Great format for the video, hope you'll do more of these in the future. (As usual, some nice recommendations - instantly ordered Martin Bax). I'm reading Aickman's "Compulsory Games" (delightfuly weird and surreal).
The difference between me and a lot of SF readers is that I've very often read an author's entire output when it comes to major names, especially Genre SF of the more literary variety. Always read widely outside the genre too. Grew up alone in the country, no other kids about = very well read in youth. Don't get so much read now, maybe 70 a year, nothing compared to my 1970s-1980s reading.
Re: Christopher Lee and Ian Fleming, Fleming was Lee's stepfathers sister's son so they were "cousins" of a sort. Used to play golf together. Fleming suggested to Lee that he should play Dr. No but of course it went to Joseph Wiseman. Christopher did play the Bond villain in Man With The Golden Gun later. Lee - one of the great renaissance men of the 20th century. His autobiography "Tall, Dark, and Gruesome" very good despite the lurid title. You'd appreciate it.
Surprisingly Lee had a cameo career in heavy metal rock. Also appeared on the cover of Band On The Run. I could go on....a great personality and representative of England.
@@strelnikoff1632 Lee was also an RAF intelligence officer in WW2 and attached to the Special Operations Executive....I read a quote from Fleming who said that Lee's exploits had inspired the Bond character.
I find it very interesting to hear what everyone is reading . Seems I’m in good company lots of like minded folks out there reading really good stuff . I was so pleased to hear you will be covering more of Ballards work Steve ,balls deep into the fantastic crash now excuse the terminology . Great flow as always beautifully done🫡
@@carltaylor6452 Well, loads of Priest con tent here as you've probably seen, two interviews with him and other stuff. We were friends for decades and even did some literary work together- he wrote some pieces for projects of mine, a great honour.
I love Let It Come Down too. When I was in my 20s, I devoured everything by and about Bowles. Incredible life. For Cortazar, I recommend the story collections Blow Up, All Fires the Fire and the short novel Cronopios and Famas. If you like Borges, you’ll like Cortazar.
Great stuff, as always. I'd love for you to analyze SF from different countries and their context. For instance, I'm from Argentina and we have nearly zero SF, save from a couple of exceptions. And I think it's due to each country's history. I think you would have some very educated takes.
Hey, Steve, when you were talking about Purple Sage and Purple Wage you forgot one! 😉 Our man Joe R. Lansdale: his 1994 short story collection *Writer of the Purple Rage* 😁
Work is getting in the way, so sadly, Non-Stop does not describe my reading of this worndderful book. Loving it. ANd added a few more to my wishlist! Thank you for all you do.
Great list from everyone. I need to catch up. Not long after reading that edition of Inverted World I was driving through France with (an English) friend who had just started reading it in a French edition (so one book would last her the holiday!). At the first line, she said "Oh no. I thought my French was better. But I can't have translated this line right!"
Great video! I thought your comment on the bookshop was perfectly fine. Here in Illinois, US there is a similar situation where there are several bookshops popping up that seem like cash grabs. Most of them have a tic tock section and stock only trendy books. Very few actually carry a well curated selection. Lots of romantasy, thrillers and self help books.
Loved this video great to hear what everyone's reading and i'm glad that you are feeling better :) i will need to watch that video on the Pavane locations. I watched the video where you went to the pub and looked at some early Keith Roberts drafts, drawings and pictures which inspired me to read Pavane.
Yes, do watch my other Roberts video -it's miles better than the one you watched, which I nevertheless enjoyed making. I still need to frame those prints.
Just finished Sean Eads' "The Feast of Panthers" a beautifully penned cosmic horror starring Oscar Wilde, and then jumped into the stylistic opposite: a collection of Cixin Liu's short stories: Hold Up the Sky.
"Walter A" ; ) Haha. No worries. What a great surprise this morning! I got to join you for Eggs & Beans & coffee (in support of our British host) but I'll have to watch later -I'm off to the Dentist & must away. Thanks for the Breakfast Chat! Strength and endurance to you in these hard working times.
wow. so many great reads and recommendations. your channel is such a pleasure, steve. i will be adding many more books to my reading list. thanks? ;) glad to hear you are feeling better. here's hoping it keeps going 🤞
I don’t like "The Inverted World" as a title as to me it suggests it's not *our* world..."Inverted World" is more ambiguous. A recent find in the wild for me was Brian Aldiss's "Forgotten Life" - I was wondering if you'd read any of Aldiss's non-sf. It comes with a glowing praise by Burgess on the cover.
Yes, I've read quite a few of his mainstream novels, I bought and read 'Forgotten Life' when it was first published. He signed my first edition for me in the mid 1990s.
Have you seen this about 60th Anniversary edition of New Worlds? "AND NOW FOR THE NEWS! After some hiccups involving designers we now have one of the best in the business working on NW and are proceeding. The glitches mean we might be a little late but out this year when we'll have new work from Pam Zoline, Iain Sinclair, Tom Disch, Roz Kaveney, John Clute, John Davey, MM, JGB, John Coulthart, Allan Kausch, and some rare stuff from B.J.Bayley, Hilary Bailey, John Sladek and others who are strongly associated with the NW MM edited in our 'golden years'! It will be a pretty big A4 issue reflecting the current world, as always, and in no way replaces the book-size anthology out next year from Crowther and Gevers at PS! They are complementary. MM-edited issue will, as in the past, have considerable visual content. Watch the various Moorcock sites for news of Number 224 -- sixty years a queen! Watch for news on Buggerly Otherly, Friends Who Like Michael Moorcock, The Many Worlds of MM and others, including this one. Thank you."
When I was doing English at school in the late 1970s we “had” to read ‘The Machine Stops’ by E M Forster and a collection of H G Wells stories. The school library had a lot of Science Fiction that I gobbled up. I also enjoyed some Fay Weldon and Iris Murdoch. William Golding ‘Pincher Martin’ was a highlight for me… about forty pages of climbing over a rock… I loved it. Thank you to my teachers who were both wonderfully nurturing; although one was highly idiosyncratic and used to sprawl across the straining legs of the secondary modern ROSLA unit tables.
Great video, Stephen. I now regret not responding to your previous video. I spent the week re-reading Steve Ditko’s stories featuring The Question. Ditko paints a simplistic unrealistic world (which I guess he really believed?) but when the real world seems complicated, his black and white solutions can feel soothing. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Cheers!
1:13:48 Aniara is an epic science fiction poem, originally written in Swedish, it is indeed about a space ship and has been adapted to film (I haven't seen it).
Yes! Bax! Read it 40 years ago, tho mine's the Norton with the b/w collage cover (surely was by Paolozzi? who did so much for Ambit in those years). Fortunately I'm not bookTube-ing so I'll be having no side-eyes 😁 [oh btw not *all* of Bowles' novels are set in N. Africa -- Up Above the World is in Central America. (Just got to that recently ... must say it's not up to the level of other three)] If you're going to dip back into The World Inside, I'd recommend seeing if you can first find in the library copy of the big MIT Press monograph on Paolo Soleri's arcologies, which were the inspiration for the setting (the original serial in Galaxy was accompanied by a short essay). Amazing stuff -- his small project in Arizona, Arcosanti, has been in process for decades, even after his death.
