1BooksFriendsNotFood
From the Folio magazine —
LOOK OUT FOR...
Three more limited editions are on the way this summer — including the long-awaited Mythago Wood. It's shaping up to be a season of unforgettable escapes.
LOOK OUT FOR...
Three more limited editions are on the way this summer — including the long-awaited Mythago Wood. It's shaping up to be a season of unforgettable escapes.
2UltansLibrary
This was completely unexpected on my end-- Mythago Wood is an all-time favorite, and not incredibly well-known anymore. Any clue as to the artist? Or is that not mentioned?
3BooksFriendsNotFood
I've never heard of it in my life, but Folio has a good track record for publishing narratives I enjoy so I'm looking forward to it!
4dyhtstriyk
Ok, with Mythago Wood they have my attention
5LesMiserables
Interesting that they are publishing more and more books (as they said - in copyright) that have not yet stood the test of time.
In all things, time is the great leveller. I suppose they don't care, as long as it sells.
In all things, time is the great leveller. I suppose they don't care, as long as it sells.
6UltansLibrary
>5 LesMiserables: The book may not be a popular one these days, but it was a heavy award winner back when it was originally released-- also praised by a lot of authors like Michael Moorcock, Ursula Le Guin, etc.
8Chemren
>5 LesMiserables: Mythago Wood was published 40 years ago. Does it have to be out of copyright to pass the test of time for you? What is your cutoff? (Fantastic Four is over 60 years old.)
9coynedj
According to the always trustworthy Amazon (!), this is the first volume of a seven-part series. For anyone who has read it - can it function as a standalone volume? Or are there unresolved issues that would require reading on, and frustrate anyone who doesn't?
10ambyrglow
>9 coynedj: It is very much designed to function a stand-alone volume.
11LesMiserables
>8 Chemren: On comics: no time past will do it for me. I believe it goes against the very spirit of Charles Ede, and you may call me old fashioned, but I still think that should be the heart of what Folio does, which they don't, and won't.
On Mythago Wood: copyright has nothing to do with it actually. A classic establishes itself over time by notable quality, both in terms of it's ability to remain relevant to multiple generations, and is unlimited in its application to successive generations.
Mythago Wood may well be good, but it hasn't been round long enough to be tested generationally.
Of course, my definition may seem to you and others hogwash, but I thought I'd at least explain my thoughts on it.
On Mythago Wood: copyright has nothing to do with it actually. A classic establishes itself over time by notable quality, both in terms of it's ability to remain relevant to multiple generations, and is unlimited in its application to successive generations.
Mythago Wood may well be good, but it hasn't been round long enough to be tested generationally.
Of course, my definition may seem to you and others hogwash, but I thought I'd at least explain my thoughts on it.
13red_guy
Not two days ago, I was thinking that I needed to read this again, and now here it is. This must be what Noel Edmonds calls Cosmic Ordering.
14SimB
>11 LesMiserables:
The spirit of Charles Ede was to innovate, adapt, move sales models, change product categories, rebalance. I will just quote one sentence out of many in his Historical Note in Folio 21.
"To begin with our policy was frankly unadventurous and largely based on the established classics, partly because we felt that only books that had stood the test of time justified a comparatively expensive 'suit of clothes' and partly because we were in no state to take the commercial gamble of publishing the lesser known."
If you have Folio 21, the entirety of the Historical Note is worth a reread.
Although the comic books are not my thing, I am not sure that Charles Ede would be spinning in his grave about them.
The spirit of Charles Ede was to innovate, adapt, move sales models, change product categories, rebalance. I will just quote one sentence out of many in his Historical Note in Folio 21.
"To begin with our policy was frankly unadventurous and largely based on the established classics, partly because we felt that only books that had stood the test of time justified a comparatively expensive 'suit of clothes' and partly because we were in no state to take the commercial gamble of publishing the lesser known."
If you have Folio 21, the entirety of the Historical Note is worth a reread.
Although the comic books are not my thing, I am not sure that Charles Ede would be spinning in his grave about them.
18abysswalker
>12 LT79: "There are classics that are only read by a minority like Divine Comedy, Ulysses and Moby Dick. These are not popular books. Even if purchased most copies go unread or are hated."
The claim that classics like The Divine Comedy, Moby-Dick, and Ulysses are unpopular or hated doesn’t hold up to the data. While it’s true these works can be challenging, that doesn’t equate to widespread rejection, even compared to contemporary popular releases (I use Neverwhere below because it was otherwise on my mind).
Moby-Dick has 4.3 stars from nearly 14,000 reviews and ranks number 15,035 in all books on Amazon—far higher than Neverwhere at number 38,179. The Divine Comedy ranks even better (number 2,356) with a 4.7-star rating. Goodreads shows both have more current readers than Neverwhere (60k and 35.9k vs. 19.2k) and strong "want to read" interest. Ulysses is the exception: while highly rated (4.5), its lower Amazon rank (number 23,532) reflects its notorious difficulty more than dislike.
The claim that classics like The Divine Comedy, Moby-Dick, and Ulysses are unpopular or hated doesn’t hold up to the data. While it’s true these works can be challenging, that doesn’t equate to widespread rejection, even compared to contemporary popular releases (I use Neverwhere below because it was otherwise on my mind).
Moby-Dick has 4.3 stars from nearly 14,000 reviews and ranks number 15,035 in all books on Amazon—far higher than Neverwhere at number 38,179. The Divine Comedy ranks even better (number 2,356) with a 4.7-star rating. Goodreads shows both have more current readers than Neverwhere (60k and 35.9k vs. 19.2k) and strong "want to read" interest. Ulysses is the exception: while highly rated (4.5), its lower Amazon rank (number 23,532) reflects its notorious difficulty more than dislike.
19abysswalker
The point is even clearer for Moby-Dick and The Divine Comedy when looking at their subcategory rankings: Moby-Dick is number 5 in Sea Stories, number 62 in Classic Literature & Fiction, and number 186 in Literary Fiction, while The Divine Comedy is number 1 in Italian Poetry, number 5 in Epic Poetry, and number 114 in Classic Literature.
22David_Mauduit
>18 abysswalker: How much of these sales and reviews are coming from people buying the book for school? A good chunk I think.
23Shadekeep
My rule of thumb for "stands the test of time" means the work retains power and meaning even when the milieu it was written in has utterly passed. This can mean Aristophanes and Sappho, and it can also mean Voltaire and Poe. It's tempting to think that we live in a compressed cycle of change and than something written in the 1980s has passed this test because there are so many differences between then and the 2020s. But I would counter that there is a kind of inertia involved because many of the same people are alive in both times. So they'll tell you that, for example, their favorite fantasy author deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Tolkien, but I would argue that you need a gap where everyone who is coterminous with the author has passed and it's up to subsequent generations to continue to evaluate their relevance. Admittedly an arbitrary rule, but it has served me well.
24stubedoo
>12 LT79: "There are classics that are only read by a minority like Divine Comedy, Ulysses and Moby Dick. These are not popular books. Even if purchased most copies go unread or are hated. These are classics that are relevant consistently for a minority not a whole generation."
This is absolutely the truth. There is also a "I want people to see it on my shelf" factor for a certain segment of buyers. You can't run a business in the modern era purely on those kinds of works. Well, you can't if you want to be profitable and/or just a small publisher riding the "I'll buy anything at all if it is letterpress" wave.
This is absolutely the truth. There is also a "I want people to see it on my shelf" factor for a certain segment of buyers. You can't run a business in the modern era purely on those kinds of works. Well, you can't if you want to be profitable and/or just a small publisher riding the "I'll buy anything at all if it is letterpress" wave.
25stubedoo
>23 Shadekeep:
I feel like it is more important that a work is good, than it has proven itself to stand the test of time. Folio as a publisher should publish books that are felt to be good. If 50 or 100 years down the line, some of those books published today are no longer relevant, who cares? We will all be dead.
