Posts Tagged ‘Robert Silverberg’
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023
All signed, slipcased PS Publishing firsts:
Baxter, Stephen. Xeelee: Endurance. PS Publishing, 2017. First edition hardback, letter D of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket and a Fine decorated slipcase. I collected Baxter for a while until he become too prolific for me to keep up with, but I did like the Xeelee books. Bought from Camelot Books for $50.
(Lovecraft, H. P.) Joshi, S. T. Black Wings VII: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Original anthology, including stories from John Shirley, Ramsey Campbell and Steve Rasnick Tem. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have a small number of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Silverberg, Robert. Monsters and Things. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, #100 of 100 signed, numbered copies in decorated boards signed by Silverberg, editor Stephen Jones, and illustrator Randy Brocker, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with erratum sheet laid in noting that one of these stories (many of them written under pseudonyms) actually was from Donald Westlake writing as Richard Stark. Oops! Already sold out from the publisher. I will have a small number of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tags:Books, Cthulhu, H. P. Lovecraft, Horror, PS Publishing, Robert Silverberg, S. T. Joshi, Science Fiction, Stephen Baxter
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Monday, February 20th, 2023
It’s that time of the year again, where I compile every book I bought last year into one long post.
Adams, Richard. Watership Down. Macmillian, 1972. First American edition hardback, a Very Good copy with name marked out in black marker on front free endpaper, spine slightly worn, and slight staining at top edge, in a Very Good- dust jacket with one pinhead puncture to spine in “w,” small closed punctures along rear bottom spine join, a few pinhead dots of black staining to rear cover, shallow chipping at head, and age darkening to spine; slightly rough, but the page block is nice and square, and the UK first generally lists for well over a grand. Pringle, Modern Fantasy 51. Moorcock, Epic Pooh, pages [12-13-ish; the pages are unnumbered] (Mike is not a fan). Bought for $9.99.
Anderson, Poul and Gordon R. Dickson. Star Prince Charlie. Putnam’s, 1975. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), a Fine copy in a Fine first state (slash between names on spine barely visible) dust jacket. Currey, page 13.
Anthony, Patricia. Gods Fires. Ace Books, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Anthony: “Hey-/Remember all those Wednesday nights over/on Walhat Hill, Jane?/Now we/only run/into each/other at cons. I miss/you sometimes! Email/me.” Then she’s altered her printed name to read “www.Patricia-Anthony.com”. Anthony died in 2013 and that domain is no longer active. Possibly an associational copy. Replaces an unsigned copy.
Bear, Greg. The Unfinished Land. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bear, with a thank you note and several laminated bookmarks from the seller laid in. Bought for $49.95 from an eBay seller. My obituary for Bear can be found here.
Bester, Alfred. Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester. Vintage/Random House, 1997. First edition proof, trade paperback format, a Fine- copy with a tiny chip to tip of bottom front corner, gold “A Vintage Original” sticker on front cover and accompanying review page. Supplements a copy of the trade paperback original. Bought off eBay for $10.97.
Blaylock, James P. The Digging Leviathan. Ace, 1984. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with a tiny flake from the bottom front corner tip, inscribed by Blaylock: “To John Pelan,/the favorite of my/own books./Cheers/James P. Blaylock.” Replaces an unsigned copy and supplements an inscribed first of the Morrigan hardback. Bought for $5.
Blaylock, James P. The Disappearing Dwarf. Del Rey, 1983. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with edgewear and flake chips to outer rear corners, inscribed by Blaylock: “To John,/on the first anniversary/of a hell of a good idea./Cheers,/Jim,/aka James P. Blaylock.” Sequel to The Elfin Ship. Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought for $5.
Blaylock, James P. The Elfin Ship. Del Rey, 1983. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with slight spine creasing, inscribed by Blaylock: “To John Pelan,/My first book, but/not a bad one, I/hope./Best wishes/James P. Blaylock. Bought for $5.
Blaylock, James P. The Stone Giant. Ace, 1989. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy with the barest trace of edgewear. Inscribed by Blaylock: “James P. Blaylock/For John,/I hope this is readable./I write it about 5 years/ago and don’t rightly/remember./Cheers/Jim.” Sequel to The Disappearing Dwarf. Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought for $5.
Bloch, Robert. Midnight Pleasures. Doubleday, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Bloch: “Yours Truly, Robert Bloch!” Short story collection.
Bloch, Robert. The Opener of the Way. Arkham House, 1945. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy with slight bumping at head and heel, slight wear in letters of spine, bookstore sticker to bottom of inner front cover, and a few touches of wear to boards, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with abrasion rub down right front fold edge, slight wear at head, slight loss at points, and slight dust soiling to rear cover, with auction sticker laid in, inscribed by Bloch: “To Charles R./Tanner with best wishes,/Robert Bloch, 1948.” What the people doing the Heritage description didn’t note (and possibly didn’t know) was that Charles R. Tanner was a fellow contemporary pulp writer (both had work in Amazing Stories), most famously of “Tumithak of the Corridors,” which appeared in Isaac Asimov’s Before the Golden Age. Flanagan, Robert Bloch: A Bio-Bibliography, page 49. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 10. Currey, page 46. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 10. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 10. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide 10 (also #23 on the Most Valuable list). Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 36. Bleiler, Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 209. Chalker/Owings, pages 22-23. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 299-300. (For an association copy signed to Robert Bloch, see this.)
Bloch, Robert. Out Of My Head. NESFA Press, 1986. First edition hardback, #371 of 800 hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bloch. Chalker/Owings, page 303. Replaces an equally perfect unsigned copy in my collection.
Bloch, Robert. Psycho II. Whispers Press, 1982. First edition hardback, #516 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Supposedly very different than the movie of the same name. Supplements a trade edition. Chalker/Owings, page 476.
Brackett, Leigh. The Ginger Star. Ballantine Books, 1974. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight wear at heel, edges and points, otherwise a tight, square copy. Currey, page 52. Bought for $2.
Brackett, Leigh. The Hounds of Skaith. Ballantine Books, 1974. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with slight bumping to bottom corner and a trace of edgewear, otherwise a tight, square copy. Currey, page 52. Bought for $2.
Bradbury, Ray. Dawn to Dusk: Cautionary Travels. Gauntlet, 2011. First edition hardback, #67 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Somehow missed this when it came out, maybe because I was dealing with one of my periodic bouts of unemployment. Bought for $76 off eBay.
Bradbury, Ray. Farewell Summer. Morrow, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket with “National Book Award Distinguished Contribution to American Letters” sticker (presumably as issued; he was awarded it in 2000), signed by Bradbury. Sequel to Dandelion Wine.
Bradbury, Ray. The Last Circus & The Electrocution. Lord John Press, 1980. First edition hardback, #105 of 300 copies signed by Bradbury and introduction author William F. Nolan, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Two stories, an introduction by Nolan and an afterword by Bradbury. Supplements a signed trade copy.
Bradbury, Ray. The Machineries of Joy. Simon & Schuster, 1964. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with previous owner’s name, city, and date to FFE, corners slightly bumped, slight bend at head and heel, and slight wear along bottom board edges, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 3/16″ triangular chip at head join, slight edgewear at head and heel, bit of wrinkling to top edge, a few small, closed tears, a tiny bit of loss at points, and a few slight spots of dust soiling, signed and dated (“12/12/86”) by Bradbury. Short story collection. Nolan, The Ray Bradbury Companion, pages 148-150. Weist, Bradbury: An Illustrated Life, page 72. Currey, page 56.
Bradbury, Ray. One For The Road. Morrow, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bradbury. Short story collection, including a smattering of older stories.
Bradbury, Ray. Phoenix 451. Gauntlet Press, 2022. First edition hardback, one of 350 unsigned copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Huge 833-page collection. “We are proud to be publishing five versions of Fahrenheit-451 he wrote beginning in 1955.” Plus a whole lot more, including color plates, play texts, ancillary material, etc. Bought from the publisher. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, which I intend to mail out Friday.
Bradbury, Ray. The Parrot Who Met Papa b/w David Aronovitz’s The Parrot Who Met Papa (concluded). The Pretentious Press, 1991. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, signed by Bradbury, then subsequently inscribed “Tom! Nov. 6, 1994.” Just about all these Pretentious Press chapbooks are hard to find and pricey. Bought from an online dealer for $150.
Bradbury, Ray. The Tonybee Convector. Knopf, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Bradbury: “Joe Anne &/Lee/Ray Bradbury/Dec. 10/1988.” Replaces an unsigned copy.
Bradbury, Ray. When Elephants Last In The Dooryard Bloomed. Knopf, 1973. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel, in a Near Fine, price-clipped dust jacket, signed and dated (“12/12/86”). Supplements a later printing.
(Bradbury, Ray) Sam Weller. Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews. Stopsmling Books, 2010. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with a small hardback run), a Fine copy, signed by Bradbury. Collection of interviews Weller did with Bradbury, plus a previously unpublished Paris Review interview. Bought for $40 from an online bookseller.
Brin, David. The River of Time. Dark Harvest, 1986. First edition hardback, copy “Q” of 52 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy (maybe Fine- with the spine of the gold biding showing a slight greenish tinge) in a Fine wooden “slipcrate,” sans dust jacket, as issued. Short story collection. Chalker/Owings, page 119. A lot of the Dark Harvest slipcrate editions were leather or imitation leather, but I have no idea what to call this goldish binding. This is the fourth Dark Harvest slipcrate edition I’ve bought, after George R. R. Martin’s Portraits of His Children, Joe R. Lansdale’s The Nightrunners, and Chet Williamson’s Dreamthorpe. Bought from a UK dealer for £50, which works out to less than the original $100 list price.
Brunner, John. The Productions of Time. Signet, 1967. First paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight darkening to pages and a trace of edgewear to points. 1967 Nebula nominee for Best Novella. De Bolt, The Happening Worlds of John Brunner page 203. Currey, page 72 (he says the text was “badly edited” without Brunner’s approval). Bought for $2.99.
(Burroughs, William S.) Morgan, Ted. Literary Outlaw: The Life and Time of William S. Burroughs. Henry Holt, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight haze rubbing. Reportedly one of the best biographies of Burroughs. Shoaf, Collecting William S. Burroughs in Print: A Checklist, IV.42. Bought for $7.99 at Half Price Books.
Campbell, John W. Cloak of Aesir. Shasta Publisher, 1952. First edition hardback, a Near Fine- copy with 2″ x 3/4″ light black staining to back rear cover (appears to be moisture staining from the cover dye), with a tiny bit of transfer to the very bottom outer tips of last few pages as well, with a few slightly light spots to boards, slight bumping at head and heel, and slight foxing along gutters, in a Very Good- dust jacket with light staining down spine, spots of light staining across back cover, shallow edge chipping at head, heel and points, signed by Campbell. Stories written under his Don A. Stuart pen name. Currey, page 97. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 46. Chalker Ownings, page 398. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 166. Supplements an unsigned copy. Bought for £36.
Campbell, Ramsey (S. T. Joshi, editor). Certainly: Essays and Reviews, 2002-2017. PS Publishing, 2021. First edition hardback, #168 of 200 signed, numbered copies in slipcase, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Companion volume to Probably, which I also have. Bought from the publisher for £20. I will have one copy for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog (probably May or June).
Cannell, Stephen J. White Sister. St. Martin’s Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed and dated (“9/12/06”) by Cannell. Bought off the Internet for $5.
Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Way. Centipede Press, 2021. First edition, #156 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine two-piece capped cloth slipcase, still in shrinkwrap. With:
Card, Orson Scott. Speaker for the Dead. Centipede Press, 2020. First edition thus, #156 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine two-piece capped cloth slipcase. Hugo and Nebula winner for best novel. Both books bought for $400 off eBay, a significant discount off the original cover price for both ($250 for Ender’s Way and $295 for Speaker for the Dead.
Carter, Lin. Dreams from R’lyeh. Arkham House, 1975. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine- dust jacket with wear at head, heel and points, and dust soiling to rear cover, mostly along fold edge. Poetry collection. In terms of desirability, this one is way, way down the list of Arkhams that took forever to sell out, down there with Gary Myer’s In the House of the Worm and those very later novels from people nobody ever heard of. Honestly, I was sort of surprised to discover that I hadn’t already picked up a cheap copy somewhere along the line. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 133. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 137. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 139.
Chabon, Michael. A Model World and Other Stories. Morrow, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Chabon, with review slip laid in. Short story collection, and Chabon’s second book. Bought for $10.
Chabon, Michael, editor. McSweeney’s Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories. Vintage Books, 2004. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Anthology with stories by Stephen King, Peter Straub, Margaret Atwood, etc. Companion to McSweeny’s/Chabon’s Thrilling Tales volume, which I also have. Bought for $7 from Recycled Books.
Chambers, Robert W. (Lisa Morton, editor). A Little Yellow Book of Carcosa and Kings. Borderlands Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 copies signed by Morton, a Fine copy, sans dust, as issued. Four linked horror tales, all reprinted from The King in Yellow, all set in a then-future United States. Now sold out from the publisher. I have one copy of this still available through Lame Excuse Books.
Clarke, Arthur C. Tales From The White Hart. Harcourt, Brace & World, 1970. First hardback edition (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), a Near Fine+ copy with what appears to be a 1″ slight sticker pull inside front cover and tarnishing to “o” in “from” gold metal colored lettering on spine, in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of edgewear at heel. A collection of “club stories,” sort of the English version of the American tall tale. Currey, page 115. Bought for $40.
Clute, John. Sticking To the End. Beccon, 2022. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with a bump at head. Collection of reviews, essays, etc. Supposedly both Beccon and Clute’s last book. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have copies available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Coldiron, Katherine. Midnight Movie Monographs: Plan 9 From Outer Space. PS Publishing/Electric Dreamhouse, 2021. First edition hardback, #209 of 300 copies with a signed faux movie ticket laid in (along with a “Watch Bad Movies/Make Good Art” sticker), a Fine copy in decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket. A book-length study of Ed Wood’s infamous magnum opus of the same name, widely hailed (or derided) as the worst movie ever made, as featured in the Tim Burton film Ed Wood. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available though Lame Excuse Books.
Dann, Jack. Masters of Science Fiction: Jack Dann. Centipede Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #251 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. A very attractive volume, as are the other books in this series.
Davidson, Avram. Beer! Beer! Beer! Or All The Seas With Oysters Publishing (OATSWOP), 2021. First edition print-on-demand trade paperback (the only print edition offered), a Fine copy. An original prohibition tale unearthed by the Davidson estate and offered through Amazon, which is the only place it’s available.
Davidson, Avram. Rogue Dragon. Ace, 1965. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ cover price, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with just a trace of edgewear at top outer point, but tight and square with bright white portions of cover. Currey, page 131. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Bought from Half Price Books for $5.
Davidson, Avram. What Strange Stars and Skies. Ace, 1965. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ cover price, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with a tiny crease across the Ace logo at head, otherwise tight and square. Currey, page 131. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Bought for $3.
de Camp, L. Sprague and P. Schuyler Miller. Genus Homo. Fantasy Press, 1950. First edition hardback, first state (Currey A) binding of green cloth lettered in gold, #172 of 500 numbered copies signed by both authors, further inscribed by Miller “To Sylvester Brown, Jr./in the hope that we’ve guessed/all wrong about tomorrow,” a Near Fine- copy with non-authorial judgement of the book written in a neat hand on the inside front cover (hidden by dj flap), gold spine lettering slightly rubbed and bumping at heel, and trace of foxing to inside covers and end-papers, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with closed tear creases to the bottom 1/4″ to 1/8″ of the front bottom edge, smaller closed tear and creasing at heed, quarter-sized abrasion to front cover affecting G in “Genus,” edgewear at heel, slight dust soiling to white back cover, and a few other touches of rubbing (slightly exaggerated in scan). Sleeper awakes sort of novel about a busload of humans awakening in a far future world ruled by evolved primates (thirteen years before Pierre Boulle’s La Planète des singes). I had several de Camp signatures already, but not one for Miller. Currey, page 133. Chalker Owings, page 160. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 32. Bought for £45.
Delany, Samuel R. Dhalgren. Gregg Press, 1977. First hardback edition (and first edition thus, containing textual differences), a Near Fine- copy with spine just starting to crease, a few of spots of light rubbing to the spine, light dust spotting to top and side page block edges, six small, neat red page numbers from the introduction written inside the front cover, and a few small annotations in the same red in the introduction itself, sans dust jacket, as issued. It’s hard to overstate just how massively wide this book is, over 1,000 pages with the lengthy introduction, easily the widest book Gregg Press ever published, and one of the hardest Gregg Press titles to find period (reportedly only 350 copies were published), probably only behind Dick’s Dr. Bloodmoney and possibly the two Locus volumes. L. W. Currey was already asking $300 for a copy in 1989, and they don’t tend to come on the market much. Though far from my own favorite of Delany’s work, it is probably the very hardest of his books to find. K. Leslie Steiner, “Some remarks on Reading Dhalgren,” pages 57-92 in Delany’s The Straits of Messina. Weedman, Samuel R. Delany, pages 61-69. McEvoy, Samuel R. Delany, pages 97-120. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 4-127. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 533-538. (“Dhalgren marks the nadir of pessimism in science fiction’s tradition of social criticism.”) Currey, page 139. Bought for $300 from someone selling off their book collection.
(Note: Ignore the blotches on the middle right part of the image, which is just the edge of another book I used to prop Dhalgren up on the scanner so I could scan the spine. And ignore the left side taper at the bottom.)
Delany, Samuel R. The Fall of the Towers. Gregg Press, 1977. First hardback edition, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bumping to top outer edge, sans dust jacket, as issued. Omnibus volume that includes Captives of the Flame (AKA Out of the Dead City), The Towers of Toron, and City of a Thousand Suns. McEvoy, Samuel R. Delany, pages 28-44. K. Leslie Steiner, “Ruins/Foundations, or The Fall of the Towers Twenty Years After,” pages 99-154 in Delany’s The Straits of Messina. Currey, page 140. Bought from a UK dealer for £67.50.
Derleth, August, and Mark Schorer. Colonel Markesan and Less Pleasant People. Arkham House, 1966. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a few touches of light dust staining to rear, the largest about dime-sized near the top where the back jacket copy begins. Story collection. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 87. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 87. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 93. Bleiler, Guide to Supernatural Fiction 530.
Derleth, August, editor. Dark of the Moon: Poems of Fantasy and the Macabre. Arkham House, 1947. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with bumping to top corners, slight bumping at head and heel, and a trace of foxing to interior gutters, in a Very Good- first state (green) dust jacket with a 1″ x 1/2″ chip to top front cover, notable bump and creasing to top rear corner trace of dust soiling to perimeter of rear dust jacket slight loss at bottom rear corner, a light, thin 1″ abrasion scratch to spine just above “Arkham House,” a bit of general wear, and slight blind-side foxing; a nice copy in a flawed dust jacket. “A pioneering and well-nigh definitive anthology of weird poetry from the entire range of English and American literature…” – Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 23. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 23. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 26. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 24 (and 34th on his list of most valuable Arkham House books). Derleth, 100 Books By August Derleth 46. Bleiler, Checklist of Fantastic Fiction (1948), page 98. Bleiler, Checklist of Fantastic Fiction (1978), page 60.
Dick, Philip K. Selected Short Stories. The Folio Society, 2022. First edition hardback (“First Printing 2022”), a Fine copy in decorated boards and a decorated, die-cut slipcase that even sports a full-color illustration printed inside the slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. The pageblock edges even include a dye-pattern image of two eyes (appropriate to Dick’s frequent theme of paranoia). Plus a Jonathan Lethem introduction and a full-color illustration for each story from 24 different artists (including Dave McKean). It’s a very attractive package.
Dick, Philip K. The World Jones Made. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1968. First hardback editionb, an Ex-Library copy on which the dust jacket has been plasticized to the boards, with the front flap pasted onto the rear free endpaper, with library stamps, and slight age-darkening to pages; call it a Very Good Ex-Lib copy. Dick’s second published novel, originally published as half of an Ace Double. Probably the second hardest UK Dick hardback first to find (after The Penultimate Truth, which I already have), and it usually lists for several grand. Levack, 48g. Wintz & Hyde, Precious Artifacts, SF30.8. Currey, page 159. Bought from a UK book dealer for £327.
(Dick, Philip K.) R.D. Mullin, Istvan Csicsery Rosney, Jr., Arthur B. Evans and veronica Hollinger, editors. On Philip K. Dick: 40 Articleas from Science-Fiction Studies. SF-TH, Inc., 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of critical essays on Dick from a wide variety of authors (Kim Stanley Robinson, Gregg Rickman, Stainislaw Lem, etc.). I was unaware that there was a hardback of this until it showed up in the catalog. Supplements a trade paperback copy. Bought for £112.50.
Di Filippo, Paul. Aeota. PS Publishing, 2019. First edition hardback, trade edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements a signed, limited edition. Bought for £5. I have one copy of this available though Lame Excuse Books.
Drake, Leah Bodine. A Hornbook for Witches. Arkham House, 1950. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with foxing to gutters and under flaps, slight bumping at heel (and unlike most Arkham (and U.S.) books, the printing on the book is 180° off what you would expect, running up the spine rather than down, so from bottom to top it reads “Drake • A HORNBOOK FOR WITCHES • Arkham House”), and a very slight bit of wear to Arkham’s usual Black Novelex boards, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with shallow 1/16″ chipping at head, heel and points, and age darkening to spine; a fairly nice copy. One of the rarest Arkham House books, with only 553 copies printed, and Jaffrey states that Drake took “about 300 copies” for her own distribution. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 43. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 43. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 40 (“There are few copies around, and copies are really hard to come by”). Nielsen, Arkham House Books, 44 (and #5 on his list of “The Thirty-Five Most Valuable Arkham House Books”). Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy Three, page 29. Kemp, The Anthem Series, pages 334 (“Scarcest Arkham House title of all.”), which also notes an audiobook edition of the title narrated by Vincent Price (though evidently only including four of the poems here). Bought from a fellow Biblio dealer for $832.
Dowling, Terry. The Complete Rynosseros (Volumes I, II and III). PS Publishing, 2020. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 300 signed, numbered sets, all Fine copies in decorated boards and Fine dust jackets and a Fine slipcase. All Dowling’s Tom Rynosseros stories. An attractive production with Nick Stathopoulos art. Volume III features Dowling discussing the origins and developments of every story. Volume I even has an introduction by Jack Vance! Bought for £60 for the set, a considerable discount from the £150 offering price.
(Doyle, Arthur Conan) Miranker, Cathy and Glen S., curators. Sherlock Holmes in 221 Objects: From the Collection of Glenn S. Miranker. The Grolier Club, 2022. First edition hardback, reportedly one of only 500 copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. A descriptive catalog, with pictures, of items exhibited from Miranker’s Sherlock Holmes collection, including not only rare first editions (including the only know first edition, first printing of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in dust jacket), but also Doyle letters, original art, movie posters, etc. A fascinating and extensive collection.
Dozois, Gardner (Michael Swanwick, interviewer). In His Own Words. Dragonstairs, 2022. First edition chapbook original, #56 of 60 numbered copies signed by Swanwick, a Fine copy. Condensed transcription of an interview Swanwick conducted with Gardner at the 2001 Capclave. Instantly out of print from the publisher.
Dozois, Gardner, editor. The Very Best of the Best. St. Martins, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bends at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with slight curl at head and heel. A best of best of collection.
Ellison, Harlan. The Man With Nine Lives/A Touch of Infinity. Ace Books, 1960. First edition paperback original (35¢ on cover, as per Currey), a Near Fine- copy with wear at head and heel and the usual age-darkening to pages, signed twice by Ellison at each of the two title pages. The Man With Nine Lives is a novella and A Touch of Infinity is a short story collection. Quite an attractive copy, nice and square with quite bright covers, and better than usually found. Richmond, Fingerprints on the Sky, page 107-108. Currey, page 178. Bought off eBay for $44.95.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Flesh. Doubleday, 1968. First hardback edition and first revised edition, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight age-toning to white dust jacket, a few tiny closed tears at top edge, and some small black marks at head that may have one been a price written there, signed by Farmer. Currey, page 184. Bought from the same notable UK bookseller as Dwellers in the Mirage for £52.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Dark is the Sun. Del Rey, 1979. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Farmer. Bought off eBay for $35.
Farmer, Philip Jose. The Lovers. Ballantine Books, 1961. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Very Good+ copy with crease across bottom rear corner and slight spine lean, signed by Farmer. One of the first science fiction novels to deal frankly with sexual themes. Brizzi, The Work of Philip Jose Farmer, pages 18-24. Currey, page 185. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, *3-69. Supplements a signed copy of the later hardback first edition. Won off eBay for $9.99.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Tarzan Alive: A Definitive Biography of Lord Greystoke. Doubleday, 1972. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy with bumping at head, heel and top front corner, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with several small closed tears (and associated creases) at heel, slight dust soiling to white portions of dust jacket, and a few other touches of wear, inscribed by Farmer: “To Mitchell Haneson/from/Philip Jose Farmer/Oct 21,/1989/Chicago.” Fictional biography of Tarzan, and a central text in Farmer’s “Wold Newton Universe,” which ties a vast array of fictional heroes, from Sherlock Holmes to Doc Savage, into one extended family. Brizzi, Philip Jose Farmer, page 72. Currey, page 185. Bought off eBay for $39.99. Replaces an unsigned copy.