It's been awhile since I heard the name Kenneth Patchen - I DNF'ed 'The Journal of Albion Moonlight' (love that title!) some 20 years ago. Perhaps it's time to have another go at it.
Was sitting down on a Sunday morning with a coffee and enjoying the channel hope all is well Steve. Love the new channel too keep up the adventures and the odd book haul! Just finished reading First Men in the Moon by HG Wells - my first Wells if you can believe but enjoyed greatly.
Hi Steve, glad to hear you're feeling better and have to say I really enjoyed watching this. With your depth of knowledge you never fail to extemporise in an interesting way. My recent reads are: Freedom Evolves by Daniel Dennett as a tribute to his recent passing. It is of course brilliant and challenging. Unfamiliar Territory by Silverberg. This was one of the first Silverberg's I ever read and it grew into my more (but not very) sophisticated reading palate. Nemesis Games by J.A.Corey, my favourite Expanse Book so far, perhaps because it's like 5 interwoven short stories. Finally, I finished Hothouse by Aldiss. An astonishing feat of the imagination. My first Aldiss, but not my last.
Did you say it was Casares you hadn't yet read? I just read his 'Invention of Morel', a 100 page novella, in a nice slim NYRB edition PB with a preface by Borges. It's a masterpiece, and plot-wise is sci-fi fantasy. I'd be interested to hear what you'd make of it. I was blown away.
No I read Cesares decades back. Cortazar is the author I haven't read I mentioned. I love 'The Invention of Morel' as well, the NYRB edition is very nice, great book.
Oh, missed the video requesting comments ... Anyway, I'm currently reading a piece of Silverberg juvenilia, Stepsons of Terra (who probably own several Puppies of Terra). Written in 1957, his 7th novel, he says in a foreword written in 1977, and published by Sphere in 1979. Although it's not prime Silverberg I'm not regretting it.
It's probably so long from the Gargantuan (Pantagrulellian?) lists I left for you! I'll have to watch later and offer long and proper thank you's! Rock on!
Just finished reading 'The Monkey Wrench Gang' by Edward Abbey, not quite SF but a great read nonetheless, one of those books that makes you want to get outside and appreciate the outdoors while they're still around. Awesome video as always 👍
Thank you 🙏 for this channel, discovered a couple of days ago. Am about halfway Chapterhouse Dune, this is my first venture into SF and am gathering ideas for next leap after the Herbert's Dune books. Probably will go with Asimov's Foundation (boring? lol)
Thanks for watching. Asmiv 'Foundation' boring? Well, quite honestly, yes. The problem is that it's not that well written. As in one of my earliest videos here, would suggest you read his Robot books first- they are set in the same universe as Foundation, but take place beforehand- 'The Naked Sun' and 'The Caves of Steel' are the first two robot books (avoid the early short stories collected as 'I, Robot') and it was at that point he became a much better writer.
If I'd have known my reading choice was going to be made public I'd have chosen something with a bit more street cred. Sometimes honesty is not the best policy !
I'm currently reading The Blue World by Jack Vance, sadly arrived late to the comments. Thanks for the great content as always, I've discovered many books watching you.
@@jackkaraquazian how nice, I just started last night so I’m barely into the second chapter. Let me know when you finish it, maybe we can have a nice chat about it ✨
@@diegobkn23 I've finished it now and really enjoyed it. Vance did an amazing job in just bringing this strange community to life in such a short space of time. And it's one of those books which is genuinely unique.
Great video! I'm definitely going to check out some of the books mentioned. I do have a question. Is there a particular app, website, etc that you use to keep track of the books in your collection?
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Wow! Good for you sir. My collection pales in comparison to yours and I still managed to recently purchase a book that I already had. Love your content. Thanks for sharing.
Harpy's Flight by Megan Lindholm!! Recently re-read, I was gobsmacked to find, while I was preparing my review, that she was also Robin Hobb. GOBSMACKED.... Agreed on the graphic novels! I was well into them for a couple of decades, but nothing seems to have new concepts, the art if always generic, computer generated... grumble...
Predictive text (and overworked brain) meant I wrongly said Vicodin rather than Viriconium Nights! ( i probably need some Vicodin). Plus meant to say four previous books to Kraken were Witchwater County, Blade Runner 2, Black Locomotive and London Incognita. You are costing me a fortune and a possible divorce bill
Just read "Winterwood" myself, I was familiar with most of the stories but always great to read some Keith Roberts. Currently I'm starting a re-reading of Steph Swainston's "Castle" books, beginning with "The Year of Our War", which Steph kindly signed for me when I met her at a Gollancz event 20 years ago. I've just bought "Velocity's Aftermath" from Air and Nothingness Press which collects her short stories and other pieces about the same universe which I'll build up to after reading the novels. Such a shame she hasn't seen the success I think she deserves.
@42:25 I found that copy of Pavane at a second-hand bookstore on Monday. On my way to the 6 happened to glance over at the childrens bookshelf, and there it was lying face up at eye level. I mean what are the chances?
For me, Niven -despite his ideas, which are often first rate- really cannot express them in prose that glitters. But we all have our own moments of Conceptual Breakthrough. Have you read 'Ringworld' several times?
I read Kraken a few years back, really wanted to like it but couldn't. There's lots of great ideas in it; lots and lots. It would have made two or three great novels, but putting it all into a single volume was overwhelming.
Beg to disagree re "ultimate generation starship novel." That has to be Aurora, by Kim Stanley Robinson. There is no plan(et) B. Space is hard. Really, really, really hard.
Well, let's just say Aldiss did it decades before Robinson. And that double conceptual breakthrough at th end of 'Non-Stop' has never been topped in GS stories in my view. Robinson as a prose stylist is far balder than Aldiss too, but each to his own.
Jay McInerney did second person in his debut novel Bright Lights, Big City about a disillusioned writer getting involved in the drug scene in 19080s New York. Great book although the movie was horribly miscast with Michael J. Fox as the protagonist.
Agreed. 'Dune' is one of those books people think they should like because other people tell them it's a 'Classic'. Even in terms of 1960s/early 1970s zeitgeist, it is easily outstripped by Silverberg's works such as 'A Time of Changes'. Its resemblance to a dynastic fantasy is what enthralls the easily led, in my view. It does have merits, but doesn't deserve the respect it gets. 'Hive' does have better ideas I'd say.
Well that video was remarkably like a live stream! If you're not watching and participating through your keyboard in real time, then watching that video is exactly like watching a video of a live stream that ended 2 hours ago. But I understand how important it is for you to be able to pick how long you do it for, time, & place - it's much better for you to record them beforehand. I'm Just saying I don't think the fans are missing out. I'm amazed, and feel a little bit ashamed that my current reading is just not up to the level of a lot of your commenters! Meant as useful feedback, with love; More than worrying about having a book to show us, I would have loved slightly longer ( just a sentence or two) feedback on a lot of those amazing titles that were mentioned - by that I mean sort of an "Outlaw Bookseller live" experience; like we get if we bumped into you at work and mentioned this or that title; you'd probably have three sentences to give us back - a lot of these gave us one. Not a complaint! I just wanted to give you feedback (that I think others like me would share) was that we would like more "honey droplets of your experienced wisdom". Still, the whole video was great and it must have been grueling to get through an hour and a half of! (More on the filming side, I know!) Get some rest then go for a walk; you've earned it dude!
