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ABOUT THE STORE : NEWSLETTER

DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER

Events and News from Borderlands Books

DECEMBER, 2003

 

Chapter One - Event Information and News

BORDERLANDS' HOLIDAY SALE AND POT-LUCK, Thursday, December 18th from 8-10 pm

Borderlands' Holiday Schedule

As we do every year, Borderlands will be open extended hours during the holidays. In addition, we'll be happy to stay open late or open early by appointment - just give us a call and we'll work something out.

Thursday, November 28th through Thursday, December 25th our hours will be as follows:

Sunday to Thursday - Noon to Eight
Friday and Saturday - Noon to Ten

Closed early Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24th (time TBA but not before 4 PM)
Closed Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25th
Closed New Years Day, Thursday, January 1st

For our mail order customers, we will do everything we can to get your orders to you by Christmas and we'll make a special run to the post office on the 23rd to send any Express Mail orders. December 22nd is the deadline for mail order delivery by Christmas.

Finally, starting right after Thanksgiving we'll have complementary coffee, tea and sweets every day along with the usual comfortable place to sit and good books to read. So, if you're feeling a little overwhelmed by all the holiday craziness, come by and relax for a minute or two. Oh, and one last thing, we DO NOT play Christmas music. Ever.

News

GREG KETTER OF DREAMHAVEN BOOKS BUYS THE STARS OUR DESTINATION/WEINBERG BOOKS.

Last year, The Stars Our Destination in Chicago closed its store-front operation due to declining sales and switched over to being a mail order only operation. For more than 15 years previously, Stars . . . had been the SF specialty store that served the greater Chicago area. At Borderlands we were very sad to hear that a member of our extended family of specialty stores was closing its doors. This next step is best explained by the owner, Alice Bently.

"I've been battling an increasing workload and slowly dwindling sales for the last several years, and now that I've found a more than worthy source for your speculative fiction needs, it's time for me to move on.
So as of December 2003, DreamHaven Books will be taking on all the business from The Stars Our Destination and from Weinberg Books...
While it's always sad when a bookstore closes, I don't feel this was any sort of a failure. For sixteen years thousands of people have been introduced to tens of thousands of books, and that's a great thing. And while I won't be selling them myself any more, I'm planning to do my bit to keep the information flowing, and to make sure you can still obtain all this marvelous science fiction, fantasy and horror!"
For more information visit http://www.sfbooks.com/

All of us at Borderlands send our best wishes to Alice and hope that she enjoys a well-deserved break before diving into another project.

In more cheerful news, congratulations to Borderlands' friends and sometime artists-in-residence Paul Groendes and Alan Clark. At Orycon 2003 last month, Paul received a Director's Choice Award for his piece, MASK OF THE RED DEATH. Paul and Alan won another Director's Choice Award for their collaborative work THAT BLASTED UNICORN. Borderlands was fortunate to have both of these talented artists setting up shop and creating art in the store over the summer, and are looking forward to having them back again in the spring for another week. Paul's sculptures and Alan's paintings and prints are on display and for sale in the store.

To all Terry Pratchett fans: There will be no Discworld Diary produced this year. According to various fansites, Paul Kidby has been too busy and Terry Pratchett didn't think there was a strong enough theme for a diary this year, so unless more themes suggest themselves (or are suggested by readers?) there won't be any more Discworld Diaries.

Book Club Info

The Gay Men's Book Club will meet on Sunday, December 14th at 5 PM to discuss I MARRIED AN EARTHLING by Alvin Orloff. The book for January is A DEEPNESS IN THE SKY by Vernor Vinge. Please contact the group leader, Christopher Rodriguez, at cobalt555@earthlink.net, for more information.

The Classic SF and Fantasy Book Club will meet Sunday, December 21st at 6 PM to discuss GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. (This book is highly recommended by Borderlands staff!) The book for January is TROUBLEMAKERS by Harlan Ellison. Please contact Jude at jfeldman@borderlands-books.com for more information.

