by Alan Beatts
A few months ago I was chatting with some friends about those series where one should just stop part-way through. It's not surprising that this happens to some sequences of novels. Most fiction work is subject to "Jumping the Shark," whether it be novel series, television programs, or movie franchises. (As an aside, that term was coined about the old TV show, "Happy Days," about which there is almost universal agreement that the point when the show became unwatchable was when one of the major characters actually jumped a shark . . . while on water skies . . . wearing, fer' gods' sake, a leather jacket and shorts).
What surprised me was the almost universal agreement among those present (which included two editors, two publishers, three booksellers, and several readers). For your amusement let me present some of our conclusions.
November 01, 2008
Overheard at The World Fantasy Convention
This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things. The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition. In this issue we share the newest "overheards" from the World Fantasy Convention in Calgary. Thanks to Alan Beatts and Rina Weisman for their help in collecting quotes.
"Facebook is, like, mostly for 15-year-olds who can't talk to each other but really want to mate."
"The fake fur covers on the manuscript were a dead giveaway."
"'Crazy' is the new black."
"No, really, you're very entertaining when you're drunk."
"My theme for the con was 'Get Therapy!'"
"I saw the Moody Blues recently. All of those chubby sixty-something year-old hippies smoking pot were kind of depressing."
"Yeah, and then there was the audience!"
"But freeloading is a lot of fun."
"I had to drive 30 miles to find a coffee shop to write in! Every Starbucks between the Pacific Ocean and the [Interstate] 5 Freeway is packed full of screenwriters."
"THE LOVELY BONES is the feel-good rape/murder novel of the year."
"Facebook is, like, mostly for 15-year-olds who can't talk to each other but really want to mate."
"The fake fur covers on the manuscript were a dead giveaway."
"'Crazy' is the new black."
"No, really, you're very entertaining when you're drunk."
"My theme for the con was 'Get Therapy!'"
"I saw the Moody Blues recently. All of those chubby sixty-something year-old hippies smoking pot were kind of depressing."
"Yeah, and then there was the audience!"
"But freeloading is a lot of fun."
"I had to drive 30 miles to find a coffee shop to write in! Every Starbucks between the Pacific Ocean and the [Interstate] 5 Freeway is packed full of screenwriters."
"THE LOVELY BONES is the feel-good rape/murder novel of the year."
October 01, 2008
Notes From A DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Happy October, horror fans. This is the month in which all of the good, bad and indifferent horror movies come out on DVD. Luckily, I’m here to point out the good stuff.
Before we get started with the horror movies, I wanted to point out one of the more interesting anime shows I’ve run across. . . a post-apocalyptic steampunk adventure in a world were androids and humans live side by side: "Ergo Proxy". This one went 24 episodes, and is worth checking out, now that it's available as a single box set DVD release. The director of "Ergo Proxy" is the director who brought us the 2003 series "Witch Hunter Robin". If you haven’t seen either of these, you might want to check them out.
Happy October, horror fans. This is the month in which all of the good, bad and indifferent horror movies come out on DVD. Luckily, I’m here to point out the good stuff.
Before we get started with the horror movies, I wanted to point out one of the more interesting anime shows I’ve run across. . . a post-apocalyptic steampunk adventure in a world were androids and humans live side by side: "Ergo Proxy". This one went 24 episodes, and is worth checking out, now that it's available as a single box set DVD release. The director of "Ergo Proxy" is the director who brought us the 2003 series "Witch Hunter Robin". If you haven’t seen either of these, you might want to check them out.
