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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
The Black Gods Kiss
Almuric
Northwest of Earth
Elak of Atlantis
(the last 3 are all preorders)
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
REH & C.L.Moore
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery
"Weird" Fiction
Jungle Tales
Lost Worlds Tales
"Weird" Fiction
Sword & Planet
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
Science Fiction
Space Opera
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I'm looking for works from obscure authors, particularly from the pulp magazines.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
no
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My answers as follows
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)? The first 2. the Anubis Murders & City of the Beast
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Gygax (but not the Gord stuff), Moorcock, Lovecraft
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Horror/Gothic Fantasy (Dark Fantasy)
Sword & Sorcery
Science Fiction
Sword & Planet
Space Opera
Lost Worlds Tales
Jungle Tales
"Weird" Fiction
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Continue to put out high-quality books, with interesting plot lines, and publish series (if the first book is good, I will probably buy the 2nd). With this line, I am looking for something different than what I can buy mainstream.
For example, I really liked The Anubis Murders, so I will probably buy the next ones in the series.
Potentially, if there is any Pathfinder novels written in this line, I would buy them. I am not sure if Pathfinder finction fits in with what you are trying to do with this line though.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Probably not. With books, I like to pick and choose
Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Have you decided when you will be offering Planet Stories subscriptions? I'd like to get copies shipped along with my Pathfinder and GameMastery Modules susbscriptions!
Indeed! I have written up all of the text and passed it on to our technical people, who are working out the bugs. Because the Planet Stories books fluctuate in size, it's difficult to give a good estimate of shipping charges far in advance. Once we work out a good way of explaining this and once the current Pathfinder mailing is done, it's near the top of the tech team's list.
I am getting very excited to offer these subscriptions! My sense is that some folks have been waiting on buying the books offered so far until the subscriptions are ready, and I want to give those folks a chance to get onboard soon!
Planet Stories subs sound like an awesometastic stocking stuffer for Christmas. (I doubt things will be ready by then, but that would be aweshum.)
Have you decided when you will be offering Planet Stories subscriptions? I'd like to get copies shipped along with my Pathfinder and GameMastery Modules susbscriptions!Indeed! I have written up all of the text and passed it on to our technical people, who are working out the bugs. Because the Planet Stories books fluctuate in size, it's difficult to give a good estimate of shipping charges far in advance. Once we work out a good way of explaining this and once the current Pathfinder mailing is done, it's near the top of the tech team's list.
I am getting very excited to offer these subscriptions! My sense is that some folks have been waiting on buying the books offered so far until the subscriptions are ready, and I want to give those folks a chance to get onboard soon!
That's me, Erik! I broke down and ordered a few of the books to give as Christmas presents, but I still need to subscribe to get copies for myself. I'm very glad to hear that after Pathfinder #4 is shipped, the "tech team" is putting a high priority on this. (I'm also looking forward to the Pathfinder Chronicles subscription.)
Any chance that you think we'll be able to subscribe before Christmas?
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Don't rub it in.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Gygax, followed by Howard.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
If I've got my genres straight, then something like:
Sword & SorcerySword & Sorcery
Sword & Planet
Sword & Sorcery
"Weird" Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
Space Opera
Sword & Sorcery
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Give me money to buy them with?
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Unlikely. I'm exceedingly picky about my reading, and I'm insufficiently egocentric to think that any monthly lineup you'd put together would sufficiently conform to my tastes.
1. So far, I've only bought City Of The Beast. I'll probably get Black God's Kiss because I love that cover, but it would be the third copy of that book I own, so we'll see.
2. Of the authors I've seen solicited, Leigh Brackett interests me the most because she's the one I've read the least of.
3. Order of preference:
Sword & Planet
Space Opera
Sword & Sorcery
"Weird" Fiction
Jungle Tales
Lost Worlds Tales
Science Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I'd love to see some Doc Smith! Otherwise, keep finding weirder, even more obscure stuff. Anything by Gardner Fox or Richard Shaver would blow my mind. I've got loads of this stuff already, but the ability to own these books under beautiful new covers (and not have them fall to bits as I read them) is pretty keen.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
I could probably get talked into that.
