Posts Tagged ‘Ian McDonald’

Library Additions: Haldeman, Liu, McDonald Firsts

Monday, June 17th, 2024

More books from that recent estate purchase.

  • Haldeman, Joe. Worlds: A Novel of the Near Future. Viking, 1981. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy with two tackhead sized spots to rear boards, slight spotting to bottom page block and slightly dusty top page block, in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with a faint crease at top spine. Completes my collection of the Worlds trilogy.

  • Liu, Cixin. The Dark Forest Tor, 2015. First edition hardback thus and first English language edition, a Fine-/Fine- copy with slight bumping at head, heel and points. Sequel to The Three-Body Problem and second in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy. One of the books I noticed in the collection was a hardback copy of The Three-Body Problem, but it and Death’s End were later printings, but this was a true first. What I didn’t realize was that firsts of this seem quite pricey as well.

  • McDonald, Ian. Luna: New Moon. Tor, 2015. First hardback edition (the Gollancz trade paperback edition evidently precedes by five days), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. First in the Luna trilogy. I’m way behind on my McDonald, and haven’t even read the Everness trilogy (the one before this one) yet.

  • McDonald, Ian. Luna: Wolf Moon. Tor, 2017. First hardback edition (the Gollancz trade paperback edition of this also evidently precedes by five days), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Second in the Luna trilogy.

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    Library Additions: July 1—December 31, 2014

    Monday, January 5th, 2015

    Here’s the comprehensive roundup of all the books I’ve added to my professional library between July 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014. Some of these I’ve blogged about before, but not all of them. All books are Fine/Fine first edition hardbacks, unless otherwise marked.

  • Allston, Aaron. Doc Sidhe. Baen, 1995. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with one non-breaking spine crease. Inscribed by Allston: “To Paul:/Aaron Alston/ 6/30/96”. This would likely have been signed at the New Orleans Science Fiction and Fantasy Festival, where Aaron was a guest that weekend. Replaces a less attractive signed copy.
  • Allston, Aaron. Galatea in 2-D. Baen, 1993. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with moderate foxing to inside covers.
  • (Alternate Classics of Filmdom) Mareth, Glenville. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Alternate Histories, 2014. First edition small trim sized chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Transcribed script for the movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
  • (Alternate Classics of Filmdom) Warren, Harold P. “Manos” The Hands of Fate. Alternate Histories, 2014. First edition small trim sized chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Transcribed script for the movie Manos: The Hands of Fate.
  • (Alternate Classics of Filmdom) Wood, Edward D. Plan 9 From Outer Space. Alternate Histories, 2014. First edition small trim sized chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Transcribed script for the movie Plan 9 From Outer Space.

    Manos Plan 9 Santa

  • Anthony, Piers. Bio of A Space Tyrant 1: Refuge. Gregg Press, 1985. First hardcover edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust.
  • Anthony, Piers. Bio of A Space Tyrant 2: Mercenary. Gregg Press, 1985. First hardcover edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Anthony, Piers. Bio of A Space Tyrant 3: Politician. Gregg Press, 1985. First hardcover edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with edgewear at head.
  • Asimov, Isaac. In Joy Still Felt. Doubleday, 1980. First edition hardback, a near Fine copy with light spotting to lower page block edge, in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of edgewear at head and heel (the price is also marked out in ink, but I believe that will lift off with repeated treatment with Bestine). The second volume of Asimov’s two-part autobiography, covering 1954 to 1978.
  • Asprin, Robert and Jody Lynn Nye. Myth-Told Tales. Meisha Merlin, 2003. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed to a Jennifer by both authors on August 31, 2003 (when I believe they attended Dragoncon). I haven’t read Asprin’s work in quite a while, but this was only $3 at Half Price Books.

    Myth Told Tales

  • Aylett, Steve (with Michael Moorcock). Rebel at the End of Time. PS publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, an unnumbered version of the 100 numbered copy state signed by Aylett, a Fine copy. Stories set in Michael Moorcock’s Dancers at the End of Time setting, with an additional story by Moorcock. Bought for $9.99 at Half Price Books. (List price is £24.99.)
  • Bacigalupi, Paolo. Zombie Baseball Beatdown. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 331 of 500 signed, numbered copies.
  • Ballard, J. G. The Terminal Beach. Gollancz, 1964. First hardback edition, an ex-library copy with all the usual flaws, including dust jacketed taped to boards, pocket removal, tape stain bleed-through on first two and last two pages, front hinge starting. considerable wear at head and heel; call it a Good+ Ex_library copy in a Very Good- attached dust jacket. Important early Ballard collection. Bought for about $64 (depending on exchange right fluctuations) off eBay. Currey, 1979, page 23. Goddard & Pringle, Ballard: The First Twenty Years, page 85 (counting from the last numbered page, since the bibliography section is, irritatingly, unnumbered).
  • Banks, Iain. The Steep Approach to Garbadale. Little/Brown, 2007. First edition hardback, a limited edition of 1000 numbered copies signed by Banks distributed through the Waterstone’s bookstore chain, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket as issued. Supplements a trade copy.

