sans dust jacket, as issued. Replaced an Ex-library copy in my collection.
  • Dick, Philip K. Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick. Pantheon, 2002.
  • 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.
  • (Dick, Philip K.) Dick, Anne. The Search for Philip K. Dick. Tachyon, 2010. Trade paperback original. Expanded, revised, and corrected edition. Non-fiction.
  • Disch, Thomas M. The Wall of America. Tachyon, 2008. Trade paperback original, Fine.
  • Disch, Thomas M. The Word of God. Tachyon, 2008. Trade paperback original, Fine.
  • Fforde, Jasper. Shades of Grey Hodder & Stoughton, 2010. First UK edition (curiously, the American precedes, which is very unusual for Fforde), a Fine copy, one of 1000 numbered copies signed by Fforde to be sold through the Waterstone’s bookstore chain, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dj, in decorated slipcase, as issued.
  • King, Stephen. The Bachman Books. NAL, 1985. First hardback edition and first omnibus edition, all four included books (Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork and The Running Man) having previously been published as paperback originals. F/NF- copy, with rubbing to edgewear to dust jacket.
  • King, Stephen. Pet Semetary. Viking, 1983. Fine/Near Fine, with slight wear at dust jacket head and heel.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. By Bizarre Hands Rides Again. Morning Star Press, 2010. Expanded edition with new stories and story notes, one of 300 copies signed by Lansdale.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Deadman’s Road. Subterranean Press, 2010.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Flaming Zeppelins. Tachyon, 2010. Trade paperback original thus (omnibus edition), Fine.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. and Pat LoBrutto, editors. Razored Saddles. Dark Harvest, 1989. Octavo, cloth. First edition hardback, one of 600 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, in slipcase. I had the trade, but not the limited.
  • (Lovecraft, H. P.) Joshi, S. T. I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H. P. Lovecraft. Hippocampus Press, 2010. First edition hardback, two volume set. Non-fiction.
  • Marquis, Don. archy and mehitabel. Dolphin Books, no date (probably about 1969). Paperback reprint.
  • Martin, George R. R. A Feast for Crows. Voyager, 2005. One of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, Fine, sans dust jacket, in slipcase, as issued.
  • Michaels, Barbara (AKA Barbara Mertz, AKA Elizabeth Peters). Ammie, Come Home. Meredith Press, 1968. First edition hardback, Fine- with a trace of spine lean in a Fine- dj with slight wear at head and heel.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The Best of Michael Moorcock. Tachyon, 2009. First edition trade paperback original, Fine.
  • Morrow, James. The Cat’s Pajamas. Tachyon, 2004.
  • Niven, Larry. The Best of Larry Niven. Subterranean Press, 2010. One of 250 signed, numbered, leatherbound copies
  • Niven, Larry. The Best of Larry Niven. Subterranean Press, 2010. Trade edition.
  • Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four Secker and Warburg, 1949. See this post for details.
  • Powers, Richard. Galatea 2.2. Farrar Straus Giroux, 1995.
  • Power, Tim. Deliver Us From Evil. Charnel House, 2010. One of 100 signed, numbered copies in slipcase, sans dj, as issued, accompanied by an original manuscript page. See here for full details.
  • Powers, Tim. Night Moves. Axolotl Press, 1986. First edition hardback, one of 100 signed, numbered copies.
  • Schroeder, Karl. Pirate Sun. Tor, 2008.
  • Shea, Michael. I, Said the Fly. Silver Salamander Press, 1993. First edition hardback, one of 300 signed hardback copies.
  • Simmons, Dan. Drood. Little, Brown, 2009.
  • Vance, Jack. Lurulu Tor, 2004.
  • Watts, Peter. Maelstrom. Tor, 2001.
  • Williamson, Jack (John Stewart Williamson). Wolves of Darkness: The Collected Stories of Jack Williamson Volume 2. Haffner Press, 1999.

