Suntup Editions - All Books

[bookworm 1]

But it's not shipped out of country like bookworm stated if we're talking about Suntup. At least not to Cap it isn't.

My mistake J was thinking PS Publications. I was having a dyslexic kind of morning.

[Sock Monkey]

I’m on the fence...again. I AM LEGEND is a stone cold classic by one of my favorite authors. I’d be all over the limited—it looks beautiful—but the price point is giving me a Grand Canyon sized pause. If it was near the same price point as BROTHER I’d have pulled the trigger already. Eye-balling the AGE, but I think I’d regret not getting the limited...

[bsaenz24]

I can't understand the prices for the limited and lettered, considering they can't be signed. I'm sure they will be beautiful books, for $3500 for a lettered not signed by the author???? Seems crazy.

[Dan Hocker]

I can't understand the prices for the limited and lettered, considering they can't be signed. I'm sure they will be beautiful books, for $3500 for a lettered not signed by the author???? Seems crazy.

I'm pretty sure the price point on these is all production value really. What Paul is trying to do is have sort of a "standard" so not matter what book it is, they all have sort of the same production value put into them. This then makes it so you have to price the editions relatively similarly across the board, no matter if there's a signature or not. So where he's able to "fudge" the numbers a bit is when he doesn't do a gift edition. So for example the limited for Brother is cheaper than I Am Legend, because he's doing a gift for I Am Legend and the limitation for I Am Legend is half of the limitation for Brother.

His lettereds are so expensive because he's going all out on them. I'm pretty sure he prints all of his lettereds via letter press (and his more expensive limiteds too) which in of itself skyrockets the printing costs. Let alone the rest of the materials he uses.

[jeffingoff]

I can't understand the prices for the limited and lettered, considering they can't be signed. I'm sure they will be beautiful books, for $3500 for a lettered not signed by the author???? Seems crazy.

It's the materials and the craftsmanship. Full goatskin for the lettered, hand sewn and letterpress for the lettered and numbered. That all adds up. Having the numbered editions of HORNS and HILL HOUSE, I'll say the quality is amazing. You can feel where the money goes.

[Dan Hocker]

It's the materials and the craftsmanship. Full goatskin for the lettered, hand sewn and letterpress for the lettered and numbered. That all adds up. Having the numbered editions of HORNS and HILL HOUSE, I'll say the quality is amazing. You can feel where the money goes.

I do see Brad's point a bit though. It seems more of a "why go to those lengths for a book that can't / won't be signed" kind of a thing. That said it's just what Paul is doing with his line of books. I hope it continues to work out for him.

[jeffingoff]

I do see Brad's point a bit though. It seems more of a "why go to those lengths for a book that can't / won't be signed" kind of a thing. That said it's just what Paul is doing with his line of books. I hope it continues to work out for him.

Oh yeah I see the point too. For a lot of folks, the signature from the author "legitimizes" the book. It's a literal endorsement of the edition. With Levin, Jackson, and Matheson, signatures were impossible. With McCarthy the signature was impossible for a different reason. But I would hate to see those books get passed by because a signature couldn't be acquired. And I would hate for Paul to do anything less than his best for these masterworks. I think all paths lead to the same price point. And as we saw with Rosemary's Baby, any signature meant to stand in for the author's can become a lightning rod for cynics.

[Dan Hocker]

Oh yeah I see the point too. For a lot of folks, the signature from the author "legitimizes" the book. It's a literal endorsement of the edition. With Levin, Jackson, and Matheson, signatures were impossible. With McCarthy the signature was impossible for a different reason. But I would hate to see those books get passed by because a signature couldn't be acquired. And I would hate for Paul to do anything less than his best for these masterworks. I think all paths lead to the same price point. And as we saw with Rosemary's Baby, any signature meant to stand in for the author's can become a lightning rod for cynics.

Yea I dunno, it's just kinda a weird position to be in honestly. I've always wanted to do a "CD Does the classics" line or something like that, but without signatures and 100s of other editions of them, why would someone want to buy Dracula or Frankenstein (or the myriad of other horror classics) from us. Just a thought though.

[Ben Staad]

I've never thought these added any value to a book FWIW.

any signature meant to stand in for the author's can become a lightning rod for cynics.

[RonClinton]

Given the choice between a signed (by the author) numbered edition and an unsigned (or signed by whoever did the intro) numbered edition, I'll always opt for the numbered signed by the author for, I suppose, the reason mentioned by Jeff above...it legitimizes the edition, it shows an authorial seal of approval, a small involvement by the author that stamps it as the definitive deluxe edition. This is why I treasure my signed Easton of ROSEMARY'S BABY and my signed Gauntlet of I AM LEGEND, but had no interest in the not-signed-by-the-author Suntup editions of each novel (well, that and the high cost, especially given that I already had my editions). But since I do love LEGEND so damn much, I couldn't pass up the Gift Edition as just a second, very lovely edition to accompany my Gauntlet. I passed on ROSEMARY'S BABY altogther.