Ford, Jeffrey. The Best of Jeffrey Ford. PS Publishing, 2020. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a fine slipcase. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for £15 plus shipping.
Ford, Jeffrey. The Best of Jeffrey Ford. PS Publishing, 2020. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. 550+ page volume. Bought for £5. I have one copy of this available though Lame Excuse Books.
Frazier, Charles. Cold Mountain. Atlantic Monthly Press, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- Mylar-protected dust jacket with faint 1/4″ scratch with John Berendt blurb sticker on it (as issued), in a Fine- after-market slipcase with one small bump to bottom rear corner. National Book Award winning Civil War novel that was the basis of the acclaimed 2003 movie of the same name. Bought from Half-Price Books for $30. I see these particular aftermarket slipcases sold on eBay, where they list for $85.
Gaiman, Neil (Gary Gianni, illustrator). The Case of Death and Honey. Arte Editions, 2022. First edition hardback, #254 of 500 numbered copies signed by Gianni (plus an additional 70 publisher’s copies), a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. A very attractive book, stamped in gold and black on full red cloth binding, black and red printing, numerous black and white (and one color) illustrations from Gianni. A Sherlock Holmes story from Gaiman. There were numbered and lettered editions signed by Gaiman in different bindings that were already sold out by the time I found out about this book. Bought from the publisher at a thin discount. Note: The slipcase was extra, and is not included in every copy of this edition.
Gaiman, Neil. Trigger Warning. HarperCollins, 2015. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of crimping at head. Short story collection. Bought for $12.14
Gevers, Nick, and Peter Crowther, editors. New Worlds Issue #1. PS Publishing, 2021 (i.e., 2022). First edition hardback, #49 of 200 copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket, and a Fine embossed slipcase. Latest resurrection of this venerable UK fiction title, most famous for Michael Moorcock’s New Wave editorship in the 1960s, and Moorcock contributes a story (and signature) here, as do Alan Moore, Michael Swanwick, Ken MacLeod, James Lovegrove, Ian Watson, Ian R. MacLeod, etc. The trade paperback version came out last year, but this hardback edition is already out of print. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Gingrich, Newt and William R. Forstchen. Never Call Retreat: Lee and Grant: The Final Victory. St. Martins, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gingrich. Bought from Half Price Books for $7.99.
Golding, William. The Inheritors. Faber and Faber, 1955. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a bump at head in a Near Fine dust jacket with a few faint, tiny spots to top rear outer corner, slight spotting at very top and bottom of flaps, slight bump at head, and numerous small blind side spots. All in all a very nice copy. Novel of Homo Sapiens driving the last Neanderthals to extinction. Pringle, Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels 19. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 1036-1039. Bought from a fellow Biblio dealer for £179.80 (including shipping).
Harrison, Harry. The Man From P.I.G.. Avon/Camelot Original, 1968. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with one spine crease and usual mild age-darkening of pages. Currey, page 225. Bought for $1.99.
Heinlein, Robert A. Beyond This Horizon. Fantasy Press, 1948. First edition hardback, #413 of 500 signed, numbered subscriber copies (Currey State A), a Very Good copy with former owner George Price’s name and address on inside front cover and a quote from Hamlet (“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”) written on the front free endpaper in the same hand, with bumping at head and heel and a few faint spots of foxing to first few pages, in a Good+ dust jacket with 1/2″ chips to heel and bottom front cover, 1/4″ tackhead-sized chip to spine (affecting bottom of “O” in “HORIZON”), plus a few lesser chips, creases, rubs and general wear. Inscribed by Heinlein: “For George W. Price/All good wishes!/Robert A. Heinlein.” George W. Price ran Advent Publishers and participated in the 1959 Chicago Worldcon bid, and he seems to be still alive at age 93. Heinlein’s second novel. Currey, page 232. Chalker/Owings, page 158. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-84. Bought for £350 from a notable UK book dealer.
Heinlein, Robert A. Glory Road. Putnam, 1963. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), an Ex-Library copy with front free endpaper excised, discard stamps, abrasion wear along bottom boards, light paste-ghosts to inside covers, reinforcement to front and rear gutters, etc.; call it a Good+ Ex-Lib copy in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 1/32″ strip of loss at very bottom of heel, slight wear and creasing at head and heel, trace of crease along front spine join, thin, closed 2″ tear/crack along spine to middle of back cover, slight wear at points, and the barest trace of those paste ghosts to blind side; actually a very presentable copy of the dust jacket. Replaces another Ex-Library copy (non-first) in my collection. Currey, page 232. Bought for $16 from a collector culling his collection.
Heinlein, Robert A. The Man Who Sold The Moon. Shasta Publishers, 1950. First edition hardback, one of 250 copies signed by Heinlein, a Very Good copy with spine slightly concave at top, slight bumping at head and heel, slight rub ear to lettering at head and heel, points slightly bumping, and traces of wear to boards, with the “FUTURE HISTORY/1951-2600 A.D.” sticker added to front free endpaper and inside back cover (as issued), in a Very Good- dust jacket with 1/8″ loss across heel, 1/8″ ship at head points and associated creasing, 3/4″ abrasion (possibly a sticker pull) near bottom of spine, not affecting any lettering, moderate creasing along spine and flap folds, slight age darkening to spine, very slight darkening to rear cover and tops of flaps, and usual blind side foxing. A fairly nice copy that I’ll probably ended up swapping the better dust jacket on my trade copy with. Bought from a private seller for $500. Chalker/Owings, page 398. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 162. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 109. Currey, page 233.
Heinlein, Robert A. The Menace From Earth. Gnome Press, 1959. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy with slight bumping at head, heel and points (and far less than usual age darkening to the cheap later Gnome Press paper) in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with one 1/8″ closed tear and associated triangular crease to bottom rear dust jacket, very slight age darkening to spine, trace of edgewear to rear flap, and a few traces of dust soiling to white over, otherwise an extremely nice example of the dust jacket. Short story collection, including the classic “By His Bootstraps.” Currey, page 233. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 109. Chalker/Owings, page 205. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 278. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-87. ISFDB notes no price on dust jacket (as is the case here). Bought for £250 from a notable UK book dealer.
Heinlein, Robert A. Rocket Ship Galileo. Scribner’s, 1947. First edition hardback (Scribner’s seal and “A” printing code, as per Currey), a Near Fine copy with non-authorial inscription on FFE and mild blocks of foxing to inner covers and endpapers, in a Near Fine first state (unclipped $2.00 price) dust jacket with a pinhead-sized hole near heel and spine fading, and a tiny bit of wrinkling to bottom rear flap, otherwise a bright, vibrant example of the dust jacket. It’s a really attractive copy, and because the area of the hole and the board color are both dark, it doesn’t jump out at you. Currey, page 234. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 109 (he calls for “light yellow” endpapers, but these are really more of a light tan). Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, *5-62. Franklin, Robert A. Heinlein: America as Science Fiction, pages 75-76. Not in 333. Not in Magill’s Survey of Science Fiction Literature. Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $360.
Hill, Joe. The Fireman. Morrow, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements a later limited edition. Bought for $14.99 at Half Price Books.
Hill, Joe. Strange Weather. William Morrow, 2017. First edition hardback, “Barnes & Noble Black Friday Signed Edition” as per the ISBN and copyright page (the first signed edition listed), one of an undetermined number with a signature page bound in (very similar to the one in Full Throttle), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of four novellas. Bought for $40.05 from a fellow Biblio dealer.
Hill, Joe. Strange Weather: Aloft, Rain, Loaded, and Snapshot. Cemetery Dance, 2022. First edition thus and first separate editions of all four individual titles, all of which were originally published in Hill’s 2017 Strange Weather novella collection, each volume one of 948 copies signed by the artist (Charles Paul Wilson III for Aloft, Renae De Luz and Ray Dillon for Rain, and Zach Howard for Loaded), and Snapshot being numbered 781 and signed by both Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez, all Fine copies in Fine dust jackets and a Fine slipcase. (There was also evidently a 52 copy lettered edition offered for $1,000 I haven’t seen.) An attractive production. Bought for cover price, and sold out five years before publication…
Hodgson, William Hope (Michael Bailey, editor). A Little Aquamarine Book of Agitated Water. Borderlands Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 copies signed by the editor, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Includes many (but by no means all) of Hodgson’s eerie stories and poems about the sea, something he really excelled in.
Holkins, Jerry and Mike Krahulik. Lexcalibur II: The Word in the Stone. Penny Arcade, 2021 (i.e., 2022). First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. More fantasy-gaming themed humorous poetry, and sequel to the first Lexcalibur.
Howard, Robert E. Always Comes Evening. Arkham House, 1957. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with an old bookstore sticker inside the front cover and just a trace of foxing to gutters, in a Near Fine, price-slipped dust jacket with slight dust soiling to rear cover and slight age-darkening to letters, and a few other touches of wear. “Another volume that must be called a landmark.” – S. T. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House. Howard’s first poetry collection, the second of three Howard books published by Arkham House, compiled by Howard estate executor Glenn Lord. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 50. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 50. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 49. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 53. Nielsen also ranks it 9th for scarcity and 13th most valuable, though the latter is out of date, since it’s much pricier and harder to find that Skull-Face and Others these days. Bought off eBay for $650.
Howard, Robert E. (Tim Underwood, editor). “…and their memory was a bitter tree…”. BlackBart, 2008. First edition hardback, #45 of 500 copies signed by illustrator Brom, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. A volume lavishly illustrated in color by Brom and Frank Frazetta, with a preface by Arnie Fenner and an afterword by H. P. Lovecraft. Bought for $125. This appears to be the only book BlackBart ever did.
Howard, Robert E. Bran Mak Morn: The Last King. Wandering Star, 2005. First edition hardback, #634 of 850 numbered copies signed by illustrator Gary Gianni, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- slipcase with a trace of wear at points, with a CD containing a reading of “Worms of the Earth” laid in. This and the other Wandering Star books here have gilt top edges. Bought for $125.
Howard, Robert E. The Iron Man. Donald M. Grant, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a 1/2″ high area of abrasion across bottom of front and back boards near spine (but not at the spine itself), in a Fine- dust jacket with slight touches of wear at points and elsewhere. Howard’s boxing stories. Obtained as a throw-in freebie on another order.
Howard, Robert E. Robert E. Howard’s Conan of Cimmeria: Volume One (1932-1933). Wandering Star, 2002. First edition hardback, #89 of 100A [sic] numbered slipcased copies signed by artist Mark Schultz, with eight pages of black and white sketches after page 348, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, bought still in shrinkwrap (taken out to verify the state). Bought for $300 (which is all of $30 more than original cover price 20 years ago, and the trade edition typically lists for more) from a private collector.
Howard, Robert E. Robert E. Howard’s Complete Conan of Cimmeria Volume Two (1934). Wandering Star, 2005. First edition hardback, #1462 of 1950 numbered copies signed by illustrator Gary Gianni, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with flyer for volume 3 with limitation number laid in. Bought for $187.50.
Howard, Robert E. Robert E. Howard’s Complete Conan of Cimmeria Volume Three (1935). Wandering Star, 2005. First edition hardback, 401 of 1000 numbered copies signed by illustrator Gregory Manchess. Bought for $175.
Howard, Robert E. The Ultimate Triumph: The Heroic Fantasy of Robert E Howard. Wandering Star, 1999. First edition hardback, #0507 of 1,500 slipcased copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, still in shrinkwrap, with limitation bookmark. Bought for $125 from a private collector.
(Howard, Robert E.) Joe R. Lansdale, Nathan Fox and Dave Stewart. Pigeons From Hell. Dark Horse, 2009. First edition graphic novel trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed by Lansdale. Based on the Robert E. Howard novella. Bought for $10 from a private collector.
Hubbard, L. Ron. Ole Doc Methuselah. Theta Press, 1970. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with age-darkening to white portions. Fixup novel of linked stories originally published 1946-1950. Strangely, there is no printing at all on the spine or cover of the book itself. Currey, page 256. Bought for $12 from Recycled Books.
Hughes, Matt. One More Kill. PS Publishing, 2018. First edition hardback, #22 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for £8 plus shipping. I will have one copy of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
James, M. R. (edited and illustrated by Stephen R. Jones). A Little Jasmine Book of M. R. James. Borderlands Books, 2022. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 copies signed by Jones, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Six tales from the master of the ghost story, plus some nonfiction pieces from James, Jones and others, including a select bibliography.
Kelly, James Patrick. Think Like A Dinosaur. Golden Gryphon Press, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with about 3/8″ slight abrasion or fade to the very top of the front cover, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wrinkling at head and heel and slight edgewear at points and top of dust jacket, inscribed by Kelly: “To Katelein/Keep writing/+/:/Yr pal/Jim/ 4/19/98.” Short story collection. Supplements a perfect but unsigned copy. Bought for $11.49.
King, Stephen. The Dead Zone. Viking, 1979. First edition hardback (“First published in 1979 by the Viking Press” on the copyright page), a Fine copy in a Fine, first state (price of $11.95 and code 0879 on the bottom of the flap), Mylar-protected dust jacket, inscribed by King: “To Brian —/Be well, hope you/like this/Stephen King/10/13/79.”). King’s seventh novel, and the fifth under his own name. Collings, Horror Plumbed, A7. Spignesi, The Shape Under the Sheet, pages 241-247. Waiter/Golden/Wagner, Stephen King Universe (Cemetery Dance edition), pages 187-194. Bought for $240.
King, Stephen. Elevation. Hodder & Stoughton, 2018. First edition hardback (the UK and the US edition came out the same day, which means the UK should precede by several hours, if that matters), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of surface wear. Castle Rock novella that looks like a cross between Thinner, Peyton Place and Up. Bought for $9.99 at Half Price Books.
King, Stephen. Gerald’s Game. Viking, 1992. First edition “preview edition,” one of 2,000 hardback copies with a handwritten note by King printed on the front free endpaper distributed at the 1992 American Booksellers Association convention, a Fine copy in a Fine printed and stapled cardboard slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collings, Horror Plumbed, A45. Waiter/Golden/Wagner, Stephen King Universe (Cemetery Dance edition), pages 285-290. Bought for $48.
King, Stephen. Pet Sematary. Doubleday, 1983. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Collings, Horror Plumbed, A22. Spignesi, The Shape Under the Sheet, pages 301-304. Waiter/Golden/Wagner, Stephen King Universe (Cemetery Dance edition), pages 269-278. Bought for $15.
(King, Stephen and Stanley Kubrik) Oldham, Craig, editor. The Shining: A Visual and Cultural Haunting (Epiphany Edition). Rough Trade Books (via Kickstarter), 2022. First edition, printed pages and pamphlets loose in a decorated cardboard box, a Fine copy. It’s an elaborate production.
The loose sheets:
16 x typed replica sheets with All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy as discovered by Wendy in the film.
120 x one-page pieces analysing, exploring, and extrapolating the films ideas, themes, influences, contexts and critiques.
10 x original typewriter art portraits made using the same model of Adler typewriter used by Jack Torrance.
Some examples:
Plus “Contributor Booklets” (which are more like brochures):
9 x 8-page cultural contributor essays from a range of celebrated artists, musicians, authors, architects and curators designed to evoke the film’s intertitle cards.
Original and exclusive piece from actor Dan Lloyd (Danny Torrance), an extraordinarily rare opportunity to share memories, stories and insights from this usually private person, as well as the coup of a rare interview with Shelley Duvall (conducted by Ryan Obermeyer) shedding light on her performance and experience of the film.
Artist Gavin Turk examines myths, mirrors and mazes and looks at the film through art, whilst fashion designer Margaret Howell takes us through her iconic maroon jacket worn by Jack in the closing act of the film.
Artist and musician Cosey Fanni Tutti on sound and the unfolding domestic violence within the film. Architecture expert and writer John Grindrod on the role of The Overlook Hotel itself and the impact of such spaces on our behaviour.
Producer and Record Label head James Lavelle (UNKLE) tells of his enduring inspiration and love for Kubrick and his art whilst author Jen Calleja looks into Shelley Duvall, folklore and fairytales.
And BFI Curator and Author Michael Blyth cross-examines the character of Wendy as she appears in both the film and the original Stephen King novel.
3 x 16 page reproduced texts including essays from H.P. Lovecraft, Sigmund Freud, and a short story which was a key influence for Kubrick when developing the film.
H.P. Lovecraft — Supernatural Horror in Literature An extract from the seminal yet largely overlooked essay that significantly influenced decisions not to explain the horrors which unfold at The Overlook.
Stephen Crane — The Blue Hotel First serialised in 1898, the American author’s story was highlighted by Kubrick in interviews as similar to events unfolding in The Shining and offers an insight into the director’s read of the film.
Sigmund Freud — The Uncanny Diane Johnson (co-writer of The Shining) cited Freud’s influential 1919 essay “The Uncanny” as a key text in Kubrick’s research. Freud explores many ideas that are woven through the film: retracing steps, recurring numbers and motifs, and the significance of the double. We will re-publish an extract from the essay.
Koontz, Dean R. Odd Thomas. Bantam Books, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and heel, slight haze rubbing to reflective surfaces, and one small spot of blind-side staining at heel. Another book Scott Cupp recommended. Bought for $7.20.
Lake, Jay. Last Plane to Heaven. Tor, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Short story collection. Foreword by Gene Wolfe. Bought for $7.19.
Lansdale, Joe R. Born For Trouble: The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard. Tachyon Press, 2022. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Dread Island. IDW Publishers, 2010. First edition hardback, #60 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine- copy with slight wear at head and small abrasion to bottom board edge, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wear, in a Fine slipcase. Supplements a signed, non-slipcased copy. Bought off eBay as part of an under $100 lot. Isajanko, A039aii.
Lansdale, Joe R. Gothic Wounds. Short Scary Tales, 2022. First edition hardback, #101 of 550 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket with tissue paper sealing sticker, shipping thanks card and SST business card laid in. The fourth in the Lansdale collected stories series. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Magic Wagon. Borderlands Press, 1991. First limited edition hardback, #597 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Supplements an inscribed copy of the true Double-D western hardback first, the UK hardback first, and the BookVoice signed/limited hardback edition. Bought off eBay for $43.
Lansdale, Joe R. Moon Lake. Short Scary Tales Publications (SST), 2022. First limited edition hardback, #101 of 500 signed, numbered copies (matching my other SST Lansdale limiteds), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket with business card, shipping card and tissue paper seal laid in.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Two-Bear Mambo. James Cahill Publishing, 1995. First edition hardback, letter T of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket (as issued), in a Fine slipcase. Supplements a copy of the regular Cahill limited edition, which is distinctly less attractive than this. I saw a picture of someone else’s copy of this and went “That’s pretty! I need to pick that up!” Isajanko, A017aii. Bought off a fellow dealer for $200.
Lansdale, Joe R. Radiant Apples. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #347 of 1,500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Deadwood Dick novella. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Zeppelins West. Subterranean Press, 2001. First edition hardback, #222 of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. This edition includes extra sketches at the back. Bought from a UK book dealer for £54.
Lansdale, Joe R. (with Timothy Truman and Sam Glanzman). Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo. DC Vertigo, 1994. First edition graphic novel (preceded by the individual comic issues), trade paperback format, a Fine copy. According to comics decoding, the “00111” code on the bar code on the back cover indicates issue 1, cover variant 1 (don’t think there were any others in this case), and first printing (the last 1). Bought off eBay for $9.99.
Lansdale, Joe R., and Timothy Truman. On the Far Side With Dead Folks. Avatar, 2004. First edition graphic novel trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Adapted from Lansdale’s “On the Far Side Of The Cadillac Desert With Dead Folks.” Bought for $10 from a private collector.
Lansdale, Joe R., editor. Retro Pulp Tales. Subterranean Press, 2006. First edition hardback, Letter J of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, signed by all the contributors (Bill Crider, Kim Newman, etc.) to this pulp fiction anthology as well as Lansdale. Bought from a private collector for $250 plus shipping.
(Lansdale, Joe R.) Bubba Ho-Tep: Hail To The King Edition. DVD, 2007. First edition thus, a Limited Edition with the case wrapped in a miniature Elvis Presley jacket, a Near Fine+ copy, still sealed, with some peel from the black plastic at the top of the case that can probably be fixed once I open it up to watch or get Joe to sign. DVD of the movie starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis, based on the Lansdale story, with a script by Lansdale and director Don Coscarelli. Bought off eBay for $15.
Lengyel, Cornel. The Atom Clock. Fantasy Publishing Company, Inc. (FPCI), 1951. First edition chapbook original, one of 750 copies (simultaneous with a 250 copy hardback run), a Near Fine copy with sticker pull at top right of title page, over which is a small inked price of $125, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a shallow chip and associated small crease at top right of the front cover, a closed 1/16th triangular tear at top rear, slight rubbing to front cover, and slight dust soiling to white rear cover. Anti-atomic play. Won awards, but I’m sure the sentiment of the thing would strike me as naive and dated. Chalker & Owings (1991), page 179, where they note that the hardback is “almost never seen.” Kemp, The Anthem Series, pages 89-90. Bought off eBay for a $30 offer.
Lovecraft, H. P. (Peter Straub, editor). Tales. Library of America, 2005. First edition hardback (and First printing stated), a Fine copy in a Fine subscribers copy slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Has just about every one of Lovecraft’s greatest hits. Bought off eBay for a Make Offer price of $15.
Lovecraft, H. P., etc. (collected by August Derleth). Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos. Arkham House, 1969. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of dust soiling to the rear panel. Beautiful copy. “A volume that has come to be regarded as the definitive anthology of tales utilizing the framework of the ‘Cthulhu Mythos’…” – Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 102. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 97. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 109. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 108.
(Lovecraft, H.P.) Derleth, August. Some Notes on H. P. Lovecraft. Arkham House, 1959. First edition chapbook original, a Very Good copy to which someone has attached a now-yellowing plastic protector, as well as attaching the bookplate of late antiquarian book dealer Franklin Victor Spellman to the inside front cover. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 55. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 55. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 55. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 58. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House (unnumbered item between 86 and 87 on page 84). Joshi, H.P. Lovecraft: A Comprehensive Bibliography, III.C.32. Tymn/Schlobin/Currey, A Research Guide to Science Fiction Studies, 284.
Machen, Arthur. The Great God Pan and The Inmost Light. John Lane, The Bodley head/Roberts Bros., 1895. Second edition, a Very Good copy with wear along spine edges, wear at head and heel, touches of wear at points, pencil scribbling on front free endpaper, a few stray words of pencil writing, former owner Bookplate of William H. Sahud and small bookstore label to inside front cover (plus foxing shadow of that label on FFE), front inner hinge just starting to crack, and age darkening to pages. This was a screw-up, as I missed the Second Edition statement, and didn’t know off the top of my head that the true first came out in 1894, not 1895. Denielson, Arthur Machen: A Bibliography page 21. Bleiler, Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1070. Bleiler, Checklist of Science-Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 130. Bought for $240 at Recycled Books. (“This is one of those damn ‘learning opportunities,’ isn’t it?”)
“Chambers, Robert W.” (i.e., Arthur Machen)(Bentley Little, editor). A Little Brown Book of Unnatural Narratives. Borderlands Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 copies signed by Little, a Fine copy, sans dust, as issued. Three stories (“The Inmost Light,” “The Shining Pyramid” and “The Novel of the White Powder”) all reprinted from previous Machen collections. Hilariously, Borderlands accidentally kept the author embossing for Chambers from the above volume on the cover design when they printed this Machen collection, which is probably the funniest mistake since “Karl Edward Wanger” on the first state dust jacket of Gods in Darkness. With inserted slip apologizing for the typo laid in. I’ll have a few copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Malerman, Josh. A Little Red Book of Requests. Borderlands Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #290 of 500 signed copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. This came out the year after the Bird Box movie, so I imagine it disappeared very quickly.
Martin, George R. R., editor, Melinda Snodgrass. Wild Cards X: Double Solitaire. Bantam Spectra, 1992. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with one light spine crease, edgewear, wear at points, and slight foxing to inside covers.
Martin, George R. R., editor, Victor Milan. Wild Cards XII: Turn of the Cards. Bantam Spectra, 1993. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with mild spine creasing, a trace of edgewear and slight foxing to inside covers.
(George R. R. Martin, editor) Miller, John J. . Wild Cards: Death Draws Five. iBooks, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and two small indents to bottom boards and slight bumping at top points in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and top points. Solo Wild Card novel by Miller. At some con years back, Miller told me this was actually the rarest Wild Cards book. Precedes the Tor edition by 15 years. Bought from Half Price Books for $11.48.
Matheson, Richard. Purge Among Peanuts. Gauntlet Publications, 2001. First edition chapbook original, #20 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought from the same dealer as The Parrot Who Met Papa for $22.50.