    • There. I thought I’d document this bunch since I have another bunch coming in…

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »

    The Lame Excuse Books December 2010 Catalog

    Monday, December 20th, 2010

    I sent out the Lame Excuse Books December 2010 to regular customers last week. Here it is (minus the books that sold out) in “just plopped the hell down as text on a blog” form:

    Greetings, and 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, Greg Egan, Jay Lake, Peter Straub, Charles Stross, and the new, definitive H. P. Lovecraft biography (in two hefty volumes!), plus a excellent signed first of Ender’s Game, a bunch of signed Michael Bishop, and numerous small press books from Subterranean, Night Shade and Tachyon, among others. 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.

    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 from funds on account 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

    There might be a slight Christmas delay for mailing out some books, but I’ll try to get out as many as I can before the holiday hits full force.

    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!

    LP1837. Adams, Douglas, and John Lloyd. The Deeper Meaning of Liff. Harmony Books, 1990. First American edition, a Fine- copy with three small, short lines of writing to front free endpaper, in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of words that don’t exist but should. Seems to have had fewer reprints than Adams’ other works. $15.

    LP1838. Bennett, Robert Jackson. Mr. Shivers. Orbit (U.S.), 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Joe Dominici, thriller writer and former co-owner of Future Visions in Houston, called this “The finest first novel I have read in years” just a couple of months before his untimely death earlier this year, and having just read it I agree. It’s the story of several men in the depression hunting down the title character, a tall, scarred man who has violently taken loved ones from each of them. But the longer the search, the more apparent that Mr. Shivers isn’t a man at all, but perhaps the Devil (or even Death) himself. A very strong debut novel, reminiscent of K. W. Jeter’s In the Land of the Dead, but I liked this better. A dark and gripping book. Recommended. I only have one. $15.

    LP21. Bishop, Michael. Ancient of Days. Arbor House, 1985. First edition hardback , F-/NF+, with slight bumping to head and heel, a 1/8″ closed tear on heel, and a small amount of wear to bottom boards. Still nice. Signed by Bishop. $9.

    LP23. Bishop, Michael. Brittle Innings. Bantam, 1994. First edition hardback, Fine in a Fine dj. Wonderful novel about Frankenstein’s Monster playing minor league baseball in the W.W.II-era south. Hugo nominee. “It’s a helluva novel (one of the best I’ve read in the last ten years), a brilliant period study, and it combines baseball and Frankenstein. What more could you want?” Caroline Spector in Nova Express. Recommended. Signed by Bishop. $20.

    LP1327. Bishop, Michael. No Enemy But Time. Timescape Books, 1982. First edition hardback, a NF copy with on long, gray diagonal streak (doesn’t look like a remainder mark) across bottom page block, with a trace of dust soiling on top page block, in a VG dust jacket which is complete, but which has four closed tears at the bottom of the back, each of which was unfortunately at one time “repaired” by non-archival tape which has left light yellow/brownish stains on the back, 2 about 2 1/2″ to 3″, the others about 1/2″; beautiful front and spine, but notably flawed back, and now encased in a dj protector. Not a perfect copy, but a big step up from an Ex-Library copy. Signed by Bishop. $30.

    LP386. Bishop, Michael. No Enemy But Time. Timescape, 1982. First edition hardback, an ex-library copy with all the usual flaws, otherwise G+/VG+, with spine leaned and rolled, wear to top and bottom boards, internal mends, leaves starting to loosen (and some mended), and some water rippling or spotting to a few interior pages. A well read copy, but a true first of his Nebula winner. Not too bad spine out, an adequate space filler or reading copy. Signed by Bishop. $10.

    LP25. Bishop, Michael. The Secret Ascension (aka Philip K. Dick is Dead, Alas). Tor, 1987. First Edition, Hardback NF+/NF, with some slight soiling to page edges, wrinkles, rubbing, and a 1/2″ scratch on the font dj, part of which goes through the dj. Still, better than it sounds. Author’s preferred title is Philip K. Dick is Dead, Alas. Went into a second printing almost immediately. Signed by Bishop. $9.

