When it comes to easy-to-search online secondhand bookshops, I am weak...

[philmophlegm]

Slightly annoyed at finding that the next story in Isaac Asimov's Robots sequence was not, despite the title, included in 'The Complete Robot', I decided to have a look at awesomebooks.com with their huge range and free delivery. (I am the sort of person who prefers to read stories in sequence.)

I managed to get the anthology I was after ('Robot Dreams'), but I ended up buying rather more...



'Robot Dreams', Asimov
'Robot Visions', Asimov
'Nightfall Two', Asimov
'The Positronic Man', Asimov & Silverberg
'Prelude to Foundation', Asimov
'Forward the Foundation', Asimov
'Magic', Asimov

'The Compleat Enchanter', L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt
'The Lantern Bearers', Rosemary Sutcliff (I actually bought bunn a ton of Sutcliffs that she didn't already own. She wants me to read this one, but since she only owns it in electronic format and I would rather read a paperback, I bought a cheap copy.)
'Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks', Ethan Gilsdorf
'Fantasy - The 100 Best Books', James Cawthorn & Michael Moorcock
'How to Spend $50 Billion To Make the World a Better Place', ed. Bjorn Lomborg
'The Rotten State of Britain', Eamonn Butler
'The Dreamthief's Daughter', Michael Moorcock
'Mother London', Michael Moorcock
'London Bone', Michael Moorcock
'An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations', Adam Smith
'Lady with an Alien', Mike Resnick
'A Quantum Murder', Peter F. Hamilton
'Paradise', Mike Resnick
'Mockingbird', Walter Tevis
'The Pillars of Eternity', Barrington J. Bayley
'The Garments of Caean', Barrington J. Bayley
'The Boat of a Million Years', Poul Anderson

Comments

[steer.livejournal.com]

Some classics in there. I love your "Jack Vance" icon. Is the tribute book you included good?

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

Oh, highly recommended. I wrote a review of it a while back. Hang on...

Ah yes, here it is:
http://philmophlegm.livejournal.com/150507.html#comments


Incidentally, I used my Vance icon because the blurb for the Bayley volume (which includes both the books mentioned above) describes them as "hyperVanceian space opera". High praise, although I generally think that Vance does fantasy better than he does SF. Emphyrio is the exception - a brilliant novel.

[steer.livejournal.com]

I completely agree, Vance's fantasy stuff is amazing whereas others, well they don't leave me cold but they're not as good (Demon princes, in particular, I'd heard lots about but it did not meet my expectations). . I particularly like the lighthearted Cugel stuff because of his deft touch and imagination. I presume you're aware of Michael Shae's work in the same universe which I also love (even more overblown writing though). Emphyrio is excellent, I think Night Lamp is almost to that standard but other than that it's his fantasy I turn to again and again.

Thanks for pointing me at the review (I'd always though Grey Mouser was the inspiration for the thief class).

Think that's moved onto my "definite purchase" list.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I like you. You make my book-buying habit seem moderate :-)