RPG Superstar 2011 Top 32
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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
I've purchased the Anubis Murders and Black God's Kiss, and maybe some others. I can't remember. However, I haven't been able to read them yet for obvious reasons.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
I am quite interested in Gary Gygax's non RPG novels, actually, and I would love to see some more "modern" writers as well.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery
Space Opera
Sword & Planet
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
"Weird" Fiction
Science Fiction
Lost Worlds Tales
Jungle Tales
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Nothing more than what you're doing, actually. I'm not too interested in a subscription, and I like how, when you have a new book coming up, you put it in the blog.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Like I said, I don't particularly care for a subscription, but I think a 20% discount is pretty good already.
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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Yes. Purchased Black God's Kiss
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Robert E. Howard, C.L. Moore
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
"Weird" Fiction
Science Fiction
Jungle Tales
Sword & Planet
Lost Worlds Tales
Space Opera
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I like the trade paperback format, but a standard paperback would decrease the cost and I'd buy more.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
My wife would kill me, but yes. Then I could order directly from Paizo instead of going to Amazon.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
--Black God's Kiss, City of the Beast, and more on the way
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
--Kuttner, Moore, Brackett
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Space Opera
Sword & Planet
Science Fiction
Sword & Sorcery
Jungle Tales
Lost Worlds Tales
"Weird" Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
--You're doing fine as it is. I'll be buying everything except the Gygax and the game fiction books. Not my bag. Almost everything else is new to me, so that's cool.
--I'd love to see some Spider, Captain Future and Operator #5, if you're taking requests.
--The themed readers you've got planned are very interesting.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
--I wouldn't subscribe because I don't trust the postal service not to mangle the books. I do have the books on my pull list at my comics shop, because they can get the books more reliably than my local bookstores (and I get a discount from them, so it's a win-win).
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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I am trying like hell to get Captain Future, but the rights are all tied up. We may have to setting for other Edmond Hamilton (which is really ok, as there's plenty of it that's superior to Captain Future). But still, getting to republish Captain Future would be a career highlight. I've been collecting the original magazines for a while.
Folks,
Please take a moment to answer the following questions for me. Your feedback will help me plan out future Planet Stories releases.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Nope. I always intend to, but inevitably I buy something else instead.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Part of the problem is I'm so uneducated with regard to this stuff. Michael Moorcock seems most like my kind of thing.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Planet
"Weird" Fiction
Sword & Sorcery
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
Lost Worlds Tales
Space Opera
Science Fiction
Jungle Tales4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Better cover art. Really. Sounds silly, I know, but I really have a hard time getting into these books because of the cover art. If they looked half as slick as some of the old Dragon/Dungeon covers I'd probably own most of them by now. Remember, like the Iron Lords of Jupiter cover? Or the Dark Sun double issue? I sure do!
That and a better synopsis of the books on the online store. I really need to fall in love with a book to buy it. I want to fall in love with these...but I usually get so caught up in which one I want that I feel like I don't really want any of them THAT badly.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Eh. Probably not. I'm pretty skiddish about buying stuff unconditionally whether I want it or not. Doubly so with novels.
Thanks!
--Erik Mona
Publisher
Planet Stories
Folks,
Please take a moment to answer the following questions for me. Your feedback will help me plan out future Planet Stories releases.
OK.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Nope, haven't purchased any. To be honest, I just passed over all mention of them when they were first announced, thinking (wrongly), that they were just some random collection of fantasy etc novels. However, now with the Subscription announced, I checked it out and I cant wait to subscribe. After Christmas, I plan on subscribing and then buying all the back issues as well. Just need some time between the massive stash of cash I dropped on the GR sale before I tell the wife I am spending more money.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
To be honest, I have not heard of any of the authors before, so I am looking forward to meeting them all.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
I don't really mind which genres you focus on, but variety is nice.