    LP22. Bishop, Michael. And Strange at Ecbatan the Trees. Harper & Row, 1976 First edition hardback, ex-Library copy, with all the usual flaws, otherwise VG+/NF-, with significant spine lean. Signed by Bishop. $5.

    LP27. Bishop, Michael. Transfigurations. Berkley Putnam, 1979. First edition hardback, F/NF cover, with shallow chipping at dj head and one long, semi-closed tear intact in dj protector. Signed by Bishop. $8

    LP471. Bishop, Michael and Di Filippo, Paul (as Philip Lawson). Muskrat Courage. St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2000. First edition hardback, Fine in Fine dj. Humorous mystery novel featuring Will Keats, the protagonist of Would It Kill You to Smile?. Signed by Bishop. $15.

    LP1838. Butler, Octavia. Patternmaster. Doubleday, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with previous owner’s signature on inside front cover and slight spine lean (but NO remainder spray) in a Near Fine dust jacket with a few tiny scratches and abrasions, tiny bit of foxing on interior flap edges, and foxing to blind side of dust jacket spine. Still a very attractive and presentable first edition of Butler’s first book. $75.

    LP1839. Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. Tor, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Card to fellow writer (and noted book collector) Scott Cupp: “to Scott Cupp—/A child-rearing guide/for the military school set…/Best,/Orson Scott Card/NASFIC-’85.” Hugo and Nebula winner for Best Novel, Card’s most famous work, and probably the most difficult domestic SF novel from a mainstream publishers in the last 30 years. $2,200.

    LP1836. Egan, Greg. Zendegi. Night Shade Press, 2010. First U.S. edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Egan’s latest novel, set in a post-theocracy Iran and a popular virtual reality game. $19.

    LP1402. Haldeman, Joe. Camouflage. Ace, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj with the tiniest, teensy-ist wrinkle at heel, otherwise new and unread. Nebula Award winner for best novel. Signed by Haldeman. Got scarcer after it won the Nebula…$65.

    LP1095. Hughart, Barry. The Story of the Stone. Doubleday/Foundation, 1988. First edition hardback, Fine in a Fine dj; a beautiful, immaculate copy. The second Master Li & Number 10 Ox story. Funny, and brilliant, and highly recommended. $30.

    LP1844. King, Stephen. The Bachman Books (Rage, Roadwork, The Long Walk, and The Running Man). NAL, 1985. Book club hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with edgewear and slight wrinkling at head. Four novels first published as Richard Bachman, including Rage, which King has vowed never to allow to be published again, and The Long Walk, one of his best (IMHO). Highly recommended. Nice reading copy. $10.

    LP1845. King, Stephen. Pet Sematary. Doubleday, 1983. Book club hardback, a Near Fine copy in a VG+ dust jacket with several small tears at head and heel. Reading copy. $3.

    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. $37.

    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. $22.

    LP1848. Lansdale, Joe R. By Bizarre Hands Rides Again. Morning Star Press, 2010. Expanded edition with new stories and story notes, one of 300 copies signed by Lansdale, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. The original was a great short story collection, and thus new edition has everything in the original and more. Highly recommended. $72.

    LP1849. Lansdale, Joe R. Deadman’s Road. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Features the ass-kicking Reverend Jedidiah Mercer, first seen in Dead in the West (the complete text of which is here), fighting “zombies, ghouls, werewolves, Lovecraftian monsters and kobolds.” Dead in the West is great fun, and the one story I heard Joe read at the 2006 World Fantasy Convention was as well. If you like Lansdale, you need one. Recommended. $37.

    LP1731. Lansdale, Joe R. Captains Outrageous. Mysterious Press, 2001. First trade edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Hap and Leonard go on cruise. Happiness does not ensue. Recommended. Signed by Lansdale. $15.