I foolishly shot the video in 4K and it took 90 minutes to shoot, HOURS to convert from camera to PC, move to editing software and actual edit etc. It was my fault for not shooting it in standard HD, as I can't process it for 4k anyway as my PC lacks enough RAM, but a longer video would have finished me off. It took about a working day all told- 8hrs or so! But next time I'll try and give more info, but there was a lot to get through.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Oh ABSOLUTELY! What a TERRIBLY long day! I can see there was a ton to get through. The Salty one must be devastated, but SO many good books to pick through! And such a literate base! Awe inspiring, really.
Avoid Thursdays- that's market day and its busy and noisy. The major shops all open sunday, but weekdays are always better. Never go during school holidays or festivals.
Really fun video. I read The Broken Sword not too long ago, but later found out Moorcock recommended the original edition and bemoaned the later reworking Anderson did, which seems to be way more commonly available now. Do you have a preference? I am having a hard time tracking down the original version but am curious if it is really that much better!
I think only the original hardcover first edition from 1954 has the unrevised text. I don't think there was a paperback until 1971 from Ballantine (Sphere in the UK) and these and all subsequent versions are revised- I thought I had both texts, but as far as I can tell glancing at all three of my copies, this is not so. I almost bought a first around a year ago, but it was priced at around £150 and I couldn't justify that cost at that time.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Oh I see, thanks very much for checking and for the info! Sounds like it won't be easy to read the unrevised text without paying through the nose.
I agree about Elmore Leonard. Most of his stuff that I read isn't worth the hype, but his Rum Punch is terrific, even better than Tarantino's film, and Jackie Brown is my favorite Tarantion. I don't agree about the great Robert Mccammon. Granted his early novels are a bit crude, but with They Thirst, the vampire novel you couldn't recall, his prose got way better. Swan Song is one of my favorite novels, much better than The Stand. His Gone South is one best crime novels ever written, Boy's Life, his coming of age novel puts Catcher in the Rye to shame. His sf novel Stinger is mediocre, but The Border, his last sf novel, is a pure masterpiece, even though is very hard to find. I don't think it was even issued in paperback. Only in hardcover from Subterranean.
I've read Endo - I knew his UK publisher, Peter Owen, a legend in international avant garde literary publishing- but I don't get on with his work personally.
Steve - Bang on re: Indy bookshops. From a comic readers POV and loathe as Iam to tar with the same brush - but many I see aren't that well organised, stocked, accessible to a broad customer base or laid out. Many fall into the cliche category and sad to say, Iam now starting to see this for bookshops also. Many *appear* to be fan operated, but without the cold business clout to do the basics. While I decry Bezos monster as much as the next, its easier, cheaper and innmany cases, less demoralising to order online. Surley we should be in the age of the specialist who can offer a positive experience to shopping online? Where is the USP for bookshops/SF/comic shops? I dont see one.
Absolutely. Yes, business have to be commercial, but there is a balance to be struck between milking the mass market and offering surprise, delight, difference and range. The problem is with the people doing it. If you don't have the knowledge abd passion to go beyond the obvious, stay out of the kitchen is my view.
100% for me it's clear: you need business acumen, a knowledge of the product, people skills and most importantly an idea of how to seperate the hobby and love of the material from job. It drives me insane. How many bookshops/comic shops have faded pictures of jar jar binks, daleks etc as opposed to the latest book? How many posess knowledge of the industry above the superficial. It's sad: a good bookshop can be the heart of a town or city.
@@CelticChief1979 Agreed on all points. I turned down a number of 'opportunities' like this from people who wanted me to go into business with them but those warning signs were glaring. Sadly, never had the capital at the right time to set up my own bookshop, always worked for others and now, the time to do such a thing has gone.
I figured most of your "Harlan Ellison's Greatest Hits" Comments would end up in your review anyway. For some reason, even though his style jumps off the page, professional readers have difficulty conveying Ellison well. The readers for this book we're mixed, but clearly selected more carefully than usual. The one problematic choice being the slowed down delivery of "I'm looking for Kadak" I'm sure to allow people to understand it who are unfamiliar with the inflection delivery and Yiddish words contained within- but if it's delivered like that by default, say on the CD, then that ruins it.
Stephen King was inspired to write Christine (1983) after a memory he had of seeing The Twonky (1953), a SF/Comedy all about a haunted television set. Also: 'The idea for Christine was hatched back in 1978 when King was walking home one day and thinking about his dying Pinto. If King had to pay royalties for inspiration, this Pinto, which he bought with the hardcover advance for Carrie, would have earned a mint by now since it also provided the intial spark for Cujo.' - wiki I'd be a bit surprised if King has even heard of Keith Roberts, tbh...
Well, SK is a wide reader and Roberts is critically revered and has been since the late 1960s. As King's first efforts at publication were SF, it's possible he read 'Impulse'- British SF was pointing the way. Either way, the real point is that "The Scarlet Lady" predates 'Christine' by many years and it shows how a literary genius can make a work of art in a few pages.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Fair points. Always forget the smattering of SF short stories SK wrote in the early days for magazines. 'The Jaunt' (found in Skeleton Crew) sticks in the mind as a good one, if slightly (surprise, surprise) too long. I know you're pretty lukewarm when it comes to King so I never pass up an opportunity to mention him, just to try to convince you otherwise. Sorry about that.
@@stephenwalker2924 That's alright chum. I think I could do with reading more of his shorts, actually. My fave novel by him is 'The Colorado Kid' and preferred short story is "Crouch End". Stay frosty.
‘A Fire Upon the Deep’ does have great ideas. But it’s far too long, the prose is sometimes really clunky, and there’s a childishness to it which I can’t quite pin down: would I have enjoyed it more at 12 years old? Maybe, but 600-odd pages is long for anyone, let alone a child! I thought it started well, offering up all sorts of concepts I hadn’t come across, but then kept. going. on. and. on. Also, Dune, massively overrated. Aside from the nostalgia of reading it as a teenager, I wonder if its success is partly down to what people *want* it to be. Anyway, great video concept!
Yes, agreed. Vinge is very overrated in my world. His prose is nothing special and his tendency to elephantism is clodhoppingly overbearing. I find this with Neal Stephenson to a degree too, though NS is a far better stylist. Neal is a great guy- I hosted him for an event once and we went to the pub afterward, but I never have the urge to read more of his work. I re-read 'Snow Crash' recently and it's overly long and infodumps like mad, unlike Gibson, who just slips it in without seams showing.