    P1000915

  • (Banks, Iain) Novacon 25 Special. Novacon 25, 1995. First edition center-stapled chapbook original, a Fine copy. Features work by Banks, Brain Aldiss, Harry Harrison and Bob Shaw.
  • Bass, Thomas A. The Eudaemonic Pie. Houghton Mifflin, 1985. First edition hardback, a near Fine copy with slight bending at head and heel and a faint 3″ blackish line on top front boards, in a near Fine dust jacket with several tears at the edges and edgewear, with errata slip laid in. Non-fiction about building a shoe computer to roulette tables in Las Vegas.
  • Bear, Greg. Halo: Primordium: The Forerunner Saga Book Two. Tor, 2012. Media tie-in.
  • Benford, Gregory and Gordon Eklund. Find the Changeling. Dell, 1980. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with edgewear, faint creasing along front and rear joins, and trace of foxing to inside covers.
  • Blaylock, James P. The Adventure of the Ring of Stones. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 196 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies.
  • Bova, Ben. Viewpoint. NESFA Press, 1977. First edition hardback, #126 of 800 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from Currey for $10.
  • Bradbury, Ray. The Collected Stories of Ray Bradbury: A Critical Edition: Volume I: 1938-1943. Kent State University Press, 2010. Bought at Half Price Books for just under $15, a considerable discount off the list price of $65.
  • Bradbury, Ray. A Graveyard for Lunatics. Knopf, 1990. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Bradbury. Bought for $19.99 off eBay.

    Bradbury Grave Signature

  • Bradbury, Ray. Old Ahab’s Friend, and Friend to Noah, Speaks His Piece. Roy A. Squires, 1971. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #152 of 485 copies, a Fine copy.

    Bradbury Old Ahab

  • Bradbury, Ray. That Ghost, That Bride of Time. Roy A. Squires, 1976. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #289 of 400 copies, a Fine copy, in mailing envelope. (You can’t see from the scan, but the title is just barely visible through the slightly translucent paper wrapper.)

    Bradbury That Ghost

  • Bradbury, Ray. That Son of Richard III. Roy A. Squires, 1974. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #164 of 400 “ordinary” copies, a Fine copy, in mailing envelope. With small typed note from the publisher laid in: “Send No Money, Rik. We’ll get squared away at Westercon.” and “RAS” signature.

    Bradbury Son Richard III

  • (Bradbury, Ray) Sam Well and Mort Castle, editors. Shadow Show: Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury. Borderlands Press/Gauntlet Press, 2012. First edition hardback, #425 of 500 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase, new and unread. Anthology featuring work by Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Margaret Atwood, Harlan Ellison, David Morrell, etc. Paid cover price ($75), but the slipcase (usually an additional $25) was included for free.
  • Briggs, Joe Bob. Joe Bob Goes to the Drive-In. Delecorte, 1987. Presumed first edition paperback original (no additional printings listed), a Fine- copy with a few tiny touches of wear. Non-fiction collection of humorous film criticism. Introduction by Stephen King.
  • Brooks, Max. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. Crown, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket. Bought for $12 at Quarter-Price Books in Houston, which is conveniently close to Joel’s Classical Shop.
  • Buckley, William F. Marco Polo, If You Can. Doubleday, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bending at head and heel in a Very Good price-clipped and spine-faded dust jacket with shallow chipping at head. Inscribed by the author: “For Roger Birk/Warm regards/Wm. F. Buckley, Jr.” Blackford Oakes spy thriller. Bought for $5.99 at Half Price Books; I only checked it because it had a Mylar dust jacket protector on it. Actually the second signed Buckley I have, along with the copy of Right Reason he signed for me my senior year in college.
  • Bull, Emma. Finder. Tor, 1994.
  • (Card, Orson Scott). Collings, Michael. Storyteller: Official guide to the World of Orson Scott Card. Overlook Connection, 2001. Non-fiction. List price is $50; bought for $15 off eBay.
  • Carius, Otto. Tigers in the Mud: The Combat Career of German Panzer Commander Otto Carius. Stackpole Books, 2005. trade paperback reprint. Sent to me by my friend Nick Austin after learning of my interest in armored warfare. Thanks, Nick!
  • Clareson, Thomas D. (editor). Voices for the Future Volume Two. Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in Fine dust jacket. Reference work of essays on science fiction writers, including Robert Silverberg, Philip Jose Farmer, Walter M. Miller, Jr., J. G. Ballard, John Brunner, Mack Reynolds, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Roger Zelazny. Tymn, The Science Fiction Reference Book, page 75. Bought for $10.

