Your favorite author - taking it to the next level - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

elvet · 25th March 2006, 01:01 PM

We all have our favorite books and authors. When you really like an author, is it enough to read all their books, or do you sometimes need to take it to the next level by reading ancilliary or companion works? Do you own special editions or signed copies?
I'll use Tolkien as my example.
I have:
The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
Biography of Tolkien
12 volumes of the History of Middle Earth
Atlas of Middle Earth (K. W. Fonstad)
Visualizing Middle Earth and Understanding Middle Earth (M. Martinez)
A Complete guide to Middle Earth (Foster)
A Readers Companion (Scull)
The Annotated Hobbit (Anderson)

littlemissattitude · 25th March 2006, 06:54 PM

To begin with, I don't actually think there are any companion or ancillary works by most of my favorite writers. Well, Stephen King, but he's a special case, and while I've read a couple of the books about him and his works, I don't think I own any; not anymore anyway.

However, I have met and have signed volumes from three of my favorites, Tim Powers, Kage Baker, and Orson Scott Card. Wouldn't have those, though, if I hadn't attended LosCon a few times.

Teresa Edgerton · 25th March 2006, 07:34 PM

It's easier for die-hard Tolkien fans to answer your question with a "yes," because there are so many books about him and most of those are so readily available.

Speaking as one of those fans, I'm so pathetic that I not only have books by and about the author, I have a handful of books about the movies.

As for other writers, I have a few books about Charles Dickens, one about Jane Austen, and several about William Shakespeare. When I come across books about other favorite authors at the library I grab them. Oh, and I have The Companion to Narnia.

When it comes to books by writers I like, I own a lot of them. If I didn't buy them, publishers wouldn't keep publishing them. As for signed editions, I have several but only by current authors. I can't afford signed collectors' editions or anything like that, so I have to wait for an opportunity to get something signed in person. As littlemiss says, conventions are good opportunities for that sort of thing.

elvet · 26th March 2006, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Speaking as one of those fans, I'm so pathetic that I not only have books by and about the author, I have a handful of books about the movies.

Nothing to be ashamed about. There happens to be a bunch of good looking men in those films, though I would never buy them just for that reason

.

GOLLUM · 26th March 2006, 12:25 AM

Interesting topic.

When I find an author I like I tend to hunt down everything they've ever published. If it's someone of particular interest then I'll take things further by searching for first editions, rare copies and particularly biographies or autobiographies of the author concerned as part of my expanding education into the SFF Genre.

What I'm not generally a big fan of is spin-offs or works by other authors attempting to mimic an orginal writer's work although I appreciate this can be big business. More often than not the original work proves too difficult to top.

Rane Longfox · 26th March 2006, 04:21 AM

Well, I do own 30-ish years old signed copies of the Lord of the Rings books, worth a lot of money, but Tolkein is not one of my favorite authors.

I did, however, recently get voted "Biggest Malazan Geek" on the malazan forums, due to my collection of Erikson books

2xGardens of the Moon (1st edition TPB and normal MMPB)
3xDeadhouse Gates (Uncorected Proof copy, 1st edition TPB and normal MMPB)
2xMemories of Ice (1st edition TPB and normal MMPB)
2xHouse of Chains (1st edition TPB and normal MMPB)
3xMidnight Tides (1st edition TPB, HB and normal MMPB)
2xThe Bonehunters (both 1st edition TPB)
1xBlood Follows (US HB) - Much cooler than the UK one

1xHealthy Dead (Signed UK HB #334)
1xNight of Knives (Signed HB #355)
1xDevil Delivered (Signed PB #472)
1xFishin' with Grandma Matchie (Signed PB #288)
Subscribed to "The Dark"

Thats very nearly everything availiable. I haven't managed to get hold of a few of the early obscure Canadian-historical fiction he wrote...

nixie · 26th March 2006, 12:18 PM

It's enough to get the books, although a signed copy is a bonus.Mind you I only have 3 signed books, James Barclay's Light Stealer, a David Gemmell, although I'm not really a fan having only read one book, and Kelpie's The Hidden Stars,

Culhwch · 26th March 2006, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rane Longfox

2xThe Bonehunters (both 1st edition TPB)

I understand getting different formats (even though I think it's overkill...) but why two exactly the same, may I ask?

