Little Book Series 3

[bsaenz24]

I'm guessing that since there are three volumes, maybe the series title "The" "Compendium" "Of F" will be broken up across the three spines. Maybe??

[RonClinton]

Damn. This will be a tough test for me, as those Old Dead Weird Dudes are my jam these last few years. All of their stuff is available in so many different editions that it would take an exceptional format to warrant the nearly (inching towards, with shipping) $40 a pop. If they were just... better, somehow. Like, (consistently) linen bound, typo-free.. you know- like someone actually cared about the product...

*edited to add: BP is going to get these texts at no cost, as they are in the public domain. If they carry on with the usual carelessness.. that shouldn't be rewarded. I'd have to vote via not buying.

Do take my post with a grain of salt, of course...I have no insider track into Borderlands behind-the-scenes info, but it's what I've seen mentioned in several spots, and, as mentioned, one volume I've had confirmed to me appears to verify what I've read.

For me, it will likely be a pass. The LITTLE BOOKs have progressively become less satisfying on a number of levels, and as you mention, there are so many volumes out there of public domain horror-literature that a brief Best Of for each author is not something I truly need in my library, not at the price the volumes have crept up to (plus shipping). Had I any misgiving about passing, the featured dustjacket on the today's Borderlands email that featured the apparent dustjacket for F. Paul Wilson's first volume of THE COMPLETE SHORT FICTION -- with all vintage dustjacket images on the back having 25% of the art cropped off the bottom of each, and only the word THE displayed on the spine -- served as a good reminder why it's time for me to move on. Sure, perhaps that puzzling mess was just the rough mockup intended as a placeholder...but then don't show it to prospective customers who have no way of knowing if that's the case or not, especially since a spate of recent glaring errors that made it into publication have already shaken customer confidence. I have tried over the last year to be more deliberately selective about which titles I truly need, and that's an approach I hope to continue...and I simply don't have room in my budget anymore for books that don't reflect the care and detail to match the investment made.

wilson.JPG

[Martin]

The fourth series is purported to a Classic Horror Authors series (i.e. Machen, Blackwood, M. R. James, Lovecraft, et al -- note, though, I use those names generally only as examples...I have no idea what roster of 15 authors will make up the series). I've had one volume of that series all but officially confirmed to me, and it is, in fact, one of the authors I mentioned.

I have to admit that I am somewhat intrigued by this idea.

[swintek]

The fourth series is purported to a Classic Horror Authors series (i.e. Machen, Blackwood, M. R. James, Lovecraft, et al -- note, though, I use those names generally only as examples...I have no idea what roster of 15 authors will make up the series). In fact, I've had one volume of that series all but officially confirmed to me, and it is one of the authors I mentioned.

Damn. This will be a tough test for me, as those Old Dead Weird Dudes are my jam these last few years. All of their stuff is available in so many different editions that it would take an exceptional format to warrant the nearly (inching towards, with shipping) $40 a pop. If they were just... better, somehow. Like, (consistently) linen bound, typo-free.. you know- like someone actually cared about the product...

*edited to add: BP is going to get these texts at no cost, as they are in the public domain. If they carry on with the usual carelessness.. that shouldn't be rewarded. I'd have to vote via not buying.

[RonClinton]

I admit I do not say real current with Borderlands. What are these comments about long dead authors referencing?

The fourth series is purported to a Classic Horror Authors series (i.e. Machen, Blackwood, M. R. James, Lovecraft, et al -- note, though, I use those names generally only as examples...I have no idea what roster of 15 authors will make up the series). I've had one volume of that series all but officially confirmed to me, and it is, in fact, one of the authors I mentioned.

[Martin]

I admit I do not say real current with Borderlands. What are these comments about long dead authors referencing?

[khaos]

I'm glad I got some books by authors I really wanted. I also got some books by very big names I might not have bought a limited of otherwise and am very happy to have a signed book by them. I'm on the fence if I'd sign up for another round. If it's the long dead authors I'm surely a no.

[swintek]

Think I'm sitting out the next series as well. I had been very happy for the first two series to just buy the ones that I wanted as they were announced- until the Joe Hill fiasco. Missing that, and the tease of SK for this series prompted me to commit for the whole run. I think that had I opted NOT to commit to the whole run- I still would've been able to buy just the ones I wanted- which were only a handful. None of the titles sold out immediately, correct? I still think when they teased SK they were talking tangentially, via the screenplay. Thin, though that is. That's not very cool, though. But, what if they DO tease him again for the next one...?

[jeffingoff]

FINAL LIST
Updated list:
LITTLE BOOKS SERIES 3

Published:
William F Nolan
Mort Castle
Tim Waggoner
Josh Malerman
Thomas Ligotti
Gahan Wilson
Caitlin Kiernan
Charles Grant
Ramsey Campbell
Robert McCammon
Sarah Pinborough
Blake Crouch
Richard Chizmar
Lee Child

Promised but did not materialize:
Heather Graham

Mentioned but never confirmed:
Bentley Little
Stephen King

I can't say I care one way or another having Child instead of Graham. I haven't read either author. I'm happy that Little did not have a Little book. And I'm pretty disappointed that Steve never appeared. Looking back I'm glad I bought the series and got the Malerman, Kiernan, McCammon, Pinborough, and Crouch books. Those were the highlights for me. I love the idea of Barker and Tremblay books, but I'm out for series 4 even if those authors happen. Unless Borderlands wants to send me the series in exchange for 15 commercials via my unboxings, I won't have any more Little Books. The money is gone and that negates desire.

[RonClinton]

Lee Child is an odd choice, given that my understanding of this series -- as someone who has subscribed to the LITTLE BOOK series for Series I, II, and III -- is that it's horror focused.

[joejets]

There are enough authors who are not yet in these series to do a series 4 without going exclusively with long-dead authors. I'll list 5 to start with: Clive Barker, Paul Tremblay, Dean Koontz, Ronald Kelly, Bentley Little. And of course, Mom and Pop King.

[Martin]

Updated list:
LITTLE BOOKS SERIES 3

Published:
William F Nolan
Mort Castle
Tim Waggoner
Josh Malerman
Thomas Ligotti
Gahan Wilson
Caitlin Kiernan
Charles Grant
Ramsey Campbell
Robert McCammon
Sarah Pinborough
Blake Crouch

Soon to arrive:
Owen King

Promised:
Richard Chizmar
Heather Graham

Named but not confirmed:
Bentley Little
Stephen King

And the final book in Series III is "A Little Gold Book of Unconsidered Trifles" by Lee Child.

[Dan Hocker]

As I do not buy them direct from Borderlands it is possible that they said something that did not reach me. I checked the Cemetery Dance announcement for this title and it stated a limitation of 750 which would reflect an increase, just not an accurate one. Is it just up for that edition or going forward?

I think it's just up for this edition (don't quote me on that). There was a huge demand for it. I think CD sold out of our initial allotment in under half an hour.

[Martin]

I could have sworn Borderlands announced that the limitation had gone up.

As I do not buy them direct from Borderlands it is possible that they said something that did not reach me. I checked the Cemetery Dance announcement for this title and it stated a limitation of 750 which would reflect an increase, just not an accurate one. Is it just up for that edition or going forward?

[Dan Hocker]

I could have sworn Borderlands announced that the limitation had gone up.