    Voices Future 2

  • Clareson, Thomas D. and Thomas L. Wymer (editors). Voices for the Future Volume Three. Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1984. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in Fine dust jacket, with review slip laid in. Reference work of essays on science fiction writers, including Gene Wolfe, Damon Knight, Cordwainer Smith, Mervyn Peake, Frederik Pohl, C. S. Lewis, Samuel R. Delany and Thomas M. Disch. (No picture because the cover is identical to Volume 2 except for the editors names and saying Volume Three.) Bought for $10.
  • Clement, Hal. Half Life. Tor, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Clement: “”Hal Clement” (Harry C. Stubbs)”. Bought for $19 from an eBay seller.
  • Cowper, Richard. The Unhappy Princess with The Missing Heart. Cheap Street, 1982. First edition chapbook originals, #54 of 75 slipcased copies, Fine copies in a Fine slipcase. Chalker & Owings, 1991, page 106. Note: I store my slipcased chapbooks with the hardbacks. Bought from L. W. Currey for $10.

    Cowper Unhappy Missing

  • Crowther, Pete and Nick Gevers, editors. Postscripts 24/25: The New and Perfect Man. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, trade state, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Since I have a story in here, I already have one traycased copy of the signed state, so this will go downstairs with the rest of the Postscripts run. Bought for $14.99 at Half Price Books (list price is £30).
  • (De Camp, L. Sprague) Laughlin, Charlotte and Daniel J. H. Levack. De Camp: An L. Sprague De Camp Bibliography. Underwood/Miller, 1983. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by De Camp and others, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Supplements a copy of the trade edition. Bought from Currey for $10.
  • de la Ree, Gerry. Fantasy Collectors Annual—1974. Gerry de la Ree, 1974. First edition hardback, #78 of 80 signed, hardbound copies, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. Odd miscellanea of SF/F/H-related items, including facsimiles of various SF author’s inscriptions, an unpublished letter from H. P. Lovecraft to Virgil Finlay, the text of an unpublished letter from Edgar Allen Poe (that may be a forgery), black and white artwork from Finlay, Stephen Fabian and Malhon Blaine (if that third name isn’t as well known as the first two, well, there’s a reason for that…), etc. De la Ree was an important publisher, book dealer and collector. In his introduction, he said he wanted to do one of these every year. According to Chalker/Owings, there was one more in 1975.

    fantasy Annual

  • Dick, Philip K. The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick Volume 5: We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. Subterranean Press, 2014.
  • Dick, Philip K. Four Novels of the 1960s. The Library of America, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in slipcase, as issued. Library of America produces these jacketless, slipcased editions of their books for subscribers, and the jacketed version (which I also have) for retail. I am unclear as to whether there is any precedence between the two states. Bought for $8 from Half Price Books.

    P1000943

  • (Dick, Philip K.) Levack, Daniel J. H. PKD: A Philip K. Dick Bibliography. Underwood/Miller, 1981. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by Dick, Levack and annotator Steven Owen Godersky. A Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $299 off eBay at the Buy-It-Now price, which is less than half what it usually lists for.

    PKD Bib signed

    Dick Bib Signatures

  • Di Filippo, Paul. Wikiworld. Chizine Publications, 2013. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Short story collection.
  • Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, #97 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Part of the short story hardback line, which was in turn a simultaneous extension of their short story paperback line. I thought at the time (and still think) that this was a stupid idea, that $1.95 for a single short story (the price point for the paperback) was a bad idea, and that this was symptomatic of the wild overproduction that help killed Pulphouse off. But I have been picking up the short story hardback for writers I collect when I stumble across them cheaply.

    Peacemaker

  • Dozois, Gardner. The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirty-First Annual Collection St. Martin’s, 2014.
  • Durbin, Frederic S. Dragonfly. Arkham House, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Just for a complete Arkham House collection. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 191.
  • Ebert, Roger. A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length. Andrews McMeel, 2012. Trade paperback original, Fine. Non-fiction collection of scathing movie reviews.
  • Ellison, Harlan. The Fantasies of Harlan Ellison. Gregg Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with boards just a tiny bit bowed and a few traces of dust soiling to page blocked edges, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Ellison: “To Dane! Harlan Ellison”.
  • Fabian, Stephen. Women & Wonders. Charles F. Miller, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrink wrap.
  • Farmer, Philip Jose. Down in the Black Gang. Signet, 1971. First paperback edition (Currey says the SFBC hardback, which I also have, precedes), a Very Good+ copy with faint spine creasing, very slight spine lean, edgewear, and darkening to pages. Inscribed by Farmer to Bruce Sterling. Picked up for $12 at Half Price Books.

    Black Gang

    Black Gang Sig

  • Finlay, Virgil. An Astrology Sketch Book. Donald M. Grant, 1975. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $10 which is, iddly enough, the actual cover price…

    Finlay Astrology

  • Finlay, Virgil. Finlay’s Illustrations for Weird Tales. Showcase Art Productions, 1976. First edition art portfolio of 9 illustrations (one in color) in a cardstock cover, a Fine copy.

