by Jeremy Lassen
There are a bunch of interesting new releases, so I will start off with those. For all you Firefly/Joss Whedon fans, Serenity has made its way to DVD. It’s a pretty good little science fiction film in its own right, and is a nice coda to the TV series. Most importantly, it continues Whedon’s fetish for 90 lb. teenage girls that can kick his ass.
Another important new release is Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman’s fantabulous coming-of-age fairy tale extravaganza, MirrorMask. This film was in the theaters for about five minutes, so if you missed it, that’s understandable. Now you have the opportunity to see this hallucinatory, haunting vision in the privacy of your own home. I recommend that you do so.
March 01, 2006
February Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
2) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
3) Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip
4) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
5) Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
6) Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker
7) Fledgling by Octavia Butler
8) Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
9) Accelerando by Charles Stross
10) Viator by Lucius Shepard
Paperbacks
1) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Titan by John Varley
5) Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton
6) Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
7) Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve
8) Gateways by F. Paul Wilson
9) Kindling by Mick Farren
10) Dawn by Octavia Butler
Trade Paperbacks
1) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
2) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
3) Air by Geoff Ryman
4) V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
5) Pashazade by John Courtenay Grimwood
Tie
When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
1) Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
2) Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
3) Solstice Wood by Patricia McKillip
4) Snake Agent by Liz Williams
5) Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow
6) Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker
7) Fledgling by Octavia Butler
8) Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
9) Accelerando by Charles Stross
10) Viator by Lucius Shepard
Paperbacks
1) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
3) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
4) Titan by John Varley
5) Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton
6) Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
7) Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve
8) Gateways by F. Paul Wilson
9) Kindling by Mick Farren
10) Dawn by Octavia Butler
Trade Paperbacks
1) Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross
2) Old Man's War by John Scalzi
3) Air by Geoff Ryman
4) V for Vendetta by Alan Moore
5) Pashazade by John Courtenay Grimwood
Tie
When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
"If I Liked The Naked Chef, Will I Like Naked Lunch?"
by Jude Feldman
One of my favorite (and one of the most challenging) aspects of being a bookseller is making recommendations. Book recommendations are a tricky business, because the bookseller is frequently expected to be psychic, or at least empathic, and answer accurately the question "what will I like?"
So here are some recommendations that folks commonly ask for; please do remember that this is an art, not a science. (Please also keep in mind that just because I think you'll like a book, I'm not necessarily saying that the suggested books are specifically similar.) Feel free to email jfeldman@borderlands-books.com if you have some suggestions to add, if you'd like some additional ideas, or if you'd like to hear further choices. Also let me know if you're interested in seeing this feature continue. If so, I'll bring it back, in addition to a fun little audience-participation column for next month called The Psychic Readers' Corner.
One of my favorite (and one of the most challenging) aspects of being a bookseller is making recommendations. Book recommendations are a tricky business, because the bookseller is frequently expected to be psychic, or at least empathic, and answer accurately the question "what will I like?"
So here are some recommendations that folks commonly ask for; please do remember that this is an art, not a science. (Please also keep in mind that just because I think you'll like a book, I'm not necessarily saying that the suggested books are specifically similar.) Feel free to email jfeldman@borderlands-books.com if you have some suggestions to add, if you'd like some additional ideas, or if you'd like to hear further choices. Also let me know if you're interested in seeing this feature continue. If so, I'll bring it back, in addition to a fun little audience-participation column for next month called The Psychic Readers' Corner.
February 01, 2006
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
DVD’s, as a home video format, are one of the best things since sliced bread. Not only do they offer incredible sound and picture quality, they can include bonus materials that can greatly enhance your appreciation of your favorite movie, and/or provide some fascinating background material that puts that odd little movie into a larger cinematic context. Another thing they offer is alternate cuts of the film. Sure, the extras are often puff features that were produced to run on E!, and sure the “alternate cut” is sometimes just an extra 15 seconds, so that the marketing people can justify putting “special super secret preferred directors edition” on the cover. But sometimes. . . sometimes you get the goods. Sometimes the studios do the DVD’s up right.
