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ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER
DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER
Events and News from Borderlands Books
August, 2008 Chapter One - Event Information, News, and Special FeaturesDavid Weber, BY SCHISM RENT ASUNDER (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:00 pm
Borderlands Table at the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver, Colorado, Wednesday, August 6th to Sunday, August 10th
Jeff Carlson, PLAGUE WAR (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99), Saturday, August 16th at 3:00 pm
Michael Blumlein and Michael Shea are guests of SF in SF at the Variety
Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street, Saturday,
August 16th at 7:00 pm
Barren Worlds/Ruins Metropolis Signing with C.E. Grayson,
Jude-Marie Green, Jasmine Hammer, and Rob Rosen, Sunday, August 17th at
2:00 pm
Greg Bear, THE CITY AT THE END OF TIME (Del Rey, Hardcover, $27.00) Tuesday, August 19th at 7:00 pm
SF in SF presents free movies "Galaxy Quest" and "Raiders of the Lost
Ark" at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market
Street, Wednesday, August 20th at 7:00 pm
Laurel Anne Hill, HEROES ARISE (Komenar Publishing, Hardcover, $24.95
and Trade Paperback, $15.95) Saturday, August 23rd at 1:00 pm
Barth Anderson, THE MAGICIAN AND THE FOOL (Bantam, Trade Paperback, $13.00) Saturday, August 23rd at 3:00 pm
SM Stirling, THE SCOURGE OF GOD (Roc, Hardcover, $25.95) Friday, September 5th at 7:00 pm
Steven Erikson, TOLL THE HOUNDS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95, and Trade Paperback, $16.95) Saturday, September 6th at 3:00 pm EDIT - (Note - date changed to Thusday, September 25th at 7:00 PM due to delay in publication schedule)
SF in SF presents free movies "The Princess Bride" and "Ghostbusters"
at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street,
Wednesday, September 10th at 7:00 pm
Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert, PAUL OF DUNE (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95) Monday, September 22nd at 7:00 pm
(for more information check the end of this section)
Stay tuned for Fall events with Steven Erikson, Kim Stanley Robinson, S.M. Stirling, and many other exciting authors!
Overheard in the StoreWill Return Next Month.
News
*Borderlands Voted Best Specialty Bookstore
We'd like to thank everyone who voted in the recent Best of the Bay poll in the San Francisco Bay Guardian <http://www.sfbg.com>. It is really a great honor to win this award <http://www.sfbg.com/bob/2008/shopping.php>.
*Ripley's Surgery
We are extremely relieved to report that Ripley is recovering nicely
from a rather unexpected surgery to remove the bump from her shoulder
and several other smaller bumps as well. The vet was concerned
that they had turned into a form of skin cancer, so we had them removed
immediately. Ripley will have some super creepy scars, but give
her an extra pat for being a survivor.
*Lots of Signed Books
We have signed books galore, so pick yours up today! We have
signed books from the following authors available: Kelley Armstrong,
Michael Louis Calvillo, Gabrielle S. Faust, Melissa Marr, Naomi Novik,
Charles Stross, Eldon Thompson, Harry Turtledove, David J. Williams,
and likely several others I've forgotten in the swirl!
*Alan Once Again in the Public Eye
Check out SF Signal's newest Mind Meld, where genre professionals weigh
in on suggested topics. This time, it's controversial science
fiction novels. <http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/006901.html>
*Simon Wood News
Local author Simon Wood wrote in to let us know: "My horror novella
'The Scrubs,' is out from Bad Moon Books. It's a limited edition
200 copy print run." Borderlands will have copies available
shortly, so reserve yours today!
*Free Movie Tickets
Terry Hines & Associates, the fine folks who send us free movie
passes, are hosting an advance screening of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS,
August 11, 2008 at 7:00 pm at the AMC Metreon. If you're
interested in attending, email office@borderlands-books.com, and we'll
give you the website and code to download a free pass for you and a
friend.
*Worlds Without End Open for Visitors
A new reference and community site for the SF and Fantasy field, Worlds Without End <http://worldswithoutend.com/index.asp>
is open to the public. The primary goal of the site is to be a
comprehensive source for information about SF / Fantasy award winning
books and authors. We at Borderlands have found it to be the best
one out there, despite still being in beta-test and not having all the
functions up yet. Drop by, register and take a look. If
you're an author who has won or has been nominated for any of the major
SF / Fantasy awards (i.e. the Hugo, Nebula, Clark, World Fantasy, etc.)
you should really pay a visit since they're also collecting bios and
other information about winners and nominees and they could use your
help to make sure your information is complete. Check out the
entry for Cory Doctorow to see what I mean <http://www.worldswithoutend.com/author.asp?ID=668>
From The Office
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.
*Amazon's Kindle is Doing Even Better
Remember that figure last month about the percentage of eBook sales for
the Kindle as compared to physical sales? Of titles that are
available in both eBook and physical formats, eBook sales were 6% of
all sales. In other words, one electronic version is sold for
every 14 or so physical copies. That's old news. According
to a recent notice in Publishers Weekly, that figure was up to 12% at
the beginning of July. So now one eBook is being sold for every
_eight_ physical copies of titles that are available in both
formats. That was fast, wasn't it?
