by Jeremy Lassen
Hello to all you movie fans out there. Sorry I missed you last month. There’s a couple of months worth of DVD’s to get caught up on, and a few specific things I want to point out to you.
First up, if you were anywhere in the US in June, the 6.6.06 ad campaign for the new Omen remake was everywhere. Oddly enough, just as that cynical exercise in numerology was in the theaters, the original Omen was nowhere to be found on video store shelves. The studios, in their infinite wisdom re-released a “special edition” version of the classic movie, and of course, it didn’t come out until June 26th, so when everyone was scrambling around to get a copy of the original, it wasn’t anywhere to be found. I don’t know if this so that people couldn’t compare the turgid remake to the original, or if they simply didn’t realize that when remakes come out, sizable number of people beat the bush looking for the original. Anyway, the original Omen movie was a classic of the horror genre, and an incredibly good piece of film making, with an A-list cast, and a score that is absolutely brilliant. If you haven’t seen it in a while, be sure to check out the new Special Edition DVD, which is available now.
July 01, 2006
June Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
3) Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
4) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
5) The Clan Corporate by Charles Stross
6) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
7) Giant Lizards From Another Star by Ken MacLeod (NESFA)
8) Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9) Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton
10) Conflagration by Mick Farren
tie
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) Accelerando by Charles Stross
3) Child of a Rainless Year by Jane Lindskold
4) Mammoth by John Varley
5) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
6) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
7) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
8) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) A Princess of Roumania by Paul Parks
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) Maul by Tricia Sullivan
4) Shadow at the Bottom of the World by Thomas Ligotti
5) Chains That You Refuse by Elizabeth Bear
tie
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
1) Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
2) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
3) Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
4) Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
5) The Clan Corporate by Charles Stross
6) Glasshouse by Charles Stross
7) Giant Lizards From Another Star by Ken MacLeod (NESFA)
8) Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9) Danse Macabre by Laurell K. Hamilton
10) Conflagration by Mick Farren
tie
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Paperbacks
1) A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
2) Accelerando by Charles Stross
3) Child of a Rainless Year by Jane Lindskold
4) Mammoth by John Varley
5) The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
6) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
7) Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds
8) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
9) Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
10) A Princess of Roumania by Paul Parks
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Prador Moon by Neal Asher
3) Maul by Tricia Sullivan
4) Shadow at the Bottom of the World by Thomas Ligotti
5) Chains That You Refuse by Elizabeth Bear
tie
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
June 01, 2006
May Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) PLUCKER by Brom
2) COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO by John Picacio (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
4) RAINBOW'S END by Vernor Vinge
5) THE CLAN CORPORATE by Charles Stross
6) FIREBIRDS RISING edited by Sharyn November
7) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
8) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
9) BLOODSTAINED OZ by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore
10) SNAKE MOON by Ray Manzerek (NightShade Books)
Paperbacks
1) CONQUEROR WORMS by Brian Keene
2) THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
3) BRASS MAN by Neal Asher (UK Import)
4) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
5) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
6) THE FAMILY TRADE by Charles Stross
7) THRONE OF JADE by Naomi Novik
8) DEAD BEAT by Jim Butcher
9) GRIDLINKED by Neal Asher
10) LOST AND FOUND by Alan Dean Foster
Trade Paperbacks
1) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
2) THE MAN FROM THE DIOGENES CLUB by Kim Newman (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE JAMES TIPTREE AWARD ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy, Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey D. Smith (Tachyon Publications)
4) MAUL by Tricia Sullivan (Nightshade Books) tied with ON STRANGER TIDES by Tim Powers
5) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
1) PLUCKER by Brom
2) COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO by John Picacio (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
4) RAINBOW'S END by Vernor Vinge
5) THE CLAN CORPORATE by Charles Stross
6) FIREBIRDS RISING edited by Sharyn November
7) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
8) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
9) BLOODSTAINED OZ by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore
10) SNAKE MOON by Ray Manzerek (NightShade Books)
Paperbacks
1) CONQUEROR WORMS by Brian Keene
2) THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
3) BRASS MAN by Neal Asher (UK Import)
4) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
5) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
6) THE FAMILY TRADE by Charles Stross
7) THRONE OF JADE by Naomi Novik
8) DEAD BEAT by Jim Butcher
9) GRIDLINKED by Neal Asher
10) LOST AND FOUND by Alan Dean Foster
Trade Paperbacks
1) THE RING by Koji Suzuki
2) THE MAN FROM THE DIOGENES CLUB by Kim Newman (MonkeyBrain Books)
3) THE JAMES TIPTREE AWARD ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy, Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey D. Smith (Tachyon Publications)
4) MAUL by Tricia Sullivan (Nightshade Books) tied with ON STRANGER TIDES by Tim Powers
5) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson
Overheard at The World Horror Convention
This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things. The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition. This issue we thought we'd share some highlights from this year's World Horror Convention and Baycon. Thanks to Rina Elson for her sharp ears:
"They changed my dosage, so I can't do that anymore."
