by Jude Feldman
Welcome to December! We've finally gotten our winter weather -- as a life-long, drought-hardened Californian, I have a superstitious aversion to _ever_ complaining about the rain -- and this is the perfect time to curl up with a good book yourself, or gift one to someone dear to you. Personally this year has been a very difficult one, and I will be glad to see the back of it -- but that means it's even more important to celebrate the good things we have and the friends and family we love; hatch, and feather, as Becky Chambers would say.
Those of you who have been around a while know that I always do an opinionated and rambling gift guide for December, and this year is no exception. I am excited to call your attention to just a few of the myriad cool and unexpected things we have in the store. However, if you don't see something appropriate here, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're glad to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is vaguely possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.) Now, onward!
Showing posts with label Gift Guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gift Guide. Show all posts
December 09, 2019
December 12, 2018
Holiday Gift Guide
by Jude Feldman
Hello All and Sundry!
This year seems to have flown by. The explanation I've heard for the seeming acceleration of time I'm experiencing is that as we age, time seems to go by faster, because any given amount of time is a smaller fraction than it used to be of your life overall (i.e. when you're five years old, one year is one-fifth of your life, but when you're thirty-five, one year is a thirty-fifth of your life, so it is comparatively a much shorter time). Regardless of why it happens, recognizing this disconcerting speeding up is a reminder to me to enjoy all the time we've got as best we can. I'm working on it, and in that spirit -- I wish you all the very best, and hope that this season and next year both treat you all very well, and that you have much to celebrate both now and in the future!
As we hurtle seemingly increasingly quickly toward this gift-giving season, we here present our usual Opinionated (and Digression-Filled) Gift Guide to help you out. However, if you don't see something appropriate here, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're glad to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Onward!
Hello All and Sundry!
This year seems to have flown by. The explanation I've heard for the seeming acceleration of time I'm experiencing is that as we age, time seems to go by faster, because any given amount of time is a smaller fraction than it used to be of your life overall (i.e. when you're five years old, one year is one-fifth of your life, but when you're thirty-five, one year is a thirty-fifth of your life, so it is comparatively a much shorter time). Regardless of why it happens, recognizing this disconcerting speeding up is a reminder to me to enjoy all the time we've got as best we can. I'm working on it, and in that spirit -- I wish you all the very best, and hope that this season and next year both treat you all very well, and that you have much to celebrate both now and in the future!
As we hurtle seemingly increasingly quickly toward this gift-giving season, we here present our usual Opinionated (and Digression-Filled) Gift Guide to help you out. However, if you don't see something appropriate here, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're glad to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Onward!
December 05, 2017
Borderlands Opinionated Holiday Gift Guide
by Jude Feldman
I was delighted to see that most retailers this year actually waited until Thanksgiving was over before putting out their holiday decorations (or worse, turning up the holiday music)! Last year, I swear, it seemed like a bunch of stores were moving in Christmas lights, menorahs, and New Year's noisemakers on July 5th, so I appreciate the restraint this time 'round. However, winter is well and truly here now, and I'm personally thrilled that the gift-giving season has arrived, because there are just so many absolutely wonderful books to brighten the days of your friends and family.
We here present our usual Opinionated (and Digression-Filled) Gift Guide to help you out. However, if you don't see something appropriate here, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're glad to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Now, onward!
Let's start with a huge selection of signed books. We're quite spoiled with all the marvelous local authors who have dropped by to sign their work recently, and we currently have signed books from Charlie Jane Anders, S.G. Browne, Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey, Ellen Klages, Nick Mamatas, Seanan McGuire (no longer local, but still in our hearts and willing to sign books on the tailgate of the store's truck in a random parking lot in San Lorenzo in a giant rush, which surely looked like the world's strangest drug deal), Christopher Moore, Annalee Newitz, and many, many more! Also, Marie Brennan and Becky Chambers be around in the next week or so, so feel free to request personalized copies -- we'll make it happen if we possibly can.
I was delighted to see that most retailers this year actually waited until Thanksgiving was over before putting out their holiday decorations (or worse, turning up the holiday music)! Last year, I swear, it seemed like a bunch of stores were moving in Christmas lights, menorahs, and New Year's noisemakers on July 5th, so I appreciate the restraint this time 'round. However, winter is well and truly here now, and I'm personally thrilled that the gift-giving season has arrived, because there are just so many absolutely wonderful books to brighten the days of your friends and family.
We here present our usual Opinionated (and Digression-Filled) Gift Guide to help you out. However, if you don't see something appropriate here, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're glad to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Now, onward!
Let's start with a huge selection of signed books. We're quite spoiled with all the marvelous local authors who have dropped by to sign their work recently, and we currently have signed books from Charlie Jane Anders, S.G. Browne, Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey, Ellen Klages, Nick Mamatas, Seanan McGuire (no longer local, but still in our hearts and willing to sign books on the tailgate of the store's truck in a random parking lot in San Lorenzo in a giant rush, which surely looked like the world's strangest drug deal), Christopher Moore, Annalee Newitz, and many, many more! Also, Marie Brennan and Becky Chambers be around in the next week or so, so feel free to request personalized copies -- we'll make it happen if we possibly can.
December 09, 2016
Holiday Gift Guide
by Jude Feldman
Winter has well and truly come to San Francisco, which means that we're now hitting a (for the City) quite chilly 42 degrees at night. Definitely the perfect time for curling up with hot cocoa and a good book, and for picking up some great books for holiday gifts. We here present our usual Opinionated Gift Guide to help you out. However, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're happy to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Let's start with some awesome signed books. We have signed copies of brand-new ARCANUM UNBOUNDED and ELANTRIS, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson, BABYLON'S ASHES by James S.A. Corey, FEEDBACK by Mira Grant, pretty much everything including all three of the VELVETEEN books by Seanan McGuire, GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal, most of the Sandman Slim books by Richard Kadrey, a handful of signed Dan Wells titles including the just-released EXREME MAKEOVER, BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks, IMPRUDENCE by Gail Carriger, SNOWED by Maria Alexander, A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall, and so many, many more.
Winter has well and truly come to San Francisco, which means that we're now hitting a (for the City) quite chilly 42 degrees at night. Definitely the perfect time for curling up with hot cocoa and a good book, and for picking up some great books for holiday gifts. We here present our usual Opinionated Gift Guide to help you out. However, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're happy to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are MUCH better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Let's start with some awesome signed books. We have signed copies of brand-new ARCANUM UNBOUNDED and ELANTRIS, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson, BABYLON'S ASHES by James S.A. Corey, FEEDBACK by Mira Grant, pretty much everything including all three of the VELVETEEN books by Seanan McGuire, GHOST TALKERS by Mary Robinette Kowal, most of the Sandman Slim books by Richard Kadrey, a handful of signed Dan Wells titles including the just-released EXREME MAKEOVER, BLOOD MIRROR by Brent Weeks, IMPRUDENCE by Gail Carriger, SNOWED by Maria Alexander, A BLADE OF BLACK STEEL by Alex Marshall, and so many, many more.
December 07, 2015
Holiday Gift Guide
Happy holidays, everyone! The gift-giving season is quickly swooping down upon us with its great shadowy black wings, and Borderlands is here to help you find the perfect gift for every elf, shoggoth, and wizard on your list. (And the plain-old human readers on that list will probably be happy, too.)
Let's start with some signed books. We have signed copies of SHADOWS OF SELF and ELANTRIS, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson, CHIMERA by Mira Grant, pretty much everything including the VELVETEEN books by Seanan McGuire, THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi, MANNERS & MUTINY by Gail Carriger, most of the Sandman Slim books by Richard Kadrey, BLACK WOLVES (first of a new series) by Kate Elliott, SILVER ON THE ROAD by Laura Anne Gilman, THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman, and lots more!
If your gift-ee just has to have the newest and the latest, check out the anthology THE GODS OF H.P. LOVECRAFT edited by Aaron J. French, WARHEART by Terry Goodkind, THE BAZAAR OF BAD DREAMS by Stephen King, FUTURISTIC VIOLENCE & FANCY SUITS by David Wong, WORD PUPPETS by Mary Robinette Kowal, DREAMSEEKER by C.S. Friedman, THE PROMISE OF THE CHILD by Tom Toner, or LATE IN THE DAY (a new collection of poems) by Ursula K. LeGuin.
Some other excellent new books we're recommending are CARTER & LOVECRAFT by Jonathan L. Howard, THE FIFTH HOUSE OF THE HEART by Ben Tripp (my favorite new novel of this week), FLUX (sequel to FLEX) by Ferrett Steinmetz, AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson, THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET by Natasha Pulley, THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi, AFTERPARTY by Daryl Gregory, and my favorite fantasy of the year, A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER by Alex Marshall.
For the George R.R. Martin fan in your life, we've got a gorgeous SONG OF ICE AND FIRE COLORING BOOK, A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS (which collects the Dunk and Egg stories that have been so hard to find for years), and the GOT parody (but actual, real-life cookbook) A GAME OF SCONES: ALL MEN MUST DINE by Jammy Lannister.
For the kids in your life, may we suggest the empowering princess coloring/storybook HER HIGHNESS BUILDS ROBOTS by Laura Winters and Beth Winters? (Sample pages: "Getting married was the happiest day of Princess Priya's life. . . Second only to getting her Ph.D. in chemical engineering!".)