Matheson, Richard, and Richard Christian Matheson. Pride. Gauntlet Press, 2002. First edition hardback, letter R of 52 lettered copies, a Fine- copy with a slight outlines of the enclosed CD of the authors reading the story on the rear cover, and a Fine traycase with a manuscript page inserted on the inside lid, sans dust jacket, as issued. A somewhat elaborate production. Features iterative drafts of this collaborative father-and-son short story. Bought from a fellow Biblio dealer for $65.
McCarthy, Cormac. Blood Meridian. Folio Society, 2022. First edition thus, an illustrated prestige reprint edition, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, in Fine slipcase, with packed-by sip laid in. His celebrated ultra-violent western. While I was in the Dallas area, I saw two firsts of Blood Meridian at two different Half Price Books stores: one was $3,500, and the other was $4,000. So I may not be able to track down an affordable first of that any time soon. Bought from the Folio Society at cover price.
McCarthy, Cormac. Cities of the Plain. Knopf, 1998. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. The third book in the Border trilogy. Bought for $9.99
McCarthy, Cormac. The Passenger and Stella Maris. Knopf, 2022. Each is a stated first edition (though there was an earlier solo release of The Passenger with a different dust jacket; without a copy of that in hand I can’t tell if the two are otherwise identical, so either first edition thus or first edition in a second state dust jacket), each a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a fine decorated slipcase. Stella Maris is “a tightly controlled coda, told entirely in dialogue” to The Passenger. Bought from Amazon for $45.45 for the pair.
McCrumb, Sharyn. Bimbos of the Death Sun. TSR, 1987. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Near Fine- copy with a dime-sized sticker pull on the top left front cover, foxing to inner covers, and touches of edgewear. Her acclaimed, Edgar-Award winning murder mystery set at a science fiction convention. Replaces a less attractive copy. Bought for $2.24.
McCutheon, Marc. The Online Price Guide to Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror. McCutheon, 2000. First edition trade paperback original (essentially just side-stapled 8 1/2″ x 11″ sheets), a Fine- copy with slight bend at top front corners. An odd self-published volume claiming to list online prices realized for a wide variety of SF/F/H books, and while the authors hit most of the biggest names, the selection is otherwise somewhat random and haphazard. Has some tidbits for things that are potentially useful, but fails to provide a lot of title-specific first edition point information (like the various dj states of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot). I can see this being slightly useful for a real newbie the year it was published, but is of extremely dubious utility now. An oddity I bought cheap just because I had never heard of it and there was almost no information about it on the internet.
McDevitt, Jack. Return To Glory. Subterranean Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #448 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with bookmark and Packed By slip laid in. This will be in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Merritt, A. Dwellers in the Mirage. Liverlight, 1932. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per Currey), a Near Fine+ copy with slight foxing to inside covers from dust jacket flaps and just a tiny bit of bend at head and heel, with gilt embossing on spine entirely intact, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with shallow chipping at head, heel and points and modest dust staining to white dust jacket and a few touches of wear, otherwise intact and unclipped. A pretty nice copy of a classic inter-war fantasy novel in dust jacket. Cawthorn & Moorcock, Fantasy: The Hundred Best Books 44. Currey, page 365. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 155. Teitler, By the World Forgot, 855. Barron, Fantasy Literature, *3-242. Bought for £240.
(Moorcock, Michael) Kirkland, James. Urish’s Hoard. Dreaming City Books, 2021. First edition? (no printing indicated, and it may well be a print-on-demand book) trade paperback original, a Fine copy. There was a Kickstarter for this back in early 2021, but after it was funded this was almost immediately available on Amazon, which is where I bought this. Though the first edition information can be had in more comprehensive forms elsewhere, there is a wealth of information on Elric comic book adaptations, art portfolios, music, games and RPG supplements, and even miniatures! There’s also a discussion of the foul-up behind the Melniboné Mythos section in the AD&D Deities and Demigods. I’d always thought TSR had done it without permission, but Mike had given his permission, not realizing that his agent had already sold RPG rights to Chaosium. Oops…
Morrow, James. Reality By Other Means: The Best Short Fiction of James Morrow. Wesleyan University Press, 2015. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. I’ll have one of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Nolan, William F. A Little Gray Book of Shadows. Borderlands Press, 2018. First edition hardback, #290 of 500 signed copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued.
Oldham, Craig, editor. They Live: A Visual and Cultural Awakening. Rough Trade Books, 2018. First edition (stated) trade paperback original, a Fine copy. A critical companion to the 1988 John Carpenter film. Bought as an add-in with the Shining box above.
O’Leary, Patrick. 51. Tachyon Press, 2022. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Roswell/Area 51 novel. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Pohl, Frederik. Midas World. St. Martin’s, 1983. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with the barest bit of bumping at head and heel, and a trace of fixing to inside covers, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a 3/16th” chip at head, a 1″ closed triangular tear with associated nailhead-sized chip to upper front near spine (and small piece of blindside tape reinforcement), and a few pinpricks of abrasion along the spine, signed by Pohl. Over-graded by the seller as Fine/Fine, but I only paid $12 for it, and a copy with a better jacket to marry should be cheap.
Pohl, Frederik, and C. M. Kornbluth. The Space Merchants. Ballantine Books, 1953. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing, and simultaneous with the hardback edition, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with a touch of edgewear at points, otherwise new and unread. Pringle, SF 100 12. Currey, pages 289 and 405. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4 *3-147. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction volume 5, pages 2127-2131. Supplements a hardback first inscribed to my by Pohl. Bought for $3 from Half Price Books.
Pohl, Frederik, and Jack Williamson. Starchild. Ballantine Books, 1965. First edition paperback original (“”First printing: November 1965″ and 50¢ price, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with just a trace of edgewear at head and heel and a tiny 3/16” non-breaking indention to front cover, otherwise tight, square and unread. Second book in the Starchild trilogy. Currey, pages 405 and 544. Supplements the SFBC Omnibus The Starchild Trilogy inscribed to me by Pohl and Williamson. Bought for $3 from Half Price Books.
Powers, Tim. Always Going On. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #183 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, with Subterranean “packed by” slip laid in. Only available as a set with Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 3 (see below).
Powers, Tim. The Skies Discrowned. Charnel House, 2022. First edition hardback, #54 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. “Handbound in Indigo Night Cave Paper (Belgium Flax dyed with Indigo & Walnut). This Cave Paper was made by hand for this edition. Each one of a kind sheet sheet guaranties that each book is unique. Exquisitely printed on 80lb Mohawk Superfine.” Part of a uniform prestige edition that Charnel House is doing of all Powers’ books. I will have one copy of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Powers, Tim. Stolen Skies. Charnel House, 2022. First limited edition hardback, #54 of 150 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. The third in the trilogy started with Alternate Routes and Forced Perspectives. The usual beautiful Charnel House edition.
Riddell, Charlotte (AKA Mrs J. H. Riddell) (Meghan Arcuri, editor). A Little Purple Book of Sharp Wit. Borderlands Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. The latest in their reprints of 19th century authors series. Riddell was a prolific writer in her day, only a portion of which were ghost stories, four of which are collected here. It will be interesting to see if this volume sells for them, given that she’s no Robert W. Chambers when it comes to collectability.
Roy, Arundhati. The God of Small Things. Flamingo, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Booker Prize winner. Bought for $7.99.
Russell, Eric Frank. Somewhere A Voice. Dennis Dobson, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a small Foyle’s stickler on inside front cover under flap in a Near Fine- dust jacket with a 3/4″ split to bottom of front fold (and faint associated crease to front), a nail-head sized semi-closed circular chip to rear spine join near head, slight age darkening to edges of white portion of jacket, a faint, intermittant line of rubbing near right front cover edge, and slight foxing to blind side of dust jacket spine, otherwise a fairly bright example of the dust jacket. Short story collection. Currey, page 424. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy III, page 70. Bought from a notable UK book dealer for £32.
Scarborough, Dorothy (as Anonymous). The Wind. Harper & Brothers, 1925. First edition hardback, a Good+ copy with spine cracked, front hinge cracked, spots and abrasions to cover, slight fraying to head and heel, with small former owner plate for Violet Hayden Dowell (a Dallas author and art collector) on inside front cover, and a different ownership name written on FFE, along with “[Scarborough, Dorothy]. Tale of a women in west Texas driven insane by the incessant blowing of the wind. The novel was the basis of the 1928 film starring Lilian Gish. Bought for $36.
Schafer, William, editor. Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 3. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #183 of 250 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with Subterranean “packed by” slip laid in. Anthology with stories by Robert R. McCammon, Richard Kadrey, etc. Sold as a set with Tim Powers’ Always Going On (see above), bought as a set from Subterranean for $75, 50% off the original cover price. Now sold out from the publisher.
Sheckley, Robert. Masters of Science Fiction: Robert Sheckley. Centipede Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #350 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. “Signed by Jim & Ruth Keegan, with facsimile signatures by Robert Sheckley, Christopher Priest, and John Pelan.” The signed edition is sold out from the publisher, but I’ll have a few copies in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Shepard, Lucius (edited by Bill Sheehan). The Best of Lucius Shepard Volume 2. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Huge, 800+ page collection.
Shepard, Lucius (edited by Bill Sheehan). The Best of Lucius Shepard Volume 2. Subterranean Press, 2021 (seen 2022). First edition hardback, #160 of 200 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread.
Shepard, Lucius. Youthful Folly and Other Lost Stories. Subterranean Press, 2021 (seen 2022). First edition hardback, #160 of 200 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Companion volume “which contains an additional 400 pages of previously uncollected fiction,” only available with the limited edition, much like Skull City, the companion volume to the limited edition of the first The Best of Lucius Shepard volume. Alas, unlike that set, there’s no slipcase for the two books.
Sholly, Pete Von. The PS Book of Fantastic Fictioneers: A History of the Incredible (Volume One Ackerman to Jackson and Volume Two: James To Wood.). PS Publishing, 2019. First edition hardbacks, Fine copies in Fine (One) and Near Fine (Volume Two, due to a 1″ slit along the spine edge) dust jackets. Profusely illustrated non-fiction book set covering creators of the fantastic, from Edgar Allen Poe to Ray Bradbury to Jim Henson to Joel Hodgson. Bought for £20 for the set.
Silverberg, Robert. The Book of Skulls. Scribner’s, 1972. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Silverberg. Hugo and Nebula finalist. Replaces a slightly less Fine signed copy. Bought for $45.
Silverberg, Robert. Among Strangers. Subterranean Press, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Massive, 760 page omnibus of three novels (Those Who Watch, The Man in the Maze, and Tom O’Bedlam), plus novelette “The Way to Spook City,” each dealing with aliens. I already have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Smith, Clark Ashton. The Abominations of Yondo. Arkham House, 1960. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Really an excellent copy. Joshi, Schultz & Connors, Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography, I.15.a. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 57. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 57. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 57. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 60. Currey, page 453. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 200. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1487. Chalker/Owings, page 29. Bought as part of the Heritage lot.
Smith, Clark Ashton. The Dark Chateau. Arkham House, 1951. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight crimping and a touch of wear at head, small embossed name at bottom of half-title page, moderate foxing to rear gutters, slight foxing to front gutters, and a thumbnail edge-like indention to the top of the first few pages, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with slight loss at points and age-darkening to white lettering on spine. Only 563 copies printed, one of the smaller Arkham House runs. Joshi, Schultz & Connors, Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography, I.13.a. Sidney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams, page 27. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 44. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 44. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 42. Nielsen, Arkham House Books, 46 (also ranked as the eighth scarcest Arkham House volume, and the ninth priciest). Bought from PBA Auctions for $406.25 plus shipping.
Smith, Clark Ashton. Genius Loci and other tales. Arkham House, 1948. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with small owners name in ink on front free endpaper, moderate rubbing to letters on spine, an slight bumping at head and heel, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 2″ of moderate dampstaining along rear join at heel, a much fainter example of same along head join, age darkening to spine, and general wear. The third Arkham House collection of Smith stories. Joshi, Schultz & Connors, Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography, I.a.11. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 35. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 35. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 35. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 36. Currey, page 453. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 200. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1486. Chalker/Owings, page 26. Kemp, The Anthem Series 35 (page 323). Bought as part of the Heritage lot.
Smith, Clark Ashton. Spells and Philtres. Arkham House, 1958. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bump to top front corner and the barest trace of foxing to inside covers, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to white portions of jacket, a few traces of dust soiling, and a trace of rubbing along front spine join near heel and at points. A really attractive copy of Smith’s first poetry collection from Arkham House. Joshi, Schultz & Connors, Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography, Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 51. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House 51. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries 51. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 54. Chalker/Owings, page 28. Bought from a notable UK dealer for £400.
Smith, Clark Ashton. The Star-Treader and other poems. A.M. Robinson/Philopolis Press, 1912. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with start of a crease to top of spine and slight bumping at heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with one short stray pencil mark on front cover near spine, one small, faint teardrop stain affecting “r” in Star and hyphen, signed “Clark Ashton Smith/Auburn, Cal./Nov. 25th, 1912, with printed portrait of Smith laid in. (There is also a small stray pen-mark matching Clark’s fountain pen signature color to bottom inside front cover, which I don’t regard as a flaw.) By far the best of the three copies of this book I’ve handled, and replaces a less attractive copy. Smith’s first published book. Joshi, Schultz & Connors, Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography I.1.a. Bought as part of the Heritage lot.
Smith, Cordwainer. Space Lords. Pyramid, 1965. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy save a trace of foxing to inside covers. Currey, page 315. Bought for $4.00.
Smith, Cordwainer. The Underpeople. Pyramid, 1968. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with one faint spine crease, bookstore stamp to blurb page, and edgewear. Part two of Nostrilia. Currey, page 315. Pringle, SF 100 46 (for Nostrilia). Bought for $1.99 from Half Price Books.
Smith, E. E. “Doc”. The Galaxy Primes. Ace Books, 1965. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ price, as per Currey), a Fine copy save for a trace of foxing to inside covers, otherwise tight, square and unread. Lucchetti, Doc: First Galactic Roamer, pages 50-51 (“Never issued in hardback.”) Currey, page 456. Bought for $3 from Half Price Books.
Smith, Michael Marshall. The Servants. Earthling Publications, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a small wrinkle to the bottom of the front flap. Precedes the UK and Eos editions. Bought from Half Price Books for $7.99.
Stephenson, Neal. The System of the World. William Morrow, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with trace of crimping at head, a couple of small spots of dust staining to boards and a small bump along bottom front board, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight crimping at head and touch of crimping at points, inscribed by Stephenson: “To Harris,/Neal Stephenson.” Bought for $7.19.
Strand, Jeff. Clowns vs. Spiders. No Publisher, 2019 (2022). Print on demand trade paperback original, a Fine copy. I picked it up because of the ridiculous title, and because I have a weakness for giant spider novels. Bought for $9.99 at Half Price Books.
Stross, Charles. Empire Games. Tor, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with bumping at head and heel. Merchant Princes novel. Bought from Half Price Books for $4.99.
Sturgeon, Theodore. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Pyramid, 1961. First edition paperback original (“First printing, June 1961” on copyright page, as per Currey), a Near Fine copy with slight wear at points, slight edgewear, and usual slight foxing to inside covers and slight age darkening to pages, otherwise a nice, square copy, signed by Sturgeon. Novelization of the Irwin Allen film. Diskin, Theodore Sturgeon: a primary and secondary bibliography, A148. Currey, page 473. Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought off eBay for $25.
Swanwick, Michael. The Proceedings of the American Martini Institute: A Report of the American Martini Laboratory: The Once And Future Rye: The Whisky that Was America. Dragonstairs Press, 2022. First edition chapbook original, #20 of 80 signed copies, a Fine copy. A history of rye whisky in America, in the same vein as Swanwick’s The Evolution of the Martini. Ten more of these and he’ll have enough for a book! Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Swanwick, Michael. Fantasia Romantica. Dragonstairs Press, 2022. First edition chapbook original, #9 of 48 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. “Fantasia Romantica is Michael Swanwick’s witty take on the romantic lives of six fictional heroines. Was Rosie waiting when Sam Gamgee came home? And what was going on with Susan Pevensie?” Out of print almost instantly upon publication.
Swanwick, Michael. Solstice Veritas or The Christmas Cat and Other Memories. Dragonstairs Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #101 of 120 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Printed last year, but only offered for sale this year. “A collection of eight, well, true stories, memories and musings on holidays past.” Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have a few copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, currently in progress.
Tarantino, Quentin. Cinema Speculation. HarperCollins, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Non-fiction book about the films Tarantino saw as a child in the 1970s, from Dirty Harry to Taxi Driver. Seems pretty interesting.
Tiptree, Jr. James. Up the Walls of the World. Berkley Putnam, 1978. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per ISFDB), a Fine- copy with slight bending at head and a small ding to top front board, in a near Fine- dust jacket with a long crease along bottom front cover and associated 1/4″ closed tear. Tiptree’s only novel. Bought as part of a four book lot for $15.
Tartt, Donna. The Goldfinch. Little, brown and Company, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine- dust jacket with a few small abrasions to front cover (unfortunately, the uncoated dust jacket seems designed to degrade) and slight bumping at heel. Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction. Bought for $14.99.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Deluxe Edition. William Morrow, 2021 (stated; actually published October 2022). First edition hardback thus, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase (with a cutout for the eye of Sauron on the book itself), sans dust jacket, as issued, with oversized folding maps of Middle Earth and Gondor/Mordor, cardstock reprint of The King’s Letter (from Aragon to Samwise) in silver tengwar on one side with a en English translation on the other, “Leaves from the Book of Mazarbul” in a waxpaper envelope, and the rear shrinkwraped book description laid in. A sturdy, gilt-edged omnibus edition containing all three volumes, with Tolkien’s own artwork and Middle Earth language calligraphy as full page color plates.
Even the box it ships to you is way too cool to throw away:
And the map pattern continues all the way around the box.
It’s a very attractive production, and if you’re interested in it, Amazon has now lowered the price to $140.01.
Treece, Henry. The Golden Strangers. The Bodley Head, 1956. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with neat previous owner’s name on inside front cover partially obscured by dj flap, one small bump to top front board edge, slight bend at head and heel and slight blunting of points, in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight dust staining to white rear cover, and slight wear at head, heel and points, with review slip laid in. A fantasy novel of the Celtic invasion of neolithic Britain. Cawthorn and Moorcock, Fantasy: The 100 Best Books 77. Bought from $42.12 plus shipping from a UK Biblio dealer.
Twain, Mark. Autobiography of Mark Twain Volume 2. University of California Press, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-covered dust jacket. The second massive volume in Twain’s anecdotal autobiography, the one he insisted not be published until 100 years after his death. Supplements a copy of Volume 1. Bought for $8.99.
Vance, Jack (Terry Dowling and Jonathan Strahan, editors). The Jack Vance Treasury. Subterranean Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket, new and unread. When this was published, I managed to pick up the signed, limited edition (probably on sale), but not the regular trade edition. Out of print for over a decade, but bought from Camelot Books at the original cover price of $38.
Vance, Jack. The Kragen. Subterranean Press, 2007. First edition hardback, Letter Z of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. Supplements a copy of the signed, numbered edition. Bought off eBay for $295.95.
Vance, Jack. The Last Castle. Underwood/Miller, 1980. First hardback edition, number 121 of 200 numbered copies signed by Vance and illustrator Alicia Austin, a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ just jacket with one tiny 1/32″ chip to top of inner rear flap and a trace of wear at points, with additional signature card by Austin laid in. Oversized, lavishly illustrated version of this fine Vance novella. Hewett, A31d. Cunningham, 45bBought off eBay for $51.
Vance, Jack. Showboat World. Pyramid, 1975. First edition paperback original (“March 1975” on copyright page and $1.25 cover price, as per Currey), a Near Fine+ copy with one slight spine wrinkle near heel, a few very small, very faint phantom crease on rear cover, and two very faint parallel printing lines across teaser page (looks like an artifact of the printing process). I read this last year and it’s still great fun. Hewett A47a. Cunningham 71a. Currey, page 500. Bought for $2.99 from Half Price Books.
Vance, Jack. The Star King. Berkley Medallion, 1964. First edition paperback original, a near Fine copy with wrinkle along spine join, slight bumping at head, heel and bottom front corner, slight small creases to outer top corners, trace of age darkening and soiling to white cover, and slight foxing to inside covers, signed by Vance, with color laser-printed picture of Vance signing laid in. The first Demon Princes novel, shortened to Star King for many subsequent editions. Hewett, A15a. Cunningham, 76a. Bought off eBay for $15.50.
Vance, Jack. When The Five Moons Rise. Underwood Miller, 1992. First edition hardback, #245 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Short story collection. Hewett A86. Cunningham, 83a. Showed up on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $50, easily $100 below what they usually go for, so naturally I jumped on it.
van Vogt, A. E. The Weapon Makers. Hadley Publishers, 1947. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with wear at head and heel, trace of rubbing to spine, and some dime-sized spots of foxing to inside covers, in a Very Good dust jacket with long wrinkles across back cover, shallow loss at points, spine quite faded, and a few additional touches of wear, inscribed by the author: “To/Fred C. Brown/best wishes,good luck/and cheerio. A. E. van Vogt.” Hadley was one of the earliest SF specialty publishers, and I now have three of their four books (including Campbell’s The Mightiest Machine and L. Ron Hubbard’s Final Blackout, but lacking E.E. “Doc” Smith’s The Skylark of Space, as it was a reprint of the Buffalo Book Company true first edition (which I have)). Currey, page 496. 333, page 65. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 217. Chalker Owings, page 231. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 345-346. Bought for £112.50.
Waggoner, Tim. A Little Aqua Book of Marine Tales. Borderlands Press, 2018. First edition hardback, #290 of 500 signed copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued.
Waldrop, Howard. Strange Monsters of the Recent Past. Ace, 1991. First edition paperback original thus, adding A Dozen Tough Jobs to the contents of All About Strange Monsters of the Recent Past, a Fine copy, now inscribed to me by Waldrop. I’ve had a lot of copies of this over the years, but since I already had All About Strange Monsters of the Recent Past and A Dozen Tough Jobs, I never added a copy to my own library until now. Bought for $3 from Half Price Books.
Watts, Peter. Blindsight. Centipede Press, 2020. First limited edition hardback, #177 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Watts Hugo-Award nominated novel about a mission sent to examine an alien probe in the Kupier Belt. Supplements a copy of the Tor true first edition.
Watts, Peter. Echopraxia. Centipede Press, 2020. First limited edition hardback, #177 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Sequel to Blindsight that I haven’t read yet. Sets of these went out of print shortly after their announcement, and seems to be pretty close to Unobtanium on the secondary market. Bought for $400 with Blindsight from a private collector.
Weinstein, Sol. Loxfinger: A Thrilling Adventure of Hebrew Secret Agent Oy-Oy-7. Pocket books, 1965. First edition trade paperback original, a Very Good copy with two quarter-sized sticker pulls on front cover, the top one affecting the letters “ER” at the end of the title. The first in a series of Jewish James Bond parodies, published during a boom for Bond parodies. Weinstein was evidently a gag writer for several well-known comedians in the 1960s. This looks so silly that ever since I saw this title in a book catalog some quarter century ago, I’ve wanted to own a copy, and $5 seems like a fair price to pay. But I should probably read Goldfinger first to really appreciate it…
Wellman, Manly Wade. The Haunts of Drowning Creek. Holiday House, 1951. First edition hardback, a Good only copy with cracked front and rear inner hinges, a 1/4″ triangular board loss at heel, pocket removal, former owner’s name on inside front cover, bumped corners, and general spotting and wear. Reading copy only, but this is possibly the hardest Wellman Young Adult novel to find. Bought off eBay for $15 as part of a two book Wellman lot.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Jamestown Adventure. Ives Washburn, 1967. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy with usual stamps, checkout card, discard stamp, dust jacket taped to boards, sticker to spine and bottom price clipped (top price intact). (There was also an Uncle Sam sticker (presumably to indicate historical fiction) on the old-style Plasti-Kleer protector that has left a ghost image on the dust jacket through the protector.) Young adult historical novel. Currey, page 513. Bought from an online dealer for $2.83.
Wellman, Manly Wade. The Specter of Bear Paw Gap. Ives Washburn, 1966. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy in decorated boards with parallel bumps to top and non-authorial inscription to FFE, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with clipped top price (bottom price intact), several small closed tears at top and bottom (including two with associated triangular creases), slight rubbing along folds, and gold “Guaranteed Binding” on bottom front cover extending across spine (possibly as issued). Young adult historical novel, the second in the Bear Paw Gap between The Mystery of Bear Paw Gap and Battle at Bear Paw Gap, both of which I already owned. Currey, page 514.
Wells, H. G. The Island of Dr. Moreau. Suntup Editions, 2021. First edition hardback thus, one of 1,000 copies signed by artists Benz & Chang, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with bookmark for the title laid in. (For a list of the additional material included, see here.) Originally offered at $130 and sold out. Bought off eBay for $90.
Wells, Stuart W., III. The Science Fiction Heroic Fantasy Author index. Purple Unicorn books, 1978. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with a hardback edition), a Very Good+ copy with 1/2″ tear at bottom of front spine-join, with light soiling along spine. A reference listing of genre books that was (like Marshall B. Tymn’s American Fantasy and Science Fiction: Toward a Bibliography of Works Published in the United States, 1949—1973) born obsolete, already superseded by far more comprehensive reference works published the same year.
