[Caly]

I guess that is a broad question, but I just want to complain about something fantasy related. Yesterday I read a delightful little book (Hob's Bargain by Patricia Briggs), so decided to track down other books the author has written. Only ONE is currently available (Dragon Bones). All the others are out of print. I've found used copies of two of them, but I am not willing to pay as much as the people are asking ($95 for a book?? I don't think so--unless it is the next Deverry).

Half.com was down when I checked, so I guess I will check there again later. Even bookfinder.com didn't have copies! This is not fair at all! The publisher's page was less than helpful.

Anyway, if you like fun little books with great female characters and a fairy tale feel you will probably like Hob's Bargain. I was a little worried b/c it had a blurb from Romantic Times and the first couple of pages seemed like rather silly romance, but it got better quite quickly. It is a very, very, very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Fun stuff *g*

Caleyna, http://www.fantasyfreaks.org

[Mithfânion]

tried www.alibris.com (http://www.alibris.com) yet?

[Keyoke]

Or www.abe.com (http://www.abe.com)

[Caly]

Thanks for those links. I've bookmarked them. I've checked them both out, but the books I am after must be darned good b/c the cheapest one was $30 and I can't spend that much on a paperback. Most of the prices were upwards of at least $80. Some were over $100. That is just so crazy! Weird to think that I never even heard of this author until very recently.

Caleyna

[Keyoke]

Problem I find these days with alot of Out-of-Prints book is that used book stores are finding out how rare they are, and charging a huge amount for the books.

I had to pay 30 bucks US for a Glen Cook book in his Dread Empire series. And, I honestly think that the reason why it was so expensive is because one person started charging alot, and other booksellers saw this, and also raises their prices to reflect this. It sucks, because, many of these books will no longer be enjoyed by their fans because booksellers are charging way to much for these books.

Dont get me wrong, I dont have a objection to charging more for rare books, but, it needs to be reasonable and fair. I've seen many books prices at 100+ dollars.. Ridiculous..

Check Ebay? Might get lucky there..

Keyoke

[Mithfânion]

Well, I don't have a creditcard so E-bay is out of the question, as well as other possible online sellers. Yet.

The problem you mentioned Keyoke is one I encountered two days ago as well. I really wanted to have Grey Mane of the Morning by Joy Chant, but of course they were OOP. So I went to the American Book Centre in The Hague and I ordered it through Alibris. But the exchange rate between Euro and $ is unfavourable for me so it costs much more anyway. Not to mention that they add, and here it comes, 30% extra because of the trouble they have to go to to get the book here. They say that the process from getting the book from an Alibris store to here justifies that extra 30%. Fortunately I'm a student and receive a 10% discount over the total amount. Still, I end up paying 20 Euro for a 260 page hardcover from 1977.

P.s. Caly, not to rub it in too much, but when I was at the American Book centre, they had 4 copies of Hob's bargain and two of Dragon Bones, all of them costing less than $ 10. I suppose that's quite bitter.


[This message has been edited by Mithfânion (edited March 27, 2002).]

[Caly]

Nah, that's not bitter at all. Those are the only two that are readily available at decent prices. I read Hob's Bargain and am just about to order Dragon Bones from amazon.co.uk (the whole reason I am online atm). I just have too many quests for old books. I still want those Briggs books, but over the weekend I got ahold of a copy of Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart. Now I MUST get the other two books by him. I've found one at a reasonable price, but I am not sure if they will ship to Sweden. If all else fails I'll have them ship it to my mom in the US and pick it up when I am home this summer.

The saga continues. . . .

I really need to open a used bookstore *nod*. Too bad a used bookstore full of English books would not go over well in my current corner of the world.

Caleyna

[Mithfânion]

Bridge if Birds is still in print though, that shouldn't be too hard to find.

But I know what you mean. I've been looking hard for copies of the Zimmer book "lost prince" and Brunners "traveler in black". Both not found yet.