James Laubacker wrote:

Vic wrote:

Well, you could look at it from the other point of view: our consistent pricing allows you to pick up Northwest of Earth, which clocks in around 380 pages, for the same price.

That's a good perspective. As long as the average is about 250 pages, I'll be satisfied. I guess that means you wouldn't consider a lower price on the shorter books?

We have tossed around raising and lowering the price by a few bucks depending on the page count. Unfortunately, even if we decided to do this, it wouldn't take effect until 2009 since we have already solicited all the 2008 books and their prices.

-Lisa

I'd say that's fortunate, please keep it in mind for 2009.

This is more a question about the entire Planet Stories series than about the subscription. Are the Planet Stories books complete and unabridged versions of the originals?

This is more a question about the entire Planet Stories series than about the subscription. Are the Planet Stories books complete and unabridged versions of the originals?

That's kind of a tricky wording, as at least some of the books in the line have been published in so-called "complete and unabridged" editions that were neither of those things. (For more on that, check out our September 20 blog post comparing the "complete and unabridged" edition of The Swordsman of Mars with the original serial publication.)

Where such issues are apparent, we strive to be faithful to the original publication.

Theris Nordo Ichka wrote:

This is more a question about the entire Planet Stories series than about the subscription. Are the Planet Stories books complete and unabridged versions of the originals?

That's kind of a tricky wording, as at least some of the books in the line have been published in so-called "complete and unabridged" editions that were neither of those things. (For more on that, check out our September 20 blog post comparing the "complete and unabridged" edition of The Swordsman of Mars with the original serial publication.)

Where such issues are apparent, we strive to be faithful to the original publication.

Thanks for the speedy reply, I’ll probably be subscribing in a few days.

I love the idea of this series, and do plan to subscribe, but I have a few questions:
(1) Several of the first discussions posted are talking about a sale, is that still going on? (If not, maybe those posts should be removed.)
(2) Are there any sales or deals happening now? Are any planned for the near future?

I love the idea of this series, and do plan to subscribe, but I have a few questions:

(1) Several of the first discussions posted are talking about a sale, is that still going on? (If not, maybe those posts should be removed.)
(2) Are there any sales or deals happening now? Are any planned for the near future?

The "sale" was actually a special subscriber discount on previous books in the series. Because we didn't offer subscriptions until after three Planet Stories books in the series had already been published, we wanted to give subscribers the opportunity to pick up those books with the same discount that they would have had if we had offered the subscriptions three months earlier when the line started. So it wasn't so much a sale as a limited-time subscriber perk.

We generally don't remove posts, but you have a good point—I'll add a note to one of the early posts explaining the situation.

We don't current have any sales involving Planet Stories, and there are none planned. Regardless, we work hard to make sure we don't create offers that penalize people for having subscribed *before* those offers, so the best time to subscribe is always "now."

In the subscription ad in the back of ‘The Outlaws of Mars’ it says subscribers get 30% off the cover price, but on the website it says 20% off.

Is this 30% a typo or something new?

Can a Planet Stories subscription be combined with a Pathfinder subscription for shipping? One shipment per month, is what I'm asking.

Can a Planet Stories subscription be combined with a Pathfinder subscription for shipping? One shipment per month, is what I'm asking.

Yes - that's how I have mine set up.

In the subscription ad in the back of ‘The Outlaws of Mars’ it says subscribers get 30% off the cover price, but on the website it says 20% off.

Is this 30% a typo or something new?

Sigh. That's a typo. It's 20%.

But do stay tuned. It may not be a typo for long.

30% would be my tipping point.

But do stay tuned. It may not be a typo for long.

Curse you!

Love the series so far. Any plans to publish Flame Winds and Sons of the Bear God by Norvell Page ? These were a pair of good pulp fantasy novels.

Im still hanging on for Clansman of Andor and the Long Tomorrow.

Also how about a novel by Andre Norton called Starmans son (or Daybreak 2250 AD). This was a Post Apoc tale in the SOS the Rope vein.

I've got the Page books, but so far they're hovering somewhere near the center of the "to read" pile. It'll be a while before we get to them, if we do.

I'd want to publish almost all of Brackett's science fantasy before I got to "The Long Tomorrow." While that's an awesome story, in some ways it is among the least "Planet Stories" of all her major works.

I'm not a huge fan of Andre Norton, I'm afraid.

Has Paizo ever published the works of Edmund Hamilton (Leigh Brackett's husband)?

No. Haffner Press has sealed up the rights to everything he ever wrote, so it's not available to us.

