Two Book Thingies Of Possibly Passing Interest
Posted on November 15, 2006 Posted by John Scalzi 18 Comments
First, here’s a picture of the flat for the upcoming mass market paperback of The Ghost Brigades which will be out in May, just prior to the release of The Last Colony. Note the Campbell shout-out in the corner; my guess is that will be on the next couple three books.
Second, here’s a nice bit of news: Apparently Old Man’s War is one of Amazon’s 2006 Top 10 Customers’ Favorites in Science Fiction & Fantasy. This is to say that OMW was one of the ten best-selling SF/F titles on Amazon this year, that was released in 2006 (apparently OMW manages this because it’s counting the trade pb release as a “new” release, and a December 27, 2005 release date counts as “2006”).
What I find really interesting about this list is that out of the 10 titles on the list, only two (OMW and Hunters of Dune are SF; the rest are fantasy, and of those five of them are paranormal fantasy (i.e., werewolves and vampires and whatnot). I don’t know that this list has any correlation to what’s selling in SF/F outside Amazon, but in terms of what’s selling online, it’s food for thought. Me, I’m just glad the book seems to be selling well. And look! Naomi Novik’s on the list, too! Fine company.
I regret to say I didn’t make Amazon’s Top 10 Editors’ Picks for Science Fiction & Fantasy, but Charlie Stross and Jeff VanderMeer did, among others, so congratulations to them.
What impresses me more John is the quote you have at the top of the back cover. I don’t know how much you like being compared BETTER than Stephen King, but if I were in your shoes I’d be giggling like a 12-year-old school girl hearing that. Congrats on the Amazon list, yet another goal to write on my “Facts that Let you Know you’ve Become a Great Author” List.
Well, I like Stephen King’s writing very much, as it happens, so I find the quote both flattering and wildly over-the-top. It’s still nice, though.
Well, I like Stephen King’s writing very much, as it happens, so I find the quote both flattering and wildly over-the-top. It’s still nice, though.
Sweeet. You are the male!
Sweeet. You are the male!
Well John how about another ego boost.
Brother in law who is an Einstien(yes of those ones)was handed Old Man’s War by a gamer and told “He’s better than good Hienlein.”
He has since gone out and grabbed everything else with your name on it he could find and is pacing for more.
Well John how about another ego boost.
Brother in law who is an Einstien(yes of those ones)was handed Old Man’s War by a gamer and told “He’s better than good Hienlein.”
He has since gone out and grabbed everything else with your name on it he could find and is pacing for more.
Okay. So, like, how’s this? In number four, Perry is a vampire and Sagan is a werewolf! Huh? Huh? And they fight great old ones from the cosmic depths of insanity? Or something. Oh, buddy, run that by Stross this weekend. You’re gonna have to get a dump truck for the money.
All your work is good John,but OMW is destined to be a classic.I’m not surprised you made the Amazon list. Congratulations!
All your work is good John,but OMW is destined to be a classic.I’m not surprised you made the Amazon list. Congratulations!
Wow, seven color with flood varnish and debossed type (or 6 with foil stamp). They must like you as much as we do.
Had one person ask me why I wanted to write stories “like that Stephen King,” (insert “hack” and genre critique here). My comment back was something along the lines of “I only hope I *can* write stories like Stephen King.”
Embossed type, sorry was visualizing the inside of the cover when I typed that (that stuff fascinated me when I was a kid).
The top ten list is all men.
(Are they all white, too? I don’t know all the authors, but the ones I recognized were.)
(Are they all white, too? I don’t know all the authors, but the ones I recognized were.)
Ah! There’s another Rachel!
…
MICAH? The double spaced, large fonted novella that cost as much as a full-length paperback novel?
And Danse Macbre? Lord love a duck THAT pile of tripe was a reader favorite?
I think Bam saidit best in her review:
About eighty-five percent of this book happens in Jean Claude’s bedroom where Anita and her friends–about ten to fifteen of them at a time–have metaphysical sex, have real sex, talk about how great and beautiful Anita is, have the most awkward info-dumping sessions that would shame even a beginner fan fic writer, and have more sex to feed Anita’s ardeur. Anita Blake has now surpassed the Mary Sue complex; she has swallowed it whole, shat it on the ground, and used it as fertilizer for her marygolds.
…
MICAH? The double spaced, large fonted novella that cost as much as a full-length paperback novel?
And Danse Macbre? Lord love a duck THAT pile of tripe was a reader favorite?
I think Bam saidit best in her review:
About eighty-five percent of this book happens in Jean Claude’s bedroom where Anita and her friends–about ten to fifteen of them at a time–have metaphysical sex, have real sex, talk about how great and beautiful Anita is, have the most awkward info-dumping sessions that would shame even a beginner fan fic writer, and have more sex to feed Anita’s ardeur. Anita Blake has now surpassed the Mary Sue complex; she has swallowed it whole, shat it on the ground, and used it as fertilizer for her marygolds.
I like the fact that they start numbering both lists at 0!