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ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER

DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER

Events and News from Borderlands Books


September, 2008

Chapter One - Event Information, News, and Special Features

SM Stirling, THE SCOURGE OF GOD (Roc, Hardcover, $25.95) Friday, September 5th at 7:00 pm

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

David Levine and Nick Mamatas are guests of SF in SF at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street, Saturday, September 20th at 7:00 pm

Tachyon Publications 13th Anniversary Party and presentation of the annual Emperor Norton Awards, Sunday, September 21st from 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert, PAUL OF DUNE (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95) Monday, September 22nd at 7:00 pm

Steven Erikson, TOLL THE HOUNDS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95, and Trade Paperback, $16.95) Thursday, September 25th at 7:00 pm (NOTE: The date of this event was originally September 6th, but has been changed due to a delay in the publication schedule.)

Erotic Science Fiction reading with Charlie Anders, M. Christian, Richard Kadrey, Thomas Roche, Rudy Rucker, and others! At the Center for Sex and Culture, 1519 Mission Street near 11th, Friday, September 26th, doors at 8:00 pm, readings begin at 9:00 pm

Richelle Mead, SUCCUBUS DREAMS (Kensington, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, October 4th at 3:00 pm

SF in SF presents a special Steampunk event for LitQuake, with authors Kage Baker, Joe R. Lansdale, and Rudy Rucker, Thursday, October 9th at 7:30 pm at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street

LitQuake LitCrawl at Borderlands with special guests Richard Kadrey, Ellen Klages, and Pat Murphy, Saturday, October 11th from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Alan Beatts, Scott Bradley and Amy Wallace, THE BOOK OF LISTS - HORROR (Harper, Trade Paperback, $14.95) Sunday, October 12th at 3:00 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 at the Con

This is a feature that appears periodically, as we attend conventions and overhear things.  The tradition of keeping track of anonymous overheard bits and bobs started for us at the 2002 ConJose in San Jose, where trying (or trying not to) fill in the blanks on overheard conversations made us laugh so much that we made it a tradition.  In this issue we share the newest "overheards" from the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver.  Thanks to Rina Weisman for her help in collecting quotes.

"Don't you even put that ass out; don't you even offer it to me!"

"Now when I smell hot dogs I think. . . . feminists."

"Wow, that's a BIG Jawa."

"I'm going to fire you if you ever say 'gerbil nookie' again."

"Connie Willis signed your banana?!"

"Tornadoes? In Denver?"

"It's kind of heavy on the donkey and light on the Pez."

"[Name omitted], what nice tentacles you have!"

"The last time I fit into those jeans was when I had the tapeworm."

Con attendee, as the lights in the bar come on for last call: "Is it morning?"

News

*Correction
Jude would like to apologize for misspelling the name of our awesome guest reviewer last month.  The guy who wrote the great review of ANATHEM is named Chris Hsiang.  Sorry about the typo, Chris!

*World Fantasy Award Nomination!
Alan and Jude have been nominated for a World Fantasy Award for Borderlands Books in the Special Award Professional category.  This is a great honor, made even greater by our very distinguished co-nominees, almost all of whom are close friends of ours: Allison Baker & Chris Roberson (for MonkeyBrain Books), Peter Crowther (for PS Publishing), Jeremy Lassen & Jason Williams (for Night Shade Books), Shawna McCarthy (for Realms of Fantasy Magazine), and Gordon Van Gelder (for Fantasy & Science Fiction).  We are tremendously excited about this!

*Hugo Winners
Congrats to all this year's Hugo Award winners and nominees.  The award for novel went to THE YIDDISH POLICEMAN'S UNION by Michael Chabon, and I'd also like to send special congratulations to Jeff Prucher, a customer and friend of Borderlands, who won the award for Best Related Book for the awesome BRAVE NEW WORDS: THE OXFORD BOOK OF SCIENCE FICTION.  Complete list of winners here: <http://www.denvention.org/hugos/08hugowinnerlist.php>

