Recently acquired books Showing 601-650 of 1,337

[Bill]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...I have an older edition and the type is slightly larger than the newer ones that are apparently part of a secret plot to make us all go blind! "

Indeed! I searched long and hard, but finally found a Voyager edition of Janny's Stormed Fortress a Trade PB and am very glad I did.

Wednesday nite we had 9 tornado warnings around us. No problems where we are, but the power went off for 7 hours and I discovered why I have an iPad. Once we drained the UPS and Laptop batteries watching a TV series and a movie, I read for about 3 hours with whatever font size I wanted and even used the iPad to lite my way to the john! The Kindle was useless under the circumstances.

[Helen]

I hope you didn't upset your kindle! I can't imagine no power for 7 hours, my gadgets usually need charging!

[Sandra]

Kernos wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...I have an older edition and the type is slightly larger than the newer ones that are apparently part of a secret plot to make us all go blind! "

Indeed! I searched long ..."

Really?! Where? I would love to have one as there was never a HC!

[whimsicalmeerkat]

My boyfriend gave me a copy of Watchmen for my birthday!

[Bill]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...Really?! Where? I would love to have one as there was never a HC! ..."

I did a Bookfinder.com search for the ISBN 9780007217809 and found a remainder at Powell's for $11 including S&H.

Still, I want a HC with one of Janny's wonderful 2-page paintings - not to be, I guess.

[Sandra]

Kernos wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...Really?! Where? I would love to have one as there was never a HC! ..."

I did a Bookfinder.com search for the ISBN 9780007217809 and found a remainder at Powell's for $11..."

Thanks! I found one. Unfortunately there was never a hardcover published. :(

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Finally got Moon Over Soho yesterday...it must have been mailed via Singapore.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Had a wonderful shopping day at Half Price Books and will post some of my finds when I have time to get them out of the shopping bags. Average price--$3.75. Pretty good!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Elizabeth Bear:
Greg Bear:
Carol Berg:
David Brin and Gregory Benford:
Trudi Canavan:
C.J. Cherryh:
Jasper Fforde:
Diana Gabaldon:
Thomas Harlan:
Mike Jefferies:
Terry Pratchett:
And a few mysteries and thrillers...

[Shel, Moderator]

Wow, that's quite a haul!! I'm jealous! :)

I just finished reading Shades of Grey, and though it's much darker than the Thursday Next books it's still quite funny.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

Nicki wrote: "Denae wrote: "My boyfriend gave me a copy of Watchmen for my birthday!"

Happy (belated?) birthday!

Even though I'm in the Netherlands at the moment, I snuck in a book order...

[boo..."

Thank you :)

[Sandra]

Kathi wrote: "Elizabeth Bear:
Greg Bear:
[..."

Whoa! You're much worse than I! :D

[Maggie]

I just ordered a ton of stuff again..I have already used up my June budget....

[Sandra]

Maggie wrote: "I just ordered a ton of stuff again..I have already used up my June budget...."

LOL, me, too. I always read about books and think, 'oh I want to read that!' so I buy it and then I have this enormous pile of books that sit here looking at me. I hope I live long enough to finish them all!

[Bill]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...Thanks! I found one. Unfortunately there was never a hardcover published. :( "

It is actually one of the few genre books I'd seriously consider have bound.

I will finish it tonight. I've not reviewed each book, but think I will Stormed Fortress. It will be difficult for me to review. Actually the more I like a book or story, the more difficult it is for me to review. One gets bored with superlatives. I find it difficult to describe how I feel. It will take some thought.

[Sandra]

Kernos wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "...Thanks! I found one. Unfortunately there was never a hardcover published. :( "

It is actually one of the few genre books I'd seriously consider have bound.

I will fini..."

I had difficulty reviewing these books for the same reason.

[Ken]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "I always read about books and think, 'oh I want to read that!' so I buy it and then I have this enormous pile of books that sit here looking at me. "

I have the same problem. I am way more picky with what I buy but some stuff just sound way to interesting.
I have done the math, I will be 44 near the end of July and I dont think I will ever finish reading what I have or even reread anything I might want to before the end.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "I hope I live long enough to finish them all! ."

My husband once tried to figure out at what rate we would have to read in order to finish all the books we currently own by a certain age... it was ridiculous! But it hasn't stopped me from buying. And there are books I acquired years ago when we first started building our library that I no longer have any desire to read. When I come across them or we go on a culling spree, the shelves open up some. Then we go on a buying spree like we did on Friday, and they fill up again. Oh well--reading is probably my favorite form of relaxation and entertainment, so it's worth it to me. And we freely lend them out to my dad, my sister, and my niece as well.

[Helen]

Kathi, I thought I was alone. I'd buy books each week and wait to have each part of a series before reading. A couple of years ago, I finally gave a huge pile that I finally accepted that I would not read to the charity shop. In paper and e-book I have about 200 to read, so I should comfortably read them within a few years or re-arrange the pile!