‘Snow Crash’ is on the TBR shelf, though I recently gave up on ‘Termination Shock’. You’re right, there is a similarity: it’s like, ‘Here’s all the stuff in my head, have all of it, now, and here’s some more stuff!’ I don’t necessarily mind an infodump, but there’s something to be said for not having to explain every detail of the story’s architecture, instead relying on the reader to piece together the world through that seamlessness you mention, whether it’s the characters’ language or clothing, or vague references to an event, or whatever. But I guess there’s also a nerdiness to many SF readers (more so in fantasy, maybe?) that thrives on a multitude of details.
Speaking of reading, I want to spend some time with Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser series. So far, I've only read, "Ill Met in Lankhmar" (it was in an old anthology). I wanted to ask you about the series as you're not only a reader, but also have lots of knowledge about publication history and editions. My sources for buying are usually Amazon & E-Bay. My questions are: 1. Is the "Swords Against..." series the way to go? 2. I keep getting different volume counts: How many volumes/books are there in that series? 3. Is there any order to the stories? 4. If you were re-collecting, which editions/sets would be preferred (not counting signed, rare proofs, mint, etc.)? Please accept my thanks in advance!
Yes, 'Swords Against...' is the way to go. There are six of these, then the final seventh volume 'The Knight & Knave of Swords'. The six 'Swords Against...' were single volumes in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s, but were then collected into omnibus volumes later- the current UK editions are Gollancz Fantasy Masterworks, two volumes. I can't tell you detail re US editions, but consult isfdb and you'll find pretty reliable listings there. Regarding reading order: The 'Swords Against...' series are in order of internal chronology (i.e. the timeline of the whole saga). You have to remember that these were basically short stories in magazines published over many decades and the author wrote linking material and 'origin stories' for both characters AFTER the series was established. This was common up until the 1970s- Moorcock's Elric series is like this too, with the first novel in terms of internal chronology ('Elric of Melnibone') being written and published after the last one ('Stormbringer'). If I were recollecting, I'd go with the editions I have, the UK ones (published by Panther/Granada/Grafton), which I show in my video 'Top 10 Classic Fantasy (Sword & Sorcery) which is easily findable on the channel page as it's my third most popular video.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal WOW! Such a fast reply, thanks! Your advice is much appreciated and the epi will be my late-lunch accompaniment. Now... on to book-hunting!
@@PaulSaether Thank you for your suggestion. I still regret selling my Barry Winsor-Smith Conans in 1980, and of course could likely never afford to re-collect them in VF or better condition today. Being retired as I am.
I'm sure that there are many earlier examples of a big strong Lummox of a man partnering up with a small Clever Man... But 'Of Mice and Men' is probably a good place to start. (Earnest Hemingway)
To be clear; I understand why you couldn't go through the somewhat lengthy list of everything the library offered me on "bonus borrows" this month. (There are SO many reasons aside from it being exhausting and unfair if you do 20 books for me) I was hoping there might be a little sage advice or feedback on some of the newer titles. Strictly for selfish reasons! A number of them are being offered in early summer sales dirt cheap, but dirt cheap or not, if it is romantasy then I don't need it taking up space in my apartment. . . Besides that, the original Pantagruellian post was held up forever in the TH-cam buffer, and I had to repost it split in half making it too late, and far too much trouble for you to deal with. Still, for those reasons, this might be a useful type of video to make regularly. Be well.
Read Druss the Legend as teenagers. Good stuff.. although if you go back to the earlier writers you might find some stuff worth reading depending on your tastes. If i may suggest try Glen Cook.
To be clear; I understand why you couldn't go through the somewhat lengthy list of everything the library offered me on "bonus borrows" this month. (There are SO many reasons aside from it being exhausting and unfair if you do 20 books for me) I was hoping there might be a little sage advice or feedback on some of the newer titles. Strictly for selfish reasons! A number of them are being offered in early summer sales dirt cheap, but dirt cheap or not, if it is romantasy then I don't need it taking up space in my apartment. . . Besides that, the original Pantagruellian post was held up forever in the TH-cam buffer, and I had to repost it split in half making it too late, and far too much trouble for you to deal with. Still, for those reasons, this might be a useful type of video to make regularly. Be well.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal I didn't want to bother you, but I've just spent over 2 hours writing comments on your Ellison Review. . . so, now. . . yes, you'll get a cut and paste. I hope you enjoy your holiday ANYWAY! 😉
Good stuff! I think you're on to something with this format, would be glad to see this as a recurrent event.
Thanks for taking the time to make this. Great to have your views on your viewership's current reading: much obviously influenced by you!
Enjoyed this new format. Felt like a livestream.
Great format for the video, hope you'll do more of these in the future. (As usual, some nice recommendations - instantly ordered Martin Bax).
I'm reading Aickman's "Compulsory Games" (delightfuly weird and surreal).
Aickman- cool in NYRB.
Riders of the Purple Wage is flat out brilliant. Read it first in 1968.
One of his best.
Epic video. My TBR list just tripled. Thanks, Outlaw.
This was such a fun watch! The fact that you are so well read really sold it!
The difference between me and a lot of SF readers is that I've very often read an author's entire output when it comes to major names, especially Genre SF of the more literary variety. Always read widely outside the genre too. Grew up alone in the country, no other kids about = very well read in youth. Don't get so much read now, maybe 70 a year, nothing compared to my 1970s-1980s reading.
Re: Christopher Lee and Ian Fleming, Fleming was Lee's stepfathers sister's son so they were "cousins" of a sort. Used to play golf together.
Fleming suggested to Lee that he should play Dr. No but of course it went to Joseph Wiseman. Christopher did play the Bond villain in Man With The Golden Gun later.
Lee - one of the great renaissance men of the 20th century. His autobiography "Tall, Dark, and Gruesome" very good despite the lurid title. You'd appreciate it.
Surprisingly Lee had a cameo career in heavy metal rock. Also appeared on the cover of Band On The Run. I could go on....a great personality and representative of England.
@@strelnikoff1632 Lee was also an RAF intelligence officer in WW2 and attached to the Special Operations Executive....I read a quote from Fleming who said that Lee's exploits had inspired the Bond character.
Scaramanga!
I find it very interesting to hear what everyone is reading . Seems I’m in good company lots of like minded folks out there reading really good stuff . I was so pleased to hear you will be covering more of Ballards work Steve ,balls deep into the fantastic crash now excuse the terminology . Great flow as always beautifully done🫡
I've got an old hardcover of Casey Agonistes, which I've read many times. Always thought it a great shame McKenna didn't do more SF.
Fantastic! My TBR pile has grown.
A very enjoyable video, to the detriment of my poor TBR list which is growing completely out of control.
Currently reading The Affirmation by Christopher Priest
Absolute masterpiece, one of my favourite novels of all time.
I read that a few weeks ago and was seriously impressed. The only Priest I've read ... so far.
Brilliant book.
@@carltaylor6452 Well, loads of Priest con tent here as you've probably seen, two interviews with him and other stuff. We were friends for decades and even did some literary work together- he wrote some pieces for projects of mine, a great honour.
I love Let It Come Down too. When I was in my 20s, I devoured everything by and about Bowles. Incredible life.