*Apple's iPhone Apps Support eBooks
With the introduction of iPhone firmware version 2.0 and the iPhone App
store, eReader software (which is used for Fictionwise ebooks) is now
available for the iPhone and iPod Touch. In the first day there
were over 7000 downloads of this application by iPhone owners.
This has been followed by thousands of downloads _per day_ since.
It's worthwhile to note that Fictionwise has what I think is the best
business model for eBooks in the field. More on that later.
*Apple's New Mystery Product
Speculation is heavy surrounding a new product to release in September
or October from Apple that was mentioned in a recent financial report
from Cupertino. The most common theory is that it's going to be a
tablet-type computer with a screen around 9" in size and probably using
a richer version of the multi-touch interface used in the iPhone/iPod
Touch. Though I don't think for a minute that it's going to be
specifically geared towards eBooks, it would be a truly great platform
for reading. And, unlike the other eReaders out there, it would
also work very well as an electronic reader for comic books, graphic
novels and manga (Japanese comics). That is a _huge_, profitable,
and (in the US) untapped market.
*Kindle and Sony eReader Math
Based on reports from the Taiwanese tech news service Digitimes, Prime
View International, the company that manufactures the displays for both
the Kindle and the Sony eReader, is going to be stepping up their
production of those displays. The figures given in that report
are very interesting. In the first half of 2008, Prime View was
shipping 60,000 to 80,000 displays per _month_, and in the later part
of this year they are going to increase production to 120,000 units per
month. This figure is important because neither Amazon nor Sony
have been willing to share sales numbers for their eReaders. Many
have speculated that this is because the sales are very low but I think
it's because the sales are very _high_ and they don't want possible
competitors to know how rich the market is . . . it certainly seems
pretty rich. The display in question is not used for anything
other than those two readers and the report went on to say that Amazon
takes 60% of the production and Sony gets the remaining 40%. It's
pretty simple math to work out that, based on the number of displays
being sold, Amazon has been selling (or at least manufacturing) an
average of 42,000 Kindles per month. Remember, since Kindles are
only available in the US, those figures mean that domestically the
Kindle is beating the Sony eReader by a sizable margin. But
there's more -- based on the increase in production, it looks like Sony
and Amazon combined will sell over _one-million_ eBook readers this
year.
*Sony Opens Up the EReader and Hits UK Ahead of Amazon
Surprisingly for a company who is so much in love with proprietary
formats (remember Betamax and Memory Sticks?), Sony has just released a
firmwear update that will allow their second generation eReader to
support both PDF and, more importantly, EPUB format files. PDF
files are common as dirt and the EPUB format is open-source (so anyone
can use it) as well as having a great deal of support in the US
publishing industry. The eReader is the first device to support
EPUB. The short version is that Sony (probably under pressure
from Amazon's success with the Kindle) has, in one step, positioned
their eReader as the open-source friendly, non-proprietary format
alternative to Amazon's Kindle. And, continuing to build their
competitive advantage over the Kindle, Sony has gotten their device to
the British market well in advance of the Kindle. Remember what I
said in last month's article about competition provoking rapid advances?
And that's it for the news.
Something that surprised me in the comments I received this month was
how many people agreed with my assessment of how the market is likely
to go. People including editors, librarians, graphic designers,
booksellers, authors, and many avid readers wrote to say that, although
they liked how I explained how things might go, it was not news to them
that eBooks were going to grow in popularity. So, I guess I could
have spent less time explaining, and more time discussing the
ramifications and what we as readers can do about it.
What Can We Do?
As I said last month, I don't think that anyone is going to be able to
stop the progressive adoption of eBooks. And, for reasons I
talked about then, I'm not sure it's in our best interests, as people
who love stories and writing, to even try. But there is one thing
that I think we can affect -- how the business model works -- and I
believe that it is _very_ important that we push for and vote (with our
dollars) for a very specific business model.
Here's a question for you: Can you be said to "own" something if you cannot sell it or give it to another person?
My answer is, "No. If I can't sell it, I don't really own
it." That may be simple minded, but that's how I look at
it. And, furthermore, when it comes to electronic data, if I
can't make as many copies as I want for my own use, I don't think I
"own" the data.
Compare a book to an eBook. Since a book is a physical object,
the question of ownership is simple. I paid for it. I have
it in my possession. Therefore I own it. I can do anything
I want with it -- lend it, sell it, gift it, or even throw on the fire
and use it for kindling. But the one thing I can't do very easily
is make a copy. Sure, I can run down to the local copy shop and
make a copy, but that copy will not be as good as the original.
In the first place, it won't be bound very well, but more significantly
it will cost a hell of a lot to do it, probably more than buying
another copy.
But data, such as eBooks, can be copied very easily and at almost no
cost. As a result, publishers (and authors to a lesser degree)
are very concerned that people could copy eBooks and distribute them
all over -- with the result that neither the publisher nor the author
get their fair share of the profits. So, to prevent this,
publishers set up some sort of system that stops people from copying
the data that makes up the eBook. In general this is called
Digital Rights Management (DRM hereafter). Tens or perhaps even
hundreds of millions of words have been written about DRM in the past
ten years and I'm not going to rehash all the arguments about it here
(if you're interested, you can find all you need to know on the
web). But I do want to make one point: if the DRM associated with
an eBook means that you can't copy it as much as you want or give it to
a friend, then that DRM means that you don't really own the book.