DVD’s, as a home video format, are one of the best things since sliced bread. Not only do they offer incredible sound and picture quality, they can include bonus materials that can greatly enhance your appreciation of your favorite movie, and/or provide some fascinating background material that puts that odd little movie into a larger cinematic context. Another thing they offer is alternate cuts of the film. Sure, the extras are often puff features that were produced to run on E!, and sure the “alternate cut” is sometimes just an extra 15 seconds, so that the marketing people can justify putting “special super secret preferred directors edition” on the cover. But sometimes. . . sometimes you get the goods. Sometimes the studios do the DVD’s up right.
January Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1. Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton (UK)
2. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
3. Olympos by Dan Simmons
4. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
5. Accelerando by Charles Stross
6. Learning the World by Ken Macleod
7. The Night Land and Other Perilous Romances by William Hope Hodgson
8. Liaden Universe Companion by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9. 9Tail Fox by John Courtenay Grimwood tied with The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett
10. Healthy Dead by Steven Erikson
Paperbacks
1. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2. Gridlinked by Neal Asher
3. Declare by Tim Powers
4. Family Trade by Charles Stross
5. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6. The Skinner by Neal Asher
7. Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
8. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
9. The Musashi Flex by Steve Perry
10. Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton.
Trade Paperbacks
1. The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker
2. Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
3. Air by Geoff Ryman
4. The James Tiptree Award Anthology vol. 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy. Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey Smith
5. Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
1. Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton (UK)
2. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
3. Olympos by Dan Simmons
4. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
5. Accelerando by Charles Stross
6. Learning the World by Ken Macleod
7. The Night Land and Other Perilous Romances by William Hope Hodgson
8. Liaden Universe Companion by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
9. 9Tail Fox by John Courtenay Grimwood tied with The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett
10. Healthy Dead by Steven Erikson
Paperbacks
1. Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2. Gridlinked by Neal Asher
3. Declare by Tim Powers
4. Family Trade by Charles Stross
5. Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6. The Skinner by Neal Asher
7. Singularity Sky by Charles Stross
8. Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
9. The Musashi Flex by Steve Perry
10. Hawkes Harbor by S.E. Hinton.
Trade Paperbacks
1. The Graveyard Game by Kage Baker
2. Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
3. Air by Geoff Ryman
4. The James Tiptree Award Anthology vol. 2, edited by Karen Joy Fowler, Pat Murphy. Debbie Notkin and Jeffrey Smith
5. Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks
January 01, 2006
Japanese and Korean Horror Film
by Jeremy Lassen
Jeremy Lassen, Borderlands' DVD buyer here. I've been continuing to bulk out the Borderlands DVD selection, and one of the things I emphasized on my last big order was Asian horror movies. Not the sad, tepid U.S. remakes, but the originals. Here are just a few suggestions for some quality Asian Horror.
The obvious first suggestion is the original Japanese Ring movie, Ringu, and its sequel Ringu 2, which are now available. Both of these films are excellent and far exceed the thrills-and-chills quotient of the U.S. versions. For the completist, there is: Ringu: Anthology of Terror, which features all four Japanese "Ring" films (Ringu, Rasen, Ringu 2, Ringu 0).
Another very solid Asian horror movie is the Korean knock-off of The Ring, called Ring Virus. Obviously derivative, but in many ways it is better then Rasen and Ringu 2. Ring Virus is worth checking out.
Speaking of Korean horror, one of the most stylish and well-done Asian horror films of the last few years is A Tale of Two Sisters, directed by Kim Jee-Woon. Based on a traditional Korean folk tale, this movie is the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" of Asian Horror films -- a big budget, high quality film that will appeal to those who have never seen an Asian horror film before. A Tale of Two Sisters is a great starting point for someone who wants to test the waters of this particular sub-genre.
Jeremy Lassen, Borderlands' DVD buyer here. I've been continuing to bulk out the Borderlands DVD selection, and one of the things I emphasized on my last big order was Asian horror movies. Not the sad, tepid U.S. remakes, but the originals. Here are just a few suggestions for some quality Asian Horror.
The obvious first suggestion is the original Japanese Ring movie, Ringu, and its sequel Ringu 2, which are now available. Both of these films are excellent and far exceed the thrills-and-chills quotient of the U.S. versions. For the completist, there is: Ringu: Anthology of Terror, which features all four Japanese "Ring" films (Ringu, Rasen, Ringu 2, Ringu 0).