So long as they publish at least some books that are entertaining or informative for people (today), then that seems OK.
I feel like it is more important that a work is good, than it has proven itself to stand the test of time. Folio as a publisher should publish books that are felt to be good. If 50 or 100 years down the line, some of those books published today are no longer relevant, who cares? We will all be dead.
So long as they publish at least some books that are entertaining or informative for people (today), then that seems OK.
26Shadekeep
>25 stubedoo: Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound like I was offering up a binary choice. I think it's fine for FS to publish both, I was merely fleshing out what "stands the test of time" means to me. They should definitely publish promising new stuff too, that helps expand the corpus of good works. There will always be books (and films and music) which are solidly of-their-time and unlikely to persist in future, but that doesn't mean they can't be enjoyed now.
27LesMiserables
>14 SimB: interesting quote.
On FS website it says...
At first the Society favoured the established classics above all others – partly because Charles felt that only books which had stood the test of time justified a comparatively expensive ‘suit of clothes’, partly because he simply could not afford to gamble.
They read very differently. And it's quite clear that Ede favoured the classics.
But I stick to my point.
It's like you're saying that Ede decided that we can't gamble on the likes of Marvel Comics, but he'd like to.
Rubbish.
His deviation from classics was to erudite non-fiction.
Any off piste titles were later, much later, after Ede had sold to Letts.
I'll conclude by returning to my emphasis on the spirit of Charles Ede's vision.
After selling Folio he set up business in the classics and antiquities are of fine art prints bindings.
Not a comic in sight.
And I believe
On FS website it says...
At first the Society favoured the established classics above all others – partly because Charles felt that only books which had stood the test of time justified a comparatively expensive ‘suit of clothes’, partly because he simply could not afford to gamble.
They read very differently. And it's quite clear that Ede favoured the classics.
But I stick to my point.
It's like you're saying that Ede decided that we can't gamble on the likes of Marvel Comics, but he'd like to.
Rubbish.
His deviation from classics was to erudite non-fiction.
Any off piste titles were later, much later, after Ede had sold to Letts.
I'll conclude by returning to my emphasis on the spirit of Charles Ede's vision.
After selling Folio he set up business in the classics and antiquities are of fine art prints bindings.
Not a comic in sight.
And I believe
28Bibliophile-I
>1 BooksFriendsNotFood:, there is a FS magazine? How does one go about getting/subscribing to it?
29Bibliophile-I
>27 LesMiserables:, I do get the feeling that in the last 25 years, the FS has seen an over correction in the publishing of fiction.
30billburden
I just want to put this out there in the conversation. I would really appreciate everybody's viewpoint.
I can't comment on the quality of Marvel and DC in terms of literature en toto. I think you need to separate "serious" artistic expressions by Alan Moore and Frank MIller from the earlier stuff. But, what are we to make of the popularity of manga in East Asia, and Japan more specifically? Artists ultimately go where the market is. (They have to make a living somewhat. Notwithstanding the "starving artist" archetype.) It seems that some manga series are produced by serious artists with a view towards a comprehensive work of art, i.e., they aren't interminable and there aren't many different collaborators; there seems to be an artistic vision comparable to a long novel such as War and Peace.
The English analogue of manga is the work of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. Or, perhaps Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman take comic as an expressive outlet "seriously." And, let's not deride making serious works of art of what were previously popular stories or characters. What is "The Song of Achilles" and "Circe" then? Or Alan Moore, Frank Miller, etc., using the characters of DC or Marvel in serious artistic expression?
I wouldn't want to close the door on stories in print told with illustrations. I have a predilection for novels and enjoy letting my imagination run wild. So, I haven't gravitated towards graphic works. But I can't say that some of them aren't serious expressions of art. Perhaps one day an illustrated work will also "stand the test of time". Should FS believe an appropriately furnished version of such a work to be within their purview or is it up to somebody else to create a new company to produce fine editions of "graphic novels"?
I don't know. I am not really familiar with "graphic stories", but I also know enough not to be dismissive of the format.
I can't comment on the quality of Marvel and DC in terms of literature en toto. I think you need to separate "serious" artistic expressions by Alan Moore and Frank MIller from the earlier stuff. But, what are we to make of the popularity of manga in East Asia, and Japan more specifically? Artists ultimately go where the market is. (They have to make a living somewhat. Notwithstanding the "starving artist" archetype.) It seems that some manga series are produced by serious artists with a view towards a comprehensive work of art, i.e., they aren't interminable and there aren't many different collaborators; there seems to be an artistic vision comparable to a long novel such as War and Peace.
The English analogue of manga is the work of Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman. Or, perhaps Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman take comic as an expressive outlet "seriously." And, let's not deride making serious works of art of what were previously popular stories or characters. What is "The Song of Achilles" and "Circe" then? Or Alan Moore, Frank Miller, etc., using the characters of DC or Marvel in serious artistic expression?
I wouldn't want to close the door on stories in print told with illustrations. I have a predilection for novels and enjoy letting my imagination run wild. So, I haven't gravitated towards graphic works. But I can't say that some of them aren't serious expressions of art. Perhaps one day an illustrated work will also "stand the test of time". Should FS believe an appropriately furnished version of such a work to be within their purview or is it up to somebody else to create a new company to produce fine editions of "graphic novels"?
I don't know. I am not really familiar with "graphic stories", but I also know enough not to be dismissive of the format.
31HonorWulf
>30 billburden: Good timing! Tessa Hulls just won the Pulitzer Prize two days ago for Feeding Ghosts, the second graphic novel in history to do so after Art Spiegelman won for Maus in 1992.
32wcarter
>28 Bibliophile-I:
The magazine comes in the box with an order. Only one magazine a year.
The magazine comes in the box with an order. Only one magazine a year.
33SF-72
>30 billburden:
All good points. Gaiman's Sandman, for example, is really interesting and complex as well as visually accomplished.
All good points. Gaiman's Sandman, for example, is really interesting and complex as well as visually accomplished.
34BooksFriendsNotFood
>28 Bibliophile-I: I think just by buying FS books?
>32 wcarter: I may have used the wrong word then. The “magazine” is probably thicker and this may just be a “promo booklet” which is occasionally sent in the mail by itself around the time of new releases.
>32 wcarter: I may have used the wrong word then. The “magazine” is probably thicker and this may just be a “promo booklet” which is occasionally sent in the mail by itself around the time of new releases.
35wcarter
>34 BooksFriendsNotFood:
The Folio Society has issued no printed book brochures since the beginning of 2023.
The quarterly printed catalogues are now down to twice a year.
The Folio Society has issued no printed book brochures since the beginning of 2023.
The quarterly printed catalogues are now down to twice a year.
36folio_books
>32 wcarter: The magazine comes in the box with an order. Only one magazine a year.
Just to confirm, I received my order from the Summer Collection this morning, and the magazine was included.
Just to confirm, I received my order from the Summer Collection this morning, and the magazine was included.
37Watry
>30 billburden:
*As far as the early stuff goes, I think it falls under the same category as what editor Jake Morrissey calls the dull-but-worthies, books that we read not necessarily because they're good but because they're excellent examples of the early development of a style or movement, and/or a book that influenced a lot of later work.
*One of the major barriers to fine/quality press comics is length and the necessity of keeping the page layout. Hardcover versions of Sandman (which is what I assume you mean with the Neil Gaiman reference), even the oversize versions that collect multiple trade paperbacks, run into 3 volumes minimum. You might be able to keep Moore's Watchmen to one (large) volume, or to take an example from my own reading, the three trade paperbacks of Gillen and McKelvie's Phonogram, but Sin City or The Wicked and the Divine might cost more to produce than they can reasonably earn back. But then again, what do I know, comics collectors can be wild.
*Total side note but if Frank Miller 'stands the test of time' I may cry.
Regardless, thank you for standing up for comics! There's a lot of good literary and artistic work there, both inside and out of the Big 2.
