Fantasy Aficionados discussion

I remember reading Sherri Tepper's first couple Mavin books about twenty years ago The Chronicles of Mavin Manyshaped. Loved the shape-shifting heroine idea. I remember being impressed by the second story--it was classic Tepper, a mix of the fantastical, horror and small town commentary. I seem to remember being puzzled by the other two. I decided to do a book search--low and behold, I can get the Chronicles for the low price of $185. More or less. Checking on another network, I might be able to get used & worn out copies of the individual books around $12 each. I certainly don't remember them being $185 worth of book deliciousness, but now that they are harder to get, maybe I want them a little more... how much would you spend?

Definitely not over $100!!! But I'm not a collector. With my luck if I spent that much on a out of print book I'd find a reissue in a week. I'd spend up to $25 max for a paperbook I haven't read but want to. If it's an old favorite I probably wouldn't go higher than $40. But a little warning. I've reread a few books this year that were old favorites and I hated them. So be careful what you spend. Go for the cheaper used copy imo.

I think you're right. I did a little more looking around and it's related to Tepper's Game series, which I don't think I've read--it might be different if I was a huge fan of the series and prone to re-reading (I have bought Beagle in hardcover because of that). I'm kind of tempted by the "collectible" copy prices of about $25 each... I don't own many signed books and haven't searched out many that were out-of-print. Not really interested in owning to re-sell.

If it's over tree fiddy, then it's too much.

lol... "Woman! Why you givin' my money to a sea monster?" or something like that?

Which always reminds me of another money refrain...

"Two dollars. I want my two dollars."

Name that lame but totally funny John Cusack 80s vehicle (please! Because I can never remember it!)

Better Off Dead!

Thank you!

I've paid a fair amount for OOP books - but I think the highest was $50-something for an OOP hardback. Of course, the reissued it a few years later - the bastards. But ah well.

I am currently thinking of paying nearly $30 for a $6 book because it's OOP and rare. Thing is, I'm not sure how much I really want to read it and how much it's just the completionist in me.

One thing I do always suggest is shoping around.

I found this copy" of your book on ebay for roughly $45 (including conversion rates if you're in the US). It's listed as being in good condition, so might be worth more than paying the $12 each for worn out copies.

Ooh, cool. Thanks for looking around, Colleen! I've never done eBay international... even with shipping, it would be a heck of a lot cheaper than the ones I saw.

I get what you are saying about wanting a book to complete a set. I'm wondering if nostalgia is part of my own motivation... Traci, thanks for reminding me that sometimes re-reads of long-ago favorites don't always work out.

No problem. I am a master of google-fu. ;)

I'm kinda cheap. I spent $27 each for hardcover, embossed volumes of Manly Wade Wellman collected short stories. About the same for Anthony Boucher's short story collection. It has to be kind of hard to find for me to spend more money on it. But then I buy a lot of books, so I have to economize somewhere.

However, if you can afford it and it's something you want, then you should spend what you feel comfortable spending.

I agree. Spend what you're okay with. I wouldn't feel comfortable spending alot on one book but I have spent more than $100 on one visit to the bookstore. More than once. :)

I've spent like $12 or $15 for "an old paperback that's barely holding together". But then it was a nostalgia thing. I can't afford to spend as much as I once would have. I suppose "how much is too much" is on a sliding scale. If you're wealthy beyond the dreams of Avarice, I suppose what looks expensive would be different. I'm not...as a matter of fact my circumstances are very reduced from what they used to be. I trade a lot of used books.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "how much is too...I'm not...as a matter of fact my circumstances are very reduced from what they used to be. I trade a lot of used books."

Retirement, vision impairment that keeps me from driving and 'downsizing' from six-room/full basement house with one room just for books/art studio to a four room house certainly has limited my book buying. All of my book purchases are online except for an occasional Goodwill purchase. I do have a budget for book buying and I limit my buying over $1 to books I expect to keep and re-read.

The only new books I buy before reading from the library are ones by authors whose books end up on my permanent shelf to be re-read 95% of the time. Even that was starting to be a space problem for me, which the Kindle is going to solve.

New books I buy through Amazon and are pretty much $16 or under. Used books (especially paperbacks) that are replacements for the books I lost in a fire a number of years ago I try to find in used paperback on line and try to stay $5 or under. Kindle helps here some, but with some Kindle books, the Kindle price is more than the used book plus postage price and many of the older books are not even available on Kindle.

That said, I have paid as much as $75 for a used copy of some of the out of print art and art instruction books that are replacements for ones lost in the fire. But that is about my upper limit at this point.

