Science Fiction BOOK HAUL - November 2024

[@PaulSaether]

During your 'Hoovering-Up' of Baxter books, don't forget 'Vacuum Diagrams'.

[@SciFiScavenger]

Bought it when I was down at Bob's a few weeks ago. Cost me a few quid but it is mint. Thanks for watching 👀!

[@PaulSaether]

@@SciFiScavenger Hoover/Vacuum.

[@SciFiScavenger]

@PaulSaether ha ha totally missed that!! Very good.

[@sethball2475]

Under the Skin and The Shore of Women are two big favourites of mine; I read The Shore of Women because of the 100 Best/1985-2010 list, but had actually gotten to Under the Skin previously, thanks to a more general reading guide titled Read This Next. The thing about these kinds of reading guides is that sooner later they do seem to lead to a new favourite book, every now and then. Under the Skin is in my personal Top 10 Favourite SF reads, and I’m avoiding the film. As She Climbed Across The Table, and Sarah Canary: these are both interesting novels that I ended up rating 3.5 out of 5 (reluctantly rounded down, at Goodreads), but I might never have got to them on my own. So, a quiet bonus to these lists and reading guides is this continuous wave of unexpected picks that turn out to be well worth a look. I’m always intrigued when a search for a Science Fiction novel someone says is one of the best includes remembering to check the General Fiction shelves as well, just to make sure a book like Sarah Canary is one I have a real chance of finding. I had some trepidation starting Ryman’s novel Air, since The Unconquered Country had not really been my thing…but I loved Air, and as with most of these List books, will be interested to see your review come along. Other stand-outs for me: Ventus, In the Garden of Iden, and yes, My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time. I had harder times with: Glimmering, HARM, Boneshaker, and Counting Heads (my dislike of this one is offset by how many people seem to feel it’s amazing, and that I’m a bit off the mark; well, all these books have their fan bases). This makes me think of a larger issue, but also a cruel generalization I may have to reflect on: when all is said and done, I think David Pringle and his 1949-1984 SF list gave me less disappointing books than Broderick and Di Filippo have done with their 1985-2010. Of course I have 10 books left to read from the latter list…but I think Pringle has ultimately steered me to just a bit more SF that I have enjoyed, or loved. Part of this is probably beyond Broderick’s and Di Filippo’s picking - I’m the guy who found himself enjoying less and less new SF, and went running back to the works from 1900-1935, as soon as I found one ‘100 Best Radium SF Books’ list to keep me busy. Finding out that 1904-1933 had become the most neglected era in SF was also enough to get me reading everything I can learn of and track down.

[@SciFiScavenger]

Hi Seth, I thought you might enjoy that section of the haul. I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into this list properly. I'm currently reading China Mountain Zhang, enjoying it so far. thanks for watching👀!

[@cannibalisticwolf3319]

I recently found the same edition of Always Coming Home a few weeks back. Le Guin's a true gift.

[@SciFiScavenger]

i have not read enough Le Guin. i have plenty on my shelves, so there's no excuse now. thanks for watching 👀!

[@SlowDazzle11]

A great haul! Out of all of them I'd like to have the Brunner "Jagged Orbit" which is hard to get, especially that edition. What a charity shop! . It's part of Brunner's doomsday series inc "Zanzibar", "Sheep" "Shockwave." The day I walk into a shop and see "Star of the Unborn" I will fall down on the ground and give my thanks to the god of neglected SF/fantasy books. I must get a copy of the Broderick/DP book as I'm slowly reading through that time period. I think I've got about 10 books on the list- so a long way to go!

[@SciFiScavenger]

Hi David, yes from time to time I hit the mother lode in that bookshop, I rarely leave empty handed. Thanks for watching 👀!

[@faldor]

Six wakes! This channel is like a choose-your-own adventure...

[@SciFiScavenger]

in a good way, i hope! so many books, so little time. thanks for watching 👀!

