When I was in high school all the way up through my first couple years of married life, I was a member in good standing of
the Science Fiction Book Club. As a kid it was a great way to pick up a ton of books for not too much money, and I would dare say more than half the hard back books I own came from the club. But after the births of our last two kids, it was difficult to justify even that small expense. Times got better, but by then other things began to occupy my time, and if I wanted to read a book, I'd just go to the library or snag something from Barnes and Noble. My birthday is coming up, and Dolores asked me what I wanted. We're in the process of preparing to finish part of our basement into a family room/man cave, and one of the things I want to do is pull out all my books and put them on some nice shelves down there. That got me thinking about the club, and I told her I wanted to re-up. So I did. I ordered my first six books yesterday, committing myself to buy three more in the next couple of years. Here's what I picked:
 | THE GOD EFFECT by Brian Clegg- A non-fiction book that describes Quantum Entanglement and it's possible applications for travel, communication and computer development. I've been fascinated by the theory of Entanglement since I first heard of it a few years ago, and this book looked intriguing enough to give a go. |
 | ON HER MAJESTY'S OCCULT SERVICE by Charles Stross- The catalog describes it as a cross between James Bond and Lovecraft. I don't know how you could go wrong with that combo. |
 | DEATHBIRD STORIES by Harlan Ellison- My old copy of this book has long since vanished into the ether, so it was high time to get another one. |
 | KIRBY: KING OF COMICS by Mark Evanier- A heavily illustrated celebration of da king. |
  | SUNSTORM and FIRST BORN by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter- These are two of three books that continue the mythos of Clarke's 2001 universe. The first of the trilogy, TIME'S EYE, wasn't available through the club, so I picked it up via Amazon (is that a cheat?). Maybe I went a little overboard on Clarke, but I've been feeling a bit wistful about his works since his recent death, and figured this was a good tribute to the man. |
I'll let you know my thoughts on these books as I finish them. Of course I don't know when that'll be. As someone far wiser than I once observed, the purchase of a book is the purchase of the fantasy that you have time to read it.
