The "Book Bazaar" section of the PBS forum is largely devoted to trading in "unpostable" books, making multiple-book-for-one-credit deals, and so forth. My last transaction was to trade two old kids' books for one credit, which was perfectly worthwhile, because no one was going to want them otherwise.
So you got one of those Bookmate covers, eh? Aren't they great? :)
Okay, okay! :D I'm browsing around there now. I just listed a bunch more (lots of horror/serial killer books from some nut who uses the office book swap shelf) and had two requests, so once I get desperate again I'll probably do that.
I got two, actually! I'm so in love. It's fantastically easier than juggling my heavy petrified wood paperweight. And now I take a book everywhere, not limited by whether my handbag is big enough. I feel a lot more comfortable carrying it, too, because paperbacks tend to have somewhat, ah, lurid covers. Now I look like I'm carrying a professional planner instead of an Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars book. *g* Sneaky!
Speaking of horror, if you ever run across "Song in the Dark" by P. N. Elrod--that's on my wish list.
I have a weird like/hate relationship with Elrod's "Vampire Files" series (the only books by a still-living author that I read). Her protagonist is a vampire in the late 1930s who was presumably supposed to be a detective, but has ended up as a nightclub owner/wannabe writer; and his human friend who is the actual detective is a blatant ripoff of Sherlock Holmes, right down to his last name being one of Holmes' pseudonyms. More annoying to me, Elrod is one of those modern romanticize-evil freaks, so she has a contempt for vampire hunters and disrespect for classic horror--where people had the funny idea that monsters were, you know, evil and stuff. (Her "Quincey Morris, Vampire" abominably perverted the characters of my favorite book. *seethe*) That said, the "Vampire Files" books can be relatively engaging, at least as an integration of my favorite era and genre... or as an inspiration for me to do it right. *g
( ... )
No, no, I find it very interesting. You spent so many more words on why you hate them, though, that I'm still a bit puzzled about when and why you do like them. *g*
I've made a couple steps into the Book Bazaar, and noticed that one user (the one also asking for MacLean and Sayers, incidentally - I have three of the ones she wants but am NOT giving them up) wants a lot of Nero Wolfe. My bookstore has quite a few of those - on the same shelf where I found the Saints, actually - so I'll be trying to trek over there Saturday. I'll add Song in the Dark to the list. :D
Same here! And don't be worried by the horror/thriller books on my list - I raided the work book swap for most of those. They're NOT on my "Books I've Read" list. :D
Hmm, now why wasn't I as smart as you and think to use PBS to find Alistair Maclean's books? I've been surfing all the local bookshops. (Well, the reason is we have TONS of credit here since we've been trading in a lot of books during our move)
I've been looking mostly for Ice Station Zebra, since the title is so distinctive and has stuck in my memory, but I should write down the ones you liked the most and browse for them too. I think the only ones the local used book shop had were his older ones, though. :/
It didn't occur to me, either, until Jordi brought him up and I thought to check out Wikipedia. I'd had such disappointing luck at the libraries (getting the later books, as it turns out) that I was terribly afraid of buying a book that I really didn't care for. Lucky dog to have so many credits! I've had to raid the office book swap and list a bunch of nasty-looking horror books about serial killers. One of them was requested immediately. *rolls eyes*
Yes, just write them down and stick them in your pocketbook. :) I think just about all of them are readily available on PBS. He's far too under-appreciated these days, but isn't so badly out of print as, say, the Saint books are. All but the four new ones I did find at used book stores over time, but it took quite a while. The later ones do seem to be more common. They've been written in the last 30 years as opposed to 50, after all.
