Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

Library Additions, January 25, 2010—July 11, 2010

Sunday, July 11th, 2010

It’s been a while since I listed additions to my library, so here’s an update for my fellow bookoholics that includes everything since the weekend of my Archer City trip. All are new and unread Fine first edition hardbacks in Fine dust jackets, unless otherwise noted. Now that I’ve finished staining and varnishing a new bookshelf, and moving books around to accommodate it, I hope to do a more detailed photographic post on my library, since a few people complained that they couldn’t read the spine titles in the last set of pictures.

Books that I have available for sale through Lame Excuse Books are marked LEB (though some of those titles won’t appear on the stock page until after I send out my book catalog later this month), while other current publications contain Amazon links.

  • Baker, Kage. Not Less Than Gods. Subterranean Press, 2010. One of 474 signed, numbered copies.
  • Barron, Neil, ed. What Fantastic Fiction Do I Read Next? A Reader’s Guide to Recent Fantasy, Horror and Science Fiction. Gale Research, 1998. Non-fiction. Issued without dj.
  • Bear, Elizabeth. Bone and Jewel Creatures. Subterranean Press, 2010.
  • Bear, Greg. Hegira. Dell, 1979. PBO original, NF-.
  • Bond, Nelson. Mr. Mergenthwirker’s Lobblies and Other Fantastic Tales. Coward-McCann, 1946. NF in a VG, price-clipped dj. Inscribed by Bond.
  • Campbell, Ramsey. Creatures of the Pool. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
  • Chabon, Michael. The Final Solution. Fourth Estate, 2004. One of an undetermined number of copies signed on a special limitation page issued by the publisher.
  • Datlow, Ellen and Teri Windling, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Thirteenth Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2000. Inscribed to me by Datlow.
  • Datlow, Ellen, Gavin Grant and Kelly Link, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2007: Twentieth Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2007. Inscribed to me by Datlow.
  • Datlow, Ellen, Gavin Grant and Kelly Link, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2008: Twenty-First Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2008. Inscribed to me by Datlow.
  • Del Rey, Lester. Mortals and Monsters. Ballantine Books, 1965. PBO, Fine-.
  • (Dick, Philip K.) Williams, Paul. Only Apparently Real: The Life of Philip K. Dick. Arbor House, 1986. Non-fiction. Fine copy in wraps, as issued (no hardback).
  • Domenici, Joe. Bringing Back the Dead. Thomas Dunn, 2008. Inscribed to me by the author.
  • Duncan, Andy. Night Cache. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
  • Erikson, Steven. Crack’d Pot Trail. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB
  • Fernandez-Florez, W[encesiao]. The Seven Pillars. Macmillan and Co., Ltd. (UK), 1934. First edition hardback, a NF/G+ copy.
  • Gaiman, Neil. The Facts In The Case Of The Departure Of Miss Finch. Night Horse Comics, 2007. Hardback graphic novel.
  • Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. HarperCollins, 2008. Fine in a Fine- dust jacket.
  • Harrison, Harry. Bill, the Galactic Hero. Doubleday, 1965. Fine in a Near Fine, slightly spine-darkened dust jacket.