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Nothing, except of course reduce the price :)
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Yep. See above :)
Thanks!
Your Welcome.
--Erik Mona
Publisher
Planet Stories
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
all of them....
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
I'm not sure if this is in the works yet, but I'd love to see some Clark
Ashton Smith.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
"Weird" Fiction
Sword & Sorcery
Sword & Planet
Science Fiction
Space Opera
Jungle Tales
Lost Worlds Tales
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I'm already subscribing, but quality and variety will definitely keep
my interest.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Yes :)
matt
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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)? I bought the first three and have subscribed (sorry I missed this thread before.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Erik - you are doing a great job choosing authors and know way more about this era than I do. Keep up the good work.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery
Sword & Planet
Science Fiction
"Weird" Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
Lost Worlds Tales
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Produce more. I am in my Brother.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
YES... - even without the discount.
Folks,
Please take a moment to answer the following questions for me. Your feedback will help me plan out future Planet Stories releases.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
No.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
C.L. Moore's "Black God's Kiss" sounds like it might appeal to me. I already have most of Moorcock's stuff. I'm presently reading one of Gygax's early Greyhawk novels ("Artifact of Evil"), and I must confess, it's a painful read... every time I turn a page, I cringe. I hope he immproved significantly over time... 'cos if not, there's no way I'll purchase any of his other stuff. None of the other authors presently jump out at me (I think it's the kind of story, rather than the authors themselves).
I could also express an interest in Robert E. Howard, but some other company just re-released his works in collected volumes... so no point in competing with them.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Horror/Gothic fantasy
Sword & Sorcery
"Weird" fiction (maybe)Not really interested in the other genres...
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Not much, I'm afraid (especially since I already spend way too much on gaming products). I really like the idea of bringing back classic and long out of print titles and making them available to those who never got a chance to read them. But I have such a massive library of books at home that I haven't had a chance to read yet (and with very little time to read), that I unfortunately can't see myself pursuing a Planet Stories collection (much as I'd like to help you out).
Still, I might buy the occasional title...
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
No, probably not. Buuuut... if the titles were all from my prefered genres listed under 2 above, then I might have to give it some thought, despite my overlarge library and insufficient reading time...
Thanks!
My pleasure...
--Erik Mona
Publisher
Planet Stories
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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In my opinion, Gygax's skills as a novelist have progressed throughout his career. Artifact of Evil was his second book, whereas The Anubis Murders was, I believe, his eighth or ninth.
Also, Del Rey's Robert E. Howard reprints cover a lot of the major bases with the likes of Conan, Kull, Bran Mak Morn, and others, but Planet Stories is the only place you can get Almuric, Howard's sole sword and planet story.
Thanks for giving the line a look.
Well, for one you've convinced me to check out The Compleat Dying Earth from the library. So yeah, maybe once I immerse myself in some of that I'll know a bit more of what I'm talking about and will be in more of a mood to explore other pulp artists.
So far I'm liking it. I can really feel the proto-D&D in it. Thanks for the suggestion.
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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Although you can't see the tag, I'm now a subscriber and added the first two to my cart. So although I have yet to be charged for any, I've purchased all three currently available, and it looks like I'll get them all.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
From the brief discussion I've followed, C L Moore is the most interesting. I'm curious about a woman's take on a male dominated genre. I'd really like to see Edgar Rice Burroughs. I've managed to track down all his John Carter books and read them, but considering the difficulty, that is exactly the kind of thing I think Planet Stories could do - release hard to find books. That said, there were over a dozen novels in the series, and while many were short enough to be collected into a few volumes, I would also like to suggest focusing on 'stand alone' books for the msot part. With a subscription, if something isn't my cup of tea, looking forward to 14 more months of it would be.... unpleasant.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Planet
Sword & SorcerySpace Opera
Lost Worlds Tales
Jungle Tales
Science Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
"Weird" Fiction
Science Fiction is a huge category, and I love it, but I think the field is pretty well represented. Many of the pulp era books that don't use real science are the ones that have been lost and those are the ones I'd like to see you focus on.
