Books at my door (with gloating)

Not just a book, THE book:

It arrived here in very good condition and I’m happy of the purchase. Soooo pretty. And the best edition ever made.

I decided to get it as I didn’t have an original copy of the book and because I found out it was available on Amazon relatively for cheap. Now that I have it in my hands I’m not worried anymore to publicize you can have it too for just $53.55 ;)

It IS cheap if you consider it launched at $100-120 and now sold at $85. There’s also another 50 Anniversary edition in UK but it isn’t as pretty ‘n awesome.

This is the book exactly like Tolkien wanted it, one volume and with all the revisions to the text. Researched with extreme meticulosity.

The feature list says:
* Finest edition ever offered, complete in one volume
* Fully corrected, all new text setting
* Color insert showing leaves from the Book of Mazarbul (Tolkien’s own painting, three pages)
* Deluxe leather binding with two-color foil stamping
* Gilded edges, ribbon bookmark
* Two foldout two-color maps (standard and Gondor)

To this I add there’s a third map at the beginning of the book showing The Shire and the book has an index at the end with names and places similar to the one Tolkien wanted to add. There are also three different introductions, two explaining the various revisions to the text and the different editions, and one of Tolkien himself extremely interesting and explaining how the novel was conceived and its purpose.

Th prime motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, or deeply move them.

The most critical reader of all, myself, now finds many defects, minor and major, but being fortunately under no obligation either to review the book or to write it again, he will pass over these in silence, except oner that has been noted by others: the book is too short.

Other arrangements could be devised according to the tastes or views of those who like allegory or topical reference. But I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history, true or feigned, with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of the readers. I think that many confuse ‘applicability’ with ‘allegory’; but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author.

A few days before I also received a completely different book:

This came out a couple of weeks ago in the UK mass market edition, the one I got.

Can’t read it yet since I’ve read it spoils some plots in Erikson’s later novels I still have to read. 470 pages but it has just around 200 real ones as it’s written huge like a book for kids. I would have liked it more in a smaller edition, odd choice they made. It also contains two maps, one of the Malaz city (already appeared in one of Erikson’s books) and another I haven’t seen before of the Malaz island.

While I can’t read it yet I’ve skimmed it, especially because at the end there’s the prologue and first chapter of “Return of the Crimson Guard”, the first “serious” book written by Esslemont and with the ambition to rival Erikson in depth and complexity. I’m not sure I like the style, it’s more plain compared to Erikson and with short phrases. But it seems evocative.

Next week Pat should write down the first review, so we’ll have more clues about whether it is good or not. I really hope it is valid so I’ll have more and more and more to read about a world that I truly like.

For now we are left with one liners:

I’m about 100 pages into it and I have to agree that ICE has matured as a writer. This one reads more easily than NoK.

For those who were disappointed by NoK, know that RofCG is as convoluted (so far) as any of SE’s Malazan offerings.

220 pages into it, and it’s pretty damn good so far!

Storywise, RotCG is on par with most Malazan books by SE. But though his writing style has improved, ICE’s prose is not as fluid as SE.

Nevertheless, in terms of plotlines and such, this is a terrific book so far!

336 pages into it, and things have definitely started to heat up!

430 pages into it, and let me just tell you that TtH will have to be quite something to be the top Malazan…

The book will be published in UK in August.

I’m also eager to read the first impression of Toll the Hounds. Really, really hope it will be good.

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