18 Comments on “New Books and ARCs, 8/17/20”

1. Anathem was published already in 2008. Is this a second edition? Why did the publisher release an ARC?

2. I remember reading Anathem a number of years ago, what’s the reasoning why a publisher would send out an ARC of a previously-published book like this?

3. Anathem is a very good book, probably the best of Neal Stephenson’s work. I don’t know any of the others, but The First Sister and The Vanished Queen seem interesting.

4. Maybe I just missed this somewhere — what are the book and arc stacks? (Besides a wonderful gift delivered to you periodically.) I assume there is a reason you get them, and that with the sheer numbers you don’t actually have time to read them all. Do you read all of them? If not, which ones do you read and why?

5. There are often re-releases on the ARCs and New Books days.
   The one I would like is the Sarah Gailey one…I don’t even need to read about it, all their stuff so far has been great.

6. Anathem is a special limited edition from Subterranean Press. I’m guessing this is a publisher’s copy — a few extras printed beyond the limited number planned. This is one of the main things Sub Press does: really high quality reprints often with illustrations in signed limited editions.

7. Hey – I already had The First Sister on my To Read list in Goodreads due to the Big Idea from a couple of weeks ago (thanks for the tip!).

   I’m not usually a short story guy, but I am a mystery and sci fi lover, so I’d be willing to check out The Way of the Lazer anthology…

   Would love a “Big Idea” from Eboni Dunbar. If not for this book, perhaps a future novel (this one looks a bit thin for novel length?)

8. Anathem 2.0! Now with 15% more schlepping!

9. The Echo Wife and Star Daughter for me!

10. I know there have been many comments about Anathem, but it’s one of my favorite Neal Stephenson books, so that would be my first vote if anyone hasn’t read it. Otherwise, I’ve heard good things about The First Sister!

11. Anathem is my favorite book of the last n years. (apologies to our host)

    Way of the laser sounds like a possible.

12. Star Daughter is SO SO GOOD! I’m really enjoying it.

13. Got through Anathem after really enjoying Seveneves but I struggled with it. I felt like I needed an advanced degree in philosophy to understand what was going on.

14. Here’s Scalzi explaining his books: https://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/03/08/because-people-ask-book-acquisition-details/

15. Subterranean Press version of Anathem? Wow. Hang on to it. If it is signed, it cost $125 to buy. If it is a rare lettered edition, $750!

    I read Anathem back in 2010 and it was, I am afraid to admit, my very first Stephenson book. I was enthralled. It was like reading a fictionalized version of “Godel, Escher, Bach” or Penrose’s “The Emperor’s New Mind”. I was totally immersed in it the entire time I was reading it (until I got near the end and was confused by all the parallel story tracks). I was so fascinated by the culture Neal created in the book and I couldn’t put the book down. Only one other novel has affected me in this way and that was Clavel’s Shogun. If you like learning new cultures (even fictional ones) and computer mathy stuff, this is the book to read. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

    Since then I’ve read some of the other Stephenson novels and they pale in comparison. Sorry if I sound like such a fanboy over this but I really liked that book (not enough to pay $750 for it, however)!

16. I’m part of a Sci-Fi book club and First Sister is one of my picks for this round! I’m so excited to read it!!!!

17. I was *SO* glad when I finally finished Anathem.
    Too good not to finish, but it seemed interminable.

18. Thanks for tipping me off that Anathem was a Subterranean Press edition! That’s exciting news. I read book descriptions of some of the others, and I would definitely read Stone and Steel, Star Daughter, and The Vanished Queen, plus Sarah Gailey always interests me.