Posts Tagged ‘Joe Domenici’

What Should I Read in 2012?

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

Better late than never!

In the Before Time, the Long Long Ago (i.e., before I started this blog), I would ask The Vast Wisdom of Usenet (i.e. rec.arts.sf.written) what books I should read this year. Now that I have the blog, I’m posting the question here.

Below are 100 books (or a few more, counting multiple titles by a single author) of fiction I’m considering reading in 2012. With a few exceptions (like forthcoming books), they’re pretty much all books I already own in first editions. Most likely I’ll get to considerably less than 100. The first few are books I’ll probably get to (or are already reading), whereas the rest are a little vaguer (and in alphabetical order by author). That’s where you come in. Tell me which of the books below I should or shouldn’t read, and why. If a book’s not on the list, it’s probably because I’ve already read it, or have no interest in it, won’t get to it this year, etc., so save your electrons instead of suggesting alternates (there are plenty of other places for that). And if I list Book #2 in a linear series, rest assured I’ve already read Book #1.

I don’t promise I’ll read all the highest rated works, but those most highly praised are considerably more likely to be added to the reading stack, which is what’s happened the previous years I’ve done this.

  • Michael Shea: The Color Out of Time (read)
  • Jack Vance: The Killing Machine (read)
  • Stina Leicht: Of Blood & Honey (reading)
  • Joe R. Lansdale: Hyenas
  • Joe Dominici: Bringing Back the Dead
  • China Mieville: Embassytown
  • Robert Jackson Bennett: Company Man
  • Vernor Vinge: The Children of the Sky
  • Philip K. Dick: Clans of the Alphane Moon
  • Michael Moorcock: The War Hound and the World’s Pain
  • Greg Egan: Crystal Nights
  • Peter Ackroyd: Hawksmoor
  • Paolo Bacigalupi: The Windup Girl
  • Iain Banks: Against a Dark Background or Matter
  • John Barnes: Kaleidoscope Century or One for the Morning Glory
  • Stephen Baxter: Traces or Mayflower II
  • Peter S. Beagle: A Fine and Private Place
  • Greg Bear: The City at the End of Time or Hull Zero Three
  • Leigh Brackett: The Best of Leigh Brackett or The Long Tomorrow
  • David Brin: Dr. Pak’s Preschool
  • Tobias Buckell: Sly Mongoose or Tides from the New World
  • Octavia Butler: Fledgeling
  • Jack Cady: The Night We Buried Road Dog
  • Ramsey Campbell: Creatures of the Pool
  • Michael Chabon: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
  • John Christopher: No Blade of Grass
  • Susanna Clarke: Ladies of Grace Adieu
  • Hal Clement: Iceworld
  • Avram Davidson: The Adventures of Dr. Esterhauzy or Limekiller
  • L. Sprague de Camp: A Gun for Dinosaur
  • Bradley Denton: Laughin’ Boy
  • Junot Diaz: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
  • Paul Di Filippo: Lost Pages or A Princess of the Linear Jungle
  • George Alec Effinger: What Entropy Means to Me
  • Harlan Ellison: Deathbird Stories
  • Greg Egan: Crystals Nights or Zendegi
  • John M. Ford: The Dragon Waiting
  • Neil Gaiman: Fragile Things or The Graveyard Book
  • Hinko Gotleib: The Key to the Great Gate
  • John Gardner: Freddy’s Book or The Wreckage of Agathon
  • Ray Garton: Night Life or Nids
  • Jane Gaskell: The Serpent
  • Joe Haldeman: The Accidental Time Machine
  • Peter F. Hamilton: Mindstar Rising
  • Robert E. Howard: The Coming of Conan
  • Nalo Hopkinson: Brown Girl in the Ring or The Salt Roads
  • Shirley Jackson: We Have Always Lived in the Castle or The Lottery
  • K. W. Jeter: Noir or Dark Seeker
  • Ha Jin: Waiting
  • James Patrick Kelly: Strange But Not a Stranger
  • Stephen King: Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass or The Colorado Kid
  • Russell Kirk: The Surly Sullen Bell (and yes, I’ve read the 2 Arkham House collections)
  • Henry Kuttner and/or C. L. Moore: The Dark World or Black God’s Shadow or No Boundaries
  • R. A. Lafferty: Archipelago, Aurelia, or The 13th Voyage of Sinbad
  • Fritz Leiber: Night’s Black Agents
  • Jonathan Lethem: Motherless Brooklyn
  • Thomas Ligotti: Grimscribe, Noctuary, or The Shadow at the Bottom of the World
  • Ian MacLeod: Breathmoss and Other Exhalations
  • Ken MacLeod: Giant Lizards from Another Star or The Execution Channel
  • Gregory Maguire: Wicked
  • Barry Malzberg: Hervoit’s World
  • Richard Matheson: Duel
  • Maureen McHugh: Mothers and Other Monsters
  • Sean McMullen: The Miocene Arrow
  • Ward Moore: Bring the Jubilee
  • Richard Morgan: Woken Furies
  • Pat Murphy: The Falling Woman
  • John Myers Myers: Silverlock
  • William F. Nolan: Things Beyond Midnight or Wild Galaxy
  • Naomi Novik: Black Powder War
  • Chad Oliver: The Shores of Another Sea or The Winds of Time
  • Susan Palwick: The Fate of Mice
  • H. Beam Piper: Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen
  • Tim Powers: Three Days to Never or Pilot Light
  • Fletcher Pratt: The Well of the Unicorn
  • Mike Resnick: Paradise or Kilimanjaro
  • Alastair Reynolds: Redemption Ark
  • Rudy Rucker: Master of Time & Space or The Secret of Life or White Light
  • Matt Ruff: Fool on the Hill
  • Salman Rushdie: Midnight’s Children
  • Joanna Russ: The Female Man
  • John Scalzi: The Lost Colony
  • Karl Schroeder: Permanence or Lady of Mazes
  • Michael Shaara: The Herald or The Killer Angels
  • Lucius Shepard: Floater or Aztechs or Viator
  • Lewis Shiner: The Edges of Things or Black and White
  • Dan Simmons: The Terror or Hard as Nails
  • Robert Sladek: Roderick
  • Neal Stephenson: Zodiac or The Big U
  • Charles Stross: The Apocalypse Codex (forthcoming)
  • Theodore Sturgeon: Microcosmic God: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon Volume 2
  • Steph Swainston: The Year of Our War
  • Thomas Burnett Swann: The Day of the Minotaur
  • Manly Wade Wellman: The Sleuth Patrol or The Last Mammoth
  • Martha Wells: The Element of Fire
  • John Whitbourne: To Build Jerusalem or Binscomb Tales
  • Jack Williamson and James E. Gunn: Star Bridge
  • Connie Willis: To Say Nothing of the Dog
  • Gene Wolfe: The Land Across (forthcoming)