[Mike (the Paladin)]

200? I have closer to 500 waiting to be read (my library of "keepers" runs somewhere around 1000, I haven't counted in detail lately)... And I still buy books and read stacks of books from the library. In other words...normal for Goodreads. LOL

[Candiss]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: " In other words...normal for Goodreads. "

Isn't that the truth? Goodreads should make that the site's new tag-line: "Book-hoarding: Insane for others...normal for Goodreads".

:D

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Truer words were never etc., etc...

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

FWIW, I still think y'all are insane. ;)

[Ken]

I was in a pre-owned bookstore the other day looking for a specific book. I have a list of hard to find books I am looking for.
I ended up picking up a couple of books
The Lazarus Effect
Bone in the Throat
Gone Bamboo

The later two are mysteries written my Chef Anthony Bourdain. I heard about them a couple of years ago and when I was in the store I was looking at a table and turned around and there they were

[Helen]

Well done Ken.

[Ken]

And some more books today
These are planned though.

I picked up
Embassytown
And with my luck, he was in the store last week and the manger got him to sign a copy for me.

The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick 5: The Eye of The Sibyl
I ordered this a couple weeks ago

I also picked up the final Bourdain book
The Bobby Gold Stories: A Novel

[Jim]

I did manage to pick up a few at the Half Price Books sale last weekend in the Dallas area where my son lives.

The Voyage of the Sable Keech Neal Asher
Shadow of the Scorpion Neal Asher
Something from the Nightside Simon R. Green
Agents of Light and Darkness Simon R. Green

[Richelle]

Just picked up Nightmare at the Book Fair to pre-read before sending to my 9 year old nephew (I like to read what he is reading so we can talk about the books later).

I also picked up Infernal Devices. I understand this book was out of print for a while, though the author apparently started the whole Steampunk craze. Haven't started it yet, as I am already reading a Steampunk mystery The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack (Burton & Swinburne #1), and don't want to get worlds confused!

[Ron]

Found Alliance Space by C.J. Cherryh (compilation of two novels, "Merchanter's Luck" and "Forty Thousand in Gehenna") sitting on the shelf at a local book shop today. This was a tiny bit annoying, because I had ordered it from the same store just a week ago. I asked if there was a discount for having to find my own special orders, was told No, "but we should think about having a policy like that." I was not mollified.

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

Those are two great novels, but it's a bit strange to find them as an omnibus, especially under that title, because IIRC technically neither of them really falls under the Alliance. Gehenna is a Union-side novel (one of only two - no, three now with the new Regenesis, which I still haven't read), and Merchanter's Luck is about, well, merchanters - who are mostly unaffiliated with either the Union or the Alliance. C.J. Cherryh's older novels have gone through some really interesting editions over the years. My collection was cobbled together thanks to eBay and second-hand stores. Another series I want to reread sooner rather than later.

[Ron]

Stefan, I think the Alliance is the merchanters, isn't it, the three sides being Earth and Fleet, Union, and Merchanters' Alliance? Maybe the events in the two novels are roughly parallel in time? And if I remember "Cyteen" correctly, the Union intends for Gehenna to be (re)discovered in Alliance space, but - surprise! - with the remnants of the Union colony already there. Anyway, I agree it's an odd pairing of novels but it suits me down to the ground since I can't find either in any second-hand store here and this makes each novel about second-hand price.

[Bill]

Stefan wrote: "Those are two great novels, but it's a bit strange to find them as an omnibus, especially under that title, because IIRC technically neither of them really falls under the Alliance. Gehenna is a Un..."

They both fall under the Alliance-Union Universe. Cherryh's category's have evolved over time. See

The CJ Cherryh bibliography — wikipedia - easier to read
THE UNIVERSES OF C.J. CHERRYH —from Cherryh's site
Alliance/Union Chronology—from Cherryh's site

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

They both fall under the Alliance-Union universe, but the title of the book is "Alliance Space", implying (to me at least) that both books are set at the Alliance side. Instead, Gehenna is one of the few Union novels (Ron's point is correct - I didn't think of it that way - but even Cherryh lists it as "Unionside" on her site). And the Merchanters, the way I remember it, are a third, mostly unaffiliated faction (listed as "Merchanter Novels" on Cherryh's site). Again, they're both great novels and they're both in the Alliance-Union universe or series, but I wouldn't call either one an Alliance novel per se. Yes yes, I know I'm nitpicking :)

[Sandra]

Kernos wrote: "Stefan wrote: "Those are two great novels, but it's a bit strange to find them as an omnibus, especially under that title, because IIRC technically neither of them really falls under the Alliance. ..."

Is anyone else having trouble saving comments? I just wrote a long one and lost it - 'there was a problem saving your comment' and the comment box closes up!

Anyway, I said, Kernos: I don't know whether to hug you or hit you for posting those links as I followed them and can see hours of entertainment ahead of me, as C.J. is most entertaining and at times hilarious!

[Sandra]

Stefan wrote: "They both fall under the Alliance-Union universe, but the title of the book is "Alliance Space", implying (to me at least) that both books are set at the Alliance side. Instead, Gehenna is one of t..."

I just read Cyteen and loved it so much that I ordered and read both Forty-Thousand and Regenesis. IMO, Forty Thousand fits between Alliance and Union quite well. None of these novels are sequential with the exception of Heavy Time and Hellburner; and now Cyteen and Regenesis, which picks up right where Cyteen leaves off.

