Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category
Monday, August 17th, 2020
The signed Ray Bradbury buying spree continues apace, all bought off eBay:
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.
Tags:Austin, Books, Cemetery Dance, Fantasy, graphic novel, poetry, Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction
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Friday, August 7th, 2020
Two post-first limiteds from a Subterranean Press 50% off sale:
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.
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.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, George R. R. Martin, Limited Editions, Science Fiction, Subterranean Press
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Friday, July 17th, 2020
Here are some Subterranean Press books I picked up at the usual dealer discount over the last few months.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I have all of these for sale through Lame Excuse Books.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, James P. Blaylock, James Patrick Kelly, Michael Swanwick, Octavia Butler, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Steampunk, Subterranean Press
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Thursday, July 9th, 2020
A signed Arkham House at a nice price:
Bond, Nelson. Nightmares and Daydreams. Arkham House, 1968. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slightly bumped pints, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight wear at points and the barest trace of dust soiling to white rear cover. Signed by Bond. Currey (1979), page 49. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 98. Jaffrey, Horrors and Unpleasantries, 106. Nielsen, 104. Derleth, Thirty Years of Arkham House, 96. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 38. Bought off eBay for $35.
Tags:Arkham House, Fantasy, Horror, Nelson Bond, signed, small press publishers
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Wednesday, June 17th, 2020
Actually, Swanwick was only the interviewer on one, but author of the other two:
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.”)
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. 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.
I will have copies of all three chapbooks available in the Lame Excuse Books catalog currently in progress.
Tags:Books, chapbooks, Dragonstairs Press, Fantasy, Gardner Dozois, James Tiptree Jr., Michael Swanwick, Neal Barrett Jr., Science Fiction, small press publishers
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Monday, June 8th, 2020
FACT honcho Robert Taylor was giving away books as part of downsizing before a move, so I picked up several books both for my own library and the next Lame Excuse Books catalog (now in progress). All but one of the books below are from Robert:
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.
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.
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. I’ll have another copy available in the next Lame Excuse books catalog.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Scholz, Carter. Cuts. Chris Drumm, 1995. First edition chapbook original, a Fine- copy with slight age darkening to edges. Short story collection.
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.
Tags:Books, Bruce Bethke, Carter Scholz, Charles Beaumont, FACT, Horror, Joe R. Lansdale, Jr., M.M. Moamrath, PBO, Robert Taylor, Science Fiction, Thomas M. Disch, Turkey City, Walter M. Miller
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Thursday, May 7th, 2020
Part Two:
(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.
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.
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 for $60.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Fritz Leiber, H. P. Lovecraft, Horror, Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Thomas M. Disch, Whispers Press
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Monday, April 20th, 2020
Picked up another key book at a nice price:
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 plus shipping from a fellow Biblio dealer.
Tags:Arkham House, Books, Fantasy, Horror, Robert E. Howard, small press publishers
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Monday, April 6th, 2020
It looks like we have another massive book piracy site, https://full-english-books.net.
Here’s the WhoIs information:
Domain Name: FULL-ENGLISH-BOOKS.NET
Registry Domain ID: 2298584626_DOMAIN_NET-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.namesilo.com
Registrar URL: http://www.namesilo.com
Updated Date: 2019-06-10T04:26:19Z
Creation Date: 2018-08-17T17:40:19Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2021-08-17T17:40:19Z
Registrar: NameSilo, LLC
Registrar IANA ID: 1479
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: abuse@namesilo.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.4805240066
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Name Server: ARNOLD.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
Name Server: ZITA.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
DNSSEC: unsigned
Among the writers they appear to have ripped off are:
Neil Gaiman
William Gibson
Joe Haldeman
Elizabeth Hand
Stephen Jones
Stephen King
Joe R. Lansdale
George R. R. Martin
J. K. Rowling
Charles Stross
Bruce Sterling
Lisa Tuttle
Among many, many others.
I’m no longer a member of SFWA, but those who are may want to pass this on to the legal committee…
Tags:Books, Bruce Sterling, Charles Stross, crime, Elizabeth Hand, Fantasy, George R. R. Martin, Horror, Joe Haldeman, Joe R. Lansdale, Lisa Tuttle, Neil Gaiman, piracy, Science Fiction, Stephen King, William Gibson
Posted in Books, crime, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 1st, 2020
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.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, George R. R. Martin, Limited Editions, Subterranean Press
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