* Borderlands is featured in this article from "The Bold Italic" along with lots of other great independent San Francisco bookstores: http://www.thebolditalic.com/Actavier42/stories/2201-book-ends
* The 2012 World Fantasy Award Nominees have been announced! Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees. http://www.wfc2012.org/pr-wfawards01.html
* Random House has confirmed that both the trade paperbacks & mass markets of George R.R. Martin's A DANCE WITH DRAGONS come out 3/26/13, rather than 8/28/12 as announced. The reason for the delay is unknown.
* We extend congratulations to all of the 2012 Hugo Award winners, many of whom we consider our friends, but most notably to our long-time friend and constant supporter of the store, John Picacio, who won the Hugo for Best Professional Artist. Alan met John at the World Fantasy Convention in 1999 when he was just getting started and it is with great pleasure that we congratulate him on this most recent milestone in his career.
The Awards were presented at ChiCon September 2nd, 2012. For a complete list of the winners, click here: http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2012-hugo-awards/
* There's a site where you can see a 360 degree panorama from Mars rover Curiosity! http://www.panoramas.dk/mars/curiosity-first-color-360.html
* Library Journal is hosting a webcast panel on forthcoming science fiction titles on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Pacific Time, featuring Norman L. Rubenstein, Managing Editor, JournalStone Publishing; Jeremy Lassen, Editor in Chief, Night Shade Books; Elizabeth Fabian, Associate director, Random House and Kelly Coyle Crivelli, Library Marketing Manager, Random House. The panel will be moderated by Library Journal's Fiction Editor Wilda Williams. You can sign up here: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=511272&sessionid=1&key=E8880935A9E0654BA78097E95424C027&partnerref=ljemailscifi09182012&sourcepage=register
* We're very sorry to report the death of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, at the age of 82: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/25/13478643-astronaut-neil-armstrong-first-man-to-walk-on-moon-dies-at-age-82?chromedomain=usnews
September 07, 2012
September Upcoming Events
Richard Kadrey, DEVIL SAID BANG (Harper Voyager, Hardcover, $24.99) Saturday, September 8th at 3:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, ASHES OF HONOR (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 8th at 6:00 pm
Brent Weeks, THE BLINDING KNIFE (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.99) Thursday, September 13th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF at The Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building (582 Market St.) with authors Roz Kaveney, Malinda Lo, and Cindy Pons, Saturday, September 15th at 7:00 pm
Steven Erikson, FORGE OF DARKNESS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 22nd at 3:00 pm
Cory Doctorow, PIRATE CINEMA (Tor, Hardcover, $19.99) Thursday, October 4th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF LitQuake event at The Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building (582 Market St.): Epic! Legends of Fantasy with Ken Scholes, Andrew Mayer and Tad Williams, Friday, October 12th at 7:00 pm
LitQuake Litcrawl at Borderlands Books and Borderlands Cafe, Saturday, October 13th at 7:15 pm, with authors Cassie Alexander, S.G. Browne, Seth Harwood, and Seanan McGuire in the bookstore and authors Terry Bisson, Claire Light, Madeleine Robins, and Naamen Tilahun in the Cafe.
Gregory Benford and Larry Niven, BOWL OF HEAVEN (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Monday, October 22nd at 7:00 pm
More information after the break.
Seanan McGuire, ASHES OF HONOR (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) Saturday, September 8th at 6:00 pm
Brent Weeks, THE BLINDING KNIFE (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.99) Thursday, September 13th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF at The Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building (582 Market St.) with authors Roz Kaveney, Malinda Lo, and Cindy Pons, Saturday, September 15th at 7:00 pm
Steven Erikson, FORGE OF DARKNESS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.99) Saturday, September 22nd at 3:00 pm
Cory Doctorow, PIRATE CINEMA (Tor, Hardcover, $19.99) Thursday, October 4th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF LitQuake event at The Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building (582 Market St.): Epic! Legends of Fantasy with Ken Scholes, Andrew Mayer and Tad Williams, Friday, October 12th at 7:00 pm
LitQuake Litcrawl at Borderlands Books and Borderlands Cafe, Saturday, October 13th at 7:15 pm, with authors Cassie Alexander, S.G. Browne, Seth Harwood, and Seanan McGuire in the bookstore and authors Terry Bisson, Claire Light, Madeleine Robins, and Naamen Tilahun in the Cafe.
