Vintage Sci Fi: Book No.13
13 January 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Covers, Little Red Reviewer, Vintage Sci Fi
No.13: I am Legend by Richard Matheson
As part of Vintage Sci Fi month being hosted by Little Red Reviewer I’ve given myself a small challenge to post a vintage book each day – one that I’ve read – and to highlight some of the covers. Today’s choice is I am Legend by Richard Matheson. This is a great book, it’s not cheerful, in fact it’s downright bleak but reading about one man’s journey into loneliness and despair is bound to be a bit bleak. All the same I thought the ending was innovational. I did hum and ah about whether or not this is sci fi – but I think it is. I suppose it’s also horror and you could say it was the early inspiration behind zombies.
First edition from 1954 below:
- 1964 Bantam
- 2007 Doherty Tom Associates
- 1956 Corgi Books
- 1997 Orb
- IDW Graphic novel
The corgi one is a bit shocking!
Waiting on Wednesday: Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis
13 January 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Breaking the Spine, Masks and Shadows, Stephanie Burgis, Waiting on Wednesday
“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every Wednesday we get to highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to. This week: Masks and Shadows by Stephanie Burgis. The cover drew me in and then I became totally intrigued. Check it out.
The year is 1779, and Carlo Morelli, the most renowned castrato singer in Europe, has been invited as an honored guest to Eszterháza Palace. With Carlo in Prince Nikolaus Esterházy’s carriage, ride a Prussian spy and one of the most notorious alchemists in the Habsburg Empire. Already at Eszterháza is Charlotte von Steinbeck, the very proper sister of Prince Nikolaus’s mistress. Charlotte has retreated to the countryside to mourn her husband’s death. Now, she must overcome the ingrained rules of her society in order to uncover the dangerous secrets lurking within the palace’s golden walls. Music, magic, and blackmail mingle in a plot to assassinate the Habsburg Emperor and Empress–a plot that can only be stopped if Carlo and Charlotte can see through the masks worn by everyone they meet.
Expected publication: April 2016 by Pyr
Vintage Sci Fi: Book No.12
12 January 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Covers, Little Red Reviewer, Vintage Sci Fi
No.12: Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
As part of Vintage Sci Fi month being hosted by Little Red Reviewer I’ve given myself a small challenge to post a vintage book each day – one that I’ve read – and to highlight some of the covers. Today’s choice is Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne. Classic sci fi from 1864. I liked this book and in fact read it as part of one of the Vintage Sci Fi months. Review here. I like the 65 and think the 74 looks almost comic book – which I also like:
1965 Scholastic
1959 Book Club Edition
1974 Pendulum
1980 Ladybird
2008 Cruguru
To be continued…
Every Tuesday over at the The Broke and Bookish we all get to look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) examples to demonstrate that particular topic. The topic this week is:
‘Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn’t’
- Half the World by Joe Abercrombie
- Under My Skin by Zoe Markham
- The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette deBodard
- Without Light or Guide by Teresa Frohock
- The Crimson Corset by Alistair Cross
- Dark Ascension by M L Brennan
- Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
- Grimm Mistresses
- A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Schwab
- The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black
All of these books (except No.10 which was given to me) were bought and still not read! I haven’t counted how many books I bought last year but in actual fact looking back I got to very few of them as review books took precedence. I need to make an effort to read all the above for my backburn list over at Tenacious Reader. These are all great books – I just need somebody to realise we should have one or two more hours in each day, or come up with a time turny thing!
Vintage Sci Fi: Book No.11
11 January 2016
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Covers, Little Red Reviewer, Vintage Sci Fi
No.11: The Day of the Triffids 1951 by John Wyndham
As part of Vintage Sci Fi month being hosted by Little Red Reviewer I’ve given myself a small challenge to post a vintage book each day – one that I’ve read – and to highlight some of the covers. Today’s choice is Day of the Triffids. One of the few books on this challenge that I’ve actually reread fairly recently. Lots and lots of covers for this one! A first edition – which I really like:
First Edition 1951
The one below is deceptive isn’t it – looks like a quaint cottage garden! Sneaky
Penguin 1984
I like the colours and the font for this Del Rey
Del Rey 2000
The next one isn’t my favourite – kind of makes me think of a zombie books somehow:
Ballantine 1983
I love the Gollancz cover – I love that it shows the meteor shower and the colours are so vibrant:
Gollancz 2001
Creepy:
Crest 1951
Kind of reminds me of a B-Movie ad:
Penguin 1954
I don’t really know what to say about this one – it’s just very funky:
Dolphin 1960
Why does the woman on the front of the book look like someone’s just cracked a joke! (‘they’re behind you!!!’)
Michael Joseph 1977
This one is very creepy – it’s like the plant has been almost been given human features – like the branch looks like an arm that’s rounding the humans up:
Crest 1962