[@CasperHulshof]

Excellent haul - getting the new one by Stephenson for cheap is certainly interesting. Getting Star of the Unborn is best though - I am on the lookout for that one. Thank you, nice video again.

[@SciFiScavenger]

hi Casper, i'll be interested to read the Werfel, see what all the fuss is about (and to see it it's deserving of the fuss). thanks for watching 👀!

[@StephenSinclair-d6n]

I want that copy of Pavane lol!! 😂. I read it every year.

[@SciFiScavenger]

mine, all mine! thanks for watching 👀!

[@StephenSinclair-d6n]

@SciFiScavenger 😂. Anyway...not allowed to do self promotion - but I'll let you know about my book that's out next year. That one really is MINE. Thanks again.

[@SciFiScavenger]

exciting! best of luck with that, very happy to give it a shout out on a weekly update when its available to buy.

[@JoeNicolosi-l8i]

Great video! They're not long if they are informative, and this one was. I have a copy of the Broderick book, but sadly I'm far behind schedule in reading their choices.

[@SciFiScavenger]

oh i am not even at 20 in the "actually read them" department, I have a looong way to go to complete that list. it'll be fun to work through it though. thanks for watching 👀!

[@miljenkoskreblin165]

You really didn't need to wait for Raft to read other books in the Xeelee sequence. It's a singelton set in the same universe, even though it has a novella length sequel called Gravity Dreams. You can find it in collection Xeelee Endurance. This Is The Way the World Ends is fantastic novel. Truly moving. Nancy Kress is great, particulary her short fiction. Good video.

[@SciFiScavenger]

Hiya, I had half an idea that was the case with Raft. No excuses now! I'm looking forward to getting stuck into all these books. In a parallel universe where I have the time... Thanks for watching 👀!

[@TuftyMcTavish]

I wonder how widely across the regionality and age range of your viewership folks get the “Brucey Bonus” reference! I am old enough to catch it and laugh 😆 The “Mirrorshades” book has the slice taken off the back cover, and another bit you thought likely to go too. Will you do any repairs with tape, or perhaps wrap it to keep it together? You had me wander upstairs to check my copy of Baxter’s “Raft” as mine is ancient, but it’s a “Special overseas edition 1992”, a year after being first published. I also checked my copies of Hogan’s “Giants Trilogy” starting with “Inherit the Stars”, which it turns out are 1989 editions. That’s a series I have read many times over the decades, and bang on about regularly. You scored a lovely edition here 😍 There are three original books plus two further sequels to make five books in all.

[@SciFiScavenger]

On Mirrorshades no, I'll leave it be since some has already come away. You.moght find your edition of Raft is worth a few quid. And as for Bruce, that may be a rather niche reference for most of my audience! Thanks for watching 👀!

[@wbbartlett]

@@SciFiScavenger Nice to see a Brucie reference, to see it nice.

[@iantoo3503]

Hi Jon, just two comments. Golom 100 was my first Bester and I really enjoyed it. I was very happy to have recently resourced it after the purge, I have a VGSF copy of Pavane and it is somewhat beefier than yours. Perhaps yours is a printing of a novella and mine the novelisation. Thannks for the vidio! :)

[@SciFiScavenger]

Somebody else mentioned that later printings of Pavane included an extra, related, story. I'll have to do some digging. Cheers Ian, thanks for watching 👀!

[@jsck9683]

The Starchild trilogy is awesome,it's hard sf,pulp and trippy combined.but you should read them al in one go for best experience 🙂.I usually don;t buy hardbacks but last week I got hold of a copy of The Black Sun by Jack Williamson, first edition 1997,hardback in pristine condition a rare find for me.I found it online and It was sold by someone in my home town so I could pick it up at his house, saved me some shipping fees.

[@SciFiScavenger]

Nice find! And thanks for watching 👀!

[@forenichtreader]

What a haul! You may want to keep both copies of Pavane, as the Panther edition doesn't include the story "The White Boat", which was added in editions from the mid-1980s onwards.

