Hardcovers
1. Blindsight by Peter Watts
2. Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
3. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
4. The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
5. Zima Blue & Other Stories by Alastair Reynolds
tie
Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages
6. Cruel Wind by Glen Cook
7. World War Z by Max Brooks
8. The Demon and the City by Liz Williams
9. Cruel Sister by Deborah Grabien
tie
A Meeting at Corvalis by S.M. Stirling
10. Soldier of Sidon by Gene Wolfe
Paperbacks
1. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
3. Tyranny of the Night by Glen Cook
4. Thud! by Terry Pratchett
5. Gifts by Ursula Le Guin
6. Orphans of Chaos by John Wright
7. The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
8. Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
9. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
10. Seeker by Jack McDevitt
tie
Ghost by John Ringo
Trade Paperbacks
1. 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
2. Snake Agent by Liz Williams
3. Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones
tie
Year's Best Fantasy 6 edited by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
4. Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
5. Trial of Flowers by Jay Lake
tie
Kull by Robert E. Howard
tie
Voyage of the Sable Keech by Neal Asher
December 01, 2006
Origin of the Bookstore, Part the Second - The Tale of Minwax Golden Oak and Diamond Finish
For the next eleven months we'll be doing a special feature each month in honor of Borderlands' upcoming 10th Anniversary (November 3rd, 2007). We'll share some stories about what Borderlands is and how it got that way.
The Tale of Minwax Golden Oak and Diamond Finish
Many years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, Alan Beatts decided to open a book store. The Alan Beatts then was not like the Alan Beatts you see now. He was younger. He had darker hair, more energy, and a deep-seated aversion to sleeves. He also didn't know much at all about woodworking.
But he needed shelves if he was going to have a bookstore. Lots of shelves.
In the course of a month, he managed to get shelves. About twenty-five of them. All tall and all unfinished. And that's where the problem began.
The Tale of Minwax Golden Oak and Diamond Finish
Many years ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth, Alan Beatts decided to open a book store. The Alan Beatts then was not like the Alan Beatts you see now. He was younger. He had darker hair, more energy, and a deep-seated aversion to sleeves. He also didn't know much at all about woodworking.
But he needed shelves if he was going to have a bookstore. Lots of shelves.
In the course of a month, he managed to get shelves. About twenty-five of them. All tall and all unfinished. And that's where the problem began.
November 01, 2006
Overheard at The World Fantasy Convention
This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things. The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition. However, we didn't overhear much that was both memorable _and_ repeatable in polite company at the World Fantasy Convention this year in Austin!
"I don't care how many books he's written -- if he won't sign these he's dead to me."
"And of course a White Russian is a solid, blue-collar workingman's drink."
"Riding down the elevator, three girls asked me what convention I was part of. When I said, 'The World Fantasy Convention,' one girl excitedly asked 'Does that mean there are porn stars here?!!'"
"I don't care how many books he's written -- if he won't sign these he's dead to me."
"And of course a White Russian is a solid, blue-collar workingman's drink."
"Riding down the elevator, three girls asked me what convention I was part of. When I said, 'The World Fantasy Convention,' one girl excitedly asked 'Does that mean there are porn stars here?!!'"
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Another month has flown by. Have you watched all those movies you had intended to watch? I know I didn’t. But I do have a few that I can recommend to you. First up is a Lovecraftian horror film shot in the Ukraine, directed by Mariano Baino. This is NOT a J-horror movie of similar name, and this is not your average DVD release. The 2 disk special edition from Indy DVD label No Shame features a replica Cthulhu amulet, 48-page booklet, commentary, documentary, deleted scenes, director's intro, several short films and a bunch more. If you don’t want to throw down for the expensive set, there’s a single disk version of the movie as well. But it doesn’t have a Cthulhu Amulet, so you know which one you should be getting, right?
Speaking of crazy super special editions from No Shame, don’t miss The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set. This set features a Miraglia double feature – The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times. Both of these rare giallo films feature scores by Bruno Nicolai and have never been available in the US in widescreen or uncut editions. To add to the sheer craziness of this set, No Shame has packaged this up with a Red Queen action figure. Fun stuff for the whole family!
Another month has flown by. Have you watched all those movies you had intended to watch? I know I didn’t. But I do have a few that I can recommend to you. First up is a Lovecraftian horror film shot in the Ukraine, directed by Mariano Baino. This is NOT a J-horror movie of similar name, and this is not your average DVD release. The 2 disk special edition from Indy DVD label No Shame features a replica Cthulhu amulet, 48-page booklet, commentary, documentary, deleted scenes, director's intro, several short films and a bunch more. If you don’t want to throw down for the expensive set, there’s a single disk version of the movie as well. But it doesn’t have a Cthulhu Amulet, so you know which one you should be getting, right?
Speaking of crazy super special editions from No Shame, don’t miss The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set. This set features a Miraglia double feature – The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times. Both of these rare giallo films feature scores by Bruno Nicolai and have never been available in the US in widescreen or uncut editions. To add to the sheer craziness of this set, No Shame has packaged this up with a Red Queen action figure. Fun stuff for the whole family!
October Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
2) Blindsight by Peter Watts
tie with
The Machine's Child by Kage Baker
3) Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
4) Spellbinder by Melanie Rawn
5) Cruel Wind by Glen Cook
6) The Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot
tie with
World War Z by Max Brooks
7) Hunters of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
8) Sharing Knife by Lois McMaster Bujold
9) Zima Blue and Other Stories by Alastair Reynolds
10) Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
tie with
American Morons by Glen Hirshberg
tie with
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
Paperbacks
1) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2) Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
3) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
4) Paloma by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
tie with
Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
5) Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
6) Protector's War by S.M. Stirling
7) Learning the World by Ken Macleod
tie with
Matriarch by Karen Traviss
8) Wizard of London by Mercedes Lackey
9) Witchling by Yasmine Galenom
10) Singer of Souls by Adam Stemple
tie with
Runner by William C. Dietz
Trade Paperbacks
1) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
2) Catalyst by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
3) Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
4) Trial of Flowers by Jay Lake
5) Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones
tie with
Salon Fantastique, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
1) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
2) Blindsight by Peter Watts
tie with
The Machine's Child by Kage Baker
3) Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
4) Spellbinder by Melanie Rawn
5) Cruel Wind by Glen Cook
6) The Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot
tie with
World War Z by Max Brooks
7) Hunters of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
8) Sharing Knife by Lois McMaster Bujold
9) Zima Blue and Other Stories by Alastair Reynolds
10) Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke
tie with
American Morons by Glen Hirshberg
tie with
Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
Paperbacks
1) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2) Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
3) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
4) Paloma by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
tie with
Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
5) Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
6) Protector's War by S.M. Stirling
7) Learning the World by Ken Macleod
tie with
Matriarch by Karen Traviss
8) Wizard of London by Mercedes Lackey
9) Witchling by Yasmine Galenom
10) Singer of Souls by Adam Stemple
tie with
Runner by William C. Dietz
Trade Paperbacks
1) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
2) Catalyst by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
3) Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
4) Trial of Flowers by Jay Lake
5) Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynne Jones
tie with
Salon Fantastique, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
Origin of the Bookstore, Part the First - Captain Jack's Tale
For the next twelve months we'll be doing a special feature each month in honor of Borderlands' upcoming 10th Anniversary (November 3rd, 2007). We'll share some stories about what Borderlands is and how it got that way.
Captain Jack's was the funky used clothing store that occupied 866 Valencia Street from 1994 until 2001. The store's owner, a Mr. Hale, was also operating a massage therapy studio in the back of the store. Conveniently, Mr. Hale was looking for someone to take over his lease. (He'd had enough of the used clothing business, he told us, and wanted to move to the Santa Monica beach, live in his van, and become a stand-up comedian.) Hale was uninterested in the used clothing inventory he was leaving and just wanted to go. So Borderlands took over the lease and began excavating 7 years worth of used clothes in preparation for turning the place into a bookstore. A frantic month of progressive mark-down sales and kind-intentioned booksellers (who had never in their lives sold clothes) lying through their teeth to shoppers, ("Does this look good on me?,"; "Um, I suppose so . . . uh, sure, lime green with aqua polka dots really suits you!") followed. Finally, all of the old suits and the cool Che Guevara t-shirts and the feather boas and the fearsome 70's polyester cut-to-the-navel shirts and the size 12 high heels and especially the lime-green-and-aqua-polka-dotted monstrosities were sold, or given away, or snuck into customers' bags when they weren't looking.