September Bestsellers
Hardcover:
1) Anathem by Neal Stephenson
2) Paul of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
3) Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
4) The Steel Remains (UK) by Rickard K. Morgan
5) The Scourge of God by S.M. Stirling
6) Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
7) Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
8) Return of the Crimson Guard (UK) by Ian Cameron Esslemont
9) The Night Sessions (UK) by Ken MacLeod
10) An Evil Guest by Gene Wolfe
Mass Market:
1) The Sunrise Lands by S.M. Stirling
2) Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
3) Night of Knives (UK) by Ian Cameron Esslemont
4) Debatable Space by Philip Palmer
5) Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
6) Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
7) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
8) Halting State by Charles Stross
9) Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre
10) Acacia by David Anthony Durham
Trade Paperback:
1) The Living Dead edited by John Joseph Adams
2) Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
3) World War Z by Max Brooks tie with
Content by Cory Doctorow
4) Blindsight by Peter Watts
5) Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
1) Anathem by Neal Stephenson
2) Paul of Dune by Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert
3) Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
4) The Steel Remains (UK) by Rickard K. Morgan
5) The Scourge of God by S.M. Stirling
6) Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
7) Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
8) Return of the Crimson Guard (UK) by Ian Cameron Esslemont
9) The Night Sessions (UK) by Ken MacLeod
10) An Evil Guest by Gene Wolfe
Mass Market:
1) The Sunrise Lands by S.M. Stirling
2) Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
3) Night of Knives (UK) by Ian Cameron Esslemont
4) Debatable Space by Philip Palmer
5) Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
6) Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
7) The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
8) Halting State by Charles Stross
9) Wanderlust by Ann Aguirre
10) Acacia by David Anthony Durham
Trade Paperback:
1) The Living Dead edited by John Joseph Adams
2) Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
3) World War Z by Max Brooks tie with
Content by Cory Doctorow
4) Blindsight by Peter Watts
5) Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
September 01, 2008
Notes From A DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
Hey everyone. I’m going to totally put on my film geek hat for this one.
First up, I want to talk about Orson Welles. Most might not think of him when they think of SF and fantasy, but Welles was all about the SF and fantasy, and not just in a Shakespearian sort of way. Of course the most famous thing Welles did was his Mecury Theater War of the Worlds broadcast. I’m sure most of you have heard it, or have heard bits sampled from it. It’s quite the awesome piece of writing and radio production and well worth checking out.
Hey everyone. I’m going to totally put on my film geek hat for this one.
First up, I want to talk about Orson Welles. Most might not think of him when they think of SF and fantasy, but Welles was all about the SF and fantasy, and not just in a Shakespearian sort of way. Of course the most famous thing Welles did was his Mecury Theater War of the Worlds broadcast. I’m sure most of you have heard it, or have heard bits sampled from it. It’s quite the awesome piece of writing and radio production and well worth checking out.
August Bestsellers
Hardcover:
1. LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow
2. BY SCHISM RENT ASUNDER by David Weber
3. THE CITY AT THE END OF TIME by Greg Bear
4. TOLL THE HOUNDS by Steven Erikson
5. ZOE'S TALE by John Scalzi
6. PIRATE SUN by Karl Schroeder
7. VICTORY OF EAGLES by Naomi Novik
8. IMPLIED SPACES by Walter John Williams
9. JHEGAALA by Steven Brust
10. BREAKING DAWN by Stephanie Meyer
tie with
THE LAST CENTURION by John Ringo
Mass Market:
1. PLAGUE WAR by Jeff Carlson
2. THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi
3. RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES by Scott Lynch
4. ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
5. THE ACCIDENTAL TIME MACHINE by Joe Haldeman
6. COMPANION TO WOLVES by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette
7. CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
8. THE GOOD FAIRIES OF NEW YORK by Martin Millar
9. THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
10. GALE FORCE - WEATHER WARDEN VOL. 5 by Rachel Caine
tie with
MAINSPRING by Jay lake
Trade Paperback:
1. HEROES ARISE by Laurel Anne Hill
2. BARREN WORLDS edited by Eric T. Reynolds, Adam Nakama, and Rob Darnell
3. LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS by Joe Abercrombie
4. CROOKED LITTLE VEIN by Warren Ellis
tie with
MIRRORED HEAVENS by David J. Williams
5. THE LIVING DEAD edited by John Joesph Adams
1. LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow
2. BY SCHISM RENT ASUNDER by David Weber
3. THE CITY AT THE END OF TIME by Greg Bear
4. TOLL THE HOUNDS by Steven Erikson
5. ZOE'S TALE by John Scalzi
6. PIRATE SUN by Karl Schroeder
7. VICTORY OF EAGLES by Naomi Novik
8. IMPLIED SPACES by Walter John Williams
9. JHEGAALA by Steven Brust
10. BREAKING DAWN by Stephanie Meyer
tie with
THE LAST CENTURION by John Ringo
Mass Market:
1. PLAGUE WAR by Jeff Carlson
2. THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi
3. RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES by Scott Lynch
4. ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
5. THE ACCIDENTAL TIME MACHINE by Joe Haldeman
6. COMPANION TO WOLVES by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette
7. CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
8. THE GOOD FAIRIES OF NEW YORK by Martin Millar
9. THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
10. GALE FORCE - WEATHER WARDEN VOL. 5 by Rachel Caine
tie with
MAINSPRING by Jay lake
Trade Paperback:
1. HEROES ARISE by Laurel Anne Hill
2. BARREN WORLDS edited by Eric T. Reynolds, Adam Nakama, and Rob Darnell
3. LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS by Joe Abercrombie
4. CROOKED LITTLE VEIN by Warren Ellis
tie with
MIRRORED HEAVENS by David J. Williams
5. THE LIVING DEAD edited by John Joesph Adams
How We Love and How We Hate
by Alan Beatts
Ten Things that Customers Do that We Love
and
Five Things We Hate
We love it when a customer --
Tells us how much they like the store.