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    Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 5 Comments »

    The Funeral Home’s Page on Joe Domenici

    Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

    You might spot a few familiar faces among the photos there. And those who knew Joe may want to sign the condolences book if they’re so inclined.

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    Posted in Books, Science Fiction | No Comments »

    Sad News: Joe Domenici, RIP

    Friday, September 3rd, 2010

    A poster on one of my Armadillocon photo threads said that Joe Domenici, former co-owner of Houston specialty SF bookstore Future Visions, and more recently a thriller writer living here in Austin (his first novel, Bringing Back the Dead, came out in 2008) died on Tuesday. Sadly, the news has been confirmed in the Statesman obituaries. I had known he was hospitalized with pneumonia during Armadillocon (Mike had gotten a call full of hacking coughs apologizing for not being at the con), and I knew he smoked, but I hadn’t heard he had died until just now.

    This is sad news, as Joe was a swell guy, always ready to talk about authors and books, and I bought my share of books from him back in the Future Visions days. I had seen him just a couple of weeks ago at the Recycled Reads book sale, and had bought more books off him when he had a book sale in his own apartment (just across Lamar from the main Half Price Books) a few months ago.

    According to the Statesman he was only 49.

    RIP, Joe.

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    Posted in Austin, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 7 Comments »

    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

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    Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 3 Comments »