*Presenting Ash
We're pleased to introduce the newest member of the Borderlands family. . .  a four-month old Sphynx kitten named Ash!  She's very tiny, and still getting her bearings and sorting out what is edible and what she should and shouldn't pounce on, so please be patient with her.  Ripley was initially not thrilled with the new addition, but they seem to be settling in nicely together.  Photos already appearing on Flickr, if you're interested: <http://www.flickr.com/photos/msilvey/2721297088/>

*Ripley in comic form
Lots of thanks to author, artist and customer Seanan McGuire, who attended last month's event with Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr and deemed the experience worthy of a comic starring Ripley!  <http://www.crossovers.net/underhill/fltsigning.jpg>

*Mind Meld
The latest Mind Meld from SF Signal discusses media tie-in novels and their effect on the larger genre.  Opinions from Kevin J. Anderson, Borderlands' owner Alan Beatts, William C. Dietz, Chris Roberson,  Walter John Williams, and others: <http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/007130.html>.

*Neal Stephenson presented by Long Now
Thanks to Danielle Engleman for the following info: New York Times best-selling fiction author Neal Stephenson will be presenting his upcoming book ANATHEM, which is thematically based on The Long Now Foundation's 10,000 Year Clock project. <http://www.longnow.org/projects/clock/prototype1/>. Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 from 7pm to 11pm at The Regency, 1320 Van Ness @ Sutter, San Francisco, CA 94109.  There will also be a live stream of this event through <http://www.fora.tv/> FORA.tv at 7pm PST on 9/9/08. Tickets are $10 for the event only, or $42.50 for the event and a SIGNED copy of ANATHEM ($10 ticket and $32.50 book, includes tax -- only pre-ordered books are guaranteed to be signed).  Members of The Long Now Foundation receive a complimentary ticket with RSVP, and can choose to pre-order a SIGNED copy of ANATHEM for $32.50 when they RSVP.  Tickets and Member RSVP are available through Brown Paper Tickets <http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/42323>.

Cafe News

On Tuesday the 2nd, Alan picked up the building permits for the cafe! We're finally through with all the permitting BS and ready to start getting something _done_. There'll be a week or two of set up and cleaning but then the electrician and plumber start working. Look for more updates next month and perhaps some pictures either on Flicker or on our website.

From The Office

Ten Things that Customers Do that We Love
and
Five Things We Hate

We love it when a customer --

Tells us how much they like the store.

Lets us know when we suggested a book that they loved.

Brings their family and out of town visitors to see the store.

Writes nice things about us on Yelp <http://www.yelp.com>.

Comes up the the counter and says, "Can you help me find a book?  I don't remember the author or the title but it was about . . . ."

Makes sure we hear about a new author or book that we should have in stock but don't.

Suggests books to another customer and gets mistaken for someone who works here.

Warns us about bad movies.

Brings in their pets and / or children for us to meet.

Sits on the couch in back for hours, petting Ripley and reading.


We hate it when a customer --

Asks us to check the price of a book on Amazon.

Walks in and, without so much as a "How are you doing?", asks peremptorily, "Where's the cat!"  (At this point we often explain that Ripley is a cat, not a geyser, and doesn't appear on a schedule).

Takes a bunch of books off the shelves, reads them while sitting on the couch, and then _leaves them on the floor_.  (We're happy to re-shelve books but it's really nice when they're brought up to the counter and not hidden under the couch).

Brings in books to sell that a) are a mixture of all sorts of stuff, mostly _not_ SF, fantasy or horror and / or b) are covered with so much cat hair, dust or other matter that we have to vacuum them before buying them.

Comes in the shop -- past two signs listing our specialty, past two big displays of books -- stops at the counter -- in front of another sign which mentions our specialty -- and asks, "Where are your cookbooks?"  And then is shocked and slightly offended when we tell them we don't have any.

