Posted on July 14, 2017 Posted by John Scalzi 21 Comments
Here’s a very fine Bastille Day selection of new books and ARCs that have come to the Scalzi compound in the last week or so. What’s ringing your bell here? Tell us in the comments!
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Harlan and Hodgman!
Galactic Games, Talon of God. And I’ve been seeing ads for Graveyard Shift, which looks interesting.
That Harlan Ellison biography HAS to be Volume One! No way his life fits into a book that size.
Ellison wrote an entire book just about his feud with Gene Roddenberry over THE CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER!
Just read the synopsis of the Hodgman book. I think it may be written for exactly me.
I can attest that Graveyard Shift is intriguing. I got a copy from Netgalley, and am only a few chapters into it, but its not bad.
Wesley Snipes?
Galactic Games doesn’t have as many older stories as I thought it did, which means I’ll probably buy it. The Great Kladnar race is funny and Run To Starlight by George R. R. Martin is a fantastic story about tense relations between humans and an alien race as seen through the lens of the first teen football league to allow an alien team to join. The book would be worth it for that story alone.
The biography of Harlan! I didn’t know it even existed, so seeing it in the pile was a surprise and a delight. I went and ordered it immediately and now I’m eagerly waiting for it to arrive…
So I ordered 7 books from Amazon last Friday. They shipped a package Tuesday, which came to the nearest UPS distribution center yesterday, and two hours later zinged away to Virginia…why, who knows, mistakes happen at all businesses. Anyway, supposed to arrive at the local post office tomorrow, as it came right back to WV from VA.
Then yesterday I get another email from Amazon that they’ve shipped a package of books… after much review, the first package I anticipate picking up tomorrow or Monday only has one book. Darn!
Next container to deliver 5 books nest Tuesday or Wednesday… many from these group reviews!
Galactic Games looks good. And who knew Wesley ,Smiles was a writer? Very talented man. I won’t be reading the Harlan Ellison biography though, I don’t like his writing, and from what I hear, the man himself is not the most pleasant individual out there.
The Straub. The Subterreneans say the book is on its way.
MikeM, he may be unpleasant but he sure ain’t dull! I’d read that, probably a roller coaster of a ‘story’.
The Harlan Ellison biography, which he’s probably bitching about as we speak.
WESLEY SNIPES?!?
Is that Wesley Snipes the actor?
I’m just hoping Snipe’s book finally explains how to ice skate uphill.
About the Ellison biography: I sometimes look at the public comment area of his website (where, until 1-2 years ago, he used to chime in every few days) and it would seem, from the words of people who write there occasionally, that he knows about and approves of the biography.
I saw his book about “The City on the Edge of Forever” when it came out, ~20 years ago, and much of it consists of his original submitted version of the script (first published, to my knowledge, in a paperback anthology of SF scripts in the 1970s). That is, only a portion of the book consists of his argument.
MikeM: Biographies of thoroughly pleasant individuals would tend to be boring, wouldn’t they?
(Id)entity has to be one of the most clever and intriguing titles I’ve seen in a while. I will at least check the blurb and see if the story’s as appealing as the title.
@Dana and gottacook- Yeah, good point guys. After all,I have to admit to reading Hitler’s life story.
I’m definitely going to track down the Harlan Ellison biography.
Another going to find the Harlan Ellison biography! Wow!