Miracles and Wonders, or, Holy Crap
Posted on February 21, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 28 Comments
Two signs that The Ghost Brigades is doing okay today:
The Ghost Brigades is actually available in my local bookstore on release day. As many of you may remember, I kvetched long and hard about the fact I never once saw the hardcover of Old Man’s War in my local bookstore in the year between when the book was published and when was brought out in trade paperback. But look! Here’s the sequel! Two copies, actually. I could weep. It wasn’t face out when I saw it, but of course I fixed that. Sorry, R.A. Salvatore. You can face yourself out at my expense at your own local bookstore.
The other sign:
The Ghost Brigades at #9 on the Amazon SF bestseller list, as of about 7:40pm, just below George RR Martin and Robert Jordan. As the kids say: Holy crap. Now, tomorrow morning these guys will still be loitering on the upper regions of the list and I’ll probably have slid back down the list somewhat. But you know what? Tonight, I’m doing fine, and I’m going to enjoy the view from up here. Thanks, folks, for getting me up there. I do appreciate it.
Update, 2/22, 9:54pm — #4 on the Amazon SF list, #88 overall. w00t! I love you all. Like siblings.
Enjoy your lofty perch, my man. And I’m going to see if it’s in my neck of the woods tomorrow.
One perk of a blog, I think. You let us into a glimse of your life (highlighting you cute daughter, etc.), and hell, its almost like ordering a book that a friend wrote.
I’d never seen your blog before checking OMW from the library, but I had to rush to Amazon this morning to buy Ghost.
Can’t wait till it comes Thursday.
Dude, that is a definite holy crap moment. I’ll do what I can to get you some ‘face out’ time here in my neck of the woods.
John, couldn’t you have also performed some corrective alphabetizing while facing your book? Two titles to the right and we’d all be a lot happier. Well, at least his former bookstore clerk would be.
I’m missing a ‘t’ up there somewhere…
No cavilling.
No kvetching.
Bring the malt.
Well done.
— ml
I am bummed however that while The Ghost Brigades “Usually ships in 24 hours” on Amazon, the hardback copy of Old Man’s War “Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks”. I have the trade paperback but I wanted to pick up hardbacks of both considering I enjoyed OMW so much. Decisions, decisions, decisions…
Wayward, Barnes & Noble says their delivery of the book will take 2-3 days, so that’s an option. Also a reminder that there is a world of options aside from Amazon.
I will run out an buy it this evening at the local B+N, and remind the same six people I convinced to buy OMW to do the same.
BTW, the pictures on the left make me glad that I have spent the last 10 years in California, and did my first 33 in Ohio…..I do not miss snow.
I pre-ordered TGB from Amazon several weeks ago – it arrived today. Yeah!
Let’s see.. it’s 11:40 p.m. “Ohio” time,.. and TGB is at 12th, still holding quite well. Hey, OMW is at 58! – directly under Anansi Boys. You hold nice company, John. Can’t wait to get my hands on TGB.
Woo, that’s excellent news. Congratulations!
My copy will be in the mail tomorrow. I’m so deliriously giddy, it’s like Christmas Eve or something.
I just spent the best part of the last four hours reading the first six chapters of TGB. Very very good. In fact, I’d still be reading even now, were it not for the realization that I work tomorrow, and it’s coming upon 2 am.
Went to a local bookstore today and made them root around for a copy in the back. But I got it. On page 44.
Went to the local Barnes and Noble and picked it up last night. The eerie thing was that the girl at the desk remembered me asking about it last week.
Lucky for me, the book was cleverly hidden in a shelf called “the back” so that no one, including myself, could buy it by, just, you know, going to the shelf and getting it. Sheesh.
Well, in central Connecticut, TGB is not yet availabe, but can be ordered, which I did, since it’s about as quick as Amazon, but no delivery charge, and mebbe my ordering it will induce the store to stock some copies.
Oh, and as the father of 3 daughters, permit me to predict that you have many interesting times ahead of you.
That must be such an awesome feeling. Congratulations!
My copy of TGB arrived Tuesday, so yay!
There’s a nice mention on Boing Boing today.
I saw that! Cory rocks.
If it gets to #1 do you love us like acquaintances?
As long as he does not love us like a hunting partner, we are fine…..
DAMMIT. I was at Borders earlier tonight and picked up Ringo’s latest (“Kildar”). If I’d known GB was out I would have picked it up instead.
Well, TGB will be out for a while. No need to rush.
Got it yesterday, read it in about 5 hours and one sitting. Well done, John. Not as accessible as OMW perhaps, but still a good book.
R.A. Salvatore is still alive? Dang. I last read one of his fantasy novels back in high school.
Looks like he’s been a busy little beaver since then:
http://www.rasalvatore.com/books.aspx?selection=5
So he is probably doin’ all right, even with one fewer facing in the world. Did you offer to sign their copies?
Regarding Amazon shipping in 1-3 weeks, I think that just means they don’t have any right now, so once more get there by whatever means John has at his disposal, the message will change.
Oh. My. Gawd. You messed up their alpha… :-D
(okay so I’m one of those anal book store workers who would notice that sort of thing… sorry… )
I am currently in the middle of GB and am enjoying it as much as OMW I must say… I “discovered” OMW when it came out in trade and have been pushing it like a drug dealer to all my regular customers, pre-ordered GB and was delighted to get it, but found myself in the middle of another book and had to wait… ::sigh:: Great reading Mr. Scalzi! Definately worth the wait!