We have 2016 calendars galore, with something for everyone, including Hyperbole and a Half, Views From the Hubble Telescope, Fractals, Dr. Suess, Art of Luis Royo, and dozens of others!
As usual, we wish you a Gorey Christmas with a plethora of Edward Gorey-themed items. From the classic Gashlycrumb Tinies to the Bibliophile With Cats Puzzle, to the massive collection AMPHIGOREY, we have a little bit of Gorey to suit anyone. My personal favorite is the "Fruitcake" holiday card that shows the solemn ritual of everyone gathering after dark to throw their fruitcakes into a hole in the ice!
Classics that never go out of style are hardcovers of DUNE, GOOD OMENS, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, and THE HOBBIT. Less traditional, but just as classic -- SLEIGHT OF HAND (short stories from Peter S. Beagle), MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs, THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey, and LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey, (which has just been made into a tv series).
Two local artists have graced us with one-of-a-kind gifts: we've got lovely steampunk-influenced jewelry from Oakland's Fire Selkie creations, and gift boxes, hair clips, pins, and hand-made cards from San Francisco's Fly By Night Gifts!
As always, we're happy to make personalized recommendations and practice our Psychic Bookseller Skills when you're stumped. If you just can't decide, we also offer gift certificates in any amount.
Happy holidays to all! We wish you a safe, peaceful, and bright 2016.
- Jude Feldman
Let's start with some signed books. We have signed copies of SHADOWS OF SELF and ELANTRIS, THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION by Brandon Sanderson, CHIMERA by Mira Grant, pretty much everything including the VELVETEEN books by Seanan McGuire, THE END OF ALL THINGS by John Scalzi, MANNERS & MUTINY by Gail Carriger, most of the Sandman Slim books by Richard Kadrey, BLACK WOLVES (first of a new series) by Kate Elliott, SILVER ON THE ROAD by Laura Anne Gilman, THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by Neil Gaiman, and lots more!
If your gift-ee just has to have the newest and the latest, check out the anthology THE GODS OF H.P. LOVECRAFT edited by Aaron J. French, WARHEART by Terry Goodkind, THE BAZAAR OF BAD DREAMS by Stephen King, FUTURISTIC VIOLENCE & FANCY SUITS by David Wong, WORD PUPPETS by Mary Robinette Kowal, DREAMSEEKER by C.S. Friedman, THE PROMISE OF THE CHILD by Tom Toner, or LATE IN THE DAY (a new collection of poems) by Ursula K. LeGuin.
Some other excellent new books we're recommending are CARTER & LOVECRAFT by Jonathan L. Howard, THE FIFTH HOUSE OF THE HEART by Ben Tripp (my favorite new novel of this week), FLUX (sequel to FLEX) by Ferrett Steinmetz, AURORA by Kim Stanley Robinson, THE WATCHMAKER OF FILIGREE STREET by Natasha Pulley, THE WATER KNIFE by Paolo Bacigalupi, AFTERPARTY by Daryl Gregory, and my favorite fantasy of the year, A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER by Alex Marshall.
For the George R.R. Martin fan in your life, we've got a gorgeous SONG OF ICE AND FIRE COLORING BOOK, A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS (which collects the Dunk and Egg stories that have been so hard to find for years), and the GOT parody (but actual, real-life cookbook) A GAME OF SCONES: ALL MEN MUST DINE by Jammy Lannister.
For the kids in your life, may we suggest the empowering princess coloring/storybook HER HIGHNESS BUILDS ROBOTS by Laura Winters and Beth Winters? (Sample pages: "Getting married was the happiest day of Princess Priya's life. . . Second only to getting her Ph.D. in chemical engineering!".)
We have 2016 calendars galore, with something for everyone, including Hyperbole and a Half, Views From the Hubble Telescope, Fractals, Dr. Suess, Art of Luis Royo, and dozens of others!
As usual, we wish you a Gorey Christmas with a plethora of Edward Gorey-themed items. From the classic Gashlycrumb Tinies to the Bibliophile With Cats Puzzle, to the massive collection AMPHIGOREY, we have a little bit of Gorey to suit anyone. My personal favorite is the "Fruitcake" holiday card that shows the solemn ritual of everyone gathering after dark to throw their fruitcakes into a hole in the ice!
Classics that never go out of style are hardcovers of DUNE, GOOD OMENS, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, and THE HOBBIT. Less traditional, but just as classic -- SLEIGHT OF HAND (short stories from Peter S. Beagle), MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs, THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey, and LEVIATHAN WAKES by James S.A. Corey, (which has just been made into a tv series).
Two local artists have graced us with one-of-a-kind gifts: we've got lovely steampunk-influenced jewelry from Oakland's Fire Selkie creations, and gift boxes, hair clips, pins, and hand-made cards from San Francisco's Fly By Night Gifts!
As always, we're happy to make personalized recommendations and practice our Psychic Bookseller Skills when you're stumped. If you just can't decide, we also offer gift certificates in any amount.
Happy holidays to all! We wish you a safe, peaceful, and bright 2016.
- Jude Feldman
December 13, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide
It's December again! The perfect time for curling up with hot cocoa and a good book, and for picking up some great books for holiday gifts. Here as usual is our Opinionated Gift Guide to help you out. However, we're always happy to make custom suggestions for you or anyone in your life. We'll even wrap 'em for you! (A special note to those of you purchasing presents: we're happy to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are much better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
All of us at Borderlands wish you a peaceful and comfortable holiday season, and an absolutely brilliant new year in 2015.
- Jude Feldman
All of us at Borderlands wish you a peaceful and comfortable holiday season, and an absolutely brilliant new year in 2015.
- Jude Feldman
December 10, 2013
2013 Holiday Gift Guide
Since Hanukkah being incredibly early basically caught me by surprise this year, we made gift recommendations in the store in person, in mid-November, A LOT. This is helpful currently, as I am putting together the woefully-belated Gift Guide that really should have come out a month ago. For those of you who give gifts later in the year, hopefully this will be of assistance. (A note to those of you purchasing presents: we're happy to gift wrap upon request, although our typical caveats apply: first, if we're busy, you may have to wait a bit to have things wrapped, and, second, some staff members are much better than others at it. It is possible that your package may resemble a brightly wrapped Lovecraft-ian, batrachian, rugose, Thing of No Human Shape. For some customers, this is not a problem . . ."better than I can do!," they say. However, if you are concerned about our, ahem, abilities, we're also happy to just hand you the gift wrap, scissors and tape.)
Gift-giving or not, we're always happy to make custom recommendations -- just ask us.
All of us at Borderlands wish you and your loved ones a terrific winter season and hope for a fantastic and peaceful new year!
- Jude Feldman, editor.
Gift-giving or not, we're always happy to make custom recommendations -- just ask us.
All of us at Borderlands wish you and your loved ones a terrific winter season and hope for a fantastic and peaceful new year!
- Jude Feldman, editor.
December 10, 2012
Holiday Gift Guide
by Jude Feldman
Happy holidays, everyone! I'd like to start the annual Gift Guide with a big ol' THANK YOU to all of you who have kept us going 15 years and beyond. We are grateful for your support, and humbled to be part of such a vibrant, cheerful, and important community. So, thanks.
The gift-giving season is quickly swooping down upon us with its great shadowy black wings, and Borderlands is here to help you find the perfect gift for every elf, fairy, shoggoth, and wizard on your list. (And the plain-old human readers on that list will probably be very happy, too.)
Let me first mention that we have a whole bunch of amazing local authors who are happy to personalize their books for your gift-giving pleasure. Terry Bisson, Chaz Brenchley, S.G. Browne, Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey, Seanan McGuire, Rudy Rucker, and Scott Sigler have all volunteered to inscribe books. You can purchase and pick up personalized books here, or if the recipients are far away, we're happy to do mail orders, so consider which of the fans in your life would be most tickled by having their name actually written in a book by the author! The deadline to order inscribed books to be shipped in time for Christmas is December 14th; the deadline to request inscribed books for in-store pickup is December 19th.
Happy holidays, everyone! I'd like to start the annual Gift Guide with a big ol' THANK YOU to all of you who have kept us going 15 years and beyond. We are grateful for your support, and humbled to be part of such a vibrant, cheerful, and important community. So, thanks.
The gift-giving season is quickly swooping down upon us with its great shadowy black wings, and Borderlands is here to help you find the perfect gift for every elf, fairy, shoggoth, and wizard on your list. (And the plain-old human readers on that list will probably be very happy, too.)
Let me first mention that we have a whole bunch of amazing local authors who are happy to personalize their books for your gift-giving pleasure. Terry Bisson, Chaz Brenchley, S.G. Browne, Gail Carriger, Richard Kadrey, Seanan McGuire, Rudy Rucker, and Scott Sigler have all volunteered to inscribe books. You can purchase and pick up personalized books here, or if the recipients are far away, we're happy to do mail orders, so consider which of the fans in your life would be most tickled by having their name actually written in a book by the author! The deadline to order inscribed books to be shipped in time for Christmas is December 14th; the deadline to request inscribed books for in-store pickup is December 19th.
