Ollie is a Hardcover kind-of dog. (Pet Retrospective)

Hoots (Ollie) sleeping in his favorite place.

     I think everyone can see the theme- I love my pets and I love my books. My first and best animal I've ever had, Bastian, passed away not too long ago, which makes me appreciate the time I have with them every day. My pets all have a place in the history of this blog, in my life, and in my heart. As Artax just hit 12 years old, let's remember him, Bastian, and The Hoots in the post history below:  

Double Trouble - $25 Fill-a-bag - Happy New Year - Rainy Day Book Haul - Sci-Fi Advertisments

Arizona Paperback Exchange - Flea Market Pickups 5 - Flea Market Pick Ups 4 - Cat Tax 

Adventure Quest - Mcgregor Thrift Store Pickups - Sanibel Island Pickups - Piers Anthony

Collecting Gene Wolf's The Book of the New Sun Trilogy

 

Amazing books, if you can afford them

     Gene Wolf was born on May 7th 1931 (we share a birthday) and unfortunately he passed in April of 2019 at the ripe old age of 87 years old. He was one of the strongest story tellers and fantasy authors of the 20th century. He is most known for the books above, known to most as the Torturer Trilogy, or the Book of the New Sun Trilogy officially. The Shadow of the Torturer is one of the best books ever written in the genre, winning all of the prestigious awards available, and netting Wolf the highest honor of Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

The Best.

The trilogy itself is nothing short of amazing. It's gripping and world building, explains violence in a poetic and passive way, and sets the tone for a whole new breed of author that develops character-in-world assuming that you know that this world exists. Shadow, the first book in the series is considered one of the best Fantasy books ever written.

Classics in their own right.

     In the last 3-5 years and since Wolf's death, the value of the books have increased pretty considerably. Timescape- The series that this book trilogy was released under, was not really something people went out of their way for in the 80's. I would pass on these books knowing they are rereleases of popular novels on the cheap. The greatness of the book, with the small amount of releases back then, was the perfect storm of increasing value to the whole series. A poor condition example of Shadow for instance, goes for around $25 on any given day. The trilogy can go for as much as $80 bundled together, or more depending on condition. I have had a lot of luck just finding these copies at paperback exchanges for $1, so people really don't know how rare they are, or how much they cost, or how great the books are. To be safe, pick up all Timescape books going forward for sure.

Yet another package from Arizona

    Mom comes to the rescue again with some great vintage science fiction. What was thought to be a wife-requested box of flannel pillow cases, turned out to be quite the little score of paperbacks.

   I left the bags on, but you get the idea. I love me some Ace Doubles. I don't have many Farmer ones, and he is by far one of my favorites. He did some collaborations with Piers Anthony, and that's when I started reading some of his older stuff back in high school.

The Mad Goblin cover is really great and embodies the cheap/quick and dirty art of the day. Super iconic. The K. Dick Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said is in pretty decent condition, and I have never owned a copy. I called my mom to let her know it sells for around $100 on ebay in used/worn condition, and told her I would never sell it and it's safe with me. It's good to build the Phillip K. Dick collection back up from when I sold some off, and have good examples of that era.

Cheers.