by Alan Beatts
I'm not a big one for blaming other people for how my life has turned out. At this point, I'm pretty much sure that where I've ended up is completely a consequence of the choices I've made. And really, I'm OK with that.
But, there are a few people who I feel comfortable blaming for my love of SF, fantasy and horror. When I was young I hated reading (and school in general) with a fiery passion. I wasn't very good at reading and I was way behind the rest of my class. That, added to being a discipline problem and trouble maker, didn't produce much affection on my part for school (and believe me, the schools I went to didn't love me much either). When I was ten or so, I suddenly learned how to read. I don't remember what did it or what I started off reading but I got very good at it and very fast. But, nothing really interested me much. Stevenson was OK (I think I read Kidnapped because I wanted to know about the character I was named after. And by the way, I don't think that namesake worked out quite the way my father planned . . . or perhaps it did) and I liked Sherlock Holmes but nothing really lit a fire in me.
Then that summer my family took a trip to visit a friend of my dad's. My sister and I stayed in the "den" on a sofa-bed. Above that sofa-bed was a whole wall of bookshelves that were completely filled with copies of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. I picked one at random and I started reading it because I liked the picture on the cover. It had a serious looking young man in a big, red spacesuit in the foreground, a young boy (I thought) with a teddy bear in the middle-ground, and the background was the surface of the moon. That was a cool cover. The spacesuit didn't look . . . wimpy . . . it looked like armor. It looked . . . important.
February 01, 2008
January 01, 2008
New Orleans
by Alan Beatts
Happy New Year everyone!
I hope that you all had a nice time through the holidays and that 2008 finds you well. I had a great time this last month. My brother and his family were in town for all of December, which was just great and for New Years I went to New Orleans with my daughter. It was her first trip there and she loved it (takes after her dad that way, I'm guessing).
I was a little concerned about what New Orleans would be like. I hadn't been back there since before the hurricane in 2005 and I was really concerned that it wouldn't be the same. Actually I had no doubts that the city wouldn't be the same. No city can go through what New Orleans did and not be changed. What I was concerned about, in my selfish way, was the French Quarter and (to a lesser degree) the area around Frenchman St. and the Garden District.
Happy New Year everyone!
I hope that you all had a nice time through the holidays and that 2008 finds you well. I had a great time this last month. My brother and his family were in town for all of December, which was just great and for New Years I went to New Orleans with my daughter. It was her first trip there and she loved it (takes after her dad that way, I'm guessing).
I was a little concerned about what New Orleans would be like. I hadn't been back there since before the hurricane in 2005 and I was really concerned that it wouldn't be the same. Actually I had no doubts that the city wouldn't be the same. No city can go through what New Orleans did and not be changed. What I was concerned about, in my selfish way, was the French Quarter and (to a lesser degree) the area around Frenchman St. and the Garden District.
December Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Halting State by Charles Stross
2) Pirate Freedom by Gene Wolfe
3) Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
4) The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy
5) Confessor by Terry Goodkind
6) Fatal Revenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
7) Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis
8) Dreamsongs vol. 1 by George R.R. Martin
9) Spook Country by William Gibson
10) The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds (UK edition)
Paperbacks
1) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
2) The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
3) Three Days to Never by Tim Powers
tie with The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
4) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
5) Forest Mage by Robin Hobb
tie with The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
6) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
7) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
8) Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
9) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
10) Dust by Elizabeth Bear tie with
For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison
Trade Paperbacks
1) World War Z by Max Brooks
2) The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
3) Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
tie with Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
4) His Dark Materials (Omnibus Edition) by Philp Pullman
5) Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
1) Halting State by Charles Stross
2) Pirate Freedom by Gene Wolfe
3) Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
4) The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy
5) Confessor by Terry Goodkind
6) Fatal Revenant by Stephen R. Donaldson
7) Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis
8) Dreamsongs vol. 1 by George R.R. Martin
9) Spook Country by William Gibson
10) The Prefect by Alastair Reynolds (UK edition)
Paperbacks
1) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
2) The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
3) Three Days to Never by Tim Powers
tie with The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
4) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
5) Forest Mage by Robin Hobb
tie with The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
6) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
7) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
8) Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
9) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
10) Dust by Elizabeth Bear tie with
For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison
Trade Paperbacks
1) World War Z by Max Brooks
2) The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
3) Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams
tie with Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
4) His Dark Materials (Omnibus Edition) by Philp Pullman
5) Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
Notes From A DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Happy New Year, movie fans. The new year is a good time to talk about new versions, and old versions of some classic movies. First up is Rob Zombie's interesting and earnest remake of John Carpenter's "Halloween". As Carpenter himself is a director who has "re-imagined" many movies to good effect, I was eager to see what could happen to the "Halloween" franchise, re-imagined by one of my favorite new directors.