*As far as the early stuff goes, I think it falls under the same category as what editor Jake Morrissey calls the dull-but-worthies, books that we read not necessarily because they're good but because they're excellent examples of the early development of a style or movement, and/or a book that influenced a lot of later work.
*One of the major barriers to fine/quality press comics is length and the necessity of keeping the page layout. Hardcover versions of Sandman (which is what I assume you mean with the Neil Gaiman reference), even the oversize versions that collect multiple trade paperbacks, run into 3 volumes minimum. You might be able to keep Moore's Watchmen to one (large) volume, or to take an example from my own reading, the three trade paperbacks of Gillen and McKelvie's Phonogram, but Sin City or The Wicked and the Divine might cost more to produce than they can reasonably earn back. But then again, what do I know, comics collectors can be wild.
*Total side note but if Frank Miller 'stands the test of time' I may cry.
Regardless, thank you for standing up for comics! There's a lot of good literary and artistic work there, both inside and out of the Big 2.
38betaraybill
>36 folio_books: “The quarterly printed catalogues are now down to twice a year.”
That struck me as funny. it’s a bit reminiscent of the following:
The five-volume “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” trilogy.
Marvel Comics’ Transformers 4-issue limited comic book series (which ran for 80 issues).
Spinal Tap’s speakers; the knobs go up to 11.
:)
That struck me as funny. it’s a bit reminiscent of the following:
The five-volume “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” trilogy.
Marvel Comics’ Transformers 4-issue limited comic book series (which ran for 80 issues).
Spinal Tap’s speakers; the knobs go up to 11.
:)
39HonorWulf
>36 folio_books: Wonder if they're going back to quarterly since we got Holiday 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 catalogs.
40folio_books
>39 HonorWulf:
It would be good if they did but I've given up trying to predict Folio's vicissitudes.
It would be good if they did but I've given up trying to predict Folio's vicissitudes.
41HonorWulf
>40 folio_books: Yes, the weather is easier to predict!
42BooksFriendsNotFood
>35 wcarter: EDIT: Ignore the below, it's too early in the morning haha. I believe what I'm referring to as "promo booklet" is the "quarterly printed catalogue". 🫡
-----
I don't know what the accepted term is but around the seasonal releases I receive a little physical booklet that goes through the new releases. These are sent by itself outside of any orders. (I received this particular booklet in the mail the day before the latest spring release & my last order waseither Perdido or the signed Mary Poppins (whichever came later) EDIT: No it was the Gatsby LE lol). If you're interested, I can try and upload a photo of the front if I remember after work.
This and the Folio Christmas card from last year are the only items I receive separate from orders.
-----
I don't know what the accepted term is but around the seasonal releases I receive a little physical booklet that goes through the new releases. These are sent by itself outside of any orders. (I received this particular booklet in the mail the day before the latest spring release & my last order was
This and the Folio Christmas card from last year are the only items I receive separate from orders.
43BooksFriendsNotFood
>36 folio_books: I'm realizing now that the magazine may have come with the order (with the Homer picture that was shared in another thread) and the spring release "promo booklet" didn't have this. This makes sense to me now.
44HonorWulf
>42 BooksFriendsNotFood: Correct -- the Magazine has larger dimensions than the Catalogs and the content is more article-driven. In 2024, they produced a Summer Magazine as well as Summer and Holiday Catalogs. So far this year, they have produced a Summer Magazine as well as Spring and Summer Catalogs.
45David_Mauduit
I like the design!
48dyhtstriyk
This publication had the power of yanking Mythago Wood from the fuzzy 'I may read it sometime' to actively looking for a Kindle edition and read it ASAP. I found the Kindle edition for $2.50 which is nice.
And I have the feeling this may be right for me, given that Macdonald's Phantastes is one of my all-time favorites and this sounds somewhat similar.
And I have the feeling this may be right for me, given that Macdonald's Phantastes is one of my all-time favorites and this sounds somewhat similar.
49CabbageMoth
>45 David_Mauduit: Gosh do I dislike the shape of the letter "g" in that typeface, although the choice to use something uncial-inspired seems quite appropriate.
50Keith_Ldn
Today I received a Summer Collection brochure in the post (UK), not part of any order.
Definitely want Mythago Wood, I've been meaning to read it for ages 😍
Definitely want Mythago Wood, I've been meaning to read it for ages 😍
51red_guy
>49 CabbageMoth: I prefer plain typefaces myself; sending cultural signals through type - the Greek one, the oriental one that is usually printed vertically, the vaguely Hindu one ... there are quite a few others, and gratuitous Uncial, though not quite as bad, still grates. Like heather and tartan on a shortbread tin. I will definitely buy this, though. I read this when it came out in the 80s(?) and Lyonesse as well. I had no idea there were five more. My memories of it are vague, but it seemed to have the feel of an adult Alan Garner.
52stubedoo
>45 David_Mauduit:
Yeah, that's the best looking quarter-bound LE in a long time. The production itself looks similar to The Moonstone.
Yeah, that's the best looking quarter-bound LE in a long time. The production itself looks similar to The Moonstone.
53CabbageMoth
>51 red_guy: I don't mind uncial usually. I agree with you completely however about the other "cultural typefaces." The new Homer is an egregious example.
54BooksFriendsNotFood
>44 HonorWulf: Thank you!
55stubedoo
>49 CabbageMoth:
I agree that the letter "g" ins a bit problematic there. Seems to be a theme to be doing this kind of thing at the momment. The Hobbit and LotR recent editions are all over the place, mixing upper and lowercase letters with no consistency even between the two works (and inconsistent between the spine and title page). Art, I guess...
I agree that the letter "g" ins a bit problematic there. Seems to be a theme to be doing this kind of thing at the momment. The Hobbit and LotR recent editions are all over the place, mixing upper and lowercase letters with no consistency even between the two works (and inconsistent between the spine and title page). Art, I guess...
56BooksFriendsNotFood
I didn't realize this released in 12 days until someone pointed it out. I'm more excited now XD
57Xandian97
>51 red_guy: 'adult Alan Garner' style books sounds great to me! Garner's books were some of my favourite fantasy novels growing up - I was largely ambivalent about Mythago Wood, but will make a point of rooting out an ebook of it now!
58wcarter
>56 BooksFriendsNotFood:
What date and time is it being released?
What date and time is it being released?
59Pendrainllwyn
>58 wcarter: May 20th. 4pm UK time
61HonorWulf
>60 wcarter: Or a late night!
62BooksFriendsNotFood
>60 wcarter: That timing is really not fun :’)
64overthemoon
>2 UltansLibrary: John Howe.
65drizzled
>63 coynedj: Same here:)
66BooksFriendsNotFood
An article with additional details, including the frontispiece and endpaper art: https://entertainment-focus.com/2025/05/10/the-folio-society-releasing-limited-e...
67red_guy
>66 BooksFriendsNotFood: Thanks for the link - it looks better and better the more I see of it. Fantastic illustration of the Green Man...
68BooksFriendsNotFood
>67 red_guy: My pleasure!
69Khaleesi75
>60 wcarter: I'll be getting this one. I've already set my alarm.
70FitzJames
Mythago Wood's page is now live upon the Folio site:
https://www.foliosociety.com/row/mythago-wood.html
£490 ROW
https://www.foliosociety.com/row/mythago-wood.html
£490 ROW
71assemblyman
>70 FitzJames: How did you get the price. It is not showing on the page yet?
72HonorWulf
>71 assemblyman: It's in the search results: £425 UK | $600 US | £490 ROW
73FitzJames
>71 assemblyman: Or if you add it to your wishlist etc.
74dyhtstriyk
I'll start reading the book today, just to see if the hefty investment to make tempts me.
It sounds a bit like Phantastes, which I love (and would love to see in a Folio edition).
It sounds a bit like Phantastes, which I love (and would love to see in a Folio edition).
75assemblyman
>72 HonorWulf: >73 FitzJames: Thank you both.