Period. And that sucks big time.
Why?
There is the obvious reason that you can't exercise the rights you have
with a physical book with that eBook. Can't sell it, can't lend
it. But there are other, less obvious reasons that are associated
with certain business and DRM models. Take the DRM model, in
which, anytime you want to copy your data onto a new device like a new
computer or eReader, you have to register that device with a central
authorization computer that's maintained by the company you bought the
eBook from originally. Once your new device is registered as
belonging to you, you can copy the eBook onto it. But what
happens when the company goes out of business or just stops that part
of their business? If the authorization computer is shut down,
you can never copy that eBook to a new device again. And that is
exactly what just happened to the sorry bastards who bought digital
music from Yahoo. Yahoo is stopping that service and they're
shutting down their "Key Servers" in a month. And their customers
are out of luck.
I could go on with examples but you can find them all over the web,
just search "DRM" and away you go. Bottom line is that almost all
methods of DRM are broken and seriously anti-consumer but, if we don't
do something, DRM is going to be the standard for eBooks. If that
happens, we will be losing much more than the smell of paper and the
feel of a book in our hands. We'll be losing our real ownership
of our libraries. So, if you can avoid it, don't patronize _any_
eBook business or format that is supportive of DRM. Furthermore,
don't buy any eReader that doesn't cleanly support multiple, non-DRM
formats (which cuts out the Kindle). Over the next ten years,
what is going to count is the dollars. If publishers see that
sales of DRM-protected eBooks are poor compared to non-protected
formats, then they'll respond, but if everyone jumps on the
Kindle-style, DRM-protected, single-supplier model, we're screwed.
Some Things to Do If You Want to Be a Smart EBook Buyer
1) Buy non-DRM (what are sometimes called "multi-format") eBooks wherever possible.
2) Be smart about the hardware you buy. Either -
a) If you're going to buy a dedicated eBook
reader (i.e. one with the nice, new low-power white screens) buy either
a Sony eReader or the iLiad from iRex <http://www.irextechnologies.com/products/iliad>.
Of the two, the iLiad is expensive ($600 to $700) but it cleanly
supports a wide range of non-DRM formats (including Mobipocket, PDF and
even HTML, but not EPUB, yet) as well as having a touchscreen.
The Sony, on the other hand, is half the price and works almost as well.
b) Best of all, use a non-dedicated device
like a Palm PDA, an iPhone or iPod Touch, or even a laptop or palmtop
computer in conjunction with the reader software of your choice.
You'll end up with a more useful piece of hardware and completely avoid
supporting hardware that is tied to DRM schemes.
3) Support sellers who are opposed to DRM like Baen Books <http://www.webscription.net/> or Fictionwise.Com <http://www.fictionwise.com/>.
Fictionwise's business model is especially nice in that, once you have
an account, they maintain a virtual bookshelf for you. In
practice that means you can go to their site anytime and re-download
anything that you've purchased from them in any format that is
available. And you can do this an unlimited number of
times. They do sell DRM-protected titles and so this "bookshelf"
model is not flawless, but it's still a very fair business plan and one
that I'd like to see used by more companies in this business.
4) Backup your eBooks. I can't stress this enough. If
you aren't dealing with a seller like Fictionwise who will preserve
your download rights, when your computer's hard drive goes, you'll lose
all your eBooks. Please note that I say "when" the hard drive
goes, not "if". Imagine what it would be like if a single, nearby
lightning strike could disintegrate all your beloved, physical
books? You would take steps to protect them, right?
5) DON'T ILLEGALLY COPY AND DISTRIBUTE EBOOKS! Every time
someone "pirates" an eBook it's one more argument for DRM. Plus,
darn it, the authors and publishers worked to produce that story.
They deserve to get paid for it.
Final Thought
We're moving into an age when much of our media (books, music,
pictures, films) will exist solely in electronic format. If we as
a society don't make smart choices, I fear that we will lose a very
essential right to property. And what bothers and scares me the
most is that it seems to be part of a larger movement that's been going
on for at least half a century. We have been a nation of renters
for years now. Even those who "own" their homes do so in
partnership with the bank, and as a minority partner at that. The
same goes for most people's cars. At the same time, it has become
a tiny minority who own their business or who work for
themselves. And now we seem to be moving into a time when we
won't even own our books and music. Instead we will have some
limited set of "rights" relative to those treasured possessions.
Rights that are much less than true "ownership".
I'll tell you though, I'll be damned if I'll spend money supporting a
business model like Amazon's eBooks, which only gives me the choice of
engaging in some strange sort of "rental" of eBooks under the guise of
selling me something. Hell, I'm one of the Luddites who still
buys actual CDs, takes them home, and coverts them to MP3s for my
iPod. At least that way, I _know_ what I own and a decision by
the people at Yahoo isn't going to deprive me of my property.
