Archive for the ‘Science Fiction’ Category

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Library Addition: Three Centipede Press Titles

Thursday, April 14th, 2022

The Sheckley was bought directly from the publisher, while the two Watts titles were bought from a collector culling his collection.

  • 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.

  • 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. Well-written and super depressing, Blindsight argues that self-aware, sentient life is an evolutionary dead-end. (There’s an interview Joe Rogan did with Neill Blomkamp about the resurrected vampires that are part of the book, but they’re not even the most interesting or fundamental part of the novel.) Supplements a copy of the Tor true first edition.

    With:

  • 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 for the pair from a private collector.

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    Library Addition: Signed First of Harlan Ellison’s The Man With Nine Lives/A Touch of Infinity

    Thursday, March 24th, 2022

    Another signed Harlan Ellison 1st, this one an Ace Double PBO:

    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.

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    Library Additions: PS Publishing Titles

    Monday, March 14th, 2022

    Several PS Publishing titles that arrived in January, one via a dealer order and the others via a discounted sale.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

  • 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.
  • 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.

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    Library Additions: Two Charles Stross, One Jack Williamson Easton Press Editions

    Sunday, February 27th, 2022

    The final three Easton Press library additions from that big purchase.

  • Stross, Charles. Glasshouse. Easton Press, 2006. First edition thus, #469 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Stross), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about GLASSHOUSE and the author CHARLIE STROSS” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Supplements a copy of the trade first edition (ISFDB the books came out the same month; usually when that happens, the author gets the Easton Press books FedExed to them a few days before the laydown date of the trade edition, but most subscribers get their copies just after the trade is released.)
  • Stross, Charles. Halting State. Easton Press, 2007. First edition (ISFDB says it came out a month before the trade), #35 of 900 signed copies, a Fine copy in embossed leather boards, with certificate of authenticity (also signed by Stross), an unused personalization plate, and an insert card “a note about HALTING STATE and the author CHARLIE STROSS” laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Supplements a copy of the trade first edition.
  • 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 Easton Press (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.

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    Library Additions: Two Elizabeth Moon Easton Press Titles

    Sunday, February 20th, 2022

    More Easton Press editions from that bulk purchase:

  • 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.
  • 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).

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    Library Additions: Seven Jack McDevitt Easton Press Editions

    Thursday, February 17th, 2022

    Continuing the list of Easton Press editions from the previous post.

    Most Easton Press titles come out after the trade edition, but several of these Jack McDevitt books came out months before the trade edition.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

    • Another set of attractive books, all with the ephemera.

    I had some of these in trade editions, but not all of them. There are at least three additional McDevitt Eastons that came out before these (Ancient Shores, Infinity Beach and The Engines of God) and one later (Moonfall) that I don’t have.

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    Library Additions: Three Greg Bear Easton Press Books

    Sunday, February 13th, 2022

    As part of that same purchase that included some signed Harlan Ellison firsts, I picked up several Easton Press books. I didn’t catalog them until now because I knew wouldn’t be able to file them until I finished staining and gloss coating my new bookshelf. I’m about halfway through that process, but these are pretty much the only library additions left over from 2021 that I haven’t cataloged here yet, so I’m going to do that so I can close out the year.

  • 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).
  • 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.

    Though none of these are true firsts, they are attractive and well-made books, and you don’t usually see them with all the ephemera inserted.

    More Easton Press additions from the same book buy to follow…

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    Library Additions: Fairwood Press Books

    Saturday, February 12th, 2022

    Picked up four Fairwood Press books at the usual dealer discount.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Palwick, Susan. All World Are Real. Fairwood Press, 2019. First edition trade paperback edition, a Fine copy, new and unread. Short story collection.

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    Moorcock, Moorcock, Moorcock, Eggs, Moorcock and Spam

    Thursday, February 10th, 2022

    In a Facebook group I’m on, someone started listing the contents of Moorcock-edited issues of New Worlds SF, the science fiction magazine he edited in the 1960s (and various later incarnations). One of these was the November 1965 issue (Vol. 49, No.156), which not only includes a Moorcock essay, Part 1 of a serialized novel, The Wrecks of Time by James Colvin (which was a pen name for Moorcock), and no less than eleven book reviews by “Colvin,” which lead me to pen the following:

    Woman: What’s in this New Worlds?

    Waitress: Moorcock, Bailey, Moorcock, Platt, Jones, Moorcock and spam.

    Woman: Do you have any New Worlds with less Moorcock?

    Man: Oh, I love Moorcock! I’m having the New Worlds with Moorcock, Moorcock, Moorcock, Cawthorn, Moorcock, Moorcock, Bailey, Moorcock, Moorcock, Moorcock, Jones, Moorcock and spam!

    Having edited Nova Express, I know well the “Hey, looks like I’ve got to fill out the rest of this issue myself!” feeling. That’s a sign you need to find more suckers contributors…

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    Library Addition: Signed First of Harlan Ellison’s Rockabilly

    Tuesday, January 25th, 2022

    I’ve tracked down almost all of the Ellison hardback, so now I’m tracking down signed copies of the PBOs I don’t already own.

    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.

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