Hopefully there will be an SE as it sounds interesting and it seems to be heavily illustrated by John Howe who's illustrations I like.
Hopefully there will be an SE as it sounds interesting and it seems to be heavily illustrated by John Howe who's illustrations I like.
77EdmundRodriguez
>75 assemblyman: I think a quick SE might be less likely given 12" page height.
78assemblyman
>77 EdmundRodriguez: I missed that detail on my first look at it. Yes, likely not with those dimensions. I will still add it to my TBR pile as it looks interesting.
79A.Godhelm
>76 FitzJames: 39 integrated illustrations plus 5 full page colour ones? Over 320 pages? One of their best illustrated offerings ever. I know Howe from his Tolkien work and he's the main one people fight over being more iconic than Alan Lee. Very interesting offering and I need to hunt down the book fast.
80HonorWulf
>75 assemblyman: If it sells out as I expect it will, then I'd bet on an SE in a year or two.
81snottlebocket
Do the extra fancy editions usually also get a regular folio society edition? I'm quite keen on Perdido Street Station but I don't need the super expensive edition.
82FitzJames
>81 snottlebocket: I rather think it has already been printed!
From the LE (w. vertical bars inserted by me): “Printed on Abbey Pure paper at Graphicom, Vicenza, Italy, and bound by them || with a design by the artist”
You cannot specify material on a book that will be bound in two materially different bindings, and nor can you leave said phrase out because SEs carry it as a matter of course. Binding material is not conspicuously absent from any SE I care to lay my hands on (from between the paired vertical bars) in variations of:
'in cloth blocked,'
'in three-quarter cloth with a Modigliani paper front board printed and blocked,' or
'in cloth printed and blocked' etcetera...
The binding material is omitted consciously and necessarily: proof for anyone who wants a Standard Edition that one is indeed on the way, simply give it a few months.
From the LE (w. vertical bars inserted by me): “Printed on Abbey Pure paper at Graphicom, Vicenza, Italy, and bound by them || with a design by the artist”
You cannot specify material on a book that will be bound in two materially different bindings, and nor can you leave said phrase out because SEs carry it as a matter of course. Binding material is not conspicuously absent from any SE I care to lay my hands on (from between the paired vertical bars) in variations of:
'in cloth blocked,'
'in three-quarter cloth with a Modigliani paper front board printed and blocked,' or
'in cloth printed and blocked' etcetera...
The binding material is omitted consciously and necessarily: proof for anyone who wants a Standard Edition that one is indeed on the way, simply give it a few months.
83HonorWulf
>81 snottlebocket: Yes, certainly the ones that sell out quickly. Perdido is almost certain to get a standard edition sometime over the next year.
84Jason461
Just a general response to everything above:
"Stood the test of time" is so silly when you don't look at how long Folio has been around. The company is closing in on a century.
There are a lot of dusty old things the "test of time" crowd get really excited about that are not widely read at this point. Trollope springs immediately to mind (and there's a reason he's not in print with them anymore). There's a reason they haven't published all the Dickens in a long time as well.
I pointed this out before, but plenty of these titles are nearly the same age as the Tolstoy works Folio was publishing when they first started.
I don't even like comics, but my goodness, they are certainly extremely important cultural artifacts and if you think they are culturally valueless, I don't know what to tell you. Something can be good, important, and also not to your taste.
"Stood the test of time" is so silly when you don't look at how long Folio has been around. The company is closing in on a century.
There are a lot of dusty old things the "test of time" crowd get really excited about that are not widely read at this point. Trollope springs immediately to mind (and there's a reason he's not in print with them anymore). There's a reason they haven't published all the Dickens in a long time as well.
I pointed this out before, but plenty of these titles are nearly the same age as the Tolstoy works Folio was publishing when they first started.
I don't even like comics, but my goodness, they are certainly extremely important cultural artifacts and if you think they are culturally valueless, I don't know what to tell you. Something can be good, important, and also not to your taste.
85rubix_cubin
>84 Jason461: I agree with your sentiment. And let's check that -
Tales by Leo Tolstoy. The Raid: Two Hussars: Three Deaths: Poliskushka: The Death of Ivan Ilyitch: Two Old Men
Published by the FS in 1947
Let's use The Death of Ivan Ilyitch as the original publication date since I don't want to dig up all of them - 1961
Age difference 61 years
Marvel The Golden Age
FS published 2019
Originally 1939
Difference 80 years
They aren't my thing either, but it'd be hard to deny their cultural significance. They're also undeniably a different animal from Tolstoy. Where to draw the line - I don't have any idea but I'm not offended by them at all.
Tales by Leo Tolstoy. The Raid: Two Hussars: Three Deaths: Poliskushka: The Death of Ivan Ilyitch: Two Old Men
Published by the FS in 1947
Let's use The Death of Ivan Ilyitch as the original publication date since I don't want to dig up all of them - 1961
Age difference 61 years
Marvel The Golden Age
FS published 2019
Originally 1939
Difference 80 years
They aren't my thing either, but it'd be hard to deny their cultural significance. They're also undeniably a different animal from Tolstoy. Where to draw the line - I don't have any idea but I'm not offended by them at all.
86snottlebocket
>82 FitzJames: Thanks, I'll keep an eye out.
88red_guy
>75 assemblyman: >77 EdmundRodriguez: The Gormenghast Trilogy has similar dimensions to Mythago Wood both as an LE and SE, and uses unusually high quality materials, so I don't think an SE of the latter is out of the question. It would be worth their while as demand will be extraordinarily strong.
89red_guy
>84 Jason461: Very true. Gatekeeping what other people should or should not read and sneering at their choices is generally the mark of an arse.
90EdmundRodriguez
>88 red_guy: Gormenghast was 10" I believe, so this is much bigger (12”) and matches the size of the Hobbit LE. It's not impossible, but I'm certainly not expecting a SE any time soon for this one.
91red_guy
Sorry, yes it is 12", so you are probably right - but we can hope.
It just struck me (while fondling the scrumptious Abbey pure rough of A Voyage to the Moon & the Sun - a 12"er, but with no LE) how much Folio love to make their books in non- standard sizes. I wonder if this this a regular thing with any of the newer small presses? Although I like a nice set of books, vast ranks of identically sized books would be boring.
It just struck me (while fondling the scrumptious Abbey pure rough of A Voyage to the Moon & the Sun - a 12"er, but with no LE) how much Folio love to make their books in non- standard sizes. I wonder if this this a regular thing with any of the newer small presses? Although I like a nice set of books, vast ranks of identically sized books would be boring.
92JacobHolt
>84 Jason461: It's complicated to say that comics are "extremely important cultural artifacts." The whole gestalt of Marvel and DC, sure--which I would say includes general knowledge of the most iconic characters, their origins, and their superpowers; film and TV adaptations; merchandising items like lunchboxes and action figures. But the particular comics themselves? I have a hard time seeing Human Torch #5 or Detective Comics #38 as "important cultural artifacts" in their own right. At best, they're "dull-but-worthies" as >34 BooksFriendsNotFood: put it (but I would find even minor Trollope more inherently worth reading than most of the selected FS comics editions), with only an indirect cultural impact through later adaptations and responses.
Like >85 rubix_cubin:, I don't feel offended by FS publishing these. But as a reader and collector of many comics, it seems odd to me that these particular comics are being published. More contemporary work by Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Mark Waid, and Grant Morrison just seems to check more of the boxes of "literature" or "things worth reading" for me.
(I know this has been discussed many times, and I don't mean to disagree especially with >84 Jason461: or >85 rubix_cubin: with my reply. Just adding my contribution to the thoughtful conversation.)
Like >85 rubix_cubin:, I don't feel offended by FS publishing these. But as a reader and collector of many comics, it seems odd to me that these particular comics are being published. More contemporary work by Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Mark Waid, and Grant Morrison just seems to check more of the boxes of "literature" or "things worth reading" for me.
(I know this has been discussed many times, and I don't mean to disagree especially with >84 Jason461: or >85 rubix_cubin: with my reply. Just adding my contribution to the thoughtful conversation.)