-Alan Beatts
abeatts@borderlands-books.com

Top Sellers At Borderlands

Hardcover:
1. LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow
2. BY SCHISM RENT ASUNDER by David Weber
3. THE CITY AT THE END OF TIME by Greg Bear
4. TOLL THE HOUNDS by Steven Erikson
5. ZOE'S TALE by John Scalzi
6. PIRATE SUN by Karl Schroeder
7. VICTORY OF EAGLES by Naomi Novik
8. IMPLIED SPACES by Walter John Williams
9. JHEGAALA by Steven Brust
10. BREAKING DAWN by Stephanie Meyer
tie with
THE LAST CENTURION by John Ringo

Mass Market:
1. PLAGUE WAR by Jeff Carlson
2. THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi
3. RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES by Scott Lynch
4. ALTERED CARBON by Richard Morgan
5. THE ACCIDENTAL TIME MACHINE by Joe Haldeman
6. COMPANION TO WOLVES by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette
7. CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
8. THE GOOD FAIRIES OF NEW YORK by Martin Millar
9. THE CITY, NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
10. GALE FORCE - WEATHER WARDEN VOL. 5 by Rachel Caine
tie with
MAINSPRING by Jay lake

Trade Paperback:
1. HEROES ARISE by Laurel Anne Hill
2. BARREN WORLDS edited by Eric T. Reynolds, Adam Nakama, and Rob Darnell
3. LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS by Joe Abercrombie
4. CROOKED LITTLE VEIN by Warren Ellis
tie with
MIRRORED HEAVENS by David J. Williams
5. THE LIVING DEAD edited by John Joesph Adams

Notes From a DVD Geek

Hey everyone.  I’m going to totally put on my film geek hat for this one.  

First up, I want to talk about Orson Welles.  Most might not think of him when they think of SF and fantasy, but Welles was all about the SF and fantasy, and not just in a Shakespearian sort of way.  Of course the most famous thing Welles did was his Mecury Theater War of the Worlds broadcast.  I’m sure most of you have heard it, or have heard bits sampled from it.  It’s quite the awesome piece of writing and radio production and well worth checking out.

The 1953 "War of the Worlds" DVD (directed by Byron Haskins) also includes the entire broadcast of the Mercury Theater production, and is a pretty fine adaptation in its own right.  The visuals on this have haunted me ever since I saw it as a child.  

Next of the Welles-a-pa-looza is his adaptation of Kafka’s "The Trial".  This weird piece of surreality definitely falls within our SF/fantasy camp, if only because I say so.  The kind of paranoia, fear, and oppressive nature of the narrative is completely Dickian, and well worth checking out.  There are many crappy public domain versions of this disk out there, but a pristine 35mm print was found a few years back, and a really nice DVD release is now available.

Another lost Welles classic recently “rediscovered” is "Don Quixote".  This is the movie that Welles self-financed, and shot, on and off for over a dozen years.  He never really finished it, but his second unit director Jesus Franco (AKA Jess “Vampiros Lesbos” Franco) cobbled together a print in the late 90’s, after shooting some extra footage.  Welles scholars have roundly rejected Franco’s cut of this film as not being very "Wellesian".  But it's Jess Franco . . . and Orson Wells!  Doing "Don Quixote"!!  Come on!  Give it a try!

More directly releated to the horror genre is "Malpertius".  This film stars Welles, and is directed by Harry Kumel ("Daughters of Darkness").  This is a surrealist horror masterpiece that definitely needs to be experienced.  "Daughters of Darkness" was pretty damn fine but this one goes even further out on a limb. God bless labels like Barrel Entertainment for bringing lost classics like this one onto DVD.

Moving away from Welles in order to look at another lost horror classic, this one brought out by Criterion.  They’ve just released the definitive edition of Vampyr (1931), directed by Carl Theodore Dreyer.  This chilling German film is of the German Expressionist period, and is loosely based on the story "Carmilla" by Le Fanu.  The dream-like visuals and narrative style really demonstrate that David Lynchian-esque work was around long before David Lynch.  This Criterion edition is a brand-new restored print, and the movie has never looked better.  It also features a big pile of extras, and background about the director, AND a book featuring the original screenplay and the Le Fanu short story.  

While we are talking about German Expressionism, I want to also mention the Criterion two disk “original serial killer” film "M," starring Peter Lorre, and directed by Fritz Lang.

In addition to "M," and "Vampyr," some Criterion titles that are of interest to SF fans include the original "Blob" movie, "Kwaidan" (Old school J-horror), and "Videodrome".