    LP1732. Lansdale, Joe R. Sanctified and Chicken Fried: The Portable Lansdale. University of Texas Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket, with tiny bends at the very tips of the top edges; if I hadn’t told you about them, you probably wouldn’t notice them. A “Best of Lansdale” sampler of sorts, with some very good stuff you’ve probably seen before (“Night They Missed the Horror Show” and “Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back”) along with a few I’m not familiar with (“Dirt Devils,” “White Mule, Spotted Pig”). Recommended from what I have read. Coming from the UT Press, copies might not crop up in your neck of the woods. Signed by Lansdale. $26.

    LP1794. Lansdale, Joe R. and Keith Lansdale, editors. (Joe R. Lansdale, Harlan Ellison, David J. Schow, William F. Nolan, Mike Resnick, Cherie Priest, etc.) Son of Retro Pulp Tales. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Another collection of pulp goodness, and I enjoyed the first one. All of these are new except the Ellison. And how often do you see a new William F. Nolan story these days? Signed by Joe R. Lansdale. $37.

    LP1850. Leiber, Fritz. Strange Wonders. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Collection various work, some previously unpublished or uncollected. I ended up with an extra copy or two, so let’s take $5 off the cover price. $35.

    LP1538. Lethem, Jonathan. Gun, With Occasional Music. Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1994. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. His first novel, from back before he started winning literary awards left and right. $30.

    LP1851. (Lovecraft, H. P.) Joshi, S. T. I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H. P. Lovecraft. Hippocampus Press, 2010. First edition hardback, two volume set, both Fine copies in Fine dust jackets, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. Remember how S. T. Joshi’s Lovecraft: A Life instantly became THE definitive Lovecraft biography upon publication? And remember how the hardback of that shot up to about $500 in short order? Well, more than 150,000 words of that were cut for space constraints. I Am Providence not only restores those 150,000 words, but also incorporates new research, correction updates, etc., and instantly becomes the definitive Lovecraft biography in its own right. List price is $100 for the set. For you? $95. (Add an extra buck for shipping in the U.S., and considerably more overseas.)

    LP1852. Marusek, David. Counting Heads. Tor, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. His first novel, which garnered much acclaim and quickly went into second printing. Haven’t read it, but David is a good guy. $20.

    LP1853. Niven, Larry. The Best of Larry Niven. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. The latest huge Subterranean career retrospective collection. The last book to make it into the catalog, and I only have one copy on hand (but more on order). $37.

    LP1855. Straub, Peter. The Juniper Tree and Other Blue Rose Stories. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 250 numbered leatherbound copies signed by Straub, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Collection of novellas set in the same world as Koko, Mystery, and The Throat, along with and interview conducted by Bill Sheehan. This edition is sold out from the publisher. $95.

    LP1856. Straub, Peter. The Juniper Tree and Other Blue Rose Stories. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 1,500 trade copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Collection of novellas set in the same world as Koko, Mystery, and The Throat, along with and interview conducted by Bill Sheehan. $30.

    LP1857. Stross, Charles. Toast. Wyrm Publishing, 2010. First signed, limited edition hardback and first edition thus, with additional material not in previous editions, one of 700 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. If you don’t have one of the previous editions, you need a copy of this, especially for the Lovecraftian “A Colder War,” which features a U.S./Soviet Cold War featuring Elder technology and a “Shoggoth Gap.” $34.

    LP1858. Wilson, Robert Charles. Axis. Tor, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Sequel to the Hugo Award-winning Spin. $10.

    Trade Paperbacks

    Note: I only have one each of these, so if you want one, better ask quick.

    LP1861. Lansdale, Joe R. Flaming Zeppelins. Tachyon, 2010. Trade paperback first edition original thus (omnibus edition), a Fine copy, new and unread. Combines the two “Ned the Seal” volumes Zeppelins West and Flaming London. Crazy stuff. $13.

    LP1862. Moorcock, Michael. The Best of Michael Moorcock. Tachyon, 2009. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Well, I think that title’s self-explanatory, don’t you? $13.