93ambyrglow
Curious King just announced their own upcoming Mythago Wood edition a few minutes ago, in what I suspect was a scramble to get the word out before the Folio LE drops. I do wonder if there's enough interest to sustain both offerings. Guess we'll see.
94HonorWulf
>93 ambyrglow: The John Howe art is what puts the Folio over the top.
95cyber_naut
I’m unlikely to be a buyer for this edition but, if I was, I’d be sorely tempted to hold out for a standard edition from CK in a more manageable size.
96SF-72
>95 cyber_naut:
The size really is a factor. I just can't read oversized editions comfortably and the trend towards those really gets on my nerves. (Unless it's an art book like those by Taschen, say, not something I actually want to read.)
The size really is a factor. I just can't read oversized editions comfortably and the trend towards those really gets on my nerves. (Unless it's an art book like those by Taschen, say, not something I actually want to read.)
97HonorWulf
>95 cyber_naut: Hard to imagine Folio not producing a standard edition at a smaller trim size 12 to 18 months down the road.
98astropi
>97 HonorWulf: Haven't they released standard editions of basically all their LEs of the past few years? The only LE I don't believe they released a standard edition for is The Waste Land, which is a unique edition in many ways.
99HonorWulf
>98 astropi: The ones that sell well do! Beowulf (2021), Rob Roy (2023) and at least a half-dozen others over the past five years haven't cropped up yet.
100BorisG
>99 HonorWulf: Madame Bovary, Tristram Shandy, A Canticle for Leibowitz, the War Poets, Herodotus & Thucydides to name a few.
Just checked, and of the 33 editions currently listed on the FS website, more than half haven’t (yet!) had a SE release.
Just checked, and of the 33 editions currently listed on the FS website, more than half haven’t (yet!) had a SE release.
101HonorWulf
>100 BorisG: Thanks for doing the homework! Of the ones listed, Canticle is the one I'd place money on.
102coynedj
>101 HonorWulf: I hope you win that bet.
104BriainC
Got it with 3 other books. I can't resist heavily illustrated fantasy and it seems like a very interesting story based on first forty pages I read last night. I'm a huge fan of John Howe so that made it an easy buy.
369 left at 4.12 pm. Will it sell out within the hour? I would wager not.
369 left at 4.12 pm. Will it sell out within the hour? I would wager not.
105Cat_of_Ulthar
317 left now. I think this one's going to be around for a few hours.
108ultrarightist
This is the first FS LE that I have purchased in quite a while, and my first FS order since October 2023.
109folio_books
Over half sold already, including mine. Hope the alarm worked for you, Warwick.
110assemblyman
The more I look at it the more I like it. John Howe's illustrations look great as usual. Just too rich for my blood at the moment. I'm trying to pick my battles when book buying these days and this one would be too much of a stretch.
I was hoping FS would have a video up for it on the website but they have left it out this time.
I was hoping FS would have a video up for it on the website but they have left it out this time.
111RRCBS
Honestly, this looks beautiful but prob too much of a stretch for me both psychologically in terms of how much I think the book is worth to me and kind of financially as well. Congrats to all who purchased it!
113BriainC
Slower than Perdido Street Station but that's to be expected with a book first published in the 80s without any adaptations released or in development.
114HonorWulf
>113 BriainC: Perdido hit a relative sales wall, though, and ended up taking almost 1 day 18 hours to sell out (which is still good, obviously). Be interesting to see if that happens here or if it has a more steady landing.
115stubedoo
Be interesting to see if the scalpers are interested in this. I think the fact that recent LEs can be acquired readily on the secondary market without a premium must be having an effect.
116dyhtstriyk
I finished the book last Sunday. I liked it pretty much, but not "Spend 490 pounds + shipping" much.
So I'll wait for the SE. What I won't like is that probably a tentative SE will be quarterbound in unstiffened cloth with paper sides.
So I'll wait for the SE. What I won't like is that probably a tentative SE will be quarterbound in unstiffened cloth with paper sides.
117HonorWulf
>115 stubedoo: And you need to make at least an 18% premium in order to cover eBay and credit card fees. Doesn't seem worth it unless it's something like The Hobbit (which, ironically, probably hosed a bunch of them with the production defects).
118BriainC
>114 HonorWulf: Interesting. I had thought Perdido had sold out quicker than that.
119stubedoo
>117 HonorWulf:
Absolutely. I laugh when I see people on FaceBook still trying to offload their Hobbits for £950, when you can get one for £600 - £650 any day of the week on eBay with buyer protections. The scalpers who did well with those were in and out quite quickly and those who held have something depreciating in real terms, which is fine for anyone who bought it to enjoy (most things we make use of depreciate) and not so fine for those who were taking a punt that the value would skyrocket. A bit of normalcy returning to the "nice book" market is very welcome. It means publishers need to cater to what people want to own, not what people think they might be able to flip.
Absolutely. I laugh when I see people on FaceBook still trying to offload their Hobbits for £950, when you can get one for £600 - £650 any day of the week on eBay with buyer protections. The scalpers who did well with those were in and out quite quickly and those who held have something depreciating in real terms, which is fine for anyone who bought it to enjoy (most things we make use of depreciate) and not so fine for those who were taking a punt that the value would skyrocket. A bit of normalcy returning to the "nice book" market is very welcome. It means publishers need to cater to what people want to own, not what people think they might be able to flip.
120wcarter
>109 folio_books:
Yes, I bought a copy in the very early hours of the morning, but need not have interrupted my sleep as copies still available when I woke-up. Not as fast selling as some expected.
Yes, I bought a copy in the very early hours of the morning, but need not have interrupted my sleep as copies still available when I woke-up. Not as fast selling as some expected.
121What_What
>119 stubedoo: Considering both groups of people - “those who want to own” and “those who want to flip” - look exactly the same to publishers, I’m not sure secondary market prices of limited editions drive any decisions about what books publishers work on.
122stubedoo
>121 What_What:
They do when no one wants to buy to flip any more. They go from ‘any old shit will sell’ to ‘we really need to find something our audience will buy because it is good’. It is really just the audience shrinking and publishers needing to take care with product to adapt to the shrinking market.
They do when no one wants to buy to flip any more. They go from ‘any old shit will sell’ to ‘we really need to find something our audience will buy because it is good’. It is really just the audience shrinking and publishers needing to take care with product to adapt to the shrinking market.
123A.Godhelm
>121 What_What: The secondary markets is definitely something they're keeping an eye on, because if you have a limited supply of something that easily sells for double on the secondary market you want to adjust your pricing so you get a bigger slice of that pie. I don't think it's a coincidence LE pricing has ballooned as attractive titles have gone for big secondary market prices.
>122 stubedoo: Suntup went from selling out pretty much everything and having an easy flip on many titles to having more titles linger. They adjusted their limitations accordingly. Hype definitely matters and the book buying crowd at these prices isn't gigantic, fickle tastes need some fingerspitzengefühl.
>122 stubedoo: Suntup went from selling out pretty much everything and having an easy flip on many titles to having more titles linger. They adjusted their limitations accordingly. Hype definitely matters and the book buying crowd at these prices isn't gigantic, fickle tastes need some fingerspitzengefühl.
124Cat_of_Ulthar
159 left after 14 hours. Might hang on into a second day.
126folio_books
>120 wcarter: Not as fast selling as some expected.
No, indeed. I thought this had every chance of selling out on day one. As I write, 144 left. I'm glad to have acquired a copy, though. I'm not a fantasy fan as such but this looks quite special.
No, indeed. I thought this had every chance of selling out on day one. As I write, 144 left. I'm glad to have acquired a copy, though. I'm not a fantasy fan as such but this looks quite special.
128DukeOfOmnium
I am so nearly tempted.
It does as others have said look rather great. However I drew the line with Canticle for Liebowitz, and I think I'm sticking to my line.