That’s all I’ve got for now. . . but next month is October, so you know I’ll have plenty to fill you in on then.  Until then, keep watching (the skies)!


- Jeremy Lassen
jlassen@borderlands-books.com

Book Club Info

The Gay Men's Book Club will meet on Sunday, September 14th, at 5:00 pm to discuss 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 meet on Sunday, September 21st, at 6:00 pm to discuss LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow.  Please contact Jude at jfeldman@borderlands-books.com for more information.

Upcoming Event Details

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."

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.

David Levine and Nick Mamatas are guests of SF in SF at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street, Saturday, September 20th at 7:00 pm (Lounge/cash bar opens at 6:00 pm, readings begin at 7:00 pm) - (Thanks to Rina Weisman of SF in SF for the following write-up!): Nick Mamatas is currently an editor for Viz Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, an anime, manga and Japanese entertainment company.  Heck, we all have a day job. . .but in his spare time he's written extensively for Razor Magazine, The Village Voice, various Disinformation Books and BenBella Books' Smart Pop Books anthologies.  His short novel NORTHERN GOTHIC (Soft Skull, 2001) was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction in 2002.  His first full-length novel, MOVE UNDER GROUND in 2006, was nominated for both the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel and the International Horror Guild Award for Best First Novel in 2005, and, in 2007 he decided to distribute it online for free under a Creative Commons license.  Other titles include 3000 MPH IN EVERY DIRECTION AT ONCE: STORIES AND ESSAYS, UNDER MY ROOF, and the forthcoming anthologies SPICY SLIPSTREAM STORIES (with Jay Lake) and HAUNTED LEGENDS (with Ellen Datlow).  On the net at <http://www.brightercolors.com/~nick/> and <http://nihilistic-kid.livejournal.com/>
David Levine - <http://www.spiritone.com/~dlevine/sf/index.html> -  a science fiction and fantasy writer who has sold over thirty short stories so far.  David won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 2006, for 'Tk'tk'tk' (Asimov's Mar 2005), the Writers of the Future Contest, the James White Award, and the Phobos Fiction Contest, and he has been nominated or shortlisted for the Nebula Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award, the Aeon Award, an earlier Hugo Award, and the John W. Campbell Award (twice).  His first book SPACE MAGIC, a collection of his short stories, is available now from Wheatland Press.  Together with his wife, Kate Yule, he produces the fabulous little fanzine, Bento - back issues are online at <http://www.spiritone.com/~dlevine/bento/index.html>.
Each author will read a selection from their work, followed by Q&A from the audience moderated by author Terry Bisson.  Authors will schmooze & sign books after in the lounge. Books available for sale (courtesy of Borderlands Books).  Seating is limited, so first come, first seated.  Bar proceeds benefit Variety Childrens Charity - learn more at <http://www.varietync.org/>.  We REALLY encourage you to take BART into the City, or use MUNI to get here - parking can be problematic in San Francisco, to say the least.  We are less than one block away from the Montgomery St. station.  Trust us - you don't want to be looking for parking and be late for the event!  Phone (night of event) 415-572-1015.  Questions? Email sfinsfevents@gmail.com".

Tachyon Publications 13th Anniversary Party and presentation of the annual Emperor Norton Awards, Sunday, September 21st from 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Please join us for the annual Tachyon Publications Anniversary Party, celebrating 13 years of saving the world . . . one good book at a time.  It's Tachyon's Bar Mitzvah!  Emperor Norton awards, special Tachyon giveaway, food, drink, and lots of special guests!  More to be announced - keep in touch by checking <http://www.sfinsf.org>, or <http://www.tachyonpublications.com> for updates!  Questions?  Email jw@tachyonpublications.com. You don't want to miss this always-entertaining party.

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.

Steven Erikson, TOLL THE HOUNDS (Tor, Hardcover, $27.95, and Trade Paperback, $16.95) Thursday, September 25th at 7:00 pm (NOTE: The date of this event was originally September 6th, but has been changed due to a delay in the publication schedule.) - 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!