Captain Jack's was the funky used clothing store that occupied 866 Valencia Street from 1994 until 2001. The store's owner, a Mr. Hale, was also operating a massage therapy studio in the back of the store. Conveniently, Mr. Hale was looking for someone to take over his lease. (He'd had enough of the used clothing business, he told us, and wanted to move to the Santa Monica beach, live in his van, and become a stand-up comedian.) Hale was uninterested in the used clothing inventory he was leaving and just wanted to go. So Borderlands took over the lease and began excavating 7 years worth of used clothes in preparation for turning the place into a bookstore. A frantic month of progressive mark-down sales and kind-intentioned booksellers (who had never in their lives sold clothes) lying through their teeth to shoppers, ("Does this look good on me?,"; "Um, I suppose so . . . uh, sure, lime green with aqua polka dots really suits you!") followed. Finally, all of the old suits and the cool Che Guevara t-shirts and the feather boas and the fearsome 70's polyester cut-to-the-navel shirts and the size 12 high heels and especially the lime-green-and-aqua-polka-dotted monstrosities were sold, or given away, or snuck into customers' bags when they weren't looking.
October 01, 2006
Halloween Thrills
by Jeremy Lassen
Hello movie fans. It’s October! Time to get your Halloween on! Leading the pack are several new episodes of Showtime's Masters of Horror. Jenifer, directed by Dario Argento is a fun little bit of twisted Italian horror cinema. But the real piece de resistance from Masters of Horror is the episode that Showtime refused to air. It was directed by Takashi Miike, and called Imprint. Remember when I mentioned him last month? Well, this episode was a bit too controversial for Showtime, so it never aired, but it is here now on DVD, and it is really pretty intense, and at the same time smart and engaging.
Other films to fill out your October chills include the just-arrived Lady Vengeance, from Korea. It’s the final movie in the “Vengeance” trilogy from South Korean maestro Park Chan-wook (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Old Boy). Another trilogy of hardcore terror from Asia which has just arrived as a three disk set is the “All Night Long” collection. Japanese grindhouse-esque films reached a peak with this series of films, including the title movie, Atrocity, and The Final Chapter. Rape, revenge, mutilation, etc.
Hello movie fans. It’s October! Time to get your Halloween on! Leading the pack are several new episodes of Showtime's Masters of Horror. Jenifer, directed by Dario Argento is a fun little bit of twisted Italian horror cinema. But the real piece de resistance from Masters of Horror is the episode that Showtime refused to air. It was directed by Takashi Miike, and called Imprint. Remember when I mentioned him last month? Well, this episode was a bit too controversial for Showtime, so it never aired, but it is here now on DVD, and it is really pretty intense, and at the same time smart and engaging.
Other films to fill out your October chills include the just-arrived Lady Vengeance, from Korea. It’s the final movie in the “Vengeance” trilogy from South Korean maestro Park Chan-wook (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Old Boy). Another trilogy of hardcore terror from Asia which has just arrived as a three disk set is the “All Night Long” collection. Japanese grindhouse-esque films reached a peak with this series of films, including the title movie, Atrocity, and The Final Chapter. Rape, revenge, mutilation, etc.
September Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Forest Mage by Robin Hobb
2) Hunters of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
3) The Machine's Child by Kage Baker
tie
Demon and the City by Liz Williams
4) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
5) The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
6) A Cruel Wind by Glen Cook
7) Dark Mondays by Kage Baker
8) Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
9) Alabaster by Caitlin Kiernan
10) World War Z by Max Barry
tie
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Paperbacks
1) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2) The Dark Tower by Stephen King
3) Thud! by Terry Pratchett
4) The Protector's War by S.M. Stirling
5) Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb
6) The Children of the Company by Kage Baker
7) Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
8) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
9) The Keeper by Sarah Langan
tie
Recursion by Tony Ballantyne
10) Firestorm by Rachel Caine
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle
2) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
3) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
tie
The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
4) Twenty Epics edited by Susan Marie Groppi and David Moles
tie
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
5) Year's Best Fantasy 6 edited by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
1) Forest Mage by Robin Hobb
2) Hunters of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
3) The Machine's Child by Kage Baker
tie
Demon and the City by Liz Williams
4) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
5) The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi
6) A Cruel Wind by Glen Cook
7) Dark Mondays by Kage Baker
8) Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
9) Alabaster by Caitlin Kiernan
10) World War Z by Max Barry
tie
Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
Paperbacks
1) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
2) The Dark Tower by Stephen King
3) Thud! by Terry Pratchett
4) The Protector's War by S.M. Stirling
5) Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb
6) The Children of the Company by Kage Baker
7) Shadowmarch by Tad Williams
8) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
9) The Keeper by Sarah Langan
tie
Recursion by Tony Ballantyne
10) Firestorm by Rachel Caine
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle
2) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
3) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
tie
The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
4) Twenty Epics edited by Susan Marie Groppi and David Moles
tie
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
5) Year's Best Fantasy 6 edited by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
Television Substitues and the Role of Genre Fiction
by Alan Beatts
I don't watch TV. Haven't for years. Not that I really have anything against it but my life tends to be busy enough that I can't manage to be near a TV at the same time each week so following series or having a favorite show is pretty much out. It's pretty funny, really, since my parents used to worry about me watching too much TV when I was a kid (which is a concern that seems to have gone sadly out of fashion, oh well). Granted, there are things like TiVo and, even using a VCR (which I can program, thank you very much) but it never seemed worth the trouble just to be able follow a series.
There have been some series that I thought were well worth watching. I came very late to Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I own all the DVDs (I think it was Peter Beagle talking about how much he had wanted to write for that show that might have tipped me over the edge and made me start watching the DVDs -- thanks, Peter). Right now I'm starting to get sadly hooked on Deadwood though I did dodge the bullet on Battlestar Galactica (there were just too many holes in the plot of the pilot for me).
But the point is, I don't watch TV. I read instead. But not because I think it's "better" or "more meaningful" or in any way superior to TV. I just like it better (and I can do it just about anywhere).
I don't watch TV. Haven't for years. Not that I really have anything against it but my life tends to be busy enough that I can't manage to be near a TV at the same time each week so following series or having a favorite show is pretty much out. It's pretty funny, really, since my parents used to worry about me watching too much TV when I was a kid (which is a concern that seems to have gone sadly out of fashion, oh well). Granted, there are things like TiVo and, even using a VCR (which I can program, thank you very much) but it never seemed worth the trouble just to be able follow a series.
There have been some series that I thought were well worth watching. I came very late to Buffy the Vampire Slayer but I own all the DVDs (I think it was Peter Beagle talking about how much he had wanted to write for that show that might have tipped me over the edge and made me start watching the DVDs -- thanks, Peter). Right now I'm starting to get sadly hooked on Deadwood though I did dodge the bullet on Battlestar Galactica (there were just too many holes in the plot of the pilot for me).
But the point is, I don't watch TV. I read instead. But not because I think it's "better" or "more meaningful" or in any way superior to TV. I just like it better (and I can do it just about anywhere).
September 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
It’s a new month and we’ve got plenty of great new DVD’s coming in. The first one I wanted to bring to your attention is the totally over-the-top Bio-zombie thriller called Sars Wars. It’s a Thai production, and is funny as hell and way too enjoyable for its own good.
On the Anime side of the house, we’ve just got in Cowboy BeBop #1. This is the beginning of one of the landmarks of modern serial Anime and should not be missed.
