Expletively Large Science Fiction Book Haul

[@Bookpilled]

Sorry for the perennial autofocus issues. When it's just a little bit out of focus like that it's hard to notice on the screen when filming. I'm looking into upgrading my camera soon because I want to punt the current one into a wall.

[@waltera13]

Thanks! I got up to check the table of contents you were showing twice and both times it was too out of focus to read it. I really appreciate it!

[@awabooks9886]

"I only read about spaceships, ...Like a big boy" Would make an excellent tee-shirt for your merch store! 🤣

[@onlinedayton9882]

Even it takes the rest of my life I’ll be subbed to this channel to find out which Fantasy book you find and actually like.

[@odin626]

The slavoj zizek killed me

[@rickkearn7100]

Yikes, gazing at the sci fireplace collection behind you during your dissertation I see at least 50% of the books in my own collection. I'm really, really enjoying your channel, it's been a godsend for me and quite easily the best in this genre, by far. I've been checking out the backlog of your archive posts and having a blast. Cheers.

[@ecalhoon1]

Excellent book haul!! Earth Abides is one of my favorites.

[@MrVvulf]

All the Julian May books are connected. I can't really reveal how they are connected without spoilers, but I highly recommend both series, and that you start with the Saga of Pliocene Exile. You will meet characters that will stick with you forever. On Roger Zelazny...if you only read one more of his books in your lifetime, it should be "Lord of Light". It is especially good if you're somewhat familiar with the major religions of the world.

[@smb123211]

My wife's great aunt died and we visited her children. Why were garbage cans filled with books. "Oh mom has thousands downstair." We spent hours and filled the back seat and the trunk. Great cookbooks (Splendid Table), mysteries, historical fictions, math books (she was a teacher - the books from the 1920s were so superior to today) Sci-fi was limited (Time Traveler's Wife, etc) but we got most of Lawrence Sanders, 90% of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series, Elizabeth George mysteries, the complete Cliff Janeway series (detective turned rare book dealer) and all nine of Edmund Crispin's incredible English mysteries. We begged them to donate to the library for a tax break. ("We don't need no tax break!") Oh well.

[@immortal2u]

I got my hands on an Easton Press edition of Isaac Asimov’s The Gods Themselves for a 1.00 recently, flipped it for $30 and a copy of Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu. I purchased at a $1.00, made a whopping $61.00! This is all just a recent try at book selling inspired by you. I’m a lifelong book enthusiast, but it just never really occurred to me that there’d be as much money in them as shoes and clothing. So thanks, Matt!

[@Bookpilled]

Nice flips, congrats

[@templemanning6180]

Wow, great haul!! That Sacred Mushroom and the Cross. Have never seen one in the wild.

[@brainsqueegee2]

22:27 Harlan's World - now i know where Richard K Morgan got that from.

[@immortal2u]

I read a lot of John Carter Warlord of Mars back in high school. I remember really enjoying them. The movie sadly did not do it justice.

[@MemphiStig]

The Fireclown by Moorcock is a fantastic story, more sci fi than his usual, and somehow still part of his Eternal Champion. It's very weird and imaginative and futuristic. Worth a read absolutely. ymmv but I love Moorcock mostly. (Mother London totally eludes me tho.) Also, iirc, your Capricorn Games around 13:15 is a "trade paperback."

[@HalJalikakik]

I just stumbled across you recently (amazing how the YT algorithms know what I might like) and find your passion for Sci-fi and your delivery on YT compelling. I subbed right away and have watched 4-5 of your videos so far. I must tell you that the Julian May series (and yes the Exile Series is the precursor to the other four books) is among my favorite sci-fi. I am certain I am not nearly and well read as you I can only imagine you will absolutely love them. The series is so well written and I found the ending perhaps more satisfying than anything I read... I would have loved to sit down with May and interview her for hours about how she conceived and developed the story. The themes of mankind's development of mind-powers is so well constructed as to lull you into the belief that this must come to pass someday. The world-building is staggeringly well done IMO. The central characters are endearing and I find they left an indelible mark on my psyche. There are little hooks like the use of French colloquialisms that, for me, gave the writing a distinct flavor. I did not find the book predictable and in fact was pleasantly surprised at times when a major plot point was revealed. I'd love so much to hear you deliver an in depth review of this series. I hope you dig into it soon and enjoy!

