Bookpedia : Library : Genre : [Global:Letter]

ISBN: 9780970130600

ListPrice: $25.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: James P. Blaylock has been publishing singular, literate, evocative stories since 1977, but "Thirteen Phantasms and Other Stories" appears to be his first (and a complete) collection. Its 16 stories have little concern for genre; Blaylock slides from the fantastic to subtle horror to slipstream, sometimes in the same story. His introduction, with its mentions of an antique shop of mysterious orientalia and of aquaria stocked with obscure oddities, perfectly prefigures the concerns of his stories. The past is sometimes the setting, and it often haunts or drives the characters. But this is no simple nostalgia; Blaylock knows the past, irrecoverable yet inescapable, can be a burden and a trap. Mysteries, too, compel or lure many characters, with their strangeness and shadows and dangers. And some characters pursue--or are controlled by--peculiar obsessions. "Thirteen Phantasms" does not present the stories in chronological order, but reading them chronologically reveals Blaylock's evolution into a great writer. His first sale, 1977's atmospheric ship-of-fools/bus-of-bozos fantasy "The Red Planet," is creepy, but too mysterious and underdeveloped to please many readers. A decade later, Blaylock would win the World Fantasy Award with the deserving and powerful "Paper Dragons"; set in a world in which matter has become mutable, it is one of the most unusual dragon stories ever written. The most recent story, 1998's "The Old Curiosity Shop," is a tremendous work in which a man who abandoned his wife discovers she has literally dwindled away from grief, and the objects she left behind, curios sold to a strange shop, are so invested with the weight of memories that a man might be crushed beneath a single item. Most of the stories take place in contemporary California, but three of the exceptions ("The Ape-Box Affair," "Two Views of a Cave Painting," and "The Idol's Eye") are set in an alternate-history England in which H.G. Wells's science fiction must be fact; and they belong to that rarest of subgenres, comic steampunk. These entertaining adventures feature Langdon St. Ives, a Victorian scientist-adventurer after the manner of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Professor Challenger, and the hero of Blaylock's novels "Homunculus" (winner of the Philip K. Dick Award) and "Lord Kelvin's Machine". "--Cynthia Ward"

ISBN: 9781892389541

ListPrice: $24.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: From Delusions of Universal Grandeur to Twentieth Century Chronoshock, this amusing pocket guide to concocted diseases - designed and illustrated by John Coulthart - features an anthology of slightly morbid, darkly humorous ailments and prognosis srved up by such renowned luminaries as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Michael Moorcock, Gahan Wilson, Brian Stableford, and Michael Bishop.

ISBN: 9781892389978

ListPrice: 45.00

Edition: Limited Edition

Summary: The author of Things That Never Happen (starred review, Publishers Weekly) and Light (Tiptree Award winner) delivers an extraordinary, genre-bending novel that weaves together mythology, sexuality, and the troubled past and present of Eastern Europe. It begins on a hot May night, when three Cambridge students carry out a ritualistic act that changes their lives. Years later, none of the participants can remember what exactly transpired; but their clouded memories can't rid them of an overwhelming sense of dread. Pam Stuyvesant is an epileptic haunted by strange sensual visions. Her husband Lucas believes that a dwarfish creature is stalking him. Self-styled Sorcerer Yaxley becomes obsessed with a terrifyingly transcendent reality. The seemingly least effected participant in the ritual (who is haunted by the smell of roses) attempts to help his friends escape the torment that has engulfed their lives.

ISBN: 9780553384673

ListPrice: $12.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: "From award-winning author Tim Lebbon comes this harrowing tale of an epic journey, crossing the forbidden boundary separating us from all we fear the most.… "To the unknown corners of Noreela, the Voyagers have traveled, returning with fantastic tales of their journeys and discoveries. But no one has ever returned from the Great Divide: a sheer cliff soaring miles above the clouds and rumored to be the end of the world. Until now. Voyagers Nomi Hyden and Ramus Rheel would be mortal enemies if their lives and fates weren’t so closely entwined. But now the unlikely pair are brought together for what will be their greatest—and perhaps final—journey. When a grim wanderer named Ten arrives with an ancient parchment he claims to have brought back from the Divide, its arcane glyphs hint at the existence of a realm most consider a myth...and at something amazing sleeping there. Accompanied by the warrior Beko and his band of armed Serians, Nomi and Ramus set out to discover the truth behind the legends. But soon ambition drives them apart, this epic Voyage becomes a race...and each Voyager is faced with a choice that may alter the history of Noreela forever.

ISBN: 9781933368368

ListPrice: $13.95

Edition: Reprint

Summary: "The Good Fairies of New York" tells the fish-out-of-water story of two Scottish thistle fairies who find themselves in Manhattan. The fairies hook up with two humans, Kerry (complete with colostomy bag) and Dinnie (antisocial in the extreme), finding time to help both get their acts together. A book that brings together race riots and Scottish folklore, "The Good Fairies of New York" is anything but a typical fairy fantasy.