Erotic Science Fiction reading with Charlie Anders, M. Christian, Richard Kadrey, Thomas Roche, Rudy Rucker, and others! At the Center for Sex and Culture, 1519 Mission Street near 11th, Friday, September 26th, doors at 8:00 pm, readings begin at 9:00 pm -   From the Arse Electronica website: "Carol Queen, with the support of the Center for Sex & Culture and co-sponsorship of San Francisco's premiere SF/fantasy bookstore Borderlands, presents a curated erotic reading evening, featuring writers who commonly explore sexual themes in their science fiction and alt-reality fiction work. While the focus of much of the conference will be a critical deconstruction of sexual tropes in SF/speculative/alt-reality fiction, the focus of this event will be to appreciate and celebrate the fiction itself. Readers include Rudy Rucker, Richard Kadrey, M. Christian, Steven Schwartz, Carol Queen, Charlie Anders, Thomas Roche, and more."  More info can be found at <http://www.monochrom.at/arse-elektronika/>.

Richelle Mead, SUCCUBUS DREAMS (Kensington, Trade Paperback, $15.00) Saturday, October 4th at 3:00 pm - From the author's website: "Some days, a girl just can’t catch a break. . . especially when the girl in question is Georgina Kincaid, a shape-shifting succubus who gets her energy from seducing men. First there’s her relationship with gorgeous bestselling writer Seth Mortensen, which is unsatisfying on a number of levels. It’s not just that they can’t have sex in case Georgina inadvertently kills him (generally a turn-off for most guys). Lately, even spending time together is a challenge. Seth's obsessed with finishing his latest novel, and Georgina's under demonic orders to mentor the new (and surprisingly inept) succubus on the block.  Then there are the dreams. Someone, or something, is preying on Georgina at night, draining her energy, and supplying eerie visions of her future. Georgina seeks answers from Dante, a dream interpreter with ties to the underworld, but his flirtatious charm only leaves her more confused—especially as the situation with Seth reaches crisis point. Now Georgina faces a double challenge—rein in her out-of-control love life, and go toe-to-toe with an enemy capable of wreaking serious havoc among mankind. Otherwise, Georgina, and the entire mortal world, may never sleep easy again. . . ."

SF in SF presents a special Steampunk event for LitQuake, with authors Kage Baker, Joe R. Lansdale, and Rudy Rucker, Thursday, October 9th at 7:30 pm at the Variety Preview Room in the Hobart Building, 582 Market Street - The subtitle for this event is Impossibly Fantastic Victorian Science Fiction, and we're looking forward to this awesome reading with a rollicking trio of authors! Cash bar, books for sale courtesy of Borderlands, and a good time for all.  More info at <http://www.litquake.org/the-festival/>

LitQuake LitCrawl at Borderlands with special guests Richard Kadrey, Ellen Klages, and Pat Murphy, Saturday, October 11th from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm - We are delighted to once again take part in one of the most exciting literary events in San Francisco - the LitCrawl!  This is a three-hour pub-crawl-style literary event with dozens of venues and hundreds of authors, all taking place right here in the Mission District.  This year we are happy to host local luminaries Richard Kadrey (BUTCHER BIRD), Ellen Klages (WHITE SANDS, RED MENACE), and Pat Murphy (THE WILD GIRLS).  See <http://www.litquake.org/the-festival/lit-crawl-2008/> for the complete, mind-blowing schedule.

Alan Beatts, Scott Bradley and Amy Wallace, THE BOOK OF LISTS - HORROR edited by Scott Bradley, Del Howison and Amy Wallace (Harper, Trade Paperback, $14.95) Sunday, October 12th at 3:00 pm - Editors/Contributors Scott Bradley and Amy Wallace as well as contributor (and Borderlands' owner!) Alan Beatts, will talk about putting together THE BOOK OF LISTS - HORROR and sign copies after the discussion.  This collection has been described as, “Fascinating; charming; grandly goofy; opinionated and cranky; gloriously personal and beautifully off-center: this book will keep you entertained hour after hour.” by Peter Straub, author of GHOST STORY and LOST BOY, LOST GIRL.  We're really pleased that Alan, who has probably hosted a thousand author events since the store opened in 1997, will finally be on the other side of the podium. He, on the other hand, is terrified.  Come on out to cheer and learn about Stephen King's 10 favorite horror stories, the top 10 mistakes people in horror movies make, top 10 horror-themed rock n' roll songs, and oh, so much more!

