Thunderstorm Books

[RonClinton]

Thank you for the information.

Indeed — good to know, thank you.

Speaking of Fracassi, received my self-pub’d Fracassi chapbook today…looks nice!

[sholloman81]

Very happy with today's announcement! I love me some Joe Lansdale and pre-ordered a copy immediately. Was surprised by the print-run and hope Paul can sell that many books as it seems to be four to five times bigger than normal. Am guessing it must be a contractual thing as the majority of Black Voltage books this year have been closer to the normal 50 copy print-run.

Thunderstorm Books

DARK KIN
by Joe R. Lansdale and Kasey Lansdale

A thrilling feast of collaborations with a malevolent scarecrow, revenge seeking sirens, eye gazing parties, sea creatures, and long forgotten murders.

You’ll find these captivating and extraordinary tales all within Lansdale and Lansdale’s, Dark Kin.

Award winning author Joe R. Lansdale has teamed up with his daughter, Kasey Lansdale, to bring you a short story collection that dives deep into the shadows, and the dark realms of the imagination.

Welcome to the family…

[swintek]

As a many-decade, absolute die-hard Lansdale collector- sadly, I had to pass on this. It was tough- I've got a really deep collection and this is a true limited edition, in that the book doesn't exist in another form. Still, I feel absolutely bombarded by really, really expensive books lately (like, the last few years), and lines have just got to be drawn. This looks nice, and, like I said- unique. If it were $60- I'd be all in. Just unwilling to go $125. It'll be a nice collectible at that print run, no doubt.

[TacomaDiver]

HUGE collector all things Lansdale, but I can't swing this one today. Like swintek says above - if it was $60, or even $75, then yeah, instant buy. But $125 is a little hard to swallow at the moment. Plus only one new story (a novella, but still only one new story.)

The cover looks gorgeous though!

[Sock Monkey]

Thunderstorm has been on fire lately with their announcements. First, the Fracassi books, then the Golden book, now a Lansdale collection. I hope that these books sell out fast.

[RonClinton]

Thunderstorm has been on fire lately with their announcements. First, the Fracassi books, then the Golden book, now a Lansdale collection. I hope that these books sell out fast.

I toyed with the idea of picking up that Lansdale, but as a mostly-reprint collection (one new novella) of all co-written work...I'll need to pass. There's another Lansdale limited, though, that I still need, and am playing the mental gymnastics that we collectors do to justify the purchase...I mean, I gave this Thunderstorm Lansdale collection serious thought before ultimately passing, so that means that I can logically use those now-unused funds for another Lansdale limited that I do need, right?

...right?

[TacomaDiver]

Which one are you looking for Ron?

[RonClinton]

Which one are you looking for Ron?

I hesitate to say it because there's one on eBay for a decent price, one I believe below cover price...but, eh, if someone else snatches it up then they wanted it worse than me. I've tried sending him two (what I think are fair) offers since he has Best Offer included, but he's apparently stuck at his BIN price.

It's THE THICKET, the signed/numbered/slipcased Earthling edition. I have a signed 1st trade HC, but it'd be nice to upgrade, and that upgrade would be more satisfying -- for me -- than that new Thunderstorm collection.

[TacomaDiver]

That's an odd addition to me - one of the more expensive limiteds I have considering it's not a lettered, just a plan numbered. (Although prices of other books are approaching the price point this had when it was released.)

I believe I got my copy from Dark Regions (based on the postcard and bookmarks that are inside of it) so it must have been on sale.

Also, the whole Make Offer on eBay pisses me off quite often. If you're not willing to consider offers, don't have that option.

Good luck to you!

[RonClinton]

That's an odd addition to me - one of the more expensive limiteds I have considering it's not a lettered, just a plan numbered. (Although prices of other books are approaching the price point this had when it was released.)

I believe I got my copy from Dark Regions (based on the postcard and bookmarks that are inside of it) so it must have been on sale.

Also, the whole Make Offer on eBay pisses me off quite often. If you're not willing to consider offers, don't have that option.

Good luck to you!

Since you have a copy, can you tell me if it contains interior illustrations, and, if so, about how many (i.e. one or two or, conversely, liberally illustrated)? I'm trying to justify the purchase, and that would help nudge me off the fence.