"I don't think the alcohol is really affecting me, although I AM pretty talkative!"
"Who the hell are you people, and how do you know me?"
"You know you're at a Horror Convention when you ask the bartender for a knife and he says 'Who you gonna kill?'"
"The Art Show was. . .cat-heavy."
"You have them in your brain, you have them in your ears, and you have them on Old-Fashioned donuts."
"Sweetheart, at some point it ceases to be a dress and becomes a shirt."
The best t-shirt was:
"Morale will decline until the floggings improve." (in response to the Uber-common "The floggings will continue until morale improves.")
And the worst t-shirt was:
"I [Heart] Hot Moms"
"They changed my dosage, so I can't do that anymore."
"I don't think the alcohol is really affecting me, although I AM pretty talkative!"
"Who the hell are you people, and how do you know me?"
"You know you're at a Horror Convention when you ask the bartender for a knife and he says 'Who you gonna kill?'"
"The Art Show was. . .cat-heavy."
"You have them in your brain, you have them in your ears, and you have them on Old-Fashioned donuts."
"Sweetheart, at some point it ceases to be a dress and becomes a shirt."
The best t-shirt was:
"Morale will decline until the floggings improve." (in response to the Uber-common "The floggings will continue until morale improves.")
And the worst t-shirt was:
"I [Heart] Hot Moms"
May 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
It’s a busy month at Borderlands, with World Horror swinging into town. Koji Suzuki is one of the Guests of Honor. . . so be sure to check out the original Ringu, Ringu 2, and Ringu 0 movies, which were based on his novels. The Ringu Anthology has all three films in one package.
Other Asian horror films that should not be missed: the Korean horror trilogy is now complete: Whispering Corridors, Memento Mori, and Wishing Stairs are all out on DVD in the States; three movies concerning a cursed boarding school. Creepy, ghostly, and filled with nasty murders. Excellent stuff.
Moving back to Japan, the director of The Grudge tackles a reversal of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider, in the movie Marebito.
Touching on some Italian horror. . . be sure to check out Dario Argento’s The Card Player. . .his most recent Giallo flick, and stack it up against his first movie, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, which recently had a super-califragalistic-extra-special DVD release. If Argento doesn’t do it for you, be sure to check out some Fulci and Bava films!
And if you want to take it back to the old school, be sure to check out Robert Wise’s classic haunted house movie, The Haunting, based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. This was an excellent, bigger budget, bigger cast homage to his early work with Val Lewton.
Another Lewton alumnus, Jacques Tourneur, turned in a Lewton throwback in 1957: Night of the Demon, (AKA Curse of the Demon) which was an adaptation of M. R. James’s “Casting the Runes.” The DVD features both the original British version of the film (Night of the Demon), and the shorter US version, (Curse of the Demon). Very effective, and highly underrated.
We are starting to carry more anime in our DVD section, as well. In addition to all the Miazaki films, we are carrying a wide selection of feature-length movies and TV material. One Hentai-ish horror feature from the producers of Legend of the Overfiend is Mystery of the Necronomicon. Not many tentacles in this one, and the Lovecraft connections are tenuous at best, but there is some over-the-top sex, and lots of murders, and some eyeball scooping. Silly fun.