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

THE LIVING DEAD edited by John Joseph Adams (Night Shade Books, Trade Paperback, $15.95) - Not since Skip and Spector's original athology, THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, has there been a zombie anthology like this!  Including stories by Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, Robert Silverberg, George R. R. Martin, Clive Barker, Poppy Z. Brite, Neil Gaiman, Joe Hill, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Joe R. Lansdale among many others (there are 34 stories in all,) this is _the_ definitive collection of the past 30 years.  Recommended by Jeremy.

SEEDS OF CHANGE edited by John Joseph Adams (Prime Books, Hardcover, $19.95) - Stories by Tobias S. Buckell, Ken MacLeod, Blake Charlton, Jay Lake, Mark Budz and others address events that change the shape of the world as we know it -- events that clearly divide the history of the world into "before" and "after".  It might be the end of the world as we know it but it is also the beginning of a new one.

AN OCCURRENCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE AND OTHER STORIES by Ambrose Bierce (Tartarus Press, Limited Edition (300 copies) Hardcover, $65.00) - A huge volume collecting all of Bierce's supernatural fiction done right by our friends in the UK at Tartarus Press.  I think this one is going in my own library.  Recommended by Alan.

THE DEVIL CHAIR by Victor Rousseau (Spectre Library, Limited Edition (200 copies) Hardcover, $40.00) - From the publisher, "Receiving word that a relative in America has passed away and bequeathed John Haynes with valuable real estate, John departs for America with his wife and child. Upon arriving, he learns that corrupt men have assumed ownership of his properties. While defending his wife’s honor, John Haynes is crippled by a lethal bullet lodged against his spine. Paralyzed, they leave him to die in an alley, in another’s clothes under the guise of a gang leader.  Railroaded into the local penitentiary, John Haynes develops his one functioning arm into that of a Samson and creates in the machinist shop a powerful gas-propelled gyroscope, that when fitted to any mode of transportation, may achieve unequivocal speeds of 200 miles per hour!  Making good his escape after five years in confinement, John Haynes seeks his long-lost family and mercilessly hounds the league of conspirators, tracking them one-by-one, and meting out vengeance equal to the injustice rendered unto him, both physically and psychologically."

THE AUTOPSY AND OTHER STORIES by Michael Shea (Centipede Press, Oversized Signed, Numbered, Limited Edition (500 copies) Hardcover, $95.00) - If you're not familiar with this Colorado based publisher, take my word for it that their books are as extraordinary for their contents as for their faultless production.  From the publisher's web site - "The largest collection of Michael Shea stories ever published, this handsome new edition of stories includes all of Shea's best fantasy, horror, science fiction, and Cthulhu Mythos tales. The contents include all of the stories from Polyphemus, two complete novels with I SAID THE FLY and THE COLOR OUT OF TIME, a new Mythos tale, and several stories that have never been reprinted in any form. Michael Shea has extensively revised many of the stories, making these the first definitive editions. Laird Barron has provided an insightful introduction."

OTHER WORLDS, BETTER LIVES: A HOWARD WALDROP READER by Howard Waldrop (Old Earth Books, Trade Paperback, $15.00) - A companion to Old Earth Books' previous volume of short fiction by this hugely talented writer, this focuses on his novella-length work and includes stories such as "You Could Go Home Again", "Fin de Cyclé", "The Other Real World", "A Better World's in Birth!" "Flatfeet!", "Major Spacer in the 21st Century!", and Nebula and World Fantasy Award nominated "A Dozen Tough Jobs".

New and Notable

LAST ARGUMENT OF KINGS by Joe Abercrombie (Pyr, Trade Paperback, $15.00) - The final volume in the First Law trilogy is now in print in the US from our friends at Pyr.  I loved this series and many of our customers have said that it compares favorably with George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire and Steven Erikson's Malazan novels.  Fascinating characters in a fully-developed, politically complex, violent, and totally unsentimental world.  Recommended by Jude and Cary.