ISBN: 0345458427

ListPrice: CDN$ 22.95

Edition: Reprint

Summary: Oh my Goodness! I'm like Alistair Sims' Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, "I'm as light as a feather, As, as...giddy as a schoolboy", I might just try to stand on my head but I'm not quite sure that I've yet put down all four feet in this reality. In fact, I feel I'm more than myself, I am... fReemade. Your Pardon, you must excuse me as I blather on, for I've taken the Iron Council down in two healthy swigs; from 10 to 10 one night and then from about 9 to 2 the next day, and what a heady draught it was! Gluttony, I know, but then I've waited so long! Harlan Ellison has identified the importance of partaking in Strange Wine (intro to the collection), and, with apologies to the master, this is the most intensely visionary potable I've plumbed in many a long day. Such a triumphant return to New Crobuzon, and the world of Bas-long! Ah, New Crobuzon! In my dreams I walk along your banks, into your dens and through your cobbled arches. I quiver to the various diversions of your multitudes, Oh dark city archetype! There are wonders and delights aplenty to behold here, but! Have a care! Such as these are not for the faint of heart! Lord, China, when you decide to make a statement, you sure don't fool around! My only burning question is how many instants must we endure before the next myth appears? In the meantime, now let me see - what was it? What did it? What put it over the top? Was it the brilliant imagery festooned throughout the book? • The vivid spectacle of a Vodyanoi Shaman triumphantly atop his Undine dismembering a ship, • Or the Tardy, those crippled giant cactus gods of unbelievable power in full revenge mode, • Or the sight of a world shaking City-Tortoise on fire, its refugees streaming away from their homes under the withering spells of the Militia Thaumaturges of New Crobuzon, • Or Golems (I don't know if you've paid much attention to golems, I know I haven't, but China has thought them through, right from the very beginning of the novel, in merciless exquisite detail). Or is it the masterful storytelling, the joyful seamless weaving of disparate parts together into a payoff with one hell of a punch. You see... It's all there. It is such a joy to see a master craftsman flex his fingers and get down to it. The stylistic brilliance with which he makes the Western Novel his own; the sly use of its very tropes to engage, tease and seduce, the reader, leading them on, inevitably, to the mystery of the Iron Council itself, which is...uh...what, exactly. Well, I'm not sure if I can tell you, if I could, or if I should, he muttered. The purveyors of the Runagate Rampant know that there can be...ah, consequences to knowledge. However, it's definitely an idea, but it's also a concrete thing, maybe even a philosophy of existence. I know, I know, I'm not being terribly helpful, but it is difficult to describe with any accuracy, like the Torque itself. You can only experience it for yourself and draw your own conclusions. I feel as one with the confusion of the inhabitants of New Crobuzon, their obsessions, their motivations, their magnificent, and oh, so human delusions! That's definitely part of it, I mean the ambiguity and all, but then so are the spot-on characterizations (I will take to my grave the vision of hate-filled visage of the dying New Crobuzon Militia Thaumaturge "You F*****g cowards...we're the best...And now we know the way through", along with that of Khan (in Wrath of...), his face twisted with maniacal passion breathing "From Hells Heart I stab at thee, for Hates sake, I spit my last breath at thee"). Of the New Weird movement, China himself said in Locus: The Magazine of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Field that there is something going on here that demands to be described (December 2003). What he didn't say, perhaps with becoming modesty, was that he is just about the chief prophet. Like the seminal works of the New Wave, Cyberpunk, and Magic Realism, it's not a question of if this book will win an award, but of how many? The Nebula, for sure: There's no way that the SFWA (that's Science Fiction Writer's Association, for those not in the know) can ignore this man's effortless command of the form any longer, but could this be the gender-bender to sweep all the specialty fiction awards; the Hugo, The World Fantasy, The Horror Writer's, The Western Writer's and only the Lord knows what else? However far this novel goes, in all categories (Hmm, Brooker, even?) this award season, China has now set the bar high, high, high. For those of you who have not sampled the dark delights of New Crobuzon before, welcome, for those who have, welcome home. As for me, I think I'll take a quiet walk back around to Perdido Street Station, just to relax and see what's new. -Jono, 31/7/04

ISBN: 0545010225

ListPrice: $34.99

Edition: First Edition

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

Summary: Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues. The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise. A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. "--Daphne Durham" Visit the "Harry Potter" Store Our "Harry Potter" Store features all things "Harry", including books, audio CDs and cassettes, DVDs, soundtracks, games, and more. Begin at the Beginning "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Hardcover Paperback "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" Hardcover Paperback "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" Hardcover Paperback "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Hardcover Paperback "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" Hardcover Paperback "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" Hardcover Paperback Why We Love Harry "Favorite Moments from the Series" There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" * Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. * Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" * The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" * Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" * Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" * Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" * The introduction of the Horcrux. * Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles. * Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions. * Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!" * Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator. * The effects of Felix Felicis. Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling "I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." "--J.K. Rowling" Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling. Did You Know? "The Little White Horse" was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer. A Few Words from Mary GrandPré "When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more "Harry Potter" art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

ISBN: 1841491101

ListPrice: $9.99

Edition: Reprint

Summary: Tom Holt is a master of the humorous novel (especially science fiction or fantasy). This book is no exception. The book follows the a young man who fell in love with a witch depicted in a painting at a local art museum when he was a young boy. Having a decent job in computers and no romantic interests to spend his money on, he frivolously buys a lock of hair reported to be from the witch in the painting. Then the strangeness begins. First he is approached by another art collector in a local pub. Then, in need of a bathroom, he exits his train at an unfamiliar stop and sees Honest John's House of Clones. But surely cloning isn't possible, or even legal. Well, armed with his genetic sample, the young man sets in motion events of cosmic proportions. Lies and coverups follow fast and furiously. He, and the reader, are stuck trying to figure out just what the real story is. Was he genetically designed just to clone the witch? Is he the son of God? Who are all of these people who look alike? What is with the bags of sugar? And are the frogs really in charge? These and many more questions are eventually answered amidst a fast-paced story liberally seasoned with intelligent witticisms. If you are a Tom Holt fan, you will want to read this one. If you are new to Tom Holt, this is an excellent book.

ISBN: 1841491853

ListPrice: $9.99

Edition: Reprint

Summary: Tom Holt is in top form in this brilliant new comic fantasy. “I was eight years old when I saw my first elf.” And for unlikely hero Michael it was his last. Cruella, Michael’s unfortunately (but accurately) named girlfriend, doesn’t approve of his obsession with the little people. But the problem is that they won’t leave him alone. And who can blame them when it’s Michael’s own stepfather who’s responsible for causing them so much misery? Oh yes. Daddy George knows that elves can do so much more than gardening. A wildly imaginative new fantasy from Tom Holt.

ISBN: 1841491454

ListPrice: $13.99

Edition: Reprint

Summary: Now published for the first time in an omnibus edition, two of Tom Holt’s most hilarious comic fantasies. Here Comes the Sun: The sun rises late, dirty, and so badly in need of service, it’s a wonder it gets up at all. The moon’s going to be scrapped presently, and a new one commissioned—but they’ve been saying that for years. All is not well with the universe… and it’s because the mortals are running the show. It’s time for a Higher Power to take charge… Odds and Gods: It’s a god’s life at the Sunnyvoyde Residential Home for Retired Deities. Everlasting life can be a real drag when all you’ve got to look forward to is cauliflower cheese on Wednesdays. But things are about to change, because those almighty duffers Thor, Odin, and Frey have restored a thousand–year–old traction engine—and it actually works. Then there’s Osiris, preparing for a quest that will test his wheelchair to its very limits. Only one thing might save the world. Dentures.

ISBN: 0553383655

ListPrice: $12.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Award-winning author Tim Lebbon takes fantasy to new heights in his thrilling new epic as unlikely allies struggle to keep the light of hope burning against a tide of unending darkness... Noreela teeters on the brink of destruction, but at its center pulses a magic grown stroner than ever before. Now the Mages have raised an army of terrifying warriorsand unstoppable war machins. Their goal: the annihilation of all Noreela through a reign of bloodhsed and death unlike any ever imagined. But Noreela's last survivors will not go quietyly into the never-ending darkness. One man will lead a desperate band of rebels, including a witch, a fledge miner, and a dreaming librarian. For an ancient prophecy predicts that the future of magic will emerge in a child still unborn—if only our heroes can stay alive until dawn.