Happy New Year, movie fans. The new year is a good time to talk about new versions, and old versions of some classic movies. First up is Rob Zombie's interesting and earnest remake of John Carpenter's "Halloween". As Carpenter himself is a director who has "re-imagined" many movies to good effect, I was eager to see what could happen to the "Halloween" franchise, re-imagined by one of my favorite new directors.
December 01, 2007
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
It's the Yule season, and frenzied purchasing sprees are in the air. DVD's make great stocking stuffers, or gifts, or whatever. For those of you find the holiday to be a torturous mess filled with awkward family gatherings and not much fun, I've got some suggestions for you.
First up is the original torture-porn extravaganza . . . "The Girl Next Door". Anybody who has read Jack Ketchum's landmark horror novel knows what a grueling, psychological roller coaster it is. I have to be honest -- I haven't seen the movie yet. It's directed by no one you've ever heard of, starring nobody you've ever heard of. But it's going to the top of my To Watch pile, simply because the source material is so magnificent. I have modest hopes for the movie, but . . . they are still hopes.
"Hostel Part 2" is out on DVD. The most original and creative of the torture-porn releases has a mediocre follow-up that delivers what you would expect from a franchise of this type. If you have the holiday season blues, this will be sure to make you realize that someone, somewhere, is having a worse day.
It's the Yule season, and frenzied purchasing sprees are in the air. DVD's make great stocking stuffers, or gifts, or whatever. For those of you find the holiday to be a torturous mess filled with awkward family gatherings and not much fun, I've got some suggestions for you.
First up is the original torture-porn extravaganza . . . "The Girl Next Door". Anybody who has read Jack Ketchum's landmark horror novel knows what a grueling, psychological roller coaster it is. I have to be honest -- I haven't seen the movie yet. It's directed by no one you've ever heard of, starring nobody you've ever heard of. But it's going to the top of my To Watch pile, simply because the source material is so magnificent. I have modest hopes for the movie, but . . . they are still hopes.
"Hostel Part 2" is out on DVD. The most original and creative of the torture-porn releases has a mediocre follow-up that delivers what you would expect from a franchise of this type. If you have the holiday season blues, this will be sure to make you realize that someone, somewhere, is having a worse day.
November Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. Postsingular by Rudy Rucker
2. Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
3. War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card
4. Ice, Iron and Gold by S.M. Stirling
5. Pirate Freedom by Gene Wolfe
6. Hilldiggers by Neal Asher
7. Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
8. Imago Sequence & Other Stories by Laird Barron
9. Reserved for the Cat by Mercedes Lackey
10. Spook Country by William Gibson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. Dog Days by John Levitt
2. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
3. The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
4. Sixty Days and Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson
5. Glasshouse by Charles Stross
6. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
7. Endgame by Kristine Smith
8. Odyssey by Jack McDevitt
9. Light by M. John Harrison
10. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Trade Paperbacks
1. World War Z by Max Barry
2. Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
3. Speculative Japan edited by Grania Davis and Gene van Troyer
4. 9Tail Fox by Jon Courtenay Grimwood tied with Rewired: The Post Cyberpunk Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
5. The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club by Kim Newman
1. Postsingular by Rudy Rucker
2. Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker
3. War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card
4. Ice, Iron and Gold by S.M. Stirling
5. Pirate Freedom by Gene Wolfe
6. Hilldiggers by Neal Asher
7. Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
8. Imago Sequence & Other Stories by Laird Barron
9. Reserved for the Cat by Mercedes Lackey
10. Spook Country by William Gibson
Mass Market Paperbacks
1. Dog Days by John Levitt
2. The Android's Dream by John Scalzi
3. The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
4. Sixty Days and Counting by Kim Stanley Robinson
5. Glasshouse by Charles Stross
6. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
7. Endgame by Kristine Smith
8. Odyssey by Jack McDevitt
9. Light by M. John Harrison
10. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Trade Paperbacks
1. World War Z by Max Barry
2. Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
3. Speculative Japan edited by Grania Davis and Gene van Troyer
4. 9Tail Fox by Jon Courtenay Grimwood tied with Rewired: The Post Cyberpunk Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
5. The Secret Files of the Diogenes Club by Kim Newman
The 2007 Gift Guide
It is that time of year again . . . warm feelings in the heart, a chill in the air, and my neighbors with their terrifying holiday decorations. (Light-up, three-foot-tall Wise Men in the trees - now that is scary!) But I digress. This is a cozy time of year, when many of you more-domestic-than-me types bake cookies and gather the loved ones close by the fire . . . or maybe your whole Wiccan circle goes camping in the mountains with organic goodies . . . or perhaps you play World of Warcraft with your buddies, a huge bag of Doritos, and a gallon-size Mountain Dew . . . or maybe you get Chinese food and watch zombie movies with the cats . . . or curl up by yourself with a good book or seven! However and with whomever you choose to spend your holidays, we wish you joy and fun.
To make the present-giving parts of the season easier, here is the officially-official Borderlands Guide to Holiday Gifts, with a little something for everyone -- even you!
GOOD-FOR-ANYONE-GIFTS:
Y'know when you want to give something nice to someone you don't know very well? Skip the snowman sweaters - these are never-fail choices.
*The Princess Bride 25th Anniversary Edition by William Goldman (Ballantine, Hardcover, $24.95, or Mass Market, $7.99) - I have never met *anyone* who dislikes this book, which is close to a miracle. The perfect blend of humor, action, adventure, romance, and Rodents of Unusual Size.
*Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Morrow, Hardcover, $29.95, Harper, Trade Paperback, $14.95, and HarperTorch Mass Market, $7.99) - The funniest book about Armageddon you'll ever read.
*We have a large selection of blank books, including Moleskine journals, Sandman and fairy journals, Tim Burton's Tragic Thoughts Journal (which lights up!) and handmade journals from the Pettingill Book Bindery in Berkeley. Prices range from $7.99 to $18.99.
*Wooden boxes in a variety of sizes and designs will suit anyone. Prices range from $5.00 - $36.00.
AMUSING GIFTS:
*The Android's Dream by John Scalzi (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95 and Mass Market, $6.99) - An intersteller incident inspired by flatulence and sheep. How does it get better?
*The ACME Catalog by Charles Carey (Chronicle, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - An entire catalog of (mostly) fictional products for Looney Tunes characters to purchase at their own risk!
*Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley (Plume, Small Softcover, $11.00) - I pick a new favorite every day, but today's is "It is unlucky NOT to name every ant you see. For your whole life."
*The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld by Terry Pratchett, complied by Stephen Briggs (Harper, Hardcover, $22.95) - Various bits and pieces, witty commentary and sagacious observations culled from all the Discworld novels.
Lamb, or The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore (Morrow, special gift edition with Bible-like cover & sewn-in bookmark, $19.95, and Perennial, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - A funny, respectful and oddly touching re-telling.