Wilson, F. Paul. Sims Book 5: Thy Brother’s Keeper. Cemetery Dance, 2010. First edition hardback, letter R of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. Bought from a notable UK dealer for £52.60.
Williamson, Jack. The Silicon Dagger. Tor, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Williamson: “For/Vicky/Foreman/Jack Williamson/3-2-2000.” Jack’s second-to-last novel. Hauptmann, The Work of Jack Williamson, A78 (still forthcoming at the time). Won off eBay for $5.
(Gene Wolfe) Andre-Driussi, Michael. A Chapter Guide for the Long Sun & the Short Sun. Sirius Fiction, 2022. First edition POD hardcover, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Just what it says, a chapter-by-chapter summary of The Book of the Long Sun and The Book of the Long Sun and The Book of the Short Sun, including lists of characters and unusual terms that show up in each chapter.
(Gene Wolfe) Andre-Driussi, Michael. Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun: A Chapter Guide. Sirius Fiction, 2019 (2022). First edition POD hardcover, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Same as the above, but for The Book of the New Sun.
(Gene Wolfe) Andre-Driussi, Michael. Gene Wolfe: 14 Articles. Sirius Fiction, 2016 (2022). First edition POD trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Various essays on Wolfe’s work.
Wright, Lyle H. American Fiction 1774 – 1850: A Contribution Toward a Bibliography. The Huntington Library, 1969. Second Revised Edition, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with two 1/4″ closed tears to front, a slight age darkening to spine, and a trace of dust soiling to rear. Wright compiled two more volumes that go up through 1900, which I intend to pick up as targets of opportunity. Bought online for $5; a good deal for the price, but I was miffed that the eBay seller mailed it without any padding whatsoever, just in wrapping paper. This is not acceptable.
Pellegrino, Charles, and George Zebrowski. The Killing Star. AvoNova, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Zebrowksi. Supplements a paperback edition inscribed to me by Zebrowski I received for Nebula consideration. Bought for $9.
Tags:Avram Davidson, Books, Clark Ashton Smith, Fantasy, H. P. Lovecraft, Horror, Joe Hill, Joe R. Lansdale, Manly Wade Wellman, Michael Chabon, Michael Swanwick, Neil Gaiman, Philip Jose Farmer, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Robert A. Heinlein, Robert E. Howard, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, Stephen King, Tim Powers
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Friday, February 10th, 2023
Two new books that came in from Subterranean Press late in 2022, both bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
McDevitt, Jack. Return To Glory. Subterranean Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #448 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with bookmark and Packed By slip laid in. This will be in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Silverberg, Robert. Among Strangers. Subterranean Press, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Massive, 760 page omnibus of three novels (Those Who Watch, The Man in the Maze, and Tom O’Bedlam), plus novelette “The Way to Spook City,” each dealing with aliens. I already have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Tags:Books, Jack McDevitt, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press
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Friday, August 12th, 2022
Three more books from that private collector culling his collection.
Pohl, Frederik. Midas World. St. Martin’s, 1983. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with the barest bit of bumping at head and heel, and a trace of fixing to inside covers, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a 3/16th” chip at head, a 1″ closed triangular tear with associated nailhead-sized chip to upper front near spine (and small piece of blindside tape reinforcement), and a few pinpricks of abrasion along the spine, signed by Pohl. Over-graded by the seller as Fine/Fine, but I only paid $12 for it, and a copy with a better jacket to marry should be cheap.
Silverberg, Robert. The Book of Skulls. Scribner’s, 1972. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Silverberg. Hugo and Nebula finalist. Replaces a slightly less Fine signed copy. Bought for $45.
Pellegrino, Charles, and George Zebrowski. The Killing Star. AvoNova, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Zebrowksi. Supplements a paperback edition inscribed to me by Zebrowski I received for Nebula consideration. Bought for $9.
Tags:Books, Frederik Pohl, George Zebrowski, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction
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Wednesday, March 2nd, 2022
Here’s the big roundup of every book I added to my library in 2021. Most (but not all) of these have appeared in previous library addition posts. Lots of Joe R. Lansdale, lettered editions, Lansdale lettered editions, Zelazny paperbacks, signed Harlan Ellison, Michael Moorcock rarities and Michael Swanwick chapbooks.
I count 193 titles added.
Anderson, Poul. Flandry of Terra. Chilton, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and bumping and slight rubbing at heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wrinkling at head and heel and a touch of rubbing, signed by Anderson. Currey, page 10. Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-7. Bought off eBay for $22.50.
Anderson, Poul. Masters of Science Fiction, Volume 9: Poul Anderson: “The Star Beast” And Other Tales. Armchair Fiction, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Short story collection. “The Long Return” and “World of the Mad” haven’t been reprinted since their original magazine appearances.
Anderson, Poul with Lester Del Rey and Frederik Pohl. A Twelvemonth and a Day b/w Preferred Risk. Armchair Fiction, 2016. First edition trade paperback original for the Anderson, a Fine copy. Supplements a signed hardback first of Preferred Risk.
Asimov, Isaac. The Best of Isaac Asimov. Doubleday, 1974. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel and a slight bit of lean, in a Very Good, price-clipped dust jacket with a 1/4″ closed chip at head, shallow edgewear at head, and slight dust staining to white rear cover. Just what the title says, and it includes “Nightfall” and “The Last Question.” Bought in an online auction for $4.88 plus shipping.
Asimov, Isaac. I, Robot. Gnome Press (i.e., First Edition Library), 1950 (1978 copyright date, but actually printed sometime in the 1980s). Facsimile reprint of the Gnome Press first edition, first edition hardback thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, which includes the front and back just jacket cover art pasted on, with FEL cardstock information brochure laid in. An attractive production, and undoubtedly done on better paper stock than the Gnome Press original. Aiming for the same prestige reprint market as Easton Press, and indeed they were either part of or acquired by Easton. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
(Asimov, Isaac) Carl Freedman. Conversations With Isaac Asimov. University Press of Mississippi, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy with with ISBN sticker to rear cover, sans dust jacket, presumably as issued. (The Google Books image also lacks a dust jacket.) Collection of interviews with Asimov. There was a simultaneous trade paperback edition, and the hardback state seems uncommon. Bought at auction for $1.22 and shipping.
(Asimov, Isaac) James Gunn. Isaac Asimov: The Foundations of Science Fiction. Oxford University Press, 1982. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Probably the main critical study of Asimov’s work. Bought at auction for $1.22 and shipping.
Ballard, J. G. Crash. Jonathan Cape, 1973. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy with all the usual flaws, including stamps to pages and page block edges, in a dust jacket that, while intact, has been glued to the book, with a long, thin library sticker across the front, spine, back and rear flap, and a large square library affixed to rear, plus some glue wrinkling; call it a Good/Good Ex-Lib copy. Goodard and Pringle, J. G. Ballard: The First Twenty Years 101. Currey, page 23. Bought off an Australian bookseller for $68 plus shipping.
Ballard, J. G. Millennium People. Flamingo, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wrinkling at head and heel, signed by Ballard on a Waterston’s bookstore bookplate on the title page. Bought off eBay for $45.
(Ballard, J. G.) McGrath, Rick. Deep Ends: A Ballardian Anthology 2018. Terminal Press, 2018. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection of essays on Ballard, including David Pringle’s continuing, invaluable “Ballard/Moorcock Chronology,” of which Moorcock himself says “I frequently trust his memory over my own.” Bought from Amazon.
Barker, Clive. Chiliad: A Meditation. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Collects two novelettes. Bought for $250 (the original offering price) from a Subterranean sale.
Barker, Clive. Infernal Parade. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 52 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. Bought for $250 (the original offering price). Supplements a signed limited edition bought during one of their 50% off sales.
Barker, Clive. Tonight, Again. Subterranean Press, 2015. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Bought for $250 (the original offering price) from a Subterranean sale. Supplements a trade edition.
Bear, Greg. Mariposa. Easton Press, 2009. First edition thus, #412 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Bear), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about MARIPOSA and the author GREG BEAR” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Sequel to Quantico (see below). Bought as part of a bulk purchase.
Bear, Greg. Quantico. Easton Press, 2005. First edition thus, #339 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Bear), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about QUANTICO and the author GREG BEAR” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued.
Bear, Greg. Vitals. Easton Press, 2002. First edition thus, #341 of 1,150 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Bear), an unused personalization plate, an insert card “a note about VITALS and the author GREG BEAR” and a foldout brochure for the Signed First Editions of Science Fiction line laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Supplements a hardback first and a proof copy.
Bierce, Ambrose. A Little Blue Book of Civil War Horror Stories. Borderlands Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 numbered copies signed by introduction author Lawrence C. Connolly, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bierce famously disappeared in Mexico after riding with Pancho Villa. Since he was born in 1842, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that he won’t be signing any more books. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Bishop, Michael. Joel-Brock the Brave and the Valorous Smalls. Kudzu Planet Productions/Fairwood Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #187 of 300 signed, numbered hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Young Adult novel.
Bishop, Michael. The Sacerdotal Owl and Three Other Long Tales. Kudzu Planet Productions/Fairwood Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #69 of 250 signed, numbered hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
Bloch, Robert. Psycho House. Tor, 1990. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Bloch: “Best wishes to Dick Wilson.” Bought for $20 at a Houston-area Half Price Books.
Bloch, Robert and Andre Norton. The Jekyll Legacy. Tor, 1990. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bloch on the title page and by Norton on a signature plate on the dedication page. Bought off eBay for $24.95.
Boyett, Stephen R. The Architect of Sleep. Centipede Press, 2021. First hardback edition, #355 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwrap. Really interesting novel about a man transported to an alternate earth where raccoons evolved as the planet’s sentient life form. Originally published as an Ace paperback original back in 1986 and became something of a cult classic, and I’ve sold a lot of PBO copies of this and Ariel over the years (and indeed, if you just want to read it, I have copies available). Recommended. This signed edition is already sold out from the publisher. I’m hoping this new edition prods Boyett into revising and finishing the still-unpublished sequel, The Geography of Dreams.
Bradbury, Ray. Ahmed and the Oblivion Machines Avon, 1998. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bradbury. You know all the classic books Bradbury wrote over the years? This is reportedly not one of them. Bought for £18 from a notable UK book dealer.
Bradbury, Ray. The Dragon Who Ate His Tail. Gauntlet Publications (they’re generally known as Gauntlet Press, but it says Gauntlet Publications on the copyright page), 2007. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy with pasted frontispiece in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Miscellany of short stories, a radio play, a fascimile typescript, Bradbury doodle art, etc. Bought from an Austin book dealer for $120.
Bradbury, Ray. The Ray Bradbury Chronicles Volume 3. Byron Preiss/NBM, 1992. First edition hardback a graphic novel, #417 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny, faint scratch across top rear outer corner. Bought for £27 from a notable UK book dealer. I now lack only volumes 1 and 5.
Bradbury, Ray. The Wish. Hill House, 2006. First edition hardback, #102 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in matching numbered paper envelope, sans dust jacket, as issued. Won off eBay for $95.
(Bradbury, Ray) Nolan, William F. The Ray Bradbury Companion. Gale Research, 1975. First edition hardback (no statement of printing as per Currey), a Fine copy in a sound, Very Good slipcase from which numerous small (tackhead sized and smaller) pieces of the affixed wrap-around paper label have chipped away, plus a few other touches of dust and wear, sans dust jacket, as issued, signed by Bradbury on page 37. Critical companion on Bradbury’s work. Currey, page 59. Tymn, Schlobin, Currey, 221. Bought off eBay for $59.
Brin, David. The Best of David Brin. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #289 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Lots of good stories in here, including “Dr. Pak’s Preschool” and “Thor Meets Captain American.” (Though I can’t believe they left out “A Stage of Memory.”) Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Bryant, Tim, editor (with Joe R. Lansdale). Mule Tales. The Runaway Mule, 2012. First edition trade paperback original (a POD book), a Fine copy, new and unread. Anthology to benefit a now-defunct shop in Lansdale’s home town of Nacogdoches. Joe R. Lansdale contributes six pieces. Bought from Amazon.
Buckell, Tobias S. Shoggoths in Traffic and Other Stories. Fairwood Press, 2021. First edition trade paperback edition, a Fine copy, new and unread. Short story collection. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Bull, Emma, and Will Shetterly. Double Feature. NESFA Press, 1994. First edition hardback, #24 of 175 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Short story collection by this pair of married Minnesota writers. Bought off eBay for $20.50.
Cahill, James, editor. Lamps on the Brow. James Cahill Publishing, 1998. First edition hardback, #70 of 274 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in a Fine slipcase, as issued. Low print-run anthology of original stories (all save the last one by A. E. van Vogt), featuring Gene Wolfe, Mike Resnick, Andre Norton, Bruce Bethke, etc., plus an introduction by Ben Bova. I also have Ten Tales, a similar Cahill anthology. Cahill was active in the 1990s, publishing books by Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Powers, etc. I also think he did some mystery limited editions. Bought off eBay for $58, slightly more than half the original publication price of $100.
Campbell, John W. and Aladra Septama. When the Atoms Failed b/w The Dragons of Space. Armchair Fiction, 2016. First edition trade paperback originals, a Fine copy. Contains “When the Atoms Failed” (one print reprint) and “The Metal Horde” (no print reprints) from Campbell, and the Septama had never been reprinted previously (though, according to Bleiler’s Science Fiction: The Gernsback Years, it’s really bad…).
Card, Orson Scott. Alvin Journeyman. Tor, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Card: “For Rocco,/A fellow voyager/Orson Scott Card.” Fourth Alvin Maker book. Bought for $5 off eBay.
Card, Orson Scott. Heartfire. Tor, 1998. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Card. Fifth Alvin Maker book. Bought for $5 off eBay.
Card, Orson Scott. Prentice Alvin. Tor, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Card: “to Rocco—,/Out of the fire, into the light/Orson Scott Card/ 5 Oct 96.” Third Alvin Maker book. Bought for $5 off eBay.
Carriger, Gail (pen name for Tofa Borregaard). Fan Service. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. “Collected Supernatural Society Books.”
Case, Jim (pseudonym for Chet Cunningham and Joe R. Lansdale). Cody’s Army. Warner Books, 1986. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with a crease across the bottom corner and thin black lines at head, but otherwise tight and square. Military adventure novel. “The four man anti-terrorist guerilla unit.” Joe says he wrote one chapter in this. Stephen Mertz sold the series and had various writers work on different volumes, and confirmed Cunningham wrote this one except for one chapter from Lansdale. Bought off Amazon for $5, where the seller called it a “Fine” copy.
Chabon, Michael. Moonglow. Harper Collins, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of wear at head and heel and slight wrinkling at head, signed by Chabon, with a one page insert from Parnassus Books for “Dear First Edition Members” laid in. Supplements a slipcased signed limited edition done for Powell’s Books. Bought in a Houston-area Half Price Books for $9.99.
Chambers, Robert W. (S. T. Joshi, editor). The Harbor-Master: Best Weird Stories of Robert W. Chambers. Hippocampus Press, 2021. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Includes some supernatural stories not in The King in Yellow.
Child, Lee. A Little Gold Book of Unconsidered Trifles. Borderlands Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #498 of 600 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Mixture of fiction and non-fiction by the best-selling author of the Jack Reacher series, some original to this volume, including a piece from Esquire. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have a copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
“Conrad, Joseph” (Adam Newell). At the Door of Darkness. Sangrail Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #66 of 100 numbered copies, a Fine copy in white envelope and numbered brown cardboard mailer, as issued. Somewhat elaborate production, with tipped-in linocut frontispiece and tissue guard and duplicated pages from the “original” manuscript for Heart of Darkness featuring a deleted scene. A very sly literary endeavor. I have a copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Davidson, Avram. And Don’t Forget The One Red Rose. Dryed Press, 1986. First edition chapbook original, one of 185 copies in wraps, a Fine copy. Won off eBay for $13 plus shipping. Now I need to track down one of the 15 hardbacks…
Dirda, Michael. On Conan Doyle. Princeton University Press, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with publisher’s information card laid in. Critical book on Arthur Conan Doyle, covering both Sherlock Holmes and his other works. Bought at a dealer discount.
Derleth, August. 100 Books by August Derleth. Arkham House, 1962. First edition hardback, one of only 200 hardback copies, a Near Fine- copy with wear at head, heel and points (and a few traces elsewhere) on the decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Derleth: “Best wishes,/August Derleth.” Bibliography. Simultaneous with a much larger paperback run. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 65. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 67. Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide, 69. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 65. Currey, page 155. Tymn Schlobin Currey, A Research Guide to Science Fiction Studies, 247. Chalker Owings, The Science-Fantasy Publishers, page 32 (which notes this was actually published in 1963). Bought off Biblio for $360.
Derleth, August as Stephen Grendon. Mr. George and Other Odd Persons. Arkham House, 1963. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with possibly a tiny amount of spine fading, right at the edge of perceptability, an extremely bright and attractive copy. Stories written by August Derleth under his open pseudonym, most of which appeared in either Weird Tales or The Arkham Sampler. 100 Books by August Derleth, page 93 (“Awaiting Publication”). Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 70. Thirty Years of Arkham House, 70. Jaffery, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 72. Nielsen, Arkham House Books, 74. Currey, page 148. Chalker/Owings, Science Fantasy Publishers, page 32. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 524. Bought off eBay for $48.
Dick, Philip K. The Cosmic Puppets with Dr. Futurity with Vulcan’s Hammer. First editions thus for The Cosmic Puppets and Vulcan’s Hammer, first hardback edition for Dr. Futurity, each #92 of 300 signed, numbered copies, individual volumes signed by Michael Swanwick, Peter Strain, and Chris Moore, each Fine copies in Fine dust jackets and a Fine slipcase, still in shrinkwrap. (The lines you see over the top and bottom of Vulcan’s Hammer are the shrinkwrap join lines.) The Cosmic Puppets was done as a Severn House hardback, and Vulcan’s Hammer as a Gregg Press hardback, and I have both of those, but I thought it behooved me to pick up the first hardback of Dr. Futurity, even though I had to pay cover price for the set. And indeed, it was pretty much out-of-print immediately upon publication.
Egan, Greg. Dichronauts. Night Shade Books, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought at Half Price Books for $8.99.
Ellison, Harlan (edited by Jason Davis). Blood’s A Rover. Subterranean Press/Edgeworks Abbey, 2015. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 signed, numbered copies (the only signed edition), a Fine copy in patterned boards and a Fine traycase, sans dust jacket (though the art used for the trade edition dust jacket forms the fold-out frontispiece) as issued. (Most Subterranean books ship with a plastic bag around the book, while lettered editions have the bag around the traycase; this is the first case I’ve seen where they did both.) Collects all Ellison’s Vic and Blood stories. Dedicated to Michael Moorcock and A Boy and His Dog director L. Q. Jones. Long out of print. Bought for $500 (the original offering price) from a Subterranean sale.
Ellison, Harlan. The Deadly Streets with Gentlemen Junkie. Edgeworks Abbey/Subterranean Press, 2013. First hardback editions of each, #216 of 250 signed, numbered sets, Fine copies in Fine dust jackets and a Fine slipcase. Two early Ellison collections, originally PBOs, appearing here for the first time in hardback. Richmond, Fingerprints in the Sky, pages 46 and 51. Supplements trade copies of each. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Ellison, Harlan. Edgeworks 1: Over the Edge/An Edge in My Voice. White Wolf, 1996. First edition hardback thus (and first hardback edition of Over the Edge), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Ellison.
Ellison, Harlan. Edgeworks 2: Spider Kiss/Stalking the Nightmare. White Wolf, 1996. First edition hardback thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Ellison.
Ellison, Harlan. The Glass Teat & The Other Glass Teat. Charnel House, 2011. First hardback edition, #182 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issue, with a CD of Harlan reading “Welcome to the Gulag,” the introduction written for this edition laid in. All Ellison’s TV essays and reviews written for The Los Angeles Free Press. Not having a copy of the original binding, I can’t tell you how this 10th Anniversary edition binding differs from the original. Bought from the publisher at a discount.
Ellison, Harlan. Jokes Without Punchlines. White Wolf, 1995. First edition perfect-bound chapbook original, a Fine copy, signed by Ellison on the rear cover. A promotional item for the 1995 American Booksellers Association Show in Chicago, released on June 3, 1995, to promote White Wolf’s Edgeworks line of Ellison hardback reprints. They were supposed to reprint all of Ellison’s books in a uniform edition, but only put out four volumes before they pissed off Ellison so badly that he refused to work with them any more. (Sound familiar?) The introduction in which he talks about how much he hates Chicago has apparently never been reprinted. Fingerprints on the Sky, XIII, page 121. Bought off eBay for $40.
Ellison, Harlan. Li’l Harlan and his sidekick Carl the Comet in Danger Land. Edgeworks Abbey/Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback chapbook, #WW of 52 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Stories of Harlan paling around with Carl Sagan. I avoided buying this when it came out because it sorta looked super-cringy, but since I’m collecting everything else, and the hardback is rare, I added it to the stack. Richmond, Fingerprints in the Sky, page 121. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Ellison, Harlan. Rockabilly. Gold Medal Books, 1961. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with considerable wrinkling and creasing along the spine, plus slight edgewear, signed by Ellison. Fingerprints on the Sky, page 108. Currey, page 178. Bought off eBay for $65.
Ellison, Harlan, and Ken Steacy. Night and the Enemy. Graphetti Designs, 1987. First edition hardback graphic novel, #743 of 1,500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine- copy with slight bumping of bottom points in a Fine- translucent printed Mylar dust jacket with a few tiny indentations. Set in Ellison’s Earth-Kyba War universe. Bought off eBay for $30.
Farmer, Philip Jose. Greatheart Silver and Other Pulp Heroes. Meteor House, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by editor Michael Croteau and introduction author Garyn G. Roberts. Collection of pulp hero tales. Bought off eBay for $24.
Fitz Gerald, Caitlin. The Children’s Illustrated Clausewitz: Volume One. Helios House Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, in slipcase. Just what it says: An illustrated, children’s version of the lessons imparted in Carl von Clausewitz’s 19th strategy classic On War. In this book, the role of Clauswitz is played by a hare. Extras from the Kickstarter include a portfolio of four full page cardstock illustrations in printed envelope (“A Year in Hare Clausewitz’s Classroom”), a set of temporary tattoos, and an Ex-Libris sticker. Bought for backing the Kickstarter for £38, including slipcase and shipping. Technically this qualifies as a talking animal fantasy, but what it vaguely reminds me of is a series of pamphlets starting with The Fight at Dame Europa’s School, which cast late 19th century European geopolitical conflight as an inter-school fight, with each student representing a different country. Bought off a Kickstarter.
“Fitzgerald, F. Scott” (Adam Newell). Gods of Darkness. Sangrail Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #150 of 250 numbered copies, a Fine copy in numbered brown cardboard mailer, as issued. Another elaborate production, with tipped-in frontispiece illustration. “F. Scott Fitzgerald’s forgotten tale of a Lovecraftian witch cult, not in any edition of his collected works.” I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Fletcher, David, editor. Tiger! The Tiger Tank: A British View. The Tank Museum, 2021. First revised edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. A considerably revised edition of a book first published in 1986, featuring extensive British intelligence documentation and analysis gathered on captured Tiger 131 (still, I think, the only fully running, intact, surviving Tiger 1 from World War II, and the Tiger seen in Fury). The paperback version of this book is available through the Tank Museum, but this hardback was done as a Kickstarter-like deal through them, and my name can be found on page 255. Bought for £32.94, including transatlantic shipping.
Foster, Alan Dean. The Director Should’ve Shot You: Memoirs of the Film Trade. Centipede Press, 2021. First hardback edition, #430 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwrap. I haven’t read any Foster novels since one of the early Pip and Flinx books way back in my misspent youth, but this one interests me. As the king of media tie-in novels, from Star Wars to Alien to Krull, Foster has worked on a lot of big hits (and misses), and in this book he dishes on all the behind-the-scenes drama he witnessed in in his career. This signed edition is already sold out from the publisher. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have one copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Fowler, Karen Joy. What I Didn’t See and Other Stories. Small Beer Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of wrinkling at top rear, signed by by Fowler. Short story collection. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Fraser, George MacDonald. Flashman and the Tiger. Harper Collins, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of three Flashman novellas. I’d always heard the Flashman books were great, but haven’t actually read any. Bought for $7.99.
Gaiman, Neil (with Leslie S. Klinger). The Annotated American Gods. Morrow, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Annotated version of Gaiman’s Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning novel, made into the acclaimed TV series of the same name. This edition follows the text of the 10th Anniversary edition, but the annotations note where it differs from the first edition (among other things). Bought for $24.99 from a Houston-area Half Price Books. I have one copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Gaiman, Neil. The Ocean at the End of the Lane. William Morrow, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gaiman. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Gaiman, Neil. Smoke & Mirrors. Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback thus, a PC copy of 500 numbered copies signed by Gaiman and illustrator Dave McKean. Preceded by both the Dreamhaven Angels and Visitations in 1993 and the Avon Smoke and Mirrors from 1998 (both of which I have). Includes new art by McKean. Sold out quickly the year of publication. Bought for $250 (the offering price).