    Finlay Weird Tales 1

  • Ford, John M. Growing Up Weightless. Easton Press, 1993. First hardback edition, one of an undetermined number of signed subscriber copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in decorated leather boards. Bought from Half Price Books for $35.

    Growing Up Weightless

  • Gaiman, Neil. The Sleeper and the Spindle. Morrow/Harper Collins, 2014. First separate edition hardback (it appeared in an anthology in 2013), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Chapbook on the Sleeping beauty theme, only available through California bookstores on California Book Day (May 3, 2014).

    Gaiman Sleeper Spindle

  • Gibson, William. The Peripheral. Putnam, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed to me by Gibson at BookPeople on November 2, 2014: “TO LAWRENCE/WM GIBSON”. Near-future SF that sounds interesting. About a hundred people turned out for the Gibson signing, which is the second biggest crowd I’d seen there next to Neil Gaiman’s signing for Anansi Boys. I’ll have several signed William Gibson items available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
  • Haldeman, Joe, editor. Study War No More. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with crease to FFE and a BB-sized outward bump (probably a binding flaw) near top of spine, in a Near Fine+ slightly spine-faded dust jacket. Signed by Haldeman and contributors Harlan Ellison, Poul Anderson and George Alec Effinger. Anthology. Bought off eBay for $24.99.

    Study War

  • Hall, Hal W., editor. Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1878-1985: Volume 1: Author Entries and Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Index, 1878-1985: Volume 2: Subject Entries. Gale Research Company, 1987. First edition hardbacks, Very Good+ in decorated boards with bumping to extremities, slight wear at heel, and slight crease to second volume’s spine, sans dust jackets, as issued. Two large science fiction reference works. Massive two-volume reference index to non-fiction critical articles, reviews, books, etc. covering science fiction and fantasy. Hall was the long-time director of the Science Fiction collection at the Texas A&M Cushing Library, which has amassed a massive and impressive collection.

    P1000894

  • Heinlein, Robert A. (David Hartwell, editor). Destination Moon. Gregg Press, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Includes the novella “Destination Moon,” “Shooting Destination Moon“, numerous reproduced newspaper clippings on the movie, photo stills from the movie, and a new introduction by David Hartwell, who edited the volume.

    Gregg Ellison Heinlein

  • Hodgson, William Hope. The House on the Borderland and Other Novels. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with bumping at corners, small dust print at bottom page block outer edge, and faint foxing to gutters, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 1/16″ chip at heel, wear at points (including a pinhead hole at lower front edge), and extremely mild sun-fading to the spine; it’s actually a wonderfully bright example of the Hannes Bok dust jacket, and the only better copies I’ve seen were at least three times the price. Includes the title novel, plus The Boats of the ‘Glen Carrig’, The Ghost Pirates, and The Night Land, all of which were previously published individually (and first editions of which all of which now go for well over a grand). One of the four large-format Arkhams, the other being H.P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider and Others and Beyond the Wall of Sleep, and Robert E. Howard’s Skull-Face and Others, all three of which I still lack. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 16. Derleth, 30 Years of Arkham House, 16. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 19. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 16. Blieler, Checklist of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 101. Blieler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 821. Bought for £220 plus shipping off eBay.

    House Borderland Arkham

    IMG_0287

  • Jeter, K.W. Fiendish Schemes. Tor, 2013. A sequel to Infernal Devices.
  • Joyce, Graham. Some Kind of Fairy Tale. Gollancz, 2012. One of 1,500 first edition copies signed by the author.
  • Kennedy, Leigh. Wind Angels. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, an unnumbered copy of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements the trade edition. Bought for $20 at Half Price Books.
  • King, Stephen. The Dark Half. Hodder & Stoughton, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Precedes the American edition.
  • (King, Stephen) Collings, Michael. Stephen King as Richard Bachman. Starmont House, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards (the covers from the trade paperback attached to the front cover). Reference work.

    King as Bachman

  • (King, Stephen) Reino, Joseph. Stephen King: The First Decade, Carrie to Pet Sematary. G. K. Hall, 1988. No dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction.
  • Knight, Damon. Why Do Birds Tor, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Knight: “for Mark/Damon Knight”. With review slip laid in. Bought for $12.50 from an eBay seller.
  • Lafferty, R. A. Horns On Their Heads. Pendragon Press, 1976. First edition hardback, #Q of 50 signed hardback copies, a Near Fine copy with 1/2″ inch of darkening around the top and outer edge of the rear panel, and darkening to spine, sans dust jacket, as issued.

