Gauntlet Press (with and w/out Borderlands partnership)...

[TacomaDiver]

Obviously I'm struggling with passing on Pines. I've been looking into it and I thought it was being published as an omnibus but it's just the first book in the trilogy. So it'll still be a long wait for the other two to see the light of day. I'm getting tired of waiting. The cover and the quality of the edition are going to be lacking. Also, how do you all feel about F. Paul Wilson writing a story inspired by Pines to be included in the book? It seems disrespectful to me for another author to be included in the book. I don't know. I guess that's Crouch's call. All this combined makes me think I've already decided to pass. Again.

I don't know if it's disrespectful - look at SubPress's edition of Ready Player One - it included a piece of fanfic from Andy Weir.

[RonClinton]

I wish anyone else had done this set. I'll probably just make due with trade editions.

That's my plan, and my reason. You won't find a much bigger fan of the PINES trilogy than me, but I can't justify the book that's being offered (for reasons I've mentioned earlier so won't beat a dead horse here). It's really a shame. This one has been high on my Wish List for a deluxe production since the time I binge-read the trilogy, so it's extra disappointing...not only because I'm a Blake Crouch fan, but this is my favorite work by him and one I've hoped for years would see the light in limited form. It's also the type of book(s) of moderate appeal and that lacks classic status in the genre that, odds are, thus will not see a second publisher take a stab at it. There was one opportunity to get it right, and that lone chance just sailed.

[Martin]

I wish anyone else had done this set. I'll probably just make due with trade editions.

I currently only own the stories in audio format. At some point I will probably try to track down first editions, signed or unsigned.

[jeffingoff]

Although I loved The Pines trilogy and pretty much everything I have read from Crouch I passed on this set. I have several Gauntlet books and have generally been pleased with them. I purchased Hope and Miracles earlier this year. While I love the content the book itself feels cheap for the $199 price tag. My largest issue is that the paper stock feels like what would be found in a trade paperback. That and a rather unsatisfactory response from Mr. Hoffman regarding another recent purchase has me leery of purchasing from Gauntlet. Add in the fact that this is done in partnership with Borderlands made this an easy pass for me. It is unfortunate as this is a set that would be a must have for me from most small press publishers. Investing what I assume will be at least $150 into two companies I have strong reservations against doing business with was just not something I was not willing to do. I hope those who get it love it and that another publisher does a nice limited of the set that I can add to my collection.

I wish anyone else had done this set. I'll probably just make due with trade editions.

[jeffingoff]

I purchased a copy of The Pines. While I never expect Gauntlet books to be of the highest quality when compared to a Suntup/Centipede/Etc., they still seem perfectly suitable to me as nice reading copies, especially at the price-points they are being offered at. I have never read a Crouch book; so, while I don't love the cover, I am happy to give this one a try at the $50 range instead of the hundreds of dollars that seems to be the starting point recently for a lot of other publishers new books. In terms of the wait, The Pines also still seems to be on schedule for a Fall 2021 publication date per the most recent Gauntlet newsletter. The next book is scheduled to be announced early 2022. In my experience with the handful of Gauntlet purchases that I have made in the past, I don't recall ever having to wait for Gauntlet to publish their books on time unlike a lot of other small press publishers that I won't name here who still have me waiting for books that I purchased years ago. In fact, I believe that my last Gauntlet purchase, The Ravenous, was published and in my hands months early. I also have no issue with F. Paul WIlson's short story being included in the book. I have seen that done with other books in the past, and, while I don't know this for sure, I'm assuming that they have some sort of friendship from having co-written Draculas together and from having done book signings together in the past. Overall, while Gauntlet will probably never be among my favorite small press publishers, due to their lower prices and timely publication dates, when the right title presents itself, I will still be all-in on purchasing from them.

Great points. And I wasn't aware of the friendship. Probably why Crouch ended up having his limited edition published by Borderlands/Gauntlet.

[jeffingoff]

Well, it had a list price of $50, and using store credit made it $25, so I bought it. I'm not expecting much - Gauntlet tends to over promise and under deliver, but at this price point I don't really care. If it's really terrible, I'll just sell it. If I ever get around to selling the stack of books I have waiting to sell, that is...

Expectations matter and I think you're heading into it with the right expectations. I'm tempted to buy but I think I'll try my luck on the secondary.