Gregory Benford and Larry Niven, BOWL OF HEAVEN (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) Monday, October 22nd at 7:00 pm
More information after the break.
September 06, 2012
Debt, Mist, Darkness, Speculums and Flimflam
What the staff is reading this week:
Alan:"I'm burning through FORGE OF DARKNESS by Steven Erikson. It's the first novel in his new trilogy set in the ancient past of the world of the Malazan Empire. And it is just fabulous. The setting and cast of characters are smaller than his previous work (the ten volume Malazan Book of the Fallen) but still as complex and rich and I've come to expect from him. And, for a reader of his other work, the backstory elements that fill in the history of major characters are just so very cool. Fer example, I now know how Anomander Rake and Caladan Brood met and I even know what Brood _is_. On top of all that coolness, I can't wait for Steve's event later this month."
Cary: "Just finished THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS by Claire Legrand, a creepy young adult novel. Currently reading an advance copy of DREAMS AND SHADOWS by C. Robert Cargill."
Claud: "GEMINI, by Dorothy Dunnett; and DEBT: THE FIRST 5,000 YEARS, by David Graeber -- an anthropology of money, and one of the best damn books I've read in years."
Heather: "Just started on the third part of MISTS OF AVALON. I think Gwenhwyfar needs a swift kick to the ovaries. Pious twit that she is. Grr."
Alan:"I'm burning through FORGE OF DARKNESS by Steven Erikson. It's the first novel in his new trilogy set in the ancient past of the world of the Malazan Empire. And it is just fabulous. The setting and cast of characters are smaller than his previous work (the ten volume Malazan Book of the Fallen) but still as complex and rich and I've come to expect from him. And, for a reader of his other work, the backstory elements that fill in the history of major characters are just so very cool. Fer example, I now know how Anomander Rake and Caladan Brood met and I even know what Brood _is_. On top of all that coolness, I can't wait for Steve's event later this month."
Cary: "Just finished THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS by Claire Legrand, a creepy young adult novel. Currently reading an advance copy of DREAMS AND SHADOWS by C. Robert Cargill."
Claud: "GEMINI, by Dorothy Dunnett; and DEBT: THE FIRST 5,000 YEARS, by David Graeber -- an anthropology of money, and one of the best damn books I've read in years."
Heather: "Just started on the third part of MISTS OF AVALON. I think Gwenhwyfar needs a swift kick to the ovaries. Pious twit that she is. Grr."
Jude: "I just finished CHARLATAN: AMERICA'S MOST DANGEROUS HUCKSTER, THE MAN WHO PURSUED HIM, AND THE AGE OF FLIMFLAM by Pope Brock, a nonfiction which was terrifying in addition to being darkly funny (did people _really_ jump on the goat-gland-to-human transplant wagon?!), and now I'm reading an advance copy of MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloane, which is great so far."
Naamen: "Just finished Alison Bechdel's amazing graphic memoir ARE YOU MY MOTHER? about her relationship with...you guessed it, her mother. It also involves the life and study of the psychoanalyst Winnicott and the life and work of author Virginia Woolf with minor cameos from Adrienne Rich and Sylvia Plath. A complex read, a lot of psychology of mother/child subject/object variety, but well worth it. Already started on my re-read of it. And started Luce Irigaray's SPECULUM OF THE OTHER WOMAN, a really crunchy book about the creation of woman as a psychological, as a subject, as a sexual being by men - especially in the West - but elsewhere too as "disadvantaged men", the idea that women are men with some sort of lack. She's ripping some Freud papers and other theories to well-deserved shreds. Pretty awesome if dense with psychoanalyst language at times, plus I have to wonder if something gets lost in its translation from French to English."
August 27, 2012
The Better Part of a Partial Necromancer Breakdown
What the staff is reading this week:
Cary: "PARTIAL ECLIPSE by Graham Joyce and JOHANNES CABAL THE NECROMANCER by Jonathan L. Howard."
Claud: "GREEN MARS, Kim Stanley Robinson; BREAKDOWN, Sara Paretsky; CAPRICE AND RONDO, Dorothy Dunnett; and DRIFT: THE UNMOORING OF AMERICAN MILITARY POWER, Rachel Maddow."