At any rate, I started reading Cherryh with the Foreigner series, LOVED it, and while waiting for the next one, picked up Downbelow Station, Heavy Time, and Hellburner and now have stacks of Cherryh books waiting to read! I haven't actually counted the books I have waiting for me, but between piles of paper books and my Nook, I'm sure it's several hundred.

I was teasing about being ashamed for indulging my addiction, but have to admit that I've been a little too optimistic lately about what I can realistically read. Still, I've always figured that books, like food, shouldn't really count in the budget. And while I occasionally use the library, I've usually regretted not having a hard copy of whatever book I've borrowed, so mostly, I just buy them.

[Stefan, Group Founder + Moderator (Retired)]

I discovered Cherryh through Downbelow Station, which I liked but didn't love right away. Still, I liked it enough to look for some more books in Alliance/Union. I think I really started loving that series when I read one of the Merchanter novels - I forget the title, but it's the one where there's someone who can stay awake during the hyperjumps, which led to some dreamy surreal scenes. I hunted down every other book in the series after that. As a novel, I think Cyteen is the strongest entry in the series, but I enjoyed some of the Merchanter novels more. Then I read the Foreigner series - I've only read the first 6. Then Chanur (brilliant) and Faded Sun (brilliant too). I couldn't get into the Fortress books at first, but recently reread the first 2 and loved them - now I have to read the rest of them at some point. I liked the Morgaine books and the Arafel books, but I've come to the conclusion that I like her SF better than her fantasy in most cases. She has some great short stories too - my favorite collection is Visible Light, which has a neat framing story that explains a lot about Cherryh as a person and writer. I really regret that I haven't had the time to keep up with her series lately.

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Sounds like I need to start watching for Cherryh's SF books at the used book store. I have many of her fantasy books and a few of her SF, but I don't even recall which ones or which series they are part of. All these recommendations are making me think I need to add her SF to my collection.

[Helen]

I discovered her through you lot - although I haven't read it yet!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Well, Better World Books had a deal (25% off used books from them only, not other sellers at their site, and of course, free shipping) and there were 30 books in my order when I sent it in. Not all SF/F but there were a bunch of Cherryh's books (Foreigner series) and a few other things from the list of books I've been looking for. Will post when the books arrive.

[Maggie]

I had to make a big bettworld order too KAthy!

I swear, between them and thriftbooks there is always a sale, its a big conspiracy

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Just got Hard Magic.

[Jon]

I picked up Foreigner and Smith of Wootton Major from my local dark and dusty used book store.

I spent an hour trying to find another book to go with Foreigner (because I hate writing a check for less than $5 - and this hole-in-the-wall book store barely has electricity, and accepts no plastic). I almost didn't buy the second book, because this store scratches out the original price of the book and doubles or triples it 'to reflect current publishing pricing trends'. So instead of paying half price for a $1.95 book, I paid $3. I found at least a half-dozen used books in excellent condition, but the prices had been jacked up to $5 or more each. Since I know none of this money is going to make it back to the original author, I was a bit miffed. I've avoided this store for weeks because of this practice, and will probably avoid it for another few weeks.

[Sandra]

Jon wrote: "I picked up Foreigner and Smith of Wootton Major from my local dark and dusty used book store.

I spent an hour trying to find another book to go with Foreigner (bec..."

Yikes! Sounds like a painful experience! Hope you enjoy Foreigner!

[Jim]

Jon wrote: "I picked up Foreigner and Smith of Wootton Major from my local dark and dusty used book store."

Where I volunteer at the Friends Of The Library bookstore, we have a bookseller who cherry-picks from among the books we get as donations (and there is a huge volume). He pays us more than we would get for them. we only charge 10% of face value. Then he turns around and sells them in his store. I've been in his store. His prices are not reasonable. I've seen mass market paperbacks at three or more times the publishers price because they are considered "collectible".

So it's a good deal for us at FOL, but I wouldn't shop at his store.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

That's the kind of thing hurting a lot of book stores (even the ones that don't do it. They get painted with the same brush) and helps places like ABE books.

[Ken]

hmm very unusual couple of weeks for me....no new books. Been to my usual haunts and nothing. Kinda nice in a, I have no room in the apt for new books, way.
Ha
Speaking of shelf space....
Been looking at e-readers but I have some concerns with then. Thinking when I go on Vacation in July I may pick one up.
I am opening a thread for suggestions.
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Kathi wrote: "Will post when the books arrive."

Oops, I didn't, and now they are shelved and I can't remember all of them, but I know I bought several books by Janny Wurts and a bunch of books from the Foreigner series by C.J. Cherryh.

[Helen]

Sounds like they were good purchases then.

[Kevin]

Kathi wrote: "Kathi wrote: "Will post when the books arrive."

Oops, I didn't, and now they are shelved and I can't remember all of them, but I know I bought several books by Janny Wurts and a bunc..."

Great, so you will be ready in August.

[Shel, Moderator]

Just picked up Who Fears Death and Ammonite. Looking forward to both!