Another very solid Asian horror movie is the Korean knock-off of The Ring, called Ring Virus. Obviously derivative, but in many ways it is better then Rasen and Ringu 2. Ring Virus is worth checking out.
Speaking of Korean horror, one of the most stylish and well-done Asian horror films of the last few years is A Tale of Two Sisters, directed by Kim Jee-Woon. Based on a traditional Korean folk tale, this movie is the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" of Asian Horror films -- a big budget, high quality film that will appeal to those who have never seen an Asian horror film before. A Tale of Two Sisters is a great starting point for someone who wants to test the waters of this particular sub-genre.
December Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
3) Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson
4) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
6) Accelerando by Charles Stross
7) Vellum by Hal Duncan (UK Edition)
8) The Secret Art of Dr. Suess by Theodore Geisel
9) Magic For Beginners by Kelly Link
10) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Paperbacks
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
3) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
4) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
5) Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6) Newton's Wake by Ken MacLeod
7) Forty Signs Of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
8) Coyote Rising by Allen Steele
9) Witches of Karres by James Schmitz
10) Flash by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) The Wizard by Gene Wolfe
3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
4) Alone with the Horrors by Ramsey Campbell
5) TIE - When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Other Bindings (Oversized, Undersized, etc.):
1) Me Write Book: It Bigfoot Memoir by Graham Roumieu
2) Wizardology by Douglas A. Steer
3) Wormwood Literature of the Fantastic vol. 5, edited by Mark Valentine
1) A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
3) Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson
4) Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
6) Accelerando by Charles Stross
7) Vellum by Hal Duncan (UK Edition)
8) The Secret Art of Dr. Suess by Theodore Geisel
9) Magic For Beginners by Kelly Link
10) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
Paperbacks
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
3) The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
4) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
5) Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
6) Newton's Wake by Ken MacLeod
7) Forty Signs Of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
8) Coyote Rising by Allen Steele
9) Witches of Karres by James Schmitz
10) Flash by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.
Trade Paperbacks
1) The Chronicles Of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) The Wizard by Gene Wolfe
3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
4) Alone with the Horrors by Ramsey Campbell
5) TIE - When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Other Bindings (Oversized, Undersized, etc.):
1) Me Write Book: It Bigfoot Memoir by Graham Roumieu
2) Wizardology by Douglas A. Steer
3) Wormwood Literature of the Fantastic vol. 5, edited by Mark Valentine
Happy New Year
by Alan Beatts
Happy New Year, everyone. I'm lucky enough that the first part of this column hasn't changed much in the past seven years. 2005 was a good year for Borderlands, the staff and me personally. Everyone is healthy and happy. Business has been strong and our sales are up once again. We've made a few changes around the shop (though, regrettably a number of the suggestions that you made last year have yet to be put into place -- believe me, I'm not ignoring them, I'm just slow). One of the most recent changes has been a big reorganization of the shelves at the back of the store. Everything is still pretty much in the same place, but the shelves have been rearranged. Everyone seems to think that it looks much nicer plus the new arrangement leaves more room for browsing and our book club meetings.
As always, none of the good things that happened last year would have been possible without two groups of wonderful people. First, my staff -- Jude, Jeremy, Claud, Cary, Francis, and Heather together make up the best staff that any business owner could ask for and more than that, they are the finest group of people I've ever had the pleasure to know. Why they put up with me will be forever a mystery.
Happy New Year, everyone. I'm lucky enough that the first part of this column hasn't changed much in the past seven years. 2005 was a good year for Borderlands, the staff and me personally. Everyone is healthy and happy. Business has been strong and our sales are up once again. We've made a few changes around the shop (though, regrettably a number of the suggestions that you made last year have yet to be put into place -- believe me, I'm not ignoring them, I'm just slow). One of the most recent changes has been a big reorganization of the shelves at the back of the store. Everything is still pretty much in the same place, but the shelves have been rearranged. Everyone seems to think that it looks much nicer plus the new arrangement leaves more room for browsing and our book club meetings.
