Library Addition: Two Signed, Limited Firsts

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.

  • Library Addition: Signed, Limited Edition of Ted Chiang’s Exhalation

    September 23rd, 2020

    This just came in:

    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.

    I still need to pick up the trade edition of this…

    Library Addition: Signed, Limited Edition of Tim Powers’ Forced Perspectives

    September 22nd, 2020

    This finally came in, the second in what I’m given to understand is a trilogy:

    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 will have precisely one copy of this available for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

    Shoegazer Sunday: The City’s Gates’ “On The Road”

    September 20th, 2020

    On the Road” sort sounds like Slowdive crossed with a touch of Mazzy Star, which sounds like a winning combination.

    Library Additions: Eight Jack Vance Firsts, Six Signed, One Strange

    September 17th, 2020

    I’ve won a number of Jack Vance first off eBay as of late, many signed:

  • 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.
  • Obituary Watch: Toots Hibbert

    September 12th, 2020

    Reggae legend Toots Hibbert, of Toots & The Maytals, has died at age 77.

    The number of Reggae tracks in regular rotation on my iTunes is pretty finite, but “Pressure Drop” is one of them:

    I also liked their cover of Radiohead’s “Let Down” off the Radiodread, the complete reggae cover album of OK Computer.

    Dune Trailer Checklist

    September 10th, 2020

    The trailer for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune just dropped:

    Let’s do a checklist of encouraging signs that they’re going to actually follow the book:

    1. Gom Jabber: Check
    2. Litany Against Fear: Check
    3. Omnithopter: Check
    4. Holtzman shield: Check
    5. Sardauker: Check
    6. Baron Harkonnen: Check (albeit very briefly)
    7. Still-suits: Check
    8. Spice-eyes: Check
    9. Sandworm: Check

    And it even a has a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse,” a nod to Jodorowsky’s planned but never-filmed version of Dune, which was to include music by Pink Floyd and Magma.

    Only things missing: No Spacer Guild, and no Feyd-Rautha, which makes sense, since they’re only adapting the first half of the novel.

    This one is still scheduled for December 18.

    Mood: Cautious optimism.

    Library Additions: Three Signed Firsts

    September 9th, 2020

    Three signed hardback firsts editions, of various types:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.
  • Two Joe R. Lansdale Red Range Firsts

    September 7th, 2020

    Two Lansdale graphic novels:

  • 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.

  • 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.
  • Both bought directly from the publisher at a dealer’s discount, and both will be available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

    Shoegazer Sunday: The Telewire’s “Slower”

    September 6th, 2020

    Here’s another dose of The Telewire, with “Slower” off their Airport EP.