For Cortazar, I recommend the story collections Blow Up, All Fires the Fire and the short novel Cronopios and Famas. If you like Borges, you’ll like Cortazar.
Fantastic! Wonderful format. McKenna definitely deserves more readers- pity he didn't write more SF.
His early death precluded that. Had he lived, I think the success of 'The Sand Pebbles' would have moved him away from the genre.
Great stuff, as always. I'd love for you to analyze SF from different countries and their context. For instance, I'm from Argentina and we have nearly zero SF, save from a couple of exceptions. And I think it's due to each country's history. I think you would have some very educated takes.
Fun video. Thanks for the shout! just picked up some nice Edmund Cooper novels with the Chris Foss wrap around covers.
This was great stuff. I hope this is something you decide to do on occasion in the future!
Enjoyed hearing what everyone's reading.
Honored to make the "Stalwart" category 😅
Nice one, I wondered who this 'stalwart' is... level up! 🎉
Correct. Bunch had two stories in Dangerous Visions. The only author so honored.
Hey, Steve, when you were talking about Purple Sage and Purple Wage you forgot one! 😉
Our man Joe R. Lansdale: his 1994 short story collection
*Writer of the Purple Rage* 😁
I IKNEW there was something I missed!
Work is getting in the way, so sadly, Non-Stop does not describe my reading of this worndderful book. Loving it. ANd added a few more to my wishlist! Thank you for all you do.
Great list from everyone. I need to catch up. Not long after reading that edition of Inverted World I was driving through France with (an English) friend who had just started reading it in a French edition (so one book would last her the holiday!). At the first line, she said "Oh no. I thought my French was better. But I can't have translated this line right!"
'Inverted World' is really famous in France. The first line? Well, that's the good stuff!
Love Sheridan Le Fanu! I'm looking forward to your review on Harlan Ellison!
Great video! I thought your comment on the bookshop was perfectly fine. Here in Illinois, US there is a similar situation where there are several bookshops popping up that seem like cash grabs. Most of them have a tic tock section and stock only trendy books. Very few actually carry a well curated selection. Lots of romantasy, thrillers and self help books.
Oh, a long one, time to kick back!
Loved this video great to hear what everyone's reading and i'm glad that you are feeling better :) i will need to watch that video on the Pavane locations. I watched the video where you went to the pub and looked at some early Keith Roberts drafts, drawings and pictures which inspired me to read Pavane.
Yes, do watch my other Roberts video -it's miles better than the one you watched, which I nevertheless enjoyed making. I still need to frame those prints.
I've just started Tim O'Brien's "If I die In A Combat Zone" after a recent video of yours mentioned it.
My TBR is entirely out of hand as well. A whole (sizable) bookshelf’s worth....
Thank you for the updated book suggestion.
Just finished Sean Eads' "The Feast of Panthers" a beautifully penned cosmic horror starring Oscar Wilde, and then jumped into the stylistic opposite: a collection of Cixin Liu's short stories: Hold Up the Sky.
"Walter A" ; ) Haha. No worries. What a great surprise this morning! I got to join you for Eggs & Beans & coffee (in support of our British host) but I'll have to watch later -I'm off to the Dentist & must away. Thanks for the Breakfast Chat! Strength and endurance to you in these hard working times.
Thanks man.
wow. so many great reads and recommendations. your channel is such a pleasure, steve. i will be adding many more books to my reading list. thanks? ;)
glad to hear you are feeling better. here's hoping it keeps going 🤞
I don’t like "The Inverted World" as a title as to me it suggests it's not *our* world..."Inverted World" is more ambiguous.
A recent find in the wild for me was Brian Aldiss's "Forgotten Life" - I was wondering if you'd read any of Aldiss's non-sf. It comes with a glowing praise by Burgess on the cover.
Yes, I've read quite a few of his mainstream novels, I bought and read 'Forgotten Life' when it was first published. He signed my first edition for me in the mid 1990s.
I read forgotten life years ago thought it was excellent . Aldiss is a terrific writer hope you enjoy that one👍🏻
@@themojocorpse1290 I read it back in the day, very shortly after I bought it, loved it.
Have you seen this about 60th Anniversary edition of New Worlds? "AND NOW FOR THE NEWS! After some hiccups involving designers we now have one of the best in the business working on NW and are proceeding. The glitches mean we might be a little late but out this year when we'll have new work from Pam Zoline, Iain Sinclair, Tom Disch, Roz Kaveney, John Clute, John Davey, MM, JGB, John Coulthart, Allan Kausch, and some rare stuff from B.J.Bayley, Hilary Bailey, John Sladek and others who are strongly associated with the NW MM edited in our 'golden years'! It will be a pretty big A4 issue reflecting the current world, as always, and in no way replaces the book-size anthology out next year from Crowther and Gevers at PS! They are complementary. MM-edited issue will, as in the past, have considerable visual content. Watch the various Moorcock sites for news of Number 224 -- sixty years a queen! Watch for news on Buggerly Otherly, Friends Who Like Michael Moorcock, The Many Worlds of MM and others, including this one. Thank you."
Yes, I'm awaiting it quite eagerly.
When I was doing English at school in the late 1970s we “had” to read ‘The Machine Stops’ by E M Forster and a collection of H G Wells stories. The school library had a lot of Science Fiction that I gobbled up. I also enjoyed some Fay Weldon and Iris Murdoch. William Golding ‘Pincher Martin’ was a highlight for me… about forty pages of climbing over a rock… I loved it. Thank you to my teachers who were both wonderfully nurturing; although one was highly idiosyncratic and used to sprawl across the straining legs of the secondary modern ROSLA unit tables.
I've been thinking of you Stephen, recently, as I've been reading "The Dark Side of the Sun" by Terry Pratchett. You would hate it!
It has to be said, I can't stand TP's work.
Great video, Stephen. I now regret not responding to your previous video. I spent the week re-reading Steve Ditko’s stories featuring The Question. Ditko paints a simplistic unrealistic world (which I guess he really believed?) but when the real world seems complicated, his black and white solutions can feel soothing. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Cheers!
Love Ditko.
Just Finished Blindsight by Peter Watts, probably im not in the video, maybe next time 😢
Yeah, that's a good one from recent years. A little in danger of becoming a Sacred Cow, but a good read.
I read that last month
1:13:48 Aniara is an epic science fiction poem, originally written in Swedish, it is indeed about a space ship and has been adapted to film (I haven't seen it).
The film is good, actually.
Yes! Bax! Read it 40 years ago, tho mine's the Norton with the b/w collage cover (surely was by Paolozzi? who did so much for Ambit in those years). Fortunately I'm not bookTube-ing so I'll be having no side-eyes 😁
[oh btw not *all* of Bowles' novels are set in N. Africa -- Up Above the World is in Central America. (Just got to that recently ... must say it's not up to the level of other three)]
If you're going to dip back into The World Inside, I'd recommend seeing if you can first find in the library copy of the big MIT Press monograph on Paolo Soleri's arcologies, which were the inspiration for the setting (the original serial in Galaxy was accompanied by a short essay). Amazing stuff -- his small project in Arizona, Arcosanti, has been in process for decades, even after his death.