    Mass Market Paperbacks

    LP1863. Barrett, Jr., Neal. Through Darkest America. Worldwide Library, 1988. First paperback edition, a NF copy with faint spine creasing and a wrinkle at heel. Part of the Asimov Presents line. One of Neal’s better novels. Recommended. $5.

    LP1864. Bloch, Robert. Dragons and Nightmares. Belmont, 1969. First paperback and first mass market edition (preceded by the Mirage Press hardback), VG- with creasing, general wear, and a stamp on the blurb page. Fun stories, somewhat lighter than most of his work. Solid reading copy. $3.

    LP1865. Davidson, Avram (edited by John Silbersack). Collected Fantasies. Berkley, 1982. First edition paperback original, a VG- copy with 3/8″ tip of bottom front cover missing, line at heel, sticker ghost and abrasions to front cover, and general wear, but quite square and sturdy for all that. Contains some fine stories, including “Or All the Seas With Oysters.” Recommended. $5.

    LP1866. Hawke, Simon. Timewars 10: The Hellfire Rebellion. Ace, 1990. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Fine- copy with just faint touches of edgewear at head and heel, otherwise apparently new and unread. The later volumes of the Timewars series are the hardest to find. Simon used to write under his birth name of Nicholas Yermakov, but legally changed his name to Simon Hawke, possibly after hearing one too many “In Soviet Russia” jokes. $9.

    LP1867. Kurtz, Katherine. Lammas Night. Ballentine Books, 1988. Paperback reprint, a NF copy with one page slightly loose, otherwise quite a nice copy. Nazis vs. druids. No American hardback, and one of her harder-to-find titles. $10.

    LP1868. Smith, E. E. “Doc” and Stephen Goldin. Revolt of the Galaxy (The Family D’Alembert Series #10). Berkley, 1985. First edition paperback original, a NF- copy with wrinkling near spine, a bit of edgewear at head, a tiny bit of spine lean, an invisible spine crease, foxing to inside cover, and a touch of general wear; a bit better than it sounds, this is actually a nice copy. The later volumes in this series are harder to find. $10.

    LP1869. Tepper, Sheri S. Marianne, the Magus and the Manticore. Ace, 1985. Third printing, a VG copy with spine creasing, spine line, number stamp at head, and general wear. The Marianne titles are probably the least common of all Tepper’s books. $9.

    LP1870. Wagner, Karl Edward. Conan: The Road of Kings. Bantam, 1989. First edition paperback original, VG- with serious spine creasing, crease across top back corner, spine lean, and general wear, though the Tim Kirk foldout cover is intact; solid reading copy. I haven’t read these, and am generally skeptical of non-Robert E. Howard Conan stories, but Wagner was probably closer stylistically than anyone else who attempted it. $5.

    LP1871. Westerfield, Scott. Polymorph. Roc, 1997. First edition paperback original, a VG- copy with spine creasing, corner creasing, and previous owner’s name in black magic marker and silver ink (?) on inside covers. Still an acceptable reading copy of his first novel, which is hard to find due to his YA success. $10.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | No Comments »

    New Lame Excuse Books Catalog This Week

    Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

    I intend to send out my latest Lame Excuse for a Book Catalog to regular customers via email this week. Lots of new small press books by the likes of Joe R. Lansdale, Jay Lake, Ted Chiang, Peter Straub, Joe Hill and Charles Stross, along with the huge, definitive, two-volume H. P. Lovecraft biography I Am Providence, a signed pristine first edition of Ender’s Game, etc. If you aren’t already receiving my catalog, drop me a line at lawrenceperson@gmail.com to receive a copy when I send it out.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Books, Fantasy, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »

    In The Sunken Tattoo Upon Your Back, Dead Cthulhu Lies Dreaming

    Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

    I’m not particularly a tattoo fan, but these Cthulhu tattoos are something to behold.