    Lafferty Horns

  • Langford, David. Irrational Numbers. Necronomicon Press, 1994. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Got this inscribed to me by David at the London Worldcon.
  • Lake, Jay. Pinion. Tor, 2010. Third in the Clockwork Earth sequence.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Black Hat Jack. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 114 of 350 signed, numbered leatherbound copies in a different dust jacket.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Black Hat Jack. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition.
  • Leiber, Fritz. The Leiber Chronicles. Dark Harvest, 1990. First edition hardback, #7 of 500 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Bought for $38 off eBay, which is roughly half the original publication price of $65.
  • Lethem, Jonathan. Dissident Gardens. Doubleday, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of crimping at heel. Signed by Lethem. Bought from Half Price Books for $13.99
  • (LonCon3) LonCon3 Program Book and LonCon3 Pocket Programme Guide. LonCon3, 2014. Given out as part of membership for the 2014 London Worldcon. I hadn’t previously been cataloging things like this, but I probably should…
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Brennan, Joseph Payne. A Select Bibliography of H. P. Lovecraft. Self-published, 1952. First edition chapbook, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of wrinkling. Joshi, Lovecraft Bibliography, III-B-8. Bought for $10.

    Brennan Lovecraft Bib

  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Derie, Bobby. Sex and the Cthulhu Mythos. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Gahan Wilson cover. Non-fiction work examining sexual themes in a wide variety of Cthulhu Mythos-related work.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Faig, Kenneth W. The Parents of Howard Philip Lovecraft. Necronomicon Press, 1990. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, signed on the inside front cover by Faig. Non-fiction.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Joshi, S. T. Lovecraft and a World in Transition. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition hardback, one of 500 copies signed by Joshi (the only edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of Joshi’s most important essays on Lovecraft (of which there have been many).
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Squires, Richard D. Stern fathers ‘neath the mould: The Lovecraft Family in Rochester. Necronomicon Press, 1995. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Non-fiction. This and The Parents of Howard Philip Lovecraft bought for $28.29 off eBay.
  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Wetzel, George (editor). Commentaries: Volume VI The Lovecraft Collector’s Library. SSR Publications, 1955. First edition oversized side-stapled mimeographed paperback, #46 of 75 copies, a Near Fine, age-darkened copy. Joshi, Lovecraft Bibliography, III-C-27. Tymn Schlobin Currey, 295. Bought for $25.

    Lovecraft Commentaries

  • Martin, George R. R., editor. Fort Freak. Tor, 2011.
  • McDonald, Ian. Planesrunner. Pyr, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald.
  • McDonald, Ian. Be My Enemy. Pyr, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald. Second in the Everness series.
  • McDonald, Ian. Empress of the Sun. Pyr, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald. Third in the Everness series.
  • Mieville, China. The Apology Chapbook. China Mieville/World fantasy Convention, 2013. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Issued in lieu of Mieville being able to make his scheduled Guest of Honor appearance at the 2013 World fantasy Convention in Brighton.
  • Moorcock, Michael (as Edward P. Bradbury). Barbarians of Mars. Compact, 1965. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with spine creasing and general wear. Really only bought it for the additional 15% discount coupon to kick in for a web bookseller; it was the cheapest book they had in science fiction, but it’s one I can actually use! Tanalorn Archives, page 7. Currey (1979), page 368.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The End of All Songs. Harper & Row, 1976. First edition hardback (with the author’s name misspelled “Moorock” on the spine, as per Currey), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Third book in the Dancers at the End of Time trilogy. Currey (1979), page 370.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The Golden Barge. New English Library, 1983. First hardback edition (preceded by a trade paperback original), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The Stealer of Souls. Neville Spearman, 1963. First edition hardback, a Fine- first state (orange binding with black lettering) copy with publisher stamp for “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” on title page, and some slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good-, price-clipped dust jacket with $3.00 stamp above price clip, rubbing and shallow chipping and wear at extremities. Though I usually look for books in better condition than this (at least for this era), this, Stormbringer and Sword of the Dawn were too cheap to pass up. Tanalorn Archive, page 32. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Stealer of Souls

  • Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer. Herbert Jenkins, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” stamp on title page, and slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good, price-clipped dust jacket with sticker pull just over the price clip, rubbing and shallow chipping at extremities. Tanalorn Archive, page 32. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Stormbringer

  • Moorcock, Michael. The Sword of the Dawn. White Lion, 1973. First hardback edition, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight rubbing. Tanalorn Archive, page 34. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Sword of the Dawn

  • Moorcock, Michael, and Philip James. The Distant Suns. Unicorn SF, 1975. First edition trade paperback original (perfect-bound comic book format), a Fine- copy with slightly yellowed pages. Currey (1979), page 369.