-Alan Beatts
abeatts@borderlands-books.com
Top Sellers At Borderlands
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
Notes From a DVD GeekWill return next month.Book Club Info
The
Gay Men's Book Club will meet on Sunday, August 10th, at 5 pm to
discuss THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN by Michael Crichton. The book for
September is THE LATHE OF HEAVEN by Ursula K. LeGuin. Please contact
the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net,
for more information.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club will be on hiatus for the
month of August. Look for the new list of titles for the year in
the next newsletter. Please contact Jude at
jfeldman@borderlands-books.com for more information.
Upcoming Event Details
David Weber, BY SCHISM RENT ASUNDER (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:00 pm -
We're glad to welcome David Weber, author of the incredibly
entertaining Honor Harrington books, back to the store with this sequel
to OFF ARMAGEDDON REEF. From the book jacket:"The world has
changed. The mercantile kingdom of Charis has prevailed over the
alliance designed to exterminate it. Armed with better sailing vessels,
better guns and better devices of all sorts, Charis faced the combined
navies of the rest of the world at Darcos Sound and Armageddon Reef,
and broke them. Despite the implacable hostility of the Church of God
Awaiting, Charis still stands, still free, still tolerant, still an
island of innovation in a world in which the Church has worked for
centuries to keep humanity locked at a medieval level of existence, but
the powerful men who run the Church aren’t going to take their defeat
lying down. Charis may control the world’s seas, but it barely has an
army worthy of the name. And as King Cayleb knows, far too much of the
kingdom’s recent good fortune is due to the secret manipulations of the
being that calls himself Merlin—a being that, the world must not find
out too soon, is more than human. A being on whose shoulders rests the
last chance for humanity’s freedom. Now, as Charis and its
archbishop make the rift with Mother Church explicit, the storm
gathers. Schism has come to the world of Safehold. Nothing will ever be
the same."
Borderlands Table at the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver, Colorado, Wednesday, August 6th to Sunday, August 10th -
Alan, Jude and Dan will be at WorldCon manning our tables in the
dealers' room. If you're coming to the con, stop by, say "Hi,"
and you could even buy some books. When the room is closed, you
can find us in the Borderlands Office (which everyone else calls the
hotel bar, but we all know the truth -- hell, it must be our office, we
spend enough money there to pay the damn rent!)
Jeff Carlson, PLAGUE WAR (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99), Saturday, August 16th at 3:00 pm -
Meet Jeff Carlson and hear him read from the thrilling sequel to PLAGUE
YEAR! "Earth has been ravaged by the machine plague, a nanotech virus
that exterminates all warm-blooded organisms below altitudes of ten
thousand feet. The remnants of humanity cling to life on isolated
mountain peaks around the world. Nanotech researcher Ruth Goldman
has developed a vaccine with the potential to inoculate the world's
survivors against the plague, but the fractured U.S. government will
stop at nothing to keep it for themselves. Determined to share
the cure, Ruth and Cam Najarro, a man who lived through the aftermath
of the plague at great personal cost, must brave the devastated
wasteland America has become. Together, they begin a
cross-country odyssey where they will encounter both the best and the
worst in human nature - unaware that an even greater threat is poised
to strike." Jeff has filmed an awesome four-minute video "book
trailer," and you should really check it out. He tells us: "You
can view a hi-res version on my web site at <http://www.jverse.com/>. There is also an easily accessible version on YouTube at <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU-i0faBPkY>.
Michael Blumlein and Michael Shea are guests of SF in SF
at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street,
Saturday, August 16th at 7:00 pm - Please join us for a
reading, signing and discussion with these two fascinating
authors! Moderated by Terry Bisson. Cash bar and doors open
at 6:00 pm. Seating is limited, and on a first-come, first-seated
basis, so get there early! Bar proceeds benefit Variety
Children's Charity. For more information about Variety, see <http://www.varietync.org/>. For more information about SF in SF, see <http://www.sfinsf.org/>.
Barren Worlds/Ruins Metropolis (Hadley Rille Books, Trade
Paperback, both $15.95) Signing with C.E. Grayson, Jude-Marie Green,
Jasmine Hammer, and Rob Rosen, Sunday, August 17th at 2:00 pm
- We are glad to host four authors from two new anthologies published
by Hadley Rille Books! Join us to learn more about these up-and-comers
and the Ruins series.
Greg Bear, THE CITY AT THE END OF TIME (Del Rey, Hardcover, $27.00) Tuesday, August 19th at 7:00 pm -
Living legend Greg Bear is the author of more than thirty books of
science fiction and fantasy, including BLOOD MUSIC, THE FORGE OF GOD,
DARWIN'S RADIO, and QUANTICO. You can start unravelling the
mysteries of his new novel, CITY AT THE END OF TIME, by visiting
<http://www.cityattheendoftime.com/>. We are honored to host Mr. Bear here at Borderlands and hope you'll take this opportunity to meet him!
SF in SF presents free movies "Raiders of the Lost Ark"
and "Galaxy Quest" at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building,
582 Market Street, Wednesday, August 20th at 7:00 pm - Free
movies! Free popcorn! Cash bar! The screenings will take place at
Variety's Preview Room, located in The Hobart Building, 582 Market
Street @ Montgomery, San Francisco. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the
first movie starts at 7:00 pm. There will be one fifteen-minute
intermission between the two films. Seating is limited and seats are
available on a first-come, first seated basis, so arrive early!