December 01, 2011
The 2011 Gift Guide plus Editor Indulgence
Wow, December already. I've heard there's a good reason that time seems to accelerate as you get older; it's said that since each progressive year is a smaller fraction of your life overall, of course each one seems shorter than the preceding. Great, it's logical. Unfortunately it's still really frustrating and a little scary to feel the time fly by. I suppose it's just more incentive to enjoy each moment! And things are really picking up around here -- look for lots of positive changes in the bookstore and the cafe coming very soon.
I refuse to get all sappy, but the holidays are a good time to reflect on all of the gifts that we've already been given, and the best of those aren't physical objects. I am so grateful for having what I consider to be the very best job in the world, and for all of the wonderful friends and family I've found here at Borderlands, among the staff and the customers. Especially in these days of faceless online transactions and galavanting chain-retail conformity, I treasure the individuality, the personality, and the energy of every one that makes this store special. Thank you all so much for being an integral part of creating and maintaining this community. None of us take it for granted.
Meanwhile, to assist you in this joyful season of present-presentation, we offer our usual Holiday Gift Guide. And although we've got thousands of awesome new and shiny options, and some very pricey collectibles, books don't have to be expensive to be beloved. A used paperback copy of your favorite book from childhood can mean more than the fanciest signed first edition.
As always, if the options below don't tickle your fancy, we're happy to make customized recommendations for the even the most difficult people on your list. (Customized recommendations of _gifts_, that is. I really can't help with your difficult Uncle Philip who keeps bringing his imaginary Lego friends to your holiday meals.)
Classics, that will work for almost anyone:
GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Harper, Trade Paperback, $14.99 and Harper, Mass Market, $7.99) - The funniest book about Armageddon ever penned.
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman (Harcourt, Hardcover, $25.00 or Harvest, Mass Market, $8.95) - The ultimate tale of true love, high adventure and Rodents of Unusual Size.
DUNE by Frank Herbert (Ace, Hardcover, $29.95 and Ace, Mass Market, $9.99) - Considered one of SF's all-time masterpieces.
Unexpected Treasures:
Don't know what to get the "Song of Ice and Fire" fan, since they've read all 5 books ten times already? John Picacio's stunning 2012 "A Song of Ice and Fire Calendar" (Random House, Wall Calendar, $17.00) is my pick: I was completely blown away by his gorgeous, incredibly skilled, lush, detailed representations of all of my favorite characters, many of whom looked EXACTLY like that in my head.
Two webcomics become paper! NARBONIC: THE PERFECT COLLECTION by Shaenon Garrity (Cous Cous Collective, Set of two paperbacks, $30.00) and SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST CEREAL: THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (Breadpig, Trade Paperback, $18.00) are both tailor-made for the special geek in your life. We have a few signed copies left of each, too!
For the science fiction fan:
SOFT APOCALYPSE by WIll McIntosh (Nightshade, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - I'll be surprised if this novel doesn't pick up a slew of awards next year.
THE QUANTUM THIEF by Hannu Rajaniemi (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99) - Mind-blowing new SF from a Finnish writer who keeps having to deny the rumor that he's Charles Stross writing under a pen name. (He's NOT, really!)
REAMDE by Neal Stephenson (William Morrow, Hardcover, $35.00) - Okay, it's not really science fiction, but it's still a fantastic, funny thriller.
CHILDREN OF THE SKY by Vernor Vinge (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) - Sequel to the classic FIRE UPON THE DEEP.
SEED by Rob Ziegler (Nightshade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) - Jeremy says "It's amazing! It's like THE WINDUP GIRL with more explosions and less rape." Ahem. That's quite a recommendation!
Deeply Weird and Wonderful Things:
UNPOSSIBLE by Daryl Gregory (Fairwood Press, Trade Paperback, $16.99) - Brilliant, heart-rending, and sincerely messed up, in the best possible way. My very favorite short story collection of last year, from the author of PANDEMONIUM, which I also highly recommend. While we're talking short story collections, I'd also like to call your attention to the magical SLEIGHT OF HAND by Peter S. Beagle (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95) and the grim and exceptional AFTER THE APOCALYPSE: STORIES by Maureen McHugh (Small Beer Press, Trade Paperback, $16.00). (AFTER THE APOCALYPSE was one of Publishers Weekly's Top 10 Best of the Year.)
THE SILENT LAND by Graham Joyce (Doubleday, Hardcover, $23.95) - Graham Joyce is one of those authors who is frequently described as a "cult favorite". I urge you all to join the cult of Graham Joyce, either with this haunting and dark page-turner about a couple trapped by an avalanche who emerges to discover a. . .wholly. . . silent. . .world, or my other favorite of his, HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH DEMONS, a quirky masterpiece about a philanthropic book forger and the demons who may or may not actually be talking to him.
MORBID CURIOSITY CURES THE BLUES edited by Loren Rhoads (Scribner, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - A mind-blowing compendium of some of the best from the early (long unavailable) issues of the San Francisco-based 'zine "Morbid Curiosity," featuring true, first-person accounts of the unpleasant, unwise and unsavory. Sometimes funny, sometimes devastating.
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs (Quirk, Hardcover, $17.99) - Sweet and touching and creepy novel lavishly illustrated with bizarre vintage photographs. It's quite hard to describe but it was a great, super-fast read and I'm very excited about it. It's young-adult appropriate, by the way.
Non-Concilatory Fantasy:
BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - George R.R. Martin's gritty, bloody fantasy meets a Sergio Leone revenge Western.
The Malazan Books of the Fallen by Steven Erikson - We've been ranting about Steven Erikson (and the world's co-creator, Ian Cameron Esslemont) for years and years now, but all 10 books of Erikson's first cycle are complete now. The most complex fantasy series I've ever seen. We can't say enough good things about these books.
THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS trilogy by N. K. Jemisin - The first book in this trilogy was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. A really impressive new voice!
THE COLD COMMANDS by Richard Morgan (Del Rey, Hardcover, $26.00) - I am pretty much perpetually in awe of Richard Morgan. This is the follow-up to THE STEEL REMAINS.
Steampunk, Biopunk, Urban Fantasy and Other Good Stuff That's Hard to Catagorize:
MIDNIGHT RIOT by Ben Aaronovitch (Ballantine, Mass Market, $7.99) - Experiencing withdrawal from Mike Carey's sardonic, impressive Felix Castor books? Here's your methadone!
FEED (Orbit, Mass Market, $9.99) and DEADLINE by Mira Grant (Orbit, Mass Market, $9.99) - It's not really about the zombies accidently created by the well-intentioned bioterrorists; it's about the bloggers following the would-be Republican presidential candidate on the campaign trail. So. Much. Fun!
SHELF LIFE: FANTASTIC STORIES SET IN BOOKSTORES edited by Greg Ketter (DreamHaven, Hardcover, $25.00) - Such an incredible collection, and not just for the obvious reasons. Introduction by Neil Gaiman, and stories from everyone and their aunt, including Ramsey Campbell, Charles De Lint, Marianne de Pierres, Harlan Ellison, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Gene Wolfe, MANY others! This book came out 6 years ago and it's overdue for a renaissance.
FIREBIRDS (Firebird, Trade Paperback, $9.99) FIREBIRDS RISING (Firebird, Trade Paperback, $9.99) and FIREBIRDS SOARING (Firebird, Hardcover, $19.99) edited by Sharyn November - Fantastic original stories by writers from Penguin's Firebird imprint. Some of my favorite anthologies; there's not a bad story in the bunch.
GANYMEDE by Cherie Priest (Tor, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - This novel of Priest's Clockwork Century world is set in New Orleans and stands alone just fine. My favorite thing about it is how small and focused the story is, and that's not a slight. It's so rare to find a book where the stakes are not The End of the World As We Know It, but more concentrated and more human. Sure, success or failure in this novel may impact history, but the real story is about the people at its heart.
THE PANAMA LAUGH by Thomas Roche (Nightshade, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - It's a darkly funny noir-crime zombie novel. How does it get better?
Very Popular Stuff:
The HUNGER GAMES trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Soon to be a trilogy of major motion pictures. Expect TWILIGHT-level fan reactions, I think.
11/22/63 by Stephen King - Alan really likes the new Stephen King, which he called "a straight-ahead science fiction book -- it's a basic time travel novel with King's typically addictive pacing".
THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morganstern (Doubleday, Hardcover, $26.95) - I'm skeptical that a novel this good can be a debut. Maybe the author's been writing for years in some other dimension?
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Knopf, Hardcover, $30.50) - One of those rare New York Times Bestsellers that really deserves it. My only complaint is the (admittedly lovely) onion-skin dust jacket is so fragile.
READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline (Random House, Hardcover, $24.00) - We even have a few copies with bookplates signed by the author!
THE STRAIN, THE FALL and THE NIGHT ETERNAL by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan - A vampiric virus wipes out most of humankind and plucky survivors battle for the future of humanity. Yes, you've read it before but it's still very entertaining.
Of course we have a whole store full of additional just-the-perfect things: pretty imported wooden boxes, calendars of every description from The Art of Heavy Metal to The Mutter Museum to Dr. Seuss, attractive journals for the writer in your life, Edward Gorey puzzles and so much more. We also have gift certificates in any amount, or gift credits that your friends and family can use long-distance. You can also pop in to the cafe next door for a perfect mocha, a spiced apple cider, or a fancy peppermint hot cocoa if you need a quick pick-me-up or a break from the chill!