I'd be quite interested if anyone could compare this with CfL or better still Shadow of the Wind - which I think is/was just the most amazing FS volume, and actually very reasonably priced.
It does as others have said look rather great. However I drew the line with Canticle for Liebowitz, and I think I'm sticking to my line.
I'd be quite interested if anyone could compare this with CfL or better still Shadow of the Wind - which I think is/was just the most amazing FS volume, and actually very reasonably priced.
129BriainC
>128 DukeOfOmnium:
I have Canticle and I'll compare them when I receive Mythago. I think Mythago is a physically bigger book at 12 inches in height. It also has many more illustrations.
There might still be copies of Mythago left by the time I receive my copy.
I have Canticle and I'll compare them when I receive Mythago. I think Mythago is a physically bigger book at 12 inches in height. It also has many more illustrations.
There might still be copies of Mythago left by the time I receive my copy.
130DukeOfOmnium
>129 BriainC: Thank you.
131wcarter
110 left after 35 hours. Purchasers are becoming fewer and fewer.
Already though, there are flippers on Ebay.
Already though, there are flippers on Ebay.
132anthonyfawkes
Received my copy just now and its a really lovely book, the double page sketches in particular I really love. The binding mix of leather and very silky cloth looks and feels lovely too and the slipcase is gorgeous.
133folio_books
Mine arrived this afternoon. Very nice indeed, as others have already said. If you're still waiting, I don't believe you'll be disappointed. The one negative for me is the slipcase could be a shade tighter, though that's preferable to being too tight. Nice one, Folio.
134HonorWulf
105 copies left at the 48 hour mark. Here's how that compares:
2024:
The Hobbit (15 mins)
The Book Thief (22 mins)
Neuromancer (3 hours, 45 mins)
Tales of Mystery and Imagination (6 hours, 30 mins)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1 month, 2 days)
The King of Elfland's Daughter (4 months, 11 days)
Nineteen Eighty-Four (6 months, 18 days)
A Long Way to Small Angry Planet (6 months, 25 days)
On the Origin of Species (11 months, 6 days)
2025:
The Great Gatsby (2 hours, 15 mins)
The Lottery (8 hours)
Perdido Street Station (1 day, 17 hours, 40 mins)
2024:
The Hobbit (15 mins)
The Book Thief (22 mins)
Neuromancer (3 hours, 45 mins)
Tales of Mystery and Imagination (6 hours, 30 mins)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1 month, 2 days)
The King of Elfland's Daughter (4 months, 11 days)
Nineteen Eighty-Four (6 months, 18 days)
A Long Way to Small Angry Planet (6 months, 25 days)
On the Origin of Species (11 months, 6 days)
2025:
The Great Gatsby (2 hours, 15 mins)
The Lottery (8 hours)
Perdido Street Station (1 day, 17 hours, 40 mins)
135BriainC
>134 HonorWulf:
Interesting that A Canticle for Leibowitz took that long to sell out. I would say that's comparable in profile to Mythago Wood.
Interesting that A Canticle for Leibowitz took that long to sell out. I would say that's comparable in profile to Mythago Wood.
136HonorWulf
>135 BriainC: Canticle sold a bit slower. It did roughly 1/3rd in the first 24 hours and had roughly 150 copies left after two weeks. I suspect some FOMO might slip in once it falls under the 100 and 50 copy thresholds, so I'm going to wager 1 week, 2 at the most.
137Keith_Ldn
Just collected mine from the Post Office, it really is a beautiful edition and the leather/cloth binding is wonderful.
I've never read this book so it is now right at the top of my TBR pile 😄
I've never read this book so it is now right at the top of my TBR pile 😄
138red_guy
I've just brought mine home - also from the Post Office (my new policy is to use pick-up shops whenever possible - I'm fed up wasting days to the vagaries of couriers. Rant over).
I can only echo what everyone else has said - a superb production, and not a sausage machine LE by any means. A special mention for the gilding, which I think is the best that I have ever seen from Folio, even in the Olden Days. Perfectly even on all sides of the book, which not the hint of a whisper of a scintilla of gold coming off on your hand. The shade of gold chosen is a lovely pale slightly greenish colour. I could have bought most of my wish list for the money, but it's a good swap.
I can only echo what everyone else has said - a superb production, and not a sausage machine LE by any means. A special mention for the gilding, which I think is the best that I have ever seen from Folio, even in the Olden Days. Perfectly even on all sides of the book, which not the hint of a whisper of a scintilla of gold coming off on your hand. The shade of gold chosen is a lovely pale slightly greenish colour. I could have bought most of my wish list for the money, but it's a good swap.
139ultrarightist
I received my copy today. This FE LE is a winner.
140RRCBS
Would anyone who has their copy be kind enough to share if the binding material is stated on the copyright page?
142RRCBS
>141 red_guy: thanks!
143PJ-Reads
I have gone back and forth on whether to buy this about a half dozen times at this point. I can’t help feeling like Folio LE prices are unjustifiably high but the reception here sure is positive.
144ultrarightist
>140 RRCBS: That's very specific. Out of curiosity, why did you want to know?
145RRCBS
There’s a theory floating around that the LEs that don’t state binding material end up having SEs released.
146stubedoo
>145 RRCBS:
I think this theory might make sense where the page block of the SE would be identical to the LE. Maybe. For an oversized LE where the block would undoubtedly be smaller, it makes no sense at all. Even if they were - for some nonsensical reason - wanting to warehouse some page blocks for a year, they would be different anyway. And changing the print info is a 5 minute job on the pdf. The theory makes little sense in this case and only barely holds up in other cases. The LotR and Hobbits have the materials info on the tip-in and we KNOW they won’t get an SE release, as that is in the HarperCollins domain.
I think this theory might make sense where the page block of the SE would be identical to the LE. Maybe. For an oversized LE where the block would undoubtedly be smaller, it makes no sense at all. Even if they were - for some nonsensical reason - wanting to warehouse some page blocks for a year, they would be different anyway. And changing the print info is a 5 minute job on the pdf. The theory makes little sense in this case and only barely holds up in other cases. The LotR and Hobbits have the materials info on the tip-in and we KNOW they won’t get an SE release, as that is in the HarperCollins domain.
147LesMiserables
>143 PJ-Reads: I misread your statement, thinking you said I have gone back and forth on whether to buy about a half dozen. Ha ha.
148PJ-Reads
>147 LesMiserables: if only such funds were available LOL
149abysswalker
>139 ultrarightist: thoughts on the paper, in particular?
150ultrarightist
>149 abysswalker: I think it is quite nice and goes well with the color of the titling font. It's not in the same league as an all-rag mould-made or handmade paper, of course, but very nice nevertheless.
151red_guy
>145 RRCBS: >146 stubedoo: The odd thing is that there is absolutely nothing at all about the book's manufacture in the book itself (paper, typeface, country of printing etc). That is entirely on the tip-in.
I have two of the Shirley Jackson LEs, both of which have detailed info ion the tip-in, plus font and paper and also the vague ' bound by them with a design by the artist' in the book itself ' on the copyright page.
I have two of the Shirley Jackson LEs, both of which have detailed info ion the tip-in, plus font and paper and also the vague ' bound by them with a design by the artist' in the book itself ' on the copyright page.
152stubedoo
>151 red_guy:
The Hobbit LE is the same. Devoid of information other than copyright on the colophon. All the detail is on the tip-in. I assume it is so they have something to write on the tip-in, tbh.
The Hobbit LE is the same. Devoid of information other than copyright on the colophon. All the detail is on the tip-in. I assume it is so they have something to write on the tip-in, tbh.
154red_guy
>145 RRCBS: >152 stubedoo: I haven't bought any LEs more recent than the Jacksons, but presumably this is evidence that there is no SE Mythago Wood , except maybe in a completely reset edition?
155FitzJames
>154 red_guy: As the above 'theory' referenced was likely mine, I would say you have it correct. Viz. no SE was planned simultaneously, but that does not mean one could not be later released in a reset edition as you say akin to the Dave McKean ill. Gormenghast trilogy.