Another, less risqué anime title is Le Portrait De Petite Cossette, which is a surreal little story of the ghost of a girl trapped in an antique crystal goblet, who can be seen by the young proprietor of an antique store, who inevitably becomes obsessed with her. Strange things ensue. This one was weirdly haunting.
We are slowly expanding our anime section, with an emphasis on quality over quantity, and also with an emphasis on original video animations and feature-length movies. If you have any suggestions of anime titles that we should be stocking, or that I should be watching, please drop me a line.
Until next month (which I hope proves to be much less hectic then this month), keep flipping those disks.
It’s a busy month at Borderlands, with World Horror swinging into town. Koji Suzuki is one of the Guests of Honor. . . so be sure to check out the original Ringu, Ringu 2, and Ringu 0 movies, which were based on his novels. The Ringu Anthology has all three films in one package.
Other Asian horror films that should not be missed: the Korean horror trilogy is now complete: Whispering Corridors, Memento Mori, and Wishing Stairs are all out on DVD in the States; three movies concerning a cursed boarding school. Creepy, ghostly, and filled with nasty murders. Excellent stuff.
Moving back to Japan, the director of The Grudge tackles a reversal of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider, in the movie Marebito.
Touching on some Italian horror. . . be sure to check out Dario Argento’s The Card Player. . .his most recent Giallo flick, and stack it up against his first movie, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, which recently had a super-califragalistic-extra-special DVD release. If Argento doesn’t do it for you, be sure to check out some Fulci and Bava films!
And if you want to take it back to the old school, be sure to check out Robert Wise’s classic haunted house movie, The Haunting, based on Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. This was an excellent, bigger budget, bigger cast homage to his early work with Val Lewton.
Another Lewton alumnus, Jacques Tourneur, turned in a Lewton throwback in 1957: Night of the Demon, (AKA Curse of the Demon) which was an adaptation of M. R. James’s “Casting the Runes.” The DVD features both the original British version of the film (Night of the Demon), and the shorter US version, (Curse of the Demon). Very effective, and highly underrated.
We are starting to carry more anime in our DVD section, as well. In addition to all the Miazaki films, we are carrying a wide selection of feature-length movies and TV material. One Hentai-ish horror feature from the producers of Legend of the Overfiend is Mystery of the Necronomicon. Not many tentacles in this one, and the Lovecraft connections are tenuous at best, but there is some over-the-top sex, and lots of murders, and some eyeball scooping. Silly fun.
Another, less risqué anime title is Le Portrait De Petite Cossette, which is a surreal little story of the ghost of a girl trapped in an antique crystal goblet, who can be seen by the young proprietor of an antique store, who inevitably becomes obsessed with her. Strange things ensue. This one was weirdly haunting.
We are slowly expanding our anime section, with an emphasis on quality over quantity, and also with an emphasis on original video animations and feature-length movies. If you have any suggestions of anime titles that we should be stocking, or that I should be watching, please drop me a line.
Until next month (which I hope proves to be much less hectic then this month), keep flipping those disks.
April Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November
3) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
4) The Voyage of the Sable Keech by Neal Asher (UK Import)
5) Pretender by C.J. Cherryh
6) Dance of Time by David Drake and Eric Flint
7) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
8) 1634: The Ram Rebellion by Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce
9) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds (UK Import)
10) Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Paperbacks
1) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
2) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
5) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
6) Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card
7) Cusp by Robert A. Metzger
8) Cowl by Neal Asher
9) Dates From Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong and Lori Handeland
10) Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Earthcore by Scott Sigler
3) The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
4) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
5) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Firebirds Rising edited by Sharyn November
3) A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
4) The Voyage of the Sable Keech by Neal Asher (UK Import)
5) Pretender by C.J. Cherryh
6) Dance of Time by David Drake and Eric Flint
7) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
8) 1634: The Ram Rebellion by Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce
9) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds (UK Import)
10) Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
Paperbacks
1) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
2) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
5) Brass Man by Neal Asher (UK Import)
6) Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card
7) Cusp by Robert A. Metzger
8) Cowl by Neal Asher
9) Dates From Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong and Lori Handeland
10) Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Bonehunters by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) Earthcore by Scott Sigler
3) The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
4) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
5) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
April 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Heads up, animation fans. Last year's kick-ass fantasy extravaganza, Howl's Moving Castle, (directed by Hayao Miyazaki and based on the Diana Wynne Jones novel of the same name) is now out on DVD. I highly recommend this one. Also available on DVD in the States for the first time is My Neighbor Totoro. Totoro is widely regarded as Miyazaki's best film. and if you've enjoyed any of his other films, you should check this one out.
If you have already gotten a look at MirrorMask (which I mentioned last month), and want to sample some other movies that Neil Gaiman wrote or adapted for the screen, be sure to check out Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, which was adapted to English by Neil. The Miramax DVD features English language subtitles, and a passable English language dub, both based on Gaiman's script. Also available on DVD is one of the first items that Gaiman wrote for the screen, Neverwhere, which actually started out as a screenplay for the BBC miniseries, and was later adapted into the novel of the same name.
Once you've put yourself in the mood for some BBC miniseries action, you should definitely check out their adaptation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, which, given the dense and un-cinematic nature of the original prose, is better then anybody could have hoped for; in fact, it's quite good.
Just as last month brought you the interesting failure that was Dune, the extended edition, this month brings us Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist. Some of you may have seen, or heard about The Exorcist: The Beginning, which was also a prequel to the Exorcist. This movie wasn't very good. It wasn't mind-numbingly awful, like the first sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic. It just wasn't very GOOD. Well, actually, yeah, it WAS pretty bad.
Of course, like many Hollywood franchises, behind the Exorcist prequel was a long-running fight between the studio and the movie's original director, Paul "Taxi Driver" Shrader. This fight got so bad that when Schrader turned in his version of the movie, the studio rejected it outright, and hired a new director (Renny "Deep Blue Sea" Harlin) to come in and shoot an almost entirely different movie, with only about 20% of the Renny movie coming from Shrader's shooting.
People have been talking about the "Paul Shrader Cut" of this movie for some time. . . Long before the actually-released movie hit the theaters, the internet was filled with rumors of how much better The Shrader cut was. Internet fanboys around the world hoped that the DVD would have both versions of the movie, but last year they were disappointed. Now, however, the studio has relented and quietly released Paul Shrader's Exorcist prequel as a separate DVD, with the title "Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist". The DVD features commentary by Shrader, which is a little dry at points, but also filled with some juicy details. And while Dominion is no Taxi Driver, or Raging Bull, it is a pretty damn good movie -- much better then, say, the actual Exorcist prequel.
If my descriptions of the different versions of The Exorcist Prequels seem a bit convoluted (or at least a bit intriguing) I recommend you take a look at an interview that The Guardian UK did with Shrader at ( http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1175811,00.html)
Until next month. . . .
Heads up, animation fans. Last year's kick-ass fantasy extravaganza, Howl's Moving Castle, (directed by Hayao Miyazaki and based on the Diana Wynne Jones novel of the same name) is now out on DVD. I highly recommend this one. Also available on DVD in the States for the first time is My Neighbor Totoro. Totoro is widely regarded as Miyazaki's best film. and if you've enjoyed any of his other films, you should check this one out.
If you have already gotten a look at MirrorMask (which I mentioned last month), and want to sample some other movies that Neil Gaiman wrote or adapted for the screen, be sure to check out Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke, which was adapted to English by Neil. The Miramax DVD features English language subtitles, and a passable English language dub, both based on Gaiman's script. Also available on DVD is one of the first items that Gaiman wrote for the screen, Neverwhere, which actually started out as a screenplay for the BBC miniseries, and was later adapted into the novel of the same name.