From Korea, we have Forbidden Warrior, which is a costume/period/fantasy piece that delivers the goods. Epic battles between good and evil, crazy wire stunts and a solid story.
From Japan, we have Godzilla, Final Wars, which is a must-see for any monster movie fan, as it is the latest Japanese installment (from 2004) of the series that started it all. Also not to be missed is the new US disk: Godzilla - Gojira Deluxe Collector's Edition, which features the original Japanese version of the first Godzilla movie, side by side with the bastardized, re-cut US version of the 1956 classic. This one is a really nice package and it features a ton of extras.
It’s a new month and we’ve got plenty of great new DVD’s coming in. The first one I wanted to bring to your attention is the totally over-the-top Bio-zombie thriller called Sars Wars. It’s a Thai production, and is funny as hell and way too enjoyable for its own good.
On the Anime side of the house, we’ve just got in Cowboy BeBop #1. This is the beginning of one of the landmarks of modern serial Anime and should not be missed.
From Korea, we have Forbidden Warrior, which is a costume/period/fantasy piece that delivers the goods. Epic battles between good and evil, crazy wire stunts and a solid story.
From Japan, we have Godzilla, Final Wars, which is a must-see for any monster movie fan, as it is the latest Japanese installment (from 2004) of the series that started it all. Also not to be missed is the new US disk: Godzilla - Gojira Deluxe Collector's Edition, which features the original Japanese version of the first Godzilla movie, side by side with the bastardized, re-cut US version of the 1956 classic. This one is a really nice package and it features a ton of extras.
August Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Dzur by Steven Brust
2) Hunters of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
3) Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
4) Three Days to Never by Tim Powers
5) Blood Knight by Greg Keyes
6) James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips
7) Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
8) Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
9) The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle (Limited Ed., Tachyon Publications)
10) 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (PS Publishing)
Paperbacks
1) Princess of Roumania by Paul Park
2) Idolon by Mark Budz
3) Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder
4) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
5) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
6) Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
7) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
8) Olympos by Dan Simmons
9) Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
10) Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle (Tachyon Publications)
tie
Snake Agent by Liz Williams (Nightshade Books)
2) The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
3) Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
4) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
5) Confessions of a Virgin Sacrifice by Adrianne Ambrose
1) Dzur by Steven Brust
2) Hunters of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
3) Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
4) Three Days to Never by Tim Powers
5) Blood Knight by Greg Keyes
6) James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips
7) Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
8) Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
9) The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle (Limited Ed., Tachyon Publications)
10) 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (PS Publishing)
Paperbacks
1) Princess of Roumania by Paul Park
2) Idolon by Mark Budz
3) Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder
4) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
5) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
6) Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
7) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
8) Olympos by Dan Simmons
9) Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
10) Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Line Between by Peter S. Beagle (Tachyon Publications)
tie
Snake Agent by Liz Williams (Nightshade Books)
2) The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner
3) Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
4) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
5) Confessions of a Virgin Sacrifice by Adrianne Ambrose
Recent Reading
by Alan Beatts
I've been reading quite a bit lately. Not quite sure how that worked out since I've also been very busy with World Con and all and yet . . . it happened. Not that I'm complaining. Since I opened Borderlands I've probably had less time to read than any other time in my life. That's what happens when you make a hobby into a business.
One of the standout novels I read was NIGHTWATCH by Sergei Lukyanenko. This is the novel that was the basis for the film. The translation from Russian is excellent, so good in fact that it almost reads like it was originally written in English. When I started it (partly on the advice of my daughter) I was pretty doubtful but within the first chapter or two I was hooked. As usual, I'm not going to waste time with a synopsis but I will say that it is probably the best novel of its type that I've _ever_ read. I should probably explain what its "type" is -- a story of secret warfare between the supernatural forces of light and darkness set in modern times. Think of Green's Nightside novels, Leiber's Conjure Wife, Butcher's Dresden Files, Lackey's Diana Trigarde or about half of Tim Powers' work.
I've been reading quite a bit lately. Not quite sure how that worked out since I've also been very busy with World Con and all and yet . . . it happened. Not that I'm complaining. Since I opened Borderlands I've probably had less time to read than any other time in my life. That's what happens when you make a hobby into a business.
One of the standout novels I read was NIGHTWATCH by Sergei Lukyanenko. This is the novel that was the basis for the film. The translation from Russian is excellent, so good in fact that it almost reads like it was originally written in English. When I started it (partly on the advice of my daughter) I was pretty doubtful but within the first chapter or two I was hooked. As usual, I'm not going to waste time with a synopsis but I will say that it is probably the best novel of its type that I've _ever_ read. I should probably explain what its "type" is -- a story of secret warfare between the supernatural forces of light and darkness set in modern times. Think of Green's Nightside novels, Leiber's Conjure Wife, Butcher's Dresden Files, Lackey's Diana Trigarde or about half of Tim Powers' work.
Overheard at The World Science Fiction Convention
This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things. The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition. This issue we share some highlights from this year's World Science Fiction Convention in Anaheim:
"Just remember how much I love you and disregard how bitchy I'm going to be for the next few days."
"We are two men very pleased with our meat."
"When there are five Australians at the table, it is inevitable that one will try to set the dessert afire."
"You're not going to catch me molesting the bronze giraffe!"
"I'm sorry, have we met?"
"Um, yeah. I helped you move."
"I've become the Harlan Ellison of porn."
"Something that eats steel has no place in my body."
"I finally realized what the chunks in my beer were -- stucco!"
(Discussing fear of Disneyland) "I refuse to be cowed by a mouse!"
"After the wasabi vodka last night, I've taken up breath mints for the weekend."
"I'm really pleased with my Borderlands t-shirt, 'cause now I can take a snake on the plane!"
"Just remember how much I love you and disregard how bitchy I'm going to be for the next few days."
"We are two men very pleased with our meat."
"When there are five Australians at the table, it is inevitable that one will try to set the dessert afire."
"You're not going to catch me molesting the bronze giraffe!"
"I'm sorry, have we met?"
"Um, yeah. I helped you move."
"I've become the Harlan Ellison of porn."
"Something that eats steel has no place in my body."
"I finally realized what the chunks in my beer were -- stucco!"
(Discussing fear of Disneyland) "I refuse to be cowed by a mouse!"
"After the wasabi vodka last night, I've taken up breath mints for the weekend."
"I'm really pleased with my Borderlands t-shirt, 'cause now I can take a snake on the plane!"
August 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Welcome once again the wonderful world of cool movies. This month I'll be talking about some of my all-time favorite weird gems of genre cinema. First up is Cemetery Man, starring Rupert Everett. (Yes, that Rupert Everett.) He got his start in an Italian zombie movie. He tends to keep Cemetery Man (AKA Dellamorte Dellamore) off of his resume. Which is kind of silly, because its easily one of the best existential zombie love stories every told.
Cemetery Man is directed by Italian Michele Soavi, who got his start being a second unit and assistant director for such greats as Argento, Fulchi, Umberto Bava, and Terry Gilliam. Soavi's singular and unique vision reached its apogee in Cemetery Man, but you can catch flashes of brilliance in some of his earlier work, such as The Church, The Sect, and Stagefright. Soavi retreated from the film industry in the mid 1990s to care for his ailing son, but, in recent years, he has begun working once more in Italian television (Una Bianca was a TV-miniseries/cop/crime thriller that is now on DVD), and he was the second unit director on Terry Gilliam's flawed, yet strangely interesting film, The Brothers Grimm.
Welcome once again the wonderful world of cool movies. This month I'll be talking about some of my all-time favorite weird gems of genre cinema. First up is Cemetery Man, starring Rupert Everett. (Yes, that Rupert Everett.) He got his start in an Italian zombie movie. He tends to keep Cemetery Man (AKA Dellamorte Dellamore) off of his resume. Which is kind of silly, because its easily one of the best existential zombie love stories every told.