Sharon, I find myself using your strategy as well--especially since joining GR--I've been checking most of my books out from the library and then added a few that were on sale or I know I wanted to re-read. I haven't invested in a Kindle yet just because of the joy of looking through my shelves to find an old favorite--I know it wouldn't be the same. If I really love a book, I try and find it in hardcover--I do have a couple editions of Beagle and Willis just so I can re-read the first to pieces.

I've decided to check out the Tepper books from the library and discover if I'm suffering nostalgia before I invest any money or space... these days, space is at a premium.

Our library (system)had it's budget cut a few years ago and most of the books I go looking for they seem not to have anymore. Sometimes I can get books through inter-library loan, but the last 2 I sent for I got "unavailable" notices.

Sharon, Have you found Abe Books? They tend to (usually) run down used books at a good price and the shipping is usually reasonable.

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Our library (system)had it's budget cut a few years ago and most of the books I go looking for they seem not to have anymore. Sometimes I can get books through inter-library loan, but the last 2 I ..."

Our local library isn't all that big and they have some "Bible-beltish" tendencies occasionally about what fiction they buy. I've had great luck with inter-library loans however but I think much of that may have to do with how good the person doing the requesting is about where and how to request through the Internet. She's managed to get some out of print books that were pretty specialized ... a couple came out of the library at the Ringling Brothers library in FL ... two from different Agricultural college libraries ... so she's not requesting just through the public library sources. The only restriction is that the book has to have been published at least one year ago.

I've used Abe Books, also BookFinder. One of the things I will do as well, if I'm looking for more than one book in a series, is look at the individual used book store site and check to see if they have some of the other books in that series. If you can order direct, more than one, you can often get a discounted shipping rate. I've also occasionally found a collection, half dozen or more, of a particular series for sale on eBay fairly reasonably priced.

Balanced nostalgia wins! After checking out the Mavin Manyshaped series from the library, I found that they are as I remember--and classic Tepper. I think I'm going to try and add to my library, and I'll go for a better/good quality condition--but not collector's quality.

Anyone know about old paperbacks and yellowing? All my books are protected from the sun, in shelves, but I see circa 1985 paperbooks that are badly yellowed. Is there a way to avoid it, or is it the paper it's printed on? Maybe I'm starting to see the value of ebooks.

Maybe putting them in plastic baggies? I have my favorite books in plastic covered boxes and they still got yellowed. The funny thing is some of my pre sixties paperbacks look better than ones from ten years ago. So it might be the quality of the paper used.

The problem Carol is that Paper backs were (and possibly still are) printed on lower quality paper which among other things has a higher acid content. It tends to yellow and fall apart after a while. The glue in these also tends to grow dry and brittle. I have a lot of older paperbacks that I still read, but the pages have "fallen out of" and are simply loose in the book. They were never made to last. I think modern paperbacks are printed on better quality paper, but am not sure.

*grumble, grumble* acid-free *grumble, grumble*

I bet you are right, Mike. Some of my favs are like the Tepper books--no one will probably ever release it in e-book, so I'm stuck.

Carol wrote: "*grumble, grumble* acid-free *grumble, grumble*

I bet you are right, Mike. Some of my favs are like the Tepper books--no one will probably ever release it in e-book, so I'm stuck."

I don't know about never. Especially since Tepper is still writing. Maybe if enough fans take their cause to the publisher or the author, they'll put them out in digital format. I have two of the Mavin series (I'm missing the third and at some point bought the second twice)I have the three in the series featuring her son and I have Jinian Star-Eye. I'm still missing Jinian Footseer and Dervish Daughter but haven't had the income to try and buy them.

I wouldn't buy a 200 dollar book just to reread it. I've had several out of print things that at times have been through the roof in price. Mind-Find and the other books in that series used to be available only for over 80 bucks a piece . . . now I'm finding them for much cheaper.

We're talking "Sheri S. Tepper", right? Abe Books shows a lot of her's for $1 each (with shipping of $3 or less). Not Ebooks, don't know if that helps or not???

Mike--how sweet of you--thank you! The Mavin Manyshaped are a bit more than $1 but it's a great resource.

It's okay...and you may not thank me later if you weren't aware of Abe Books before. I'd hate to think how much I've spent there. :)

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "It's okay...and you may not thank me later if you weren't aware of Abe Books before. I'd hate to think how much I've spent there. :)"

Even better IMO is Bookfinder.com which is a metasearch engine collecting data from a number of bookstores.

You two are evil...just evil. :)
I could have used these sites a few years ago when I was on my classic science fiction kick.

Yah Kernos, that's basically what Abe is. I end up buying books from all over the US, Canada, and UK.