Happy holidays, best wishes for 2012, and warm regards from all of us at Borderlands to you and your families, whatever you conceive them to be.
I refuse to get all sappy, but the holidays are a good time to reflect on all of the gifts that we've already been given, and the best of those aren't physical objects. I am so grateful for having what I consider to be the very best job in the world, and for all of the wonderful friends and family I've found here at Borderlands, among the staff and the customers. Especially in these days of faceless online transactions and galavanting chain-retail conformity, I treasure the individuality, the personality, and the energy of every one that makes this store special. Thank you all so much for being an integral part of creating and maintaining this community. None of us take it for granted.
Meanwhile, to assist you in this joyful season of present-presentation, we offer our usual Holiday Gift Guide. And although we've got thousands of awesome new and shiny options, and some very pricey collectibles, books don't have to be expensive to be beloved. A used paperback copy of your favorite book from childhood can mean more than the fanciest signed first edition.
As always, if the options below don't tickle your fancy, we're happy to make customized recommendations for the even the most difficult people on your list. (Customized recommendations of _gifts_, that is. I really can't help with your difficult Uncle Philip who keeps bringing his imaginary Lego friends to your holiday meals.)
Classics, that will work for almost anyone:
GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Harper, Trade Paperback, $14.99 and Harper, Mass Market, $7.99) - The funniest book about Armageddon ever penned.
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman (Harcourt, Hardcover, $25.00 or Harvest, Mass Market, $8.95) - The ultimate tale of true love, high adventure and Rodents of Unusual Size.
DUNE by Frank Herbert (Ace, Hardcover, $29.95 and Ace, Mass Market, $9.99) - Considered one of SF's all-time masterpieces.
Unexpected Treasures:
Don't know what to get the "Song of Ice and Fire" fan, since they've read all 5 books ten times already? John Picacio's stunning 2012 "A Song of Ice and Fire Calendar" (Random House, Wall Calendar, $17.00) is my pick: I was completely blown away by his gorgeous, incredibly skilled, lush, detailed representations of all of my favorite characters, many of whom looked EXACTLY like that in my head.
Two webcomics become paper! NARBONIC: THE PERFECT COLLECTION by Shaenon Garrity (Cous Cous Collective, Set of two paperbacks, $30.00) and SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST CEREAL: THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME (Breadpig, Trade Paperback, $18.00) are both tailor-made for the special geek in your life. We have a few signed copies left of each, too!
For the science fiction fan:
SOFT APOCALYPSE by WIll McIntosh (Nightshade, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - I'll be surprised if this novel doesn't pick up a slew of awards next year.
THE QUANTUM THIEF by Hannu Rajaniemi (Tor, Hardcover, $24.99) - Mind-blowing new SF from a Finnish writer who keeps having to deny the rumor that he's Charles Stross writing under a pen name. (He's NOT, really!)
REAMDE by Neal Stephenson (William Morrow, Hardcover, $35.00) - Okay, it's not really science fiction, but it's still a fantastic, funny thriller.
CHILDREN OF THE SKY by Vernor Vinge (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99) - Sequel to the classic FIRE UPON THE DEEP.
SEED by Rob Ziegler (Nightshade Books, Hardcover, $24.99) - Jeremy says "It's amazing! It's like THE WINDUP GIRL with more explosions and less rape." Ahem. That's quite a recommendation!
Deeply Weird and Wonderful Things:
UNPOSSIBLE by Daryl Gregory (Fairwood Press, Trade Paperback, $16.99) - Brilliant, heart-rending, and sincerely messed up, in the best possible way. My very favorite short story collection of last year, from the author of PANDEMONIUM, which I also highly recommend. While we're talking short story collections, I'd also like to call your attention to the magical SLEIGHT OF HAND by Peter S. Beagle (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95) and the grim and exceptional AFTER THE APOCALYPSE: STORIES by Maureen McHugh (Small Beer Press, Trade Paperback, $16.00). (AFTER THE APOCALYPSE was one of Publishers Weekly's Top 10 Best of the Year.)
THE SILENT LAND by Graham Joyce (Doubleday, Hardcover, $23.95) - Graham Joyce is one of those authors who is frequently described as a "cult favorite". I urge you all to join the cult of Graham Joyce, either with this haunting and dark page-turner about a couple trapped by an avalanche who emerges to discover a. . .wholly. . . silent. . .world, or my other favorite of his, HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH DEMONS, a quirky masterpiece about a philanthropic book forger and the demons who may or may not actually be talking to him.
MORBID CURIOSITY CURES THE BLUES edited by Loren Rhoads (Scribner, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - A mind-blowing compendium of some of the best from the early (long unavailable) issues of the San Francisco-based 'zine "Morbid Curiosity," featuring true, first-person accounts of the unpleasant, unwise and unsavory. Sometimes funny, sometimes devastating.
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs (Quirk, Hardcover, $17.99) - Sweet and touching and creepy novel lavishly illustrated with bizarre vintage photographs. It's quite hard to describe but it was a great, super-fast read and I'm very excited about it. It's young-adult appropriate, by the way.
Non-Concilatory Fantasy:
BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - George R.R. Martin's gritty, bloody fantasy meets a Sergio Leone revenge Western.
The Malazan Books of the Fallen by Steven Erikson - We've been ranting about Steven Erikson (and the world's co-creator, Ian Cameron Esslemont) for years and years now, but all 10 books of Erikson's first cycle are complete now. The most complex fantasy series I've ever seen. We can't say enough good things about these books.
THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS trilogy by N. K. Jemisin - The first book in this trilogy was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. A really impressive new voice!
THE COLD COMMANDS by Richard Morgan (Del Rey, Hardcover, $26.00) - I am pretty much perpetually in awe of Richard Morgan. This is the follow-up to THE STEEL REMAINS.
Steampunk, Biopunk, Urban Fantasy and Other Good Stuff That's Hard to Catagorize:
MIDNIGHT RIOT by Ben Aaronovitch (Ballantine, Mass Market, $7.99) - Experiencing withdrawal from Mike Carey's sardonic, impressive Felix Castor books? Here's your methadone!
FEED (Orbit, Mass Market, $9.99) and DEADLINE by Mira Grant (Orbit, Mass Market, $9.99) - It's not really about the zombies accidently created by the well-intentioned bioterrorists; it's about the bloggers following the would-be Republican presidential candidate on the campaign trail. So. Much. Fun!
SHELF LIFE: FANTASTIC STORIES SET IN BOOKSTORES edited by Greg Ketter (DreamHaven, Hardcover, $25.00) - Such an incredible collection, and not just for the obvious reasons. Introduction by Neil Gaiman, and stories from everyone and their aunt, including Ramsey Campbell, Charles De Lint, Marianne de Pierres, Harlan Ellison, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Gene Wolfe, MANY others! This book came out 6 years ago and it's overdue for a renaissance.
FIREBIRDS (Firebird, Trade Paperback, $9.99) FIREBIRDS RISING (Firebird, Trade Paperback, $9.99) and FIREBIRDS SOARING (Firebird, Hardcover, $19.99) edited by Sharyn November - Fantastic original stories by writers from Penguin's Firebird imprint. Some of my favorite anthologies; there's not a bad story in the bunch.
GANYMEDE by Cherie Priest (Tor, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - This novel of Priest's Clockwork Century world is set in New Orleans and stands alone just fine. My favorite thing about it is how small and focused the story is, and that's not a slight. It's so rare to find a book where the stakes are not The End of the World As We Know It, but more concentrated and more human. Sure, success or failure in this novel may impact history, but the real story is about the people at its heart.
THE PANAMA LAUGH by Thomas Roche (Nightshade, Trade Paperback, $14.99) - It's a darkly funny noir-crime zombie novel. How does it get better?
Very Popular Stuff:
The HUNGER GAMES trilogy by Suzanne Collins - Soon to be a trilogy of major motion pictures. Expect TWILIGHT-level fan reactions, I think.
11/22/63 by Stephen King - Alan really likes the new Stephen King, which he called "a straight-ahead science fiction book -- it's a basic time travel novel with King's typically addictive pacing".
THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morganstern (Doubleday, Hardcover, $26.95) - I'm skeptical that a novel this good can be a debut. Maybe the author's been writing for years in some other dimension?
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Knopf, Hardcover, $30.50) - One of those rare New York Times Bestsellers that really deserves it. My only complaint is the (admittedly lovely) onion-skin dust jacket is so fragile.
READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline (Random House, Hardcover, $24.00) - We even have a few copies with bookplates signed by the author!
THE STRAIN, THE FALL and THE NIGHT ETERNAL by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan - A vampiric virus wipes out most of humankind and plucky survivors battle for the future of humanity. Yes, you've read it before but it's still very entertaining.
Of course we have a whole store full of additional just-the-perfect things: pretty imported wooden boxes, calendars of every description from The Art of Heavy Metal to The Mutter Museum to Dr. Seuss, attractive journals for the writer in your life, Edward Gorey puzzles and so much more. We also have gift certificates in any amount, or gift credits that your friends and family can use long-distance. You can also pop in to the cafe next door for a perfect mocha, a spiced apple cider, or a fancy peppermint hot cocoa if you need a quick pick-me-up or a break from the chill!
Happy holidays, best wishes for 2012, and warm regards from all of us at Borderlands to you and your families, whatever you conceive them to be.