Cemetery Man is directed by Italian Michele Soavi, who got his start being a second unit and assistant director for such greats as Argento, Fulchi, Umberto Bava, and Terry Gilliam. Soavi's singular and unique vision reached its apogee in Cemetery Man, but you can catch flashes of brilliance in some of his earlier work, such as The Church, The Sect, and Stagefright. Soavi retreated from the film industry in the mid 1990s to care for his ailing son, but, in recent years, he has begun working once more in Italian television (Una Bianca was a TV-miniseries/cop/crime thriller that is now on DVD), and he was the second unit director on Terry Gilliam's flawed, yet strangely interesting film, The Brothers Grimm.
July Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Gold Falcon by Katharine Kerr
3) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
4) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
5) Dark Mondays by Kage Baker
6) Widdershins by Charles de Lint
7) River of Gods by Ian McDonald
8) Take the Long Way Home by Brian Keene
9) How We Got Insipid by Johnathan Lethem
10) Sense of the Past: The Ghostly Stories of Henry James by Henry James
Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
3) Brass Man by Neal Asher
4) Melusine by Sarah Monette
5) Accelerando by Charles Stross
6) Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder
7) Olympos by Dan Simmons
8) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) Crimson Sword by Eldon Thompson
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
4) The Engineer Reconditioned by Neal Asher
5) Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
tie
The Year's Best Science Fiction vol. 23, edited by Gardner Dozois
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Gold Falcon by Katharine Kerr
3) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
4) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
5) Dark Mondays by Kage Baker
6) Widdershins by Charles de Lint
7) River of Gods by Ian McDonald
8) Take the Long Way Home by Brian Keene
9) How We Got Insipid by Johnathan Lethem
10) Sense of the Past: The Ghostly Stories of Henry James by Henry James
Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
3) Brass Man by Neal Asher
4) Melusine by Sarah Monette
5) Accelerando by Charles Stross
6) Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder
7) Olympos by Dan Simmons
8) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) Crimson Sword by Eldon Thompson
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
4) The Engineer Reconditioned by Neal Asher
5) Nightwatch by Sergei Lukyanenko
tie
The Year's Best Science Fiction vol. 23, edited by Gardner Dozois
What's in a Name?
by Alan Beatts
Horror is typically considered a genre of fiction in much the same way as science fiction or mystery. At Borderlands Books we describe our stock as "science fiction, fantasy and horror," a decision that I made over nine years ago when the store opened. It was based on the way that I perceived the position of horror relative to other fiction genres.
However, while considering the horror genre for this article I looked at some phenomena that caused me to question my definition of horror and its place relative to other fiction genres. A common (and wildly inaccurate) way that we explain our sections at Borderlands is thus, "If the story takes place on a space ship, it's SF. If it's about a vampire, it's horror. And if there's a vampire on a space ship, it's still horror." But vampires are no longer the sole property of horror. They appear in fantasy, paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and other less defined genres and sub-genres. Granted, some of these genres and sub-genres are merely the creation of marketing departments. But, the fact remains that there are plenty of works that feature vampires but which really don't fall within what could even be loosely called "horror".
July 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Hello to all you movie fans out there. Sorry I missed you last month. There’s a couple of months worth of DVD’s to get caught up on, and a few specific things I want to point out to you.
First up, if you were anywhere in the US in June, the 6.6.06 ad campaign for the new Omen remake was everywhere. Oddly enough, just as that cynical exercise in numerology was in the theaters, the original Omen was nowhere to be found on video store shelves. The studios, in their infinite wisdom re-released a “special edition” version of the classic movie, and of course, it didn’t come out until June 26th, so when everyone was scrambling around to get a copy of the original, it wasn’t anywhere to be found. I don’t know if this so that people couldn’t compare the turgid remake to the original, or if they simply didn’t realize that when remakes come out, sizable number of people beat the bush looking for the original. Anyway, the original Omen movie was a classic of the horror genre, and an incredibly good piece of film making, with an A-list cast, and a score that is absolutely brilliant. If you haven’t seen it in a while, be sure to check out the new Special Edition DVD, which is available now.
Hello to all you movie fans out there. Sorry I missed you last month. There’s a couple of months worth of DVD’s to get caught up on, and a few specific things I want to point out to you.
First up, if you were anywhere in the US in June, the 6.6.06 ad campaign for the new Omen remake was everywhere. Oddly enough, just as that cynical exercise in numerology was in the theaters, the original Omen was nowhere to be found on video store shelves. The studios, in their infinite wisdom re-released a “special edition” version of the classic movie, and of course, it didn’t come out until June 26th, so when everyone was scrambling around to get a copy of the original, it wasn’t anywhere to be found. I don’t know if this so that people couldn’t compare the turgid remake to the original, or if they simply didn’t realize that when remakes come out, sizable number of people beat the bush looking for the original. Anyway, the original Omen movie was a classic of the horror genre, and an incredibly good piece of film making, with an A-list cast, and a score that is absolutely brilliant. If you haven’t seen it in a while, be sure to check out the new Special Edition DVD, which is available now.
June Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
3) Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
4) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
5) The Clan Corporate by Charles Stross
6) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
7) Giant Lizards From Another Star by Ken MacLeod (NESFA)
8) Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9) Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton
10) Conflagration by Mick Farren
tie
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) Accelerando by Charles Stross
3) Child of a Rainless Year by Jane Lindskold
4) Mammoth by John Varley
5) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
6) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
7) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
8) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) A Princess of Roumania by Paul Parks
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) Maul by Tricia Sullivan
4) Shadow at the Bottom of the World by Thomas Ligotti
5) Chains That You Refuse by Elizabeth Bear
tie
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
3) Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
4) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
5) The Clan Corporate by Charles Stross
6) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
7) Giant Lizards From Another Star by Ken MacLeod (NESFA)
8) Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9) Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton
10) Conflagration by Mick Farren
tie
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) Accelerando by Charles Stross
3) Child of a Rainless Year by Jane Lindskold
4) Mammoth by John Varley
5) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
6) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
7) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
8) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) A Princess of Roumania by Paul Parks
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) Maul by Tricia Sullivan
4) Shadow at the Bottom of the World by Thomas Ligotti
5) Chains That You Refuse by Elizabeth Bear
tie
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
June 01, 2006
May Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) PLUCKER by Brom
2) COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO by John Picacio (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
4) RAINBOW'S END by Vernor Vinge
5) THE CLAN CORPORATE by Charles Stross
6) FIREBIRDS RISING edited by Sharyn November
7) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
8) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
9) BLOODSTAINED OZ by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore
10) SNAKE MOON by Ray Manzerek (NightShade Books)
Paperbacks
1) CONQUEROR WORMS by Brian Keene
2) THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
3) BRASS MAN by Neal Asher (UK Import)
4) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
5) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
6) THE FAMILY TRADE by Charles Stross
7) THRONE OF JADE by Naomi Novik
8) DEAD BEAT by Jim Butcher
9) GRIDLINKED by Neal Asher
10) LOST AND FOUND by Alan Dean Foster
Trade Paperbacks
1) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
2) THE MAN FROM THE DIOGENES CLUB by Kim Newman (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE JAMES TIPTREE AWARD ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy, Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey D. Smith (Tachyon Publications)
4) MAUL by Tricia Sullivan (Nightshade Books) tied with ON STRANGER TIDES by Tim Powers
5) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
1) PLUCKER by Brom
2) COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO by John Picacio (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
4) RAINBOW'S END by Vernor Vinge
5) THE CLAN CORPORATE by Charles Stross
6) FIREBIRDS RISING edited by Sharyn November
7) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
8) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
9) BLOODSTAINED OZ by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore
10) SNAKE MOON by Ray Manzerek (NightShade Books)
Paperbacks
1) CONQUEROR WORMS by Brian Keene
2) THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
3) BRASS MAN by Neal Asher (UK Import)
4) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
5) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
6) THE FAMILY TRADE by Charles Stross
7) THRONE OF JADE by Naomi Novik
8) DEAD BEAT by Jim Butcher
9) GRIDLINKED by Neal Asher
10) LOST AND FOUND by Alan Dean Foster
Trade Paperbacks
1) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
2) THE MAN FROM THE DIOGENES CLUB by Kim Newman (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE JAMES TIPTREE AWARD ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy, Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey D. Smith (Tachyon Publications)
4) MAUL by Tricia Sullivan (Nightshade Books) tied with ON STRANGER TIDES by Tim Powers
5) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
Overheard at The World Horror Convention
This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things. The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition. This issue we thought we'd share some highlights from this year's World Horror Convention and Baycon. Thanks to Rina Elson for her sharp ears:
"They changed my dosage, so I can't do that anymore."