Once you've put yourself in the mood for some BBC miniseries action, you should definitely check out their adaptation of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, which, given the dense and un-cinematic nature of the original prose, is better then anybody could have hoped for; in fact, it's quite good.
Just as last month brought you the interesting failure that was Dune, the extended edition, this month brings us Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist. Some of you may have seen, or heard about The Exorcist: The Beginning, which was also a prequel to the Exorcist. This movie wasn't very good. It wasn't mind-numbingly awful, like the first sequel, Exorcist II: The Heretic. It just wasn't very GOOD. Well, actually, yeah, it WAS pretty bad.
Of course, like many Hollywood franchises, behind the Exorcist prequel was a long-running fight between the studio and the movie's original director, Paul "Taxi Driver" Shrader. This fight got so bad that when Schrader turned in his version of the movie, the studio rejected it outright, and hired a new director (Renny "Deep Blue Sea" Harlin) to come in and shoot an almost entirely different movie, with only about 20% of the Renny movie coming from Shrader's shooting.
People have been talking about the "Paul Shrader Cut" of this movie for some time. . . Long before the actually-released movie hit the theaters, the internet was filled with rumors of how much better The Shrader cut was. Internet fanboys around the world hoped that the DVD would have both versions of the movie, but last year they were disappointed. Now, however, the studio has relented and quietly released Paul Shrader's Exorcist prequel as a separate DVD, with the title "Dominion: The Prequel to the Exorcist". The DVD features commentary by Shrader, which is a little dry at points, but also filled with some juicy details. And while Dominion is no Taxi Driver, or Raging Bull, it is a pretty damn good movie -- much better then, say, the actual Exorcist prequel.
If my descriptions of the different versions of The Exorcist Prequels seem a bit convoluted (or at least a bit intriguing) I recommend you take a look at an interview that The Guardian UK did with Shrader at ( http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1175811,00.html)
Until next month. . . .
March Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
3) A DIRTY JOB by Christopher Moore
4) GHOST BRIGADES by John Scalzi
5) ACCELERANDO by Charles Stross
6) MAGIC LESSONS by Justine Larbalestier
7) PRETENDER by C.J. Cherryh
8) COMPANY by Max Barry
9) MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS by Kelly Link
10) VENGEANCE OF ROME by Michael Moorcock (UK Import)
Paperbacks
1) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
2) SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson
3) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
4) NIGHTLIFE by Rob Thurman
5) SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH by Simon R. Green
6) SHADOW OF THE GIANT by Orson Scott Card
7) CUSP by Robert A. Metzger
8) ALECTOR'S CHOICE by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
9) DATES FROM HELL by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland
10) MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn
Trade Paperbacks
1) BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore
3) VISIONARY IN RESIDENCE by Bruce Sterling
4) SO YESTERDAY by Scott Westerfeld
1) THE BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) THE VOYAGE OF THE SABLE KEECH by Neal Asher (UK Import)
3) A DIRTY JOB by Christopher Moore
4) GHOST BRIGADES by John Scalzi
5) ACCELERANDO by Charles Stross
6) MAGIC LESSONS by Justine Larbalestier
7) PRETENDER by C.J. Cherryh
8) COMPANY by Max Barry
9) MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS by Kelly Link
10) VENGEANCE OF ROME by Michael Moorcock (UK Import)
Paperbacks
1) GARDENS OF THE MOON by Steven Erikson
2) SPIN by Robert Charles Wilson
3) ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
4) NIGHTLIFE by Rob Thurman
5) SHARPER THAN A SERPENT'S TOOTH by Simon R. Green
6) SHADOW OF THE GIANT by Orson Scott Card
7) CUSP by Robert A. Metzger
8) ALECTOR'S CHOICE by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
9) DATES FROM HELL by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong, and Lori Handeland
10) MYSTIC AND RIDER by Sharon Shinn
Trade Paperbacks
1) BONEHUNTERS by Steven Erikson (UK Import)
2) V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore
3) VISIONARY IN RESIDENCE by Bruce Sterling
4) SO YESTERDAY by Scott Westerfeld
Good-Bye ABE, Hello Biblio
by Alan Beatts
The ability to sell books on-line is pretty important for book stores, especially specialty stores like Borderlands. Not only does it bring in extra money but it also lets people know that we exist and it allows us to buy more obscure books because we have access to a worldwide market, not just our (very well loved, believe me) local customers. For a small business there are really only two options for selling on-line: we can either spend a great deal of time and money to set up a full e-commerce section at our web site or we can use one of the on-line book listing services. Almost since the day we opened, we've been going with the second of these choices. In that time we've only used one company, not only because I feel a great deal of loyalty to companies that give us good service but also for years there has been a hands-down winner in terms of selection, service, and reliability.