Upcoming Event Details

Thursday, December 18th from 8-10 pm: BORDERLANDS' HOLIDAY SALE AND POT-LUCK -
Stop by, finish off your last minute holiday shopping, have a snack and a bit of holiday cheer. We'll have snacks, sweets and refreshments and you're encouraged to bring something for the table yourself if the mood takes you. Plus, everything in the store will be 10% off and you'll have a chance to hang out with our staff and fellow readers before heading off to deal with the family. Guests are welcome but don't forget the password -- which is, of course, "Tunafish". We hope to see you there.

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 the author's 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

EMPIRE OF DEATH AND OTHER STRANGE STORIES by Alice Brown (Ash-Tree Press, Limited Edition Hardcover (500 copies), $45.00) - 'The Flying Teuton', first published in 1917, was one of the most discussed stories of its day. Critics hailed it as one of the best stories of the year, and the New York Times said that this one story would have been sufficient to make the reputation of a new writer. Its author, however, was not a new voice in the world of letters, but one of the most in-demand contributors to the periodicals of the day. Alice Brown (1857-1948) had first made her mark in the literary world in 1895, and she continued writing until shortly before her death, by which time she was established as one of the very best of the group of New England writers which included Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman and Sarah Orne Jewett.

Many of Brown's works contain elements of the mystic and fantastic, and on occasion she-like Wilkins-Freeman and Jewett-strayed into the territory of the outright supernatural. Most of these works have been unjustly forgotten in the decades since they were written; but from the poignancy of 'The Island' to the stark horror of war as depicted in 'The Empire of Death', her work bears comparison with that of the very finest supernaturalists of her day, and its rediscovery shows Alice Brown to have been a writer with a keen and sensitive eye for the ways in which other worlds can intrude upon our own.

THE ANGEL IN THE DARKNESS by Kage Baker (Golden Gryphon, Signed, Limited First Edition Trade Paperback, $15.95) - A brilliant and unusually serious Company novella, in which we are given (1) an intelligent, resourceful and plucky (if overweight, overworked, and self-martyring) heroine, (2) a pulse-pounding car-chase, and (3) a teasing glimpse of what happens to the cyborgs who go rogue. How could you go wrong?! If you haven't read any of Baker's Company novels or stories, this is a good place to start. Recommended by Jude, Claud and Alan.

CRAMPTON by Thomas Ligotti and Brandon Trenz (Durtro/Ghost Story Press, Trade Paperback, $33.55) - Written in the form of a film script, this is one of the most disturbing and hallucinatory texts that Ligotti has yet written, and Trenz's collaboration has added a new panorama of unease. 110 page paperback book, with sewn signatures. Comes with accompanying CD (The Unholy City) of dream-texts by Ligotti, with vocals and all music also performed by him.

BIBLIOMANCY - FOUR NOVELLAS by Elizabeth Hand (PS Publishing, Slipcased Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (200 copies), $90.00) and Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (500 copies), $50.00) - Introduction by Lucius Shepard.

FLOATER by Lucius Shepard, (PS Publishing, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (400 copies), $40.00 and Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Trade Paper (500 copies), $16.00) - Introduction by Jeffrey Ford.

BY MOONLIGHT ONLY - NOT AT NIGHT VOL. 2 edited by Stephen Jones (PS Publishing, Slipcased Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (150 copies), $90.00, and Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (500 copies), $50.00) - 10 Stories Strange and Deadly by Christopher Fowler, Cecilia Tan, Joe R. Lansdale, and others.

TALISMAN/BLACK HOUSE GIFT SET by Stephen King and Peter Straub (Grant, Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (3,500 copies), $150.00) - illustrated with black and white designs and 22 new full color plates.

DARK TOWER GIFT SET by Stephen King (Grant, Hardcover, $110.00) - Contains the novels THE GUNSLINGER, THE DRAWING OF THE THREE, and THE WASTELANDS. A beautiful set and a perfect gift for the Stephen King fan in your life, this set contains the first three books in the series, collected together in a lovely slipcase. The copy of THE GUNSLINGER is a third printing (and only available as part of this set), the DRAWING OF THE THREE is a second printing, and THE WASTELANDS is a first.

AND NOW THE NEWS ...- THE COMPLETE STORIES OF THEODORE STURGEON VOL.9, by Theodore Sturgeon (North Atlantic, Hardcover, $35.00 - Contains the stories Won't You Walk...?, Dead Dames Don't Dial, The Girl Had Guts and many more.