December 01, 2010
The 2010 Gift Guide
Ah, December! A chill in the air, spiced cider at Borderlands Cafe, and cranky hairless cats who refuse to leave their comfy heating pads. The time of year when one's thoughts often turn, somewhat frantically, to presents. Well, we're here to help. It's no secret that the economy's kind of, well, crappy, and so we'd like to mention that books are by far the very best entertainment value for your dollar. Especially if your friends read sorta slowly.
At Borderlands we have presents for every budget and almost every taste. We're delighted to make suggestions, and we relish the challenges, so bring 'em on! Meanwhile, here are our opinions on great gift options to delight those close to you.
Caveat: All reviews by Jude unless otherwise stated.
Brandy-New Shiny Hardcovers:
SURFACE DETAIL by Iain M. Banks (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.99) - The new Culture novel raises some heavy questions -- do cultures need religions? Is the threat of punishment the only thing that keeps most people behaving in a societally acceptable fashion? If you lose the memories of your experiences and your suffering, are you still the same person? -- in the most wild, adventurous, lots-of-stuff-still-blows-up way possible. This book is packed to over-stuffed with likable (and thoroughly reprehensible) characters, witty dialogue and Big Ideas.
ALL CLEAR by Connie Willis (Spectra, Hardcover, $26.00) - The follow-up to last year's brilliant BLACKOUT, we finally get to find out what happens to several plucky 23rd century time-travelling graduate students stuck in London during the Blitz. Willis' ability to get under her characters' skin and inside their heads is one of her most endearing strengths, and really shines in these novels. Also the sheer esteem in which she holds the stoic civilians -- the everyday heroes of World War II -- is touching and breathtaking, and she communicates her respect with an incredibly effective but still light touch. Cary suggests getting both volumes and reading them straight through, since they were originally intended to be one novel.
FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King (Scribner, Hardcover, $27.99) - From Alan: "King's newest collection contains four stories (two novellas and two short stories) with the thematic linkage of ordinary people in extra-ordinary situations. Moreover, the theme gains greater depth when one reads in the afterward, 'Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observation; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do -- to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies across the street.' In this series of stories King presents us with people who don't act exactly the way we might _want_ them to but who do act the way this is consistent with their character -- be it making hard choices to avoid a horrible trap, as in 'A Good Marriage,' or by taking one inexorable step after another straight down into a personal hell, as in '1922'. He also manages to create an original 'deal with the Devil' story in 'Fair Extension,' despite the degree to which that particular patch of ground has been planted and harvested by authors over the past three hundred years. In short, FULL DARK, NO STARS is Stephen King is his more thoughtful form demonstrating a master's touch at pacing, voice and character. If you like King, buy it. If you're shopping for someone who likes King, buy it. And you might even consider it for someone who thinks that King is all about gore, ghouls, and ghosts."
TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Tor, Hardcover, $29.99) - Blessings upon the talented (and happily incredibly nice) Brandon Sanderson for easing the cravings of Jordan junkies by delivering the penultimate WHEEL OF TIME novel in a timely fashion.
ZERO HISTORY by William Gibson (Putnam, Hardcover, $26.95) - I'm excited about the return of Hollis Henry and several characters from SPOOK COUNTRY in this impressive, smart new Gibson novel. This one, like SPOOK COUNTRY and PATTERN RECOGNITION, is more of a near-future thriller than a standard science fiction novel, but I love it for incorporating so many crazy elements, from high fashion to the military-industrial complex. Additionally, it's funny. Perfect for the Gibson fan in your life.
KRAKEN by China Mieville (Del Rey, Hardcover, $26.00) - I've said a bunch of times that this is like a China Mieville novel by way of Neil Gaiman. I think it's the funniest thing that Mieville's written, despite the fact that it's about the impossible theft of a giant squid by a cult that wants to use it to end the world. It's thoroughly improbable and I adored it, right down to the Warren Ellis-style digressions about random cool things found on the Internet.
If you'd like to give a signed book to that special someone, we have signed copies of KILL THE DEAD (Eos, Hardcover, $22.99) by Richard Kadrey (the follow-up to the incredibly popular SANDMAN SLIM); signed copies of THE FALL (sequel to THE STRAIN) by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (William Morrow, Hardcover, $26.99); signed copies of OUT OF THE DARK by David Weber (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99); signed copies of ANCESTOR by Scott Sigler (Crown, Hardcover, $24.95) and many, many more choices!
Decorous Trade Paperbacks:
FLAMING ZEPPELINS by Joe R. Lansdale (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95) FLAMING LONDON and ZEPPELINS WEST in one volume, or, the Adventures of Ned the Seal. Lansdale was writing Steampunk before the term was even capitalized, certainly long before silly hipsters with goggles & Really Unfortunate Facial Hair wandered Valencia Street. But to pigeonhole this volume as Steampunk is actually to do it a disservice, as cool as Steampunk is. . . because these books are completely wild, promiscuously multi-genre, over-the-top pulpy capers starring characters both real and fictional. (Wild Bill Hickock, Annie Oakley, the Tin Man, Frankenstein's monster, Mark Twain & Jules Verne fighting Wells' Martian invasion. . . plus the unforgettable Ned the Seal!) And there're zeppelins. What more could you possibly want?
Speaking of Steampunk, if you're concerned that the Steampunk fan you're trying to find a gift for has read _everything_, I'll bet you a cup of coffee they haven't yet discovered BURTON & SWINBURNE IN THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING-HEELED JACK by Mark Hodder. Set in London in 1861, it pairs a washed-up Sir Richard Francis Burton with Algernon Charles Swinburne, failed poet and worse. They investigate the leaping boogeyman known as Spring-Heeled Jack in a wild adventure that defies easy description. And since you can't have too much Steampunk, Tachyon's anthology STEAMPUNK II: STEAMPUNK RELOADED edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (Trade Paperback, $14.95) received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and will make the week of any fan.
Other fantastic anthologies abound this season as well: NightShade Books brings us THE LIVING DEAD 2 and BRAVE NEW WORLDS, both edited by John Joseph Adams (Trade Paperbacks, each $15.99). LIVING DEAD 2 is even more splatter-y than its predecessor, and BRAVE NEW WORLDS is a kick-ass, thoroughly disquieting anthology of dystopian fiction including stories by luminaries like J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, Kim Stanley Robinson and many, many more. In case you missed them, NightShade also recently published THE IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (John Joseph Adams, ed, Trade Paperback, $15.95) WINGS OF FIRE, the ultimate dragon anthology, edited by Jonathan Strahan and Marianne S. Jablon (Trade Paperback, $15.95), and SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL edited by Tim Pratt (Trade Paperback, $15.95).
And more with the awesome: WILDCARDS VOL.1 edited by George R.R. Martin (Tor, Trade Paperback,$15.99) back in print after far, far too long, now with added original material (which I admittedly have not read yet, and about which I also admit to being a bit skeptical). WILD CARDS is a shared-world series telling the secret history in which an unpredictable alien virus (The Wild Card Virus) struck the Earth in the aftermath of WWII; killing a large percentage of the population, giving some (the Aces) fabulous powers, and cursing others (the Jokers) with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Deep characters & amazing inventiveness by a stunning array of authors.
For the science fiction fan in your life, there's VIRGA: CITIES OF THE AIR by Karl Schroeder (Tor, Trade Paperback, $17.99) which contains the first two Virga books, SUN OF SUNS and QUEEN OF CANDESCE, in one omnibus edition. Or you could offer DESOLATION ROAD and ARES EXPRESS, two mindblowing novels by Ian McDonald (Pyr, Trade Paperbacks, each $16.00).
Pocket-Sized Treasures:
BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - I've gone on at length about this novel, which is essentially a George R.R. Martin fantasy crossed with a Sergio Leone revenge Western. So good! So violent! So blackly comical!
SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - It's a Steampunk Victorian comedy of manners with vampires and werewolves. And tea and biscuits. Charming, quirky, and full of snark and regrettable head-wear. Beloved of all at Borderlands.
FEED by Mira Grant (Orbit, Mass Market, $9.99) - What do you get that friend who loved WORLD WAR Z? FEED by Mira Grant. FEED is a science fiction zombie story focused on the living: the group of bloggers following the would-be Republican Presidential candidate during the primaries. Character-driven, powerful, and unexpected, FEED is one of my favorite books of the last year.
HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by M.K. Jemisin (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - Extraordinarily complex and exciting fantasy, this is one of the strongest debuts of the year.
BOOK OF SECRETS by Chris Roberson (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) - BOOK OF SECRETS is like a Tim Powers novel crossed with THE DA VINCI CODE if the THE DA VINCI CODE were a better book. Twisty, unpredictable and lots of fun.
Other stuff:
We have a gorgeous selection of wooden boxes imported from India, pulp postcards of every stripe and level of outrageousness, and wow, A LOT of zombie calendars this year.
We're also overflowing with great used paperbacks right now, so for between $2 and $5 you can give the gift of a beloved, out-of-print favorite from your past.
The above list showcases some stuff that we're really excited about, but to reiterate, we're happy, nay, _delighted_ to make recommendations and suggestions. The hard part is getting us to shut up, really. Let us know if there's anything we can help you find.