I have a signed copy of Neil Gaiman's Stardust, and also Good Omens signed by Gaiman. I'd have more Gaiman stuff but I'm quite poor, sadly....

hermi-nomi · 26th March 2006, 02:24 PM

No, I don't think I count as a 'next leveler' ... I simply can't afford to buy everything by/about my favourite authors. But my main reason for not being a 'next leveler' is simply that I avoid joining crazes. That's not to say I don't get slightly obsessed about things 'cos I do (e.g Harry potter ~ and Piorates of the Carribean: Curse of the Balck Pearl is a good example, and I'm sure I shall be saying goodbye to my summer this year too.) I have got books and posters signed though ... The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett being about the only relevent example, and Alan Lees Sketchbook (the rest are films)

Stenevor · 26th March 2006, 08:39 PM

The nearest ive ever come to this was 20 odd years ago when I started reading Sci-fi/fantasy, I used to comb second hand bookshops for anything Michael Moorcock. I used to like a lot of the older cover art and would buy the same novels with different covers.

Rane Longfox · 27th March 2006, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Culhwch

I understand getting different formats (even though I think it's overkill...) but why two exactly the same, may I ask?

Well, seeing as I'm in aus, I'm not luggin that monster back home with me! I bought a cheap copy over the internet to be delivered home

Mind you, I intend to offload this copy before I leave

Adasunshine · 27th March 2006, 08:10 AM

I have a signed copies of the following...

3rd edition copy of Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (HB)
Terry Pratchett has signed paperback versions of Good Omens and Small Gods
Them by Jon Ronson (HB)
The Informers by Bret Easton Ellis (HB)
Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud (Signed & numbered collectors edition - HB)

We also have some history books from The Folio Society which are gorgeous (and very expensive), alas, we bought them when we had a little bit more money and will have to wait a few more years before buying anything else from them...

My choice author is Neil Gaiman, if I could have a signed collection I would, I love his stuff but like Culhwch, I'm too poor

, though I comb eBay a LOT trying to find something!

xx

polymath · 27th March 2006, 09:32 AM

No, I don't do this at all...the most I've got is 'Master Of Middle Earth' by Paul Kocher which was very good but in the main, companion works don't work for me.
I have a signed Iain M. Banks 'Excession' hardback that I'm pleased about...he's a very entertaining speaker too.
Other than that, nope, not my bag really.

Cyril · 27th March 2006, 10:19 AM

In my case, Brunner can easily be put in that category. I should have almost every book published in french (only few books to find left). Also Palahniuk. But I seldom seek books related to an author I'm fan of... If I'm falling on it by chance, I'm buying it, but I don't search that sort of material.

Jay · 27th March 2006, 02:29 PM

This is difficults, simply because I'm not going t lsitall the various special editions, autographed works, numbered/limited editons I have (it would take much more time than worth it IMHO - and it's mmy hobby and I'm generally active in prusuing my hobbies), but to answer the accompanying question, I buy companion books, or books abotuthe genreal all the time, and do so without thinking of them as seperate - I simply buy books - and non-fiction is not something I shy away from at all.

In fact I just ordered Gary K. Wolfe's Soundings, which collects his reviews in the 90's. iIm sure all know Wolfe as one of the foremost sources of genre criticism, and Samuel Delany's (one of the great writers and ctitics of our time in my mind) About Writing. I to have all the Tolkien's History of Middle Earth's editions and Carpenter's Letters, and works like Jeff Vandermeer's Why Should I cut out your Throat?, and Moorcock's Wizardy and Wild Romance, and Clute and Grant's Encylopedias, and Diana Wynne Jones' Tough Guide to Fantasyland, and Meditaiyons on Middle Earth, a collection of essays by contemporary genre authors on Tolkien edited by Karen Haber (Robert Silverbeg's wife), and I'm very much looking forward to Moocock's memoir of Mervyn Peake this year. I also have Kate Wilhem's excellent (and Hugo nominated this year) Storyteller. I also dug up a first print of China Mieville's Between Equal Rights: A Marxist Theory of International Law

I have much more, but these come to mind at the moment.