The Stupidest Angel (a Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror) by Christopher Moore (Morrow, small Hardcover, $15.95) Christmas. With zombies. It's a theme, you know.
HORRIFIC GIFTS TO TERRIFY THOSE YOU LOVE:
*20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (Morrow, Hardcover, $24.95) We have just a few signed copies of this brilliant debut short story collection remaining.
*The Dark Descent edited by David Hartwell (Tor, Trade Paperback, $29.95) - The classic, indispensible collection with a little bit of everything for the horror fan.
*Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin (Bantam, Trade Paperback, $16.00) - Glorious, unsentimental Mississippi riverboat vampire novel.
*The Devil You Know by Mike Carey (Warner, Hardcover, $24.99) - We still have a few signed copies of this awesome first novel about freelance exorcist Felix Castor.
*World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Barry (Three Rivers, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - George Romero meets Studs Terkel. Unforgettable and strangely moving.
*I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Orb, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Read (or give) the novel before the movie comes out.
FOR THE PARANOID ON YOUR LIST:
*Four Novels of the 1960 s: The Man in the High Castle, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Ubik by Philip K. Dick (Library of America, Hardcover, $35.00) - This lovely and literary volume collects these four novels.
*Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff (Harper, Oversized Softcover, $20.00) - Conspiracy upon conspiracy, plus a "Natural Causes" Gun that shoots heart attacks!
*How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion by Daniel H. Wilson (Bloomsbury, small Softcover, $12.95) - Certainly the title speaks for itself.
*The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead by Max Barry (Three Rivers, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - Remember, "organize before they rise!"
ENDURING CLASSICS IN GIFT-Y HARDCOVER FORMATS:
*Dune by Frank Herbert (Ace, Hardcover, $29.95)
*Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95)
*The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (Del Rey, Hardcover, $30.00)
*The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein (Houghton Mifflin, Collector's Edition bound in green leather with matching slipcase, $35.00; Houghton Mifflin, Hardcover illustrated by Tolkien, $16.00; Houghton Mifflin Hardcover illustrated by Alan Lee, $35.00; Houghton Mifflin Hardcover illustrated by Peter Sis, $18.00)
*The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (Dutton, Hardcover, $22.99)
*The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Wings, Hardcover, $14.99) - Includes all five novels - The Hitchhiker s Guide to the Galaxy; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe and Everything; So Long and Thanks for All the Fish; and Mostly Harmless.
FOR YOUR WEIRDER FRIENDS AND FAMILY:
*Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis (Morrow, Hardcover, $21.95) - If Hunter S. Thompson, Dashiell Hammett and Christopher Moore had written a novel together, this would be it.
*The Best of Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet edited by Gavin Grant and Kelly Link (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Some of the best from the hugely popular 'zine. Genre-bending and expectation-defying.
*Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar (Soft Skull, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - Quirky and sweet novel with several sincerely unconventional protagonists including a handful of drunken Scottish fairies.
*Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Awesome novel set in San Francisco and Hell with an unlikely tattoo-artist hero.
*Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death by Corrine May Botz (Monacelli Press, Oversized Hardcover, $35.00) - This gorgeous photo book showcases the mind-boggling work of Frances Glessner Lee, who created incredibly realistic doll-house death scenes to assist in training forensic and police investigators. Perfect for the CSI fan in your life.
*Gun With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem (Harcourt, Trade Paperback, $14.00) - Surreal noir detective novel, one of my favorites. The threatening kangaroo is just the beginning.
*A Box of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley (Plume, two small softcovers in a cardboard slipcase, $20.00) - Box includes THE BOOK OF BUNNY SUICIDES and RETURN OF THE BUNNY SUICIDES. Cartoons featuring little fluffy rabbits who just don't want to live any more.