ISBN: 0345444388

ListPrice: 25.00

Edition: First US Edition, Second Printing

Summary: Nominated for the 2002 World Fantasy Award A mythmaker of the highest order, China Miéville has emblazoned the fantasy novel with fresh language, startling images, and stunning originality. Set in the same sprawling world of Miéville's Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel, "Perdido Street Station," this latest epic introduces a whole new cast of intriguing characters and dazzling creations. Aboard a vast seafaring vessel, a band of prisoners and slaves, their bodies remade into grotesque biological oddities, is being transported to the fledgling colony of New Crobuzon. But the journey is not theirs alone. They are joined by a handful of travelers, each with a reason for fleeing the city. Among them is Bellis Coldwine, a renowned linguist whose services as an interpreter grant her passage -- and escape from horrific punishment. For she is linked to Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin, the brilliant renegade scientist who has unwittingly unleashed a nightmare upon New Crobuzon. For Bellis, the plan is clear: live among the new frontiersmen of the colony until it is safe to return home. But when the ship is besieged by pirates on the Swollen Ocean, the senior officers are summarily executed. The surviving passengers are brought to Armada, a city constructed from the hulls of pirated ships, a floating, landless mass ruled by the bizarre duality called the Lovers. On Armada, everyone is given work, and even Remades live as equals to humans, Cactae, and Cray. Yet no one may ever leave. Lonely and embittered in her captivity, Bellis knows that to show dissent is a death sentence. Instead, she must furtively seek information about Armada's agenda. The answer lies in the dark, amorphous shapes that float undetected miles below the waters -- terrifying entities with a singular, chilling mission. . . . China Miéville is a writer for a new era -- and "The Scar" is a luminous, brilliantly imagined novel that is nothing short of spectacular.

ISBN: 0345443020

ListPrice: 25.00

Edition: First US Edition, Third Printing

Summary: Beneath the towering bleached ribs of a dead, ancient beast lies New Crobuzon, a squalid city where humans, Re-mades, and arcane races live in perpetual fear of Parliament and its brutal militia. The air and rivers are thick with factory pollutants and the strange effluents of alchemy, and the ghettos contain a vast mix of workers, artists, spies, junkies, and whores. In New Crobuzon, the unsavory deal is stranger to none -- not even to Isaac, a brilliant scientist with a penchant for Crisis Theory. Isaac has spent a lifetime quietly carrying out his unique research. But when a half-bird, half-human creature known as the Garuda comes to him from afar, Isaac is faced with challenges he has never before fathomed. Though the Garuda's request is scientifically daunting, Isaac is sparked by his own curiosity and an uncanny reverence for this curious stranger. While Isaac's experiments for the Garuda turn into an obsession, one of his lab specimens demands attention: a brilliantly colored caterpillar that feeds on nothing but a hallucinatory drug and grows larger -- and more consuming -- by the day. What finally emerges from the silken cocoon will permeate every fiber of New Crobuzon -- and not even the Ambassador of Hell will challenge the malignant terror it invokes... A magnificent fantasy rife with scientific splendor, magical intrigue, and wonderfully realized characters, told in a storytelling style in which Charles Dickens meets Neal Stephenson, "Perdido Street Station" offers an eerie, voluptuously crafted world that will plumb the depths of every reader's imagination. "[A] phantasmagoric masterpiece... The book left me breathless with admiration."    BRIAN STABLEFORD "China Miéville's cool style has conjured up a triumphantly macabre technoslip metropolis with a unique atmosphere of horror and fascination."    PETER HAMILTON "It is the best steampunk novel since Gibson and Sterling's."    JOHN CLUTE "Ambitious, beautifully written, enormously imaginative, engrossing... A complex fable that blends several genres -- fantasy, horror, gothic, science fiction, and social protest with believable, interesting, and utterly weird, fantastic creature-characters... I could feel my imagination stretched and tweaked by the haunting narrative -- redolent of dreams, nightmares, intuitive whisperings, visions, and tastes of the unconscious.... With its inventive plot, fascinating characters, evocative language, and underlying themes of coexistence among very different beings, economics and politics, crime and punishment, computer consciousness, science and art, "Perdido Street Station" is in the end both complex and satisfying. And China Miéville is an author to read both for fun and for quite serious amusement."    "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" "Revolutionary in the sheer bravura range of its invention... This is the point in the review where prefabricated accolades like 'this novel heralds a promising new voice on the fantasy horizon' are usually offered up. To hell with that. Miéville isn't on the horizon, he's roared to the center of the map, kicked ass, taken names, and jumped straight to the top of the heap."    "THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF SCIENCE FICTION" "With his new novel, the gargantuan, intricate, and thoroughly grounded "Perdido Street Station", China Miéville moves effortlessly into

ISBN: 0441013368

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Anok Wati, a young warrior of the streets, strikes a pact with an ancient and forbidden god who gives him a seemingly impossible task. To unravel the mysteries of the past and avenge his father's death, Anok must join the sinister cult of the snake-god Set--and destroy them from within.

ISBN: 0974420395

ListPrice: 85.00

Edition: Limited Edition

Summary: Something is stirring in London's dark corners, stamping out its territory in brick dust and blood. Something has murdered Saul Garamond's father and left Saul to pay for the crime. A shadow from the urban waste breaks into Saul's prison cell only to lead him into a different form of imprisonment, as he soon finds himself an unwilling player in a battle between two ancient enemies. In order for Saul to survive, he must confront the forces that would use him, the forces that would destroy him, and the forces that shape his own bizarre identity. This is award-winner China Mieville's debut novel. Like his subsequent novels, KING RAT features Mieville's characteristic breakneck pacing, impossible creatures, and new dark worlds. Lavishly illustrated by RICHARK KIRK , and with a Foreword by CLIVE BARKER and an Afterword by the author, this deluxe edition celebrates Mieville's "bold, pounding, down-and-dirty debut" (Kirkus Reviews). China's only other limited edition novels are of THE SCAR and IRON COUNCIL, each published as a run of 1000 copies, so 400 copies for KING RAT is much lower and more collectible, by comparison - not to mention having well over a dozen interior illustrations and more. Not to be missed!

ISBN: 0345476077

ListPrice: $13.95

Edition: Reprint

Summary: What William Gibson did for science fiction, China Miéville has done for fantasy, shattering old paradigms with fiercely imaginative works of startling, often shocking, intensity. Now from this brilliant young writer comes a groundbreaking collection of stories, many of them previously unavailable in the United States, and including four never-before-published tales–one set in Miéville’s signature fantasy world of New Crobuzon. Among the fourteen superb fictions are “Jack”–Following the events of his acclaimed novel Perdido Street Station, this tale of twisted attachment and horrific revenge traces the rise and fall of the Remade Robin Hood known as Jack Half-a-Prayer. “Familiar”–Spurned by its creator, a sorceress’s familiar embarks on a strange and unsettling odyssey of self-discovery in a coming-of-age story like no other. "From the Trade Paperback edition."

