Thunderstorm Books

[saginawhorror]

To complete sets I would probably want to grab hobbomock and the window black voltages next. Plus of course sins of the father and deceived. I never give up.

[RonClinton]

They have a ton of stuff - https://www.perusethestacks.com/

ETA: I met Brandon because of a post I made on TDT forums looking for a Lansdale chapbook of all things.

Interestingly, there was a seller there who had a chapbook of Lansdale's THE HUNGRY SNOW...no idea if that was his booth or not. He also had a large three-ring binder of ephemera -- letters, signatures, etc. -- of various authors that was a lot of fun to look through. Kept hoping to find that signed/endorsed Cornell Woolrich royalty/payment check that I've looked for for a decade or two (there are a number of them out there, but none of which have coincided with my good timing), but no such luck.

[TacomaDiver]

They have a ton of stuff - https://www.perusethestacks.com/

ETA: I met Brandon because of a post I made on TDT forums looking for a Lansdale chapbook of all things.

[RonClinton]

Semi-related: I really enjoyed the time I went there - it was quite a bit of fun. My buddy Brandon has an on-line bookstore that's a vendor this year.

It was great to attend after a couple Covid years off…I’ve been going for a couple decades. If your buddy sells anything even remotely in the horror, crime, mystery, or sci-fi genres — or even modern American 1sts — I’m sure I stopped in his booth today.

[TacomaDiver]

Semi-related: I really enjoyed the time I went there - it was quite a bit of fun. My buddy Brandon has an on-line bookstore that's a vendor this year.

[RonClinton]

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.

I went to the Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair today, and saw and held a copy of PS’ S/L edition of Lansdale’s EDGE OF DARK WATER, and I think I’m now fine with my signed trade 1st. Very unimpressive, even by PS standards…little more than a signed UK trade.

[TacomaDiver]

That edition of Paradise Sky is really nice. It might also be my favorite western novel from Lansdale too. I know it was the one that made me actually enjoy westerns - I always poo-pooed them for some reason.

The Earthling Thicket is nice, but it was pricey for what it was.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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.