156abysswalker
>151 red_guy: I could imagine it would be a cost savings to, as a general rule, maintain a single source file that could be used for either LE or SE common text blocks. Maybe that is the direction they are moving in. Though that would be moderately suboptimal from a bibliographic perspective.
157GardenOfForkingPaths
I received this yesterday and agree with everyone that it's a handsome volume. I imagine anyone still expecting it will be pleased when it arrives. I hadn't noticed the sheen of the cloth in the photos, and it's somewhat reminiscent of the look and feel of the silk used for Madame Bovary. It works well. The binding is neat and tidy, and the quality of leather seems good (rather than sumptuous). I'm sure the full charms of the artwork and internal design will be revealed as I read it, but I think the quantity of black and white illustrations will make this quite an immersive experience.
Just some off the cuff, highly subjective, thoughts about value: it seems about £100 too expensive. Even allowing for the quantity of artwork and the signature, I find it difficult to reconcile the full disparity in cost with something excellent from their normal lineup like Kafka on the Shore. I guess a good chunk of the value is in the notion that this is a limited release and may or may not be the only way to obtain this text/art package.
A very nice book, though. Great work from FS.
Just some off the cuff, highly subjective, thoughts about value: it seems about £100 too expensive. Even allowing for the quantity of artwork and the signature, I find it difficult to reconcile the full disparity in cost with something excellent from their normal lineup like Kafka on the Shore. I guess a good chunk of the value is in the notion that this is a limited release and may or may not be the only way to obtain this text/art package.
A very nice book, though. Great work from FS.
158BriainC
It would be very interesting to see how much profit Folio make on their limited editions and the regular editions too. I can't imagine this book cost four times a regular £100 edition so they're probably making a good profit from each of these editions if they sell at full price.
159HonorWulf
73 left at the 3 day mark. Definitely picking up steam and with all of the positive feedback and pictures circulating about, I suspect this one'll be gone sooner than later.
161PJ-Reads
I caved, will be my first LE direct from Folio. I am excited but seems like an awful lot of money. Hopefully not the beginning of a trend, for the sake of my bank account.
162icewindraider
My copy had a defect and I emailed FS about it yesterday when it arrived. They said that they were working on a solution but it's been radio silence for more than 1 day despite my follow-ups. The lack of responsiveness is very unusual for them in my experience. I'm watching the book close to selling out and am worried that they'll have no replacement copy. This is so dissapointing on an otherwise nice edition.
164stubedoo
>156 abysswalker:
I honestly don't see any *meaningful* saving by having a single source file to avoid an updated colophon. Plus the source files from LE to SE have to be different anyway to include the page that will include the tip-in (which often is not a blank/generic page, though sometimes it is just blank - Mythago Wood being such a case). When going from an oversized book to a normal sized book, the files would need revising anyway (even if only to remove a whole load of superfluous border or to change the year on the colophon).
The printers themselves change those files when doing reprints of trade editions (typically to change number lines). It is literally a zero effort task, given the entire print process is digital. I have quite a few print-ready pdfs of books that are interesting to me (leaked from the printers) - there is nothing particularly special about them (though I tend to produce another PDF that zooms in and removes all the superfluous page boundary/cutting/colour-bar stuff).
I honestly don't see any *meaningful* saving by having a single source file to avoid an updated colophon. Plus the source files from LE to SE have to be different anyway to include the page that will include the tip-in (which often is not a blank/generic page, though sometimes it is just blank - Mythago Wood being such a case). When going from an oversized book to a normal sized book, the files would need revising anyway (even if only to remove a whole load of superfluous border or to change the year on the colophon).
The printers themselves change those files when doing reprints of trade editions (typically to change number lines). It is literally a zero effort task, given the entire print process is digital. I have quite a few print-ready pdfs of books that are interesting to me (leaked from the printers) - there is nothing particularly special about them (though I tend to produce another PDF that zooms in and removes all the superfluous page boundary/cutting/colour-bar stuff).
165What_What
>162 icewindraider: They said they’re working on a solution and you’ve emailed them multiple times after one day? I don’t think you can that radio silence. Sounds like they’re doing what they said - working on a solution. I’m sure it’ll be fine, they always have extra copies.
168HonorWulf
>167 stubedoo: Sorry, you're right! Almost 83 hours.
169wcarter
>167 stubedoo:
Oops! Bad maths! Almost sold out now.
Oops! Bad maths! Almost sold out now.
170stubedoo
>169 wcarter:
Yeah, will be gone in the next day or two. FOMO will probably drive out the final couple of dozen quite rapidly when they trickle down to that.
Yeah, will be gone in the next day or two. FOMO will probably drive out the final couple of dozen quite rapidly when they trickle down to that.
171DukeOfOmnium
Finally decided to cave in too.
Combined with the Cicero it makes a pricey, but much anticipated delivery.
Combined with the Cicero it makes a pricey, but much anticipated delivery.
173jsg1976
It looks fantastic, so I just FOMO’d myself into buying it. I hope I like the story. I downloaded the first 40 pages or so as the free preview from Amazon and read that first, and it seemed a promising start, at least.
174DukeOfOmnium
Whilst I'd love to see FS make money like a baker that's invented hot cakes, I'm pretty happy that the reseller business will struggle to work when they've worked out the numbers and pricing so well.
175coynedj
And if reselling is no longer as lucrative as in the past, and thus some resellers drop out of the game, the books will not sell out quite as quickly as before.
176Cat_of_Ulthar
Into the home stretch: 19 left
177Bibliophile-I
I’ve been seeing a lot of posts here and in the FB group of happy people with this book.
178LesMiserables
>177 Bibliophile-I: I'm sure the book is a fine work of craftsmanship.
Value for money is subjective and crosses boundaries of personal, emotional, economic considerations.
Buyers often psychologically rationalise post purchase and undertake confirmation bias via group reinforcement, so inevitably the happiness factor is complicated.
Value for money is subjective and crosses boundaries of personal, emotional, economic considerations.
Buyers often psychologically rationalise post purchase and undertake confirmation bias via group reinforcement, so inevitably the happiness factor is complicated.
179stubedoo
>178 LesMiserables: "rationalise post purchase and undertake confirmation bias via group reinforcement"
Good old post-purchase cognitive dissonance.
Good old post-purchase cognitive dissonance.
180RRCBS
I’ll be glad when it sells out because on the one hand, it looks really nice, but on the other, for me it doesn’t make sense to pay that much for a book and I hate the reading experience with a big book. Folio FOMO still hitting me though!
181cyber_naut
>180 RRCBS: this is what I’m telling myself. This seems to be the same size as The Hobbit/LOTR and I found that to be unwieldy. More of a showpiece than a book to read.
183hamletscamaro
FOMO finally egged me on. Although it was odd that there were only 17 copies remaining before I purchased my copy, and now there are only 17 copies remaining after the fact as well. This is despite several browser refreshes. It seems like a NASA launch, where they have several built in launch countdown holds. I guess we are at T-9 minutes and holding...
184stubedoo
>181 cyber_naut:
I think a bit of the unwieldiness of the Tolkien books also came down to the very fragile bindings, which creates a bit of a fear of touching the damn things. This edition certainly appears a bit more durable, so it might "feel" a bit less unwieldily, despite having essentially identical dimensions.
I think a bit of the unwieldiness of the Tolkien books also came down to the very fragile bindings, which creates a bit of a fear of touching the damn things. This edition certainly appears a bit more durable, so it might "feel" a bit less unwieldily, despite having essentially identical dimensions.
185stubedoo
>183 hamletscamaro:
Is at 13 now. The tracker often needs a "?some-random-thing" at the end of the URI to cache-bust. It showed me 17 until I did that.
Is at 13 now. The tracker often needs a "?some-random-thing" at the end of the URI to cache-bust. It showed me 17 until I did that.
