I second this! I loved it!Originally Posted by jhanic
And I loved it!That's what I thought about Dan Simmons and Charles Dickens.
I was so wrong: I hated Drood!
sk
John
I second this! I loved it!And I loved it!That's what I thought about Dan Simmons and Charles Dickens.
I was so wrong: I hated Drood!
sk
John
Third.I second this! I loved it!And I loved it!That's what I thought about Dan Simmons and Charles Dickens.
I was so wrong: I hated Drood!
sk
John
I really love Simmon's Hyperion books, all four of them, and the two part Ilium and Olympos are equally outstanding sic-fi books. As for horror, Carrion Comfort is one of my absolute favorite books of all time - wonder take on the vampire genre. Summer of Night and its quasi sequel, Children of Night are also fine horror entries. The Hollow Man and Song of Kali both brought me to tears, though for different reasons. And if you enjoy hard-boiled detective fiction like I do, then dive right into Hardcase, Hard Freeze, and Hard as Nails - right up with Dennis Lehane. You will notice that I do not have as many entries form his later novels - I liked The Terror, but overall, I think that Dan has gone a little downhill with age. Just one man's opinion.
I'm going to list my S/L matched set (#428) of Ilium and Olympos on eBay this weekend -- but before I do I thought I'd give someone here the chance to make an offer. Please PM me by Friday if you're interested. USA only. Shipping will be by Priority Mail / medium flat rate box = $12.35.
Author of The Road to the Dark Tower, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences and The Dark Tower Companion. Co-editor with Stephen King of the anthology Flight or Fright.
S/L matched set (#428) of Ilium and Olympos -- auction ends tomorrow.
Author of The Road to the Dark Tower, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences and The Dark Tower Companion. Co-editor with Stephen King of the anthology Flight or Fright.
Fourth. I loved it as well.Third.I second this! I loved it!And I loved it!That's what I thought about Dan Simmons and Charles Dickens.
I was so wrong: I hated Drood!
sk
John
Two days ago I finished The Abominable. I liked it but not as much as I expected. I didn't like at all the reason of the trip and what prevented after. Sorry...I don't buy it. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book a lot.
I'm probably one of the very few, but Phases of Gravity is one of my favorite books by Dan. Drood and Summer of Night would be the first ones. I also liked a lot The Terror, The Hyperion Saga and Song of Kali. I didn't quite like Darwin's Blade and I think Carrion Comfort should be re-edited with 200 less pages.
Wanted list:
Ubris
I loved Drood, by both authors.
I agree with you. I enjoyed the book but didn't really buy that part of the plot.
The Abominable is my first Simmons and won't be my last.
I don't think that I even finished Drood. I rarely stop reading books but...
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CLUB STEPHEN KING (french website about STEPHEN KING, since 1992) : on : Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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Sub Press to do limited of The Fifth Heart...
The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons
We've been lucky enough to gain permission to publish the signed, limited edition of Dan Simmons' new novel, The Fifth Heart, an epic length thriller in the vein of Drood and The Terror.
Our edition will feature an oversize 7*10 trim size, sewn binding, and be housed in a custom slipcase. We're still consulting with Dan on finding just the right artist for the book.
The Fifth Heart has classic written all over it, as you'll see from the description. It has already garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.
About the Book:
Paris, 1893: On a bridge above the Seine, two figures, each bent on suicide, unexpectedly encounter one another. One is the great American novelist Henry James, whose personal and professional fortunes have dramatically declined. The other is Sherlock Holmes, who has an unusual reason for wanting to die. He has come to believe that he may not be real, that he may just be some “scribbler’s” fictional creation. This chance encounter at a vulnerable moment will have enormous ramifications for both men.
Abandoning thoughts of suicide, the two make their way to America, where the fastidious James finds himself caught up in a violent, frequently lethal world he could never have imagined. A pair of interconnected investigations dominates that world. The first concerns the supposed suicide of Clover Adams, wife of historian Henry Adams and member of an elite social circle called The Five Hearts. The second involves a vast, overarching conspiracy which, if successful, will affect the fates of entire nations. For both Holmes and his unlikely partner, the path to personal redemption leads through these two very different mysteries.
Seamlessly combining melodrama and metaphysical speculation with a brilliantly detailed portrait of Gilded Age America, The Fifth Heart is something truly special: a novel of depth and character that is also a world-class entertainment. Colorful, gripping, and ultimately quite moving, it is a formidable addition to a unique—and irreplaceable—body of work.
Limited: 500 signed numbered oversize copies, housed in a custom slipcase: $125
Lettered: 26 signed deluxe bound copies, housed in a custom traycase: $500
From Publishers Weekly (Starred Review):
“In Paris in 1893, Sherlock Holmes and Henry James join forces in this outstanding novel from Simmons, who has concocted something far from the usual pastiche, with a historical figure standing in for Dr. Watson… Simmons (Drood) knows the Holmes canon and uses that expertise in the service of a highly original reimagining of the beloved sleuth.”
From Booklist (Starred Review):
“Like several of Simmons' earlier novels, including The Abominable (2013) and Drood (2009), his latest is a riveting mixture of historical fact and fiction. The year is 1893. Henry James and Sherlock Holmes travel together to America to solve the mystery surrounding the death of socialite Clover Adams (whom, some say, James would later use as his inspiration for his novels Daisy Miller and The Portrait of a Lady). But the book isn't just for Holmes' fans—it's a solidly constructed, beautifully told mystery; a portrait of one of the nineteenth century's most important writers; and an intriguing blend of fact and fantasy.”