    Tags:, ,
    Posted in Horror, weird | No Comments »

    A Brief Disquisition on Sundry Issues Involving Insane Clown Posse

    Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

    Since it’s the Halloween season, what better way to celebrate than a look at two (theoretically) scary clowns?

    I am not a fan of rap music. Or hip-hop. Or crunk. Or whatever derivative nomenclatures have been attached to that particular style of music and its various spin-offs. Every time I think I hear rap music I like, such as Body Count’s first album, or the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” or Bloodhound Gang’s “Bad Touch,” I am informed by people who actually like rap that it’s not real rap music. All right, then. Carry on.

    So I am not the person to offer an aesthetic defense of Insane Clown Posse’s particular “horrorcore” oeuvre. Not my cup of poison, thank you. But I have been amused by some of the cultural issues surrounding ICP, including “Juggalos,” their large and devoted band of followers. Like furries for science fiction or Oakland Raiders fans for football, Juggalos seem to exist for every other clique to look down upon. I also find it interesting that the MSM seem to be attempting to gin up a minor moral panic about two guys who sing in clown makeup and the people that listen to them.

    There are many celebrities, musicians, etc., swelled up with a sense of their own self-importance. Thankfully, ICP do not appear to be among them. Take this David Itzkoff New York Times piece on various Insane Clown Posse parodies, and ICP’s reaction to same.

    How did ICP feel when Saturday Night Live started doing parodies of them?

    In a single word: Delighted.

    Shaggy 2 Dope, Insane Clown Posse: How can you be mad at “Saturday Night Live”? That’s what they do. They make parodies. They’re funny. That’s flattering, that you’re a large enough player in the game that “Saturday Night Live” even recognizes you.
    Violent J: It felt incredible – like, wow, man, we’re on the radar.

    They started out parodying the 2009 “Gathering of the Juggalos” commercial seen below (NSFW language warning applies to this and all the other videos embedded here):

    And here’s the SNL parody. (Hulu, so no embedding.)

    Next came Internet comedian Scott Gairdner’s “Juggalo News Network” skit:

    And then, of course, came “Miracles,” the Little Song That Could…Troll the Entire Internet.

    Before that, ICP was most known for songs like this (which is probably not bad of its kind, and would seem to have (dare I say it?) redeeming social qualities):

    Or this, which isn’t, and doesn’t:

    Yes, I can certainly see why they might have opted for a more subtle approach. In this interview for the Onion A/V Club, they noted:

    It just looks a lot better in your head than it does to actually see us cutting somebody’s head off or something. That’s our opinion. We did a video for the song “Bowling Balls,” and the video was like a 15-minute horror movie in 3D. It comes with the album Hell’s Pit. When we did that video, we weren’t totally happy with the outcome, because it was all bloody, and it just didn’t look cool. Like I said, it’s much better when you’re imagining it all than to actually see us as villains killing the people. It just didn’t work for us.

    And thus have ICP rediscovered H. P. Lovecraft’s power of the unseen over the explicated. A segment of the video in question:

    Yeah, more subtle and less shown is probably the right direction for them in the genre of horror videos.

    “Miracles,” by contrast, not only aired their mystification with magnets, it displayed a softer, non-horror side of ICP that most non-Juggalos never even suspected.

    A few observations:

    1. Not my cup of tea, but I actually hate “Miracles” much less than the average rap song.
    2. It’s obvious, even in context, that the word “miracle” is used metaphorically rather than the literal meaning of an unexplained phenomena of divine will.
    3. After an entire career spent talking about hell and serial killers (not that there’s anything wrong with that), the video that people actually condemn is the one expressing wonder at the myriad splendor of creation.

    Or, as Shaggy 2 Dope put it:

    If Celine Dion would have come out with that song, people would have been, like, “Oh, that’s a beautiful song.” But because it’s coming out of our mouths, all of a sudden, we’re retards.

    Actually, if Celine Dion did it, we’d probably make fun of it in an entirely different way. But the point stands.