25th March 2006, 01:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
elvet Easily amused Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 502	Your favorite author - taking it to the next level We all have our favorite books and authors. When you really like an author, is it enough to read all their books, or do you sometimes need to take it to the next level by reading ancilliary or companion works? Do you own special editions or signed copies? I'll use Tolkien as my example. I have: The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien Biography of Tolkien 12 volumes of the History of Middle Earth Atlas of Middle Earth (K. W. Fonstad) Visualizing Middle Earth and Understanding Middle Earth (M. Martinez) A Complete guide to Middle Earth (Foster) A Readers Companion (Scull) The Annotated Hobbit (Anderson)

25th March 2006, 06:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
littlemissattitude Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 3,361 Blog Entries: 8	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level To begin with, I don't actually think there are any companion or ancillary works by most of my favorite writers. Well, Stephen King, but he's a special case, and while I've read a couple of the books about him and his works, I don't think I own any; not anymore anyway. However, I have met and have signed volumes from three of my favorites, Tim Powers, Kage Baker, and Orson Scott Card. Wouldn't have those, though, if I hadn't attended LosCon a few times.

25th March 2006, 07:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
Teresa Edgerton Ink-stained Wretch Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 4,654 Blog Entries: 2	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level It's easier for die-hard Tolkien fans to answer your question with a "yes," because there are so many books about him and most of those are so readily available. Speaking as one of those fans, I'm so pathetic that I not only have books by and about the author, I have a handful of books about the movies. As for other writers, I have a few books about Charles Dickens, one about Jane Austen, and several about William Shakespeare. When I come across books about other favorite authors at the library I grab them. Oh, and I have The Companion to Narnia. When it comes to books by writers I like, I own a lot of them. If I didn't buy them, publishers wouldn't keep publishing them. As for signed editions, I have several but only by current authors. I can't afford signed collectors' editions or anything like that, so I have to wait for an opportunity to get something signed in person. As littlemiss says, conventions are good opportunities for that sort of thing.

26th March 2006, 12:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
GOLLUM Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5,490	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level Interesting topic. When I find an author I like I tend to hunt down everything they've ever published. If it's someone of particular interest then I'll take things further by searching for first editions, rare copies and particularly biographies or autobiographies of the author concerned as part of my expanding education into the SFF Genre. What I'm not generally a big fan of is spin-offs or works by other authors attempting to mimic an orginal writer's work although I appreciate this can be big business. More often than not the original work proves too difficult to top.

26th March 2006, 04:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
Rane Longfox Pallid, Lumigoth Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 3,278	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level Well, I do own 30-ish years old signed copies of the Lord of the Rings books, worth a lot of money, but Tolkein is not one of my favorite authors. I did, however, recently get voted "Biggest Malazan Geek" on the malazan forums, due to my collection of Erikson books 2xGardens of the Moon (1st edition TPB and normal MMPB) 3xDeadhouse Gates (Uncorected Proof copy, 1st edition TPB and normal MMPB) 2xMemories of Ice (1st edition TPB and normal MMPB) 2xHouse of Chains (1st edition TPB and normal MMPB) 3xMidnight Tides (1st edition TPB, HB and normal MMPB) 2xThe Bonehunters (both 1st edition TPB) 1xBlood Follows (US HB) - Much cooler than the UK one 1xHealthy Dead (Signed UK HB #334) 1xNight of Knives (Signed HB #355) 1xDevil Delivered (Signed PB #472) 1xFishin' with Grandma Matchie (Signed PB #288) Subscribed to "The Dark" Thats very nearly everything availiable. I haven't managed to get hold of a few of the early obscure Canadian-historical fiction he wrote...