It's been awhile since I heard the name Kenneth Patchen - I DNF'ed 'The Journal of Albion Moonlight' (love that title!) some 20 years ago. Perhaps it's time to have another go at it.
Was sitting down on a Sunday morning with a coffee and enjoying the channel hope all is well Steve. Love the new channel too keep up the adventures and the odd book haul! Just finished reading First Men in the Moon by HG Wells - my first Wells if you can believe but enjoyed greatly.
Hi Steve, glad to hear you're feeling better and have to say I really enjoyed watching this. With your depth of knowledge you never fail to extemporise in an interesting way.
My recent reads are:
Freedom Evolves by Daniel Dennett as a tribute to his recent passing. It is of course brilliant and challenging.
Unfamiliar Territory by Silverberg. This was one of the first Silverberg's I ever read and it grew into my more (but not very) sophisticated reading palate.
Nemesis Games by J.A.Corey, my favourite Expanse Book so far, perhaps because it's like 5 interwoven short stories.
Finally, I finished Hothouse by Aldiss. An astonishing feat of the imagination. My first Aldiss, but not my last.
Finished Eclipse and decided on The Timeliner Trilogy. Enjoying it so far.
Did you say it was Casares you hadn't yet read? I just read his 'Invention of Morel', a 100 page novella, in a nice slim NYRB edition PB with a preface by Borges. It's a masterpiece, and plot-wise is sci-fi fantasy. I'd be interested to hear what you'd make of it. I was blown away.
No I read Cesares decades back. Cortazar is the author I haven't read I mentioned. I love 'The Invention of Morel' as well, the NYRB edition is very nice, great book.
Oh, missed the video requesting comments ... Anyway, I'm currently reading a piece of Silverberg juvenilia, Stepsons of Terra (who probably own several Puppies of Terra). Written in 1957, his 7th novel, he says in a foreword written in 1977, and published by Sphere in 1979. Although it's not prime Silverberg I'm not regretting it.
I reviewed that here in an early silverberd roundup. Yep, I liked it too.
It's probably so long from the Gargantuan (Pantagrulellian?) lists I left for you!
I'll have to watch later and offer long and proper thank you's!
Rock on!
Rabelasian regards to you too, dear boy.
Just finished reading 'The Monkey Wrench Gang' by Edward Abbey, not quite SF but a great read nonetheless, one of those books that makes you want to get outside and appreciate the outdoors while they're still around. Awesome video as always 👍
Yes, I know that one.
Thank you 🙏 for this channel, discovered a couple of days ago. Am about halfway Chapterhouse Dune, this is my first venture into SF and am gathering ideas for next leap after the Herbert's Dune books. Probably will go with Asimov's Foundation (boring? lol)
Thanks for watching. Asmiv 'Foundation' boring? Well, quite honestly, yes. The problem is that it's not that well written. As in one of my earliest videos here, would suggest you read his Robot books first- they are set in the same universe as Foundation, but take place beforehand- 'The Naked Sun' and 'The Caves of Steel' are the first two robot books (avoid the early short stories collected as 'I, Robot') and it was at that point he became a much better writer.
I missed your request! I'm reading Frederick Turner's 'A Double Shadow' (1979), and a couple of short stories by Tod Robbins.
If I'd have known my reading choice was going to be made public I'd have chosen something with a bit more street cred. Sometimes honesty is not the best policy !
No, you did OK.
I'm currently reading The Blue World by Jack Vance, sadly arrived late to the comments.
Thanks for the great content as always, I've discovered many books watching you.
Yes, that's a good Vance singleton.
that's a coincidence, I'm also reading Blue World.
@@jackkaraquazian how nice, I just started last night so I’m barely into the second chapter. Let me know when you finish it, maybe we can have a nice chat about it ✨
@@diegobkn23 yeah, I started it on the train back to London yesterday. Will drop a note when I'm finished.
@@diegobkn23 I've finished it now and really enjoyed it. Vance did an amazing job in just bringing this strange community to life in such a short space of time. And it's one of those books which is genuinely unique.
Great video! I'm definitely going to check out some of the books mentioned. I do have a question. Is there a particular app, website, etc that you use to keep track of the books in your collection?
No. I use my brain, which is used to storing thousands of titles and authors in it after 40 years of bookselling.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Wow! Good for you sir. My collection pales in comparison to yours and I still managed to recently purchase a book that I already had. Love your content. Thanks for sharing.
Harpy's Flight by Megan Lindholm!! Recently re-read, I was gobsmacked to find, while I was preparing my review, that she was also Robin Hobb. GOBSMACKED....
Agreed on the graphic novels! I was well into them for a couple of decades, but nothing seems to have new concepts, the art if always generic, computer generated... grumble...
I have attempted to read 'Riders of the Purple Wage'. I will make another attempt, lol.
Predictive text (and overworked brain) meant I wrongly said Vicodin rather than Viriconium Nights! ( i probably need some Vicodin). Plus meant to say four previous books to Kraken were Witchwater County, Blade Runner 2, Black Locomotive and London Incognita. You are costing me a fortune and a possible divorce bill
All of us guys enjoying ourselves through the purchase of artefacts of cultural production seem to suffer thus at the hands of our partners....
Just read "Winterwood" myself, I was familiar with most of the stories but always great to read some Keith Roberts.
Currently I'm starting a re-reading of Steph Swainston's "Castle" books, beginning with "The Year of Our War", which Steph kindly signed for me when I met her at a Gollancz event 20 years ago. I've just bought "Velocity's Aftermath" from Air and Nothingness Press which collects her short stories and other pieces about the same universe which I'll build up to after reading the novels. Such a shame she hasn't seen the success I think she deserves.
Yes, like many serious Brit SF writers from the last 30 years, she's had a low profile. Pity.
@42:25 I found that copy of Pavane at a second-hand bookstore on Monday. On my way to the 6 happened to glance over at the childrens bookshelf, and there it was lying face up at eye level.
I mean what are the chances?
Finally finished this video. I think RINGWORLD is my equalivent of what THE DARK SIDE OF THE EARTH is for you. Early SF reading epiphany.
For me, Niven -despite his ideas, which are often first rate- really cannot express them in prose that glitters. But we all have our own moments of Conceptual Breakthrough. Have you read 'Ringworld' several times?
I read Kraken a few years back, really wanted to like it but couldn't. There's lots of great ideas in it; lots and lots. It would have made two or three great novels, but putting it all into a single volume was overwhelming.
I think overall his books are too long, though he seems to be into producing shorter work now, which I prefer.
Beg to disagree re "ultimate generation starship novel." That has to be Aurora, by Kim Stanley Robinson. There is no plan(et) B. Space is hard. Really, really, really hard.
Well, let's just say Aldiss did it decades before Robinson. And that double conceptual breakthrough at th end of 'Non-Stop' has never been topped in GS stories in my view. Robinson as a prose stylist is far balder than Aldiss too, but each to his own.
Agree about Aurora. Brilliant novel. I would also add Mayflower II by Stephen Baxter.