  • Hill, Joe. Horns. PS Publishing, 2010. First UK and first limited edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by both the author and artist Vincent Chong in traycase with three extra chapters not in the trade edition, extra art not in any other edition, etc. a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and traycase. Notably thicker than the signed, slipcased edition. LEB
  • Hill, Joe. Horns. PS Publishing, 2010. First UK and first limited edition hardback, one of 500 copies signed, slipcased copies. LEB
  • Houdini, Harry. The Right Way to Do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals. Easton Press, no date (probably around 2000); Reprint of the 1906 wraps original done as part of the Treasures of the Library of Congress series. Hardback, no dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction.
  • Howard, Robert E. Cthulhu: The Mythos and Kindred Horrors. Baen, 1987. PBO, Fine (replaces a VG copy). LEB
  • Koontz, Dean R./ Bulmer, Kenneth. The Fall of the Dream Machine/The Star Venturers. Ace, 1969. PBO, NF.
  • Kowal, Mary Robinette. Scenting the Dark. Subterranean Press, 2009.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. The Best of Joe R. Lansdale. Tachyon, 2009. TPO. LEB
  • Lansdale, Joe R. and Keith, editor. Son of Retro Pulp Tales. Subterranean Press, 2010. One of 200 signed, numbered copies, signed by all the contributors. LEB
  • Leiber, Fritz. Selected Stories. Night Shade Books, 2010. LEB
  • Ligotti, Thomas. Songs of a Dead Dreamer. Subterranean Press, 2010. Hardback. First edition thus.
  • (Lovecraft, H. P.) Joshi, S. T. Black Wings: Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. PS Publishing, 2010. LEB
  • Mitford, Bertram. The Sign of the Spider. Methuen & Co., 1896. VG- copy, no dust jacket (may not have been issued with one).
  • Partridge, Norman. Lesser Demons. Subterranean Press, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies with bonus chapbook.Red Rover, Red Rover.
  • (Pohl, Frederik) Hull, Elizbeth Anne, editor. Gateways. Tor, 2010. Tribute anthology.
  • (Powers, Tim) Berlyne, John., ed. Powers: Secret Histories. PS Publishing, 2009.
  • Reynolds, Alastair. Deep Navigation. NESFA Press, 2010. LEB
  • Reynolds, Alastair. Terminal World. Gollancz, 2010. Signed by the author. LEB
  • Shea, Michael. The Extra. Tor, 2010.
  • Shepard, Lucius. Viator Plus. PS Publishing, 2010. LEB
  • Shepard, Lucius. The Tanborn Scale. Subterranean Press, 2010.
  • Simmons, Dan. Black Hills. Reagan Arthur Books, 2010. Inscribed to me by Simmons.
  • Tymn Marshall B. Horror Literature A Core Collection and Reference Guide. R. R. Bowker, 1981. Non-fiction. No DJ, as issued.
  • Vance, Jack. Hard Luck Diggings. Subterranean Press, 2010. LEB
  • VanderMeer, Jeff. Finch: The Rebel Samizdat Edition. Underlands Press, 2009. One of 350 signed, numbered copies with a Murder By Death CD laid in, in wax-signet sealed (!) Mylar bag. LEB
  • Wellman, Manly Wade. Giants from Eternity. Avalon, 1959. A Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket.
  • Wilson, F. Paul. The Last Rakosh. Overlook Connection Press, 2008. One of 500 signed/numbered copies.
  • Zelazny, Roger. The Dream Master. Ace, 1966. PBO, Fine. LEB
  • Zelazny, Roger. Four for Tomorrow. Ace, 1967. PBO, Fine.
  • Zelazny, Roger. Hymn to the Sun: An Imitation, DNA Publications, 1996. Poetry chapbook, a Fine- copy with some rubbing to price code on rear cover.
  • Zelazny, Roger. This Immortal. Ace, 1964. PBO, Fine. LEB
  • Zivkovic, Zoran. Impossible Stories 2. PS Publishing, 2009. LEB