Yeah, that Best Offer thing now seems to have oddly migrated from offering a lower price to, for some sellers, a seller expectation that it means one will offer more in order to take it off auction, i.e. more of a Buy It Now than a Best Offer. Just in the last few months, I've had two Best Offers rejected -- and they were for the opening price of the auction!

[TacomaDiver]

Okay, so I pulled the book and here's what I have:

Slipcase
Ribbon marker
Leather bound (I think?)
Fully illustrated cover (beautiful artwork actually!)
Signature sheet has a top illustration (crossed guns, hat, and holster)
2 full page illustrations (black and white)
3 spot illustrations (black and white) - the first covers about 1/6 of the page, the second about 1/3, and the last about 1/6

Introduction by David Morrell and an afterward from Lansdale.

[RonClinton]

Okay, so I pulled the book and here's what I have:

Slipcase
Ribbon marker
Leather bound (I think?)
Fully illustrated cover (beautiful artwork actually!)
Signature sheet has a top illustration (crossed guns, hat, and holster)
2 full page illustrations (black and white)
3 spot illustrations (black and white) - the first covers about 1/6 of the page, the second about 1/3, and the last about 1/6

Introduction by David Morrell and an afterward from Lansdale.

Fantastic -- thank you!

I agree, the cover is wonderful, and I was hoping that kind of focus on art would continue within the interior, but it sounds like the interior artwork is more modest (and less colorful) than I'd hoped for this somewhat spendy volume. But at least there is some art to distinguish it from the trade, and it would be interesting to get Morrell's (who's also written a western or two) take on Lansdale's book. Hmm, that amount of art is neither encouraging enough nor disappointing enough to push me off the fence either way...guess I'll continue to mull it over for a day or two, see if I can't come to a decision about it.

[TacomaDiver]

Glad I can help! And also not be responsible for pushing you one way or another off the fence. Job well done I do say!

[swintek]

Earthling's THE THICKET is a very nice book. Knowing how big of a Lansdale guy you are, Ron, I think it's one you oughta have in your collection. Having said that- I'm with you on the illos; for that premium price point, there just should've been more. And color as well. The slipcase and case material (I think it's real leather- i don't have it to hand, and it's been a long time since I fished it out to paw over) have nice weight to them, and there's that gorgeous cover you all mention above. I will say that i remember getting SST's PARADISE SKY right around the same time- I think my timing is right on that- and being blown away but what Paul managed to send me for, what?: $30, or something like that. I immediately went online and yelled for everyone to "go buy this book"! Now, I'm not saying the raw materials are comparable, but with 'SKY's wraparound beautiful DJ, color endpapers, and chock-full of nice illos- it did make me look at THE THICKET just a little bit squinty-eyed, like- "Huh, you couldn't have done just a little more for that $150?". Like I said- still a very nice book, and very much worth owning.

[RonClinton]

Earthling's THE THICKET is a very nice book. Knowing how big of a Lansdale guy you are, Ron, I think it's one you oughta have in your collection. Having said that- I'm with you on the illos; for that premium price point, there just should've been more. And color as well. The slipcase and case material (I think it's real leather- i don't have it to hand, and it's been a long time since I fished it out to paw over) have nice weight to them, and there's that gorgeous cover you all mention above. I will say that i remember getting SST's PARADISE SKY right around the same time- I think my timing is right on that- and being blown away but what Paul managed to send me for, what?: $30, or something like that. I immediately went online and yelled for everyone to "go buy this book"! Now, I'm not saying the raw materials are comparable, but with 'SKY's wraparound beautiful DJ, color endpapers, and chock-full of nice illos- it did make me look at THE THICKET just a little bit squinty-eyed, like- "Huh, you couldn't have done just a little more for that $150?". Like I said- still a very nice book, and very much worth owning.

Too funny -- I need SST's PARADISE SKY as well. I have three Lansdales signed trade 1st HCs that I would like to upgrade -- THE THICKET, PARADISE SKY, and MOON LAKE. I believe I have everything else in limited (that was offered in limited). EDGE OF DARK WATER, too, though that's probably my least priority. Not really sure why THE THICKET has become my first priority, as of the two westerns I probably liked PARADISE SKY more. Anyhow, I hope to have the three, if not all four, limiteds on my shelf before the end of next year...trying to teach myself patience and not blow the budget by getting all four in a mad rush.