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Since I'm now at 100%, I don't think I could buy more. At least, not for myself. The only thing that could get me to buy more than one of each copy is to reduce the price significantly. If they were inexpensive enough, I would happily give them as gifts. I doubt that will be possible.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
I subscribed with the 20% off. 30% would be nice, though.
Thanks!
No. Thank you.
In my opinion, Gygax's skills as a novelist have progressed throughout his career. Artifact of Evil was his second book, whereas The Anubis Murders was, I believe, his eighth or ninth.
Also, Del Rey's Robert E. Howard reprints cover a lot of the major bases with the likes of Conan, Kull, Bran Mak Morn, and others, but Planet Stories is the only place you can get Almuric, Howard's sole sword and planet story.
Thanks for giving the line a look.
Hi Erik,
Thanks for your comments, and especially for giving me hope, where the rest of my Gygax novel collection is concerned (I have all the Gord the Rogue stuff, and had begun to read them just to see Greyhawk from its creator's point of view... but despair was setting in early). With your endorsement, I may end up giving the Anubis Murders a try someday. It's a shame you couldn't jump on Conan, Kull etc., before Del Rey did!
Almuric is an old favorite of mine. I picked up an old yellowed copy of it at an old used booksale. Now I'm no epic reader by any stretch, but I seriously got into that book. I'm a sucker for Sword and Planet style tales anyway, but the huge over-the-topness of that book just put a smile on my face.
Can't wait to start seeing some of that Iron Lordsy type stuff make its way into Golarion over the next few years. It's gonna' be a lot of fun.
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Folks,
Please take a moment to answer the following questions for me. Your feedback will help me plan out future Planet Stories releases.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Yes, Anubis Murders and Black God's Kiss
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Gary Gygax
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery
Sword & Planet
Science Fiction
Space Opera
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
"Weird" Fiction
Jungle Tales
Lost Worlds TalesLost Worlds Tales
Sword and Sorcery
Sword and Planet
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
Weird Fiction
Science Fiction
Space Opera
Jungle Tales4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Include works by Clark Ashton Smith and Jack Vance.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Definitely.
Thanks!
--Erik Mona
Publisher
Planet Stories
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet?
Yes, Black God’s Kiss.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
I would prefer to read books by authors with which I am not familiar.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
- Lost Worlds Tales
- Sword & Planet
- Science Fiction
- Sword & Sorcery
- "Weird" Fiction
- Horror/Gothic Fantasy
- Jungle Tales
- Space Opera
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I like the idea of the Anubis scratch and dents. If you could back over a box of the other books with a truck, that’d be slick. Allowing me to stock the store credit in advance or pay with paypal would help too.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
I think I might.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
I recently purchased City of the Beast and Black God's Kiss from my FLGS.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
So far, I'm most interested in Sword & Planet stories, as I know almost nothing about the genre and all of the recent talk about the Red and Green planets on the Pathfinder forums has got me itchin' to know more. So with that in mind, I'd definitely like to see some more Michael Moorcock, Leigh Brackett, and C.L. Moore. Any other author in the Sword & Planet genre would be great.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Planet
Sword & Sorcery
Science Fiction
Space Opera
"Weird" Fiction
Lost Worlds Tales
Jungle Tales
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I think that a discussion - perhaps a blog post, I love me some blog posting - explaining how a certain book or author influenced gaming or the genre in general (i.e. sword & sorcery, science fiction, etc.) would go a long way toward making me want to purchase any given book.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Hell yes! I see that this is a little late, as you are already offering a Planet Stories subscription, but as soon as I get paid, consider this customer sold!
Erik,
Normally I'm inclined to ingore surveys, but in your case I'm happy to participate. (Given the excellence of Paizo's customer service, it's really the least we readers can do).