Refreshments will be available for purchase, and your purchase benefits
Variety Children's Charity of Northern California, a non-profit
organization that supports children in local communities who are
dealing with poverty, neglect, violence, and physical
disabilities. For more information about upcoming movies, write
movies@borderlands-books.com. For more information on Variety
Children's Charity, see their web site at <http://www.varietync.org/> or write sffilmvariety@yahoo.com.
Laurel Anne Hill, HEROES ARISE (Komenar Publishing, Trade Paperback, $15.95) Saturday, August 23rd at 1:00 pm -
From the author's website: "In a world where justice is achieved
through careful customs of vengeance, Gundack pursues love and the
preservation of his honor. Desert kren are a nomadic people who
believe their customs and mythology show them how to be honorable and
thrive. Gundack, a trader and leader of the tribe, seeks revenge for
the murder of his wife Talla in the prescribed manner of his people.
According to kren custom, he must fulfill a vow of decreed vengeance
against Tarr, the ruthless mountain kren responsible for Talla’s
murder, and complete a pilgrimage to gain the right to marry the fair
Eutoebi. Gundack forms an unlikely alliance with the human
Rheemar, who searches for a beloved sister stolen by Tarr. Rheemar’s
mysterious past holds many secrets, including knowledge that could lead
to the end of Tarr’s attacks on travelers and villagers and allow
Gundack to return to his tribe in time for the Day of Marriages. But
Rheemar is blinded by loyalties that he won’t reveal and ambitions that
reflect a naive understanding of heroism. As time grows short and
some vows are satisfied, circumstances thrust Gundack into escalating
tribal tensions. Only then does he realize that he must confront the
oldest of kren beliefs: If vengeance swallows the land, Tharda shall
bring a white light to give strength to the least of us, and
unbelievers will make heroes arise. But can the least worthy prove
themselves to be heroes, and the most worthy at least heroic?"
Barth Anderson, THE MAGICIAN AND THE FOOL (Bantam, Trade Paperback, $13.00) Saturday, August 23rd at 3:00 pm -
From Publishers Weekly, "At the start of Anderson's offbeat thriller,
Jeremiah Rosemont, a disgraced art historian who's been backpacking
through Central America, accepts an airline ticket to Rome from a man
he's never seen before. Later, Rosemont walks through the back door of
a Roman hotel and finds himself in a street filled with strange
festival-goers and men and women from his own past. Meanwhile in
Minnesota, two deadly killers, one of whom was born in the 14th
century, pursue a Dumpster diver and tarot reader called Boy King. The
plot revolves around an ancient tarot deck, the origins of which, if
authenticated by Jeremiah, will change the nature of the arcane
'science' of divination."
SM Stirling, THE SCOURGE OF GOD (Roc, Hardcover, $25.95) Friday, September 5th at 7:00 pm -
Stirling continues his sequence of novels about the "Change" with this
new installment. From the publisher, "Rudi MacKenzie continues
his trek across the land that was once the United States of America.
His destination: Nantucket, where he hopes to learn the truth behind
The Change that rendered technology across the globe inoperable.
During his travels, Rudi forges ties with new allies in the continuing
war against The Prophet, who teaches his followers that God has
punished humanity by destroying technological civilization. And one
fanatical officer in the Sword of The Prophet has been dispatched on a
mission—to stop Rudi from reaching his destination by any means
necessary."
Steven Erikson, TOLL THE HOUNDS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95) Saturday, September 6th at 3:00 pm -
The next Malazan novel. We're really very excited to host Steve
once again as he travels down from Canada to promote the 8th novel in
what is possibly Borderlands' best-selling fantasy series. We're
all thrilled that this talented and personable author will be visiting. EDIT - (Note - date changed to Thusday, September 25th at 7:00 PM due to delay in publication schedule)
SF in SF presents free movies "The Princess Bride" and
"Ghostbusters" at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582
Market Street, Wednesday, September 10th at 7:00 pm - Free
movies! Free popcorn! Cash bar! The screenings will take place at
Variety's Preview Room, located in The Hobart Building, 582 Market
Street @ Montgomery, San Francisco. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the
first movie starts at 7:00 pm. There will be one fifteen-minute
intermission between the two films. Seating is limited and seats are
available on a first-come, first seated basis, so arrive early!
Refreshments will be available for purchase, and your purchase benefits
Variety Children's Charity of Northern California, a non-profit
organization that supports children in local communities who are
dealing with poverty, neglect, violence, and physical
disabilities. For more information about upcoming movies, write
movies@borderlands-books.com. For more information on Variety
Children's Charity, see their web site at <http://www.varietync.org/> or write sffilmvariety@yahoo.com.
Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert, PAUL OF DUNE (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95) Monday, September 22nd at 7:00 pm -
From Tor: "Last year, millions of fans finally witnessed the stunning
conclusion to Frank Herbert’s classic DUNE saga with the New York Times
bestseller Sandworms of Dune (Tor 2007.) Written by the dynamic
writing duo, Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert’s son, and Kevin J. Anderson,
Sandworms of Dune answered a myriad of burning questions and brought to
an end a literary tour-de-force that has endured for over 40
years. But many unanswered questions remain, including what
happened during the twelve-year period from Frank Herbert’s Dune to
Dune Messiah. Fans have also long been intrigued with the
enigmatic Paul Muad’Dib, the heir to the House of Atreides. Now,
Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson answer these questions and
chronicle Paul’s younger years in PAUL OF DUNE.
Borderlands event policy - all events are free of charge. You are welcome
to bring copies of an author's books purchased elsewhere to be autographed
(but we do appreciate it if you purchase something while at the event).
For most events you are welcome to bring as many books as you wish for autographs.
If you are unable to attend the event we will be happy to have a copy of
any of the author's available books signed or inscribed for you. We
can then either hold it until you can come in to pick it up or we can ship
it to you. Just give us a call or drop us an email. If you live
out of town, you can also ship us books from your collection to be signed.
Call or email for details.
Chapter Two - Book Listings
Small Press Features
BEYOND
THE VEIL - A LOVECRAFT RETROSPECTIVE: ARTISTS INSPIRED BY H.P.
LOVECRAFT (Centipede Press, Oversized Limited Edition (100 copies)
Hardcover, $395.00) - From Centipede: “This huge tome features over
forty artists including JK Potter, HR Giger, Raymond Bayless, Ian
Miller, Virgil Finlay, Lee Brown Coye, Rowena Morrill, Bob Eggleton,
Allen Koszowski, Mike Mignola, Howard V. Brown, Michael Whelan, Tim
White, John Coulthart, John Holmes, Harry O. Morris, Murray Tinkelman,
Gabriel, Don Punchatz, Helmut Wenske, John Stewart, Thomas Ligotti and
John Jude Palencar, and dozens of others.
The field has never seen an art book like this -- indeed, it is an art
anthology unlike anything ever published before. Many of these works
have never before seen publication. Many are printed as special
multi-page fold-outs, and several have detail views. The book is filled
with four color artwork throughout, all of it printed full page on rich
black backgrounds. A special thumbnail gallery allows you to overview
the entire contents of this 400-page book at a glance, with notations
on artist, work title, publication information, size, and location,
when known. H.P. Lovecraft fans will simply have to have this
book. Because of its sheer size and scope, this book will never be
reprinted and will sell out very quickly. Twenty years down the road
people will be paying huge prices for this book because of its scope
and the quality of reproductions. This is the H.P. Lovecraft fan's
dream come true. Don't miss it!”
WHAT THE MOUSE FOUND by Charles De Lint (Subterranean Press, Signed and
Numbered Limited Edition (400 copies) Hardcover, $45.00) - This
special collection gathers for the first time a number of obscure and
unpublished children's stories by master storyteller Charles de Lint,
each story featuring a brand new illustration. Table of
Contents:, "What the Mouse Found", "Oakey Bedokey", "Gnomin' in the
Gloamin", "Tip & the Lion", and "Maple Sugar".
SLIVERS OF BONE by Ray Garton (Cemetery Dance, Signed Limited Edition
(1000 copies) Hardcover, $40.00) - Slivers of Bone is the first
full-length collection from Ray Garton in almost a decade!
Featuring over 500 pages of dark fiction (including two new novellas
that weigh in at 100 pages of never-before-read fiction!), as well as
classic and hard-to-find reprints, this is a lengthy and stunning
collection of horror and dark suspense! Contents - The Guy Down
The Street, Second Opinion, Website, The Homeless Couple, 411,
Monsters, Hair of the Dog, Punishments, Weird Gig, The Other Man, The
Picture of Health, Screams at the Gateway to Fame and Myiasis.
ROPE TRICK by Mark P. Henderson (Ash-Tree, Limited Edition (400 copies)
Hardcover, $49.00) - A house with a sinister history; dark shadows;
creaking doors; thunderstorms; disappearing corpses; tombs with cryptic
inscriptions; mysterious, half-seen figures. There are those who assert
that a good supernatural tale must include at least one of these
stereotypical trappings, but Mark P. Henderson would beg to differ. He
accepted the challenge of writing a supernatural tale which would not
feature any of these clichés, but which would still be creepy
and sinister. The resulting story was 'Rope Trick', published in the
award-winning Ash-Tree Press anthology Acquainted With The Night, and
described by one reviewer as 'profoundly unsettling'. All of the
stories in Rope Trick: Thirteen Strange Tales could be described as
unsettling. Eschewing the clichés and conventions of the genre,
Henderson has created stories which explore the interactions not only
between people and places, but between the histories that make up those
people and places. His characters are, for the most part, ordinary
people caught up in extraordinary circumstances who, being only human,
attempt to apply reason to observations and events which defy all
attempts at rationalization, only to find their attempts unsatisfactory
at best, and fatal at worst. Contents - An Incident in Drereton,
Crooker, East Norham, De Profundis, Rope Trick, The Well Dresser,
Period Instruments, Disappearing Act, Return Ticket, Ticking, Rome Will
Rise Again, Genius Loci, What Became of April.
