Lansdale, Joe R. (Joe Hill) The Essential Horror of Joe R. Lansdale. Tachyon, 2025. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, signed by Lansdale. According to the publisher, Joe showed up for their 30th Anniversary Party and “signed all the books.” I’m not sure if it means he signed all mine, signed all preorders, or signed every single book. Joe Hill provides the introduction. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
I will have a small number of signed copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, which I’ll start working on next month.
Stephen Hunter is a mystery/thriller writer I’ve heard good things about from people I trust, and I’ve picked up some first editions of their work, but haven’t actually read any yet. But I keep an eye out for cheap firsts of his work, and actually chanced across two signed firsts at a Half Price Books.
Hunter, Stephen. Dead Zero. Simon and Schuster, 2010. First edition hardback (“1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2” numberline), a Fine- copy with slight bends at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with traces of wear at head, heel and points, signed by Hunter. Bought at Half Price Books for $7.19.
Hunter, Stephen. I, Ripper. Simon and Schuster, 2015. First edition hardback (“10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline), a Fine- copy with slight bends at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with traces of wear at head, heel and points, inscribed by Hunter: “To David,/All/best/Stephen Hunter”. Bought at Half Price Books for $7.19.
Rocko’s Basilisk is a thought experiment that would be terribly frightening if it weren’t so fundamentally stupid.
To quote Wikipedia, the source of all vaguely accurate knowledge: “Roko’s basilisk is a thought experiment which states that there could be an artificial superintelligence in the future that, while otherwise benevolent, would punish anyone who knew of its potential existence but did not directly contribute to its advancement or development, in order to incentivize that advancement.”
The really crazy part is that those who actually believe in the theory think Rocko’s Basilisk would become so all-powerful that it can retroactively punish those in the past, including subjecting them to eternal torment for failing to help the basilisk, while rewarding those who do. So instead of an interesting thought experiment, it’s just a funhouse inversion of Christian theology on salvation and damnation.
“I hit the MTC/those self transforming elves/they’re just AI entities/future versions of ourselves.”
“Reality is a construct, and your mind’s all you need.”
“We’re beautiful and mentally stable creatures/Living in a world with perfect features/No more therapy, no more meds/Cuz the future’s dancing in our heads.”
Shades of Philip K. Dick!
But surely no one is foolish enough to be fooled that this half-assed through experiment actually reflects reality, right? Wrong. “In the 2020s, the philosophy of the Zizians was heavily influenced by the Roko’s basilisk thought experiment. Ziz LaSota, the leader of the cult, believes the basilisk to be real and wrote on her* blog: “Eventually I came to believe that if I persisted in trying to save the world, I would be tortured until the end of the universe by a coalition of all unfriendly A.I.s.” If you haven’t heard of the Zizians, they’re a radical vegan transgender cult that’s also anti-AI. At least six people have died due to their actions…
Swanwick, Michael, with Marianne Porter. Under A Harvest Moon. Dragonstairs Press, 2025. First edition chapbook original, #5 of 80 copies signed by both Swanwick and Porter, a Fine copy. “A very short, dark and romantic story of love and death,” and an outgrowth of Swanwick’s online ‘fallen leaves” project. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, probably out next month.
Here’s a Kickstarter I backed all the way back in March of 2024 that finally came in.
(Lovecraft, H.P.) Eddy, Muriel E. & C.M. The Gentleman from Angell Street. Helios House Press, 2025. Third edition, first hardback and first thus, a greatly expanded version of the Fenham Publishing trade paperback of 2001 (which I also have), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Biographical memoir of Lovecraft by two of his neighbors, now filled out with information gleaned from unearthed correspondence. Backed on Kickstarter for $65.
For a Halloween Horror, how about a song from a band called Suicide actually blamed on causing real suicides? It’s Suicide’s “Frankie Teardrop,” about a working stiff who can’t make it, so he kills his wife and kids and then himself, and ends the song screaming in Hell.
Just another feel good 1970s ditty.
(Hat tip: The Professor of Rock, who advises listeners not to listen to the song alone at night…)
Bradbury, Ray. Christmas Greetings 1997. Self-Published, 1997. First edition broadsheet of the poem “Witness and Celebrate,” a Near Fine copy folded in the middle and with a name and phone number for Bradbury biographer Donn Albright on the back, inscribed “IRMA!” and signed by Bradbury. Bought as part of a small lot with an inscribed first of Driving Blind, which I already have an inscribed first of, so I’ll be offering that in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