Also, totally unrelated to the above gift suggestions: we know 2010 was a hard year for a lot of people. If the fancy strikes you, take 2 minutes during this build-up to the holiday craziness to just take deep breaths and reflect on the good things you have. Where there's life, there's hope, and likely even some good cheer. To that end, we wish you hope, peace and all the best in the New Year.
At Borderlands we have presents for every budget and almost every taste. We're delighted to make suggestions, and we relish the challenges, so bring 'em on! Meanwhile, here are our opinions on great gift options to delight those close to you.
Caveat: All reviews by Jude unless otherwise stated.
Brandy-New Shiny Hardcovers:
SURFACE DETAIL by Iain M. Banks (Orbit, Hardcover, $25.99) - The new Culture novel raises some heavy questions -- do cultures need religions? Is the threat of punishment the only thing that keeps most people behaving in a societally acceptable fashion? If you lose the memories of your experiences and your suffering, are you still the same person? -- in the most wild, adventurous, lots-of-stuff-still-blows-up way possible. This book is packed to over-stuffed with likable (and thoroughly reprehensible) characters, witty dialogue and Big Ideas.
ALL CLEAR by Connie Willis (Spectra, Hardcover, $26.00) - The follow-up to last year's brilliant BLACKOUT, we finally get to find out what happens to several plucky 23rd century time-travelling graduate students stuck in London during the Blitz. Willis' ability to get under her characters' skin and inside their heads is one of her most endearing strengths, and really shines in these novels. Also the sheer esteem in which she holds the stoic civilians -- the everyday heroes of World War II -- is touching and breathtaking, and she communicates her respect with an incredibly effective but still light touch. Cary suggests getting both volumes and reading them straight through, since they were originally intended to be one novel.
FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King (Scribner, Hardcover, $27.99) - From Alan: "King's newest collection contains four stories (two novellas and two short stories) with the thematic linkage of ordinary people in extra-ordinary situations. Moreover, the theme gains greater depth when one reads in the afterward, 'Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observation; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do -- to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies across the street.' In this series of stories King presents us with people who don't act exactly the way we might _want_ them to but who do act the way this is consistent with their character -- be it making hard choices to avoid a horrible trap, as in 'A Good Marriage,' or by taking one inexorable step after another straight down into a personal hell, as in '1922'. He also manages to create an original 'deal with the Devil' story in 'Fair Extension,' despite the degree to which that particular patch of ground has been planted and harvested by authors over the past three hundred years. In short, FULL DARK, NO STARS is Stephen King is his more thoughtful form demonstrating a master's touch at pacing, voice and character. If you like King, buy it. If you're shopping for someone who likes King, buy it. And you might even consider it for someone who thinks that King is all about gore, ghouls, and ghosts."
TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (Tor, Hardcover, $29.99) - Blessings upon the talented (and happily incredibly nice) Brandon Sanderson for easing the cravings of Jordan junkies by delivering the penultimate WHEEL OF TIME novel in a timely fashion.
ZERO HISTORY by William Gibson (Putnam, Hardcover, $26.95) - I'm excited about the return of Hollis Henry and several characters from SPOOK COUNTRY in this impressive, smart new Gibson novel. This one, like SPOOK COUNTRY and PATTERN RECOGNITION, is more of a near-future thriller than a standard science fiction novel, but I love it for incorporating so many crazy elements, from high fashion to the military-industrial complex. Additionally, it's funny. Perfect for the Gibson fan in your life.
KRAKEN by China Mieville (Del Rey, Hardcover, $26.00) - I've said a bunch of times that this is like a China Mieville novel by way of Neil Gaiman. I think it's the funniest thing that Mieville's written, despite the fact that it's about the impossible theft of a giant squid by a cult that wants to use it to end the world. It's thoroughly improbable and I adored it, right down to the Warren Ellis-style digressions about random cool things found on the Internet.
If you'd like to give a signed book to that special someone, we have signed copies of KILL THE DEAD (Eos, Hardcover, $22.99) by Richard Kadrey (the follow-up to the incredibly popular SANDMAN SLIM); signed copies of THE FALL (sequel to THE STRAIN) by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan (William Morrow, Hardcover, $26.99); signed copies of OUT OF THE DARK by David Weber (Tor, Hardcover, $25.99); signed copies of ANCESTOR by Scott Sigler (Crown, Hardcover, $24.95) and many, many more choices!
Decorous Trade Paperbacks:
FLAMING ZEPPELINS by Joe R. Lansdale (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95) FLAMING LONDON and ZEPPELINS WEST in one volume, or, the Adventures of Ned the Seal. Lansdale was writing Steampunk before the term was even capitalized, certainly long before silly hipsters with goggles & Really Unfortunate Facial Hair wandered Valencia Street. But to pigeonhole this volume as Steampunk is actually to do it a disservice, as cool as Steampunk is. . . because these books are completely wild, promiscuously multi-genre, over-the-top pulpy capers starring characters both real and fictional. (Wild Bill Hickock, Annie Oakley, the Tin Man, Frankenstein's monster, Mark Twain & Jules Verne fighting Wells' Martian invasion. . . plus the unforgettable Ned the Seal!) And there're zeppelins. What more could you possibly want?
Speaking of Steampunk, if you're concerned that the Steampunk fan you're trying to find a gift for has read _everything_, I'll bet you a cup of coffee they haven't yet discovered BURTON & SWINBURNE IN THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING-HEELED JACK by Mark Hodder. Set in London in 1861, it pairs a washed-up Sir Richard Francis Burton with Algernon Charles Swinburne, failed poet and worse. They investigate the leaping boogeyman known as Spring-Heeled Jack in a wild adventure that defies easy description. And since you can't have too much Steampunk, Tachyon's anthology STEAMPUNK II: STEAMPUNK RELOADED edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (Trade Paperback, $14.95) received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and will make the week of any fan.
Other fantastic anthologies abound this season as well: NightShade Books brings us THE LIVING DEAD 2 and BRAVE NEW WORLDS, both edited by John Joseph Adams (Trade Paperbacks, each $15.99). LIVING DEAD 2 is even more splatter-y than its predecessor, and BRAVE NEW WORLDS is a kick-ass, thoroughly disquieting anthology of dystopian fiction including stories by luminaries like J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin, Kim Stanley Robinson and many, many more. In case you missed them, NightShade also recently published THE IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (John Joseph Adams, ed, Trade Paperback, $15.95) WINGS OF FIRE, the ultimate dragon anthology, edited by Jonathan Strahan and Marianne S. Jablon (Trade Paperback, $15.95), and SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL edited by Tim Pratt (Trade Paperback, $15.95).
And more with the awesome: WILDCARDS VOL.1 edited by George R.R. Martin (Tor, Trade Paperback,$15.99) back in print after far, far too long, now with added original material (which I admittedly have not read yet, and about which I also admit to being a bit skeptical). WILD CARDS is a shared-world series telling the secret history in which an unpredictable alien virus (The Wild Card Virus) struck the Earth in the aftermath of WWII; killing a large percentage of the population, giving some (the Aces) fabulous powers, and cursing others (the Jokers) with bizarre mental or physical disabilities. Deep characters & amazing inventiveness by a stunning array of authors.
For the science fiction fan in your life, there's VIRGA: CITIES OF THE AIR by Karl Schroeder (Tor, Trade Paperback, $17.99) which contains the first two Virga books, SUN OF SUNS and QUEEN OF CANDESCE, in one omnibus edition. Or you could offer DESOLATION ROAD and ARES EXPRESS, two mindblowing novels by Ian McDonald (Pyr, Trade Paperbacks, each $16.00).
Pocket-Sized Treasures:
BEST SERVED COLD by Joe Abercrombie (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - I've gone on at length about this novel, which is essentially a George R.R. Martin fantasy crossed with a Sergio Leone revenge Western. So good! So violent! So blackly comical!
SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - It's a Steampunk Victorian comedy of manners with vampires and werewolves. And tea and biscuits. Charming, quirky, and full of snark and regrettable head-wear. Beloved of all at Borderlands.
FEED by Mira Grant (Orbit, Mass Market, $9.99) - What do you get that friend who loved WORLD WAR Z? FEED by Mira Grant. FEED is a science fiction zombie story focused on the living: the group of bloggers following the would-be Republican Presidential candidate during the primaries. Character-driven, powerful, and unexpected, FEED is one of my favorite books of the last year.
HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by M.K. Jemisin (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) - Extraordinarily complex and exciting fantasy, this is one of the strongest debuts of the year.
BOOK OF SECRETS by Chris Roberson (Angry Robot, Mass Market, $7.99) - BOOK OF SECRETS is like a Tim Powers novel crossed with THE DA VINCI CODE if the THE DA VINCI CODE were a better book. Twisty, unpredictable and lots of fun.
Other stuff:
We have a gorgeous selection of wooden boxes imported from India, pulp postcards of every stripe and level of outrageousness, and wow, A LOT of zombie calendars this year.
We're also overflowing with great used paperbacks right now, so for between $2 and $5 you can give the gift of a beloved, out-of-print favorite from your past.
The above list showcases some stuff that we're really excited about, but to reiterate, we're happy, nay, _delighted_ to make recommendations and suggestions. The hard part is getting us to shut up, really. Let us know if there's anything we can help you find.