Lets us know when we suggested a book that they loved.
Brings their family and out of town visitors to see the store.
Writes nice things about us on Yelp.
Comes up the the counter and says, "Can you help me find a book? I don't remember the author or the title but it was about . . . ."
Makes sure we hear about a new author or book that we should have in stock but don't.
Suggests books to another customer and gets mistaken for someone who works here.
Warns us about bad movies.
Brings in their pets and / or children for us to meet.
Sits on the couch in back for hours, petting Ripley and reading.
We hate it when a customer --
Asks us to check the price of a book on Amazon.
Walks in and, without so much as a "How are you doing?", asks peremptorily, "Where's the cat!" (At this point we often explain that Ripley is a cat, not a geyser, and doesn't appear on a schedule).
Takes a bunch of books off the shelves, reads them while sitting on the couch, and then _leaves them on the floor_. (We're happy to re-shelve books but it's really nice when they're brought up to the counter and not hidden under the couch).
Brings in books to sell that a) are a mixture of all sorts of stuff, mostly _not_ SF, fantasy or horror and / or b) are covered with so much cat hair, dust or other matter that we have to vacuum them before buying them.
Comes in the shop -- past two signs listing our specialty, past two big displays of books -- stops at the counter -- in front of another sign which mentions our specialty -- and asks, "Where are your cookbooks?" And then is shocked and slightly offended when we tell them we don't have any.
Ten Things that Customers Do that We Love
and
Five Things We Hate
We love it when a customer --
Tells us how much they like the store.
Lets us know when we suggested a book that they loved.
Brings their family and out of town visitors to see the store.
Writes nice things about us on Yelp
Comes up the the counter and says, "Can you help me find a book? I don't remember the author or the title but it was about . . . ."
Makes sure we hear about a new author or book that we should have in stock but don't.
Suggests books to another customer and gets mistaken for someone who works here.
Warns us about bad movies.
Brings in their pets and / or children for us to meet.
Sits on the couch in back for hours, petting Ripley and reading.
We hate it when a customer --
Asks us to check the price of a book on Amazon.
Walks in and, without so much as a "How are you doing?", asks peremptorily, "Where's the cat!" (At this point we often explain that Ripley is a cat, not a geyser, and doesn't appear on a schedule).
Takes a bunch of books off the shelves, reads them while sitting on the couch, and then _leaves them on the floor_. (We're happy to re-shelve books but it's really nice when they're brought up to the counter and not hidden under the couch).
Brings in books to sell that a) are a mixture of all sorts of stuff, mostly _not_ SF, fantasy or horror and / or b) are covered with so much cat hair, dust or other matter that we have to vacuum them before buying them.
Comes in the shop -- past two signs listing our specialty, past two big displays of books -- stops at the counter -- in front of another sign which mentions our specialty -- and asks, "Where are your cookbooks?" And then is shocked and slightly offended when we tell them we don't have any.
Overheard at The World Science Fiction Convention
This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things. The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition. In this issue we share the newest "overheards" from the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver. Thanks to Rina Weisman for her help in collecting quotes.
"Don't you even put that ass out; don't you even offer it to me!"
"Now when I smell hot dogs I think. . . . feminists."
"Wow, that's a BIG Jawa."