MORE GOOD STUFF:
*The Golden Compass is the big, beautiful, uproar-inciting movie of the Winter. We have several different formats of all of the books in the His Dark Materials series (The Golden Compass,The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman) for your controversial reading-or-presenting pleasure: Mass Markets from Laurel-Leaf, $7.50 each, Trade Paperbacks from Knopf, $11.95 each, and two different kinds of Hardcover from Knopf, the regular ($20.00 each) and the Special editions ($22.99 each). We also have all three books in one omnibus trade paperback volume from Knopf, at $21.99.
*Territory by Emma Bull (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95) - A magical re-telling of the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Coral.
*River of Gods by Ian McDonald (Pyr, Hardcover, $25.00, and Trade Paperback, $15.00) - India in 2047 is a very odd place. An excellent novel full of fascinating ideas. *Firebirds edited by Sharyn November (Viking, Hardcover, $19.99 and Trade Paperback $8.99) - One of my favorite anthologies -- this one has some brilliant stories in it.
*Portable Childhoods by Ellen Klages (Tachyon, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Feral librarians, time-traveling lesbians, and the origin of beetles. Short story collection that will make you laugh and sigh.
*Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio by John Picacio (Monkeybrain Books, Oversized Hardcover, $39.95) - We still have some signed copies of this stunning art book.
*Wild Girls by Pat Murphy (Viking, Hardcover, $16.99) - One of the best novels ever about self-discovery through writing and rebelliousness.
*Blindsight by Peter Watts (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) - Grim, fascinating hard SF novel. One of the most thought-provoking of the year.
If nothing in this lengthy list sounds just right, please ask us --- we'll be happy to recommend something!
To make the present-giving parts of the season easier, here is the officially-official Borderlands Guide to Holiday Gifts, with a little something for everyone -- even you!
GOOD-FOR-ANYONE-GIFTS:
Y'know when you want to give something nice to someone you don't know very well? Skip the snowman sweaters - these are never-fail choices.
*The Princess Bride 25th Anniversary Edition by William Goldman (Ballantine, Hardcover, $24.95, or Mass Market, $7.99) - I have never met *anyone* who dislikes this book, which is close to a miracle. The perfect blend of humor, action, adventure, romance, and Rodents of Unusual Size.
*Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Morrow, Hardcover, $29.95, Harper, Trade Paperback, $14.95, and HarperTorch Mass Market, $7.99) - The funniest book about Armageddon you'll ever read.
*We have a large selection of blank books, including Moleskine journals, Sandman and fairy journals, Tim Burton's Tragic Thoughts Journal (which lights up!) and handmade journals from the Pettingill Book Bindery in Berkeley. Prices range from $7.99 to $18.99.
*Wooden boxes in a variety of sizes and designs will suit anyone. Prices range from $5.00 - $36.00.
AMUSING GIFTS:
*The Android's Dream by John Scalzi (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95 and Mass Market, $6.99) - An intersteller incident inspired by flatulence and sheep. How does it get better?
*The ACME Catalog by Charles Carey (Chronicle, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - An entire catalog of (mostly) fictional products for Looney Tunes characters to purchase at their own risk!
*Great Lies to Tell Small Kids by Andy Riley (Plume, Small Softcover, $11.00) - I pick a new favorite every day, but today's is "It is unlucky NOT to name every ant you see. For your whole life."
*The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld by Terry Pratchett, complied by Stephen Briggs (Harper, Hardcover, $22.95) - Various bits and pieces, witty commentary and sagacious observations culled from all the Discworld novels.
Lamb, or The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore (Morrow, special gift edition with Bible-like cover & sewn-in bookmark, $19.95, and Perennial, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - A funny, respectful and oddly touching re-telling.
The Stupidest Angel (a Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror) by Christopher Moore (Morrow, small Hardcover, $15.95) Christmas. With zombies. It's a theme, you know.
HORRIFIC GIFTS TO TERRIFY THOSE YOU LOVE:
*20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill (Morrow, Hardcover, $24.95) We have just a few signed copies of this brilliant debut short story collection remaining.