[@JackMyersPhotography]

That "Medea: Harlan's World" hardback looks amazing, what a fantastic find. Speaking of A.A. Attanasio, "Radix" is a good one.

[@willp2877]

Ive got that same edition of Earth Abides. Beautiful looking book. Excited to read it sooner than later. I'm reading The Word for World is Forest by LeGuin right now & i am enjoying it. Highly recommend if you haven't read it. Good Hainish read.

[@lucidu4euh]

Olaf Stapledon might just be my favorite author and I always carry around my hardcover first editions of Last & First Men and Star Maker from the 1930s

[@andykuhn9798]

Sweet! Rich Corben, illustrated JCOM!!!

[@marthsimp4209]

you are correct, flight of dragons was in fact another rankin/bass and topcraft production

[@sampgarland]

Those graphic novel hard covers are only going to go up in value, buy low sell high! With all of this Hothouse praise, I'm just going to have to download a copy and try it out. And I honestly find that the misbeaving auto-focus is an endearing quality of the Sci-Fire place videos. Nice haul!

[@bretgrandrath2935]

I'm all about spaceships. It all started over 50 years ago when Beastmaster was one of the first books I checked out of the library. Orphans Of The Sky is my favorite Heinlein and the little guy on the cover is a great character. The Gap series is pretty good Space Opera but very dark. The Faded Sun is connected to Cherryh's Alliance/Union books but way down the timeline. Great haul, your fireplace looks a lot like my bookshelves.

[@benriley6716]

"Illustrated by Richard Corben" = Score!

[@deadcowaroma5787]

So I haven’t read the book, but I recently watched an episode of Prisoners of Gravity about the Medea book that might be of interest. Prisoners of Gravity was a public access SF/Fantasy talk show (sorta) from the 80s/90s up here in Canada and all the old episodes are on KZbin. Actually something that seems right up your alley in general so I’d recommend checking it out.

[@sethball2475]

Watched Prisoners of Gravity religiously, growing up in Toronto. Did not know it was on KZbin, though - thanks for the info!

[@andrewvanhorne4359]

Love that show. Was put onto it by an episode of Harlan Ellison's Watching, which is also up on Youthbe

[@Ali-qc3ym]

the gap into conflict is fantastic! can't wait to hear your thoughts whenever you get to it

[@awabooks9886]

Corbin is an amazing heavy metal, Sci-Fantasy artist! Active for decades, he does not disappoint 😎

[@demus89]

Did he do the manowar artwork?

[@moodydude6790]

The Mysterious Stranger is by far the only Mark Twain story I have read and it is one of my favourite books ever!

[@tyleryates8508]

Your book collection is amazing man

[@jesserodriguez7680]

"Sorry I am out of breath. It's from being a reader." Stealing that.

[@ComicRhema]

Wow, what a collection Matt. Ending with a band with Tezuka and Kirby. Will be in your city this summer hope to visit some book stores, record stores and thrifts. Maybe I’ll run into you. God bless

[@travisstroup499]

Great commentary - love your channel

[@tectorgorch8698]

I really enjoy your videos. I also love it when Dodo craps on Scott Bradfield's head.

[@DaltonH0911]

As a massive fan, I loved the Ultimo Dragon reference

[@thecryptile]

Harlan's World is one of the first shared world anthologies, the Anderson and Niven stories got reprinted elsewhere but you don't see many of the others.

[@mukthadirali6672]

DreamWorks trying to make Snow Crash film for awhile now! Again great list!