[@SciFiScavenger]

ah ok useful tip, thanks. I'm looking forward to reading it. thanks for watching 👀!

[@robtheroyal8968]

I often go to the Oxfam shop in Woodley as I’m always on the look out for vintage horror.

[@SciFiScavenger]

That's fine, you can have the horror, but hands off "my" sci fi! 😀 there was a bunch of Pan Horror anthologies there some months back. Thanks for watching 👀!

[@robtheroyal8968]

No problem but if there is any Adrian Tchaikovsky we might have to fight for them.

[@SciFiScavenger]

@robtheroyal8968 I'm kidding, of course, it's all a matter of timing with these things.

[@MaidhcOD]

I have two copies of Pavane, but not the one I want. That Panther A Format is the one!!!

[@SciFiScavenger]

There can be only one! Hi Maidhc, hope all well, thanks for watching 👀!

[@bazoo513]

1:00 - Word of the day: "skedaddle" 😀

[@SciFiScavenger]

😀

[@luiznogueira1579]

I'd really like to hear your take on Star of The Unborn, Jon. Let's see if it really lives up to all the hype, or is it just a case of Matt monopolizing the booktuber scene with his personal preferences. Despite all his praise, it sounded a bit boring and outdated to me. Since it's unlikely I'll find a copy in this tropical backwater I live in, I'm counting on you to clear the issue...😂

[@SciFiScavenger]

yes me too. not in a huge rush to get to it. one day! cheers Luiz, thanks for watching 👀!

[@robtheroyal8968]

I snagged the Ray Bradbury Something Wicked This Way Comes….

[@SciFiScavenger]

Did you! I left it as I have a copy already.

[@herzbube102]

Reading Bester‘s Golem 100 should have no priority - it‘s a bad book by any standard! His early 2 novels from the 1950ies are much, much better, and his short fiction is superb (my opinion).

[@SciFiScavenger]

you're not the first person to warn me off Golem 100, duly noted, although I'm now curious to read it, see how it differs from his earlier work. I don't think I've read any of his short stories. thanks for watching 👀!

[@herzbube102]

@@SciFiScavengerMaybe „by any standard“ was too strongly worded. At least Peter Nicholls‘ summary on SFE reads more… well, lenient: „[…] But the 1960s-style radicalism now looked a little out of date, and what used to be spare and sinewy in his work had begun to seem prolix; the craziness looked like ornamentation rather than what it once was, structural.“ Well, read it and review it.

[@User_Un_Friendly]

There are few things more amusing than Jon gloating over and fondling his latest acquisitions. And as relaxing. I actually had to take a quick nap half way through, thankfully it's Sunday, so I didn't feel guilty. (I had an insomnia attack last night...🥹) Will we get another shelf building video, or are you out of space, Jon? 🙄😂🤣🐶😱 On the ebook buying front ( 😂 ) I got a copy of a Tom Clancy I haven't read in a very long time...Without Remorse. And William Gibson's Count Zero. Both I've read long ago enough to not even remember the plot. 🙄 Oh well, I'll get to them eventually. 🐶 On a burst of nostalgia, I finally got the ebook of my first English book. As a first generation immigrant, having arrived when I was young with my family, I still remember the first book read to me when I was 10 years old at school. Trumpet of the Swan, with the Kindle version, I bought the narration by the author himself. An irresistible treasure of nostalgia. 🤩

[@SciFiScavenger]

I am out of space. while my wife is out, i have been sneaking less worthy books (fantasy, horror, for example) to the downstairs shelves to make a bit of room. i need to get ruthless with the sf now, booting out any i'm never likely to read. it should be a game of quality now, not merely quantity. that's the theory, anyway! thanks for watching 👀!

[@thekeywitness]

You Brits and your incredible charity shop hauls lol. US charity shops are full of screen tie-ins at best. What do you expect from a country that elects a reality TV star for president.