    And speaking of “Miracles,” there’s this:

    Violent J: To me, I’d rather be the dumbed-down guy appreciating everything than the guy who knows everything and doesn’t appreciate [anything].

    Lisa Simpson made a chart to explain these sentiments:

    Naturally, “Miracles” spawned its own SNL parody.

    To me, however, the most interesting part of the AV Club interview was ICP talking about how Nightline had lied about them, distorted their words, and taken things out of context in an attempt to generate some sort of moral panic:

    You know, I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan. Me and Shaggy both are. So, we knew who [Martin Bashir] was, and we also knew what he was going to do. They had their minds set on the story they were going to make before we even did the interview. It really didn’t even matter what we said. The whole reason they even did an interview with us was looking for lines or something to come out of our mouth that we can say to further make their point. We might have sat down for that hour, and we might have actually changed Martin Bashir’s opinion of us, but he wasn’t going to let that show. They knew the picture they were painting before we even fucking did that interview. They knew exactly what they were going for. The one thing that really hurt me is that they said we make $10 million a year. I don’t know anybody that wouldn’t do what we do for $10 million a year.

    If we made $10 million a year, who the fuck wouldn’t do what we do? If people knew how little money we actually make, I think it makes us more impressive. It shows the Juggalos that we’re that much more dedicated to what we do, because there aren’t millions floating around here at all. When we go on a tour, our goal is to break even. That’s a whole other subject, I know, but that’s what really bothered me about Martin Bashir, because they asked me what we made. They asked us, and we told them. But that’s what they said, $10 million a year. Well, what the fuck they ask us for? Part of it’s cool, people thinking you make that much money. Part of that’s cool, I guess. But at the same time, who wouldn’t be a wicked clown for $10 million a year?

    They took what we said, and they turned the interview to make it to their point. But we filmed the interview as well, and we posted the whole thing up on our website. It’s still out there on YouTube or whatever, but you could see the whole interview, unedited. We talked about everything. We talked about the Joker Cards. They talked about crime happening and about how some Juggalos have committed these crimes. We made the point that millions of people bought our albums, and out of millions of people, there is going to be some bad apples. I’m sure Barbra Streisand fans have committed crimes as well….

    Things like that we talked about, and he just kept rephrasing the same questions. They were going for what they needed. They needed some blue in their picture, and they needed some green. No matter what we said, they were going to get what they needed to paint that picture.

    AVC: How did you feel about Martin Bashir’s treatment of Michael Jackson?

    VJ: Man, it was insane. It murdered him. It killed him. He never recovered from that. The Martin Bashir documentary is what spawned the second set of charges. He was fucking innocent in an American court of law! He was innocent by all counts. Michael Jackson is a lot of things, know what I’m saying? A lot of things, but he’s not a pedophile. I believe, believe it or not, in the American judicial system, if that’s what it’s called. In other words, I believe in the courts, when they get a long, drawn-out trial like that, they get to the nitty-gritty of things. I read enough books on it.

    I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan, as I said. I just believe there was a lot wrong in the man, but he wasn’t a pedophile. He never recovered from that. That documentary was so damaging to him, and that spawned the second set of charges. And even though he defeated the charges, it was too much for him. When he tried to make a comeback, he died in the process. It was Martin Bashir’s documentary that eventually killed Michael Jackson. I believe that. I honestly believe that. He let him into his life for six months. Martin Bashir is your typical fucking snaky guy that’s gonna shake your hand, laugh at your jokes, and all that shit, and make you think he’s cool with you, and then do whatever’s gonna get him up the ladder.

    AVC: How did you feel about Martin Bashir’s treatment of Michael Jackson?

    VJ: Man, it was insane. It murdered him. It killed him. He never recovered from that. The Martin Bashir documentary is what spawned the second set of charges. He was fucking innocent in an American court of law! He was innocent by all counts. Michael Jackson is a lot of things, know what I’m saying? A lot of things, but he’s not a pedophile. I believe, believe it or not, in the American judicial system, if that’s what it’s called. In other words, I believe in the courts, when they get a long, drawn-out trial like that, they get to the nitty-gritty of things. I read enough books on it.