Heather: "Still reading THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley."
Jude: "Last week I read Ron Jeremy's autobiography THE HARDEST (WORKING) MAN IN SHOWBIZ by Ron Jeremy with Eric Spitznagel. I'm currently reading A FANTASY MEDLEY 2 edited by ."
Naamen: "THE BETTER PART OF VALOR by Tanya Huff - Second in the Valor series. Wasn't sure how I felt about the main character, Staff Sergeant Kerr, until the end of the first book but now I'm really liking her. Still reading all the MilSF I can find with women marines and this is a really good series so far. THREE PARTS DEAD by Max Gladstone, only a few pages in but this books seems like a real genre busting interesting read so far, which involves an exiled, newly-employed necromancer named Tara Abernathy, a chain-smoking priest enduring a crisis of faith, and a potential case of deicide."
Cary: "PARTIAL ECLIPSE by Graham Joyce and JOHANNES CABAL THE NECROMANCER by Jonathan L. Howard."
Claud: "GREEN MARS, Kim Stanley Robinson; BREAKDOWN, Sara Paretsky; CAPRICE AND RONDO, Dorothy Dunnett; and DRIFT: THE UNMOORING OF AMERICAN MILITARY POWER, Rachel Maddow."
Heather: "Still reading THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley."
Jude: "Last week I read Ron Jeremy's autobiography THE HARDEST (WORKING) MAN IN SHOWBIZ by Ron Jeremy with Eric Spitznagel. I'm currently reading A FANTASY MEDLEY 2 edited by ."
Naamen: "THE BETTER PART OF VALOR by Tanya Huff - Second in the Valor series. Wasn't sure how I felt about the main character, Staff Sergeant Kerr, until the end of the first book but now I'm really liking her. Still reading all the MilSF I can find with women marines and this is a really good series so far. THREE PARTS DEAD by Max Gladstone, only a few pages in but this books seems like a real genre busting interesting read so far, which involves an exiled, newly-employed necromancer named Tara Abernathy, a chain-smoking priest enduring a crisis of faith, and a potential case of deicide."
August 16, 2012
Silent Red Hydrogen Shadows: A Confederation of Fairies and Lions
What the staff is reading this week:
Alan: "I'm continuing my semi-abusive relationship with David Weber by reading STORM FROM THE SHADOWS. His stuff really is sort of addictive for me -- which is what allows the relationship to be abusive, after all."
Cary: "THE SILENT LAND by Graham Joyce and THE GOOD FAIRIES OF NEW YORK by Martin Millar."
Claud: "TO LIE WITH LIONS, Dorothy Dunnett; and RED MARS, Kim Stanley Robinson."
Heather: "THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley."
Jude: "I just finished a re-read of NIGHTSHIFTED by Cassie Alexander (one of my favorite new paranormal series. . .syphilitic were-dragon FTW!) and now I'm reading THE ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO by Frank Soulé, John H. Gihon, M.D., and James Nisbet and very slowly starting an advance copy of THE HYDROGEN SONATA by Iain M. Banks, because I don't want it to be over too soon."
Naamen: "I just finished Jean Johnson's AN OFFICER'S DUTY (which I enjoyed very much) and now I'm reading A CONFEDERATION OF VALOR by Tanya Huff. I'm just in the mood for female Marines. Wow, that sounded terrible."
Alan: "I'm continuing my semi-abusive relationship with David Weber by reading STORM FROM THE SHADOWS. His stuff really is sort of addictive for me -- which is what allows the relationship to be abusive, after all."
Cary: "THE SILENT LAND by Graham Joyce and THE GOOD FAIRIES OF NEW YORK by Martin Millar."
Claud: "TO LIE WITH LIONS, Dorothy Dunnett; and RED MARS, Kim Stanley Robinson."
Heather: "THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley."
Jude: "I just finished a re-read of NIGHTSHIFTED by Cassie Alexander (one of my favorite new paranormal series. . .syphilitic were-dragon FTW!) and now I'm reading THE ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO by Frank Soulé, John H. Gihon, M.D., and James Nisbet and very slowly starting an advance copy of THE HYDROGEN SONATA by Iain M. Banks, because I don't want it to be over too soon."
