Friday, October 1, 2010

My Precious, My Birthday Present

I received no rings of invisibility for my birthday this year.

But I was gifted with something at least as entrancing: 41 more paperbacks for my Appendix N collection.

Included in my birthday haul:

Zothique and Poseidonis, both by Clark Ashton Smith;

10 Books by E. R. Burroughs, including 4 from the Mars series;

10 Books by Jack Vance, including the complete Dying Earth cycle;

10 H.P. Lovecraft/August Derleth titles; and

9 other books, from William Morris, Joy Chant, Hannes Bok, Ludovico Ariosto, Lord Dunsany, David Lindsay and Lin Carter.

21 comments:

John Matthew Stater said...

Appendix N would be a great name for a bookstore specializing in role playing games and used fantasy/sci-fi books.

Anonymous said...

Nassssty Paladinsess!
Keeping all of those booksies for himself! Greedy ol' Paladinsess...

Belated Happy Birthday!
That's quite a nice haul!

Someone should try and get Appendix N as a blog going to review all of these cool books.

Ciao!
GW

Lowell Francis said...

Zothique and Poseidonis, both by Clark Ashton Smith

Holy Crap! Well done, it took me years to find those! Most excellent collections!

christian said...

Right on! Nice haul and happy b-day!

Scott said...

You owe somebody big-time. Better bring your A-game when *that* birthday rolls around. :)

Sean Robson said...

Sweet. I wish I lived in Calgary and could raid your library for reading material.

Happy Birthday!

migellito said...

Truly excellent loot! Congrats and happy birthday :)

Anonymous said...

Holy mackerel. Congrats!

Matt- That is an awesome idea.

Trey said...

Nice haul...and happy birthday!

Brutorz Bill said...

Uber Kewel! & Happy Birthday!

biopunk said...

Sweet! (And Happy Belated...)

I've been picking up quite a few of those Ace edition Burroughs lately, myself.

Which one is on top of your 'to read' pile?

Clovis Cithog said...

You are a true believer ,
6+ of edgar rice burroughs books proudly displayed front and center

Quote the EGG -
“These rules are strictly fantasy. Those wargamers who lack imagination, those who don’t care for Burroughs’ Martian adventures where John Carter is groping through black pits, who feel no thrill upon reading Howard’s Conan saga, who do not enjoy the de Camp and Pratt fantasies or Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser pitting their swords against evil sorceries will not be likely to find Dungeons and Dragons to their taste.”

my modest gift to you, goggle search
"Tarzan.org yeates"

Matt Johnsen said...

Ariosto, eh? Gonna slog your way through Orlando Furioso? That took me a solid year. Then when you're done, you have to track down Boiardo's Orlando Inammorata, to get the equally epic BEGINNING of the story (OF was Ariosto picking up where Boiardo left off)

Timeshadows said...

Belated Happy Birthday. :)

Aaron E. Steele said...

Thank you, everyone (timeshadows, pat, matt, clovis, biopunk, brutorz bill, trey, shimrod, migellito, sean, scott, christian, lowell, grendelwulf, matt) for your thoughtful birthday wishes!

Appendix N would be a great name for a book/game store, and I think someone has already set up an Appendix N blog, though i'm not sure if it is a review site.

I was very excited to get the CAS books, still need Hyperborea and Xiccarph, and Lost Worlds 2.

There'll be a overstuffed reading-chair set aside for anyone who wants it.

Next on my list of reads: Vance's Dying Earth series; I nearly finished the first book yesterday, while taking the train to/from work.

Burroughs is next, i'll probably tackle his Mars series first.

Orlando Furioso looks rather overwhelming, but i'll give it a go nevertheless!

Akrasia said...

Nice haul, mate!

And happy (belated) birthday!

Scallop Skulled Skald said...

Happy birthday!

This is like the proverbial "last big score (before you go legit)" featured in countless action movies. Have you been tempted to dive into this pile of books Scrooge McDuck style?

Oh, and the Vance is pure reading pleasure... his wordplay focuses immediately in on the verbal center of your cerebral cortex.

Aaron E. Steele said...

Thanks for the birthday wishes, Akrasia and and Skald!

Not the last big score I hope, since I have several more books on my list, but it was a welcome surprise.

Cimmerian said...

You have scored! Someone must have spent a good deal of time tracking all that down for you. That is someone who cares. That may be an even greater gift. Oh yeah, Happy Birthday!

Jay said...

I'm so late to this party, but Happy Birthday! Hope is was a blast!

Aaron E. Steele said...

Thanks Cimmerian and Jay!

Yes, more than a few that care. Now I just need time to read them all!