THE NEW SPACE OPERA edited by Gardner Dozois and Jonathan Strahan (Eos, Mass Market, $7.99) - From Publishers Weekly: "The new space opera shares with the old the interstellar sweep of events and exotic locales, but Dozois and Strahan's all-original anthology shows how the genre's purveyors have updated it, with rigorous science, well-drawn characters and excellent writing.  Many of the 18 stories play with the scope that characterizes classic space opera.  In Greg Egan's "Glory," creatures embody themselves as aliens to perform archeological research, only to get caught up in a struggle between two worlds. Robert Reed's "Hatch," limited in locale to the hull of a giant ship, proves that the scope of the struggle for life is always epic. Stephen Baxter's "Remembrance" walks a line between the personal and the global as resisters against Earth's conquerors remember one man's struggle against the alien invaders.  Kage Baker's humorous "Maelstrom," in which an acting troupe on frontier Mars puts on a Poe story for the miners there, tells a personal story in an epic setting.  The new space opera teaches us that despite the bizarre turns humanity may take to conquer these outré settings, a recognizable core of humanity remains."  Recommended by Jude.

ACACIA - WAR WITH THE MEIN VOL. 1 by David Anthony Durham (Anchor, Mass Market, $7.99) - Long-awaited in paperback, Durham's first fantasy novel earned him a John W. Campbell Award nomination.

MARSBOUND by Joe Haldeman (Ace, Hardcover, $23.95) - From Publishers Weekly: "Hugo and Nebula–winner Haldeman infuses this yarn with his teen narrator's intelligent curiosity.  Carmen Dula, part of the first human colony on Mars, looks like a typical young adult heroine: distanced from her parents, irritated by her bratty younger sibling and beset by tyrannical colony administrator Dargo Solingen.  Then she accidentally discovers real Martians living in an underground city and has to convince Solingen that her story is true.  When the Martians reveal a terrible threat to life on Earth, it's up to Carmen and her friends to save the day.  Recalling Robert A. Heinlein's RED PLANET and PODKAYNE OF MARS, Haldeman updates the Martian setting while keeping faith in his characters' ability to respond to unexpected challenges." A new book from Joe Haldeman is almost always an occasion for celebration, and in this case we'd additionally like to specially thank Joe and his wife Gay for telling everyone attending his panels at WorldCon that Borderlands was the only dealer at the Con with copies of this new novel.  Thanks, guys -- that was sweet!

DAUGHTER OF HOUNDS by Caitlin R. Kiernan (Roc, Mass Market, $7.99) - Jeremy says: "One of the best novels of 2007 is now available in mass market!  Caitlin turns in her best novel to date, riffing on Lovecraft & Baudelaire, in a mad, touching, tear-inducing frenzy of violence and betrayal.  I can’t recommend this one enough." Recommended by Jeremy.

LEATHER MAIDEN by Joe R. Lansdale (Knopf, Hardcover, $25.00) - Excerpt from Rick Kleffel's review from his Agony Column: " . . .Taking on the voice of a returned Iraq veteran when the war is ongoing carries with it the potential for disaster.  But Lansdale pulls off this tricky piece of characterization by virtue of his prose skills. LEATHER MAIDEN is certainly a novel where character and prose are intimately connected.  Cason Statler is not exactly a likeable guy when we meet him. He's stalking his girlfriend, and his past doesn't exactly enamor us of him.  But Lansdale draws him with lots of self-deprecating humor and a light tone even when he's relating dark deeds.  Statler's our conduit for the rest of the cast, so it’s important that Lansdale keeps him weaving and bobbing to the left and right of center.  He drinks too much, but he cares too much as well.  That kind of back and forth lets Lansdale crisply create those around Cason with an unquestioned veracity; his family, the probably-abused little girl next door, the sharp-tongued old lady who runs the paper, co-workers cute and obnoxious, even Booger, a dangerously unstable fellow-vet who liked his job in the war perhaps a little too much.  We know how they are and why they behave the way they do. They come to life, with the aid of Lansdale's peerlessly enjoyable prose. . . . LEATHER MAIDEN sneaks up on readers in a lot of ways.  Once you start it, you won’t want to stop even when the going gets grisly.  But Lansdale also does an effective job at creating people and a place that readers will want to see again. There is plenty of room for a sequel to this fine novel.  It’s clear that Cason Statler has more stories to tell – and so does Joe R. Lansdale." Read the entire review here: <http://www.trashotron.com/agony/reviews/2008/lansdale-leather_maiden.htm>