No. Haffner Press has sealed up the rights to everything he ever wrote, so it's not available to us.

Thanks!

We've just implemented some changes to the Planet Stories imprint and to Planet Stories subscriptions that we believe will significantly increase the quality of the books in general and enhance the value of your subscription.

Starting with June's Robots Have No Tails, by Henry Kuttner, Planet Stories subscribers will enjoy a 30% discount on new Planet Stories volumes (up from 20%). Additionally, subscribers will be able to order older Planet Stories books at a substantial 15% discount off the cover price as an added benefit of subscribing. We hope this new discount structure makes it easier for collectors to pick up volumes they may have missed from earlier in our series.

Also in June, Planet Stories will shift to a roughly bimonthly publication schedule, with six volumes scheduled per year into the future. We're worried we may be producing Planet Stories books faster than subscribers are able to read them, so we want to slow things down a bit and give each book a chance to make a strong impact on the marketplace and in the minds of our faithful readers. We hope to increase the frequency in the future, but doing so will require significantly more subscribers than we have now and better penetration into local and national bookstores. We believe these changes will come with time, and reducing the frequency in the meantime gives us an opportunity to ensure that Planet Stories has the best possible foundation in the years to come during a very challenging period for the book publishing industry.

The biggest change to the line will become apparent when we send out Robots Have No Tails in the upcoming weeks: We've completely revised the Planet Stories format to pack in more story for your buck and to include illustrations that harken back to the pulp era from which many of our stories are drawn. In the case of this summer's The Ship of Ishtar, by A. Merritt, we've even negotiated rights to publish illustrations by noted pulp illustrator (and the best man at the wedding of C. L. Moore and Henry Kuttner) VIRGIL FINLAY!

Those of you familiar with Finlay's marvelous work will no doubt be jumping up and down with excitement. Those of you who have not encountered his work are in for a real treat. Other Planet Stories volumes will contain interior illustrations (many original to the Planet Stories line) as well, and we hope to set a new standard of design excellence with the series. We've posted sample page layouts on the Robots Have No Tails product page to give you a taste of what's in store in the very near future.

The very best way that you can help to ensure a bright future for Planet Stories is to subscribe, and to evangelize the line to your science fiction and fantasy-reading friends. We hope to double the number of Planet Stories subscribers in the next year, and we're going to need all the help you can provide in order to achieve that goal.

We're more excited about the Planet Stories line than we've ever been. In many ways, we're finally publishing these stories in a format that does them justice and best matches our original plans for the line. We hope you love what's in store, and that you continue to support Planet Stories.

It means the (strange adventures on other) worlds to us.

Sincerely,

Erik Mona
Publisher
Paizo Publishing, LLC

This is fantastic news! So fantastic, that I subscribed from my iPod Touch while lying in bed last night.

The changes you've implemented (most notably the bi-monthly schedule) were exactly what I needed to take the plunge. One book a month was a bit too fast considering the other reading material already on my bookshelf. Tossing in the very generous discount certainly helped too.

Thanks for taking the steps to make this line even more appealing. I think I'll pass on the link to my sci-fi/fantasy book club.

This is fantastic news! So fantastic, that I subscribed from my iPod Touch while lying in bed last night.

The changes you've implemented (most notably the bi-monthly schedule) were exactly what I needed to take the plunge. One book a month was a bit too fast considering the other reading material already on my bookshelf. Tossing in the very generous discount certainly helped too.

Thanks for taking the steps to make this line even more appealing. I think I'll pass on the link to my sci-fi/fantasy book club.

Thank you!

Just signed back up. Yay pulp!

Also signed back up.

Signed up for the first time! Any recommendations for previous volumes?

Everything by C.L Moore and Leigh Brackett.

Bless your hearts! So glad to have you as subscribers!

Signed up for the first time! Any recommendations for previous volumes?

The Dark World, by Henry Kuttner. And the Gygax books. Seconding the earlier Brackett/Moore recommendations.

I was in at the beginning but that book a month was killing me. I like to read widely and I just couldn't fit them in.

And I love the new layout.

taig wrote:

Signed up for the first time! Any recommendations for previous volumes?

The Dark World, by Henry Kuttner. And the Gygax books. Seconding the earlier Brackett/Moore recommendations.

Thanks, Russ. Thanks, Kruelaid. I'll definitely check those out.

I was in at the beginning but that book a month was killing me. I like to read widely and I just couldn't fit them in.

And I love the new layout.