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Yes, "Black God's Kiss," by your recommendation.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Mmmm, very few of them so far, to be honest. Robert E. Howard, I guess, of the ones I've seen listed. I always liked his non-Conan stories.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery (3)
Sword & Planet (5)
Science Fiction (6)
Space Opera (2)
Horror/Gothic Fantasy (8)
"Weird" Fiction (7)
Jungle Tales (1)
Lost Worlds Tales (4)
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Ah, we get to the real question! I often read based on authorship more than on story, so I'm a sucker for the likes of Jack Vance, Manly Wade Wellman, ERB, REH, CAS, and their ilk.
Gygax, on the other hand, deserves respect for his gaming credit, but his prose is, well, substandard, in my opinion--and the later "Gord" books were a lot worse than the earlier ones, if anything. Likewise, people like Lin Carter--whom I frankly consider a bit of a ripoff artist--are unlikely to get me to buy. On the other hand, John Bellairs' "The Pedant and the Shuffly," which I've never seen an actual copy of, I'd order in a heartbeat.
But, to contradict myself somewhat, anyone with really original, far-off ideas is great (which is why I like CAS so much, for example). I never thought much of John Jakes, but read I read his "Witch of the Dark Gate" once and loved it; more of that series would get my dollar. Moorcock's done a lot of great stuff, but the Kane/Old Mars ones seemed stale and devoid of originality, somehow; nothing really different there to attract interest. A. Merritt, on the other hand, may not exactly entice you to keep reading, but you've got to admit there's always a breadth of imagination that's hard to match.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
See #4; probably not, in light of that. Sorry--I seem not to be the target audience here; I actually read more detective/crime fiction than Fantasy/SF at this point anyway, because I've read most of the stuff by the authors of the latter 2 genres that I like, and the rest is too hard to get.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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What did you think of Black God's Kiss? Moore is a contemporary of most of the authors you listed as ones you like, so I'm curious if she fits your criteria. You'll also probably enjoy the work of Henry Kuttner and Leigh Brackett, who wrote in the same era for the same magazines.
What did you think of Black God's Kiss? Moore is a contemporary of most of the authors you listed as ones you like, so I'm curious if she fits your criteria. You'll also probably enjoy the work of Henry Kuttner and Leigh Brackett, who wrote in the same era for the same magazines.
I've just read the first story so far, and got bogged down in the second one and haven't finished it yet. I will say, that Jirel is one bad b***! Anybody who would go into Hell just to get a nastier weapon is my kind of woman. Unfortunatly, so far the prose doesn't speak to me the way Vance's does--it's actually a major chore for me to get through a page of Moore's text--mostly because of the lack of dialogue, I suspect. I'll see if it gets easier in the later stories...
Is Leigh Brackett ("Shadow Over Mars") the same one who wrote the screenplay (along with William Faulkner) for the Bogart vesion of "The Big Sleep"? If so, you could probably easily convince me to give her a try--especially if her characters are anything at all like Philip Marlowe! (I loved all of Raymond Chandler's books, btw, and Dashiell Hammett stands alongside Jack Vance as one of my all-time favorites.)
Edit: Yes! Just Wiki'd her. And Eric John Stark looks like a particularly interesting dude. Looks like more overtime in January to support my Paizo habit!
Either way, let me take the time to thank you for your interest, your recommendations, and your reply. The courtesy you've shown vastly exceeds what would be needed just to make a sale.
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Yep, it's the same Brackett, and she's a genius.
The second Jirel story, "Black God's Shadow," is easily the worst of the bunch, since it is so similar to the first. "Jirel Meets Magic" is probably my favorite in the collection after the title story, which is a bona fide sword and sorcery classic.
Thank _you_ for your interest in the line. I am doing everything I can to make sure that the line is successful, and each and every sale at this point helps to make sure that happens.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
I have not purchased one yet, but only because I have an original printing of Anubis Murders.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
R.E. Howard, without question. I would love to see Burroughs as well.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
1. Sword & Sorcery
2. Horror/Gothic Fantasy
3. "Weird" Fiction
4. Sword & Planet
5. Space Opera
6. Lost Worlds Tales
7. Science Fiction
8. Jungle Tales
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I love the idea of combining subscription shipping with my Pathfinder books. If I could essentially pre-pay and not have to look for the books, I would be happy to read all of them.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Absolutely this is a winner idea, especially if you also combine shipping with other subscription services. That costs Paizo very little in labor but saves the subscribers quite a bit.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
My Subscription has started with Brackett's Sinherat.