Chocolate Monk may like the book The Anatomy of Tobacco by Weird Welshman Arthur Machen.
Jealous of the Lafferty!
Jay McInerney did second person in his debut novel Bright Lights, Big City about a disillusioned writer getting involved in the drug scene in 19080s New York. Great book although the movie was horribly miscast with Michael J. Fox as the protagonist.
Read it, great book. I don't recall it being present tense though, but I must dig it out and look again.
I agree, Dune is totally over rated. I do like some of Herbert's other work. I really enjoyed Hellstrom's Hive, it has some very interesting ideas.
Agreed. 'Dune' is one of those books people think they should like because other people tell them it's a 'Classic'. Even in terms of 1960s/early 1970s zeitgeist, it is easily outstripped by Silverberg's works such as 'A Time of Changes'. Its resemblance to a dynastic fantasy is what enthralls the easily led, in my view. It does have merits, but doesn't deserve the respect it gets. 'Hive' does have better ideas I'd say.
Thanks!
Thanks! ST is the lifeblood of the channel and makes a huge difference!
What a novel and interesting idea for a video.
Enjoyed and hope you may do more of the same soon.
Thank you.
🚀🌙
Thanks. Yeah, it was popular and fun, will do it again!
Well that video was remarkably like a live stream!
If you're not watching and participating through your keyboard in real time, then watching that video is exactly like watching a video of a live stream that ended 2 hours ago.
But I understand how important it is for you to be able to pick how long you do it for, time, & place - it's much better for you to record them beforehand. I'm Just saying I don't think the fans are missing out.
I'm amazed, and feel a little bit ashamed that my current reading is just not up to the level of a lot of your commenters!
Meant as useful feedback, with love;
More than worrying about having a book to show us, I would have loved slightly longer ( just a sentence or two) feedback on a lot of those amazing titles that were mentioned - by that I mean sort of an "Outlaw Bookseller live" experience; like we get if we bumped into you at work and mentioned this or that title; you'd probably have three sentences to give us back - a lot of these gave us one.
Not a complaint!
I just wanted to give you feedback (that I think others like me would share) was that we would like more "honey droplets of your experienced wisdom".
Still, the whole video was great and it must have been grueling to get through an hour and a half of! (More on the filming side, I know!)
Get some rest then go for a walk; you've earned it dude!
I foolishly shot the video in 4K and it took 90 minutes to shoot, HOURS to convert from camera to PC, move to editing software and actual edit etc. It was my fault for not shooting it in standard HD, as I can't process it for 4k anyway as my PC lacks enough RAM, but a longer video would have finished me off. It took about a working day all told- 8hrs or so!
But next time I'll try and give more info, but there was a lot to get through.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Oh ABSOLUTELY! What a TERRIBLY long day! I can see there was a ton to get through. The Salty one must be devastated, but SO many good books to pick through! And such a literate base! Awe inspiring, really.
Thank you!
You are a Gentleman and a Scholar!
(or at least a Philanthropist!)
@erikpaterson1404
Cheers Erik, v kind of you, ST is the lifeblood of this channel!
Great stuff as always. I'm off to Hay on Wye next week(for one day) Is there a day I should avoid or are they open every day but Sunday?
Avoid Thursdays- that's market day and its busy and noisy. The major shops all open sunday, but weekdays are always better. Never go during school holidays or festivals.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Molte Grazi.
Really fun video. I read The Broken Sword not too long ago, but later found out Moorcock recommended the original edition and bemoaned the later reworking Anderson did, which seems to be way more commonly available now. Do you have a preference? I am having a hard time tracking down the original version but am curious if it is really that much better!
I think only the original hardcover first edition from 1954 has the unrevised text. I don't think there was a paperback until 1971 from Ballantine (Sphere in the UK) and these and all subsequent versions are revised- I thought I had both texts, but as far as I can tell glancing at all three of my copies, this is not so. I almost bought a first around a year ago, but it was priced at around £150 and I couldn't justify that cost at that time.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Oh I see, thanks very much for checking and for the info! Sounds like it won't be easy to read the unrevised text without paying through the nose.
I agree about Elmore Leonard. Most of his stuff that I read isn't worth the hype, but his Rum Punch is terrific, even better than Tarantino's film, and Jackie Brown is my favorite Tarantion. I don't agree about the great Robert Mccammon. Granted his early novels are a bit crude, but with They Thirst, the vampire novel you couldn't recall, his prose got way better. Swan Song is one of my favorite novels, much better than The Stand. His Gone South is one best crime novels ever written, Boy's Life, his coming of age novel puts Catcher in the Rye to shame.
His sf novel Stinger is mediocre, but The Border, his last sf novel, is a pure masterpiece, even though is very hard to find. I don't think it was even issued in paperback. Only in hardcover from Subterranean.
Just read Shusaku Endo’s Scandal, which I think might be the best book ever written.
I've read Endo - I knew his UK publisher, Peter Owen, a legend in international avant garde literary publishing- but I don't get on with his work personally.
Steve - Bang on re: Indy bookshops. From a comic readers POV and loathe as Iam to tar with the same brush - but many I see aren't that well organised, stocked, accessible to a broad customer base or laid out.
Many fall into the cliche category and sad to say, Iam now starting to see this for bookshops also.
Many *appear* to be fan operated, but without the cold business clout to do the basics.
While I decry Bezos monster as much as the next, its easier, cheaper and innmany cases, less demoralising to order online. Surley we should be in the age of the specialist who can offer a positive experience to shopping online?
Where is the USP for bookshops/SF/comic shops? I dont see one.
Absolutely. Yes, business have to be commercial, but there is a balance to be struck between milking the mass market and offering surprise, delight, difference and range. The problem is with the people doing it. If you don't have the knowledge abd passion to go beyond the obvious, stay out of the kitchen is my view.
100% for me it's clear: you need business acumen, a knowledge of the product, people skills and most importantly an idea of how to seperate the hobby and love of the material from job. It drives me insane. How many bookshops/comic shops have faded pictures of jar jar binks, daleks etc as opposed to the latest book? How many posess knowledge of the industry above the superficial. It's sad: a good bookshop can be the heart of a town or city.
@@CelticChief1979 Agreed on all points. I turned down a number of 'opportunities' like this from people who wanted me to go into business with them but those warning signs were glaring. Sadly, never had the capital at the right time to set up my own bookshop, always worked for others and now, the time to do such a thing has gone.
I figured most of your "Harlan Ellison's Greatest Hits" Comments would end up in your review anyway. For some reason, even though his style jumps off the page, professional readers have difficulty conveying Ellison well. The readers for this book we're mixed, but clearly selected more carefully than usual.
The one problematic choice being the slowed down delivery of "I'm looking for Kadak"
I'm sure to allow people to understand it who are unfamiliar with the inflection delivery and Yiddish words contained within- but if it's delivered like that by default, say on the CD, then that ruins it.
Ellison next week...or maybe weekend.
Stephen King was inspired to write Christine (1983) after a memory he had of seeing The Twonky (1953), a SF/Comedy all about a haunted television set.
