A shelf in my study. A little of everything, pulp fiction, western science fiction…
The Black Lizard Book of Black Mask Stories, and (skipping a book) The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps are both big fat excellent anthologies anyone who enjoys hard-boiled fiction should own. In between, The Big Book of Western Action Stories, an anthology of western stories, I decided to try since I’m not much of a western reader and wanted to try some.
The science fiction genre is represented by The Crystal Variation, a Liaden Universe (you can look it up) novel. I’ve read several of these, though not those one, and out of order, but I have enjoyed them.
The last book, edited by by John Harvey is an themed anthology with stories about music. I’ve read about half of it.
That’s it until next week. Stay safe and well.
Tip the Wink 
I like it. I’ve read those two giant Penzler collections – the Black Mask stories and the Pulps – but don’t own them. They take up too much room! It did prompt me to go to the library website and download his BOOK OF REEL MURDERS, which I hadn’t read. This has the original stories that inspired famous movies like REAR WINDOW and WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION. I’ve also read the Harvey collection.
I don’t read a lot of westerns either (mostly confined to a few authors like Bill Crider), but the Western Action Stories collection does sound interesting too.
You could get those fat books in ebook, I think.
Actually I like westerns more than fantasy or science fiction. The themes and characters seem very much like those in crime fiction.
I agree, they do, but the setting is so different.
I own all the books except for BLUE LIGHTNING which sounds good. I’ll have to give it a look. I’ve spent most of last week reading Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden novels. A new Harry Dresden novel–the first one in 8 years!–will arrive in a couple of weeks so I’ve been catching up on the series so I’ll be ready for it. But, some of the books are Big Fat Books (500+ pages) and that has slowed things down a bit.
Haven’t ever been a fan of the Butcher novels, I’m afraid.
I like those big fat anthologies. Just wished they were not so awkward to hold. I don’t read a lot of westerns. I have liked the ones by Larry McMurtry. And Elmore Leonard has written some good ones. Also Warlock by Oakley Hall.
I read those thick books either on a table or on my lap, and it’s okay. I tried Lonesome Dove and could get even a third in before quitting.
Those two Black Lizard books of short stories look very good, but I have the same problem as Steve, heavy and awkward to hold. I wish I had more room in my house to shelve big books like that. I would like to try more westerns also.
I finished Dragonsdawn a few days ago and I will have to look online for a copy of the next book to read in that series. Now I am reading a spy fiction book by one of my favorite authors, Olen Steinhauer.
I read those thick books either on a table or on my lap, and it’s okay.
Now that you have the background, you could just go to the first two published books, Dragonflight and Dragonquest. They should be easy to find.
I have ordered copies of Dragonflight and The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall. When they get here, I will decide which one I will read next.
Ah, Rick, you forgot to mention THE COMPLETE JOHN THUNSTONE by one of my favorite writers, Manly Wade Wellman.
Jerry, I had written a much longer text for the post, but accidentally dumped the page and it was gone. Yes, that’s a very nice, illustrated edition which I have yet to crack.
I have that same Sharon Lee, Steve Miller book on my self. It remains a TBR at this point.
I managed to put up a couple of Bookshelf posts last week, which was a triumph for me given how little I post, LOL.
The other books all look great too.
I commented on the Tolkein one just this morning, Carl.