"I don't think the alcohol is really affecting me, although I AM pretty talkative!"
"Who the hell are you people, and how do you know me?"
"You know you're at a Horror Convention when you ask the bartender for a knife and he says 'Who you gonna kill?'"
"The Art Show was. . .cat-heavy."
"You have them in your brain, you have them in your ears, and you have them on Old-Fashioned donuts."
"Sweetheart, at some point it ceases to be a dress and becomes a shirt."
The best t-shirt was:
"Morale will decline until the floggings improve." (in response to the Uber-common "The floggings will continue until morale improves.")
And the worst t-shirt was:
"I [Heart] Hot Moms"
"They changed my dosage, so I can't do that anymore."
"I don't think the alcohol is really affecting me, although I AM pretty talkative!"
"Who the hell are you people, and how do you know me?"
"You know you're at a Horror Convention when you ask the bartender for a knife and he says 'Who you gonna kill?'"
"The Art Show was. . .cat-heavy."
"You have them in your brain, you have them in your ears, and you have them on Old-Fashioned donuts."
"Sweetheart, at some point it ceases to be a dress and becomes a shirt."
The best t-shirt was:
"Morale will decline until the floggings improve." (in response to the Uber-common "The floggings will continue until morale improves.")
And the worst t-shirt was:
"I [Heart] Hot Moms"
May 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
It’s a busy month at Borderlands, with World Horror swinging into town. Koji Suzuki is one of the Guests of Honor. . . so be sure to check out the original Ringu, Ringu 2, and Ringu 0 movies, which were based on his novels. The Ringu Anthology has all three films in one package.
Other Asian horror films that should not be missed: the Korean horror trilogy is now complete: Whispering Corridors, Memento Mori, and Wishing Stairs are all out on DVD in the States; three movies concerning a cursed boarding school. Creepy, ghostly, and filled with nasty murders. Excellent stuff.
Moving back to Japan, the director of The Grudge tackles a reversal of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider, in the movie Marebito.
Touching on some Italian horror. . . be sure to check out Dario Argento’s The Card Player. . .his most recent Giallo flick, and stack it up against his first movie, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, which recently had a super-califragalistic-extra-special DVD release. If Argento doesn’t do it for you, be sure to check out some Fulci and Bava films!
And if you want to take it back to the old school, be sure to check out Robert Wise’s classic haunted house movie, The Haunting, based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. This was an excellent, bigger budget, bigger cast homage to his early work with Val Lewton.
Another Lewton alumnus, Jacques Tourneur, turned in a Lewton throwback in 1957: Night of the Demon, (AKA Curse of the Demon) which was an adaptation of M. R. James’s “Casting the Runes.” The DVD features both the original British version of the film (Night of the Demon), and the shorter US version, (Curse of the Demon). Very effective, and highly underrated.
We are starting to carry more anime in our DVD section, as well. In addition to all the Miazaki films, we are carrying a wide selection of feature-length movies and TV material. One Hentai-ish horror feature from the producers of Legend of the Overfiend is Mystery of the Necronomicon. Not many tentacles in this one, and the Lovecraft connections are tenuous at best, but there is some over-the-top sex, and lots of murders, and some eyeball scooping. Silly fun.
Another, less risqué anime title is Le Portrait De Petite Cossette, which is a surreal little story of the ghost of a girl trapped in an antique crystal goblet, who can be seen by the young proprietor of an antique store, who inevitably becomes obsessed with her. Strange things ensue. This one was weirdly haunting.
We are slowly expanding our anime section, with an emphasis on quality over quantity, and also with an emphasis on original video animations and feature-length movies. If you have any suggestions of anime titles that we should be stocking, or that I should be watching, please drop me a line.
Until next month (which I hope proves to be much less hectic then this month), keep flipping those disks.
It’s a busy month at Borderlands, with World Horror swinging into town. Koji Suzuki is one of the Guests of Honor. . . so be sure to check out the original Ringu, Ringu 2, and Ringu 0 movies, which were based on his novels. The Ringu Anthology has all three films in one package.
Other Asian horror films that should not be missed: the Korean horror trilogy is now complete: Whispering Corridors, Memento Mori, and Wishing Stairs are all out on DVD in the States; three movies concerning a cursed boarding school. Creepy, ghostly, and filled with nasty murders. Excellent stuff.
Moving back to Japan, the director of The Grudge tackles a reversal of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider, in the movie Marebito.
Touching on some Italian horror. . . be sure to check out Dario Argento’s The Card Player. . .his most recent Giallo flick, and stack it up against his first movie, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, which recently had a super-califragalistic-extra-special DVD release. If Argento doesn’t do it for you, be sure to check out some Fulci and Bava films!
And if you want to take it back to the old school, be sure to check out Robert Wise’s classic haunted house movie, The Haunting, based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. This was an excellent, bigger budget, bigger cast homage to his early work with Val Lewton.
Another Lewton alumnus, Jacques Tourneur, turned in a Lewton throwback in 1957: Night of the Demon, (AKA Curse of the Demon) which was an adaptation of M. R. James’s “Casting the Runes.” The DVD features both the original British version of the film (Night of the Demon), and the shorter US version, (Curse of the Demon). Very effective, and highly underrated.
We are starting to carry more anime in our DVD section, as well. In addition to all the Miazaki films, we are carrying a wide selection of feature-length movies and TV material. One Hentai-ish horror feature from the producers of Legend of the Overfiend is Mystery of the Necronomicon. Not many tentacles in this one, and the Lovecraft connections are tenuous at best, but there is some over-the-top sex, and lots of murders, and some eyeball scooping. Silly fun.
Another, less risqué anime title is Le Portrait De Petite Cossette, which is a surreal little story of the ghost of a girl trapped in an antique crystal goblet, who can be seen by the young proprietor of an antique store, who inevitably becomes obsessed with her. Strange things ensue. This one was weirdly haunting.
We are slowly expanding our anime section, with an emphasis on quality over quantity, and also with an emphasis on original video animations and feature-length movies. If you have any suggestions of anime titles that we should be stocking, or that I should be watching, please drop me a line.
Until next month (which I hope proves to be much less hectic then this month), keep flipping those disks.
April Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November
3) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
4) The Voyage of the Sable Keech by Neal Asher (UK Import)
5) Pretender by C.J. Cherryh
6) Dance of Time by David Drake and Eric Flint
7) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
8) 1634: The Ram Rebellion by Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce
9) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds (UK Import)
10) Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Paperbacks
1) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
2) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
5) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
6) Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card
7) Cusp by Robert A. Metzger
8) Cowl by Neal Asher
9) Dates From Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong and Lori Handeland
10) Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Earthcore by Scott Sigler
3) The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
4) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
5) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November
3) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
4) The Voyage of the Sable Keech by Neal Asher (UK Import)
5) Pretender by C.J. Cherryh
6) Dance of Time by David Drake and Eric Flint
7) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
8) 1634: The Ram Rebellion by Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce
9) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds (UK Import)
10) Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Paperbacks
1) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
2) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
5) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
6) Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card
7) Cusp by Robert A. Metzger
8) Cowl by Neal Asher
9) Dates From Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong and Lori Handeland
10) Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Earthcore by Scott Sigler
3) The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
4) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
5) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
April 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Heads up, animation fans. Last year's kick-ass fantasy extravaganza, Howl's Moving Castle, (directed by Hayao Miyazaki and based on the Diana Wynne Jones novel of the same name) is now out on DVD. I highly recommend this one. Also available on DVD in the States for the first time is My Neighbor Totoro. Totoro is widely regarded as Miyazaki's best film. and if you've enjoyed any of his other films, you should check this one out.