VENUS PRESERVED - SECRET BOOKS OF VENUS VOL. 4 by Tanith Lee (Overlook Press, Hardcover, $25.95)

ZOMBIE LOVE by Ray Garton (Subterranean Press, Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Hardcover (474 copies), $40.00) - Subterranean Press Short Novel #6.

New and Notable

TWO TOWERS, THE - LORD OF THE RINGS PART 2 - SPECIAL EXTENDED EDITION directed by Peter Jackson (New Line, DVD, $39.99) - Starring Elijah Wood. Four disk set including an immense amount of documentary material and over forty-three minutes of additional footage.

MORTAL ENGINES by Philip Reeve (Eos, First Edition Hardcover, $16.99) - The first in the Hungry City Chronicles, MORTAL ENGINES tells the story of a far-future, post-apocalypse London in which "traction cities," (cities on huge treads that roll around, eating other cities in a bizarre survival-of-the-fastest philosophy called Municipal Darwinisn) are the order of the day. Our heroes are an underprivileged apprentice historian and a terribly mutilated but extraordinarily valorous (and grouchy) survivor. It's weird, it's GRIM, it's really terrific. It claims to be a young adult novel, but don't believe it for a second. Thanks to Tom Whitmore at Other Change of Hobbit (http://www.otherchangeofhobbit.com/) for the suggestion on this one. Recommended by Jude.

GREEN ANGEL by Alice Hoffman (Scholastic, First Edition Hardcover, $16.95) The plot of GREEN ANGEL sounds impossibly (and annoyingly) melodramatic and "gothy" but the book really isn't, so bear with me. When nearly-16-year-old Green loses her entire family and all the world she knew in a fiery disaster, she becomes Ash, a leather-and-thorn clad loner who traces patterns into her skin with ink and pin and vows to never feel anything again. This is the story of Green's return to herself. This is a short but very complex novel, and it's written with a delicate hand and a deceptive simplicity. Probably not appropriate for cheery holiday gift-giving, but suitable for anyone looking for an incredibly engaging (and very fast) read. Thanks to author and customer T. Thorn Coyle for finding (and lending) this book. Recommended by Jude.

THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR, VOL. 14 edited by Stephen Jones (Carroll & Graf, Trade Paperback, $11.95) - Stories by Basil Copper, Brian Hodge, Kelly Link, Neil Gaiman, Graham Joyce, China Mieville, Jeff Vandermeer, and many others. Always a winning collection.

CLADE by Mark Budz (Bantam, Mass Market, $6.99) - I read an excerpt of this post-ecocaust gen-engineering novel, and it was GREAT. It's set in the Bay Area of tomorrow where all of nature is designed, including the people. Pheromone-induced social order keeps people in line - for example, if they don't want "your kind" at a nightclub, they'll just set up the pheromones inside so coming near the club will make you ill. The story centers around Rigo, who has escaped his San Jose barrio and is on his way up in the clades. I can't recommend it unreservedly, because I haven't finished it yet, but what I read was really terrific, and what a cool idea - Jude

BLOOD CANTICLE - A NOVEL OF THE VAMPIRE CHRONICLES by Anne Rice (Knopf, Hardcover, $25.95)

COALESCENT - DESTINY'S CHILDREN, VOL. 1 by Stephen Baxter (Del Rey, Hardcover, $25.95)

THE DEVIL'S ARMOR, by John Marco (DAW, Hardcover, $24.95) - Sequel to THE EYES OF GOD.

THE CURE - TRANSMETROPOLITAN VOL. 9 by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson (Vertigo/DC Comics, Oversized Softcover, $14.95) - Originally published as Transmetropolitan issues 49-54.