[@waltera13]

As long as I'm being "that guy" I better be a good cultist, step up and talk about my love for Moorcock. The Fireclown ( better known here in the States as "The Winds of Limbo" - because how are you supposed to sell a book called fire clown to adults?) And The Black Corridor are both SF and reasonable standalone books. Short, easy, 60's New Wave SF. Those two Jerry Cornelius books are a completely different style ( more like political satire mixed with spy adventure) : The Final Programme & The English Assassin. Although the Final Programme is the first Jerry Cornelius book, it's really a parody/satire of some of the first Elric of Melnibone stories, and it ***really*** behooves you to read those prior. Most of the Elric books are collections of Elric stories, and over the years the names they are published under in the US and UK keep flipping back and forth but I *think* the ones referenced are: While the Gods Laugh, the Dreaming City, the Stealer of Souls. Luckily Tor is republishing all the Elric books in really nice omnibus editions right now! Breakfast in the Ruins is in yet another of Moorcock's styles. And your instinctive assessment of literary merit holds true... Within the context of knowing that he's in a more "what if Peake wrote modern stories" mode. Wry, dry, understated sometimes with magical realism, sometimes with overt surrealism leaning heavily on politics and European history. Kind of post Jerry Cornelius & Von Bek. If von Beck is musings upon the austro-hungarian empire, and Jerry Cornelius is the Saturday night rave, then Breakfast in the Ruins is the quiet, hungover breakfast you have Sunday afternoon at an empty cafe. No Way around It. Moorcock wrote a lot of fantasy. This doesn't have to be a problem for you. He cut his teeth reading Edgar Rice Burroughs novels and editing an ERB fanzine. These fast-paced stripped down action adventures are the template of most of his fantasy. They are deliberately quick moving, the difference is Moorcock is able to create characters with a lot less, so you end up with better fleshed out characters than you would in an ERB novel without it taking time to harass you with its clever twee world building. I think the rest of them are in that vein: Masters of the Pit is the 3rd " Kane of Old Mars" book. The series is a deliberate homage to the John Carter books, and when first published in the states the publisher was afraid that that subtlety would be lost on the reading public and insisted on the very "on the nose" titles of: Warriors of Mars, Blades of Mars, and Barbarians of Mars were used, as well as the nom de plume Edward P Bradbury. Shall we say, this is a less important work than others. You DO have a complete set of Hawkmoon though. This series is currently in development for a TV series. Either in a post Holocaust or parallel Earth future where Europe has fallen into a near medieval decadence with possible dying Earth style bits of super science. This is the least maudlin of the eternal champion books (and surprisingly one of the most popular) likewise the blonde somewhat vapid hero is the least interesting character in the series. All the supporting characters are far more interesting and well drawn. They're quite entertaining and short. You could burn through them in no time at all- fantasy or no. Corum is another incarnation of the Eternal Champion. There are two trilogies of books about him, with clever themed titles, of which you have one . I'm guessing this one - awesome cover or not - will probably have to go to the Sci- fireplace to wait for more friends. The books are magical and otherworldly ( a VERY popular character) and that doesn't sound like your thing, at least not yet. The Eternal Champion is the first book of one of the trilogies that conclude the Eternal Champion saga. It and its sequel "The Silver Warriors" (also known as "Phoenix in Obsidian" 1970) are not as common finds. I recommend holding on to them until you get around to them- you can't count that you'll find them at fun prices again later. The third book would be "The Dragon in the Sword" which begins to merge with "The City in the Autumn Stars" in my mind as they were both published in 1986 and this comment is that long. The other trilogy that ends the Eternal Champion saga is called the "Castle Brass" trilogy, and uses the most interesting characters from the Hawkmoon series - retroactively making it worthwhile to read those books. The History of the Runestaff: 1- Jewel in the Skull 2- Mad God's Amulet 3- Sword of the Dawn 4- The Runestaff

[@Bookpilled]

Thank you for the extensive detail. Helps me feel better orientated in the Moorcock universe. I have a full set of the Elric books, maybe I will set aside some time to complete my reading of them (have finished the first two).