    Distant Suns

  • (Moore, Alan) Millidge, Gary Spencer. Alan Moore: Storyteller. Ilex, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of surface wear. Lavishly illustrated book on Moore’s career. Includes a CD of Moore’s “songs, readings and performances.” Bought from Brad Foster at Armadillocon for (IIRC) $16.
  • Morgenstern, Erin. The Night Circus. Doubleday, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by the author. Fantasy, a first novel that got a lot of positive buzz. Bought for $27 (including buyer’s premium) off Heritage Auctions.
  • Newman, Kim and Ian Freer. The First Empire Movie Almanac. Empire magazine, no date (but 1988). First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight waviness to pages due to glue bunching (probably a binding flaw common to the run). Signed by Newman. Freely distributed subscriber extra from Empire magazine (the British film magazine, not the American SF writing magazine), a non-fiction miscellanea of lists and movie trivia. It’s also an example of why the Internet isn’t an acceptable substitute for book scouting, since I had no idea this existed until I came across it in the Cold Tonnage stacks…

    Empire Movie Guide

  • Niffenegger, Audrey. The Time Traveler’s Wife. MacAdam/Cage, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $20 at Half Price Books. Replaces a less perfect copy.

    Time Traveler's Wife

  • Niven, Larry, and Jerry Pournelle. Oath of Fealty. Timescape, 1981. First trade edition, preceded by the Phantasia Press limited edition (which I also have), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of wear. Pringle SF 100 list.
  • Noon, Jeff. Vurt. Crown, 1993. First hardback and first American edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Noon: “To Shirley/Good Feathers/Jeff Noon” (with a drawing of a feather). Supplements an unsigned edition.

    Jeff noon Sig

  • O’Sullivan, Kevin M. editor. The Great War: A World War I Exhibit Featuring the Aggie Experience. Texas A&M University Libraries, no date (but 2014). Trade paperback original first edition, a Fine copy. Exhibit catalog highlighting World War I material held by Texas A&M University libraries. Picked up for free from library representatives at Armadillocon.
  • Parnell, Frank H. (with Mike Ashley). Monthly Terrors: An Index to the Weird Fantasy Magazines Published in the United States and Great Britain. Greenwood Press, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, with review slip laid in. Bought off Lloyd Currey for $22.50.
  • Pohl, Frederik, and Jack Williamson. Land’s End. Tor, 1988. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with slight crease to spine, slight bend at head and heel, and a trace of lean, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with 1″ x 1/8″ crease at top dj rear and wear at extremity points. Inscribed by both authors: [In Williamson’s hand] “For/Debbie/with the very best/Jack Williamson/[in Pohl’s hand] and/Fred Pohl.” Bought for $20 off eBay.

    Land's End Sig

  • Powers, Tim. Appointment on Sunset. Charnel House, 2014. First edition hardback, #115 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, with signed and numbered toe-tag affixed to the front cover.

    Powers Sunset

  • Powers, Tim. Nobody’s Home. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition. Anubis Gates story.
  • Purdom, Tom. Reentry and other thoughts on Science Fiction. Dragonstair Press, 2014. First edition chapbook, a Fine- copy with slight crease to left edge. Non-fiction essays on science fiction.
  • Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. Random House, 1957. First edition hardback (“First Printing” stated), a Fine- copy with just a tiny bit of bend at head and a tiny bit of pulling away of just the center of the top page block, and a tiny dust print at the outer bottom near page block edge, in a Very Good- first printing ($6.95 price and 10/57 code on front flap) dust jacket with shallow chipping at extremities (most notable at head and heel, perhaps 1/8″ at front and rear spine join points) and associated abrading, and blind-side age darkening, but otherwise an intact and fairly attractive example of the dust jacket. With clipping of a letter from Rand from the March 21, 1960 issue of Time magazine laid in. Bought for $270 from Half Price Books during a coupon sale, marked down from $450.

    Atlas Shrugged

  • Russ, Joanna. We Who Are About To…. Gregg Press, 1978. First hardback edition, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $20 off eBay.
  • Samuelson, Todd, editor. One Hundred Years Hence: Science Fiction & Fantasy at Texas A&M. Texas A&M University Libraries, 2010. Trade paperback original first edition, a Fine copy. Exhibit catalog highlighting the science fiction holdings at the Cushing Memorial Library at Texas A&M University. Picked up for free from library representatives at Armadillocon.
  • “Sarban” (pseudonym for John William Wall). The Sound of His Horn. Peter Davies Ltd., 1952. First edition hardback, a Very Good copy with some wear at head and heel, front free endpaper missing, and an inked name on half-title page, in a Very Good- dust jacket with shallow staining to head and heel, dust soiling to white rear panel, and two small blue ink spots to front flap. Actually a fairly attractive copy of this alternate history set after the Nazis win World War II. Pringle, Modern Fantasy, 12. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 189.

    Sound of His Horn

  • Schow, David J. Internecine. Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2010.
  • Schow, David J. A Little Aqua Book of Creature Tails. Borderlands Press, 2014. First edition hardback, number 136 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Sheckley, Robert. The Robot Who Looked Like Me. Sphere, 1978. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with edgewear and a few slightly dog-eared pages. Short story collection. Not in Currey (though it should have just made it in based on the publication date), but the ISFDB says the Sphere edition precedes the Bantam edition by four years.