All that to say that given the choice I'll opt for the edition signed by the author, but the lack of a signature doesn't preclude me from buying a book. For me, it's nice to have and I prefer it, but it's not essential. That said and using I AM LEGEND as an example, I don't believe I'd ever spend $700 on an unsigned numbered or $3500 on an unsigned lettered when one can snag a numbered signed by the author for (according to what I see on ABE) $400. I get that the production qualities of a Suntup far eclipse Gauntlet (those IAL is from the days when they actually did a pretty nice job), but I tend to value that authorial involvement and stamp of approval more than the origin of the paper or other subtle production elements.

[jeffingoff]

I've never thought these added any value to a book FWIW.

Yeah it all depends. But that's a selection (much like the artist) that opens the door to criticism for the publisher. I'd imagine it's so much easier when the author is alive and agrees to sign. The selection is made for the publisher. But when that's not the case, people will wonder and worry over the connection of the signer to the work. It's a legitimate question for sure. I'm thrilled to be getting a Chuck Palahniuk signature in Rosemary's Baby. And a Joyce Carol Oates signature in The Road. Though I see them as cherries on top. Awesome to have, and adding value for me, but secondary to the materials and production.

Compared to Gauntlet's lettered edition of RUSTY PUPPY--the only thing that added value to the edition was the inclusion of James Purefoy's signature along with Lansdale's. The quality of the edition was no better than a trade.

[Brian861]

I get the cost of the other letters due to all the bells and whistles associated with them. This lettered seems to be the tamest for lack of a better word so the cost seems higher from my POV. Doesn't matter in the scheme of things though as a lettered will never go unsold. I know I'd jump on one if I could afford it given the opportunity. A lot of this ride is about what's coming around the corner next. You never know with Paul. I've heard from several collectors say if the price point for the limiteds gets higher, it'd price them out of the game. Paul's been really consistent thus far IMO. I'm sure he's taking all these things into consideration.

Just a side note. Martin created a separate thread for the new release but everything keeps ending up here. Should we just consolidate all things Suntup into one thread like over on TDT?

[Dan Hocker]

Yeah it all depends. But that's a selection (much like the artist) that opens the door to criticism for the publisher. I'd imagine it's so much easier when the author is alive and agrees to sign. The selection is made for the publisher. But when that's not the case, people will wonder and worry over the connection of the signer to the work. It's a legitimate question for sure. I'm thrilled to be getting a Chuck Palahniuk signature in Rosemary's Baby. And a Joyce Carol Oates signature in The Road. Though I see them as cherries on top. Awesome to have, and adding value for me, but secondary to the materials and production.

Compared to Gauntlet's lettered edition of RUSTY PUPPY--the only thing that added value to the edition was the inclusion of James Purefoy's signature along with Lansdale's. The quality of the edition was no better than a trade.

I think Rusty Puppy is a bad example though. You're comparing a $150 lettered edition to a $3,000 lettered edition. Also that quality statement is a bit of an unfair exaggeration. I haven't seen the Rusty Puppy lettered edition, but I would assume it was produced the same way Gauntlet's other recent lettered editions were. So at the very least it's probably bound in leather, has a ribbon page marker, and comes in a tray case. Which is generally what you can expect from a $100 - $150 lettered edition.

[Dan Hocker]

I moved a bunch of posts to the other thread. I'm also gonna change the name of this thread to the book it's actually about.

[jeffingoff]

I think Rusty Puppy is a bad example though. You're comparing a $150 lettered edition to a $3,000 lettered edition. Also that quality statement is a bit of an unfair exaggeration. I haven't seen the Rusty Puppy lettered edition, but I would assume it was produced the same way Gauntlet's other recent lettered editions were. So at the very least it's probably bound in leather, has a ribbon page marker, and comes in a tray case. Which is generally what you can expect from a $100 - $150 lettered edition.

That is fair and I'll "walk it back" like our more level-headed politicians often do.

I fully appreciate the price difference means that these two books can't be compared. And I wasn't really comparing them. I was speaking only about the value a signature brings and how it all depends on the context--who is signing and where it appears.

It's true the book is bound in leather, comes in a tray case and has a ribbon page marker. But the paper quality is GOD AWFUL. I can't imagine these pages remaining white beyond 5 years. They're so flimsy it's like the book was printed on toilet paper. And don't even get me started on the DJ art! Don't EVEN get me started.

If I were to compare along price points, then I'd take Suntup's AGE of Horns, or your gift edition of IT, or your numbered On This The Day of the Pig, or SST's The Listener over Gauntlet's Rusty Puppy any day. All of those books were less expensive than Rusty Puppy. That book made me unsubscribe from Barry's newsletter.