Gaiman, Neil and J. H. Williams III. The Sandman Overtures Absolute Edition. DC Comics, 2018. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Given to me as a birthday gift.
(Gibson, William) Westfahl, Gary. William Gibson. University of Illinois Press, 2013. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Critical companion to Gibson’s work. Bought at Half Price Books for $12.49.
Gordon, David. Sergeant Santa: A Joe the Bouncer Tail. Mysterious Bookshop, 2021. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Mystery chapbook. A freebie thrown in with an order from them. Not previously listed here.
Greenberg, Martin. The Robot and the Man. Gnome Press, 1953. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with top of spine very slight concave, edges of head and heel slightly soft, and a 2″ crack starting to bottom front inner hinge, in a Very Good dust jacket with shallow chipping at head and heel, some edgewear along front bottom and at top near fold, slight, faint spotting along rear fold edge, and a crease running down the entire front cover right next to the flap fold, as though the book were folded not quite on center and corrected much later, plus a few other touches of wear. Still, the white portions of the jacket are reasonably bright and the pages lack the horrific browning that plagues later Gnome titles. Reprint anthology of robot stories, including some from Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore (not a Gallagher story), Lester del Rey (two stories), A. E. van Vogt, John D. MacDonald, and Bernard Wolfe. Chalker/Owings, page 200. Kemp, The Anthem Series, 225-26. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Hand, Elizabeth (edited by Bill Sheehan). The Best of Elizabeth Hand. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #225 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Heinlein, Robert A. JOB: A Comedy of Justice. Del Rey, 1984. First edition hardback, #109 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Near Fine slipcase with a quarter-sized water spot and a faint scratch, sans dust jacket, as issued. Not my favorite Heinlein, but quite readable by the standards of late-period Heinlein. Bought off eBay for $300.
Hill, Joe (with Jason Ciaramella and Vic Malhotra). Thumbprint. IDW, 2013. First edition, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, signed by Hill. Based on the Hill novella.
Hodgson, William Hope (Sam Moskowitz, editor). Out of the Storm. Donald M. Grant, 1975. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Uncollected fantasies, with Stephen Fabian illustrations. Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $20 after discount.
Howard, Robert E. Almuric. Donald M. Grant, 1975. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Currey, page 248. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 117. I put off picking up these Donald M. Grant Howard firsts for quite a while since they seemed readily available, but that no longer seems to be the case. Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $18.
Howard, Robert E. The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard. Subterranean Press, 2010. First limited edition hardback (the Del Rey trade edition precedes), a PC copy of 50 signed, numbered (so says the limitation page, though this is the Lettered edition) leatherbound copies, signed by artist Greg Staples, a Fine copy in a Fine traycase, sans dust jacket, as issued. A lavish production. Supplements a copy of the ordinary numbered edition. Bought for $200, a hefty 50% off the original offering price of $400.
Howard, Robert E. Two Against Tyre. Dennis McHaney, 1975. First edition chapbook original, one of 1,500 copies (Currey state B), a Fine- copy with slight wear to black border at top front and slight dust staining along spine. Currey, page 252. Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $8.10.
(Howard, Robert E.) Charles Hoffman and Marc Cerasini. Robert E. Howard: A Closer Look. Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original thus, a Fine copy. Critical companion on Howard’s work greatly expanded and revised from a 1987 Starmont Reader’s Guide edition. I have one copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
King, Stephen, and Richard Chizmar. Gwendy’s Button Box. Cemetery Dance, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Chizmar. “A brand new Castle Rock novella.” Bought at a Half Price Books in Houston for $30.
(King, Stephen) Blue, Tyson. The Unseen King. Starmont House, 1989. First edition hardback, #24 of 100 copies with a signed, numbered sheet done for The Overlook Connection laid in, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Critical companion of Stephen King works that had never (up to this publication) been republished. I’m sort of half-assedly collecting all these Starmont House/Borgo Press SF/F/H critical hardbacks when I find them cheap. Won off eBay for $15.50.
(King, Stephen, and Peter Straub) Chizmar, Richard, and Johnathon Schaech. A Little Silver Book: A Screenplay Borderland Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #498 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. A screenplay based on Stephen King and Peter Straub’s Black House. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
(King, Stephen) Terrell, Carroll F. Stephen King: Man and Artist. Northern Lights, 1990. First edition hardback, #158 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- slipcase with two pinprick nicks to the top rear. Critical companion. Won off eBay for $30.51.
Koontz, Dean. Devoted. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2021. First limited edition hardback, #217 of 500 copies signed by Koontz, introduction author Joe R. Lansdale, and artist Dirk Berger, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine decorated slipcase. A boy and his Golden Retriever vs. evil. What’s not to like? A hefty 574 page volume. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have a copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lafferty, R. A. The Collected Short Fiction Volume Six: The Man Who Never Was. Centipede Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #40 of 300 numbered copies signed by Neil Gaiman, John Pelan, and Jacob McMurray, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Presumably the last volume edited by John Pelan, who died April 12. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Lafferty, R. A. The Early Lafferty II. United Mythologies Press, 1990. First edition chapbook original, #57 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Near Fine copy with some phantom creasing on the top left front cover. Bought for $49.99 off eBay. The signed copy of this chapbook original sold for $7, and the unsigned for $4, and both editions are now scarce and pricey.
(Lafferty, R. A.) Cheek, Kevin, editor. Feast of Laughter Volume 5. Kistic Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original (POD publication), a Fine copy. Ongoing anthology series of Lafferty interest, including fiction, essays, etc. Includes three Lafferty works (“The Hands of the Potter: An Idyll” (which seems to be fiction, and not in the ISFDB), “Astérix et Cléopâtra” (a review of the French comic) and “Riddle Writers of the Ithmus,” a short essay. Plus contributions from Michael Swanwick, Howard Waldrop, etc. Bought from Amazon at full price, since they do fulfillment (and hence the link on the title).
Lansdale, Joe R. Apache Witch. Independent Legions/The Last Bookstore, 2021. First edition hardback, #33 of 180 numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Poetry collection (Lansdale’s first). Bought directly from the publisher. Now out of print. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Blood Dance. Subterranean Press, 2000. First edition hardback, letter R of 18 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in a beautiful full-cloth binding and a Fine traycase with an additional Mark A. Nelson illustration mounted on the inside front cover, sans dust jacket, as issued. The Lost Lansdale Volume Three. Bought for $250 off a private collector.
Note: The bottom right of the illustration looks strange due to reflections off the protective plastic covering over the illustration.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Bottoms. Subterranean Press, 2000. First edition hardback, letter R of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine leatherbound copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine traycase with full color illustration mounted inside front lid. The Subterranean edition was the true first edition, preceding the Mysterious Press edition by several months. Edgar Award winner for Best Novel. Bought for $300 from a private collector, which is just twice list price for the regular numbered edition.
Lansdale, Joe R. Coco Butternut. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, trade edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Hap and Leonard novella. Somehow I ended up picking up two limited editions of this, so I never picked up a trade edition until now. Bought from Camelot Books for $17.50.
Lansdale, Joe R. Cold in July with Savage Season. Mark V. Ziesing, 1989/1990. First hardback edition and first edition hardbacks, Fine- (Cold in July)/Near Fine+ (Savage Season) with faint spotting at head, heel and on pageblock, in Fine dust wrappers, and a Fine- slipcase with a touch of wear, each inscribed to late Texas writer Carrier Richerson. While these are the trade hardbacks, one thing Ziesing did for this and the Waldrop set was offer the trade editions in overrun slipcases (something to check for if you’re buying a set). Supplements a PC limited set I got for helping transcribe Cold in July for Ziesing. Isajenko, World Lansdelean A011b and A013a. Bought at Armadillocon for $32.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Drive-In. Centipede Press, 2015. First edition hardback thus, a signed, illustrated omnibus of The Drive-In, The Drive-In 2, and The Drive-In: The Bus Tour, one of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrink wrap. I passed on picking this up when it first came out because I already had the PBO firsts of the first two, the hardback firsts of all three (two from Kinnell, the third from Subterranean), and The Complete Drive-In omnibus of all three from Underland Press. But this disappeared pretty quickly, and I decided to pick it up because I’m crazy Lansdale completist. Bought off a fellow dealer for $120.
Lansdale, Joe R. Fishing for Dinosaurs. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #367 of 2500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. Really nice endpapers. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Hap and Leonard: Of Mice and Minestrone. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2021. First hardback edition and first limited edition (the Tachyon trade paperback, which I also have, precedes), #101 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Linked Hap and Leonard short stories. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Hungry Snow. Death’s Head Press, 2021. First edition trade paperback original (a side-sewn chapbook), #40 of 500 numbered copies, a Fine copy, new and unread, with Death’s Head Press bookmark and card laid in. A Reverend Jedidiah Mercer story. Illustrated by Tim Truman. Bought from the publisher at a very thin discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Long Ones. Necro Publications, 1999. First edition hardback, letter R of 26 signed, leatherbound lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine traycase, sans dust jacket, as issued. In addition to the leather binding and traycase, this edition features an inserted (not attached) printed ribbon with title and author, a color frontispiece illustration, and several inserted black and white illustrations not in the ordinary numbered edition. Bought from a private collector for $300.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Nightrunners. Dark Harvest, 1987. First edition hardback, letter X of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in white leather and a wooden slipcase (AKA “slipcrate”), sans dust jacket, as issued. (Note: The wooden slipcase has three small notches at the back, but given the uniform staining, they were there when the book left the publisher.) Lansdale’s landmark splatterpunk novel, featuring two very bad boys and The God of the Razor. Chalker/Owings, page 120 (Jack was not a fan of the novel). Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $315.
Lansdale, Joe R. On The Far Side of the Cadillac Desert With Dead Folks. Roadkill Press, 1991. First separate edition chapbook, #488 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Originally appeared in the 1989 Skipp & Spector anthology The Book of the Dead. Bought from a private collector for $25.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Orbit #1. Subterranean Press, no date (but 1999). First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. “The Official Joe R. Lansdale Newsletter.” First of two put out. With:
Lansdale, Joe R. The Orbit #2. Subterranean Press, no date (but 1999). First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Second and last issue. Bought for $15 for the pair off a private collector.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Sky Done Ripped. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #324 of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Third book in the Ned the Seal trilogy. This edition features a collection of sketches at the back not in the trade edition. Supplements a signed copy of the trade edition. Bought for $47.50.
Lansdale, Joe R. (originally writing as Ray Slater). Texas Night Riders. Subterranean Press, 1997. First edition hardback thus and first U.S. hardback edition (preceded by the PBO and the Chivers large print hardback), copy P of 26 signed and lettered copies, a Fine copy bound in quarter-leather, in a Fine- patterned slipcase with slight rubbing to corners, sans dust jacket, as issued. This was early in Subterranean’s history, and they were still using the 4 x 3 acrostic spine logo. Bought for $220.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Thicket. Mullholland Books/Little Brown, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $5 as part of the Lansdale documentary fundraiser.
Lansdale, Joe. R. Tight Little Stitches In A Dead Man’s Back. Pulphouse, 1992. First edition hardback chapbook, #70 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Short story hardback issue #28. Story originally appeared in John Maclay’s Nukes anthology in 1986. This is the first separate edition. Bought from a private collector for $75 (which is considerably more than I paid for The Steel Valentine).
Lansdale, Joe R. Waltz of Shadows. Subterranean Press, 1999. First edition hardback, letter R of 52 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- traycase with a few small, shallow, random indentations. The Lost Lansdale Volume One. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 855. Unnoted by Chalker/Owings (or my proof copy of The World Lansdalian), this edition is bound in a very attractive, deep purple cloth rather than the light blue of the trade edition. Bought for $190 ($5 less than cover).
Lansdale, Joe R., Howard Waldrop and Neal Barrett, Jr. The Gonzo Tapes. Scorpio Inc., no date (Howard says he recorded his October 7, 1992; since they were first sold at Armadillocon, and that year’s Armadillocon started just two days later, I’m guessing it was released at the 1993 Armadillocon). First edition cassette tape package, containing three cassettes with two stories each being read by authors Joe R. Lansdale (“Steppin’ Out, Summer 1968” and “By Bizarre Hands”), Howard Waldrop (“French Scenes” and “The Passing of the Western”) and Neal Barrett, Jr. (“Winter on the Belle Forche” and “Class of ’61”), along with a single trifold sheet attached to the inside of the front case lid with adhesive to the back, a Fine copy. Bought from that same private collector for $10.
Lansdale, Joe R. (edited by Bill Sheehan and William Schafer). Joe R. Lansdale’s Lords of the Razor. Subterranean Press, 2006. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and what would be a Fine leather traycase, save: A.) The leather stitching is somewhat uneven around the perimeter of the book, and B.) When I went to open this, the glued-on leather tab for the book fell off. I’m guessing these production problems were why Subterranean abandoned this design for lettered editions. Anthology featuring Lansdale’s God of the Razor from The Nightrunners. Formerly co-editor (and Subterranean Press founder and owner) William Schafer’s copy. Supplements a signed, numbered copy. Bought from Camelot Books for $346.50.
Lansdale, Joe R., editor. The Horror Hall of Fame: The Stoker Winners. Cemetery Dance, 2021. First edition hardback, #WW of 52 signed (by Lansdale), lettered, traycased copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. Anthology of Stoker Award winning stories from Robert Bloch, George R. R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, etc. Isajenko, World Lasdalean, D13aiii. Supplements trade and limited edition copies. Bought off eBay for $125 plus shipping.
(Lansdale, Joe R.) Isajenko, Fred. The World Lansdalean: The Authorized Joe R. Lansdale Bibliography. Short, Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2021. Uncorrected proof, trade paperback format, of the hardback first edition. Sent to me for spot-checking, and I sent them back a list of some things that were missing, etc.
(Lansdale, Joe R.) Fred Isajanko. The World Lansdalean: The Authorized Joe R. Lansdale Bibliography. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2021. First edition hardback, #101 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Bibliography of Lansdale’s work, that also includes bonus Lansdale fiction in the back. I have not checked to verify that all of my edit suggestions on the ARC made it into the final edition.
Leiber, Fritz. The Demons of the Upper Air. Roy A. Squires, 1969. First edition chapbook original, 143 of 275 copies number in Arabic numerals, a Fine copy in Fine wrappers, additionally inscribed “To/Chris/from/Fritz,” in a Fine original printed envelope, and even the original stiff cardboard mailer from Squires! Poetry. Squires always did beautiful work. Chalker/Owings, page 588. Bought off eBay for $50.
Ligotti, Thomas. Death Poems. Bad Moon Books, 2013. First edition hardback thus, #50 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. There was an earlier edition of this from Dutro Press, but this edition is expanded with additional material. Bought off eBay for $75.
Lovecraft, H.P. (S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, editors). Letters to Alfred Galpin and Others. Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original thus, a Fine copy. “A new edition, augmented here with over 200 new pages of material.” Primarily letters Lovecraft wrote to his amateur press association correspondents.
Lovecraft, H.P. (S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, editors). Letters to E. Hoffman Price and Richard F. Searight. Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Hoffman was an acclaimed Weird Tales writer in his own right, and also friends with Robert E. Howard (who is a frequent topic in these letters). Searlight also had pieces appear in Weird Tales.
Lovecraft, H.P. (S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, editors). Letters to Family and Family Friends Volume 1 with Letters to Family and Family Friends Volume 2. Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback originals, both Fine copies. Over 1,000 pages of letters, with page numbers across both volumes, plus a Glossary, an Index, etc.
Lovecraft, H.P. (S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz, editors). Letters to Rheinhart Kleiner and Others. Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original thus, a Fine copy. “A new edition, augmented here with nearly 250 new pages of material.” Letters Lovecraft wrote to one of his oldest friends, having known Kleiner since 1915. Other correspondence includes letters to other amateur journalists and members of the New York City-based Kalem Club.
(Lovecraft, H.P.) Sammons, Brian M and Glynn Owen Barrass, editors. Summer of Lovecraft: Cosmic Horrors in the 1960s. Dark Regions Press, 2021. Trade paperback reprint (a POD edition), a Fine copy. Bought for $9.
Magill, Frank, editor. Critical Survey of Mystery and Detective Fiction Authors. Salem Press, 1988. First edition hardbacks, a four volume set, reasonably clean Ex-Library copies, with slight signs of sticker removal from spine and a few bits of interior writing or marker crossout, but no pocket removal, sans dust jackets, as issued. Four volumes covering just about every important mystery writer up to that time (no Joe R. Lansdale, though, as this was right before the first Hap & Leonard novel). Bought for (I think) $20 from Scott Cupp at Armadillocon.
Martin, George R. R. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Subterranean Press, 2016. First signed limited edition hardback, a Fine PC copy of 52 leatherbound lettered copies signed by Martin and illustrator Gary Gianni, in a Fine traycase, sans dust jacket, as issued. An elaborate production, with full color fold-out frontispiece artwork and inserted card-stock separator, and a high quality embossed leather binding. Long out of print from the publisher. (In fact, I’m not even sure they ever offered the lettered edition in their email newsletter.) Bought for $600, a substantial discount from the original $750 offering price.
Matheson, Richard. Shadow on the Sun. M. Evans & Company, 1994. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket (after a jacket swap), signed by Matheson. Weird western. Bought from a fellow Biblio dealer for $28.
McDevitt, Jack. Cauldron. Easton Press, 2007. First edition (ISFDB shows it out three months before the Ace trade edition), #677 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about CAULDRON and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
McDevitt, Jack. The Devil’s Eye. Easton Press, 2008. First edition thus, #824 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about THE DEVIL’S EYE and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
McDevitt, Jack. Odyssey. Easton Press, 2006. First edition (ISFDB shows it out two months before the Ace trade edition), #881 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about ODYSSEY and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
McDevitt, Jack. Omega. Easton Press, 2003. First edition (ISFDB shows it out three months before the Ace trade edition), #885 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about OMEGA and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
McDevitt, Jack. Polaris. Easton Press, 2004. First edition (ISFDB shows it out five months before the Ace trade edition), #526 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, a thin color-printed paper bookmark for the novel with McDevitt’s name, SFWA URL (no longer valid) and white out in the middle upon which “Cryptic, Inc.” (which I think used to be Jack’s business entity) typed or stamped on top, and an insert card “a note about POLARIS and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
McDevitt, Jack. Seeker. Easton Press, 2005. First edition thus, #666 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about SEEKER and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Nebula winner for Best Novel. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
McDevitt, Jack. Time Travelers Never Die. Easton Press, 2009. First edition thus, #90 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by McDevitt), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about TIME TRAVELERS NEVER DIE and the author JACK McDEVITT” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
Mieville, China. The Last Days of New Paris. Subterranean Press, 2017. First limited edition hardback (the Del Rey trade edition precedes), a PC copy of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. Supplements a copy of the numbered edition. Long out of print. Bought for the original offering price of $250.
Moon, Elizabeth. Marque and Reprisal. Easton Press, 2004. First edition thus, #408 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Moon), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about MARQUE AND REPRISAL and the author ELIZABETH MOON” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
Moon, Elizabeth. The Speed of Dark. Easton Press, 2003. First edition thus, #809 of 1,000 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Moon), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about THE SPEED OF DARK and the author ELIZABETH MOON” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Interesting near future novel told from the viewpoint of a high-functioning autistic programmer. Nebula winner for Best Novel. Supplements a copy of the trade hardcover first inscribed to me (ISFDB says that the UK Orbit paperback edition is the true first). Obtained as part of a bulk library purchase.
Moorcock, Michael (edited by John Davey). Into The Media Web: Selected short non-fiction, 1956-2006. Savoy Books, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight grubbiness, slight creasing at top front cover and a 1/8″ closed tear at top front fold, and slight bumping at heel. Inscribed by Moorcock to fellow writer (and New World contributor) John Baxter: “To John,/Some embarrassments/some bullshit and maybe/a little bit/of truth./All very/best, as/ever yours/Mike,” plus a signature dated “18th July ’10.” 300,000+ word, 717 page collection of non-fiction, including essays, reviews, etc. covering books, film, music, etc. (Here’s a post on the book’s design.) Reportedly had a hardback print run of less than 100 copies, though I haven’t nailed down exactly how many. Bought for £140 plus shipping.
After I picked this up, Mike mentioned that he thought Baxter’s Ballard book was “lazy, shallow, salacious and sensational.”
(Moorcock, Michael) Cawthorn, James. The Stormbringer Sessions. Jayde Designs/Savoy Books, 2021. First edition hardback, an oversized graphic novel format. #30 of 100 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with a sheet replicating the cover art laid in. A graphic novel reprinting Cawthorn’s rough sketch’s for Michael Moorcock’s Elric: The Book of Stormbringer, a much more complete and elaborate graphic novel adaptation of the concluding Elric book than the version published by Savoy Books in 1976. At £100 plus transatlantic shipping, it’s a pricey item, but with such a small limitation (with only an additional 100 trade copies) for a Moorcock item, I thought it was better to snap it up when I could (and indeed, all copies are now sold out).
The scan chops off the very bottom of the cover, because that was all that would fit on my scanner.
The slipcase is embossed with a red foil version of Moorcock’s eight-arrowed chaos symbol:
Moore, Alan. Jerusalem. Knockabout Books, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight edgewear and slight haze-rubbing. Massive, 1174-page novel whose premise is that Northhampton is the actual center of the world. Looks interesting, but Lord know when I’ll ever find time to read it. Actually, I should probably read Voice of the Fire first. Bought for (I think) $16 from Scott Cupp at Armadillocon.
Moore, Ward. Breathe the Air Again. Harper & Brothers, 1942. First edition hardback (stated), a Near Fine copy with dust staining at top and bottom page blocks and slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine, price-clipped dust jacket with price stamp of “2.95” next to clip, slight grubbiness (most noticeable to back rear cover), plus shallow closed tears at head and heel; despite that, it’s a bright, vibrant example of a dust jacket for which I can find no other scan on the Internet. Interestingly, this copy has a different binding, and even appears to be a different trim size, than my other copy. I now believe my earlier copy is not only a library rebind, but one for which the page blocks were trimmed as part of the rebinding process. Reportedly a Picaresque mainstream novel of labor organizing. Bought off an Internet dealer for $265.50.
Current copy on the left, older copy on the right
Nolan, William F. Writing as Life. Dark Regions Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #34 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwrap. Mixture of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and autobiography. Bought for $37.50.
Palwick, Susan. All World Are Real. Fairwood Press, 2019. First edition trade paperback edition, a Fine copy, new and unread. Short story collection.
Powers, Tim. Artificial Light. Charnel House, 2021. First edition hardback, #67 of 100 signed, numbered hardback copies in Japanese Red Snow Dust silk (the same material used for Charnel Houses’ edition of Powers’ Collected Stories), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. A beautiful Charnel House production. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. There’s also a lettered state and a wraps state (not seen).
Powers, Tim. Last Call. Charnel House, 1992. First edition hardback (“by a whisker” says Chalker/Owings), #141 of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine- decorated slipcase with some rubbing to bottom and at points. His celebrated “playing poker with Tarot cards” book, and the first (and best) in a loose trilogy. Berlyne, A8b.1. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 211. Bought from a noted SF book dealer for $325. I think I now have all the Charnel House Powers limiteds (at least in numbered state).
Reynolds, Alastair. Belladonna Nights and Other Stories. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #171 of 1500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Available through Lame Excuse Books.
Reynolds, Alastair. Revenger. Gollancz, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight crimping at head. Bought at a Houston-area Half Price Books for $12.49.
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn, editor. Pulphouse Winter 1990: Issue Six. Pulphouse Publishing, 1990. First edition hardback, #196 of 250 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine- copy with a tiny crease at head, sans dust jacket, in a Fine slipcase, as issued. Back in the dim mists of the late 1980s, I thought the black trade edition of Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine, with it’s faux leather, embossed covers and deckled edges, was fairly attractive. Many of the Author’s Choice Monthly volumes were also worthwhile. Then Pulphouse wildly overproduced a huge variety of material nobody wanted, almost single-handedly depressing the market for small press books in the early 1990s. This volume has work (and signatures) from Avram Davidson, George Alec Effinger, Bradley Denton, Charles De Lint, Susan Palwick, etc. “Shrunk,” the Effinger story, is actually one George brought to the second Turkey City Writer’s Workshop I ever threw, which he said he had just missed selling to Playboy. According to him, Alice Turner had said “Well, I looked at it, and looked at it, and I finally decided it just wasn’t right for us.” Said George: “Do you realize what she said? ‘You just missed $5000 by that much.’ Tell me what’s wrong with it! I’ll walk to New York on my knees and fix it!” I already have all 12 issues of the trade edition of the hardback magazine run, and pick up the signed editions when I find them cheap, and I now have four. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 715. Bought off eBay for $25, more than half off the original offering price of $60.