As always, none of the good things that happened last year would have been possible without two groups of wonderful people. First, my staff -- Jude, Jeremy, Claud, Cary, Francis, and Heather together make up the best staff that any business owner could ask for and more than that, they are the finest group of people I've ever had the pleasure to know. Why they put up with me will be forever a mystery.
December 01, 2005
Notes from a DVD Geek
by Jeremy Lassen
The DVD section of Borderlands Books is now under new management. My name is Jeremy Lassen, and I am the new DVD buyer. I'm a longtime employee of Borderlands, in addition to being a book geek and a total film fanatic. Prior to the invention of DVDs, I searched high and low for my favorite movies in letter-boxed editions. . .I owned a laser disk player, and I have gone on long-winded diatribes concerning the subtle allure of Italian horror movies.
Having so thoroughly established my bonafides as a qualified DVD buyer, I wanted to let you know what my basic DVD buying philosophy is. My goal is to turn the DVD section of Borderlands into your one-stop-shop for fantasy, science fiction and horror. Rather then focus on new releases and blockbuster extravaganzas, I'm going to work hard to bring to everyone's attention the overlooked gems and obscure titles that you may not have heard of, but are sure to enjoy. I'm going to focus on older titles, but will try and have an extremely large cross section of genre films, old and new. I'm not going to be all-inclusive, because, quite frankly, there is a lot of crap that I just don't think anybody will be interested in -- but I'm not going to be snobbish; I like both high and low brow movies, and the diversity of the DVD selection will reflect that. In addition to bulking out the selection of titles in store, I'm going to be writing a column for the store newsletter focusing on the films that I think are particularly noteworthy.
The DVD section of Borderlands Books is now under new management. My name is Jeremy Lassen, and I am the new DVD buyer. I'm a longtime employee of Borderlands, in addition to being a book geek and a total film fanatic. Prior to the invention of DVDs, I searched high and low for my favorite movies in letter-boxed editions. . .I owned a laser disk player, and I have gone on long-winded diatribes concerning the subtle allure of Italian horror movies.
Having so thoroughly established my bonafides as a qualified DVD buyer, I wanted to let you know what my basic DVD buying philosophy is. My goal is to turn the DVD section of Borderlands into your one-stop-shop for fantasy, science fiction and horror. Rather then focus on new releases and blockbuster extravaganzas, I'm going to work hard to bring to everyone's attention the overlooked gems and obscure titles that you may not have heard of, but are sure to enjoy. I'm going to focus on older titles, but will try and have an extremely large cross section of genre films, old and new. I'm not going to be all-inclusive, because, quite frankly, there is a lot of crap that I just don't think anybody will be interested in -- but I'm not going to be snobbish; I like both high and low brow movies, and the diversity of the DVD selection will reflect that. In addition to bulking out the selection of titles in store, I'm going to be writing a column for the store newsletter focusing on the films that I think are particularly noteworthy.
September Bestsellers
Hardcovers
1) A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
3) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
4) Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson
5) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
6) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
7) At All Costs by David Weber
8) Snake Agent by Liz Williams (Nightshade Books)
9) Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
10) Loop by Koji Suzuki
Paperbacks
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
3) The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
4) The Good, the Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison
5) Forty Signs of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
6) Bad Men by John Connolly
7) The World Before by Karen Traviss
8) The Knight by Gene Wolfe
9) Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
10) Swastika by Michael Slade
Trade Paperbacks
1) Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
4) Liaden Universe Companion vol. 1 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
5) Looking for Jake by China Mieville
1) A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
2) Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
3) Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
4) Fifty Degrees Below by Kim Stanley Robinson
5) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
6) Learning the World by Ken MacLeod
7) At All Costs by David Weber
8) Snake Agent by Liz Williams (Nightshade Books)
9) Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
10) Loop by Koji Suzuki
Paperbacks
1) A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
2) Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
3) The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
4) The Good, the Bad and the Undead by Kim Harrison
5) Forty Signs of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson
6) Bad Men by John Connolly
7) The World Before by Karen Traviss
8) The Knight by Gene Wolfe
9) Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
10) Swastika by Michael Slade
Trade Paperbacks
1) Complete Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
2) Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
3) Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
4) Liaden Universe Companion vol. 1 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
5) Looking for Jake by China Mieville
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