Every now and then, I do buy books that aren’t science fiction, fantasy or horror-related. In this case, I became aware (possibly from one of their YouTube videos) that the British Tank Museum in Bovington (which I visited in 2014) was doing a new book on the Tiger tank, and went “Yes, I do want that!”
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.
Every now and then, one of my friends will point out a Kickstarter for something in the “Isn’t this silly?” vein, I’ll look at it, and then go “I am totally backing this!” This is one of those times.
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.
Here’s a limited edition I’ve long wanted to pick up. Indeed, the lettered edition of this is considered one of the most extravagant and desirable modern limited editions, but that was sold out before I even heard about it, and the last time I saw one for sale it went for something like $6,500.
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).
Dark Regions Press had a 50% off sale so I picked up a few things:
(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.
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.
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.
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.
Meow Wolf is a weirdo art collective underwritten by George R. R. Martin. The have an interactive art show called Omega Mart going on now in Las Vegas. Part of it is these not-quite-right supermarket commercials:
I’ve been watching a fair number of YouTube videos of survival horror video game play-throughs over the last few months. One reason is that there aren’t a lot of those games available for the Mac, and another is that most seem less like games than an exercise in wandering around until you trigger jump scares, and where your actions have almost no effect on the game’s outcome.
But here’s a video of a van-life guy who decided to play a horror game alone, at night, in a creepy abandoned tunnel, which really takes things to the next level.
The game he’s playing is Pacify, which involves burning evil dolls to lay the ghost of a possessed girl. (Note: If your business plan involves making your daughter a vessel for demonic possession, I’d advise going into another line of work.) I checked to see if this game was available through Amazon, but I bet it’s one of those direct steam sort of things. But would you believe there’s a coloring book for it?
I think I posted a live version of this song, but not this album version. And as a bonus, this version features footage from the Domo Kun stop motion animated show, of meme fame.
Here’s this year’s edition of the Halloween trade show.
Random notes:
Killer clowns remain big.
Black light seems to be making a comeback.
I feel for the model that has to ride the bucking possessed bed during the show. That has to be an exhausting gig.
The spongy glowing green floor covered in mist looks pretty cool. With some of the jungle temple walls on display, you have a pretty good start on a Cthulhu Mythos-themed Halloween house.
One of the “giant monster heads jumping out of the hole” looks pretty good…until you realize that it’s not a motorized actuator, but just a guy manually pushing it in and out.