ISBN: 0441012922

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: In the bleak northlands, Grimnir, the living god of the plundering Vanir, is leading his hordes across Cimmeria. Tales of Grimnir's fury spread as refugees scatter throughout the land to escape his wrath. In the village of Gaud, the young warrior Kern, the "Wolf-Eye," has been exiled, an outcast from clan and kin. It is he who is fated to confront the dreaded Grimnir. But as loyal friends and desperate fighters rally to his side, even Kern does not know whether he leads his people to deliverance, or certain death.

ISBN: 0441013104

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: The army of Kern "Wolf-Eye" has been scattered, and as the dead are buried, the tribes gather to choose new leaders. To prove his worth, Kern must seek out the House of Crom, where rests a weapon of legend that can kill any man, beast, or god. For in his heart he knows that not all glory lies on the battlefield, and that there is no sacrifice too great to sing one last song of victory.

ISBN: 0441013368

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Anok Wati, a young warrior of the streets, strikes a pact with an ancient and forbidden god who gives him a seemingly impossible task. To unravel the mysteries of the past and avenge his father's death, Anok must join the sinister cult of the snake-god Set--and destroy them from within.

ISBN: 0441013546

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Second of three epic trilogies set in the legendary world of Conan the Barbarian Cursed with an unspeakable power, Anok Wati, the heretic of Set, has unknowingly unleashed a hideous evil. And unless he can find the hero within himself, and destroy a god given flesh, all of Hyboria will be enslaved.

ISBN: 0441012957

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Kern "Wolf-Eye" and his Men of the Wolves continue their war against the Vanir raiders. But innocents are paying the price for the Wolves' actions as the Vanir pillage and burn one village after another. Only by uniting the Cimmerian clans under one banner--and one army--will Kern be able to rid the land of the Vanir once and for all.

ISBN: 0345461533

ListPrice: $15.95

Edition: Collected

Summary: “FOR HEADLONG, NONSTOP ADVENTURE AND FOR VIVID, EVEN FLORID, SCENERY, NO ONE EVEN COMES CLOSE TO HOWARD.” –Harry Turtledove In a meteoric career that covered only a dozen years, Robert E. Howard defined the sword-and-sorcery genre. In doing so, he brought to life the archetypal adventurer known to millions around the world as Conan the barbarian. Witness, then, Howard at his finest, and Conan at his most savage, in the latest volume featuring the collected works of Robert E. Howard, lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Greg Manchess. Prepared directly from the earliest known versions–often Howard’s own manuscripts–are such sword-and-sorcery classics as “The Servants of Bit-Yakin” (formerly published as “Jewels of Gwahlur”), “Beyond the Black River,” “The Black Stranger,” “Man-Eaters of Zamboula” (formerly published as “Shadows in Zamboula”), and, perhaps his most famous adventure of all, “Red Nails.” The Conquering Sword of Conan" "includes never-before-published outlines, notes, and story drafts, plus a new introduction, personal correspondence, and the revealing essay “Hyborian Genesis”–which chronicles the history of the creation of the Conan series. Truly, this is heroic fantasy at its finest.

ISBN: 0618002251

ListPrice: $45.00

Edition: Boxed Set

Summary: Hobbits and wizards and Sauron--oh, my! Mild-mannered Oxford scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien had little inkling when he published "The Hobbit; Or, There and Back Again" in 1937 that, once hobbits were unleashed upon the world, there would be no turning back. Hobbits are, of course, small, furry creatures who love nothing better than a leisurely life quite free from adventure. But in that first novel and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo and their elvish friends get swept up into a mighty conflict with the dragon Smaug, the dark lord Sauron (who owes much to proud Satan in "Paradise Lost"), the monstrous Gollum, the Cracks of Doom, and the awful power of the magical Ring. The four books' characters--good and evil--are recognizably human, and the realism is deepened by the magnificent detail of the vast parallel world Tolkien devised, inspired partly by his influential Anglo-Saxon scholarship and his Christian beliefs. (He disapproved of the relative sparseness of detail in the comparable allegorical fantasy his friend C.S. Lewis dreamed up in "The Chronicles of Narnia", though he knew Lewis had spun a page-turning yarn.) It has been estimated that one-tenth of all paperbacks sold can trace their ancestry to J.R.R. Tolkien. But even if we had never gotten Robert Jordan's "The Path of Daggers" and the whole fantasy genre Tolkien inadvertently created by bringing the hobbits so richly to life, Tolkien's epic about the Ring would have left our world enhanced by enchantment. "--Tim Appelo"

ISBN: 0345490177

ListPrice: $15.95

Edition: First Edition

Summary: As some cover blurbs so rightly state, "Before Conan--there was Kull!" The warrior Kull was yet another popular creation of pulp writer Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), generally credited as the originator of the subgenre heroic fantasy. Yet Kull should not be dismissed as second-rate Conan. (Although Howard did transform a few unsold Kull adventures into those of Conan the Cimmerian when the later series took off with the public.) Set in ancient, lost Atlantis, the Kull stories take place mostly after the barbarian has already come to power as King Kull of Valusia. What makes these scant dozen stories most memorable is Howard's heightened style of mystical decadence, similar here to his "Weird Tales" contemporary, Clark Ashton Smith. Rest assured there's enough gruesome bloodletting and wanton savagery to satisfy the most ardent Howard reader. (Variant editions of this collection have been published over the years, with the uncompleted stories finished posthumously by Lin Carter. Other editions have simply presented the few story fragments as untouched--and unadulterated--Robert E. Howard.) "--Stanley Wiater"

ISBN: 0441014453

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Now a leading knight of the Black Dragons, the noble Nermesa encounters danger and deception on his first important mission-and uncovers a plot to bring King Conan to his knees.

ISBN: 0765317346

ListPrice: $14.95

Edition: Reprint

Summary: "The Washington Post" called this "a dizzying magic show of a novel, chock-a-block with all the props of Victorian sensation fiction: seances, multiple narrators, a family curse, doubles, a lost notebook, wraiths, and disembodied spirits; a haunted house, awesome mad-doctor machinery, a mausoleum, and ghoulish horrors; a misunderstood scientist, impossible disappearances; the sins of the fathers visited upon their descendants." Winner of the 1996 World Fantasy Award, The Prestige is even better than that, because unlike many Victorians, Priest writes crisp, unencumbered prose. And anyone who's ever thrilled to the arcing electricity in the "It's alive!" scene in Frankenstein will relish the "special effects" by none other than Nikola Tesla.

ISBN: 0809511355

ListPrice: $35.00

Edition: Limited Edition

Summary: The fifth collection of Robert E. Howard's fantasy work from the legendary pulp magazine Weird Tales (and several of its rivals) features another lineup filled with classic fiction and poetry from Howard's greatest writing years. Included in this volume are four stories with Howard's most famous character, Conan ("Black Colossus," "The Slithering Shadow," "The Pool of the Black One," and "Rogues in the House"), as well as several historical and contemporary fantasies.