If you have already gotten a look at MirrorMask (which I mentioned last month), and want to sample some other movies that Neil Gaiman wrote or adapted for the screen, be sure to check out Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, which was adapted to English by Neil. The Miramax DVD features English language subtitles, and a passable English language dub, both based on Gaiman's script. Also available on DVD is one of the first items that Gaiman wrote for the screen, Neverwhere, which actually started out as a screenplay for the BBC miniseries, and was later adapted into the novel of the same name.
Once you've put yourself in the mood for some BBC miniseries action, you should definitely check out their adaptation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, which, given the dense and un-cinematic nature of the original prose, is better then anybody could have hoped for; in fact, it's quite good.
Just as last month brought you the interesting failure that was Dune, the extended edition, this month brings us Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist. Some of you may have seen, or heard about The Exorcist: The Beginning, which was also a prequel to the Exorcist. This movie wasn't very good. It wasn't mind-numbingly awful, like the first sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic. It just wasn't very GOOD. Well, actually, yeah, it WAS pretty bad.
Of course, like many Hollywood franchises, behind the Exorcist prequel was a long-running fight between the studio and the movie's original director, Paul "Taxi Driver" Shrader. This fight got so bad that when Schrader turned in his version of the movie, the studio rejected it outright, and hired a new director (Renny "Deep Blue Sea" Harlin) to come in and shoot an almost entirely different movie, with only about 20% of the Renny movie coming from Shrader's shooting.
People have been talking about the "Paul Shrader Cut" of this movie for some time. . . Long before the actually-released movie hit the theaters, the internet was filled with rumors of how much better The Shrader cut was. Internet fanboys around the world hoped that the DVD would have both versions of the movie, but last year they were disappointed. Now, however, the studio has relented and quietly released Paul Shrader's Exorcist prequel as a separate DVD, with the title "Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist". The DVD features commentary by Shrader, which is a little dry at points, but also filled with some juicy details. And while Dominion is no Taxi Driver, or Raging Bull, it is a pretty damn good movie -- much better then, say, the actual Exorcist prequel.
If my descriptions of the different versions of The Exorcist Prequels seem a bit convoluted (or at least a bit intriguing) I recommend you take a look at an interview that The Guardian UK did with Shrader at ( http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1175811,00.html)
Until next month. . . .
Heads up, animation fans. Last year's kick-ass fantasy extravaganza, Howl's Moving Castle, (directed by Hayao Miyazaki and based on the Diana Wynne Jones novel of the same name) is now out on DVD. I highly recommend this one. Also available on DVD in the States for the first time is My Neighbor Totoro. Totoro is widely regarded as Miyazaki's best film. and if you've enjoyed any of his other films, you should check this one out.
If you have already gotten a look at MirrorMask (which I mentioned last month), and want to sample some other movies that Neil Gaiman wrote or adapted for the screen, be sure to check out Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, which was adapted to English by Neil. The Miramax DVD features English language subtitles, and a passable English language dub, both based on Gaiman's script. Also available on DVD is one of the first items that Gaiman wrote for the screen, Neverwhere, which actually started out as a screenplay for the BBC miniseries, and was later adapted into the novel of the same name.
Once you've put yourself in the mood for some BBC miniseries action, you should definitely check out their adaptation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, which, given the dense and un-cinematic nature of the original prose, is better then anybody could have hoped for; in fact, it's quite good.
Just as last month brought you the interesting failure that was Dune, the extended edition, this month brings us Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist. Some of you may have seen, or heard about The Exorcist: The Beginning, which was also a prequel to the Exorcist. This movie wasn't very good. It wasn't mind-numbingly awful, like the first sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic. It just wasn't very GOOD. Well, actually, yeah, it WAS pretty bad.
Of course, like many Hollywood franchises, behind the Exorcist prequel was a long-running fight between the studio and the movie's original director, Paul "Taxi Driver" Shrader. This fight got so bad that when Schrader turned in his version of the movie, the studio rejected it outright, and hired a new director (Renny "Deep Blue Sea" Harlin) to come in and shoot an almost entirely different movie, with only about 20% of the Renny movie coming from Shrader's shooting.
People have been talking about the "Paul Shrader Cut" of this movie for some time. . . Long before the actually-released movie hit the theaters, the internet was filled with rumors of how much better The Shrader cut was. Internet fanboys around the world hoped that the DVD would have both versions of the movie, but last year they were disappointed. Now, however, the studio has relented and quietly released Paul Shrader's Exorcist prequel as a separate DVD, with the title "Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist". The DVD features commentary by Shrader, which is a little dry at points, but also filled with some juicy details. And while Dominion is no Taxi Driver, or Raging Bull, it is a pretty damn good movie -- much better then, say, the actual Exorcist prequel.
If my descriptions of the different versions of The Exorcist Prequels seem a bit convoluted (or at least a bit intriguing) I recommend you take a look at an interview that The Guardian UK did with Shrader at ( http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1175811,00.html)
Until next month. . . .
March Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
3) A DIRTY JOB by Christopher Moore
4) GHOST BRIGADES by John Scalzi
5) ACCELERANDO by Charles Stross
6) MAGIC LESSONS by Justine Larbalestier
7) PRETENDER by C.J. Cherryh
8) COMPANY by Max Barry
9) MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS by Kelly Link
10) VENGEANCE OF ROME by Michael Moorcock (UK Import)
Paperbacks
1) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
2) SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson
3) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
4) NIGHTLIFE by Rob Thurman
5) SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH by Simon R. Green
6) SHADOW OF THE GIANT by Orson Scott Card
7) CUSP by Robert A. Metzger
8) ALECTOR'S CHOICE by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
9) DATES FROM HELL by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland
10) MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn
Trade Paperbacks
1) BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore
3) VISIONARY IN RESIDENCE by Bruce Sterling
4) SO YESTERDAY by Scott Westerfeld
1) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
3) A DIRTY JOB by Christopher Moore
4) GHOST BRIGADES by John Scalzi
5) ACCELERANDO by Charles Stross
6) MAGIC LESSONS by Justine Larbalestier
7) PRETENDER by C.J. Cherryh
8) COMPANY by Max Barry
9) MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS by Kelly Link
10) VENGEANCE OF ROME by Michael Moorcock (UK Import)
Paperbacks
1) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
2) SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson
3) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
4) NIGHTLIFE by Rob Thurman
5) SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH by Simon R. Green
6) SHADOW OF THE GIANT by Orson Scott Card
7) CUSP by Robert A. Metzger
8) ALECTOR'S CHOICE by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
9) DATES FROM HELL by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland
10) MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn
Trade Paperbacks
1) BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore
3) VISIONARY IN RESIDENCE by Bruce Sterling
4) SO YESTERDAY by Scott Westerfeld
Good-Bye ABE, Hello Biblio
by Alan Beatts
The ability to sell books on-line is pretty important for book stores, especially specialty stores like Borderlands. Not only does it bring in extra money but it also lets people know that we exist and it allows us to buy more obscure books because we have access to a worldwide market, not just our (very well loved, believe me) local customers. For a small business there are really only two options for selling on-line: we can either spend a great deal of time and money to set up a full e-commerce section at our web site or we can use one of the on-line book listing services. Almost since the day we opened, we've been going with the second of these choices. In that time we've only used one company, not only because I feel a great deal of loyalty to companies that give us good service but also for years there has been a hands-down winner in terms of selection, service, and reliability.