WRECK OF THE GODSPEED AND OTHER STORIES by James Patrick Kelly (Golden
Gryphon, Hardcover, $24.95) - For thirty years James Patrick Kelly has
been writing award-nominated and -winning short fiction, and these
thirteen stories of his recent work are of the high quality and cutting
style that is synonymous with him. In Nebula-winner “Burn” a supposedly
idyllic world comes to grip with environmental responsibility and
environmental terrorists, coupled with the personal decisions that are
never clear or easy. In “Men Are Trouble,” nominated for the Nebula
award, “devils” have eliminated men from Earth and “seed” woman for
procreation; the story revolves around the search for a missing person
and the discovery of an underground that is seeking to reestablish the
“way things were.” In the Hugo-nominated “The Best Christmas Ever”
mechanicals must keep the last man on Earth happy, and do so by
throwing him the best, and possibly last, Christmas ever. In the
Hugo-nominated, morality tale “Bernardo’s House” we meet a high-tech
house and artificial woman, controlled by an AI, pining away awaiting
the return of Bernardo—that is, until someone does visit. A HAL-like
interstellar ship and a colorful group of pilgrims seek new worlds to
explore in “The Wreck of the Godspeed,” but is the ship’s AI acting a
bit strange? Is the AI going insane, or is something unique happening?
The man who killed the last mammoth; will he be remembered as the hero,
with “Luck”? To what extent will TV programs of the future go to get
ratings? Ask the sentient “The Leila Torn Show.” In “The Dark Side of
Town” the problems and temptations of a happy virtual reality versus a
dismal real life are examined. What would life be like if one had to
pass a test before one could become a “Mother”? A colony ship’s captain
is behaving weirdly on “Dividing the Sustain,” and the ship needs a
fully functional captain. Where is he, and how will he make his
appearance? The Garden of Eden story is retold from the serpent’s view,
in “Serpent.” What hath God wrought? Where is “The Edge of Nowhere” and
what is past nowhere? “The Ice is Singing” in harmony? Does it sing to
you? This collection of Kelly’s recent work provides the reader with
new insights into the human psyche, as well as some of the best
speculative SF fiction available.
DOGS by Nancy Kress (Tachyon Publications, Trade Paperback, $14.95) -
Ex-FBI agent Tessa Sanderson has moved to Tyler, the sleepy Maryland
town where she is trying to forget the tragedy of her husband’s death.
But her peaceful new life will be shattered, as her new neighbors are
suddenly and viciously attacked by their own beloved dogs. The CDC
quickly determines that the dogs are infected with a mutated flu
triggering the aggression center of their brains; the virus is highly
transmissible and there is no known cure. While the feds ruthlessly
enact a secret emergency quarantine, suspicious locals prepare to
protect their pets by any means necessary. Tyler is ready for war.
While struggling to assist the enigmatic Animal Control officer Jess
Langstrom, Sanderson is protecting two dark secrets: she is the widow
of an Arab who roused the suspicions of her FBI colleagues, and someone
is sending her threatening emails in Arabic claiming responsibility for
the virus. Already a suspect and running out of time, Tessa Sanderson
must go deep undercover in order to expose a deadly conspiracy.
New and Notable
THE
SUMMONING by Kelley Armstrong (Harper, Hardcover, $17.99) - Armstrong's
first book for young adults is a strong one. "Chloe Saunders sees
dead people. Yes, like in the films. The problem is, in
real life saying you see ghosts gets you a one-way ticket to the psych
ward. And at 15, all Chloe wants to do is fit in at school and
maybe get a boy to notice her. But when a particularly violent
ghost haunts her, she gets noticed for all the wrong reasons. Her
seemingly crazed behavior earns her a trip to Lyle House, a centre for
'disturbed teens'. At first Chloe is determined to keep her head
down. But then her roommate disappears after confessing she has a
poltergeist, and some of the other patients also seem to be manifesting
paranormal behavior. Could that be a coincidence? Or is Lyle
House not quite what it seems. . . .?" This novel is paced so quickly
and is so enjoyable to read that I happily overlooked the few plot
inconsistencies that I noticed. Recommended by Jude.
TOLL THE HOUNDS - THE MALAZAN BOOK OF THE FALLEN VOL. 8 by Steven
Erikson (Bantam UK, Hardcover, $39.82) FINALLY! Here are import
copies for those of you who cannot wait for the simultaneous September
release of both the US Hardcover and Trade Paperback.
THE COMPLETE BOOKS OF CHARLES FORT by Charles Fort (Dover, Trade
Paperback, $32.95) Now here's a cool new arrival! Complete texts
of The Book of the Damned, Lo!, Wild Talents, and New Lands in one
volume.
THE ACCIDENTAL TIME MACHINE by Joe Haldeman (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99) -
Haldeman always delivers. I haven't read it yet but I'm going
to. Recommended by Alan.
SOUL OF FIRE by Sarah A. Hoyt (Bantam, Mass Market, $6.99)
RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES by Scott Lynch (Bantam, Mass Market, $6.99) -
This followup to THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA has even more clever
repartee, derring-do, close escapes and high adventure. So much,
in fact, that the book seems a little scattered, like it has too many
simultaneous plots crammed into too short a book; the biggest heist
ever, high-stakes gamblers, pirates, poisons and more. However,
it is still _well_ worth your time. Recommended by Jude.