ISBN: 1933016108

ListPrice: $15.95

Edition: First Edition

Summary: In 59 AD, as the Celt horde on Anglesey succumbs to Roman aggression, war goddess Fey grants Lucan Mac Aliester his wish—life. Lucan soon discovers that it is not his Druidic people the bargain elevates, but himself. He receives not only great strength and a command over wolves, but the ability to see through the eyes of ravens. But what is the genuine motive for the bequest of Fey? This chronicle tells of Lucan's bloody journey from chieftain to the deified leader of a new barbarian race. Through Gaul, to the Roman arena, ruins of Babylon, the Garden of Eden, the temple of Ashtaroth and ultimately, into the abode of the frost giants, Lucan discovers the burden of what he is—a god.

ISBN: 0441013929

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: The young Pictish warrior Kral searches for the stolen holy relic that could save his people, only to find part of it stolen by a duplicitous warrior-thief. Meanwhile, the enraged Picts wage a desperate, doomed war against the great King Conan himself.

ISBN: 0441013791

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Aided by a king's daughter and a circle of allies, a young warrior embarks on a quest against those who destroyed his people, and the tyrant who took the precious Teeth of the Ice Bear. And to do so, he must become his enemy's worst nightmare. He must become a ghost.

ISBN: 0441014224

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary:

ISBN: 0441013864

ListPrice: $6.99

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Young warrior Kral's search for the Teeth of the Ice Bear--and his assaults on those who have stolen it--have caught the attention of King Conan himself. And now, Kral and his companions must follow the trail of the Teeth through the back alley shadows of Tarantia, to the halls of King Conan, and across the seas where their greatest challenge awaits them.

ISBN: 0671704184

ListPrice: 6.99

Edition: Reissue

Summary: This long second novel by Barker, whose first, The Damnation Game, was published earlier this year, is an unusual and not totally convincing mix of adventure and fairy tale. Barker envisions a race of fey folk known as the Seerkind who live undetected among mere mortals (whom they slyly refer to as the Cuckoos) until threatened by destruction. In response, the Seerkind weave themselves and their living places into a carpet, a magical riot of color and wonder known as the Fugue, which is then placed in the care of a mortal woman. Years pass, the woman grows old and dies, and her death signals to malign forces who wish to possess it that the Fugue is no longer protected. These are the demonic, immensely powerful woman known as Immacolata, her two ghostly, repulsive sisters, and her mortal cohort, the avaricious and power-hungry Shadwell. But the granddaughter of the Fugue's former caretaker manages to get possession of the rug, and so begins a long pursuit. A wealth of characters walk (or fly or crawl) through these pages, and the plot is a busy one. At times the story has a rather mechanical feeling, lacks conviction and excitement. Barker has less real emotion here than in his first novel, and has for the most part abandoned his trademark grisly details. Nevertheless, the book is often diverting and quite inventive. 100,000 first printing; $125,000 ad/promo; BOMC featured alternate. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. Barker turns from his usual horror to epic-length fantasy for this account of the Fugue, a magical land inhabited by descendants of supernatural beings who once shared the earth with humans. The Fugue has been woven into a carpet for protection against those who would destroy it; the death of its guardian occasions a battle between good and particularly repulsive evil forces for control of the Fugue. Weaveworld is rich with memorable characters, exciting situations, and pockets of Barker's... Clive Barker has made his mark on modern fiction by exposing all that is surreal and magical in the ordinary world --- and exploring the profound and overwhelming terror that results. With its volatile mix of the fantastical and the contemporary, the everyday and the otherworldly, Weaveworld is an epic work of dark fantasy and horror -- a tour de force from one of today's most forceful and imaginative artists.

ISBN: 0439064864

ListPrice: 19.95

Edition: boxed set version

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

Summary: It's hard to fall in love with an earnest, appealing young hero like Harry Potter and then to watch helplessly as he steps into terrible danger! And in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the much anticipated sequel to the award-winning Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, he is in terrible danger indeed. As if it's not bad enough that after a long summer with the horrid Dursleys he is thwarted in his attempts to hop the train to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to begin his second year. But when his only transportation option is a magical flying car, it is just his luck to crash into a valuable (but clearly vexed) Whomping Willow. Still, all this seems like a day in the park compared to what happens that fall within the haunted halls of Hogwarts. Chilling, malevolent voices whisper from the walls only to Harry, and it seems certain that his classmate Draco Malfoy is out to get him. Soon it's not just Harry who is worried about survival, as dreadful things begin to happen at Hogwarts. The mysteriously gleaming, foot-high words on the wall proclaim, "The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened. Enemies of the Heir, Beware." But what exactly does it mean? Harry, Hermione, and Ron do everything that is wizardly possible--including risking their own lives--to solve this 50-year-old, seemingly deadly mystery. This deliciously suspenseful novel is every bit as gripping, imaginative, and creepy as the first; familiar student concerns--fierce rivalry, blush-inducing crushes, pedantic professors--seamlessly intertwine with the bizarre, horrific, fantastical, or just plain funny. Once again, Rowling writes with a combination of wit, whimsy, and a touch of the macabre that will leave readers young and old desperate for the next installment. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

ISBN: 0439139597

ListPrice: 25.95

Edition: 1st American Ed

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

Summary: In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling offers up equal parts danger and delight--and any number of dragons, house-elves, and death-defying challenges. Now 14, her orphan hero has only two more weeks with his Muggle relatives before returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Yet one night a vision harrowing enough to make his lightning-bolt-shaped scar burn has Harry on edge and contacting his godfather-in-hiding, Sirius Black. Happily, the prospect of attending the season's premier sporting event, the Quidditch World Cup, is enough to make Harry momentarily forget that Lord Voldemort and his sinister familiars--the Death Eaters--are out for murder. Readers, we will cast a giant invisibility cloak over any more plot and reveal only that You-Know-Who is very much after Harry and that this year there will be no Quidditch matches between Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Instead, Hogwarts will vie with two other magicians' schools, the stylish Beauxbatons and the icy Durmstrang, in a Triwizard Tournament. Those chosen to compete will undergo three supreme tests. Could Harry be one of the lucky contenders? But Quidditch buffs need not go into mourning: we get our share of this great game at the World Cup. Attempting to go incognito as Muggles, 100,000 witches and wizards converge on a "nice deserted moor." As ever, Rowling magicks up the details that make her world so vivid, and so comic. Several spectators' tents, for instance, are entirely unquotidian. One is a minipalace, complete with live peacocks; another has three floors and multiple turrets. And the sports paraphernalia on offer includes rosettes "squealing the names of the players" as well as "tiny models of Firebolts that really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves." Needless to say, the two teams are decidedly different, down to their mascots. Bulgaria is supported by the beautiful veela, who instantly enchant everyone--including Ireland's supporters--over to their side. Until, that is, thousands of tiny cheerleaders engage in some pyrotechnics of their own: "The leprechauns had risen into the air again, and this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed at the veela across the field." Long before her fourth installment appeared, Rowling warned that it would be darker, and it's true that every exhilaration is equaled by a moment that has us fearing for Harry's life, the book's emotions running as deep as its dangers. Along the way, though, she conjures up such new characters as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, a Dark Wizard catcher who may or may not be getting paranoid in his old age, and Rita Skeeter, who beetles around Hogwarts in search of stories. (This Daily Prophet scoop artist has a Quick-Quotes Quill that turns even the most innocent assertion into tabloid innuendo.) And at her bedazzling close, Rowling leaves several plot strands open, awaiting book 5. This fan is ready to wager that the author herself is part veela--her pen her wand, her commitment to her world complete. (Ages 9 and older) --Kerry Fried

