Archive for the ‘Science Fiction’ Category
Thursday, May 18th, 2017
Another odd Jack-Vance related item:
Fabian, Stephen. Crystal of a Hundred Dreams: A Portfolio by Stephen E. Fabian. Underwood/Miller, 1979. First edition oversized softbound art portfolio, one of 550 sets produced, a Fine copy, still in shrinkwrap. Illustrations from the U/M Jack Vance books The Eyes of the Overworld, The Seventeen Virgins and The Bagful of Dreams. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 431 (where they note it’s “Uncommon,” most sets having been broken up and framed). Bought for $55 from a fellow Jack Vance collector.

Hard to get a good pick, since it’s too big for the scanner and I kept getting light bounce from the shrinkwrap….
Tags:art, Books, Fantasy, Jack Vance, Science Fiction, Stephen Fabian, Underwood/Miller
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Wednesday, May 17th, 2017
Another reference work to file right next to the same author’s Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana:
Nevins, Jess. The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Pulp heroes. Lulu Press, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction reference work covering fantastic pulp heroes from 1902—1945. Bought for $22.49 the first week of publication.

Lulu Press is a POD outfit, and this work will evidently be incorporated into a larger, electronic-only encyclopedia of pulp heroes (fantastic and otherwise) forthcoming from Amazon.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Horror, Jess Nevins, reference works, Science Fiction
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Thursday, May 11th, 2017
I used to subscribe to the hardback edition of Postscripts way back when, and have had three stories in various issues, so I try to pick up any issues I’m missing, and the price was certainly right.
Crowther, Peter and Nick Gevers. Postscripts 30/31: Memoryville Blues. PS Publishing, 2013. First edition hardback, #173 of 200 copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, new and unread. Bought off eBay for $15, which works out to less than a dollar a signature…
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Horror, Limited Editions, Peter Crowther, Postscripts, Science Fiction
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Wednesday, May 10th, 2017
Not particularly an Atwood fan, but I got it very cheap for a signed, limited edition by a major author:
Atwood, Margaret. The Year of the Flood. Bloomsbury (UK), 2009. First edition hardback, # 653 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards with silver gilt edges, in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $7.50 at Half Price Books, marked down from $15 with a 50% off coupon. (I suspect that Half Price got a few copies quietly remaindered from the publisher, as they often do for UK books.)

That’s a picture of the front of the slipcase, as there’s no writing on the book itself except on the spine.
According to the ISFDB, this limited edition is a true first (simultaneous with the trade hardback and trade paperback states), and was originally issued at £75, so I got it for less than 1/10th cover price…
Tags:Books, Limited Editions, Margaret Atwood, Science Fiction
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Tuesday, May 9th, 2017
Another addition to my science fiction story/poem postcard collection:
Le Guin, Ursula. To Siva the Unmaker. Science Fiction Poetry Association, 1980. First edition postcard, a near Fine copy with a faint dime-sized stain. Signed by Le Guin. Bought for $15 off eBay.

I have two other Le Guin postcards, but this is the only one that’s signed.
Tags:Books, poetry, postcard, Science Fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin
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Monday, May 8th, 2017
Here are three volumes of the Harlan Ellison Edgeworks series I bought off eBay (along with a fourth, Edgeworks 2, that I already had a signed first of, so the extra will go in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog). I think I have first editions of almost all of these, so this is a matter of “title completeness.”
Ellison, Harlan. Edgeworks 1: Over the Edge/An Edge in My Voice. White Wolf, 1996. First edition hardback thus (and first hardback edition of Over the Edge, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
Ellison, Harlan. Edgeworks 3: Harlan Ellison’s Hornbook/Harlan Ellison’s Movie. White Wolf, 1997. First edition hardback thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Supplements the two-volume Mirage Press set of these same titles.
Ellison, Harlan. Edgeworks 4: Love Ain’t Nothing But Sex Misspelled/The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World. White Wolf, 1998. First edition hardback thus, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
The four volumes were the only ones to appear out of the projected 20 volume series. All four volumes bought off eBay for $25.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Harlan Ellison, Horror, Science Fiction, White Wolf
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Thursday, May 4th, 2017
Two library additions of Harlan Ellison non-fiction books from two different purchases.
Ellison, Harlan (edited by Andrew Porter). The Book of Ellison. Algol Press, 1975. First edition hardback, one of only 200 hardbacks, a Near Fine copy with bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Ellison: “For Malcolm, Friend, from/Harlan Ellison.” Collection of essays. Bought from a UK dealer for £33.
(Ellison, Harlan). Slusser, George Edgar. Harlan Ellison: Unrepentant Harlequin. Borgo Press, 1977. First edition chapbook original (“First Edition———April 1977”), a Fine copy. Signed and dated (“4/18/95”) by Ellison. Critical work on Ellison. “The Milford Series Popular Writers of Today: Volume Six.” Bought of eBay for $13.05.

Tags:Books, Harlan Ellison, reference works, Science Fiction
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Wednesday, May 3rd, 2017
Picked this up at Half Price Books, and while not along my usual collecting vectors, I knew enough to pick it up.
Foster, Alan Dean (writing as George Lucas). Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker. Ballantine Books, 1976. First edition paperback original (as indicated both by the “First Printing 1976” statement on the copyright page, and by the original Ralph McQuarrie artwork on the cover, which was dropped from all subsequent reprints), a Very Good copy with cover creasing, bottom front corner crease, and general wear.

Although McQuarrie helped design many of the characters, the versions on the cover of this paperback varies wildly from their on-screen counterparts, and every other subsequent piece of official Star Wars art.
Tags:Books, Movies, Science Fiction, Star Wars
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Wednesday, April 26th, 2017
Between a new job, doing my taxes, and a relative coming into town, the task of cataloging library additions has been sidelined. The items here are from a Cold Tonnage Books sale in January, so the cataloging has been a long time in coming. All the below prices are after a 50% discount.
Aldiss, Brain W. Excommunication. Post Card Partnership, 1975. First edition postcard, a Fine copy. Bought for £2.50 after discount.
Drake, David. Codex. Sidecar Preservation Society, 2003. First edition chapbook original, #83 of 175 numbered copies, a Fine copy. According to Chalker & Owings Supplement 12, there were 25 copies bound in hardback (not seen). Bought for £2.50 after discount.

Partridge, Norman. Spyder. Subterranean Press, 1995. First edition chapbook original, a PC copy of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought for £2.50 after discount.

Tem, Steve Rasnic. Fairytales. Roadkill Press, 1990. First edition chapbook original, #352 of 400 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought for £2.50 after discount.

Tessier, Thomas. Lulu and one other. Subterranean Press, 1999. First edition chapbook original, a PC copy of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought for £2.50 after discount.
Tags:Books, Brian Aldiss, chapbooks, Cold Tonnage, David Drake, Fantasy, Horror, Norman Partridge, postcard, Science Fiction, Steve Rasnic Tem, Thomas Tessier
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