Night Shade Books

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

The hot topic of conversation in the skiffy blogsphere has been Night Shade Books,
which
seems
to be
having some
problems.

This is a shame, as the guys behind Night Shade seem like good people, and they’ve published some swell books. As for the reasons behind these problems, well, anyone who has read Jack Chalker & Mark Owings’ The Science Fantasy Publishers: A Critical and Bibliographic History will recognize a certain pattern. Small press publishers don’t duck calls from authors and agents and fail to send out royalty checks because of “major miscommunication” or “lack of communication,” they do those things because they’re out of money.

By an amazing coincidence, here are some Night Shade Books from the Lame Excuse Books stock which just happen to have been marked down to outrageously low prices today for absolutely no particular reason:

  • LP1115. Baker, Kage. Mother Aegypt and Other Stories. Night Shade Books, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. includes an original, never before published novella. $12.
  • LP1261. Drake, David (Gene Wolfe). The Complete Hammers Slammers. Night Shade Books, 2006. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. First of three volumes of linked stories of future tank warfare. Gene Wolfe provides the introduction. If you think that’s odd, Barry Malzberg is penning the intro to one of the subsequent volumes… $19.
  • LP795. Harrison, M. John (China Mieville, Simon Inge). Things That Never Happen (w/ The Rio Brain). Night Shade Books, 2003. First edition hardback, one of only 150 copies signed by Harrison and introduction author China Mieville, Fine in a Fine dj, new and unread. Also included with the limited edition is the chapbook The Rio Brain by Harrison and Simon Inge. (The latter features a photo of Samuel Beckett on the cover, and seems to revolve around theater.) Harrison has long been a critical favorite for his Virconium sequence, among other works, but the recent popularity of Light and his influence on Mieville has raised his visibility considerably. Sold out from the publisher and already very hard to find. The minuscule limited edition all but guarantees this to be one of the more difficult items for the Mieville completist to obtain in coming years. (Note: Originally this edition was supposed to be slipcased, but Night Shade substituted the chapbook when they were unable to obtain the slipcases for the limited.) $80.
  • LP1270. Hughes, Matthew. The Gist Hunter & Other Stories. Night Shade Books, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. I know a number of Jack Vance fans who think very highly of Hughes, whose work as very obviously influenced by The Dying Earth Stories. $14.
  • LP1471. Moon, Elizabeth. Moon Flights. Night Shade Books, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. Short story collection by the Nebula and Robert A. Heinlein Award-winning author of The Speed of Dark. Specially signed by Moon. $18.
  • LP1478. Shepard, Lucius. Softspoken. Night Shade Books, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dj, new and unread. At 179 pages, this is more a short novel than the usual Shepard small press novella. $14.
  • LP698. Wellman, Manly Wade. Fearful Rock and Other Precarious Locales (The Selected Stories of Manly Wade Wellman, Volume 3). Night Shade Books, 2001. First edition hardback, Fine sans dj, as issued, new and unread. Introduction by Stephen Jones. This volume contains some of Wellman’s novella length fiction, including the excellent “Coven.” $22.
  • LP806. Wellman, Manly Wade (David Drake). Sin’s Doorway and Other Ominous Entrances (The Selected Stories of Manly Wade Wellman, Volume 4). Night Shade Books, 2003. First edition hardback, Fine, new and unread, sans dj, as issued. Introduction by David Drake. Some of Wellman’s best work in here, including most of the work in the excellent (and now very expensive) Carcosa collection Worse Things Waiting. Recommended. $22.
  • LP922. Wellman, Manly Wade (Karl Edward Wagner). Owls Hoot in the Daytime and Other Omens (Selected Stories of Manly Wade Wellman, Volume 5). Night Shade Books, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dj, as issued. Fifth and final volume of collected Wellman, containing all the Silver John stories. Introduction by Karl Edward Wagner. $22
  • LP1132. Wellman, Manly Wade. Giants from Eternity (with The Timeless Tomorrow). Night Shade Books, 2004. First edition this, including the first hardback appearance of The Timeless Tomorrow, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dj with a tiny bump at heel, otherwise new and unread. $10.
  • LP1553. Williams, Walter Jon. Implied Spaces. Night Shade Books, 2008. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Far future space opera that looks like a cross between Jack Vance and Charlie Stross. Having his latest come from a small press might flat-foot some people, and I’m pretty sure the print run on this will be smaller than his books from Eos or Tor… $12.

To order any of these, email Lawrence Person (lawrenceperson@gmail.com).

My Story “The Dog Parade” will be in Postscripts 24/25 coming out in December

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

A while back I sold my story “The Dog Parade” to Postscripts, the magazine-turned-anthology series from PS Publishing. (I have some previous installments available for sale through Lame Excuse Books.) They just announced the table of contents for Postscripts 24/25, and “The Dog Parade” in among them. Also in that issue are Ken MacLeod, Rudy Rucker, Paul Di Filippo, and Jay Lake, among many, many other, so my story will have some mighty fine company.

This Year’s Bulwer-Lytton Contest “Winners”

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

The gratifyingly horrible winners can be found here.