Wow, has noone posted to this since May? I am one of the few detractors on the bi-monthly schedule. In case there are a lot more like me, I would encourage a schedule with more books. If not, I am not without reading. Erik will be pleased to know that I will be forced to read the 2nd of 4 Clark Ashton Smith books (The Door to Saturn after having been "forced" to read The End of the Story due to a lack of Planet Stories) although The Centenary Edition of Robert E. Howard's The Complete Chronicles of Conan are trying to tempt me.

I also preferred the old layout, but if cost is an issue, I will not complain. And as I believe I have mentioned before I prefer older authors at the expense of contemporary authors, not that I have not enjoyed the Anthony and Moorcock offerings.

Is it me or has it been a million years since a Planet Stories novel came out?

I thought it was bi-monthly, but according to my orders, none have shipped since October 2010 ...

Is it me or has it been a million years since a Planet Stories novel came out?

I thought it was bi-monthly, but according to my orders, none have shipped since October 2010 ...

Sadly, when we get behind schedule, Planet Stories suffers the most. However, Battle in the Dawn will be shipping this month.

gbonehead wrote:

Is it me or has it been a million years since a Planet Stories novel came out?

I thought it was bi-monthly, but according to my orders, none have shipped since October 2010 ...

Sadly, when we get behind schedule, Planet Stories suffers the most. However, Battle in the Dawn will be shipping this month.

Battle in the Dawn shipped in March, Hunt for the Space Witch shipped in May. Let this title ship in July and we are at 6/year as advertised. Thank you Paizo for doing this for Planet Stories. I definitely appreciate your effort.

It is good to be appreciated! :)

Hunt the Space Witch was filled with pulpy goodness! Yay!

So, what's next after the next two Silverbergs? Inquiring minds want to know.

So, what's next after the next two Silverbergs? Inquiring minds want to know.

Next issue in January. Any update on what goodness is after that?

The Planet Killers was one of my favorite stories to date.

Kata. the ..... wrote:

So, what's next after the next two Silverbergs? Inquiring minds want to know.

Next issue in January. Any update on what goodness is after that?

Not yet. The third Silverberg hasn't made it to the printer yet (but keep in mind that since our novels are printed in the USA, we get them back a bit faster than the stuff we print in China).

Kata. the ..... wrote:

Kata. the ..... wrote:

So, what's next after the next two Silverbergs? Inquiring minds want to know.

Next issue in January. Any update on what goodness is after that?

Not yet. The third Silverberg hasn't made it to the printer yet (but keep in mind that since our novels are printed in the USA, we get them back a bit faster than the stuff we print in China).

The Chalice of Death is now shipping. Is Planet Stories dead? I really hope not. I have absolutely loved this run. I have read a lot of authors I would never have seen before. And, I have read stuff by these authors that I would have never read before.

I would love to Planet Stories to continue. Thank you Paizo for exposing me to authors I may have never discovered.

Vic Wertz wrote:

Kata. the ..... wrote:

Kata. the ..... wrote:

So, what's next after the next two Silverbergs? Inquiring minds want to know.

Next issue in January. Any update on what goodness is after that?

Not yet. The third Silverberg hasn't made it to the printer yet (but keep in mind that since our novels are printed in the USA, we get them back a bit faster than the stuff we print in China).

The Chalice of Death is now shipping. Is Planet Stories dead? I really hope not. I have absolutely loved this run. I have read a lot of authors I would never have seen before. And, I have read stuff by these authors that I would have never read before.

I would love to Planet Stories to continue. Thank you Paizo for exposing me to authors I may have never discovered.

I'd like to second this. I may have cancelled my subscription, but that was only to order them through my FLGS. I think all of the books in the line were stories I would have never thought to pickup or read on my own. However, I found a lot of great new authors, and expanded my reading to beyond the norms. I even went back and bought some of the older books in the line, as money/time permitted, to see what was out before I joined.

I really do hope the line continues. Even with sporadic releases it has been a treasure.

I really do hope the line continues. Even with sporadic releases it has been a treasure.

I agree. This line got me into this genre. The only reason I cancelled MY subscription is the THREE Silverberg novels in a row. I'm not a fan and couldn't justify the expense. But I do hope the line continues... especially if there was more Manly Wade Wellman or Brackett or Kline etc. :)

Fingers crossed that more's coming!

Fingers crossed that more's coming!

I am slowly reading Chalice of Death. When I finish it, I won't be without other reading. I just hope that I get to read something with a Paizo TM image on it somewhere.