Rushdie, Salman. The Satanic Verses. Viking, 1989. Fourth printing of the first American edition, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with slight curl at head, signed by Rushdie, with sales slip from a bookseller stating it was a signed copy laid. The book that earned Rushdie a fatwa from the Ayatollah Khomeini. Supplements a first printing of the first American edition (the Viking UK edition precedes). Bought at a Houston-area Half Price Books for $7.99.
Shaver, Richard S. The Shaver Mystery Book Eight. Armchair Fiction, 2020. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Supplements volumes 1-7.
Shea, Michael. Mr. Cannyharme: A Novel of Lovecraftian Terror. Hippocampus Press, 2021. First edition hardback, one of only 500 hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Previously unpublished Shea novel of Lovecraftian horror set in post-hippie San Francisco. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Shirley, John. A Sorcerer of Atlantis with A Prince in the Kingdom of Ghosts. Hippocampus Press, 2021. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Shirley doing weird adventure pulp! The first story features two adventurers in Atlantis battling bizarre monsters accompanied by a Princess of Mu. The second features a murdered Korean American who finds himself a prince in the afterlife. Looks like great fun.
Silverberg, Robert. Masters of Science Fiction Volume 13: Robert Silverberg The Ace Years, Part Three. Armchair Fiction, 2018. First edition trade paperback originals, a Fine copy. Reprints three more Ace PBOs: Invaders From Earth, Collision Course and The Silent Invaders, plus a new forward, a book cover gallery, and “The Songs of Summer.”
Silverberg, Robert. The Secret Sharer. Underwood Miller, 1988. First edition hardback, #230 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Near Fine slipcase with some red spotting to rear. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Silverberg, Robert, and Randall Garrett, and Laurence Manning. The Beast With 7 Tails b/w The Wreck of the Asteroid. Armchair Fiction, 2021. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. The Silverberg/Garrett “The Beast With 7 Tails” has never been reprinted since it’s appearance in Amazing Stories in 1956, and The Wreck of the Asteroid has not been reprinted since being serialized in Wonder Stories in 1932-3. Bleiler’s Science Fiction: The Gernsback Years says that the Manning is “A competent adventure story with reasonable development.”
Simmons, Dan. Lovedeath. Subterranean Press, 2013. First limited edition a PC copy of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Mylar-protected dust jacket. Formerly Subterranean Press founder William Shafer’s copy. Supplements a copy of the Warner Books first edition inscribed to me. Bought from Camelot Books for $52.50.
Skelton, Red. The Great Lazarus. Skelton Publications, 1986. First edition hardback (stated), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Skelton. Michael Swanwick says it may qualify as magic realism. Bought off eBay for $24.50.
Smith, Clark Ashton, and August Derleth. Eccentric, Impractical Devils: The Letters of August Derleth and Clark Ashton Smith. (David E. Schultz and S.T. Joshi, editors). Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Derleth, of course, published many of Smith’s collections at Arkham House, and both men where appearing in the pages of Weird Tales in the 1920s, but they didn’t correspond until Lovecraft introduced them to each other in 1930.
(Smith, Clark Ashton) S.T. Joshi, David E. Schultz and Scott Conners. Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography. Hippocampus Press, 2020. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Much-needed comprehensive bibliography for Smith’s works, especially since Donald Sidney-Fryer’s Emperor of Dreams is not only out of date, but so poorly organized as to be nearly useless.
Smith, Michael Marshall. The Best of Michael Marshall Smith. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Trade edition.
Stephenson, Neal. Atmosphæra Incognita. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 Lettered copies, a Fine copy in embossed boards and a Fine traycase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Novella about building a giant tower. Bought for $500 (the original offering price).
Spiner, Brent with Jeanne Darst. Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir Inspired By True Events. St. Martin’s Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, signed by Spiner. Mystery by Spiner, starring Spiner, revolving around a box he received during the filming of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Bought for $22.39 from The Mysterious Bookshop.
Stephenson, Neal. Atmosphæra Incognita. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $100.
Lettered edition on left, numbered edition on right
Sturgeon, Theodore. The Dreaming Jewels. Greenberg, 1950. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight flatness to top of spine, a few touches of wear to boards, slight foxing to inside covers, FFE and RFE, and trace of light spotting at top page block, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with shallow chipping at head and heel, moderate light staining spots to white rear panel, and some 1/4″ closed tears at top and bottom fold joins and various other traces of surface wear, with Greenberg response postcard laid in. Currey, page 471. His first novel. Park of a bulk collection purchase.
Sturgeon, Theodore. Without Sorcery. Prime Press, 1948. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight bumping at head, heel and points and a tickmark and circled “A+” next to “Maturity” on the title page, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with edgewear and crinkling at head, heel and points, rubbing along edges one thin streak of discoloration to spine (not affecting any text), slight haze rubbing to front cover, and age darkening and dust staining to white rear cover, signed by Sturgeon. Sturgeon’s first short story collection (and first “real” book). Diskin, Theodore Sturgeon: A Primary and Secondary Bibliography, A54. Currey, page 473 (state B, trade issue). Chalker/Owings, page 352. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 129. Bleiler, Checklist (1978), page 189 (not in the 1948 edition). Locke, Anatomy of Wonder, page 208. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4, 3-173. Bought for $50 off eBay.
Swanwick, Michael. The Book of Blarney. Dragonstairs Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #44 of 50 signed, numbered copies, this one in a patterned darker green wraps (call it state A, no precedence), a Fine copy. “Four whimsical, cynical vignettes on the theme of Ireland’s religious and literary history. 5 ½ by 4 ¼ inches. Wrapper of Nepalese lokta paper, in two different states. Decorated with an applied harp label and green ribbon. Numbered and signed by the author. Issued in an edition of 50, 11 of which were distributed to participants of Michael Swanwick’s virtual kaffeklatch at 2021 Boskone.”
Swanwick, Michael. The Book of Blarney. Dragonstairs Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #48 of 50 signed, numbered copies, this one in solid emerald green wraps (call it state B, no precedence), a Fine copy (though with a wrinkle present in the wraps paper). Both editions sold out the same day they were offered for sale.
Swanwick, Michael. Five Rings. Dragonstairs Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #5 of 32 copies, a Fine copy. Five vignettes on the Olympics, “Gold,” “Silver,” “Bronze,” “Last Place” and “Also There.” Sold out within minutes of being made available for sale. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael. Rainbow Clause. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #72 of 120 copies, a Fine copy with multicolored snowflakes appliqued to the front cover. Collection of extremely short stories about various Santas (“Red Santa,” “Orange Santa,” “White Santa,” “Blue Santa,” “Black Santa,” “Yellow Santa,” “Purple Santa” and “Green Santa”). I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael and Greer Gilman. The Lonely and the Rum: A Conversation. Dragonstairs Press, 2021. First edition chapbook original, #50 of 125 copies, a Fine copy with hand-made, uneven (I think intentionally) covers. Transcription of a conversation between Gilman and Swanwick on fantasy. Obtained directly from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Tarantino, Quentin. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. Harper, 2021. First hardback edition and first edition thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Originally published as a PBO, this hardback edition includes not only Tarantino’s novelization of his own film, but also a script for an episode of Bounty Law, reproductions of fake movie posters and TV Guide covers featuring Rick Dalton, and even the Mad Magazine parody “Lousy Law.” Bought from The Mysterious Bookshop at a dealer discount. (Right now Amazon appears to be offering this at half cover price (though the usual Amazon caveats apply, and there’s no guarantee you’ll get a first printing).)
Turtledove, Harry. The Best of Harry Turtledove. Subterranean Press, 2021. First edition hardback, #268 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Vance, Jack. Cugel’s Saga. Underwood Miller, 1983. First limited edition hardback, a presentation copy of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine- copy with slight crimping at head, in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with some age darkening to the spine and touches of wear at head, heel and points, in a Fine- slipcase with a few traces of wear. Sequel to Eyes of the Overworld. Hewett A71b, which notes the slipcase was actually issued later than the book itself. Cunningham 19b, which notes that there were 50 PC copies. Bought off eBay for $202.50, which is about half of what normal copies usually go for, much less a presentation copy with the slipcase.
Vance, Jack. Mazirian the Magician: Tales of the Dying Earth, Book 1. Spatterlight Press, 2021. First separate hardback edition and first thus, a Fine- copy in decorated boards with wear at head and slight bump at heel, otherwise new and unread, sans dust jacket, as issued. First separate edition under this title, a corrected reprint of The Dying Earth originally published as the first volume of the Vance Integral Edition, with a new introduction by Michael Moorcock. Bought for $57.36 from Amazon, the only venue for order fulfillment, which makes me think trying to obtain a perfect copy would be an exercise in futility. Supplements a VIE copy, the Underwood-Miller hardback first of The Dying Earth, and a paperback reprint of The Dying Earth Vance signed for me at the 1985 NASFIC in Austin. (Still need the Hillman PBO.)
Vance, Jack. Vandals of the Void. The John C. Winston Company, 1953. First edition hardback, a Very Good copy with some soiling/grubbiness to the boards, a touch of dust staining to page block edges, in a Very Good dust jacket with one 1/4″ chip at top rear corner, a 1/32″ chip along bottom rear edge, a closed 1/4″ triangular tear at top front, fading to red portion of spine, plus edgewear at points and slight rubbing, but overall a very attractive copy of the dust jacket. I bought this off eBay for $41.00 to marry the dust jacket to my signed but jacketless copy. Hewett, A3. Cunningham, 81a.
Vance, Jack. Wild Thyme, Green Magic. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 signed lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. The only edition of this book issued signed by Vance. Formerly Subterranean Press founder William Schafer’s copy. Bought from Camelot Books for $525.
(Vance, Jack) Robert Offutt Jr., editor. The Many Worlds of Jack Vance & The Horns of Elfland. Robert Offutt Jr., 1978. First edition illustrated fanzine, a Near Fine copy with a crease near the top at the spine. Features the Vance’s “The Secret,” the first chapter of an illustrated adaptation of The Eyes of the Overworld, etc. Second (and last) volume of an illustrated, semiprozine quality publication dedicated to Vance’s work (though the cover illustration, “Boromir’s Fall,” is obviously from The Lord of the Rings). Chock-full of illustrations from Rod Whigham, who later did a great deal of comic book work. Hewett, M31b, who notes there were 1,000 copies of this printed. Bought off eBay for $25.
Wager, Walter. My Side By King Kong. Collier Books, 1976. First trade paperback edition (there was a hardback the same year that may have preceded), a Fine- copy with edgewear. Another book for my Kaiju library. A Christmas gift from Dwight, and not listed in any previous post.
Wagner, Karl Edward. A Little Ochre Book of Occult Stories. Borderlands Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #165 of 500 numbered copies signed by editor Stephen Jones. Short story collection. Bought for $30 off eBay.
Weir, Andy. The Martian. Crown Publishers. 2014. First edition hardback (preceded by a self-published ebook), a Near Fine copy with small, light spots of staining to heel and slight bend at head, in a Near Fine dust jacket with a 1/2″ closed tear at bottom front, slight crease along top front edge, slight edgewear and wear at points. Celebrated novel of an astronaut stranded on Mars made into the Matt Damon movie of the same name. Bought at Half Price Books for $9.99.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Rebel Boast. Henry Holt and Company, 1956. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy from which the FFE has been excised and a cracked front hinge, otherwise nice, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a few 3/4″ closed tears along the top edge that have been mended (fairly skillfully) with blindside tape, signed by Wellman. Non-fiction about a group of Confederate soldiers that fought the entirety of the Civil War. “First at Bethel — Last at Appomattox.” Bought for $15 off eBay.
Williamson, Jack. The Stonehenge Gate. Easton Press, 2005. First edition hardcover (ISFDB says this came out in March of 2005, while the serialized version was finishing up in Analog, while the Tor edition didn’t come out until August) #120 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Williamson), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about THE STONEHENGE GATE and the author JACK WILLIAMSON” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. I note that it is fairly unusual for Tor to allow Easton Press to do an edition of one of their books, and I’ve seen writers complain that Tor contracts forbade them from doing an Easton Press edition (or other signed/limited special editions), as they wanted their own books to be the true firsts. Williamson’s editor there was David Hartwell, a long-time fan of his work, and I can believe that such was his stature that an exception was made. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Wolfe, Gene. Home Fires. Tor, 2011. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with black remainder dot to top page block and slight bumping at head in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Wolfe. Supplements an unsigned first and a copy of the PS Publishing signed, limited edition. Bought for $30 off eBay.
Wong, David (pseudonym of Jason Pargin). This Book Is Full of Spiders. St. Martin’s Press, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel and a Fine- dust jacket with slight wrinkling at heel, touches of edgewear and a couple of small stray abrasions. Sequel to John Dies At The End. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Wong, David (pseudonym of Jason Pargin). What The Hell Did I Just Read. St. Martin’s Press, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Another book in the series. Part of a bulk collection purchase.
Zelazny, Roger. Bridge of Ashes. Signet, 1976. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Fine- copy with a slight bit of edgewear, and a trace of dust soiling to very bottom of back cover, signed by Zelazny. Levack, 2a. Kovacs, I3a. Currey, page 571. This and the following Zelazny paperbacks were all books from that final Bob Pylant Zelazny purchase in 2019
Zelazny, Roger. Creatures of Light and Darkness. Avon, 1970. First paperback edition, a Near Fine+ copy with one spine crease and touches of edgewear, signed by Zelazny. Levack, 8c. Kovacs, I9d.
Zelazny, Roger. Dilvish, the Damned. Del Rey, 1981. First edition paperback original, a Fine- with a 1/16th closed tear at bottom front and slight edgewear at points, signed by Zelazny. Levack, 11a. Kovacs, I15b.
Zelazny, Roger. Four for Tomorrow. Ace, 1967. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Near Fine- copy with slight spine crease and wear, plus foxing to inside covers and slight age-darkening, inscribed by Zelazny: “For Willie/Best,/Roger Zelazny.” Levack, 17a. Kovacs, V11a. Currey, page 571.
Zelazny, Roger. Isle of the Dead. Ace, 1969. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Fine- copy with slight wear at head and heel, trace of foxing to inside covers, and slight age darkening to pages, signed by Zelazny. A really pristine copy. Levack, 21a. Kovacs, I25a. Currey, page 571.
Zelazny, Roger. Jack of Shadows. Signet, 1972. First paperback edition, a Near Fine copy with former owner’s name and “Parson’s Farewell” written and crossed out on blurb page, signed by Zelazny. Levack, 22c. Kovacs, I26c.
Zelazny, Roger. My Name is Legion Ballantine Books, 1976. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Fine- copy with a slight bit of edgewear, signed by Zelazny. Levack, 27a. Kovacs, I32a. Currey, page 572.
Zelazny, Roger and Fred Saberhagen. The Black Throne. Baen, 1990. First edition paperback original “uncorrected page proof,” a Fine- copy with a few tiny black dots on bottom pageblock edge, otherwise new and unread. Kovacs, 1a. The proof, unlike the PBO, has a printed white spine and blank white rear cover. Mass market form factor proofs are not unknown in science fiction, but they are unusual.
Tags:Books, Centipede Press, Charnel House, Clive Barker, Fantasy, Harlan Ellison, Horror, Isaac Asimov, J. G. Ballard, Jack Vance, Joe R. Lansdale, Michael Moorcock, Michael Swanwick, Mystery, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, Subterranean Press
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 15th, 2021
Another one from the bulk purchase:
Fowler, Karen Joy. What I Didn’t See and Other Stories. Small Beer Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of wrinkling at top rear, signed by by Fowler. Short story collection.
Gaiman, Neil. The Ocean at the End of the Lane. William Morrow, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gaiman.
Silverberg, Robert. The Secret Sharer. Underwood Miller, 1988. First edition hardback, #230 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Near Fine slipcase with some red spotting to rear.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Karen Joy Fowler, Neil Gaiman, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Underwood/Miller
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Monday, July 12th, 2021
Here are some Armchair Fiction titles I picked up during a sale, all of which are (though POD editions) either first editions thus or first book editions of works originally published in magazines, and are mostly works that have fallen out of copyright.
Anderson, Poul. Masters of Science Fiction, Volume 9: Poul Anderson: “The Star Beast” And Other Tales. Armchair Fiction, 2014. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Short story collection. “The Long Return” and “World of the Mad” haven’t been reprinted since their original magazine appearances.
Anderson, Poul with Lester Del Rey and Frederik Pohl. A Twelvemonth and a Day b/w Preferred Risk. Armchair Fiction, 2016. First edition trade paperback original for the Anderson, a Fine copy. Supplements a signed hardback first of Preferred Risk.
Campbell, John W. and Aladra Septama. When the Atoms Failed b/w The Dragons of Space. Armchair Fiction, 2016. First edition trade paperback originals, a Fine copy. Contains “When the Atoms Failed” (one print reprint) and “The Metal Horde” no print reprints) from Campbell, and the Septama had never been reprinted previously (though, according to Bleiler’s Science Fiction: The Gernsback Years, it’s really bad…).
Shaver, Richard S. The Shaver Mystery Book Eight. Armchair Fiction, 2020. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Supplements volumes 1-7.
Silverberg, Robert. Masters of Science Fiction Volume 13: Robert Silverberg The Ace Years, Part Three. Armchair Fiction, 2018. First edition trade paperback originals, a Fine copy. Reprints three more Ace PBOs: Invaders From Earth, Collision Course and The Silent Invaders, plus a new forward, a book cover gallery, and “The Songs of Summer.”
Silverberg, Robert, and Randall Garrett, and Laurence Manning. The Beast With 7 Tails b/w The Wreck of the Asteroid. Armchair Fiction, 2021. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. The Silverberg/Garrett “The Beast With 7 Tails” has never been reprinted since it’s appearance in Amazing Stories in 1956, and The Wreck of the Asteroid has not been reprinted since being serialized in Wonder Stories in 1932-3. Bleiler’s Science Fiction: The Gernsback Years says that the Manning is “A competent adventure story with reasonable development.”
Except for The Ace Years, Part Three (already sold!), I will have copies of all these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, currently in progress.
Tags:Armchair Fiction, Books, Frederik Pohl, John W. Campbell, Lester Del Rey, Poul Anderson, Print-on-Demand, Robert Silverberg, Shaver Mystery
Posted in Books, Science Fiction | No Comments »
Monday, February 15th, 2021
I didn’t manage to break it up into two posts this year, so this is a roundup of every book I bought (or that came in) between January 1 and December 31, 2020. Most, but not all, of these were already listed in blog posts between March 2020 and February 2021:
Adams, Douglas. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. Simon & Schuster, 1987. First edition hardback (simultaneous with the UK Heinemann edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $9.99.
Ballard, J. G. The Terminal Beach. Gollancz, 1964. First hardback edition (preceded by the Berkley paperback), a Near Fine copy with small owner’s name on FFE, small Australian bookstore sticker at bottom inside front cover near gutter, uniform dust soiling to top and side edges, and slight bumping at head and heel, in a Very Good+ price-clipped dust jacket with a 3/16″ chip at heel, shallow chipping at points, slight dust staining to spine and edges. A fairly nice copy of a key Ballard short story collection, including the title story and “The Drowned Giant.” Goddard & Pringle, J. G. Ballard: The First Twenty Years, 54. Currey, page 23. Bought at auction for A$500 plus shipping. Replaces an Ex-Library copy.
Barksdale, Dante, with Grace Kearney. Growing Up Barksdale: A True Baltimore Story. No publisher listed, printed 2020. Trade paperback POD reprint, a Fine copy. Autobiography by a former Baltimore gang member who’s family’s story provided some of the grist for David Simon’s The Wire. A Christmas gift from Dwight.
Beaumont, Charles. The Magic Man and Other Science-Fantasy Stories. Fawcett Gold Medal, 1965. First edition paperback original, a Very Good- copy with crease across bottom front corner, spine creasing and abrasions, age darkening to pages and general wear. Reginald, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature Volume 1, page 40. Obtained free.
Beaumont, Charles. Shadow Play. Panther, 1964. First UK edition and first edition under this title, a Very Good- copy with chipper bottom front corner, spine creasing, age darkening to pages and general wear. Originally published in the U.S. in hardback as The Hunger and Other Stories. Reginald, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature Volume 1, page 40. Some overlap between these two. Obtained free.
Bennett, Robert Jackson. In the Shadows of Men. Subterranean, 2020. First edition hardback, #134 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Novella by the author of Mr. Shivers and Company Man.
Bethke, Bruce. Headcrash. Warner Books, 1995. Advanced reading copy of the paperback original first edition, also mass market paperback size, a Fine copy, signed by the author. Bethke was doing some pioneering cyberpunk work (indeed, his story “Cyberpunk” probably coined the word in 1980, but wasn’t published until 1983), but most of it didn’t get published until after the 1980s. This is his first stand-alone non-tie-in novel. Philip K. Dick award winner. Obtained directly from the author.
Blaylock, James P. The Gobblin’ Society. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #259 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Blaylock’s latest Steampunk Langdon St. Ives adventure.
Blaylock, James P. The Magic Spectacles. Morrigan Publications, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a full page inscription to SF writer Scott Cupp and his wife Sandy: “For Scott & Sandi,/This loony children’s book, starring/my sons at what now seems to/me to be an impossibly young/age. Here’s to Italian food &/trips to California. Cheers,/Jim.” Replaces an unsigned copy.
Blish, James. Black Easter. Doubleday, 1968. An Ex-library copy I bought for $4 for the quite bright Near Fine+ dust jacket to marry to another copy.
Bond, Nelson. Nightmares and Daydreams. Arkham House, 1968. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slightly bumped points, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wear at points and the barest trace of dust soiling to white rear cover. Signed by Bond. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 98. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 106. Nielsen, 104. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 96. Currey (1979), page 49. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 38. Bought off eBay for $35.
Bradbury, Ray. Forever and the Earth. Croissant & Company, 1984. First edition hardback, #20 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a glassine dust wrapper, as issued. Script for a radio dramatization. Bought for $50.
Bradbury, Ray. A Chapbook for Burnt-Out Priests, Rabbis and Ministers. Cemetery Dance, 2001. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 350 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy save a dime-sized spot of discoloration on front free endpaper (possibly a paper flaw), in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Mixture of prose and poetry. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for $29.99.
Bradbury, Ray. The Ray Bradbury Chronicles Volume 4. Byron Preiss Visual Publications, 1993. First edition hardback, #548 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $35. I now lack only volumes 1, 3 and 5. Weist, Ray Bradbury: An Illustrated Life, page 183.
(Bradbury, Ray) James Tucker and Erin Mckee, editors. Touchstone: Celebrating the Lives of Fritz Leiber and Ray Bradbury. Mysterious Stranger Press, 1978. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with slight crease to bottom front corner, a stray ink mark to bottom outer pageblock edge, and a touch of grubbiness to the uncoated covers, signed by Bradbury and McKee, with 183/977 written at the bottom right corner of the title page (presumably the limitation). Odd mélange of festschrift, bits of fiction from the two authors, a bibliography, etc. Includes contributions from Harlan Ellison, Poul Anderson, William F. Nolan, Richard Lupoff (as Ova Hamlet), etc. Reginald, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature 1975-1991, 29608. Not in Currey. Not in The Undead (which had a lot of obscure Bradbury items listed). Not in Morgan, Fritz Leiber: a Bibliography 1934—1979. Not in Staicar, Fritz Leiber. Not in a whole damn lot of things it should have been in (but it is in the ISFDB). Found literally in Dreamhaven’s basement, and I think I ended up paying something like $16.
Bryant, Edward, and Harlan Ellison. Phoenix Without Ashes. Fawcett, 1975. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with one faint spine crease and a few touches of edgewear, otherwise apparently new and unread. Currey, page 76 and 178. Richmond, Fingerprints on the Sky, page 108. Supplements a slightly less attractive copy. Now I can file one copy under Bryant and one under Ellison. Bought for $2 from a fundraiser sale for the Joe R. Lansdale documentary All Hail The Popcorn King.
Butler, Octavia. Unexpected Stories. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #391 of 1000 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Contains two newly unearthed stories, plus an introduction by Nisi Shawl and an afterword by Butler’s agent and literary executor Merrilee Heifetz.
Campbell, Ramsey. A Little Green Book of Grins & Gravity. Borderlands Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #498 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. A novella, “The Enigma of the Flat Policeman,” supposedly in the manner of John Dickson Carr, along with an introduction and an afterword.
Castle, Mort. A Little Cobalt Book of Old Blue Stories…And Stuff. Borderlands Press, 2018. First edition hardback, #492 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Nine stories, one original to this volume.
Chiang, Ted. Exhalation. Subterranean Press, 2020. First signed, limited edition (preceded by the Knopf hardback), #212 of 300 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. Now sold out from the publisher. I will have a very small number of copies available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Crouch, Blake. A Little Orange Book of Obsessions. Borderlands Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #498 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Three stories, one from an online-only source. Now out of stock from the publisher. I still have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Davidson, Avram, editor. The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction Fourteenth Series. Doubleday, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine- dust jacket with a 1/16″ chip at head, slight edgewear a heel, and some darkening/dust soiling to white rear cover. Currey, page 131.
de Camp, L. Sprague. Warlocks and Warriors. Putnam, 1970. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with five tiny ink “x”s next to stories on the copyright page and a trace of bend at head and heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with traces of edgewear along flap folds. Signed by de Camp. Includes Zelazny’s “The Bells of Shoredan.” The Zelazny and others include maps for their stories that I’m not sure I’ve seen anywhere else.