26th March 2006, 12:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
nixie pixie druid Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,659 Blog Entries: 2	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level It's enough to get the books, although a signed copy is a bonus.Mind you I only have 3 signed books, James Barclay's Light Stealer, a David Gemmell, although I'm not really a fan having only read one book, and Kelpie's The Hidden Stars,

26th March 2006, 02:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
hermi-nomi Cynical Loser Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 134	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level No, I don't think I count as a 'next leveler' ... I simply can't afford to buy everything by/about my favourite authors. But my main reason for not being a 'next leveler' is simply that I avoid joining crazes. That's not to say I don't get slightly obsessed about things 'cos I do (e.g Harry potter ~ and Piorates of the Carribean: Curse of the Balck Pearl is a good example, and I'm sure I shall be saying goodbye to my summer this year too.) I have got books and posters signed though ... The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett being about the only relevent example, and Alan Lees Sketchbook (the rest are films)

26th March 2006, 08:39 PM	#10 (permalink)
Stenevor Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 247	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level The nearest ive ever come to this was 20 odd years ago when I started reading Sci-fi/fantasy, I used to comb second hand bookshops for anything Michael Moorcock. I used to like a lot of the older cover art and would buy the same novels with different covers.

27th March 2006, 08:10 AM	#12 (permalink)
Adasunshine Daisy Toadfoot Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 956	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level I have a signed copies of the following... 3rd edition copy of Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (HB) Terry Pratchett has signed paperback versions of Good Omens and Small Gods Them by Jon Ronson (HB) The Informers by Bret Easton Ellis (HB) Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud (Signed & numbered collectors edition - HB) We also have some history books from The Folio Society which are gorgeous (and very expensive), alas, we bought them when we had a little bit more money and will have to wait a few more years before buying anything else from them... My choice author is Neil Gaiman, if I could have a signed collection I would, I love his stuff but like Culhwch, I'm too poor , though I comb eBay a LOT trying to find something! xx

27th March 2006, 09:32 AM	#13 (permalink)
polymath The Reimkennar Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 147	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level No, I don't do this at all...the most I've got is 'Master Of Middle Earth' by Paul Kocher which was very good but in the main, companion works don't work for me. I have a signed Iain M. Banks 'Excession' hardback that I'm pleased about...he's a very entertaining speaker too. Other than that, nope, not my bag really.

27th March 2006, 10:19 AM	#14 (permalink)
Cyril Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 68	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level In my case, Brunner can easily be put in that category. I should have almost every book published in french (only few books to find left). Also Palahniuk. But I seldom seek books related to an author I'm fan of... If I'm falling on it by chance, I'm buying it, but I don't search that sort of material.

27th March 2006, 02:29 PM	#15 (permalink)
Jay Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 545	Re: Your favorite author - taking it to the next level This is difficults, simply because I'm not going t lsitall the various special editions, autographed works, numbered/limited editons I have (it would take much more time than worth it IMHO - and it's mmy hobby and I'm generally active in prusuing my hobbies), but to answer the accompanying question, I buy companion books, or books abotuthe genreal all the time, and do so without thinking of them as seperate - I simply buy books - and non-fiction is not something I shy away from at all. In fact I just ordered Gary K. Wolfe's Soundings, which collects his reviews in the 90's. iIm sure all know Wolfe as one of the foremost sources of genre criticism, and Samuel Delany's (one of the great writers and ctitics of our time in my mind) About Writing. I to have all the Tolkien's History of Middle Earth's editions and Carpenter's Letters, and works like Jeff Vandermeer's Why Should I cut out your Throat?, and Moorcock's Wizardy and Wild Romance, and Clute and Grant's Encylopedias, and Diana Wynne Jones' Tough Guide to Fantasyland, and Meditaiyons on Middle Earth, a collection of essays by contemporary genre authors on Tolkien edited by Karen Haber (Robert Silverbeg's wife), and I'm very much looking forward to Moocock's memoir of Mervyn Peake this year. I also have Kate Wilhem's excellent (and Hugo nominated this year) Storyteller. I also dug up a first print of China Mieville's Between Equal Rights: A Marxist Theory of International Law I have much more, but these come to mind at the moment.

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