    I’m a huge Michael Jackson fan, as I said. I just believe there was a lot wrong in the man, but he wasn’t a pedophile. He never recovered from that. That documentary was so damaging to him, and that spawned the second set of charges. And even though he defeated the charges, it was too much for him. When he tried to make a comeback, he died in the process. It was Martin Bashir’s documentary that eventually killed Michael Jackson. I believe that. I honestly believe that. He let him into his life for six months. Martin Bashir is your typical fucking snaky guy that’s gonna shake your hand, laugh at your jokes, and all that shit, and make you think he’s cool with you, and then do whatever’s gonna get him up the ladder.

    AVC: What Bashir was saying about the Insane Clown Posse and the effect its music has on its fans reminded me a lot like the mid-’50s, when busybodies were saying that Elvis Presley was going to destroy society, and his fans were hoodlums. That’s something you see over and over again in pop music.

    VJ: It’s the oldest argument in the world. It’s the fucking oldest argument in the world. Does rock ’n’ roll corrupt the young? It’s ridiculous! It’s the oldest fucking argument in the world. It’s been rehashed. New names, same fucking thing. It’s the oldest shit in the world. That was a stretch for Nightline. They got a lot of old people watching it, old people stuck in old ways. I’m sure they ate that shit up and loved it. I don’t think it’s young America watching Nightline like that. Know what I mean? I don’t know. Maybe it is. It was stupid for even them to say, and that’s why they kept hammering.

    To be honest with you, at one point—and this is what’s insane—they took my response to one question and edited it so I looked like I was responding to another question. And what’s scary to me is that this is Nightline. This is a respected piece of American journalism, and they were full of shit. That just makes me think, 90 percent of what I watch is full of shit. I couldn’t believe what they did with us, with the $10 million thing. He was so clever, the way he was saying, “No, no, no, Violent. I never said that, Violent.” It’s so clever what he’s doing—it was so clever!

    Then they had me sitting on the edge of my chair to make it look like I was getting mad. In reality, that was my response to another question. It was just so clever the way they did that. I said this before, and I don’t want to say something that I said before, but this is the best way I can explain it: It reminded me when I was a kid, and I had a schoolteacher saying that I said something I didn’t. Of course, everybody’s gonna believe the schoolteacher, but I never said it. She said I called some kid a name, a swear word, and I didn’t do that. I didn’t call that kid a name. When that lady lied on me, or she was misunderstood or whatever, I was scared of that lady, man. I was like, “Damn, here’s this lady who has power. She’s my teacher. And she’s telling a fucking lie that made me fear that lady.” Well, that’s how I felt when Nightline said we made $10 million a year, and bringing up those criminal charges that Juggalos have had. It was like somebody with power abusing it. It was scary to me. I watched it one time, and I never watched it again. And I didn’t even want to watch it when I watched it, because I knew what it was going to be. It’s scary to me to see somebody that’s that trusted pulling shenanigans like that. It’s just fucking crazy to me.

    I’m afraid that ICP’s charges ring true to me, since what they describe seems to be fairly common operating procedures for much of the news media in the 21st century.

    I’ve long been undecided over the Michael Jackson pedophilia allegations. On the one hand, he was a pretty strange, oddly damaged individual. On the other hand, rich celebrities attract far more than their fair share of crooks, parasites and hustlers, and the evidence presented amounted to far less than conclusive proof in a court of law. But in light of this interview, and the fact that members of MSM news shows have lied to get ratings before, I must admit that I am now inclined to give the late Mr. Jackson more benefit of the doubt than before.

    When it comes right down to it, I’m more inclined to believe two rappers in clown makeup with fans that hurl projectiles and off-brand soda at performers over the producer of a major TV news show. How’s that for a Halloween horror?

    Tags:, , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Horror, Music, video, weird | 12 Comments »

    Newer Entries »