DOWN AND OUT IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM by Cory Doctorow (Tor, Trade Paperback, $12.95)

THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE by Max Brooks (Three Rivers Press, Trade Paperback, $12.95)

STARS AND STRIPES TRIUMPHANT by Harry Harrison (Del Rey, Mass Market, $6.99)

CHINDI by Jack McDevitt (Ace, Mass Market, $7.99)

ALL NIGHT AWAKE by Sarah Hoyt (Ace, Mass Market, $6.50)

AGENTS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS - A NIGHTSIDE NOVEL by Simon R. Green (Ace, Mass Market, $6.50)

COYOTE by Allen Steele (Ace, Mass Market, $6.99)

FORGOTTEN TRUTH by Dawn Cook (Ace, Mass Market, $6.99)

PATH OF FATE by Diana Pharaoh Francis (Roc, Mass Market, $6.99)

THE SHORES OF TOMORROW by Roger MacBride Allen (Bantam, Mass Market, $6.50)

THE VELOCITY GOSPEL - ACCOMPLICE VOL. 2 by Steve Aylett (Gollancz, Mass Market, $12.92)

PAYING THE PIPER - A HAMMER'S SLAMMERS NOVEL by David Drake (Baen, Mass Market, $7.99)

EXPLORER - FOREIGNER VOL. 6 by C.J. Cherryh (DAW, Mass Market,
$6.99)

WHOLE WIDE WORLD by Paul McAuley (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

EYES OF THE CALCULOR by Sean McMullen (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT - THE WHEEL OF TIME, VOL. 10 by Robert Jordan (Tor, Mass Market, $7.99)

FOUR DARK NIGHTS by Douglas Clegg, Christopher Golden, Bentley Little, and Tom Piccirilli (Leisure, Mass Market, $6.99) - Contains the stories THE CIRCLE, PYRE, JONAH AROSE, and THE WORDS.

 

Borderlands' Holiday Gift Guide

Here are some gift ideas from the Borderlands staff. If these don't do it for you, we're happy to make more gift suggestions - just let us know who you're shopping for. Can't decide? We have gift certificates available in any amount. Gift wrapping is available, and we can ship almost anywhere in the world. Enjoy!

Two great Christmas collections (even if you don't like Christmas stories):

MIRACLE AND OTHER CHRISTMAS STORIES by Connie Willis (Bantam, Mass Market, $6.99) - the title story is by itself well worth the price of the book and is also included in this next collection

A YULETIDE UNIVERSE - SIXTEEN FANTASTICAL TALES (Warner Aspect, Trade Paperback, $12.95) - Includes stories by Connie Willis, Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Anne McCaffrey, L. Frank Baum, Harlan Ellison, and others.

A boxed set always makes a nice gift. Here are four of our favorites:

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA Boxed set (HarperCollins, Seven Illustrated Trade Paperbacks , $58.95)

HIS DARK MATERIALS TRADE PAPER BOXED SET by Philip Pullman (Knopf, Three Trade Paperbacks, $35.85) - This is a really nice looking set with embossed covers and a gold slipcase.

THE ILLUSTRATED LORD OF THE RINGS BOXED SET (Houghton Mifflin, Three Illustrated Hardcovers, $80) - with gorgeous drawings by Alan Lee. This is just one of many Tolkien boxed sets we have, but we think this is by far the most delightful edition of the trilogy currently in print. And. . .there's even a matching edition of THE HOBBIT.

Does someone need A BOX OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS by Lemony Snicket? We have all three (HarperCollins, Three Different Sets of Three Hardcovers, $32.99 each)

Need a classic gift?

Choose any or all of several beautifully illustrated Alice in Wonderland books: THE ANNOTATED ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Norton, Illustrations by John Tenniel, Hardcover, $29.95), the version illustrated by Arthur Rackham (Seastar, Hardcover, $19.95) or the edition edited by Cooper Edens (Chronicle, Hardcover, $19.95), with a multitude of Victorian illustrations by various artists.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION by William Goldman (Ballantine, Hardcover, $24.95)

THE COMPLETE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins, Oversized Illustrated Hardcover, $50) - Absolutely stunning volume with all seven novels in chronological order.

How about a DVD?

We have over 250 Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror DVDs including box sets and special editions (priced $4.95 and up)

Calendars, Calendars, Calendars!

For the chronically disorganized (and those who love them), we have a variety of beautiful and helpful calendars. Choose from The Sandman (Chronicle, $12.95), Aubrey Beardsley (Brown Trout, $11.99), Edward Gorey, images from the Hubble telescope, and many others!