Naamen: "I just finished Jean Johnson's AN OFFICER'S DUTY (which I enjoyed very much) and now I'm reading A CONFEDERATION OF VALOR by Tanya Huff. I'm just in the mood for female Marines. Wow, that sounded terrible."
August 09, 2012
Overheard in the Store
This is a feature that appears periodically, usually as we attend conventions and overhear things. However, sometimes we overhear amusing tidbits even when we're not attending a convention:
"Sometimes I think I _might_ miss other people, if they'd only stay away longer."
"When you date artists, it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between 'crazy-crazy' and 'artist-crazy'."
"It's okay, run-on sentences are kind of my thing. I write that way, too."
"I'm quite choosey -- I just like everything!"
"Sometimes I think I _might_ miss other people, if they'd only stay away longer."
"When you date artists, it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between 'crazy-crazy' and 'artist-crazy'."
"It's okay, run-on sentences are kind of my thing. I write that way, too."
"I'm quite choosey -- I just like everything!"
July Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) The Apocalypse Codex by Charles Stross
2) Redshirts by John Scalzi
3) The Long Earth by Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett
4) Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce
5) The Hollow City by Dan Wells
6) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7) Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
8) Existence by David Brin
9) Prepare to Die by Paul Tobin
10) Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness tie with Railsea by China Mieville
Paperbacks
1) A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
3) A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
4) Rule 34 by Charles Stross
5) A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
6) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
7) Blackout by Mira Grant
8) The Ministry of Peculiar Occurances: The Janus Affair by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
9) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
10) Feed by Mira Grant
Trade Paperbacks
1) Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection edited by Gardner Dozois
2) Makers by Cory Doctorow
3) Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
4) Report From Planet Midnight Plus. . . by Nalo Hopkinson
5) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
1) The Apocalypse Codex by Charles Stross
2) Redshirts by John Scalzi
3) The Long Earth by Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett
4) Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce
5) The Hollow City by Dan Wells
6) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
7) Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin
8) Existence by David Brin
9) Prepare to Die by Paul Tobin
10) Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness tie with Railsea by China Mieville
Paperbacks
1) A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
3) A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
4) Rule 34 by Charles Stross
5) A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
6) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
7) Blackout by Mira Grant
8) The Ministry of Peculiar Occurances: The Janus Affair by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
9) The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
10) Feed by Mira Grant
Trade Paperbacks
1) Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection edited by Gardner Dozois
2) Makers by Cory Doctorow
3) Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
4) Report From Planet Midnight Plus. . . by Nalo Hopkinson
5) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
July News Roundup
* The SF Bay Guardian's readers voted that Borderlands had the Best Staff in the entire retail category in their Best of the Bay 2012 poll! We're extremely flattered and proud -- thanks to all of you who voted! http://www.sfbg.com/specials/best-bay-2012-readers-poll-shopping
* The She-Wolf Reads Blog posted an interview with Alan Beatts, Borderlands' owner: http://shewolfreads.com/2012/07/24/interview-with-alan-beatts-owner-of-borderlands-bookstore-in-sf/
* Congrats to our friends at Other Change of Hobbit, who were part of this list of "10 Truly Unique Bookstores in America": http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=1791#m16922
* You'll have to see this Goyte video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY to understand and appreciate this "Star Wars That I Used to Know" parody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJlbPXZEpRE
* The delightful Charles Yu was kind enough to drop by and sign copies of his new collection SORRY PLEASE THANK YOU for us. If you'd like a signed copy, contact us quickly because they're going fast! Here's an interview with Charles to get you started: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/24/living/charles-yu-qa/index.html
* NPR talks to John Scalzi about REDSHIRTS: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/12/156669439/writer-puts-expendable-redshirts-in-the-spotlight