Also, totally unrelated to the above gift suggestions: we know 2010 was a hard year for a lot of people. If the fancy strikes you, take 2 minutes during this build-up to the holiday craziness to just take deep breaths and reflect on the good things you have. Where there's life, there's hope, and likely even some good cheer. To that end, we wish you hope, peace and all the best in the New Year.
December 01, 2009
The 2009 Holiday Gift Guide
(Thanks to Salem Evans for major assistance in compiling this year's Gift Guide while I ran around doing cafe stuff! - Ed.)
*Zombies, zombies, zombies
For the zombie enthusiast on your list, the penultimate survival guide now comes in three great flavors:
a) Original (THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE by Max Brooks, Three Rivers Press Trade Paperback $14.95)
b) Flashcards (THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE DECK by Max Brooks, Potter Style, $13.95 - Instructional deck of 50 cards: vital lists, tips and diagrams with even more illustrations than the original book!)
c) Novel (WORLD WAR Z: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE ZOMBIE WAR by Max Brooks, Three Rivers Press, Trade Paperback, $14.95 and Hardcover, $24.95) If you or the folks on your list can't get enough zombies, there's also a lovely new hardcover gift edition of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, available. It's called THE DELUXE HEIRLOOM EDITION (Chronicle Books, Hardcover, $24.95). Additionally, we've got something we can _guarantee_ they don't already have - the "My Zombie Pinup Calendar 2010 - Where beauty eats BRAAAIIINNNNSSS," which is exactly what it sounds like; sexy undead girls in cute risque' outfits, published by good ol' local folks. (MyZombiePinUp.com, $19.99). The publisher's website says "We dug up the idea of the 1950's vintage pin-up calendar and hit it over the head with a shovel"!
*As I do every year, I'm recommending hardcover volumes of well-loved classics for your gift-giving pleasure. We've got nice hardcover editions of DUNE by Frank Herbert (Ace, $29.95), THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley (Del Rey, $30.00), THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman (Ballantine, $24.95), GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (William Morrow, $29.95), and many, many others.
*Ah, media! We've got lots of TWILIGHT and its successors by Stephanie Meyer, a nice box set of the first three books in the Percy Jackson series (the first book has just been made into an eponymous movie called THE LIGHTNING THIEF), and, of course, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak (Harper, Hardcover, $17.95) a timeless favorite. We also have the excellent new NightShade Books anthology IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES edited by John Joseph Adams (Trade Paperback, $15.95), and, no, that's absolutely not meant to be Jude Law on the cover! We can represent the "Weird Tales" side of Holmes, too, with GASLIGHT GROTESQUE: NIGHTMARE TALES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES edited by J.R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec (EDGE, Trade Paperback, $16.95).
*Calendars
Speaking of calendars, we have lots of personal day calendars and wall calendars, with a theme for absolutely anyone: from fine art by Michael Parkes to Bunny Suicides, from Escher to Roald Dahl, from Giger to Breaking Bad News With Baby Animals, from Dr. Suess to Unicorns and oh-so-many more! Over 50 to choose from. Calendars range in price from $7.99 to $19.99.
*Rings
Everything from simple geometric designs to dragons, skulls, and scorpions. Rings range in price from $4.99 - $24.00.
*Edward Gorey
We have a wide array of Gorey merchandise in the store. A few examples include:
a) GOREY'S DRACULA: A TOY THEATRE (Pomegranate, $24.95) - Paper dolls for grownups, (or especially morbid children) based on Gorey's 1970's design for the staged "Dracula".
b) EDWARD GOREY: THE NEW POSTER BOOK (Pomegranate, Oversized Softcover, $19.95) - a collection of some of his most well known illustrations
c) The ever-popular and enduring GASHLYCRUMB TINIES (Harcourt, Small Hardcover, $10.00) - "A is for Amy, who fell down the stairs / B is for Basil, assaulted by bears. . ."
Additionally, we have all of the AMPHIGOREY collections and lots and lots of the individual books, including my all-time favorite, THE CURIOUS SOFA (Harcourt, Small Hardcover, $10.00) which claims to be "a pornographic work by Ogdred Weary" -- actually just suggestive and very funny and not pornographic at all.
*FAMOUS LAST WORDS: FOND FAREWELLS, DEATHBED DIATRIBES AND EXCLAMATIONS UPON EXPIRATION edited by Ray Robinson (Workman, Small Hardcover, $9.95) - This book puts famous last words and the last words of the famous into context. It runs the gamut from weird and irreverent to honestly touching.
*THE POP-UP BOOK OF PHOBIAS by Gary Greenberg and Balvis Rubess (William Morrow and Co., Oversized Hardcover, $29.95) - Guaranteed to get you out of baby-sitting for the rest of your life. We also carry THE POP-UP BOOK OF NIGHTMARES.
*Clocks
There are still some hand-made steampunk clocks (made with found wood and weird dials and, in one specially memorable case, an enormous flat hard drive and bits of church organ) from local Black Heart Industries left! For an extra special gift, or for the geek who has everything.
*Speaking of steampunk, it's everywhere now - steampunk is the new zombies! If you want to be right on top of the trend, pick up BONESHAKER by Cherie Priest (Tor, Trade Paperback, $15.99) LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse, Hardcover, $19.99), BOILERPLATE: HISTORY'S MECHANICAL MARVEL by Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett (Abrams, Oversized Hardcover, $24.95), MAINSPRING by Jay Lake (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99), SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) or the original STEAMPUNK anthology edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95).
*Imported wooden boxes
Sizes range from a deck of cards up to small chests with designs including Celtic knots, metalwork, and pentacles. Recommended for almost anyone. Prices range from $5.00 to $48.00)
*XKCD book by Randall Munroe (breadpig, Other Softcover, $18.00) -
Good not only for fans of the comic, but for newcomers as well. This book includes extra doodlings and ponderings of the author alongside the mouse-over text from the website.
*Postcards
Tired of glitter-encrusted snowmen and trees? Try writing your Christmas missive on one of these awesome sci-fi postcards. Taken from retro covers of magazines and pulp novels, perennial favorites include "The Gods Hate Kansas" and "Sin In Space"! $1 each.
*THE BLADE ITSELF by Joe Abercrombie (Pyr, Trade Paperback, $15.98) - Are you (or someone dear to you) frustrated with waiting for the next SONG OF ICE AND FIRE book? Do you (or they) like fantasy hugely bloody, with a thread of dark humor? This is our recommendation; a trilogy that's actually finished, with an additional book (BEST SERVED COLD, the start of a new series) that stands just fine on its own and is one of my favorite titles from 2009.
*AMERICAN FANTASTIC TALES edited by Peter Straub) (Library of America, 2 hardcover volumes in slipcase, $70.00) - From the Library of America website: "From its beginning, American literature teems with tales of horror, hauntings, terrifying obsessions and gruesome incursions, of the uncanny ways in which ordinary reality can be breached and subverted by the unknown and the irrational. In the tales of Poe, and Hawthorne, and their literary successors, the bright prospects of the New World face an uneasy reckoning with the forces of darkness. As this pathbreaking two-volume anthology demonstrates, it is a tradition with many unexpected detours and hidden chambers, and one that continues to evolve, finding new forms and new themes." I strongly recommend this amazing (and gorgeously packaged) collection. One volume covers "From Poe to the Pulps" and the other covers "The 1940's Until Now".
And, as always, we're glad to help make suggestions, and we have gift certificates if you're just not sure. We can also arrange for gift credits -- essentially gift certificates that you can give to out-of-town folks to be used for mail orders -- if some of the genre fans in your life live remotely.
Happy holidays to you, from all of us!
*Zombies, zombies, zombies
For the zombie enthusiast on your list, the penultimate survival guide now comes in three great flavors:
a) Original (THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE by Max Brooks, Three Rivers Press Trade Paperback $14.95)
b) Flashcards (THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE DECK by Max Brooks, Potter Style, $13.95 - Instructional deck of 50 cards: vital lists, tips and diagrams with even more illustrations than the original book!)
c) Novel (WORLD WAR Z: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE ZOMBIE WAR by Max Brooks, Three Rivers Press, Trade Paperback, $14.95 and Hardcover, $24.95) If you or the folks on your list can't get enough zombies, there's also a lovely new hardcover gift edition of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, available. It's called THE DELUXE HEIRLOOM EDITION (Chronicle Books, Hardcover, $24.95). Additionally, we've got something we can _guarantee_ they don't already have - the "My Zombie Pinup Calendar 2010 - Where beauty eats BRAAAIIINNNNSSS," which is exactly what it sounds like; sexy undead girls in cute risque' outfits, published by good ol' local folks. (MyZombiePinUp.com, $19.99). The publisher's website says "We dug up the idea of the 1950's vintage pin-up calendar and hit it over the head with a shovel"!
*As I do every year, I'm recommending hardcover volumes of well-loved classics for your gift-giving pleasure. We've got nice hardcover editions of DUNE by Frank Herbert (Ace, $29.95), THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley (Del Rey, $30.00), THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman (Ballantine, $24.95), GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (William Morrow, $29.95), and many, many others.