A COMPANION TO WOLVES by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear (Tor, Mass Market, $6.99)
VICTORY OF EAGLES by Naomi Novik (Del Rey, Hardcover, $25.00) - A very
nicely crafted fifth installment in the Temeraire series. William
Laurence, the dragon Temeraire's Captain and friend, when last we met
him was in serious trouble with the authorities and, as the novel
opens, he's still in a very bad position. I won't give any
spoilers but it will have to suffice to say that the final resolution
is well done and leaves prices paid and a new chapter in Temeraire and
Laurence's lives about to open. Recommended by Alan.
THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99) - The
paperback of Scalzi's fourth novel and the third set in the world of
Old Man's War. Overall I liked this one slightly less that his
first novel but I thought it was better than Ghost Brigades. That
said, all of Scalzi's work has been stellar and I highly recommend this
one. And, look out for the forth and final (?) novel set in this
world, ZOE'S TALE, which will be out this month. Recommended by
Alan.
Special Feature
Editor's
Note - Thanks to customer Chris Hsiang for the following enthusiastic
review of Neal Stephenson's forthcoming ANATHEM (William Morrow,
Hardcover, $29.95). Borderlands will have signed copies of this
title available once the book is released, September 9th, 2008.
ANATHEM, a review
The irreverent polymath Neal Stephenson is the author of the popular
novels Snow Crash and The Diamond Age. He has a devoted following
of readers attracted to his exciting cerebral explorations of science
and society with a witty rock'n'roll edge. His last two projects,
Cryptonomicon and The Baroque Cycle trilogy, were seen by some to be
historical fiction with only a few science fiction elements. His
latest novel, Anathem, is more firmly planted in the science fiction
genre, being the first of his books set on another planet.
Human civilization on the alien world Arbre has a seven-thousand year
history punctuated by cycles of collapse and rebuilding. At the
novel's beginning technological development seems to be very near our
own but with some remnants of much more sophisticated science millennia
old. Our narrator Erasmas, or Raz to his friends, is a young
member of a cloistered monastic order of men and women dedicated to
understating the Universe through rational thought and scientific
method. The brothers and sisters, or "fraas" and "suurs," of
his order have been chosen to stop a potentially devastating threat to
their world. At first glance one might suppose this book to be
like The Name of the Rose in space, but this would be an error.
Anathem is not as fast-paced as Umberto Eco's novel (!) and, very
significantly, the members of Erasmas' order are not religious.
In fact they view any spirituality or mysticism with great distaste and
suspicion.
The "Cartasian Discipline" developed from something very similar to
Pythagoreanism which enjoyed a healthy following in our world until the
Second Century CE. This reviewer has spent a few late-night bull
sessions wondering what would have happened to Western civilization if
instead of Christianity it was shaped by a bunch of people who were
Really Into Triangles. Apparently Neal Stephenson has had similar
musings. Life within the walls of these scientific monasteries
resembles a university with eager hip students engaged in constant
dialogue with their eccentric ivy-covered professors. Indeed the
first third of the book is mostly a steady stream of intense academic
arguments. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know and admire Raz
and his young friends while being immersed in the the rich and
meticulously developed cultural history of Arbre. It's a bit like
the Encyclopedia Brittanica written as a coming-of-age story.
Like all Stephenson's previous novels this book is packed with a wide
variety of scientific and philosophical concepts. Some readers
might be turned off by his long esoteric passages about Platonic
mathematics or quantum physics. To correct this he has moved three
of the longer lectures to the back of the book. These appendices,
or "calca" as he has dubbed them, are quite entertaining and
educational but the story can be enjoyed without them. It's still
a very dense read but those of us who already love Stephenson's work
know there will be plenty of action and humor. You will thrill to
scenes of rotary-winged aircraft, mountaineering, bad cell phone
manners, martial arts, spacecraft, huge earth-shattering kabooms and
the frustration that comes from three -thousand-year-old folding
tables.
Another sticking point with Stephenson's novels has been his
endings. I have been a big fan of his ever since I read The Big U
in '86 but have always been disappointed by his vague and frankly
unsatisfying denouement in each of his books. It may be after all
the detailed world-building he lavishes upon his writing he simply
doesn't want the story to end. I know I didn't hurry to the last
page; the ride along the way was too much fun. The end of Anathem works
better than his previous books so he is still learning and
improving. We can certainly expect further excellence from this
mad genius.
Neal Stephenson is like your very favorite teacher. You learn
everything you'd ever need about a subject from his thoroughly engaging
manner. Then he shows you concepts you never suspected and leaves
you hungry to learn even more. At over 900 pages Anathem can be
intimidating, but I strongly recommend you immerse yourself in the
world of Arbre. As you finish you'll look around and realize the
universe is much bigger than you realized. Which is fine because
your mind has expanded as well.
-- Chris HsiangThis newsletter is distributed monthly free
of charge and may be distributed without charge so long all the following
information is included.
Dispatches from the Border Editor - Jude Feldman
Assistant Editor - Alan Beatts
Contributors - Jeremy Lassen
All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of
Borderlands Books
866 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA 94110
415-824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com
Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com
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