*The Dark Descent edited by David Hartwell (Tor, Trade Paperback, $29.95) - The classic, indispensible collection with a little bit of everything for the horror fan.
*Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin (Bantam, Trade Paperback, $16.00) - Glorious, unsentimental Mississippi riverboat vampire novel.
*The Devil You Know by Mike Carey (Warner, Hardcover, $24.99) - We still have a few signed copies of this awesome first novel about freelance exorcist Felix Castor.
*World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Barry (Three Rivers, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - George Romero meets Studs Terkel. Unforgettable and strangely moving.
*I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Orb, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Read (or give) the novel before the movie comes out.
FOR THE PARANOID ON YOUR LIST:
*Four Novels of the 1960 s: The Man in the High Castle, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Ubik by Philip K. Dick (Library of America, Hardcover, $35.00) - This lovely and literary volume collects these four novels.
*Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff (Harper, Oversized Softcover, $20.00) - Conspiracy upon conspiracy, plus a "Natural Causes" Gun that shoots heart attacks!
*How to Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion by Daniel H. Wilson (Bloomsbury, small Softcover, $12.95) - Certainly the title speaks for itself.
*The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From the Living Dead by Max Barry (Three Rivers, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - Remember, "organize before they rise!"
ENDURING CLASSICS IN GIFT-Y HARDCOVER FORMATS:
*Dune by Frank Herbert (Ace, Hardcover, $29.95)
*Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95)
*The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (Del Rey, Hardcover, $30.00)
*The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein (Houghton Mifflin, Collector's Edition bound in green leather with matching slipcase, $35.00; Houghton Mifflin, Hardcover illustrated by Tolkien, $16.00; Houghton Mifflin Hardcover illustrated by Alan Lee, $35.00; Houghton Mifflin Hardcover illustrated by Peter Sis, $18.00)
*The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (Dutton, Hardcover, $22.99)
*The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (Wings, Hardcover, $14.99) - Includes all five novels - The Hitchhiker s Guide to the Galaxy; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe and Everything; So Long and Thanks for All the Fish; and Mostly Harmless.
FOR YOUR WEIRDER FRIENDS AND FAMILY:
*Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis (Morrow, Hardcover, $21.95) - If Hunter S. Thompson, Dashiell Hammett and Christopher Moore had written a novel together, this would be it.
*The Best of Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet edited by Gavin Grant and Kelly Link (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Some of the best from the hugely popular 'zine. Genre-bending and expectation-defying.
*Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar (Soft Skull, Trade Paperback, $13.95) - Quirky and sweet novel with several sincerely unconventional protagonists including a handful of drunken Scottish fairies.
*Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Awesome novel set in San Francisco and Hell with an unlikely tattoo-artist hero.
*Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death by Corrine May Botz (Monacelli Press, Oversized Hardcover, $35.00) - This gorgeous photo book showcases the mind-boggling work of Frances Glessner Lee, who created incredibly realistic doll-house death scenes to assist in training forensic and police investigators. Perfect for the CSI fan in your life.
*Gun With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem (Harcourt, Trade Paperback, $14.00) - Surreal noir detective novel, one of my favorites. The threatening kangaroo is just the beginning.
*A Box of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley (Plume, two small softcovers in a cardboard slipcase, $20.00) - Box includes THE BOOK OF BUNNY SUICIDES and RETURN OF THE BUNNY SUICIDES. Cartoons featuring little fluffy rabbits who just don't want to live any more.
MORE GOOD STUFF:
*The Golden Compass is the big, beautiful, uproar-inciting movie of the Winter. We have several different formats of all of the books in the His Dark Materials series (The Golden Compass,The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman) for your controversial reading-or-presenting pleasure: Mass Markets from Laurel-Leaf, $7.50 each, Trade Paperbacks from Knopf, $11.95 each, and two different kinds of Hardcover from Knopf, the regular ($20.00 each) and the Special editions ($22.99 each). We also have all three books in one omnibus trade paperback volume from Knopf, at $21.99.