THE NIGHT SESSIONS by Ken MacLeod (Orbit, UK Hardcover, $38.80) -  From the Orbit UK website: "A priest is dead.  As Detective Inspector Adam Ferguson picks through the rubble of the demolished Edinburgh tenement, he discovers that the explosion wasn’t an accident.  The priest’s flat was bombed.  When a bishop is assassinated soon afterwards, it becomes clear that a targeted campaign of killings is underway.  It’s been a long time since anyone saw anything like this. The word the police don’t want people to say is ‘terrorism’. That war has been won. Terrorism is history. . .  After the Faith Wars and the rising sea levels - after Armageddon and the Flood - came the Great Rejection.  The first Enlightenment separated church from state.  The Second Enlightenment has separated religion from politics.  In this more tolerant age there’s no persecution, but the millions who still believe and worship are a marginal and mistrusted minority.  And now someone is killing them. But who?  At first, suspicion falls on atheists more militant than the secular authorities, but when the target list expands to include the godless, it becomes evident that Ferguson and his team need to cast their net wider.  But with each question they answer the suspicion dawns that they may have stumbled onto a conspiracy to bring about disaster on a biblical scale.  The solution lies in the brave new world of the future but its origin is couched in the rigid doctrines of the past.  It seems that something very old has risen from the ashes of the Faith Wars. Something very old and very, very dangerous…"   Read an excerpt from the novel here: <http://www.orbitbooks.net/an-extract-from-the-night-sessions/>

THE BELL AT SEALEY HEAD by Patricia McKillip (Ace, Hardcover, $23.95) - Another lush and lovely fantasy from Patricia McKillip. This one is set in a quaint and quiet fishing village that is of course more than it appears.  I continually marvel at how McKillip manages to write contemporary fantasies that read like old fairy tales.  Simply beautiful.  Recommended by Jude.

THE STEEL REMAINS by Richard K. Morgan (Gollancz, UK Hardcover, $26.92) - I am incredibly excited about Morgan's first fantasy novel, which just hit the shelves yesterday!  This is the author of ALTERED CARBON and MARKET FORCES we're talking about here, so you know it will be fabulously written and super-gritty.  About two years ago, Richard was kind enough to let me have a peek at the first chapter in manuscript form, and if that is anything to go on, this book is going to be amazing. There's a cool little "teaser" here at the UK SF Book News website: <http://www.uksfbooknews.net/2007/10/22/richard-morgan-epic-fantasy-the-steel-remains-teaser-text-released/>.  Recommended in advance by Jude, Alan and Jeremy.

ZOE'S TALE by John Scalzi (Tor, Hardcover, $24.95) - The events in ZOE'S TALE take place simultaneously with those in THE LOST COLONY, but this story is told from 16-year-old Zoe's point of view.  Read about why this isn't just a re-hash of those same events, and a bit about Scalzi's writing process, and a bit of other interesting rambling here: <http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=336>.

PIRATE SUN by Karl Schroeder (Tor, Hardcover, $25.95) - Return to the bubble-world of Virga.  This novel follows SUN OF SUNS and last year's QUEEN OF CANDESCE.  If you haven't started this series, you should definitely check it out.  SUN OF SUNS is what I've been handing to everyone who has said "give me some good hard science fiction!" (after they've already read BLINDSIGHT by Peter Watts).  Dizzyingly full of fascinating concepts and just plain fun. Recommended by Alan.

THE SCOURGE OF GOD by S.M. Stirling (Ace, Hardcover, $25.95) - See event write-up above.

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This 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
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San Francisco, CA  94110
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Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com

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