I remember the Unwin Unicorn books from the 80s. They really stood out at the time with their black borders. I have about a dozen or so in my collection. Thanks for the video, this took me back.
I realize it's not your favorite stuff, but as a younger person, to whom this stuff is ineffably obscure, I really appreciate you shining a light on those vast swathes of literary fantasy that the contemporary world seems to have forgotten about, but whose absence is felt, acutely, in its consciousness. Lots of stuff here I'd never heard of, so thank you so much for that. I'm really looking forward to the M. John Harrison interview! :)
To be fair some of the books on the Unwin list were as I say tough sells- what I was shifting TONS of at that very time were the works of David Eddings and Moorcock and Terry Pratchett's first discworld book ('The Colour of Magic') was published about a week after I started bookselling and I said to my new boss "This is going to be huge,"....I didn't know why, it just felt that way and I was right. I'm reading M John's new book now (it's not published for another 6 weeks) and the interview will be up here late May.
A great, nostalgic video! I have some of those books. For a few years Unwin's literary fantasy stood like a defensive wall against all the dross about wizards, princesses and magician's that was flooding the market, Jane Johnson deserves an award for that, or at least some kind of recognition.
Hi Steve, thanks for another informative video. I've checked my library and have 3 books relevant. I have Other Voices in the same edition you have. The 1st Interzone anthology was published by Everymen in 1985, the other 4 were published by NEL. Finally I have Theatre of Timesmiths by Garry Kilworth in A format paperback from 1984. It was also great to hear a mention of Nigel Kneale and Quatermass from your last video. I have all 3 of the first Quatermass from Hammer and also the original BBC recordings. Neale was so unique.
Yes, when I watched the video back after launching, I said to my partner 'That anthology was Dent (Everyman) not Unwin, damn!,'. I used to have that 'Timesmiths' but upgraded to a Gollancz hardcover many years ago. I like Garry a lot. Kneale? THE MASTER!
Barbara Hambly was the first fantasy author I read. Followed by Feist, who was huge back then. And Tad Williams. Because of Steve I bought some Le Guin last week, and ordered 10 SF Masterwork titles. My reading has been neglected a bit and am now on a mission to discover new (for me) authors.
Feist was massive- without the success of 'Magician', there would have been no real trade paperback market in the UK- when 'Silverthorn' came out few people were buying hardcovers and three months after it was issued the trade paperback- which was a mid-price alternative to the hardcover and issued some nine months before the standard 'A Format' paperback- it sold like mad thus establishing the trade as a viable format. Can I find one anywhere now? No way. It had a totally different cover than the later paperback too, would love to see one again for that warm glow of nostalgia. Best of luck with your new reader of Masterworks!
These catalogs and 80s Unwin book covers are a treat to see! If you're planning an interview with M. John Harrison in May btw, will there be a community post before that to gather any questions from us audience folk lol? Great look at the vintage stuff, as always
Probably not, I'm afraid, as I think Mike ans I have a very specific agenda for the interview, but you never know, we'll see. we will both be chatting beforehand, so you never know...
Interesting as always! Some titles and authors I recognise there: in fact one of those shown in the leaflet, but not mentioned, rang a bell. I thought 'I used to have that.' And when I checked my bookshelves, I found that I still do! 'Black Moon and Red Mountain', by Joy Chant, Unicorn edition 1982. Not in great condition, but still looks good. I can't actually remember reading it, so I must get back to it again. (And this year, because my collection faces considerable downsizing following retirement and moving next year 🤥).
Well, if you're downsizing books let me take a look at them first! LOL Yes, a lot of these are pretty hard to find now and some were a tough sell. It got easier when Jane took over and she was instrumental in them adopting a more contemporary look and a greater focus on SF too.
@@outlawbookselleroriginal - certainly will, Steve, I'd like them to go to a good home - though I doubt if I have many that match the standards of your collection!
Thank you so much for this look into a beautiful piece of ephemera! i have never come across this catalogue before, but now suspect it will become my new 'Snark'.
@@outlawbookselleroriginalThat's too kind. I love the era, and the love affair with fantasy that covered games, books, art and film. Fighting Fantasy was a real phenomena and has had a lasting impact on a lot of people. I met Sir Ian Livingstone (author and co-creator) at an event last year and he's always entertaining and lovers to talk about this stuff.
@@derek83mn Ah, MERP! I played a little in the 90's. Hadn't realised they were involved in publishing it, but as it's Tolkien (Middle Earth Role Playing), I guess that makes sense.
Enjoyed this ! I read some Steven Donaldson and Tolkien but slipped into sf early I still read moorcock though love Corum is it fantasy or sf ? Let’s not forget silverbergs forays into fantasy/ sf and Wolfe reads much like fantasy and love his stuff . As always find it all very interesting not read m John Harrison another gap don’t know how I’ve missed him but there you go !
M John is the Anti-Tolkien: he lulls you into a false sense of security in 'The Pastel City' a la Moorcock, challenges you linguistically a la Wolfe in 'A Storm of Wings' then lets it all fall apart in the amazing 'Viriconium Nights' and 'In Viriconium' (the 'Viriconium' omnibus from Gollancz collects all four. Increasingly, I feel that all Moorcock's work is SF, as it is all one metanarrative and I'm selecting the realist and Cornelius stories as the fulcrum of it all....but only Mike can say...
@@outlawbookselleroriginal m John Harrison goes on tbr for sure .Loved the stranglers stuff as well been watching the music content saw stranglers 83 first time 2017 last and many In between always fantastic. So keep on mixing it up mate many thanks
I would have liked to know a little about the game books. I'm fuzzy on the order of things but Narnia, Tolkien, and game books were a huge part of what got this poor kid with low education into reading. I'm very nostalgic for gamebooks. Most critics seem to snob them at best, or outright detest them.
Can't really comment on them I'm afraid as I've never been that interested in gaming or game culture- I grew up on an isolated Welsh mountain with no peers nearby, so no-one to play games with, so I naturally gravitated toward solitary activities as I had no other choice.
Oh. At 8.45 I thought you were talking about 'choose your own adventure' style game books. Very good alternative for those of us from more isolated communities. Maybe those books your refered to were more in the style of D&D. I also grew up in a small farming town in New Zealand. Luckily our school and town library were stocked with fairly good books.
Sub genre specific, all Trade PB in the early 80s - They were just too far ahead of the curve! "The High Kings" was quite respected in Celtic circles for some time. That catalogue is a trip! So many great authors! Rachel Pollack! SO much in this vid - I already don't know if you actually recommend any of these - it blurs
Well, a 'B format' wasn't really a trade paperback even then, despite what many say- a trade paperback is a C or D format (the C corresponding to a demy hardcover, the D to a Royal hardcover- the text blocks are the same, it's the bidning that is different- and price of course). I'd strongly recommend the Unwin material of M John Harrison, Garry Kilworth, Colin Greenland and Geoff Ryman- you'll struggle to find the others!