* We're sorry to report the passing of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, at age 61. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8746225
* The She-Wolf Reads Blog posted an interview with Alan Beatts, Borderlands' owner: http://shewolfreads.com/2012/07/24/interview-with-alan-beatts-owner-of-borderlands-bookstore-in-sf/
* Congrats to our friends at Other Change of Hobbit, who were part of this list of "10 Truly Unique Bookstores in America": http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=1791#m16922
* You'll have to see this Goyte video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY to understand and appreciate this "Star Wars That I Used to Know" parody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJlbPXZEpRE
* The delightful Charles Yu was kind enough to drop by and sign copies of his new collection SORRY PLEASE THANK YOU for us. If you'd like a signed copy, contact us quickly because they're going fast! Here's an interview with Charles to get you started: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/24/living/charles-yu-qa/index.html
* NPR talks to John Scalzi about REDSHIRTS: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/12/156669439/writer-puts-expendable-redshirts-in-the-spotlight
* We're sorry to report the passing of Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, at age 61. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8746225
August Upcoming Events
Walkers, Watchers, Witches, Immortals and More: Four Authors in Conversation” with Stacey Jay, Carolyn Jewel, Kat Richardson, &Veronica Wolff - Sunday, August 19th at 3:00 pm
Daniel Suarez, KILL DECISION (Dutton, Hardcover, $26.95) - Saturday, August 25th at 3:00 pm
Shaenon K. Garrity, SKIN HORSE, VOL. 3 Release Party - Saturday, August 25th at 5:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, DEVIL SAID BANG (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $24.99) - Saturday, September 8th at 3:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, ASHES OF HONOR (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) - Saturday, September 8th at 5:00 pm
Brent Weeks, THE BLINDING KNIFE (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.99) - Thursday, September 13th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF at the Variety Preview Room (582 Market St.) with authors Malinda Lo, Roz Kaveney, and Cindy Pons - Saturday, September 15th at 7:00 pm
Steven Erikson, FORGE OF DARKNESS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.99) - Saturday, September 22nd at 3:00 pm
Full event details after the break
Daniel Suarez, KILL DECISION (Dutton, Hardcover, $26.95) - Saturday, August 25th at 3:00 pm
Shaenon K. Garrity, SKIN HORSE, VOL. 3 Release Party - Saturday, August 25th at 5:00 pm
Richard Kadrey, DEVIL SAID BANG (HarperVoyager, Hardcover, $24.99) - Saturday, September 8th at 3:00 pm
Seanan McGuire, ASHES OF HONOR (DAW, Mass Market, $7.99) - Saturday, September 8th at 5:00 pm
Brent Weeks, THE BLINDING KNIFE (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.99) - Thursday, September 13th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF at the Variety Preview Room (582 Market St.) with authors Malinda Lo, Roz Kaveney, and Cindy Pons - Saturday, September 15th at 7:00 pm
Steven Erikson, FORGE OF DARKNESS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.99) - Saturday, September 22nd at 3:00 pm
Full event details after the break
Zazen Saloon Slaves of the Notorious Mists and Ashes Circus
What the staff is reading this week, a bit belated:
Alan: "Reading CROWN OF SLAVES by David Weber and Eric Flint. Nothing like a bit of light space-opera to clear the palette before diving into Steven Erikson's new Malazan novel."
Cary: "Reading THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern."
Claud: "VENETIA, by Georgette Heyer -- a reread; ZAZEN, by Vanessa Veselka; THE UNKNOWN AJAX, by Georgette Heyer -- another reread; and ONE THOUSAND WHITE WOMEN: THE JOURNALS OF MAY DODD, by Jim Fergus."
Heather: "THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley."
Alan: "Reading CROWN OF SLAVES by David Weber and Eric Flint. Nothing like a bit of light space-opera to clear the palette before diving into Steven Erikson's new Malazan novel."
Cary: "Reading THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern."
Claud: "VENETIA, by Georgette Heyer -- a reread; ZAZEN, by Vanessa Veselka; THE UNKNOWN AJAX, by Georgette Heyer -- another reread; and ONE THOUSAND WHITE WOMEN: THE JOURNALS OF MAY DODD, by Jim Fergus."
Heather: "THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley."
Jude: "Just finished ASHES OF HONOR by Seanan McGuire (the best Toby Daye book yet, I think), TALES FROM MARGARITAVILLE by Jimmy Buffet, and a totally charming volume from 1982 called SALOONS OF SAN FRANCISCO: THE GREAT AND NOTORIOUS by Jane Chamberlin and Hank Armstrong."
Naamen: "Just finished THE IRON WYRM AFFAIR by Lilith Saintcrow and now I'm reading AN OFFICER'S DUTY by Jean Johnson."
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