"I'm going to fire you if you ever say 'gerbil nookie' again."
"Connie Willis signed your banana?!"
"Tornadoes? In Denver?"
"It's kind of heavy on the donkey and light on the Pez."
"[Name omitted], what nice tentacles you have!"
"The last time I fit into those jeans was when I had the tapeworm."
Con attendee, as the lights in the bar come on for last call: "Is it morning?"
"Don't you even put that ass out; don't you even offer it to me!"
"Now when I smell hot dogs I think. . . . feminists."
"Wow, that's a BIG Jawa."
"I'm going to fire you if you ever say 'gerbil nookie' again."
"Connie Willis signed your banana?!"
"Tornadoes? In Denver?"
"It's kind of heavy on the donkey and light on the Pez."
"[Name omitted], what nice tentacles you have!"
"The last time I fit into those jeans was when I had the tapeworm."
Con attendee, as the lights in the bar come on for last call: "Is it morning?"
August 08, 2008
July Bestsellers
Hardcover:
1. Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
2. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
3. Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik
4. Saturn's Children by Charles Stross
5. Implied Spaces by Walter John Williams
6. Escapement by Jay Lake
7. Jhegaala by Steven Brust
8. The Man With the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove
9. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
10. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Mass Market:
1. The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
2. The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
3. The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
4. Ha'Penny by Jo Walton
5. Snake Agent by Liz Williams
6. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
7. Mainspring by Jay Lake
8. Shadows Return by Lynn Flewelling
9. Valiant: The Lost Fleet by Jack Campbell
10. Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder tie with
The Margarets by Sheri S. Tepper
Trade Paperback:
1. Mirrored Heavens by David J. Williams
2. Thirteen by Richard K. Morgan
3. Spook Country by William Gibson
4. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
5. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie tie with
The Word of God by Thomas Disch
1. Toll the Hounds by Steven Erikson
2. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
3. Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik
4. Saturn's Children by Charles Stross
5. Implied Spaces by Walter John Williams
6. Escapement by Jay Lake
7. Jhegaala by Steven Brust
8. The Man With the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove
9. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
10. Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Mass Market:
1. The City, Not Long After by Pat Murphy
2. The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
3. The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
4. Ha'Penny by Jo Walton
5. Snake Agent by Liz Williams
6. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
7. Mainspring by Jay Lake
8. Shadows Return by Lynn Flewelling
9. Valiant: The Lost Fleet by Jack Campbell
10. Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder tie with
The Margarets by Sheri S. Tepper
Trade Paperback:
1. Mirrored Heavens by David J. Williams
2. Thirteen by Richard K. Morgan
3. Spook Country by William Gibson
4. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
5. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie tie with
The Word of God by Thomas Disch
Ebooks, the Coda
by Alan Beatts
I thought this month was going to be easy. I'd been working really hard putting the past few articles together and I figured I was done. This month I was going to write about something simple -- maybe my favorite ten novels or the _real_ story of what happens to socks when they vanish in the dryer. But two things happened. First, there were several pieces of news about eBooks that came to my attention and second, (and most notably) a lot of people wrote me emails about the last article. I had no idea that so many of you were interested in eBooks and their possible effects. I also wasn't expecting so many cogent, thoughtful comments on the topic. Not that I don't think that Borderlands customers are smart (our customers are _very_ smart, believe me) but I figured that you had more important things to do than write me.
So, welcome to _the last_ (I swear) article about the state of books according to yours truly. At least for a while. Here are some headlines to start off with.
I thought this month was going to be easy. I'd been working really hard putting the past few articles together and I figured I was done. This month I was going to write about something simple -- maybe my favorite ten novels or the _real_ story of what happens to socks when they vanish in the dryer. But two things happened. First, there were several pieces of news about eBooks that came to my attention and second, (and most notably) a lot of people wrote me emails about the last article. I had no idea that so many of you were interested in eBooks and their possible effects. I also wasn't expecting so many cogent, thoughtful comments on the topic. Not that I don't think that Borderlands customers are smart (our customers are _very_ smart, believe me) but I figured that you had more important things to do than write me.
So, welcome to _the last_ (I swear) article about the state of books according to yours truly. At least for a while. Here are some headlines to start off with.
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