[Martin]

Although I loved The Pines trilogy and pretty much everything I have read from Crouch I passed on this set. I have several Gauntlet books and have generally been pleased with them. I purchased Hope and Miracles earlier this year. While I love the content the book itself feels cheap for the $199 price tag. My largest issue is that the paper stock feels like what would be found in a trade paperback. That and a rather unsatisfactory response from Mr. Hoffman regarding another recent purchase has me leery of purchasing from Gauntlet. Add in the fact that this is done in partnership with Borderlands made this an easy pass for me. It is unfortunate as this is a set that would be a must have for me from most small press publishers. Investing what I assume will be at least $150 into two companies I have strong reservations against doing business with was just not something I was not willing to do. I hope those who get it love it and that another publisher does a nice limited of the set that I can add to my collection.

[sholloman81]

Obviously I'm struggling with passing on Pines. I've been looking into it and I thought it was being published as an omnibus but it's just the first book in the trilogy. So it'll still be a long wait for the other two to see the light of day. I'm getting tired of waiting. The cover and the quality of the edition are going to be lacking. Also, how do you all feel about F. Paul Wilson writing a story inspired by Pines to be included in the book? It seems disrespectful to me for another author to be included in the book. I don't know. I guess that's Crouch's call. All this combined makes me think I've already decided to pass. Again.

I purchased a copy of The Pines. While I never expect Gauntlet books to be of the highest quality when compared to a Suntup/Centipede/Etc., they still seem perfectly suitable to me as nice reading copies, especially at the price-points they are being offered at. I have never read a Crouch book; so, while I don't love the cover, I am happy to give this one a try at the $50 range instead of the hundreds of dollars that seems to be the starting point recently for a lot of other publishers new books. In terms of the wait, The Pines also still seems to be on schedule for a Fall 2021 publication date per the most recent Gauntlet newsletter. The next book is scheduled to be announced early 2022. In my experience with the handful of Gauntlet purchases that I have made in the past, I don't recall ever having to wait for Gauntlet to publish their books on time unlike a lot of other small press publishers that I won't name here who still have me waiting for books that I purchased years ago. In fact, I believe that my last Gauntlet purchase, The Ravenous, was published and in my hands months early. I also have no issue with F. Paul WIlson's short story being included in the book. I have seen that done with other books in the past, and, while I don't know this for sure, I'm assuming that they have some sort of friendship from having co-written Draculas together and from having done book signings together in the past. Overall, while Gauntlet will probably never be among my favorite small press publishers, due to their lower prices and timely publication dates, when the right title presents itself, I will still be all-in on purchasing from them.

[Dave1442397]

Obviously I'm struggling with passing on Pines. I've been looking into it and I thought it was being published as an omnibus but it's just the first book in the trilogy. So it'll still be a long wait for the other two to see the light of day. I'm getting tired of waiting. The cover and the quality of the edition are going to be lacking. Also, how do you all feel about F. Paul Wilson writing a story inspired by Pines to be included in the book? It seems disrespectful to me for another author to be included in the book. I don't know. I guess that's Crouch's call. All this combined makes me think I've already decided to pass. Again.

Well, it had a list price of $50, and using store credit made it $25, so I bought it. I'm not expecting much - Gauntlet tends to over promise and under deliver, but at this price point I don't really care. If it's really terrible, I'll just sell it. If I ever get around to selling the stack of books I have waiting to sell, that is...

[jeffingoff]

Obviously I'm struggling with passing on Pines. I've been looking into it and I thought it was being published as an omnibus but it's just the first book in the trilogy. So it'll still be a long wait for the other two to see the light of day. I'm getting tired of waiting. The cover and the quality of the edition are going to be lacking. Also, how do you all feel about F. Paul Wilson writing a story inspired by Pines to be included in the book? It seems disrespectful to me for another author to be included in the book. I don't know. I guess that's Crouch's call. All this combined makes me think I've already decided to pass. Again.

[jeffingoff]

Has the Pines trilogy been published yet? Anyone get their copy?

[joejets]

My limited was held back to ship with the lettered. Should be soon.

[Marmaduke Grigsby]

My copy of Ravenous arrived today from CD. It is my first Ray Garton limited edition. The only book of his I've read is Live Girls, which I loved, so I'm looking forward to reading this one as well.

RAVENOUS 3.jpg

[pumpheel]

My copy is out for delivery today....can't wait!

[jeffingoff]

Okay, so someone posted pictures on Facebook of the lettered edition of The Outer Limits that Gauntlet published and I have to say that I was blown away by David McCallum's signature. Seriously... Look at this!

I don't get wowed by signatures too often, but the calligraphy on this is just astounding!

I agree! That is a tasty sig!