ISBN: 043935806x

ListPrice: 29.99

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

Summary: As his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry approaches, 15-year-old Harry Potter is in full-blown adolescence, complete with regular outbursts of rage, a nearly debilitating crush, and the blooming of a powerful sense of rebellion. It's been yet another infuriating and boring summer with the despicable Dursleys, this time with minimal contact from our hero's non-Muggle friends from school. Harry is feeling especially edgy at the lack of news from the magic world, wondering when the freshly revived evil Lord Voldemort will strike. Returning to Hogwarts will be a relief... or will it? The fifth book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series follows the darkest year yet for our young wizard, who finds himself knocked down a peg or three after the events of last year. Somehow, over the summer, gossip (usually traced back to the magic world's newspaper, the Daily Prophet) has turned Harry's tragic and heroic encounter with Voldemort at the Triwizard Tournament into an excuse to ridicule and discount the teen. Even Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the school, has come under scrutiny by the Ministry of Magic, which refuses to officially acknowledge the terrifying truth that Voldemort is back. Enter a particularly loathsome new character: the toadlike and simpering ("hem, hem") Dolores Umbridge, senior undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, who takes over the vacant position of Defense Against Dark Arts teacher--and in no time manages to become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, as well. Life isn't getting any easier for Harry Potter. With an overwhelming course load as the fifth years prepare for their Ordinary Wizarding Levels examinations (O.W.Ls), devastating changes in the Gryffindor Quidditch team lineup, vivid dreams about long hallways and closed doors, and increasing pain in his lightning-shaped scar, Harry's resilience is sorely tested. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, more than any of the four previous novels in the series, is a coming-of-age story. Harry faces the thorny transition into adulthood, when adult heroes are revealed to be fallible, and matters that seemed black-and-white suddenly come out in shades of gray. Gone is the wide-eyed innocent, the whiz kid of Sorcerer's Stone. Here we have an adolescent who's sometimes sullen, often confused (especially about girls), and always self-questioning. Confronting death again, as well as a startling prophecy, Harry ends his year at Hogwarts exhausted and pensive. Readers, on the other hand, will be energized as they enter yet again the long waiting period for the next title in the marvelous, magical series. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

ISBN: 0439136350

ListPrice: 19.95

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

Summary: For most children, summer vacation is something to look forward to. But not for our 13-year-old hero, who's forced to spend his summers with an aunt, uncle, and cousin who detest him. The third book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series catapults into action when the young wizard "accidentally" causes the Dursleys' dreadful visitor Aunt Marge to inflate like a monstrous balloon and drift up to the ceiling. Fearing punishment from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon (and from officials at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry who strictly forbid students to cast spells in the nonmagic world of Muggles), Harry lunges out into the darkness with his heavy trunk and his owl Hedwig. As it turns out, Harry isn't punished at all for his errant wizardry. Instead he is mysteriously rescued from his Muggle neighborhood and whisked off in a triple-decker, violently purple bus to spend the remaining weeks of summer in a friendly inn called the Leaky Cauldron. What Harry has to face as he begins his third year at Hogwarts explains why the officials let him off easily. It seems that Sirius Black--an escaped convict from the prison of Azkaban--is on the loose. Not only that, but he's after Harry Potter. But why? And why do the Dementors, the guards hired to protect him, chill Harry's very heart when others are unaffected? Once again, Rowling has created a mystery that will have children and adults cheering, not to mention standing in line for her next book. Fortunately, there are four more in the works. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

ISBN: 0590353403

ListPrice: 19.95

Edition: 1st American ed

Illustrator: Mary GrandPré

Summary: Say you've spent the first 10 years of your life sleeping under the stairs of a family who loathes you. Then, in an absurd, magical twist of fate you find yourself surrounded by wizards, a caged snowy owl, a phoenix-feather wand, and jellybeans that come in every flavor, including strawberry, curry, grass, and sardine. Not only that, but you discover that you are a wizard yourself! This is exactly what happens to young Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's enchanting, funny debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In the nonmagic human world--the world of "Muggles"--Harry is a nobody, treated like dirt by the aunt and uncle who begrudgingly inherited him when his parents were killed by the evil Voldemort. But in the world of wizards, small, skinny Harry is famous as a survivor of the wizard who tried to kill him. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. A mysterious letter, delivered by the friendly giant Hagrid, wrenches Harry from his dreary, Muggle-ridden existence: "We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" Soon enough, however, Harry finds himself at Hogwarts with his owl Hedwig... and that's where the real adventure--humorous, haunting, and suspenseful--begins. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, first published in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, continues to win major awards in England. So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. This magical, gripping, brilliant book--a future classic to be sure--will leave kids clamoring for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. (Ages 8 to 13) --Karin Snelson

ISBN: 0441013104

ListPrice: 6.99

Edition: First Edition

Dimensions: 0.90 x 6.84 x 4.18 in

Summary: Book Description The army of Kern "Wolf-Eye" has been scattered, and as the dead are buried, the tribes gather to choose new leaders. To prove his worth, Kern must seek out the House of Crom, where rests a weapon of legend that can kill any man, beast, or god. For in his heart he knows that not all glory lies on the battlefield, and that there is no sacrifice too great to sing one last song of victory.