*Ah, media! We've got lots of TWILIGHT and its successors by Stephanie Meyer, a nice box set of the first three books in the Percy Jackson series (the first book has just been made into an eponymous movie called THE LIGHTNING THIEF), and, of course, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak (Harper, Hardcover, $17.95) a timeless favorite. We also have the excellent new NightShade Books anthology IMPROBABLE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES edited by John Joseph Adams (Trade Paperback, $15.95), and, no, that's absolutely not meant to be Jude Law on the cover! We can represent the "Weird Tales" side of Holmes, too, with GASLIGHT GROTESQUE: NIGHTMARE TALES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES edited by J.R. Campbell and Charles Prepolec (EDGE, Trade Paperback, $16.95).
*Calendars
Speaking of calendars, we have lots of personal day calendars and wall calendars, with a theme for absolutely anyone: from fine art by Michael Parkes to Bunny Suicides, from Escher to Roald Dahl, from Giger to Breaking Bad News With Baby Animals, from Dr. Suess to Unicorns and oh-so-many more! Over 50 to choose from. Calendars range in price from $7.99 to $19.99.
*Rings
Everything from simple geometric designs to dragons, skulls, and scorpions. Rings range in price from $4.99 - $24.00.
*Edward Gorey
We have a wide array of Gorey merchandise in the store. A few examples include:
a) GOREY'S DRACULA: A TOY THEATRE (Pomegranate, $24.95) - Paper dolls for grownups, (or especially morbid children) based on Gorey's 1970's design for the staged "Dracula".
b) EDWARD GOREY: THE NEW POSTER BOOK (Pomegranate, Oversized Softcover, $19.95) - a collection of some of his most well known illustrations
c) The ever-popular and enduring GASHLYCRUMB TINIES (Harcourt, Small Hardcover, $10.00) - "A is for Amy, who fell down the stairs / B is for Basil, assaulted by bears. . ."
Additionally, we have all of the AMPHIGOREY collections and lots and lots of the individual books, including my all-time favorite, THE CURIOUS SOFA (Harcourt, Small Hardcover, $10.00) which claims to be "a pornographic work by Ogdred Weary" -- actually just suggestive and very funny and not pornographic at all.
*FAMOUS LAST WORDS: FOND FAREWELLS, DEATHBED DIATRIBES AND EXCLAMATIONS UPON EXPIRATION edited by Ray Robinson (Workman, Small Hardcover, $9.95) - This book puts famous last words and the last words of the famous into context. It runs the gamut from weird and irreverent to honestly touching.
*THE POP-UP BOOK OF PHOBIAS by Gary Greenberg and Balvis Rubess (William Morrow and Co., Oversized Hardcover, $29.95) - Guaranteed to get you out of baby-sitting for the rest of your life. We also carry THE POP-UP BOOK OF NIGHTMARES.
*Clocks
There are still some hand-made steampunk clocks (made with found wood and weird dials and, in one specially memorable case, an enormous flat hard drive and bits of church organ) from local Black Heart Industries left! For an extra special gift, or for the geek who has everything.
*Speaking of steampunk, it's everywhere now - steampunk is the new zombies! If you want to be right on top of the trend, pick up BONESHAKER by Cherie Priest (Tor, Trade Paperback, $15.99) LEVIATHAN by Scott Westerfeld (Simon Pulse, Hardcover, $19.99), BOILERPLATE: HISTORY'S MECHANICAL MARVEL by Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett (Abrams, Oversized Hardcover, $24.95), MAINSPRING by Jay Lake (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99), SOULLESS by Gail Carriger (Orbit, Mass Market, $7.99) or the original STEAMPUNK anthology edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95).
*Imported wooden boxes
Sizes range from a deck of cards up to small chests with designs including Celtic knots, metalwork, and pentacles. Recommended for almost anyone. Prices range from $5.00 to $48.00)
*XKCD book by Randall Munroe (breadpig, Other Softcover, $18.00) -
Good not only for fans of the comic, but for newcomers as well. This book includes extra doodlings and ponderings of the author alongside the mouse-over text from the website.
*Postcards
Tired of glitter-encrusted snowmen and trees? Try writing your Christmas missive on one of these awesome sci-fi postcards. Taken from retro covers of magazines and pulp novels, perennial favorites include "The Gods Hate Kansas" and "Sin In Space"! $1 each.
*THE BLADE ITSELF by Joe Abercrombie (Pyr, Trade Paperback, $15.98) - Are you (or someone dear to you) frustrated with waiting for the next SONG OF ICE AND FIRE book? Do you (or they) like fantasy hugely bloody, with a thread of dark humor? This is our recommendation; a trilogy that's actually finished, with an additional book (BEST SERVED COLD, the start of a new series) that stands just fine on its own and is one of my favorite titles from 2009.
*AMERICAN FANTASTIC TALES edited by Peter Straub) (Library of America, 2 hardcover volumes in slipcase, $70.00) - From the Library of America website: "From its beginning, American literature teems with tales of horror, hauntings, terrifying obsessions and gruesome incursions, of the uncanny ways in which ordinary reality can be breached and subverted by the unknown and the irrational. In the tales of Poe, and Hawthorne, and their literary successors, the bright prospects of the New World face an uneasy reckoning with the forces of darkness. As this pathbreaking two-volume anthology demonstrates, it is a tradition with many unexpected detours and hidden chambers, and one that continues to evolve, finding new forms and new themes." I strongly recommend this amazing (and gorgeously packaged) collection. One volume covers "From Poe to the Pulps" and the other covers "The 1940's Until Now".
And, as always, we're glad to help make suggestions, and we have gift certificates if you're just not sure. We can also arrange for gift credits -- essentially gift certificates that you can give to out-of-town folks to be used for mail orders -- if some of the genre fans in your life live remotely.
Happy holidays to you, from all of us!
December 01, 2007
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!
December 01, 2005
The 2005 Gift Guide
Since it's That Time of Year Again, here is a quick, opinionated sampling of neat items we at Borderlands think you should give to other people or pick up for yourself. We have far, far too many interesting choices to list all of them, so stop by, have a complimentary cup of coffee, tea or cocoa and browse at your leisure! We will also quite cheerfully gift wrap for you free of charge, though we readily admit that some employees are better at it than others. (Some packages may have a Lovecraftian quality, and be "of no human shape." You have been warned.)
December 01, 2004
The 2004 Gift Guide
Here are some gift ideas from the Borderlands staff. Each suggestion starts with the type of reader and is followed by one (or more) titles that they might like. If these don't do it for you, we're happy to make more suggestions - just tell us about the person you're shopping for. Can't decide? We have gift certificates available in any amount. Gift wrapping is available, and we can ship almost anywhere in the world. Enjoy!
Fantasy reader who's waiting for the next George R.R. Martin book - GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erickson (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95)
Cutting edge SF geek - SINGULARITY SKY (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99) and / or the stand alone sequel IRON SUNRISE (Ace, Hardcover, $23.95) by Charley Stross
Literary fantasy reader - THE KNIGHT (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) and THE WIZARD (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) by Gene Wolfe
High-brow horror reader - IN THE NIGHT ROOM (Random House, Hardcover, $21.95) by Peter Straub
Low-brow horror reader - THE RISING (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99) by Brian Keene
Lover of classic fantasy - THE COMING OF CONAN THE CIMMERIAN (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $14.95) and THE BLOODY CROWN OF CONAN by Robert E. Howard (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $15.95)
Lover of classic SF - THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME VOLUME TWO A (Tor, Hardcover, $29.95) edited by Ben Bova
Ghost Story fan - GREAT GHOST STORIES - TALES OF MYSTERY AND MADNESS either in softcover (Carroll & Graf, Trade Paperback, $12.95) or hardcover (Cemetery Dance, Hardcover, $40.00)
Anyone who needs a great book - HAWKES HARBOR (Tor, Hardcover, $21.95)
Plus we have lots of lovely journals and blank books, wooden boxes, DVDs, and other gifts.
Fantasy reader who's waiting for the next George R.R. Martin book - GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erickson (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95)
Cutting edge SF geek - SINGULARITY SKY (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99) and / or the stand alone sequel IRON SUNRISE (Ace, Hardcover, $23.95) by Charley Stross
Literary fantasy reader - THE KNIGHT (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) and THE WIZARD (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) by Gene Wolfe
High-brow horror reader - IN THE NIGHT ROOM (Random House, Hardcover, $21.95) by Peter Straub
Low-brow horror reader - THE RISING (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99) by Brian Keene
Lover of classic fantasy - THE COMING OF CONAN THE CIMMERIAN (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $14.95) and THE BLOODY CROWN OF CONAN by Robert E. Howard (Del Rey, Trade Paperback, $15.95)
Lover of classic SF - THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME VOLUME TWO A (Tor, Hardcover, $29.95) edited by Ben Bova
Ghost Story fan - GREAT GHOST STORIES - TALES OF MYSTERY AND MADNESS either in softcover (Carroll & Graf, Trade Paperback, $12.95) or hardcover (Cemetery Dance, Hardcover, $40.00)
Anyone who needs a great book - HAWKES HARBOR (Tor, Hardcover, $21.95)
Plus we have lots of lovely journals and blank books, wooden boxes, DVDs, and other gifts.
December 01, 2003
The 2003 Gift Guide
Here are some gift ideas from the Borderlands staff. If these don't do it for you, we're happy to make more gift suggestions - just let us know who you're shopping for. Can't decide? We have gift certificates available in any amount. Gift wrapping is available, and we can ship almost anywhere in the world. Enjoy!
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