That was only announced yesterday and it looks like the lettered edition is already sold out. Less than 24 hours. Pretty quick. Simmons is great. Really looking forward to reading this one.
It has received very good reviews so far.
I thought DS had sworn off of limited editions. A few years ago he was bemoaning the amount work he had to put into them vs. the small financial return. I think the workload complaint is partly due to his desire to control art and design of the books. Maybe this will rekindle the possibility of a Summer Of Night limited.
I'm also looking forward to this one. I really like most of the Simmons that I've read.
John
I'm nearly finished with it -- it's interesting but a little bit slow-paced. At nearly 600 pages, it's taking me a while to get through it.
Author of The Road to the Dark Tower, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences and The Dark Tower Companion. Co-editor with Stephen King of the anthology Flight or Fright.
Just listed Freak Show. A S/L with 19 stories, 19 Signatures. Dan Simmons story Elm Haven, IL included.
Link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Freak-Show-D.../201285695897?
FREAK SHOW
edited by F. Paul Wilson
From the Horror Writers of America (the creators of UNDER THE FANG anthology) comes a fantastic spectacle of the inhuman, the superhuman, and the all-too human guaranteed to both appeal and enthrall.
WELCOME TO THE FREAK SHOW!!!
Features original stories by Rex Miller, Brad Strickland, Nancy Kilpatrick, Steven Sprull, and others.
Freak Show is a superbly put together novel, each chapter written by a different author and following a main storyline; like George R. R. Martin's Wild Cards series. F. Paul Wilson has done a brilliant job of editing this strange foray into the world of the Circus Freak.
With authors like himself (F. Paul Wilson), Richard Lee Byers, Dan Simmons, Rex Miller, Nancy Kilpatrick, and many others each dedicating their talents to a single chapter of the Ozymandias Traveling Circus and Oddity Emporium's journey across the US, focusing on a particular freak and his particular talent
Wilson’s own franchise character REPAIRMAN JACK makes an appearance as well. (This appearance is the basis for Wilson’s THE LAST RAKOSH)
Stories follow the travels of the Ozymandias Traveling Circus and Oddity Emporium's journey across the US,
Winter Quarters by F. Paul Wilson
Okefenokee Swamp, GA by Brad Strickland
Athens, GA by Gregory Nicoll
Sikeston, MO by Rex Miller
Leesville, LA by Nancy Kilpatrick
Bois D'Arc, TX by Scott Cupp
Palomita, NM by Kathyrn Ptacek
Venice, CA by Douglas Borton
La Cañada, CA by Morgan Fields
Seattle, WA by Richard Lee Byers
Elm Haven, IL by Dan Simmons
Chicago, IL by Yvonne Navarro
Battle Creek, MI by Steven Spruill
Drood Hollow, WV by Lee Moler
Bird-in-Hand, PA by Chet Williamson
Rochester, NY by Craig Shaw Gardner
Quarry, MA by R. Patrick Gates
Oyster Bay, NY by Thomas F. Monteleone
Pine Barrens, NJ by F. Paul Wilson
The Authors (Misc. Material)
FREAK SHOW
Edited by F. PAUL WILSON
I'm torn on whether or not to get the S/L of THE FIFTH HEART. I enjoyed a couple of his recent ones -- DROOD and, especially, THE TERROR -- but a few others like ABOMINABLE and BLACK HILLS have left me cold. I'd hate to spend the $$ to get the S/L of a book that is much more like the latter books than the former books. Just not sure I'm in the mood to gamble.
Before I put it up on ebay, is anyone interested in a signed Dark harvest 1st edition of Carrion Comfort?
Make a mutually beneficial offer.
(Random thought : Carrion Comfort have been on my todo list for many years. I bought the books a few months ago and will read it 'soonish'. I always loved and have been intrigued by the french title, which is translation is something like : "the chessboard of evil")
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CLUB STEPHEN KING (french website about STEPHEN KING, since 1992) : on : Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
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That's an accurate title for the novel, too. Been meaning to re-read this one lately. I absolutely loved it when it came out. Simmons went from strength to strength for me back then when he was starting out. He is, perhaps, a much better "writer" now, but those first 5 or 6 books had such energy driving them. Not unlike King, I guess.
This is an interesting book. I enjoyed the concept and the stories. Elm Haven is bit like Simmons' Castle Rock. He has based two novels there (Summer Of Night and A Winter Haunting) and has threaded the town into a few more. Wouldn't mind him returning there one more time.
Before I put it up on ebay, I have a signed Dark Harvest copy of "Carrion Comfort". It comes in a custom wooden case (used by Dark Harvest for a lettered edition).
Make me a mutually beneficial offer.
Just put a couple more Simmons items up for sale:
Prayers to Broken Stones Signed Limited
Phases of Gravity UK First Edition-Signed
My Dan Simmons collection on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/noah.mitche...0828265&type=3
I'll be meeting Dan on Tuesday -- he's in town for a signing at Murder by the Book.
Author of The Road to the Dark Tower, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences and The Dark Tower Companion. Co-editor with Stephen King of the anthology Flight or Fright.
Bev - that is SO cool. . . very jealous! Simmons doesn't come here (NYC) to sign. . .sigh. . .so once again I've ordered my signed copy from The Poisoned Pen.
By the way, all you Simmons fans please check out our Dan Simmons Collecting page on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/671998096245939/
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