[@waltera13]

@@Bookpilled Awesome. You're Welcome! If you've read the first two Elric books already, then all you need for the Final Programme would be to read the Weird of the White Wolf which contains two of the stories I mentioned. The Dreaming City & While the Gods Laugh. You've also already met the character from The Eternal Champion when you read Sailor on the Seas of Fate, oh and Corum & Hawkmoon too! They were all onboard the ship. I'm sure I could have written you a much more concise and in-depth Fanboy essay were it not a stream of consciousness comment. Anyhow stay well, good to get a video from you. Looking forward to your reviews. . . Bought more Silverberg. That's on you. . . 😉

[@waltera13]

@@Bookpilled heck. I'll make this easy for you: Castle Brass: A good series to end off the Eternal Champion cycle. (2nd Hawkmoon) 1- Count Brass 2- The Champion of Garathorm 3- the Quest for Tanelorn *Chronicles of Corum* The Swords Trilogy: 1- The Knight of Swords 2- The Queen of Swords 3- The King of Swords _ 1- The Oak and the Ram 2- The Bull and the Spear 3- The Sword and the Stallion Erekose 1- the Eternal Champion 2- the Silver Warriors 3- the Dragon in the Sword Jerry Cornelius tetralogy: Final Programme A Cure for Cancer The English Assassin The Condition of Muzak * - there are others that are not strictly Jerry Cornelius novels but they follow in the mold after this, and lead to the sort of writing that makes "Breakfast in the Ruins" make sense. Noteable Singles: Don't miss out! Don't cheat yourself! Here are a couple of choice stand alone books: * Behold the Man The Warhound and the World's Pain.

[@donaldb1]

I want to add to this that the Norman Spinrad collection _The Last Hurrah of the Golden Horde,_ must have a Moorcock connection as well. I have never heard of this book before, but I have the title story collected elsewhere. It's about Morrock's character Jerry Cornelius, of _The Final Programme_ and sequels. I have Spinrad's story in a collection called _The New Nature of the Catastrophe_ collecting Cornelius stories by Moorcock and by other writers that wrote for him in New Worlds.

[@chrisw6164]

I just read Starlight by Alfred Bester a few weeks ago. It’s excellent.

[@raresaturn]

George Turner was one of the few Aussie science fiction writers. There are a lot more now but he was pioneering in his day

[@donaldb1]

Brian Aldiss had a very long, career, wrote lots in many differrent modes of SF, over many decades, all of them worth reading.

[@thescrewfly]

Could someone please explain to me, as a non-American, how come book clubs have their own editions of SF books and why there are so many of them around? Also, are there really so many libraries having to sell off their books or is that just a West Coast thing?

[@sonic31century1]

A. Merritt was a fantastic author. _The_ _Metal_ _Monster_ is worth reading. His best books, however, are _The_ _Moon_ _Pool_ and _The_ _Ship_ _Of_ _Ishtar_ .

[@michaelgarza6735]

Both good. The Face in the Abyss is better...

[@templemanning6180]

The Helliconia Springs book looks amazing after reading the synopsis. Wow.

[@Murdo2112]

It is. There are two more, Helliconia Summer and Helliconia Winter. All three are great books, with very different feels to them. Haven't read them in years... this is making me want to again.

[@templemanning6180]

@@Murdo2112 Thanks for that info!

[@craigmaherart]

Random note, Silver Warriors may be one of Moorcock's worst, probably wrote it when he was 15. The Ace Science Fiction Specials (Witches of Karres) are what got me started on collecting sci-fi paperbacks just for fun, funny, surreal, fantastic art. I like the Witches style with the op-art block on the top half but I like the clean look and larger art of the second style better (you flashed The Black Corridor by Michael Moorcock from this series). The art is all by Leo and Diane Dillon who did so many covers for so many publishers, all the black and white story headers in Dangerous Visions, and later award-winning children's books.