You will like Ice Station Zebra. It has many of my favorite elements. To paraphrase Larry, "I laughed, I cried - it moved me, Bob!" :D I can't wait
( ... )
Actually, that's an odd thing I noticed about the availability of the Saint books. I was browsing Amazon last night, just to look at the relative prices of different titles. While many of the older ones (even editions from the 1930s!) can be gotten for under ten dollars, some of the *last* Saint books from the 70s/80s go for more than $25. I figure the latter books are rarer because they were ghostwritten trifles that never had any reprints. :Þ
The very first book, though--"The Saint Meets the Tiger"--goes for anything from $75 to *hundreds* of dollars. If my library still does inter-library loans, I think I'm going to see if they can find it. (Seems Charteris didn't care for it, and even dismissed it from Saint canon later on, so maybe it wouldn't be a great loss if it's un-findable.)
I'll take your word for the comparative rarity, since you've done a whole lot more searching than I. I also agree about the lack of reprints. Although most of the ones in the libraries I've read were all from the later period - Vendetta for the Saint and the Hapsburg Necklace being two I recall.
Yes, I've noticed that. I'd be very interested in your take on it; its high price makes one assume it's a good 'un, but if Charteris himself didn't like it, one also wonders how Saintly it really is.
Comments 17
So you got one of those Bookmate covers, eh? Aren't they great? :)
Reply
I got two, actually! I'm so in love. It's fantastically easier than juggling my heavy petrified wood paperweight. And now I take a book everywhere, not limited by whether my handbag is big enough. I feel a lot more comfortable carrying it, too, because paperbacks tend to have somewhat, ah, lurid covers. Now I look like I'm carrying a professional planner instead of an Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars book. *g* Sneaky!
Reply
I have a weird like/hate relationship with Elrod's "Vampire Files" series (the only books by a still-living author that I read). Her protagonist is a vampire in the late 1930s who was presumably supposed to be a detective, but has ended up as a nightclub owner/wannabe writer; and his human friend who is the actual detective is a blatant ripoff of Sherlock Holmes, right down to his last name being one of Holmes' pseudonyms. More annoying to me, Elrod is one of those modern romanticize-evil freaks, so she has a contempt for vampire hunters and disrespect for classic horror--where people had the funny idea that monsters were, you know, evil and stuff. (Her "Quincey Morris, Vampire" abominably perverted the characters of my favorite book. *seethe*) That said, the "Vampire Files" books can be relatively engaging, at least as an integration of my favorite era and genre... or as an inspiration for me to do it right. *g ( ... )
Reply
I've made a couple steps into the Book Bazaar, and noticed that one user (the one also asking for MacLean and Sayers, incidentally - I have three of the ones she wants but am NOT giving them up) wants a lot of Nero Wolfe. My bookstore has quite a few of those - on the same shelf where I found the Saints, actually - so I'll be trying to trek over there Saturday. I'll add Song in the Dark to the list. :D
Reply
Reply
Reply
I've been looking mostly for Ice Station Zebra, since the title is so distinctive and has stuck in my memory, but I should write down the ones you liked the most and browse for them too. I think the only ones the local used book shop had were his older ones, though. :/
Reply
Yes, just write them down and stick them in your pocketbook. :) I think just about all of them are readily available on PBS. He's far too under-appreciated these days, but isn't so badly out of print as, say, the Saint books are. All but the four new ones I did find at used book stores over time, but it took quite a while. The later ones do seem to be more common. They've been written in the last 30 years as opposed to 50, after all.
You will like Ice Station Zebra. It has many of my favorite elements. To paraphrase Larry, "I laughed, I cried - it moved me, Bob!" :D I can't wait ( ... )
Reply
The very first book, though--"The Saint Meets the Tiger"--goes for anything from $75 to *hundreds* of dollars. If my library still does inter-library loans, I think I'm going to see if they can find it. (Seems Charteris didn't care for it, and even dismissed it from Saint canon later on, so maybe it wouldn't be a great loss if it's un-findable.)
Reply
Yes, I've noticed that. I'd be very interested in your take on it; its high price makes one assume it's a good 'un, but if Charteris himself didn't like it, one also wonders how Saintly it really is.
Reply
Leave a comment