I've back ordered through amazon the C.L. Moore, Moorcock and Kuttner volumes.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Leigh Brackett
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Planet
Sword & Sorcery
Lost Worlds Tales
Space Opera
Science Fiction
"Weird" Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
Jungle Tales
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Please, not too many books by newbie writers. I know that they deserve their chance, but a series titled "PLANET STORIES" can't wander too far from it's roots. I have a subscription, but if I (IMHO) receive too many duds then I'll cancel and stick to individual volumes. I figure that if I subscribe it will help the series get started and grow.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
WHAT!! 30%?? how come I'm only getting a lousy 20%???? :-)
Take care.
Doug
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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Thanks for subscribing, Doug! I really appreciate it. We've got three more books by Gary Gygax coming out over the next year or so, and one absolutely awesome book by a fellow named Hugh Cook, but beyond that and the Worlds of Their Own anthology it will be all classics all the time.
I have so many great stories from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s that I hardly have any time to read anything that's appeared during my lifetime, let alone publish it.
1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
Black God's Kiss by C. L. Moore and Elak of Atlantis by Henry Kuttner. They haven't arrived yet - just shipped a couple of days ago - but I'm looking forward to them very much.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Probably Moore, Kuttner, and Leigh Brackett. I am also interested in the lesser-known works of Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, et alii. It would be great to see anything written jointly by Moore & Kuttner that you feel would fit with Planet Stories' established direction.
I'm really not much interested in pseudo-historical fiction like Gary Gygax's Setne Inhetep stories, I have to say. I prefer completely fake pre-history like Atlantis and Aquilonia. ;)
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Sorcery
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
"Weird" Fiction
Sword & Planet
Science Fiction
Lost Worlds Tales
Space Opera
Jungle Tales
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Honestly, I'm not sure. I suppose publishing more stories from the genres at the top of my list is a good start. While I intend to use Planet Stories as a way to check out the planetary romance genre, I'm also really interested in more straightforward sword & sorcery like Elak of Atlantis, and in horror or "weird" fiction stories, which I don't see much of in the list so far.
Clark Ashton Smith would be fun.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
No, I don't think so. I'm just not going to be interested in everything that fits the Planet Stories line. I don't begrudge you the desire to publish, for instance, Gary Gygax's novels or space opera tales, but they're not for me.
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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
All if them.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
I would get Haggard if you can. I understand why you have included Gygax, but his fiction is pitiable. You also need to recruit some new writers who can do the genre justice. Pathfinders stories would be grand.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Rebuild the canon. I see this as a project in documenting the roots of the genre. Outstanding work!
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
I am buying the full line.
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
I am a subscriber.
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1. Have you purchased a Planet Stories novel or anthology yet? If so, which one(s)?
I purchased two copies of Almuric for friends, because I refuse to loan out my first edition printing. I picked up Black God's Kiss, and will pick up Infernal Sorceress and Swordsman of Mars when they come out.
2. What author in the Planet Stories line most interests you?
Otis Adelbert Kline, who I have heard much about (due to his association with Howard) but never read.
3. Please list the following genres in the order you would prefer that we focus on in late 2008 and beyond:
Sword & Planet
Lost Worlds Tales
Sword & Sorcery
Space Opera
"Weird" Fiction
Jungle Tales
Science Fiction
Horror/Gothic Fantasy
4. What can I do to get you to buy more Planet Stories books?
Reprint the Kane books by Karl Wagner, the Llarn books by Gardner Fox, Gulliver of Mars, Ed Hamilton's Merrick series. Find new authors and print original material!
5. If we offer a monthly subscription with, say, a 30% discount off the cover price, would you consider subscribing?
Yes.