Also: 'The idea for Christine was hatched back in 1978 when King was walking home one day and thinking about his dying Pinto. If King had to pay royalties for inspiration, this Pinto, which he bought with the hardcover advance for Carrie, would have earned a mint by now since it also provided the intial spark for Cujo.' - wiki
I'd be a bit surprised if King has even heard of Keith Roberts, tbh...
Well, SK is a wide reader and Roberts is critically revered and has been since the late 1960s. As King's first efforts at publication were SF, it's possible he read 'Impulse'- British SF was pointing the way.
Either way, the real point is that "The Scarlet Lady" predates 'Christine' by many years and it shows how a literary genius can make a work of art in a few pages.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal Fair points. Always forget the smattering of SF short stories SK wrote in the early days for magazines. 'The Jaunt' (found in Skeleton Crew) sticks in the mind as a good one, if slightly (surprise, surprise) too long.
I know you're pretty lukewarm when it comes to King so I never pass up an opportunity to mention him, just to try to convince you otherwise. Sorry about that.
@@stephenwalker2924 That's alright chum. I think I could do with reading more of his shorts, actually. My fave novel by him is 'The Colorado Kid' and preferred short story is "Crouch End". Stay frosty.
It wasn't a Hatchback.
@@PaulSaether Be more specific, please- what 'wasn't a hatchback'?
‘A Fire Upon the Deep’ does have great ideas. But it’s far too long, the prose is sometimes really clunky, and there’s a childishness to it which I can’t quite pin down: would I have enjoyed it more at 12 years old? Maybe, but 600-odd pages is long for anyone, let alone a child!
I thought it started well, offering up all sorts of concepts I hadn’t come across, but then kept. going. on. and. on.
Also, Dune, massively overrated. Aside from the nostalgia of reading it as a teenager, I wonder if its success is partly down to what people *want* it to be. Anyway, great video concept!
Yes, agreed. Vinge is very overrated in my world. His prose is nothing special and his tendency to elephantism is clodhoppingly overbearing. I find this with Neal Stephenson to a degree too, though NS is a far better stylist. Neal is a great guy- I hosted him for an event once and we went to the pub afterward, but I never have the urge to read more of his work. I re-read 'Snow Crash' recently and it's overly long and infodumps like mad, unlike Gibson, who just slips it in without seams showing.
‘Snow Crash’ is on the TBR shelf, though I recently gave up on ‘Termination Shock’. You’re right, there is a similarity: it’s like, ‘Here’s all the stuff in my head, have all of it, now, and here’s some more stuff!’ I don’t necessarily mind an infodump, but there’s something to be said for not having to explain every detail of the story’s architecture, instead relying on the reader to piece together the world through that seamlessness you mention, whether it’s the characters’ language or clothing, or vague references to an event, or whatever. But I guess there’s also a nerdiness to many SF readers (more so in fantasy, maybe?) that thrives on a multitude of details.
Is that the jabberwocky that Terry Gilliam made a film of?
No. The film is loosely based on Lewis Carroll's poem, which is in one of the Alice books.
Speaking of reading, I want to spend some time with Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd & The Grey Mouser series. So far, I've only read, "Ill Met in Lankhmar" (it was in an old anthology). I wanted to ask you about the series as you're not only a reader, but also have lots of knowledge about publication history and editions. My sources for buying are usually Amazon & E-Bay. My questions are: 1. Is the "Swords Against..." series the way to go? 2. I keep getting different volume counts: How many volumes/books are there in that series? 3. Is there any order to the stories? 4. If you were re-collecting, which editions/sets would be preferred (not counting signed, rare proofs, mint, etc.)? Please accept my thanks in advance!
Yes, 'Swords Against...' is the way to go. There are six of these, then the final seventh volume 'The Knight & Knave of Swords'. The six 'Swords Against...' were single volumes in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s, but were then collected into omnibus volumes later- the current UK editions are Gollancz Fantasy Masterworks, two volumes. I can't tell you detail re US editions, but consult isfdb and you'll find pretty reliable listings there.
Regarding reading order: The 'Swords Against...' series are in order of internal chronology (i.e. the timeline of the whole saga). You have to remember that these were basically short stories in magazines published over many decades and the author wrote linking material and 'origin stories' for both characters AFTER the series was established. This was common up until the 1970s- Moorcock's Elric series is like this too, with the first novel in terms of internal chronology ('Elric of Melnibone') being written and published after the last one ('Stormbringer').
If I were recollecting, I'd go with the editions I have, the UK ones (published by Panther/Granada/Grafton), which I show in my video 'Top 10 Classic Fantasy (Sword & Sorcery) which is easily findable on the channel page as it's my third most popular video.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal WOW! Such a fast reply, thanks! Your advice is much appreciated and the epi will be my late-lunch accompaniment. Now... on to book-hunting!
For a more modern version read Archer and Armstrong.
@@PaulSaether Thank you for your suggestion. I still regret selling my Barry Winsor-Smith Conans in 1980, and of course could likely never afford to re-collect them in VF or better condition today. Being retired as I am.
I'm sure that there are many earlier examples of a big strong Lummox of a man partnering up with a small Clever Man... But 'Of Mice and Men' is probably a good place to start.
(Earnest Hemingway)
To be clear;
I understand why you couldn't go through the somewhat lengthy list of everything the library offered me on "bonus borrows" this month. (There are SO many reasons aside from it being exhausting and unfair if you do 20 books for me) I was hoping there might be a little sage advice or feedback on some of the newer titles. Strictly for selfish reasons! A number of them are being offered in early summer sales dirt cheap, but dirt cheap or not, if it is romantasy then I don't need it taking up space in my apartment. . .
Besides that, the original Pantagruellian post was held up forever in the TH-cam buffer, and I had to repost it split in half making it too late, and far too much trouble for you to deal with.
Still, for those reasons, this might be a useful type of video to make regularly.
Be well.
Currently waiting David Gemmell's Waylander books to arrive in mail. His Druss books were amazing with excellent main characters.
Read Druss the Legend as teenagers. Good stuff.. although if you go back to the earlier writers you might find some stuff worth reading depending on your tastes.
If i may suggest try Glen Cook.
To be clear;
I understand why you couldn't go through the somewhat lengthy list of everything the library offered me on "bonus borrows" this month. (There are SO many reasons aside from it being exhausting and unfair if you do 20 books for me) I was hoping there might be a little sage advice or feedback on some of the newer titles. Strictly for selfish reasons! A number of them are being offered in early summer sales dirt cheap, but dirt cheap or not, if it is romantasy then I don't need it taking up space in my apartment. . .
Besides that, the original Pantagruellian post was held up forever in the TH-cam buffer, and I had to repost it split in half making it too late, and far too much trouble for you to deal with.
Still, for those reasons, this might be a useful type of video to make regularly.
Be well.
I'm struggling with a mountain of correspondence currently Walt, so I'm not even sure if I've seen your list. Cut and paste it and email me, old chum.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal I didn't want to bother you, but I've just spent over 2 hours writing comments on your Ellison Review. . . so, now. . . yes, you'll get a cut and paste.
I hope you enjoy your holiday ANYWAY! 😉