Delaney, Samuel R. Babel-17. Ace, 1966. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ price on cover, as per Currey), a Near Fine copy with rubbing along front spine join, slight edgewear, and slight age darkening to pages. Nebula Award winner for best novel. Currey, page 139. Bought for $2 from the Lansdale documentary fundraiser sale.
Delaney, Samuel R. City of a Thousand Suns. Ace, 1965. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 40¢ price on cover, as per Currey), a Near Fine+ copy with considerable foxing to inside covers, age darkening to pages, and trace of dust soiling to white covers. Currey, page 139. Bought for $2 from the Lansdale documentary fundraiser sale.
de la Ree, Gerry. Fantasy Collector’s Annual – 1975. Gerry de la Ree, 1974. First edition hardback, #50 of 80 bound hardback copies a Fine- copy with top rear spine hinge gutter paste-down starting to tear, otherwise a nice, square copy. Miscellany of fantasy-related items, including Virgal Finley art, facsimiles of letters from Seabury Quinn to Finley, J.J. Weguelin’s art of H. Rider Haggard’s Montezuma’s Daughter, a note on the secret reprint edition of August Derleth’s Someone in the Dark, facsimile examples of inscriptions by several fantasy notables including, Ray Cummuings, A. A. Merrit, and Wernher von Braun, and a reprint of a The Mars Gazette, a chemical company advertising pamphlet in science fictional form extolling the virtues of “liquid peptonoids.” Chalker/Owings, page 128. Bought from an online dealer for $60.
De Palma, Brian and Susan Lehman. Are Snakes Necessary? Hard-Case Crime, 2020. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by both authors. Bought from The Mysterious Bookstore at a dealer discount.
Dick, Philip K. Mary and the Giant. Arbor House, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. For some reason I ended up with a copy of the UK first edition and the Ultramarine Press leather-bound-with-the-cancelled check edition, but never picked up the American trade edition (the true first) until now. Precious Artifacts, MS5.2. Bought for $20 from Dreamhaven.
Dick, Philip K. The Slave Race. Sangrail Press, 2020. First edition chapbook, #69 of 250 copies, a Fine copy, with additional linocut of the cardstock frontispiece illustration affixed inside the firstpage and note from publisher laid in. First separate publication of a 15-year old Dick’s first SF short story that appeared in the Berkeley Daily Gazette Young Author’s Club column on May 8th, 1944. Bought directly from the publisher at a dealer discount.
Disch, Thomas. Fun With Your New Head. Doubleday, 1971. First U.S. edition and first edition under this title, previously published as Under Compulsion in the UK three years before, a Near Fine copy with purple remainder speckling at heel, owners name of “Scott Imes” written in ink on inside top back cover under flap, and slight bend at head and heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to spine and a few traces of dust soiling. Inscribed by Disch: “For Margee & Scott,/Best,/Thomas M. Disch.” Imes was the long-time manager of Uncle Hugo’s SF bookstore store. Currey, page 164. Bought for $28.
Disch, Thomas M. Echo Round His Bones. Berkley Medallion, 1967. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with slight edgewear, touches of wear elsewhere, and usual slight foxing and slight age-darkening of pages. Currey (1979), page 164. Obtained free.
Disch, Thomas M. The Genocides. Berkley, 1965. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with just a trace of edgewear and the usual foxing and age darkening to pages. Supplements the UK first hardback edition. Currey (1979), page 164. His first novel. Obtained free.
Disch, Thomas M. White Fang Goes Dingo. Arrow Books, 1970 (interestingly, Currey (both 1979 and 2002) says 1971). First edition paperback original under this title (an expanded version of 102 H-Bombs), a Fine- copy with slight edgewear and slight age-darkening to edges of pages. Currey (1979), page 165.
Dozois, Gardner, with Michael Swanwick. ‘She Saved Us From World War Three’: Gardner Dozois Remembers James Tiptree, Jr. Temporary Culture, 2020. First edition chapbook original, one of 225 copies printed, a Fine copy in a Fine black envelope, as issued. Swanwick interviews Dozois on the subject of the reclusive Alice Sheldon AKA James Tiptree, Jr., who corresponded with Dozois and met him in person at least once. Haven’t read it yet, but the story Gardner told was that as a CIA analyst, Sheldon was told to look at satellite photographs the government, fearful of a nuclear first strike, thought showed hundred of mobile Soviet missile launchers. She told them they were hay drying carts for the fall harvest. (Neal Barrett, Jr. used to tell a story about how he had prevented World War III. He was with the army in West Germany in the late 1950s, and his night watch superior had gotten liquored up and wanted to invade East Germany. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, sir.”)
Dozois, Gardner, editor. The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Thirtieth Annual Collection. St. Martin’s, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from Dreamhaven for cover price minus 20%. The remaining volumes I lack are 15, 23, 24, 27 and 28.
Effinger, George Alec. The Exile Kiss. Doubleday Foundation, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a wrinkle at heel in a Fine- dist jacket with just a trace of darkening to the very tops of the white flaps. Inscribed by Effinger: “To Ed —/With supreme best wishes/(Which I haven’t bestowed even/on Willie or Fred) —/At Armadillocon 13 —/George.” I strongly suspect this book was inscribed to Ed Graham, who was the chair of Armadillocon 12. (His wife, Casey Hamilton, chaired Armadillocon 13, and together they chaired Armadillocon 16.) Willie Siros and Fred Duarte were other Armadillocon chairs. Replaces an unsigned trade first in my library, and supplements a copy of the signed/limited state.
Egan, Greg. Dispersion. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #173 of 1000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. “In a world not quite our own, every living thing is born into one of six discrete ‘fractions’ that are incompatible with—and often invisible to—each other. These fractions have coexisted peacefully for centuries, but now a disease has appeared that seems to drag the infected parts of the body into a different fraction. The effects are devastating. Individual victims suffer painful, protracted deaths. Entire communities turn against one another, and a state approaching perpetual war takes hold.”
Ellison, Harlan. Getting in the Wind. Kicks Books/Edgework Abbey, 2012. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy with four postcards, a pair of dice, a signature plate signed by Ellison, in a dropbox, with a picture of the cover pasted on front, in a plastic bag with a seal for “Sex Gang Perfume.” (This one with the seal broken so I could look at the contents.) An elaborate production. This copy and the following reprint all the stories from Ellison’s very early PBO Sex Gang, published as by Paul Merchant in 1959, along with other very early Ellison stories. Richmond, Fingerprints in the Sky, page 52. Bought for $50 off eBay, 1/3rd the original offering price.
Ellison, Harlan. Partners in Wonder. Walker, 1971. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy with a light, dime-sized black smudge along rear spine-join, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with two quarter-sized light charcoal colored stains on the spine panel, and slight edgewear at head and heel. Inscribed by Ellison: “For Mila,/Merry Christmas/1977/Harlan Ellison.” Collection of collaborative stories. Supplements a nicer copy signed by Robert Silverberg (but not Ellison). Fingerprints on the Sky, page 56. Currey, page 178.
Ellison, Harlan. Pulling a Train. Kicks Books/Edgework Abbey, 2012. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy with four postcards, a switchblade comb, a signature plate signed by Ellison, in a dropbox, with a picture of the cover pasted on front, in a plastic bag with a seal for “Sex Gang Perfume.” (This one with the seal unbroken.) An elaborate production. This copy and the above reprint all the stories from Ellison’s very early PBO Sex Gang, published as by Paul Merchant in 1959, along with other very early Ellison stories. Richmond, Fingerprints in the Sky, page 56. Bought for $50 off eBay, 1/3rd the original offering price.
(Ellison, Harlan) Ellen Weil and Gary K. Wolfe. Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever. Ohio State University Press, 2002. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with bottom outer edges slightly bumped. Bought for $12.49.
Finn, Mark. Gods New and Used. Clockwork Storybook, 2001. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed by Finn, with a “Signed by Author at Book People” sticker on it. Collection of linked stories. Bought at Half Price Books for $10.
Gaiman, Neil. The View from the Cheap Seats. William Morrow, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Gaiman. Collection of non-fiction (essays, interview, etc.).
Grant, Charles L. (Hank Wagner and Kathryn Ptacek, editors). A Little Black book of Quiet Horror. Borderlands Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #498 of 500 numbered copies signed by the editors, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Four stories. Now out of print from the publisher.
Greenberg, Martin H. Dragons: The Greatest Stories. MJF Books, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Anthology. A few mysteries about this copy: Has a numberline ending in one (which would typically indicate a first edition rather than a book club edition), but no price on the dust jacket (which would typically indicate the opposite), and has a red binding along the spine. The ISFDB lists two editions, one at a price of $19.95, and the other at a price of $7.98, the latter of which it indicates is taken from the Locus database, which also lists only one edition of the book and that as an instant remainder (which would explain the lack of a price). The Don Maitz cover appears to be a cropped example of the fuller dust jacket illustration that originally appeared on Kathleen Sky’s Witchdame in 1985; copies of this anthology with green spine and the fuller illustration (still with no price on the dust jacket) appear to be second printings. Still another mystery is the not-quite-right Zelazny signatures on the title page and at his story “The George Business,” which would be a neat trick since Zelazny died in 1995. No idea if Bob or someone else created the spurious signatures. It would seem that this instant remainder edition was done first and the pricier retail edition (if it even exists) may have been done later.
Haldeman, Joe. War Stories. Night Shade Books, 2005. First edition hardback, one of 175 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Omnibus editions of Haldeman’s Vietnam War stories and poems, including his novel War Year. On one hand, 175 is a pretty low limitation for a Haldeman limited. On the other hand, literally the only difference is the signed limitation page. Supplements a trade copy inscribed to me. Bought off eBay for $24.50.
(Heinlein, Robert A.) Patterson, William H., Jr. Robert A. Heinlein In Dialogue With His Century — Volume 2: The Man Who Learned Better | 1948—1988. The second half of Patterson’s mammoth biography. Bought at Half Price Books for $17.49.
Hill, Joe. Full Throttle. Subterranean Press, 2020. First signed, limited edition thus, #43 of 750 numbered copies signed by Hill and artist Dave McKean, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. An elaborate, lavishly illustrated edition in a square form-factor. I have copies available for sale through Lame Excuse Books.
Holkins, Jerry and Mike Krahulik. Penny Arcade 6: The Halls Below. Del Rey, 2010. First edition hardback, #885 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy with inset color cover illustration, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection of Penny Arcade cartoons. Bought from the Penny Arcade store for $30.
Howard, Robert E. Skull-Face And Others. Arkham House, 1946. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight bumping at points, slight bend at head and heel, trace of rubbing to center of gold designs along spine, in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight sun-fading to spine, slight wear at points, a 1/16″ closed tear at head, slight wrinkling at top right cover, a touch of dust soiling around just the edge of white rear cover, and blindside foxing to dust jacket; all in all, an extremely nice copy of this key Howard and Arkham House work. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House, 17. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 19. Nielsen, Arkham House Books, 17. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 17. Currey, page 251. Bleiler, Guide to Supernatural Fiction, 852. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy, page 117. Bleiler, Checklist (1978), page 104. Bleiler, Checklist (1948), page 153. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 23 (“What The Outsider and Others is to Lovecraft, this book is to Howard”). Kemp, Anthem Series, pages 305-6. Barron, Horror Literature, 3-95 (but not in the companion Fantasy Literature volume). One of four “tall” Arkham house volumes, of which I now have two. Bought for $382.46 from a fellow Biblio dealer.
Ipcar, Dahlov. A Dark Horn Blowing. Viking Press, 1978. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight bend at head and heel, a short, thin line of rust-colored staining at very bottom of front free endpaper, and a trace of age-darkening to pages, in a Near Fine dust jacket with a vertical crease running along the edge of the rear flap. Fantasy novel of a woman kidnapped to elfland to nurse a newborn elf prince. Never heard of it, but Bob Pylant said it was a good novel. In the Encyclopedia of fantasy, John Clute calls her work “atmospheric and densely conceived.”
Kelly, James Patrick. King of the Dogs, Queen of the Cats. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #131 of 1000 signed numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Novella about a circus of uplifted cats and dogs.
King, Stephen. Lisey’s Story. Scribner, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought at Goodwill for $3.99. I generally don’t pick up King’s new trade editions because I know they will show up used cheap. And I generally can’t afford the signed limited editions unless they’re coming out from a publisher I’m already a regular customer of and can pick them up at a (usually slight) discount pre-publication. But $3.99 for a perfect copy falls into “good enough” territory.
Kuttner, Henry and C.L. Moore (as Lewis Padgett). The Day He Died. Duell, Sloan and Pierce, 1947. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a little bit of bend at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with small chip at heel and associated 1/2″ closed tear, lus a trace of wear at points. Mystery. I saw a less attractive copy in an online auction go for considerably more than I was willing to spend, so I bought this (the nicest copy online) from a notable SF dealer for $220.
Lansdale, Joe R. Act of Love. Zebra Books, 1981. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with 1/4″ chip at top front cover near spine, slight spine creasing and slight general wear. Inscribed by Lansdale: “For Robert,/Hope you like it). Joe Lansdale.” (Robert said he had another copy of this title). His first novel. Supplements at least four other editions (including the Kinnell hardback first), but I lacked the PBO until now. Person, “Joe Lansdale: Notes Toward A Bibliography,” Nova Express Volume 3, Number 4, page 26, I.1. Hankow, A Checklist of Joe Lansdale, A1.
Lansdale, Joe R. Act of Love. Cemetery Dance, 1992. First limited edition hardback (preceded by both the Leisure books PBO and the Kinnell UK hardback), #465 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Bought off eBay for $36 (list price is $50).
Lansdale, Joe R. The Big Blow. Subterranean Press, 2000. First edition hardback, #178 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Bought for $30.40 after dealer discount.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Big Blow. Subterranean Press, 2000. First edition hardback, copy of D of 13 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine traycase. Bought for $124.80 after dealer discount. Thirteen is an awfully small number for a Lansdale lettered edition…
Lansdale, Joe R. Bleeding Shadows. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, #78 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, with publisher’s bookmark laid in. Supplements a trade edition (which has a different dust jacket). Bought from an online dealer for $75.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Boar. Subterranean Press, 1998. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 signed, numbered, quarter leather-bound copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, with a PC copy of the 1/750 signed/limited (regular) edition, a Fine copy with a Fine dust jacket, with an advanced uncorrected proof, a Fine- copy with a touch of wear at head and heel, signed by Lansdale, all together in a Fine slipcase. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 853, which states textual differences between the lettered and numbered editions (though pagination seems identical), and fails to note the included proof. Bought off eBay for $125.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Boar. Night Shade Books, 2009. First edition hardback thus, #7 of 150 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought from an Internet book dealer for $30. Supplements the Subterranean Press first edition. Originally announced as a Mark V. Ziesing book under the title Git Back, Satan!.
Lansdale, Joe R. Deadman’s Road. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, #18 of 200 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Supplements a signed trade copy. Bought off an Internet book dealer for $50.40.
Lansdale, Joe R. For A Few Stories More. Subterranean Press, 2002. First edition hardback, #550 of 1,000 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements the Lettered edition, but weirdly I never picked up this trade edition until now. Bought from Kasey Lansdale.
Lansdale, Joe R. Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade. Short Scary Tales (SST) Press, 2020. First hardback edition and first signed limited edition (preceded by the Tachyon trade paperback), #101 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Jane Goes North. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #264 of 2,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Road trip novel. I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Joe R. Lansdale’s Christmas With The Dead. Write-On Movies, 2012. Presumed first edition (?) DVD, a new copy, inscribed to me by Joe R. Lansdale and signed by Kasey Lansdale. I don’t usually record DVDs I buy here, but they’re not usually signed. Bought from Kasey Lansdale.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Magic Wagon. BookVoice Publishing, 2018. First edition thus, #408 of 500 signed, numbered hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. This edition includes a rare western story by Joe, “Man With two Lives,” not in any other edition, a new introduction by Joe, and a new afterword by Keith Lansdale. Supplements a signed copy of the Doubleday first edition. Bought from Kasey Lansdale. Now I need to pick up that Crossroad Press limited edition.
Lansdale, Joe R. Of Mice and Minestrone. Tachyon, 2020. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. “Hap and Leonard: The Early Years.” I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Paradise Sky. Short Scary Tales (SST) Press, 2016. First UK edition and first limited edition hardback, a PC copy of 350 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and decorated boards. Bought for $30 of eBay.
Lansdale, Joe R. Red Range: A Wild West Adventure. It’s Alive, 2017. First edition hardback graphic novel, the Kickstarter edition, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. I am unclear on the precedence between this version (with the block cover) and the regular hardback with the red cover. Weird western featuring a hollow earth with dinosaurs and such. I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Sky Done Ripped. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, one of 2000 signed copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. New (and final) Ned the Seal adventure. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Waltz of Shadows. Subterranean Press, 1999. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Although the limitation calls for a 1/1000 signature page, it’s not in this copy, though it still has the FIRST EDITION/SEPTEMBER 1999 statement, making this a previously unrecorded variant (not in the 2002 Chalker/Owings CD). Bought from Kasey Lansdale. I have one copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Wet Juju. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2020. First edition hardback, #101 of 550 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with SST tissue paper closure sticker laid in. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount, and out of print upon publication. Massive collection. I will have copies available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, but prepare for it to be pricey.
Lansdale, Joe R. and Keith Lansdale. Big Lizard. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2020. First edition hardback, #101 of 1,500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. A botched supernatural ceremony gives the protagonist ” the power to transform into a big lizard who can run fast, has incredible strength, and a large tail.” Full color illustrated endpapers and signature page. Looks like fun. I will have copies available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Lansdale, Joe R., editor. Son of Retro Pulp Tales. Subterranean Press, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Joe and Keith Lansdale. Trade edition. I actually picked up a copy of the limited edition, only to realize that not only did I already have one, but for some reason I hadn’t added the trade edition to my library, even though I already had it in Lame Excuse Books stock. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount way back when. Indeed, I still have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Keith. Red Range: Pirates of Fireworld. It’s Alive, 2019. First edition comic, a Fine copy, as issued. Lansdale the Younger continues the story. I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lee, Tanith. Sometimes, After Sunset. Nelson Doubleday/SFBC, 1980. First edition hardback, an omnibus edition of Sabella, or The Blood Stone and Kill the Dead (neither of which had any other hardback editions), a Fine copy in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with slight wear at points, a thin 1/2″ scratch at top front spine join, a trace of rubbing along front flap join bend edge, and slight age darkening to white flaps. Nice early Maitz cover.
Le Guin, Ursula K., editor. Nebula Award Stories 11. Gollancz, 1976. First edition hardback (precedes the U.S. edition by a year), a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel, traces of foxing to front free endpaper, and slight dust soiling at head, in a Near Fine copy with spine fading and a trace of edgewear at points. Includes the Nebula-winning Zelazny novella “Home is the Hangman.”
Lovecraft, H.P. A Winter Wish and Other Poems. Whispers Press, 1977. First edition hardback, #160 of 200 signed, numbered hardback signed by editor Tom Collins, publisher Stuart Schiff, and artist Steve Fabian, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine (and very tight) slipcase. Bought from Dreamhaven for $60.
Malzberg, Barry. The Many Worlds of Barry Malzberg. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing on copyright page and $1.25 price, as per Currey), a Fine- copy, with a trace of edgewear and one pinhead-sized black mark near bottom edge of back cover. Short story collection.
Malzberg, Barry. Galaxies. Pyramid, 1975. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with edgewear and moderate darkening to page edges. Pringle SF 100 list #77. Supplements a Gregg Press first hardback edition.
Martin, George R. R. Fire and Blood. Subterranean Press, 2019. First signed, limited edition hardback (the Bantam and Harper Voyager trade hardbacks precede by a year), #619 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. A novel set some 300 years before A Song of Fire & Ice proper. A handsome production.
Martin, George R. R., editor. Mississippi Roll. Tor, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Wild cards novel. Bought at the San Marcos Book Warehouse for $7.99.
Martin, George R. R. Nightflyers. Bluejay Books, no date (but 1985). First edition uncorrected proof of the trade paperback original, a Near Fine+ copy with blue bunching along front spine (not uncommon among proofs), and a 1″ square dragon stamp in red at top right corner of half title page. Bought from Dreamhaven for I think $16.
Martin, George R. R. and Lisa Tuttle. Windhaven. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #259 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements the 1981 Timescape first edition inscribed to me by Martin and Tuttle. It’s been my experience that only a small fraction of Martin’s Game of Thrones fans exhibit any interest in his science fiction and horror work. Bought for $62.50.
Matheson, Richard. Counterfeit Bills. Gauntlet, 2004. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, signed by Matheson. Bought off eBay for $36.52.
McCammon, Robert. A Little Amber Book of Wicked Shots. Borderlands Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #498 of 750 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Four stories, all of which involve alcoholic drinks. Plus an extra cocktail recipe in the introduction! I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
McCarthy, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. Knopf, 1992. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy with all the usual flaws, otherwise Very Good. A true first of his first Pulitzer winner and first book of the Border trilogy. Bought for $6.99.
Meacham, Beth. Terry’s Universe. Tor, 1988. Uncorrected bound proof (trade paperback format) of the hardback first edition, a Fine copy. Tribute anthology to the late Terry Carr. Includes Zelazny’s “Deadstone Donner and the Flintstone Cup.”
Mieville, China. The Scar. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #404 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements a signed copy of the 2002 Macmillan (UK) first edition. Bought for $62.50.
Miller, Jr., Walter M. The Best of Walter M. Miller, Jr. Pocket Books, 1980. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with faint spine creasing and touches of wear. Short story collection, all from the 1950s.
Moorcock, Michael. Legends From The End of Time. Harper & Row, 1976. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with slight wear at head and heel, slight age darkening to white rear panel, and slight dust soiling to same. Inscribed by Moorcock: “To Bob,/With all good wishes/from Michael M.” Tanelorn Archives, page 24, a. Precedes the W. H. Allen edition (which I also have).
Moorcock, Michael. The White Wolf’s Son. Warner Aspect, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Elric/von Beck novel. Bought at Half Price Books for $7.98.
Moore, Ward. Lot & Lot’s Daughter. Tachyon, 1996. First edition hardback, #52 of 100 numbered, leatherbound hardback copies (the only hardback state), copies signed by introduction author Michael Swanwick, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with touches of wear at points and elsewhere. Two linked nuclear holocaust stories. Bought off eBay for $40.
Morrell, David. A Little Gold Book of Protector Tales. Borderlands Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #337 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Three stories, plus an introduction.
Morrow, James. The Continent of Lies. Holt, Reinhardt and Winston, 1984. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Morrow: “For Scott/This book of/dreams & desires…/best wishes,/James Morrow.” Formerly Scott Cupp’s copy.
Niven, Larry & Steven Barnes. The Seascape Tattoo. Tor, 2016. Bought at Half Price Books for $7.99.
Niven, Larry & Jerry Pournelle. The Burning City. Pocket Books, 2000. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by both authors. Set in Niven’s The Magic Goes Away universe. Bought off an Internet book dealer for $9.75.
Niven, Larry & Jerry Pournelle. Burning Tower. Pocket Books, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by both authors, with certificate of authenticity laid in. Bought off eBay for $25.83.
Perez, Malia A., editor (Joe R. Lansdale). Speculative Poets of Texas. The House of the Fighting Chupacabra Press, 2015. First edition trade paperback original (“First printing” stated), a Fine copy, new and unread. Includes poems from Peter Holland, Joe R. Lansdale, Juan Manuel Perez, Waide Aaron Riddle, and Rie Sheridan Rose. Bought from Amazon.
Pinborough, Sarah. A Little Magenta Book of Malevolence. Borderlands Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #498 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. I have copies of this available for sale through Lame Excuse Books.
Piper, H. Beam. Federation. Ace, 1981. First edition trade paperback edition, a Fine copy, new and unread. Bought at Half Price Books for $3.99.
Proctor, Geo W. Fire at the Center. Fawcett Gold Medal, 1981. First edition paperback original, a near Fine- copy with 1/32″ deep x 1/4″ wide loss at head of top front cover, slight edgewear, rim of foxing to interior covers, and slight age darkening to pages. Novel dedicated to the early Turkey City Writer’s workshop attendees. Obtained free.
Powers, Tim. Forced Perspectives. Charnel House, 2020. First signed/limited edition (the Baen hardback precedes), hardback, #54 of 150 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards with a gold-foil sphinx embossed on the front cover (matching the look of Alternate Routes), sans dust jacket, as issued. I have one copy of this available for sale through Lame Excuse Books.
Powers, Tim. The Properties of Rooftop Air. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #277 of 474 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. An Anubis Gates story. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books as well.
Pumelia, Joe, and Bill Wallace (as M. M. Moamrath). The Cruse of the Kritix. “Deathnell Publications, 1932″ (actually Kenneth Donnell, 1976). First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy in a Very Good+ dust jacket with semi-closed 1/4” tear at top front with associated wrinkle, faint spotting along spine, and a few very small tears elsewhere. Lovecraftian parody. Obtained free.