[@waltera13]

Hi Craig 😊 No hate but as a Moorcock fan I got to be that guy: you may not like "The Silver Warriors" (1970) but I'm pretty sure the book you're thinking of that Moorcock wrote when he was 15, published when he was 16 (while editing the Edgar Rice Burroughs fanzine) is "Sojan the Swordsman."

[@craigmaherart]

@@waltera13 Yes! Sojan when he was 15. But Silver Warriors just so blah, still.

[@salty-walt]

@@craigmaherart I read it while on an "Eternal Champion Completionist Binge" so I don't recall the specifics, but it was a hard to find, long fought for victory just to *obtain* it in the pre-internet days of looking for 20 year old books by checking every used bookstore in surrounding states. Repeatedly. Sorry it did not sing for you.

[@craigmaherart]

@@salty-walt don't get me wrong! Moorcock is an all time favorite no matter how much girlfriends laugh at his name 😅 Elric is *my* high fantasy. And Dancers at the End of Time will always be a favorite just for the strangeness of that particular end-of-the-world.

[@BOBSCOTTONLINE]

Reader not an exerciser :-) One of my favorite 'bits" from Joe Frank: Work in Progress as some "intellectuals" were discussing how bibliophiles/academics were c-shaped and lifeless by nature

[@sciencefictionreads]

Nice batch of Moorcocks. The Olaf Stapledon is a great find! In Starmaker he accurately predicts some elements of how the universe is formed before it was even proven by science. Also one of the earliest mentions of a multiverse I've come across. A great book (considering when it was written) despite getting a little repetitive in the middle.

[@sciencefictionreads]

Medea is a great find too.

[@patrickoleary9979]

Loved Le guin's City of Illusions.

[@r0kus]

Dude, you've got to read at least the first paragraph of _Witch World._ It's not French, but as someone who expects to like "French and bleak," it will grab you. It is classified science fantasy, but I found it heavy on the fantasy. Thus it might not hold you. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if you got a poster of that first paragraph.

[@talebones]

I like Winterson a lot, so I'm wondering which one you found impenetrable! The Passion, however, is one of my faves of hers. (And also Sexing the Cherry)

[@zkinak2107]

You mentioned you have a thrifting focused KZbin channel. What is it called? I’d really like to check it out.

[@Bookpilled]

KZbin.com/c/thriftalife

[@salty-walt]

Great to see you again! So many great books. So much to say! Salty Walt entreated you to read the Mirrorshades, now the universe provides. ( You probably have to read Snow Crash too, but *I've* not gotten very far in it.) "Orphans of the Sky" is on the readable Heinlein shortlist ( as well as the SF Hall of Fame -Vol.2, I think). Earth Abides- a classic for a reason. Read this & Skip Station 11 . Beastmaster - technically SF, actually ' Planetary Romance' not straight fantasy! A native American protagonist in the future where he is on another planet- not exactly what you're expecting that one's worth a read. . . at least historically. Mysterious Stranger- a conversation with the devil about the value of atheism that Mark Twain got slipped into 19th century periodicals. The Master. Witch World, also Planetary Romance. . . Heading toward fantasy. Another book you read for genre history purposes (as well as Norton.) Matheson is great. Galactic Patrol was originally the first one and I'm told a much better one to start with. Once again, historical firsts reads. Hooray! You've got all four Runestaff novels from Moorcock's Hawkmoon tetralogy. Alternate/ post apocalypse Earth FANTASY. Hooray! Most of the Moorcocks are good, but NOT good places to start. Ellison's World is a collector's item book in which I see no demand from collectors. It's weird.