*Territory by Emma Bull (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95) - A magical re-telling of the events leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Coral.
*River of Gods by Ian McDonald (Pyr, Hardcover, $25.00, and Trade Paperback, $15.00) - India in 2047 is a very odd place. An excellent novel full of fascinating ideas. *Firebirds edited by Sharyn November (Viking, Hardcover, $19.99 and Trade Paperback $8.99) - One of my favorite anthologies -- this one has some brilliant stories in it.
*Portable Childhoods by Ellen Klages (Tachyon, Trade Paperback, $14.95) - Feral librarians, time-traveling lesbians, and the origin of beetles. Short story collection that will make you laugh and sigh.
*Cover Story: The Art of John Picacio by John Picacio (Monkeybrain Books, Oversized Hardcover, $39.95) - We still have some signed copies of this stunning art book.
*Wild Girls by Pat Murphy (Viking, Hardcover, $16.99) - One of the best novels ever about self-discovery through writing and rebelliousness.
*Blindsight by Peter Watts (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) - Grim, fascinating hard SF novel. One of the most thought-provoking of the year.
If nothing in this lengthy list sounds just right, please ask us --- we'll be happy to recommend something!
November 01, 2007
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Hey everyone . . . I’m going to focus on “Special Edition” re-releases galore this month. That’s right . . . re-releases of your favorite films and TV shows. Is it really worth paying for twice? Or should you hang onto your previous edition, and not bother with the upgrades? These are tough questions that every cinemaphile faces, and I’m here to help.
First up is "The Return of the Living Dead". I know I promised to not talk about horror films, but this is "The Return of the Living Dead" -- you know, the Greatest. Zombie. Movie. Ever! Now it's available as a two-disk special edition: everyone’s favorite punk rock zombie movie gets a slightly better treatment then it had previously. There is a new commentary track featuring cast members that is excellent, although occasionally silly, and there is a really good feature-ette covering the making of this film. There’s also a generic and not terribly exciting mini-documentary on 80’s horror, which is mostly forgettable. The picture quality is the same as the previous version, and there is no new cut, or version of the film. It’s the same one from the first DVD, and it features some of the same minor problems regarding dialogue replacement and some song synching issues that were different in the VHS/laser disk edition. Not perfect, but slightly better. If you don’t own the earlier DVD version, well, you’re a bad person, but you can make up for it by buying the special edition DVD right now. If you do own it, you're probably a total fan of this movie, and it's worth getting, even if it doesn’t include some of the “holy grail” work print material, or some of the “fixes” that zombie fan purists demand. “Send more DVDs!”
Hey everyone . . . I’m going to focus on “Special Edition” re-releases galore this month. That’s right . . . re-releases of your favorite films and TV shows. Is it really worth paying for twice? Or should you hang onto your previous edition, and not bother with the upgrades? These are tough questions that every cinemaphile faces, and I’m here to help.
First up is "The Return of the Living Dead". I know I promised to not talk about horror films, but this is "The Return of the Living Dead" -- you know, the Greatest. Zombie. Movie. Ever! Now it's available as a two-disk special edition: everyone’s favorite punk rock zombie movie gets a slightly better treatment then it had previously. There is a new commentary track featuring cast members that is excellent, although occasionally silly, and there is a really good feature-ette covering the making of this film. There’s also a generic and not terribly exciting mini-documentary on 80’s horror, which is mostly forgettable. The picture quality is the same as the previous version, and there is no new cut, or version of the film. It’s the same one from the first DVD, and it features some of the same minor problems regarding dialogue replacement and some song synching issues that were different in the VHS/laser disk edition. Not perfect, but slightly better. If you don’t own the earlier DVD version, well, you’re a bad person, but you can make up for it by buying the special edition DVD right now. If you do own it, you're probably a total fan of this movie, and it's worth getting, even if it doesn’t include some of the “holy grail” work print material, or some of the “fixes” that zombie fan purists demand. “Send more DVDs!”
October Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Halting State by Charles Stross
2) 2012 by Whitley Strieber
3) Bloodline by F. Paul Wilson
4) Making Money by Terry Pratchett
5) Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
6) Fatal Revenant by Stephen Donaldson
7) Spook Country by William Gibson
tie with A Lick of Frost by Laurell Hamilton
8) Ice, Iron and Gold by S.M. Stirling
9) The Merchant's War by Charles Stross
10) The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy tie with Postsingular by Rudy Rucker
Mass Market Paperbacks
1) Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt
2) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
3) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
4) Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine
5) Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
6) Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
7) Harbingers by F. Paul Wilson
8) Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot
9) Spellbinder by Melanie Rawn
10) Sky People by S.M. Stirling
Trade Paperbacks
1) End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
2) Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
3) Rewired: The Post Cyberpunk Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
4) Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
5) Grey by Jon Armstrong
1) Halting State by Charles Stross
2) 2012 by Whitley Strieber
3) Bloodline by F. Paul Wilson
4) Making Money by Terry Pratchett
5) Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
6) Fatal Revenant by Stephen Donaldson
7) Spook Country by William Gibson
tie with A Lick of Frost by Laurell Hamilton
8) Ice, Iron and Gold by S.M. Stirling
9) The Merchant's War by Charles Stross
10) The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy tie with Postsingular by Rudy Rucker
Mass Market Paperbacks
1) Blood Engines by T.A. Pratt
2) Wintersmith by Terry Pratchett
3) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
4) Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine
5) Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik
6) Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris
7) Harbingers by F. Paul Wilson
8) Spirit Gate by Kate Elliot
9) Spellbinder by Melanie Rawn
10) Sky People by S.M. Stirling
Trade Paperbacks
1) End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
2) Butcher Bird by Richard Kadrey
3) Rewired: The Post Cyberpunk Anthology edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel
4) Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
5) Grey by Jon Armstrong
Origin of the Bookstore, Part the Thirteenth
For the last year, we've been doing a special feature each month about what Borderlands is and how it got that way. This is the last of the special features, showcasing stories from customers about how they discovered the store.
***********
I moved to San Francisco on November 10th, 1997 -- 3 days before my 22nd birthday, and apparently, just after Borderlands opened. I don't remember how I learned about the store, but it must have been a only few days after I arrived. I had an apartment, a small amount of money, no job, and a lot of time to wander around this new city I was already falling in love with. Somehow I found the store, and it's charming owner, and it's wonderful (if smallish, then) selection. It already felt like a great place, and I was impressed with the combination of polish and homeyness -- as much as I appreciate the "scary cave" school of used bookstores, my eyes and sinuses prefer the Borderlands approach. Alan told me to come back for the 'official' grand opening. I did. Books started their inevitable flow from Hayes Valley to the pile next to my bed (and, occasionally, the other way).
Borderlands became a regular haunt, and I proudly introduced others to it when I could -- new friends, old friends, my family when they visited, a charming & lovely woman from the east coast when she did.
***********
I moved to San Francisco on November 10th, 1997 -- 3 days before my 22nd birthday, and apparently, just after Borderlands opened. I don't remember how I learned about the store, but it must have been a only few days after I arrived. I had an apartment, a small amount of money, no job, and a lot of time to wander around this new city I was already falling in love with. Somehow I found the store, and it's charming owner, and it's wonderful (if smallish, then) selection. It already felt like a great place, and I was impressed with the combination of polish and homeyness -- as much as I appreciate the "scary cave" school of used bookstores, my eyes and sinuses prefer the Borderlands approach. Alan told me to come back for the 'official' grand opening. I did. Books started their inevitable flow from Hayes Valley to the pile next to my bed (and, occasionally, the other way).
Borderlands became a regular haunt, and I proudly introduced others to it when I could -- new friends, old friends, my family when they visited, a charming & lovely woman from the east coast when she did.
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