Rice, Jeff (Richard Matheson). The Night Strangler. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight glue wrinkling near top of spine and slight spine fading, otherwise new and unread, signed by Richard Matheson. Novel by Jeff Rice based on Matheson’s screenplay for The Night Strangler, the sequel to The Night Stalker and the second TV movie starring Darren McGavin as reporter Carl Kolchak. Bought off eBay for $42. Copies that are both nice and signed by Matheson are uncommon.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. Stan’s Kitchen. NESFA Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #171 of 600 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Short story collection.
Russell, Mary Doria. Doc. Random House, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Russell. Western novel about Doc Holliday. Bought from The Mysterious Bookstore for $10.
Saberhagen, Fred. Berserker Base. Tor, 1985. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with a touch of edgewear and slight age-darkening to pages. Theoretically a fix-up novel set in Saberhagen’s Beserker universe, but really more of a Beserker anthology with some filler material by Saberhagen. Includes the Zelazny story “Itself Surprised,” which originally appeared in Omni the year before.
Schiff, Stuart David, editor. The Best of Whispers. Borderlands Press, 1994. First edition hardback, #375 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Signed by all the then-living contributors (Fritz Leiber died in 1992), including Zelazny, Ray Bradbury, Karl Edward Wagner, Russell Kirk, Hugh B. Cave, Lucius Shepard, Jerry Sohl and Alan Ryan. Includes Zelazny’s “The Horses of Lir.”
Scholz, Carter. Cuts. Chris Drumm, 1995. First edition chapbook original, a Fine- copy with slight age darkening to edges. Short story collection. Obtained free,
Shepard, Lucius. The Golden. Mark V. Ziesing, 1993. First edition hardback, #243 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with one 1/16″ closed tear at heel in a Fine- slipcase with a tiny rub at top. Supplements a trade edition signed by Shepard. I saw this on eBay for $24, and the book pricing part of my brain went “That’s a good price…but I bet I can do a little better.” Bought off eBay for a $20 buy-it-now offer. List publication price was $65. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 1003. Part of my plan to pick up every Ziesing book in every state, since I already had most of the trade editions anyway…
Silverberg, Robert. Reflections & Refractions: Thoughts on Science Fiction, Science and Other Matters. Underwood Books, 1997. First edition hardback, #180 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards and Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection of essays, most (but not all) from his “Reflections” series of columns in Amazing and Asimov’s. Bought off eBay for $25, exactly half off the original list price of $50.
Silverberg, Robert. Rough Trade. PS Publishing, 2017. First edition hardback, #99 of 100 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Supplements a trade copy. Bought off eBay for $40.
Silverberg, Robert, editor (Vonda N. McIntyre, Marta Randall, Joan D. Vinge). The Crystal Ship. The Science Fiction Book Club (UK)/Reader’s Union, 1981. Book club reprint, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by editor Robert Silverberg, and contributors Marta Randall and Joan D. Vinge (each twice, once on the title page and once at their novella). Bought for $9, marked down from $15 at Half Price Books during a coupon sale just before the lockdown came down.
Simak, Clifford D. and Jeff Sutton. So Bright the Vision b/w The Man Who Saw Tomorrow. Ace Double, 1968. First edition (no statement of printing and price of 60¢, as per Currey), a Very Good+ copy with small chips at corners of Sutton side, spine creasing, name or word on Sutton blurb page. Plus usual foxing. Currey (1979), page 447.
Smith, Brenden Powell. Assassination! The Brick Chronicle of Attempts on the Lives Twelve US Presidents. Skyhorse Publishing, 2013. Lego recreations of presidential assassinations. One of those books you have to buy to prove it actually exists. Bought from Half Price Books for $5.99.
Stephenson, Neal. Seveneves. HarperCollins, 2015. First edition hardback, special signed edition with gold “Signed First Edition” sticker on the cover and “THIS SIGNED EDITION OF/seveneves/by/Neal Stephenson/[signature]/HAS BEEN SPECIALLY BOUND/BY THE PUBLISHER” signature page bound in before the half-title page, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $9.99.
Sterling, Bruce. Schismatrix Plus. Ace, 1996. First edition trade paperback original, Near Fine- with slight spine crease, slight sun fading to spine, and edgewear, signed by Sterling. Contains the novel plus the Shaper/Mechanist stories from Crystal Express. I never bothered to pick this up when it came out because I already had first editions of both, but picking up variant titles is classic late-phase book collecting behavior. Bought for $7.49.
Sturgeon, Theodore. Sturgeon Is Alive And Well…. Putnam, 1971. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight edgewear at head and heel, a bit of dust soiling to white rear panel, and slight age darkening to top of white rear panel and edges of white flaps. Signed by Sturgeon. Short story collection, one I greatly enjoyed reading in my youth. I particularly remember “It Was Nothing—Really!,” about man who figures out that perforations make things stronger, and eventually invents invisible wall of impenetrable nothingness, and “Suicide,” about a man who jumps off a cliff to kill himself, and awakens still alive, hurt, down the cliff, and struggles to climb back up. According to Bought off eBay for $39.99. Currey, page 472.
Swanwick, Michael. Blue as the Moon. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #2 of 69 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Seven horror vignettes (“White as a Sheet,” “Yellow as Corn,” “Green as the Sea,” “Red as the Revolution,” “Purple as Prose,” “Orange as an Orange,” and “Black as Sin”), plus an introduction (“Blue as the Moon”). Offered at moonrise (5:54 PM EDT) on October 30, 2020 to celebrate the blue moon, and sold out that night.
Swanwick, Michael. The Death of Aubrey Darger. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook thus, #14 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Excerpted from the 2015 novel Chasing the Phoenix.
Swanwick, Michael. The Devil’s Bestiary. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook, #8 of 45 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in dyed paper wrappers. A short alphabetical vignette bestiary of supernatural creatures. Out of print upon publication.
Swanwick, Michael. Gulliver’s Wife. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #33 of 50 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Sold out upon publication. Bought from the publisher at full price.
Swanwick, Michael. The Postutopian Adventures of Darger and Surplus. Subterranean Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #183 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Swanwick’s loveable con artists are back in this short story collection.
Swanwick, Michael and Sean Swanwick. In Memoriam: Gardner Dozois 1947-2018. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook, #60 of 70 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Came in the mail with a “with the Compliments of the Press” notice laid in. Originally appeared in the Philcon 2018 program book.
Swanwick, Michael. Reindeer Season. Dragonstairs Press, 2019. First edition chapbook original, #20 of 120 signed, numbered copies. “It includes ten very brief musings on the magical nature of reindeer and their relationship with Claus-tse. Issued in an edition of 120, Reindeer Season is 4 1/4” x 5 1/2”, hand-stitched, numbered, and signed by the author. Most copies have been given to friends, family, and colleagues, but 37 are offered for sale.” There are two states of the chapbook: a.) A cream colored wrapper (as this copy), and b.) a mottled beige cover. All copies for sale sold out the day they were offered.
Swanwick, Michael. Reindeer Season. Dragonstairs Press, 2019. First edition chapbook original, #101 of 120 signed, numbered copies. There are two states of the chapbook: a.) A cream colored wrapper, and b.) A mottled beige cover (as this copy). All copies for sale sold out the day they were offered.
(Tolkien, J. R. R.) Day, David. An Encyclopedia of Tolkien: The History and Mythology That inspired Tolkien’s World. Canterbury Classics, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy bound in embossed leather, sans dust jacket, as issued. Tolkien reference work by an author who has done a lot of other Tolkien reference works. A very attractive book, with gilded edges and full-color illustrated endpapers, from a publisher that mostly seems to do leatherbound prestige reprints. Bought for $12.49.
Vance, Jack. The Dragon Masters/ b/w The Five Gold Bands. Ace Double, 1962. First edition paperback original, a very Good- copy with wrinkling to covers, spine creasing, edgewear and usual age-darkening to pages. Hewett, A11. Cunningham, 26a. Currey, page 498. Supplements a first hardback edition. Bought for $2 from the Lansdale documentary fundraiser sale.
Vance, Jack (Terry Dowling and Jonathan Strahan, editors). Minding the Stars (The Early Jack Vance, Volume Four). Subterranean Press, 2014. First edition hardback, a PC copy of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- traycase with one small fingernail-tip sized indention at bottom front, with a provenance card from the Vance estate laid in. The only edition signed by Vance. Bought off eBay for $255.00. The other traycase editions I bid on went for substantial more.
Vance, Jack. The Languages of Pao/The Dragon Masters. Vance Integral Edition, no date. Unpublished paper dust jacket proof for the “Science Fiction Volume” containing those two novels produced by the Vance Integral Edition in 2002. Ultimately they decided not to use dust jackets for either that or the Vance Integral Edition itself. Bought from the Jack Vance estate off eBay for $33, and with the Vance Estate stamp on the blind side. The scan below is only what would fit on my scanner:
Vance, Jack. The Last Castle. Underwood-Miller, 1980. First hardback edition, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at tips and traces of wear at head and heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with a few traces of wear and faint phantom crease down front flap, with signature card by artist Alicia Austin laid in (as issued) and Vance Estate stamp on title page. Hewett, A30d. Cunningham, B45b. Bought for $20.13 from the Vance Estate off eBay.
Vance, Jack. The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolph. Dennis Dobson, 1977. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Near Fine, price-clipped dust jacket, signed by Vance. Hewett, a27f. Cunningham, b55b. Currey, page 499. Bought off eBay for $93.97. One of the few Vance hardbacks I lacked, and one of the more difficult ones signed.
Vance, Jack. Marune: Alastor 933. Ballantine Books, 1975. Currey, page 499. First edition paperback original (PBO), a Fine- copy with a trace of edgewear, signed by Vance. Hewett, A48. Cunningham, B56. Currey, page 499. Supplements the Underwood-Miller hardback. Bought off eBay for $16.50.
Vance, Jack. Maske: Thaery. Berkley, 1976. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny wrinkle at top of the front flap and a few tiny traces of edgewear. Signed by Vance. Replaces a slightly less attractive signed first. Hewett, A52. Cunningham, B57a. Currey, page 499. Bought off eBay for $14.99.
Vance, Jack. Night Lamp. Tor, 1996. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Vance. Cunningham, B61a. Supplements an unsigned trade first, the Underwood Books signed, limited edition, and Volume 42 of The Vance Integral Edition. Bought off eBay for $20.50.
Vance, Jack. Ports of Call. Tor, 1998. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine hardback, signed by Vance. Cunningham, B66a. Supplements an unsigned trade first, the Underwood Books signed/limited edition, and Volume 43 of The Vance Integral Edition. Bought off eBay for $14.99.
Vance, Jack. Sjambak. Wildside Press, 2010. First edition trade paperback original (perfect bound chapbook), a Fine copy, signed by Vance. I suspect this was produced because the story slipped out of copyright. Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought off eBay for $33.
Wagner, Karl Edward. HorrorStory Volume Four. Underwood-Miller, 1990. First edition hardback, #82 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine- traycase, with just a touch of blunting at points, a touch of edgewear around spine label, and a trace or two of wear. Omnibus and first hardback editions of Year’s Best Horror Stories X, XI and XII. Signed by Wagner, Harlan Ellison, Dennis Etchison, Michael Kube-McDowell, Richard Laymon, Michael Swanwick, David Drake, and many others. Chalker-Owings (1991), page 441. Supplements the trade edition. Bought off eBay for $65, or less than half the original offering price of $150.
Watts, Peter. Peter Watts is an Angry Sentient Tumor: revenge fantasies and essays. Tachyon, 2019. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Many Are The Hearts: a play in one act. North Carolina Confederate Centennial Commission, 1961. First edition chapbook, a Near Fine- copy with small wrinkle on rear cover near head, touches of wear, some sun-fading around the edges, and rust bleed-through on the two staples. One act play about a confederate North Carolina artillery detachment. Even includes a detailed diagram of a 6-pounder field gun at rear; good luck to any theater company trying to get their hands on one of those! I think this is only the second copy I’ve seen offered for sale this decade. Currey, page 513. Bought for $38.25 off a fellow Biblio dealer.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Mystery at Bear Paw Gap. Ives Washburn, 1965. First edition hardback, a Very Good Ex-Library copy in the Hercules library binding, with pockets and interior stamps, with wear at head and heel, a 1″ very light stain to bottom page block, a couple of pinprick spots to top page block, and blunting of points, but no external stamps, sans dust jacket, as expected for the library binding. One of Wellman’s more difficult YA novels. Currey, page 513. Bought for $29.99 off eBay.
Wilhelm, Kate (John Pelan, editor). Masters of Science Fiction: Kate Wilhelm (Volumes One and Two). Centipede Press, 2020. First edition hardback, #457 of 500 numbered hardbacks signed by the editor and artists Jim and Ruth Keegan, both Fine copies in Fine dust jackets, with dust jacket protectors, new and unread.
(Wolfe, Gene) Swanwick, Michael. Swan/Wolfe. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook original, #50 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy (save some slight wrinkling at head; since the outer paper wrapper is bigger than the inner chapbook page block, I suspect this is an endemic problem). Transcription of a Swanwick interview with the ReReadingWolfe podcast. As noted in the acknowledgements, I actually suggested the creation of this chapbook. Bought from the publisher at the usual bookseller discount. Sold out shortly after publication. I have copies of this for sale through Lame Excuse Books.
Zelazny, Roger. Blood of Amber. Arbor House/SFBC, 1986. First book club edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to the white portions of the dust jacket flap, signed by Zelazny. Kovacs, I.2.d.
Zelazny, Roger. Changeling. Ace, 1980. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Kvocs, I5v.
Zelazny, Roger. The Changing Land. Underwood Miller, 1981. First hardback edition, #128 of 200 numbered copies signed by Zelazny and artist Thomas Canty, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Levack, 4b.
Zelazny, Roger. The Changing Land. Del Rey/SFBC, 1981. Book club hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to white flaps, signed by Zelazny. Supplements signed copies of the PBO and the Underwood-Miller signed/limited hardback. Kovacs, I.6.d. Levack, 4c.
Zelazny, Roger. Damnation Alley. Faber & Faber, 1971. First UK edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of edgewear, with slip of paper signed by Zelazny laid in. Levack, 9c.
Zelazny, Roger. Damnation Alley. Gregg Press, 1979. First hardback edition thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Adds 24 pages of photos from the movie of the same name. Supplements a signed copy of the first Putnam edition, an unsigned copy of same, and a signed copy of the paperback movie tie-in edition. Kovacs, I.10.k. Levack, 9r.
Zelazny, Roger. Dilvish, The Damned. Del Rey/SFBC, 1981. Book club hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to white flaps, with signed letter from Zelazny laid in. Supplements signed copies of the PBO and the Underwood-Miller signed/limited hardback. Kovacs, I.15.d.
Zelazny, Roger. The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth, And Other Stories. Doubleday, 1971. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with very slight bend at head and heel and a trace of foxing to inside front gutter, in a Fine- dust jacket with touches of wear and a tiny bit of age darkening to the spine and at top rear. With signed Zelazny bookplate laid in. Kovacs, V9a. Levack, 12a. Currey, page 570. Replaces an Ex-Library copy.
Zelazny, Roger. The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth. Pulphouse. 1991. First edition paperback original, Fine- copy with trace of rubbing along front spine join and pinpricks of soiling to front cover, signed by Zelazny. Short story paperback #13. I still need the Short Story Hardback of this…
Zelazny, Roger. The Dream Master. Gregg Press, 1976. First U.S. hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine aftermarket dust jacket Bob made from blowing up a copy of the Frank Kelly Freas PBO cover, with a signed title page removed from an Ace paperback edition laid in. This and the Gregg Press editions of Lord of Light, Nine Princes in Amber and Bridge of Ashes (which I already had) all share the same Freff cover art featuring characters from all those novels. Supplements a signed first of the Rupert Hart-Davis hardback, a signed first of the Ace PBO, and an unsigned copy of same. Kovacs, I.18.e. Levack, 14i.
Zelazny, Roger. The Dream Master. SFBC, 2004. Book club hardback, a Fine- copy with uniformly age-darkened pages in a Fine dust jacket. SFBC 50th Anniversary edition book. Kovacs, I.18.n.
Zelazny, Roger. Gone to Earth. Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, #40 of 50 signed, numbered copies bound in leather, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. (Well, they say leather; I have my doubts. Also note that between volumes 18 and 19, the color of the “leather” edition went from a dark gray to a dark blue.) Author’s Choice Monthly #29. Supplements a signed “trade” clothbound hardcover in dust jacket. Kovacs, V13iv. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 728. I suppose that now I should look for one of the 10-copy red leather staff editions…
Zelazny, Roger. Knight of Shadows. Morrow/SFBC, 1989. First book club edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to the very top white portions of the dust jacket flap, signed by Zelazny. Kovacs, I.27.c.
Zelazny, Roger. The Last Defender of Camelot. Pocket Books/SFBC, 1980. Book club and first hardback edition (gutter code L10 on page 278, as per Kovacs), a Fine- copy with slight age darkening to pages in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Zelazny: “To Liz,/All sorts of good wishes -/ — Roger Zelazny.” Supplements the Underwood-Miller limited edition, and another copy of this edition inscribed to me in a more worn dust jacket. Kovacs, V.15.c. Levack, 24b.
Zelazny, Roger. Lord of Light. Gregg Press, 1979. First Gregg Press hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a letter from Betsy Groban of G. K. Hall laid in talking about how they had gotten Freff to do the artwork. Hugo and Nebula Award winner for Best Novel. Kovacs, I.29.1. Levack, 25s.
Zelazny, Roger. Lord of Light. Easton Press, 1994. Hardback, a Fine copy bound in decorated leather, sans dust jacket, as issued, with unused personalization bookplate sticker laid in (as issued), as well as a signed Zelazny signature plate. According to Kovacs, copies in aquamarine-colored leather like this one are reprints. Kovacs, I29m.
Zelazny, Roger. Madwand. Ace/SFBC, 1981. Book club edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust dust jacket with slight age darkening to the white jacket. Kovacs, I.30.d. Levack, 26c.
Zelazny, Roger. Manna From Heaven. DNA Publications/Wildside Press, 2003. Hardback, a Fine copy in non-decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket. The 1-59224-199-9 ISBN matches the first edition listed at the ISFDB, but Kovacs says this is the UK Lightening Source hardback reprint. Signed by publisher Warren Lapine. Kovacs, V18b. Supplements the first printing with pictorial boards.
Zelazny, Roger. Nine Princes in Amber. Gregg Press, 1979. First Gregg Press hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a signed title page from a paperback laid in. Kovacs, I.34.g. Levack, 28n.
Zelazny, Roger. Prince of Chaos. Morrow/SFBC, 1991. First book club edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Zelazny. Kovacs, I.35.d.
Zelazny, Roger. Roadmarks. Macdonald Futura, 1981. First UK edition hardback, a Fine-/Fine- copy with slight bumping/wrinkling at head and heel. Kovacs, I37d. Supplements a signed first.
Zelazny, Roger. Sign of Chaos. Arbor House/SFBC, 1987. First book club edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to the white portions of the dust jacket flap, signed by Zelazny. Kovacs, I.38.c.
Zelazny, Roger. This Immortal. Garland Publishing, 1975. First (and only) edition thus, a hardback reprint for the library trade, a Fine copy in a Fine- aftermarket dust jacket Bob created from a copy of the SFBC/Ace Books reprint from 1988 with Richard Powers’ cover art, and which has some faint creasing along the folds. Signed by Zelazny. This edition is reproduced from the 1973 Ace third paperback printing, as stated on the reproduced Ace copyright page. Part of the Garland Library of Science Fiction. Kovacs, I40c.
Zelazny, Roger. Today We Choose Faces. Gregg Press, 1978. First U.S. hardback edition, a Fine copy with a Fine aftermarket dust jacket Bob created from a Signet reprint featuring Dean Ellis art. Signed by Zelazny. Supplements a signed Millington hardback first and a signed PBO first. Kovacs, I.42.d. Levack, 37h.
Zelazny, Roger. To Die In Italbar. Faber & Faber, 1975. First UK edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket with a small Zelazny signature plate pasted to the front free endpaper. Kovacs, I41d. Supplements a signed first.
Zelazny, Roger. Trumps of Doom. Arbor House/SFBC, 1985. First book club edition, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight age darkening to the white portions of the dust jacket, signed by Zelazny. Kovacs, I.43.d.
Zelazny, Roger and Jane Lindskold. Donnerjack. Avon Books, 1997. First edition hardback, either a Fine or a Poor copy (depending on how you count the annotations), in a Fine dust jacket. Novel started by Zelazny and finished by Lindskold after Zelazny’s death. Zelazny was a famously lean prose stylist, and Bob felt that Lindskold was not, so he has annotated the book by crossing out in brown or blue marker every section he felt was un-Zelazny-like from page 167 on. I passed on picking this up in the first bulk buys, but took it this time around because, well, it’s not like I can sell it to anyone else, and who else would know or appreciate the story behind it? Kovacs, I16b. Supplaments a Fine/Fine copy inscribed to me by Lindskold.
Zelazny, Roger and Neil Randall. Roger Zelazny’s Visual Guide to Castle Amber. Avon, 1988. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight edgewear. Kovacs, X14a. Supplements a signed copy of the SFBC (only hardback) edition.
Zelazny, Roger and Fred Saberhagen. Coils. Wallaby Books/Simon & Schuster, 1982. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with one faint top front corner crease and slight age darkening to pages. Signed by Zelazny. Kovacs, I7a. Supplements a copy of the SFBC (and only hardback) edition inscribed to me. Kovacs, XIB1a.
Zelazny, Roger and Robert Sheckley. A Farce to be Reckoned With. Trade paperback, presumably a POD reprint, as it lacks the numberline of the first edition, and includes the usual POD barcode on the last page, a Fine- copy with slight edgewear and wear at points. Interestingly, despite having the same ISBN, this is a larger trim size (9″ x 6″) than the first edition (8 1/4″ x 5 1/2″), and could pass as a large print edition, except it is not so marked. This edition not in Kovacs.
First edition on left, this copy on right.
(Zelazny, Roger) Greenberg, Martin H., editor. Lord of the Fantastic: Stories in Honor of Roger Zelazny. Avon Eos, 1998. First edition trade paperback original, a Near Fine copy with a previous ownership plate inside front cover and a few touches of wear. Zelazny tribute anthology.
(Zelazny, Roger) Yoke, Karl. Roger Zelazny. Stamont House, 1979. First edition trade paperback original, a Very Good+ copy with bumping at heel and head, abrasion at front right bottom point, touches of wear along spine and elsewhere, and a touch of staining to inside front cover and blurb page. Starmont Reader’s Guide 2. Levack, “Works About Roger Zelazny” 15, page 140. Kovacs, XXIII11a. There is a Borgo Press hardback binding done three years later I still need to track down.
Tags:Arkham House, Barry Malzberg, Books, Borderlands Press, Dragonstairs Press, Fantasy, Gardner Dozois, George R. R. Martin, Harlan Ellison, Horror, Jack Vance, James P. Blaylock, Joe R. Lansdale, Keith Lansdale, Larry Niven, Manly Wade Wellman, Michael Moorcock, Michael Swanwick, Philip K. Dick, Richard Matheson, Robert Silverberg, Roger Zelazny, Samuel R. Delany, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press, Thomas M. Disch, Tim Powers, Underwood/Miller
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | No Comments »
Thursday, September 24th, 2020
Two signed, limited edition states of two books I already have the trade first editions of, both bought cheap from the same eBay seller:
Haldeman, Joe. War Stories. Night Shade Books, 2005. First edition hardback, one of 175 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Omnibus editions of Haldeman’s Vietnam War stories and poems, including his novel War Year. On one hand, 175 is a pretty low limitation for a Haldeman limited. On the other hand, literally the only difference is the signed limitation page. Supplements a trade copy inscribed to me. Bought off eBay for $24.50.
Silverberg, Robert. Rough Trade. PS Publishing, 2017. First edition hardback, #99 of 100 signed and numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Supplements a trade copy. Bought off eBay for $40.
Note: The scan is of the front of the slipcase. The edge of the different picture on the right is where the spine panel image starts.
Tags:Books, Joe Haldeman, Limited Editions, Night Shade Books, PS Publishing, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, small press publishers
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Monday, May 11th, 2020
A UK book club edition, not the true first, and one I only picked up for the signatures:
Silverberg, Robert, editor (Vonda N. McIntyre, Marta Randall, Joan D. Vinge). The Crystal Ship. The Science Fiction Book Club (UK)/Reader’s Union, 1981. Book club reprint, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by editor Robert Silverberg, and contributors Marta Randall and Joan D. Vinge (each twice, once on the title page and once at their novella). Bought for $9, marked down from $15 at Half Price Books during a coupon sale just before the lockdown came down.
Tags:Books, Joan D. Vinge, Marta Randall, Robert Silverberg, Science Fiction, signatures, Vonda N. McIntyre
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