ISBN: 0345461525

ListPrice: 15.95

Edition: Collected

Dimensions: 0.80 x 9.18 x 6.28 in

Summary: Review “Stories such as “The People of the Black Circle” glow with the fierce and eldritch light of his frenzied intensity.” –STEPHEN KING “I adore these books. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style–broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life. I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves fantasy.” –DAVID GEMMELL, author of Legend and White Wolf Download Description <p>In his hugely influential and tempestuous career, Robert E. Howard created the genre that came to be known as sword and sorcery—and brought to life one of fantasy’s boldest and most enduring figures: Conan the Cimmerian–reaver, slayer, barbarian, king.</p><p>This lavishly illustrated volume gathers together three of Howard’s longest and most famous Conan stories—two of them printed for the first time directly from Howard’s typescript—along with a collection of the author’s previously unpublished and rarely seen outlines, notes, and drafts. Longtime fans and new readers alike will agree that <i>The Bloody Crown of Conan</i> merits a place of honor on every fantasy lover’s bookshelf.</p><p><i>THE PEOPLE OF THE BLACK CIRCLE</i></P><p>Amid the towering crags of Vendhya, in the shadowy citadel of the Black Circle, Yasmina of the golden throne seeks vengeance against the Black Seers. Her only ally is also her most formidable enemy—Conan, the outlaw chief.</p><p><i>THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON</i></p><p>Toppled from the throne of Aquilonia by the evil machinations of an undead wizard, Conan must find the fabled jewel known as the Heart of Ahriman to reclaim his crown…and save his life.</p><p><i>A WITCH SHALL BE BORN</i></P>A malevolent witch of evil beauty. An enslaved queen. A kingdom in the iron grip of ruthless mercenaries. And Conan, who plots deadly vengeance against the human wolf who left him in the desert to die.--This text refers to the Digital edition.  See all Editorial Reviews

ISBN: 0345461541

ListPrice: 15.95

Edition: Collected

Dimensions: 0.84 x 9.26 x 6.18 in

Summary: Review “Howard’s writing seems so highly charged with energy that it nearly gives off sparks.” –STEPHEN KING “Howard was a true storyteller–one of the first, and certainly among the best, you’ll find in heroic fantasy. If you’ve never read him before, you’re in for a real treat.” –CHARLES DE LINT, award-winning author of Forests of the Heart Download Description “Howard’s writing seems so highly charged with energy that it nearly gives off sparks.” –STEPHEN KING “Howard was a true storyteller–one of the first, and certainly among the best, you’ll find in heroic fantasy. If you’ve never read him before, you’re in for a real treat.” –CHARLES DE LINT, award-winning author of Forests of the Heart From the Trade Paperback edition.--This text refers to the Digital edition.  See all Editorial Reviews

ISBN: 0345461517

ListPrice: 14.95

Edition: Collected

Dimensions: 1.09 x 9.14 x 6.36 in

Summary: Review “Howard’s writing seems so highly charged that it nearly gives off sparks.” –STEPHEN KING “I adore these books. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style–broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life. I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves fantasy.” –DAVID GEMMELL Author of Legend and White Wolf “The voice of Robert E. Howard still resonates after decades with readers– equal parts ringing steel, thunderous horse hooves, and spattered blood. Far from being a stereotype, his creation of Conan is the high heroic adventurer. His raw muscle and sinews, boiling temper, and lusty laughs are the gauge by which all modern heroes must be measured.” –ERIC NYLUND, Author of Halo: The Fall of Reach and Signal to Noise “That teller of marvelous tales, Robert Howard, did indeed create a giant [Conan] in whose shadow other ‘hero tales’ must stand.” –JOHN JAKES, New York Times bestselling author of the North and South trilogy “For stark, living fear . . . What other writer is even in the running with Robert E. Howard?” –H. P. LOVECRAFT Review ?Howard?s writing seems so highly charged that it nearly gives off sparks.? ?STEPHEN KING ?I adore these books. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style?broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life. I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves fantasy.? ?DAVID GEMMELL Author of Legend and White Wolf ?The voice of Robert E. Howard still resonates after decades with readers? equal parts ringing steel, thunderous horse hooves, and spattered blood. Far from being a stereotype, his creation of Conan is the high heroic adventurer. His raw muscle and sinews, boiling temper, and lusty laughs are the gauge by which all modern heroes must be measured.? ?ERIC NYLUND, Author of Halo: The Fall of Reach and Signal to Noise ?That teller of marvelous tales, Robert Howard, did indeed create a giant [Conan] in whose shadow other ?hero tales? must stand.? ?JOHN JAKES, New York Times bestselling author of the North and South trilogy ?For stark, living fear . . . What other writer is even in the running with Robert E. Howard?? ?H. P. LOVECRAFT  See all Editorial Reviews

ISBN: 0345461509

ListPrice: 15.95

Edition: Collected

Dimensions: 0.90 x 9.18 x 6.12 in

Summary: Review “Howard’s writing seems so highly charged with energy that it nearly gives off sparks.” —STEPHEN KING “I adore these books. Howard had a gritty, vibrant style—broadsword writing that cut its way to the heart, with heroes who are truly larger than life. I heartily recommend them to anyone who loves fantasy.” —DAVID GEMMELL Author of Legend and White Wolf “The voice of Robert E. Howard still resonates after decades with readers— equal parts ringing steel, thunderous horse hooves, and spattered blood. Far from being a stereotype, his creation of Conan is the high heroic adventurer. His raw muscle and sinews, boiling temper, and lusty laughs are the gauge by which all modern heroes must be measured.” —ERIC NYLUND, Author of Halo: The Fall of Reach and Signal to Noise “That teller of marvelous tales, Robert Howard, did indeed create a giant [Conan] in whose shadow other ‘hero tales’ must stand.” —JOHN JAKES, New York Times bestselling author of the North and South trilogy “For stark, living fear . . . what other writer is even in the running with Robert E. Howard?” —H. P. LOVECRAFT “Howard wrote pulp adventure stories of every kind, for every market he could find, but his real love was for supernatural adventure and he brought a brash, tough element to the epic fantasy which did as much to change the course of the American school away from precious writing and static imagery as Hammett, Chandler, and the Black Mask pulp writers were to change the course of American detective fiction.” —MICHAEL MOORCOCK Award winning author of the Elric saga “In this, I think, the art of Robert E. Howard was hard to surpass: vigor, speed, vividness. And always there is that furious, galloping narrative pace.” —POUL ANDERSON “Howard honestly believed the basic truth of the stories he was telling. It’s as if he’d said, ‘This is how life really was lived in those former savage times!’ ” —DAVID DRAKE Author of Grimmer Than Hell and Dogs of War “For headlong, nonstop adventure and for vivid, even florid, scenery, no one even comes close to Howard.” —HARRY TURTLEDOVE “HOWARD WAS THE THOMAS WOLFE OF FANTASY.” —STEPHEN KING “The stories have a livingness about them [that’s] impossible to fake. . . . Not one of them is boring—there is always some special touch—and most, of course, are rousers.” —GAHAN WILSON Reviewer and author of I Paint What I See “The best pulp (fantasy) writer was Robert E. Howard.” —FRITZ LEIBER Author of Green Millennium and Farewell to Lankhmar “Weird, fantastic, but peopled with real men who think and act as we conceive the thoughts and acts of men. . . . None of the dummies that pirouette through some stories, using stilted, supposedly archaic language, and moving in response to the author’s obvious string-pulling. All of which leads you to believe that I like it. Correct. I do.” —E. HOFFMAN PRICE Author of The Jade Enchantress “[Behind Howard’s stories] lurks a dark poetry, and the timeless truth of dreams. That is why these tales have survived. They remain a fitting heritage of the poet and dreamer who was Robert E. Howard.” —ROBERT BLOCH Author of Psycho “HOWARD WAS A TRUE STORYTELLER—one of the first, and certainly among the best, you’ll find in heroic fantasy. If you’ve never read him before, you’re in for a real treat.” —CHARLES DE LINT Award-winning author of Forests of the Heart and The Onion Girl Download Description With Conan the Cimmerian, Robert E. Howard created more than the greatest action hero of the twentieth century¿he also launched a genre that came to be known as sword and sorcery. But Conan wasn¿t the first archetypal adventurer to spring from Howard¿s fertile imagination. ¿He was . . . a strange blending of Puritan and Cavalier, with a touch of the ancient philosopher, and more than a touch of the pagan. . . . A hunger in his soul drove him on and on, an urge to right all wrongs, protect all weaker things. . . . Wayward and restless as the wind, he was consistent in only one respect¿he was true to his ideals of justice and right. Such was Solomon Kane.¿ Collected in this volume, lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist Gary Gianni, are all of the stories and poems that make up the thrilling saga of the dour and deadly Puritan, Solomon Kane. Together they constitute a sprawling epic of weird fantasy adventure that stretches from sixteenth-century England to remote African jungles where no white man has set foot. Here are shudder-inducing tales of vengeful ghosts and bloodthirsty demons, of dark sorceries wielded by evil men and women, all opposed by a grim avenger armed with a fanatic¿s faith and a warrior¿s savage heart. This edition also features exclusive story fragments, a biography of Howard by scholar Rusty Burke, and ¿In Memoriam,¿ H. P. Lovecraft¿s moving tribute to his friend and fellow literary genius. From the Trade Paperback edition.--This text refers to the Digital edition.  See all Editorial Reviews