    Sheckley Robot Who

  • Shepard, Lucius. Beautiful Blood. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 191 of 1,000, unsigned (due to Shepard’s death) copies.
  • Silverberg, Robert. Blood on the Mink. Hard Case Crime, 2012. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. reprints a Silverberg crime novel published in the pulps, plus two additional stories and a new afterword.
  • Simmons, Dan. Flashback. Reagan Arthur/Little Brown, 2011.
  • Smith, Clark Ashton. The Immortals of Mercury. Stellar Publishing Corporation, 1932. First edition chapbook original, Very Good only, more browned than usual. Probably the most expensive of all the Stellar series, as it frequently lists for over $100. Bought for $29.99 off eBay. For more on the Stellar series, see here.

    CAS Immortals Mercury

  • Stephenson, Neal. Some Remarks. Morrow, 2012. Non-fiction.
  • Sterling, Bruce, editor. Twelve Tomorrows: MIT Technology Review SF Annual • 2014. Technology Review, Inc., 2014. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Bruce had extras at October’s Turkey City Writer’s Workshop.
  • Strahan, Jonathan. The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Two. Night Shade Press, 2008. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with a slight bend top top rear corner (bumped it carrying it around). Got this copy signed by Ted Chiang at Armadillocon.
  • Strahan, Jonathan. The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Three. Night Shade Press, 2009. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Got this copy signed by Ted Chiang at Armadillocon.
  • Strahan, Jonathan. The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Four. Night Shade Press, 2010. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy.
  • Stross, Charles. Equiod. Subterranean Press, 2014. Number 188 of 350 signed, numbered copies. Laundry novella.
  • Stross, Charles. Equiod. Subterranean Press, 2014. Trade edition.
  • Stross, Charles. Neptune’s Brood. Ace, 2013. Bought from Half Price Books for $9.99.
  • Stross, Charles. The Rhesus Chart Ace, 2014. Laundry novel.
  • Swanwick, Michael. The Dragons of Babel. Tor, 2007.
  • Swanwick, Michael. American Cigarettes. Dragonstairs Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, a slender 8 pages (including self wrappers), #85 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine, with advert for Dancing With Bears laid in.
  • Swanwick, Michael. The Nature of Mirrors. Dragonstairs Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, a slender 12 pages (including self wrappers and two blanks), #67 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine.
  • Swanwick, Michael. Song of the Lorelei. Dragonstair Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, a slender 8 pages (including self wrappers), #88 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine.

    Swanwick Chapbooks 100814

  • Swanwick, Michael. Solstice Fire. Dragonstairs Press, 2013. First edition side-sewn chapbook original, #42 of 100 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy.

    Solstice Fire

  • Teitler, Stuart A. By the World Forgot. Privately printed (Ferret Fantasy), 2014. First edition trade paperback original, one of 50 numbered copies (this one inscribed to me by compiler George Locke, noting he hadn’t gotten around to numbering them yet), a Near Fine copy with slight creasing near the spine (a result of carrying it around in my carry-on luggage). A 130 page (plus a catalog at the back) annotated bibliographic compendium of lost race fiction compiled by Teitler, a noted American book scout and lost race collector. Probably destined to become the definitive book on the subject.

    By the World Forgot

  • Teitler, Stuart A., George Locke and Others. By the Book World Remembered. Privately printed (Ferret Fantasy), 2014. First edition trade paperback original, one of 50 numbered copies (this one also inscribed to me by compiler George Locke, but not yet numbered), a Fine copy. Another non-fiction reference book, 146 pages, something of a memorial to Teitler, told largely in epistolary format, of the friendship between the two, covering book hunting, finer points of lost race bibliographic information, catalog and collection listings, etc. If you’re a hardcore book geek, you’ll love this stuff; if you’re not, it will probably leave you cold.

    By Book World Remembered

  • Tuttle, Lisa. A Spaceship Built of Stone and Other Stories. The Women’s Press, 1987. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Inscribed to me by the author: “For Lawrence/A spaceship built of stone/should not fall apart. I/hope this one lasts/All the best/Lisa Tuttle/20 Aug 2014”. (An additional personal postcard to me is laid in as well.) Sent to me by the author. The story is that I found a less perfect copy of this book at an Oxfam shop for £1.50, and bought it with the intention of having Lisa sign it at Worldcon. However, when I did so, the first leaf of the book fell out! At which point Lisa said she’d mail me a copy…
  • Vance, Jack. The Worlds of Jack Vance. Ace Books, 1973. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy. Currey, page 501. Hewett, A44.
  • (Wagner, Karl Edward) Szumskyj, Benjamin, editor. Black Prometheus: A Critical Study of Karl Edward Wagner. Gothic Press, 2006. First edition chapbook original, Fine in center-stapled wraps. Non-fiction. Missed this when it came out.
  • Walton, Evangeline. Witch House. Arkham House, 1945. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 11. Derleth, 30 Years of Arkham House, 11. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 11. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 11. Blieler, Checklist of Science-Fiction and Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 202. Blieler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 1655. Crawford, Donahue and Grant, 333, page 67. Barron, Horror Literature: A Reader’s Guide, 3-203. Tymn, Horror Literature: A Core Collection and Reference Guide, 4-216. Bought for $47 off the Internet. It seems that every time I would see a copy at auction, I’d ask myself “Do I already have a copy of that?” Now I know the answer to that question…