For years we've been listing our books on-line at a site called abe.com. In fact, we've been listing there so long we still call it by the original name - The Advanced Book Exchange - in unguarded moments. For a very long time, ABE gave us wonderful service at a fair price. Their sellers were probably the finest in the used book field and we used to recommend the site to all our customers.
However, in 2002 or thereabouts, things started changing. The company was sold, or went public, or some damn thing, and all of a sudden ABE started trying to make more money. In itself, I think that's a great goal. It's what we do here at the store. The problem is that the way they went at it was to start soaking their sellers (us) and their buyers (you) for more money instead of trying to grow their business. Granted, there were a few attempts to start an advertising campaign in the beginning, but it was a pretty weak attempt (how many of you have ever seen an ad for ABE?).
The ability to sell books on-line is pretty important for book stores, especially specialty stores like Borderlands. Not only does it bring in extra money but it also lets people know that we exist and it allows us to buy more obscure books because we have access to a worldwide market, not just our (very well loved, believe me) local customers. For a small business there are really only two options for selling on-line: we can either spend a great deal of time and money to set up a full e-commerce section at our web site or we can use one of the on-line book listing services. Almost since the day we opened, we've been going with the second of these choices. In that time we've only used one company, not only because I feel a great deal of loyalty to companies that give us good service but also for years there has been a hands-down winner in terms of selection, service, and reliability.
For years we've been listing our books on-line at a site called abe.com. In fact, we've been listing there so long we still call it by the original name - The Advanced Book Exchange - in unguarded moments. For a very long time, ABE gave us wonderful service at a fair price. Their sellers were probably the finest in the used book field and we used to recommend the site to all our customers.
However, in 2002 or thereabouts, things started changing. The company was sold, or went public, or some damn thing, and all of a sudden ABE started trying to make more money. In itself, I think that's a great goal. It's what we do here at the store. The problem is that the way they went at it was to start soaking their sellers (us) and their buyers (you) for more money instead of trying to grow their business. Granted, there were a few attempts to start an advertising campaign in the beginning, but it was a pretty weak attempt (how many of you have ever seen an ad for ABE?).
Psychic Readers' Corner, and An Invitation
by Jude Feldman
Book buyers frequently come in, embarrassed because they cannot remember the author or the title of the book they are seeking. Speaking only for myself, I love these situations -- it is like an updated version of the old game show "What's My Line?" And when you can guess correctly. . .oh, the job satisfaction! The following are just a few actual examples of the hundreds of successful Psychic Bookseller Moments that have occurred at Borderlands Books, where our book sellers correctly guessed the title in one try, using only the vaguest of clues:
Q: "I'm looking for this book that is about a river."
A: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer.
Q: "This author sort of writes about religion."
A: James Morrow
Book buyers frequently come in, embarrassed because they cannot remember the author or the title of the book they are seeking. Speaking only for myself, I love these situations -- it is like an updated version of the old game show "What's My Line?" And when you can guess correctly. . .oh, the job satisfaction! The following are just a few actual examples of the hundreds of successful Psychic Bookseller Moments that have occurred at Borderlands Books, where our book sellers correctly guessed the title in one try, using only the vaguest of clues:
Q: "I'm looking for this book that is about a river."
A: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer.
Q: "This author sort of writes about religion."
A: James Morrow
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)