[@salty-walt]

I don't want to lose the heart, so instead of editing & adding I'll reply: Abraham Merritt is old school pulp, so rock on- and I don't remember ever seeing that '90s cover for it, so bonus points for style. Likewise a Bester collection! A sweeeet Dover edition (in good 'nick') of Stapledon! for generations that was the only addition you ever saw. It was the only one available. It's the one we all have. . . Enough Kundera to build a summer home. Jack of Shadows- Appendix N! Aldiss: the whole Helliconia trilogy is supposed to be great. I think Medea * IS * a treasure! Poppy Z. Brite was really hot for a while & really well spoken of - a breakthrough female author- read HER stories in those collections. Great uaul and all the best to you!! Keep all Ellison! Read all Ellison. Stay good man.

[@thekeywitness]

Snow Crash was interesting but the midsection is slow.

[@chrisw6164]

You got some more books? Not seeing the problem.

[@chuckbridgeland6181]

John Carter of Mars was a weird fix-up, cobbled together from a couple of loose ends after ERB's death. Not great. (I have the older SFBC edition, illustrated by Frazetta. Had no idea there was edition illustrated by Corbin.) Moorcock, the Black Corridor, I remember as being dreary in the way many '60s Brit SF novels were. No desire to re-read. YMMV. Earth Abides -- one of those novels that I contemplate a lot. Highly recommended. (Yours is a paperback from the '70s. No way it's a first edition.) Stapleton is clunky, but another must read. I skipped Snow Crash for quite a while, because it looked like a knockoff of Neuromancer. It isn't. Quite it's own thing. Might or might not be to your liking.

[@cameronphillips2696]

Hang fire, an Ultimo Dragon reference? Are you a wrestling fan too?

[@Bookpilled]

Confirmed

[@cameronphillips2696]

Nice!

[@4forhim247]

Please let us know your eBay seller link!

[@skokiereader]

My favorite author, Robert Goolrick, has died. If you want to read a couple gut-wrenching books, try A Reliable Wife & The End of the World As We Know It: Scenes from A Life. Both extremely dark.

[@robertmalinowski6804]

You're gonna need more shelves!

[@emsleywyatt3400]

Who else scans his shelf to see what you've got?

[@terminalman1795]

Please set up a Patreon so we can bully you into reading Brandon Sanderson novels

[@jamesgossweiler1349]

That's funny. I have a Sanderson book and my gf noted the other day that I never read it. I said, "Yeah." LOL

[@HalJalikakik]

I still haven't read the culmination of the Wheel of Time series. I put in what seemed like a couple decades with Jordan and for some reason am loathe to take the plunge for fear of it falling short of my expectations.

[@eliut6855]

@19:04 yes you are completely right Heinlein is overrated, i have got the silly impression that his soul transpires in his novels and it’s cringeworthy (jubal harshaw)

[@gabrielfraga1742]

You should NOT read sanderson, it really is bad. But having seeing a lot of your vídeos i think you could enjoy The Ember Blade. Good prose, good pacing. Just give it at least 12% before droping if you dont like the start

[@arekkrolak6320]

reading is not an excuse to skip exercises!

[@gon8go]

this name has been heard by me.

[@montyburnz]

Kirby!!!

[@cameronphillips2696]

Hero Protagonist? Seriously?

[@mukthadirali6672]

Hi!

[@TexasPelican]

Mike Resnick is a talented writer but can be very strongly opinionated and rude. Met him online once, never again!!

[@joeespin4377]

if all the books you sell om etsy are preowned books why do you charge so much. a used paper back book should be sold at no more than $0 .75

[@desfarrell909]

Collectors pay a lot more for certain editions, covers, I have multiple copies of the same book that I paid 20 bucks when they were originally only a couple of books. Be careful, book collecting is more expensive than drugs! 👍

[@joeespin4377]

@@desfarrell909 i had no idea that you collected books. isn't the idea of collecting books that you keep them until you die not sell them off. if you collect them with the express intent of selling them you are no longer a collector you are a dealer