For the favorite fairy in your life:

We have a great selection of both kinds of Fairy books:
Pressed Fairies:

LADY COTTINGTON'S PRESSED FAIRY BOOK (Pavillion, $22.37)

LADY COTTINGTON'S PRESSED FAIRY NOTE CARDS (Chronicle, $12.95)

and Non-Pressed Fairies:

FAERIES ORACLE (Simon and Schuster, $25.00) - A set of 66 cards with illustrations by Brian Froud and a 208 page illustrated guide with instructions on how to read the Oracle and connect with the Faeries.

FAIRIE-ALITY: THE FASHION COLLECTION (Candlewick, Hardcover, $45.00) - Gorgeous art book with incredible fairie fashions made of natural materials.

Have yourself a Gorey little Christmas (or Hanukkah, or Solstice, or late winter):

EDWARD GOREY'S DRACULA TOY THEATRE (Pomegranate, $21.95). Finally back in print!!

ELEPHANT HOUSE, OR THE HOME OF EDWARD GOREY by Kevin McDermott (Pomegranate, Hardcover, $35.00) - A wonderful series of photo essays and text detailing Gorey's home, Elephant House.

GASHLYCRUMB TINIES MINI LUNCHBOX in Grey, Green, or Orange (Dragonfly, $9.99) - very cute!

EDWARD GOREY postcard books (Pomegranate, $9.95)

Incredible art books:

SPECTRUM 10 - THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY FANTASTIC ART edited by Cathy Fenner (Underwood, Oversized Hardcover, $35.00, and Oversized Softcover, $27.00)

THE CHESLEY AWARDS FOR SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ART - A RETROSPECTIVE by John Grant, Elizabeth Humphrey, and Pamela D. Scoville (AAPPL, Oversized Hardcover, $45.00)

Sandman stuff:

THE SANDMAN- ENDLESS NIGHTS by Neil Gaiman (Vertigo/DC Comics, Oversized Hardcover, $24.95)

THE SANDMAN - KING OF DREAMS - 40 COLLECTIBLE POSTCARDS by Neil Gaiman (Chronicle, $15.95)

Non-Genre specific gifts:

An outstanding selection of journals ($8.00 and up)

LUMATEC Book Lights ($6.99 - $24.99) - these work great!

We have wood or bone boxes in a variety of shapes and sizes perfect for jewelry or to contain other gifts ($3.00 and up)

More cool stuff - all under $15.00:

BROM DARKWERKS STATIONARY SET (Stationary Fantastique, $4.99)

BOB EGGLETON'S DRAGONS STATIONARY SET (Stationary Fantastique, $4.99) - Both Stationary sets contain 8 letter sheets, 6 envelopes and 1 sticker sheet.

Three very cute little signed & numbered limited edition hardcovers (Borderlands Press, $15.00 each): THE LITTLE GREEN BOOK OF MONSTER STORIES by Joe R. Lansdale, THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF NOIR STORIES by Tom Piccirilli, and THE LITTLE RED BOOK OF VAMPIRE STORIES by John Maclay.

OZ NOTE CARDS (Clarkson Potter, $15.00), and OZ SMALL NOTES (Clarkson Potter, $12.00) - These original Potter Style note cards were inspired by and created from the book ALL THINGS OZ by L. Frank Baum (Potter, Illustrated Hardcover, $29.95)

THE BAD BEGINNING - A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS VOL.1 by Lemony Snicket (HarperCollins, Slipcased Hardcover, $14.99) - This is a slipcased volume with a "disturbing" new cover, and "an alarming portrait of the heroes and villains of this tale."

IN ME OWN WORDS - THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BIGFOOT by Graham Roumieu (Manic D, $12.95)

Three twisted books by Michael Gagne'
INSANELY TWISTED RABBITS, FRENZIED FAUNA FROM A TO Z, and TOWERS OF NUMAR (Gagne' International, $14.95 each)

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 - Cary Heater
Assistant Editor - Alan Beatts
Contributors - Francis Carr, Jude Feldman

All contents unless otherwise noted are the property of

Borderlands Books
866 Valencia St.
San Francisco, CA  94110
415-824-8203
http://www.borderlands-books.com

Comments and suggestions should be directed to editor@borderlands-books.com