ISBN:

ListPrice: 40.00

Summary:

ISBN: 0809511339

ListPrice: 35.00

Edition: Limited Edition

Summary: Description: Contents: The Gothic Orient (introduction) by Mark Finn Skull-Face Dead Man's Hate The Fearsome Touch of Death A Song out of Midian Shadows on the Road The Moon of Skulls The Hills of the Dead Black Chant Imperial The Voice of El-Lil Robert E. Howard's writing career began in 1924, and by 1929, he was selling steadily to different markets. However, Weird Tales continued to be his most dependable, if not financially reliable, market. In the pages of "the unique magazine," Howard had plenty of room to explore ideas and cross genre barriers that he may not have been able to with other pulp fiction magazines. Continuing the collection of Howard's fiction and poetry in order of publication, Volume Two of The Weird Works of Robert E. Howard picks up where Volume One left off-at one of the most startling and controversial Howard stories of all: "Skull-Face!" A potent combination of gothic themes and oriental mystique, "Skull-Face" was the first novella Howard sold, and in many ways, is a key to understanding the rest of Howard's canon. A detailed, complicated plot, a compelling cast of characters, and a collision of themes and ideas make "Skull-Face" required reading for Howard fans.

ISBN: 0809511762

ListPrice: 35.00

Edition: Limited Edition

Summary: Description: Third volume in the Weird Works of Robert E. Howard. Introduction by Joe R. Lansdale. Stories include: The Black Stone Children of the Night The Dark Man The Footfalls Within Gods of Gal-Sagoth Horror from the Mound Kings of the Night The Last Day People fo the Dark The Song of the Mad Minstrel The Thing on the Roof

ISBN: 0809510979

ListPrice: 35.00

Edition: Limited Edition

Summary: Robert E. Howard's professional career spans a dozen years, from his first story sale, "Spear and Fang" in 1924, to his western masterpiece, "The Vultures of Wahpeton" shortly before his death in 1936. He wrote for a wide spectrum of magazines, from Argosy to Jack Dempsey's Fight Magazine, but the one constant in his varied and interesting career is Weird Tales magazine. Collected here are the first of several volumes of Howard's poetry and prose for Weird Tales, in the order of publication. For fans and scholars, it's a treat to be able to watch Howard's development of themes, ideas, and style as he produced some of the most memorable characters - Solomon Kane, King Kull, Bran Mac Morn, and ultimately, his greatest character of all - Conan the Cimmerian! Volume one of Shadow Kingdoms reprints Howard's first sale ever, "Spear and Fang," in July 1925, through his fantasy output for September 1929. This includes the first appearances of Solomon Kane ("Red Shadows") and King Kull ("The Shadow Kingdom"), as well as several of Howard's early supernatural tales, such as "Wolfshead" and "The Hyena." Shadow Kingdom is both a testament to Howard's dedication to his craft and a unique collection from one of the most famous pulp magazines of all time. Edited by Paul Herman. Introduction by Mark Finn. Contents: Two-Gun Musketeer: Robert E. Howard's Weird Tales, by Mark Finn Spear and Fang In the Forest of Villefere Wolfshead The Lost Race The Song of the Bats The Ride of Falume The Riders of Babylon The Dream Snake The Hyena Remembrance Sea Curse The Gates of Nineveh Red Shadows The Harp of Alfred Easter Island Skulls in the Stars Crete Moon Mockery Rattle of Bones Forbidden Magic The Shadow Kingdom The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune The Moor Ghost Red Thunder

ISBN: 0809511096

ListPrice: 35.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Description: Includes 5 stories: "Treasures of Tartary" "Son of the White Wolf" "Black Vulmea's Vengeance" "Boot Hill Payoff" "The Vultures of Whapeton" < Introduction by James Reasoner Edited by Paul Herman This first edition hardcover is limited to 600 copies, smythe-sewn, with a full-color dust jacket.

ISBN: 0809511347

ListPrice: 35.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Book Description People of the Dark collects Robert E. Howard's fiction and prose published in Weird Tales Magazine from July 1932 to May 1933. These works represent literary stepping-stones to Howard's infamous Cthulhu mythos stories and his most famous character of all - Conan the Cimmerian - and ably demonstrate that each of Howard's stories improved and added to his formidable skills as a master of fantasy and adventure.

ISBN: 0553383647

ListPrice: 12.00

Edition: First Edition

Summary: Kosar the thief senses that Rafe Baburn is no ordinary boy. After witnessing a madman plunder Rafe's village and murder his parents, Kosar knows the boy needs his help. And now, for a reason he cannot fathom, others are seeking the boy's destruction. Uncertain where to begin, Kosar turns to A'Meer, an ex-lover and Shantasi warrior whose people, unbeknownst to him, have been chosen to safeguard magic's return. A'Meer knows instantly that it is Rafe who bears this miracle of magic. Now Kosar and a band of unexpected allies embark on a battle to protect one special boy. For dark forces are closing in–including the Mages, who have been plotting their own triumphant return.