For years we've been listing our books on-line at a site called abe.com. In fact, we've been listing there so long we still call it by the original name - The Advanced Book Exchange - in unguarded moments. For a very long time, ABE gave us wonderful service at a fair price. Their sellers were probably the finest in the used book field and we used to recommend the site to all our customers.
However, in 2002 or thereabouts, things started changing. The company was sold, or went public, or some damn thing, and all of a sudden ABE started trying to make more money. In itself, I think that's a great goal. It's what we do here at the store. The problem is that the way they went at it was to start soaking their sellers (us) and their buyers (you) for more money instead of trying to grow their business. Granted, there were a few attempts to start an advertising campaign in the beginning, but it was a pretty weak attempt (how many of you have ever seen an ad for ABE?).
The ability to sell books on-line is pretty important for book stores, especially specialty stores like Borderlands. Not only does it bring in extra money but it also lets people know that we exist and it allows us to buy more obscure books because we have access to a worldwide market, not just our (very well loved, believe me) local customers. For a small business there are really only two options for selling on-line: we can either spend a great deal of time and money to set up a full e-commerce section at our web site or we can use one of the on-line book listing services. Almost since the day we opened, we've been going with the second of these choices. In that time we've only used one company, not only because I feel a great deal of loyalty to companies that give us good service but also for years there has been a hands-down winner in terms of selection, service, and reliability.
For years we've been listing our books on-line at a site called abe.com. In fact, we've been listing there so long we still call it by the original name - The Advanced Book Exchange - in unguarded moments. For a very long time, ABE gave us wonderful service at a fair price. Their sellers were probably the finest in the used book field and we used to recommend the site to all our customers.
However, in 2002 or thereabouts, things started changing. The company was sold, or went public, or some damn thing, and all of a sudden ABE started trying to make more money. In itself, I think that's a great goal. It's what we do here at the store. The problem is that the way they went at it was to start soaking their sellers (us) and their buyers (you) for more money instead of trying to grow their business. Granted, there were a few attempts to start an advertising campaign in the beginning, but it was a pretty weak attempt (how many of you have ever seen an ad for ABE?).
Psychic Readers' Corner, and An Invitation
by Jude Feldman
Book buyers frequently come in, embarrassed because they cannot remember the author or the title of the book they are seeking. Speaking only for myself, I love these situations -- it is like an updated version of the old game show "What's My Line?" And when you can guess correctly. . .oh, the job satisfaction! The following are just a few actual examples of the hundreds of successful Psychic Bookseller Moments that have occurred at Borderlands Books, where our book sellers correctly guessed the title in one try, using only the vaguest of clues:
Q: "I'm looking for this book that is about a river."
A: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer.
Q: "This author sort of writes about religion."
A: James Morrow
Book buyers frequently come in, embarrassed because they cannot remember the author or the title of the book they are seeking. Speaking only for myself, I love these situations -- it is like an updated version of the old game show "What's My Line?" And when you can guess correctly. . .oh, the job satisfaction! The following are just a few actual examples of the hundreds of successful Psychic Bookseller Moments that have occurred at Borderlands Books, where our book sellers correctly guessed the title in one try, using only the vaguest of clues:
Q: "I'm looking for this book that is about a river."
A: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer.
Q: "This author sort of writes about religion."
A: James Morrow
March 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
There are a bunch of interesting new releases, so I will start off with those. For all you Firefly/Joss Whedon fans, Serenity has made its way to DVD. It’s a pretty good little science fiction film in its own right, and is a nice coda to the TV series. Most importantly, it continues Whedon’s fetish for 90 lb. teenage girls that can kick his ass.
Another important new release is Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman’s fantabulous coming-of-age fairy tale extravaganza, MirrorMask. This film was in the theaters for about five minutes, so if you missed it, that’s understandable. Now you have the opportunity to see this hallucinatory, haunting vision in the privacy of your own home. I recommend that you do so.
There are a bunch of interesting new releases, so I will start off with those. For all you Firefly/Joss Whedon fans, Serenity has made its way to DVD. It’s a pretty good little science fiction film in its own right, and is a nice coda to the TV series. Most importantly, it continues Whedon’s fetish for 90 lb. teenage girls that can kick his ass.
Another important new release is Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman’s fantabulous coming-of-age fairy tale extravaganza, MirrorMask. This film was in the theaters for about five minutes, so if you missed it, that’s understandable. Now you have the opportunity to see this hallucinatory, haunting vision in the privacy of your own home. I recommend that you do so.
February Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
2) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
3) Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip
4) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
5) Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
6) Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker
7) Fledgling by Octavia Butler
8) Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
9) Accelerando by Charles Stross
10) Viator by Lucius Shepard
Paperbacks
1) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Titan by John Varley
5) Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton
6) Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
7) Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve
8) Gateways by F. Paul Wilson
9) Kindling by Mick Farren
10) Dawn by Octavia Butler
Trade Paperbacks
1) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
2) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
3) Air by Geoff Ryman
4) V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
5) Pashazade by John Courtenay Grimwood
Tie
When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
1) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
2) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
3) Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip
4) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
5) Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
6) Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker
7) Fledgling by Octavia Butler
8) Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
9) Accelerando by Charles Stross
10) Viator by Lucius Shepard
Paperbacks
1) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Titan by John Varley
5) Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton
6) Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
7) Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve
8) Gateways by F. Paul Wilson
9) Kindling by Mick Farren
10) Dawn by Octavia Butler
Trade Paperbacks
1) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
2) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
3) Air by Geoff Ryman
4) V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
5) Pashazade by John Courtenay Grimwood
Tie
When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
"If I Liked The Naked Chef, Will I Like Naked Lunch?"
by Jude Feldman
One of my favorite (and one of the most challenging) aspects of being a bookseller is making recommendations. Book recommendations are a tricky business, because the bookseller is frequently expected to be psychic, or at least empathic, and answer accurately the question "what will I like?"
So here are some recommendations that folks commonly ask for; please do remember that this is an art, not a science. (Please also keep in mind that just because I think you'll like a book, I'm not necessarily saying that the suggested books are specifically similar.) Feel free to email jfeldman@borderlands-books.com if you have some suggestions to add, if you'd like some additional ideas, or if you'd like to hear further choices. Also let me know if you're interested in seeing this feature continue. If so, I'll bring it back, in addition to a fun little audience-participation column for next month called The Psychic Readers' Corner.
One of my favorite (and one of the most challenging) aspects of being a bookseller is making recommendations. Book recommendations are a tricky business, because the bookseller is frequently expected to be psychic, or at least empathic, and answer accurately the question "what will I like?"
So here are some recommendations that folks commonly ask for; please do remember that this is an art, not a science. (Please also keep in mind that just because I think you'll like a book, I'm not necessarily saying that the suggested books are specifically similar.) Feel free to email jfeldman@borderlands-books.com if you have some suggestions to add, if you'd like some additional ideas, or if you'd like to hear further choices. Also let me know if you're interested in seeing this feature continue. If so, I'll bring it back, in addition to a fun little audience-participation column for next month called The Psychic Readers' Corner.
February 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
DVD’s, as a home video format, are one of the best things since sliced bread. Not only do they offer incredible sound and picture quality, they can include bonus materials that can greatly enhance your appreciation of your favorite movie, and/or provide some fascinating background material that puts that odd little movie into a larger cinematic context. Another thing they offer is alternate cuts of the film. Sure, the extras are often puff features that were produced to run on E!, and sure the “alternate cut” is sometimes just an extra 15 seconds, so that the marketing people can justify putting “special super secret preferred directors edition” on the cover. But sometimes. . . sometimes you get the goods. Sometimes the studios do the DVD’s up right.
DVD’s, as a home video format, are one of the best things since sliced bread. Not only do they offer incredible sound and picture quality, they can include bonus materials that can greatly enhance your appreciation of your favorite movie, and/or provide some fascinating background material that puts that odd little movie into a larger cinematic context. Another thing they offer is alternate cuts of the film. Sure, the extras are often puff features that were produced to run on E!, and sure the “alternate cut” is sometimes just an extra 15 seconds, so that the marketing people can justify putting “special super secret preferred directors edition” on the cover. But sometimes. . . sometimes you get the goods. Sometimes the studios do the DVD’s up right.
January Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton (UK)
2. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
3. Olympos by Dan Simmons
4. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
5. Accelerando by Charles Stross
6. Learning the World by Ken Macleod
7. The Night Land and Other Perilous Romances by William Hope Hodgson
8. Liaden Universe Companion by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9. 9Tail Fox by John Courtenay Grimwood tied with The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett
10. Healthy Dead by Steven Erikson
Paperbacks
1. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2. Gridlinked by Neal Asher
3. Declare by Tim Powers
4. Family Trade by Charles Stross
5. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6. The Skinner by Neal Asher
7. Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
8. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
9. The Musashi Flex by Steve Perry
10. Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton.
Trade Paperbacks
1. The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker
2. Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
3. Air by Geoff Ryman
4. The James Tiptree Award Anthology vol. 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy. Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey Smith
5. Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
1. Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton (UK)
2. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
3. Olympos by Dan Simmons
4. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
5. Accelerando by Charles Stross
6. Learning the World by Ken Macleod
7. The Night Land and Other Perilous Romances by William Hope Hodgson
8. Liaden Universe Companion by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9. 9Tail Fox by John Courtenay Grimwood tied with The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett
10. Healthy Dead by Steven Erikson
Paperbacks
1. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2. Gridlinked by Neal Asher
3. Declare by Tim Powers
4. Family Trade by Charles Stross
5. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6. The Skinner by Neal Asher
7. Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
8. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
9. The Musashi Flex by Steve Perry
10. Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton.
Trade Paperbacks
1. The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker
2. Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
3. Air by Geoff Ryman
4. The James Tiptree Award Anthology vol. 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy. Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey Smith
5. Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
January 01, 2006
Japanese and Korean Horror Film
by Jeremy Lassen
Jeremy Lassen, Borderlands' DVD buyer here. I've been continuing to bulk out the Borderlands DVD selection, and one of the things I emphasized on my last big order was Asian horror movies. Not the sad, tepid U.S. remakes, but the originals. Here are just a few suggestions for some quality Asian Horror.
The obvious first suggestion is the original Japanese Ring movie, Ringu, and its sequel Ringu 2, which are now available. Both of these films are excellent and far exceed the thrills-and-chills quotient of the U.S. versions. For the completist, there is: Ringu: Anthology of Terror, which features all four Japanese "Ring" films (Ringu, Rasen, Ringu 2, Ringu 0).
Another very solid Asian horror movie is the Korean knock-off of The Ring, called Ring Virus. Obviously derivative, but in many ways it is better then Rasen and Ringu 2. Ring Virus is worth checking out.
Speaking of Korean horror, one of the most stylish and well-done Asian horror films of the last few years is A Tale of Two Sisters, directed by Kim Jee-Woon. Based on a traditional Korean folk tale, this movie is the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" of Asian Horror films -- a big budget, high quality film that will appeal to those who have never seen an Asian horror film before. A Tale of Two Sisters is a great starting point for someone who wants to test the waters of this particular sub-genre.
Jeremy Lassen, Borderlands' DVD buyer here. I've been continuing to bulk out the Borderlands DVD selection, and one of the things I emphasized on my last big order was Asian horror movies. Not the sad, tepid U.S. remakes, but the originals. Here are just a few suggestions for some quality Asian Horror.
The obvious first suggestion is the original Japanese Ring movie, Ringu, and its sequel Ringu 2, which are now available. Both of these films are excellent and far exceed the thrills-and-chills quotient of the U.S. versions. For the completist, there is: Ringu: Anthology of Terror, which features all four Japanese "Ring" films (Ringu, Rasen, Ringu 2, Ringu 0).
Another very solid Asian horror movie is the Korean knock-off of The Ring, called Ring Virus. Obviously derivative, but in many ways it is better then Rasen and Ringu 2. Ring Virus is worth checking out.
Speaking of Korean horror, one of the most stylish and well-done Asian horror films of the last few years is A Tale of Two Sisters, directed by Kim Jee-Woon. Based on a traditional Korean folk tale, this movie is the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" of Asian Horror films -- a big budget, high quality film that will appeal to those who have never seen an Asian horror film before. A Tale of Two Sisters is a great starting point for someone who wants to test the waters of this particular sub-genre.
December Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
3) Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson
4) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
6) Accelerando by Charles Stross
7) Vellum by Hal Duncan (UK Edition)
8) The Secret Art of Dr. Suess by Theodore Geisel
9) Magic For Beginners by Kelly Link
10) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Paperbacks
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
3) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
4) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
5) Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6) Newton's Wake by Ken MacLeod
7) Forty Signs Of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
8) Coyote Rising by Allen Steele
9) Witches of Karres by James Schmitz
10) Flash by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) The Wizard by Gene Wolfe
3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
4) Alone with the Horrors by Ramsey Campbell
5) TIE - When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Other Bindings (Oversized, Undersized, etc.):
1) Me Write Book: It Bigfoot Memoir by Graham Roumieu
2) Wizardology by Douglas A. Steer
3) Wormwood Literature of the Fantastic vol. 5, edited by Mark Valentine
1) A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
3) Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson
4) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
6) Accelerando by Charles Stross
7) Vellum by Hal Duncan (UK Edition)
8) The Secret Art of Dr. Suess by Theodore Geisel
9) Magic For Beginners by Kelly Link
10) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Paperbacks
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
3) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
4) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
5) Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6) Newton's Wake by Ken MacLeod
7) Forty Signs Of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
8) Coyote Rising by Allen Steele
9) Witches of Karres by James Schmitz
10) Flash by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) The Wizard by Gene Wolfe
3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
4) Alone with the Horrors by Ramsey Campbell
5) TIE - When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Other Bindings (Oversized, Undersized, etc.):
1) Me Write Book: It Bigfoot Memoir by Graham Roumieu
2) Wizardology by Douglas A. Steer
3) Wormwood Literature of the Fantastic vol. 5, edited by Mark Valentine
Happy New Year
by Alan Beatts
Happy New Year, everyone. I'm lucky enough that the first part of this column hasn't changed much in the past seven years. 2005 was a good year for Borderlands, the staff and me personally. Everyone is healthy and happy. Business has been strong and our sales are up once again. We've made a few changes around the shop (though, regrettably a number of the suggestions that you made last year have yet to be put into place -- believe me, I'm not ignoring them, I'm just slow). One of the most recent changes has been a big reorganization of the shelves at the back of the store. Everything is still pretty much in the same place, but the shelves have been rearranged. Everyone seems to think that it looks much nicer plus the new arrangement leaves more room for browsing and our book club meetings.
As always, none of the good things that happened last year would have been possible without two groups of wonderful people. First, my staff -- Jude, Jeremy, Claud, Cary, Francis, and Heather together make up the best staff that any business owner could ask for and more than that, they are the finest group of people I've ever had the pleasure to know. Why they put up with me will be forever a mystery.
Happy New Year, everyone. I'm lucky enough that the first part of this column hasn't changed much in the past seven years. 2005 was a good year for Borderlands, the staff and me personally. Everyone is healthy and happy. Business has been strong and our sales are up once again. We've made a few changes around the shop (though, regrettably a number of the suggestions that you made last year have yet to be put into place -- believe me, I'm not ignoring them, I'm just slow). One of the most recent changes has been a big reorganization of the shelves at the back of the store. Everything is still pretty much in the same place, but the shelves have been rearranged. Everyone seems to think that it looks much nicer plus the new arrangement leaves more room for browsing and our book club meetings.
As always, none of the good things that happened last year would have been possible without two groups of wonderful people. First, my staff -- Jude, Jeremy, Claud, Cary, Francis, and Heather together make up the best staff that any business owner could ask for and more than that, they are the finest group of people I've ever had the pleasure to know. Why they put up with me will be forever a mystery.
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