    Witch House

  • Webb, Don. Through Dark Angles: Works Inspired by H. P. Lovecraft. Hippocampus Press, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, Fine.
  • Wells, H.G. Experiment in Autobiography (Volumes I and II). Gollancz, 1934. First edition, a Very Good copy with dust soiling to boards and crimping at head and heel, in Good only dust jackets with significant chipping at extremities. Text of J. B. Priestley’s eulogy delivered at Wells’s funeral clipped from newspaper tipped in on front free endpaper of volume 1. Bought from L.W. Currey for $10 for the set.

    Wells Experiment 2

    Wells Experiment 1

  • Wells, H. G. Men Like Gods. Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1923. First edition hardback (a probable third binding state, as per Currey’s listing, with decorated brown boards with black lettering, which is not recorded in Currey (2002)), a Near Fine copy with slight wear at heel, small, faint stamp to FFE, foxing to gutters and slight bend at head in a Very Good- dust jacket with small sticker remnant on front and shallow chipping at head and heel, and chips at points. Wells’ second socialist utopia. H.G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 85. Bought for $22.50

    Wells Men Like Gods

    Wells Men Like Gods boards

  • Wells, H. G. The Secret Places of the Heart. Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1922. First edition hardback, first state binding (title blindstamped on cover, as per Currey (2002)), a Fine- copy with slight bending at head and heel and foxing to gutters in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of edgewear. H.G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 81. Bought for $37.50

    Wells Secret Places

  • Yellin, Herb. Lord John Film Festival. Lord John Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Signed by Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Ramsey Campbell, Dennis Etchison and Janet Leigh. Miscellany of film and screen memories and pictures of signed publicity photos, lobby cards, etc. from Yellin’s collection. Yellin was publisher of Lord John Press.

    Lord John Film

    Lord John Film sig

    • Copies of most of the small press books from Subterranean, Hippocampus, etc. listed above will be available through the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

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    Photos From the 2014 Armadillocon

    Wednesday, September 3rd, 2014

    We interrupt this cavalcade of books, Slowdive covers and tanks to offer up some pics from the 2014 Armadillocon, which occurred a little more than a week before I flew off to London.


    Howard Waldrop. Actually a pretty good picture of him.


    Claude Lalumiere


    The elusive Robert Taylor. Like most pictures of him taken in the wild, it’s a bit blurry…


    Ian McDonald. I would say he’s signing one of the way too many of my own books I had him sign, but since I own the Simon & Schuster UK (true first) edition of River of Gods, not the Pyr first American edition, obviously it’s someone else’s book…


    Arch-villain Denman Glober caught outside her secret underground lair.


    Ted Chiang.


    One of these men had a role in Once Upon A Time in China VI.


    Martha Wells.


    Mark Finn, describing his wrestling match with the gorilla.


    Patrice Sarath.


    Ian McDonald and Ted Chiang at the bar.

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    Library Additions: Three Ian McDonald Books

    Friday, August 29th, 2014

    Since Ian McDonald was Guest of Honor at the most recent Armadillocon, I picked up his hree latest books there and got him to sign the rest.

  • McDonald, Ian. Planesrunner. Pyr, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald.
  • McDonald, Ian. Be My Enemy. Pyr, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald. Second in the Everness series.
  • McDonald, Ian. Empress of the Sun. Pyr, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Inscribed to me by McDonald. Third in the Everness series.

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    Worldcon 2011 Photos for Wednesday, August 17

    Thursday, August 18th, 2011

    After a few technical difficulties, I think I have this sussed out…


    Scott Edelman, Cory Doctorow, John Scalzi, Ian MacDonald


    Alastair “Ten Book Contract” Reynolds


    Lou Anders


    Ellen Datlow and Susan Casper, counting up the money from the marks


    Gardner Dozois and Joe Haldeman


    The one only Pat Cadigan, shortly after she drank Andre the Giant under the table.


    Joe Haldeman and Robert Silverberg, getting together to see if either of them could actually remember the 60s.


    Martha Wells


    David Hartwell looms large in science fiction.


    Copy-editing Goddess Deanna Hoak


    John Scalzi, displaying the horrific befuddlement and inevitable mental degeneration that comes with being SFWA President.


    Right before I snapped this picture, Ian McDonald said he always photographs horribly, then went out of his way to demonstrate the accuracy of the statement.

    My apologies if I’ve misspelled anyone’s name, but I haven’t had breakfast yet. More later…

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