I’ve won Dishonorable Mention three or four times in the past, but haven’t been submitting the last couple of years. I’ll try to rectify that next year.

And here, for a defense of the career of Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron of Knebworth, is Jess Nevins.

ApolloCon 2010 Pictures

Sunday, June 27th, 2010

Some pictures from the 2010 ApolloCon in Houston, just concluded today:


The lovely and talented Stina Leicht, celebrating her forthcoming novel by going blue in both ocular and follicular realms.


Gabrielle Faust, putting on her best “Who, me?” expression.


The dealer’s room. Neither Willie nor myself dealt there this year, meaning Edge Books was the only real bookdealer there this year.


SF Signal’s John DeNardo. I think the smug was entirely unintentional.


Scott Cupp, no doubt contemplating some book he’s owned, or will soon own, both of which are extremely target-rich environments.


GOH Catherine Asaro. This photo doesn’t show her high-heels. Without them, she’s actually only 3’6″.


Karen Burnham, searching her tattoos for the identity of the killer she’s hunting.


A fairly interesting tabletop boardgame featuring smooth pucks that you flicked to knock out your opponent’s pucks, sort of a cross between marbles and shuffleboard, except there are some screws around the circle in the center that you can bounce the pucks off of and which provide something of an obstacle. The name was “crocsomething,” but not crocodile. Please note that searching for “game” and “screw” is probably not something you should do at work.

Updated to add: The game is called “crokinole”.


Clockwise from lower left: Judy Crider, Lou Antonelli, Bill Crider, Scott Cupp. I think we were talking about bad movies yet again.


A pair of con-goers decked out to the nines in Steampunk attire. This takes an extraordinary amount of dedication. In Texas. In summer. Wait, did I say “dedication”? I meant “complete insanity.”


The Shrine O Dolls found at the “in-room convention party.” Sadly, there were no book dealers there either…

Books Read: Eric Frank Russell’s Wasp

Sunday, June 20th, 2010

Eric Frank Russell
Wasp

Despite being very obviously dated (the “aliens” in the book talk and act exactly like New Yorkers in the 1940s, and the agents of the evil alien government act exactly like Nazis), the book itself is still quite a bit of fun. It depicts the efforts of a single disguised human agent to destabilize an entire alien planet in preparation for an invasion. Anachronisms aside, this is a swift-moving novel that holds your attention, and if you’re looking for something short, old-fashioned and engrossing, this admirably fits the bill.

Everett F. Bleiler, 1920-2010: RIP

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Locus is reporting that Everett F. Bleiler has died. For those unfamiliar with his work, he was perhaps the preeminent science fiction bibliographer and historian. His Checklist of Fantastic Literature was the first truly important SF bibliography, and his books Science-Fiction: The Early Years and Science-Fiction: The Gernsback Years are probably the most extensive and exhaustive coverage of pre-Campbellian SF ever published. His bibliographic knowledge of the field was so extensive that, among the living, only George Locke and Lloyd Currey even come close. (Though Texas’ own Jess Nevins is getting there.) I’ve reached for one of his works many a time, as have every serious SF bibliographer, historian, book seller or book collector. He will be missed, but people will still be consulting his books a century from now.

Slightly More Plausible than that Greg Egan/ Kelly Link Collaboration…

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

…but only slightly.

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter to collaborate on two novels.

The Latest Literary Abomination Mashup

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Ben H. Winters and Leo Tolstoy’s Android Karenina

My powers of prophecy are unparalleled, even when I’m joking…

Books Read: Naomi Novik’s Temeraire: Throne of Jade

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

Naomi Novik
Temeraire: Throne of Jade

This is a solid follow-up to the first Temeraire book. In this one Lawrence and his Celestial dragon are forced to take a slow boat to China to see the Emperor, who is evidently most upset that his dragon (a gift to Napoleon) is now enrolled in the English aerial corps. Some have said they found their attention flagging through the long sea voyage (which takes up a bit more than half the book); actually, I didn’t find my attention flagging until right after they first make landfall in China. So I think the book could be trimmed a little (maybe 10%), but it still engaged me.