186hamletscamaro
>185 stubedoo: that is so weird, but your tip worked. Thank you for the tip. Now down to 12. Will is make it through Sunday morning?
187Carl64
Decided to bite the bullet bought with just 11 remaining liked the story and the book looks amazing.
188Cat_of_Ulthar
The counter seems to be stuck again at 11 but a basket check suggests there are 7 copies left.
190DukeOfOmnium
Just 4 perhaps now. It's interesting that there's a US listing on ebay at (currently) below the list price. Will be interesting to see what it actually sells for.
Meanwhile there's another listing for Liebowitz for a miserly GBP7k.
Meanwhile there's another listing for Liebowitz for a miserly GBP7k.
192BriainC
>128 DukeOfOmnium:
I received my copy this morning. It's a far taller book than Canticle. A good four inches or so. The slip case has smoother cloth almost silk. The cloth binding is also smoother. The font size is much larger with Mythago and it is richly illustrated throughout. Well worth the money.
I received my copy this morning. It's a far taller book than Canticle. A good four inches or so. The slip case has smoother cloth almost silk. The cloth binding is also smoother. The font size is much larger with Mythago and it is richly illustrated throughout. Well worth the money.
193DukeOfOmnium
>192 BriainC: Thanks for the update. As mentioned above I actually decided to take the plunge before they ran out anyway. so I'll get to discover the merits shortly.
194BorisG
Got my copy, it’s a delight. I think, on materials alone, it might feel overpriced (by about £100 as mentioned above), but as a total experience – design language, typography and layout, the colour scheme, the illustrations – it’s one of the best FS books I’ve bought, and I’m very happy with the purchase. Looking forward to reading it!
Edit: it doesn’t feel too big or unwieldy. The larger format allows the illustrations to shine, and the text layout looks very inviting.
Edit: it doesn’t feel too big or unwieldy. The larger format allows the illustrations to shine, and the text layout looks very inviting.
195Carl64
Just received my copy very well put together and I actually like the slip case it’s easy to get the book in and out as a lot of them are too tight. The cloth binding and the art of the book is probably one of the best I have come across and I do own quite a few limited editions. Well worth the price.
196stubedoo
>195 Carl64:
It is really good to be hearing essentially 100% positive feedback on this one. Maybe Folio will take some lessons from it (you never know…).
It is really good to be hearing essentially 100% positive feedback on this one. Maybe Folio will take some lessons from it (you never know…).
197Carl64
>196 stubedoo: We will see another one I thought was well put together was The Great Gatsby which would be a close second.
199LesMiserables
I'd say that was a discrete defect, probably in a run that size, the odd volume will be marred.
200What_What
>198 jsg1976: Probably from the same ink used to print the text on that page and elsewhere in the book.
201jsg1976
>200 What_What: yes, that was what it looked like to me
203anthonyfawkes
I had a couple in a few places, wasn’t enough for me to consider reporting though.
204BorisG
I have the same two on the same page (41), not worried about them. As they’re the “wood” brown colour, I imagined them as the wood’s escaping a bit though the page.
205Cat_of_Ulthar
I've also got them on pages 40 and 41. It looks like the same ink they've used for the chapter headings. Not something that would bother me, personally.
206abysswalker
>204 BorisG: same, and, interestingly, also on the page 40-41 spread (four dots in my copy):
I initially assumed it was a minor paper irregularity, but on closer reflection, yeah, it's probably ink from the display.
Also doesn't bother me.
I initially assumed it was a minor paper irregularity, but on closer reflection, yeah, it's probably ink from the display.
Also doesn't bother me.
208BriainC
Has anyone started reading their copy? I'm very much enjoying it. It feels quite original in a sea of sub-Tolkenian dreck.
I hadn't read it before now except for a few chapters before I pulled the trigger on the LE.
I hadn't read it before now except for a few chapters before I pulled the trigger on the LE.
209anthonyfawkes
I read it last week and really enjoyed it, the writing is so evocative and conceptually feels unique despite how old it is.
The book itself is really well made, it’s big enough to feel special without being overly cumbersome.
The book itself is really well made, it’s big enough to feel special without being overly cumbersome.
210icewindraider
>165 What_What: Unfortunately they still haven’t given me any details on a replacement.
211What_What
>210 icewindraider: Maybe you wore out your welcome lol
212anthonyfawkes
>210 icewindraider:
I had a defect on my copy of the origin of species LE and it took a few weeks to get a replacement because they had to make another one. All resolved in the end and they never ended up asking for the defect copy back (though they said they would collect it at first) so now I have two copies. I’d imagine you’ll end up the same if it’s a slow fix for them.
I had a defect on my copy of the origin of species LE and it took a few weeks to get a replacement because they had to make another one. All resolved in the end and they never ended up asking for the defect copy back (though they said they would collect it at first) so now I have two copies. I’d imagine you’ll end up the same if it’s a slow fix for them.
213stubedoo
Definitely not all Page 41s exhibiting the problem (or page 11s). I imagine the offset printing roller got contaminated at some point and so a bunch of the signatures were printed with the contamination. Minor issue, but a shame it happened.
214LesMiserables
>213 stubedoo: Minor issue if not looking to offload at some point, but its something you would need to note to a potential buyer if selling.
I definitely would expect an unblemished copy direct from FS.
I definitely would expect an unblemished copy direct from FS.
215wcarter
My page 41 is also spotty, but does not worry me. Probably would not have noticed if not mentioned here.
216stubedoo
>214 LesMiserables:
Oh, I agree. Any seller that is aware of the blotches would be obliged to mention them when selling. I certainly would if I had/wanted to offload such a copy.
Oh, I agree. Any seller that is aware of the blotches would be obliged to mention them when selling. I certainly would if I had/wanted to offload such a copy.
217BorisG
This is a really minor defect though, I wouldn’t mind it as a buyer, and wouldn’t expect a price reduction because of it. Tolerances probably vary!
220stubedoo
Just an observation that these aren't shifting at all on the secondary market, even when offered quite a bit below cost.
221wcarter
>220 stubedoo:
Surprising as it is a beautiful book and a fascinating story. Well worth purchasing.
Surprising as it is a beautiful book and a fascinating story. Well worth purchasing.
222stubedoo
>221 wcarter:
Agreed. I suspect that the limitation was fairly close to the market size, so it is - for the time being - sated.
Agreed. I suspect that the limitation was fairly close to the market size, so it is - for the time being - sated.
223abysswalker
>221 wcarter: I agree. Best LE in a while in terms of design, illustrations, and general feel in the hand. I think the problem (from a demand perspective) is that the title is somewhat obscure, especially outside of the UK. I had heard about it a few years prior to the release, but only as a deep cut from someone into less known pop fantasy.
224RRCBS
>220 stubedoo: thanks (or maybe not!) for this observation, managed to get one for 1/3 less than the original! I generally do not buy LEs and it’s still a pretty expensive purchase, but this one felt special!
225stubedoo
>224 RRCBS:
Nice. I think that's about the right price to be paying from what I have seen. Definitely not a release that will reward scalpers (though none of them have of late, really). Be interesting to see how IT does. I have no doubt it will sell out from Folio very quickly, but I wonder about long term market appeal at elevated prices, given the introducer signature is really unrelated to the work. Curious as to how the usual SK market sees it.
Nice. I think that's about the right price to be paying from what I have seen. Definitely not a release that will reward scalpers (though none of them have of late, really). Be interesting to see how IT does. I have no doubt it will sell out from Folio very quickly, but I wonder about long term market appeal at elevated prices, given the introducer signature is really unrelated to the work. Curious as to how the usual SK market sees it.
226DukeOfOmnium
I hesitated a long time before buying this. I don't regret eventually doing so for a moment. It's a great book, and reading this edition feels very special.
I do think it was perhaps £50 too expensive, but once you've bitten the bullet as a reader then you hardly mind. For anyone that wishes to sell their copy then I think that it's a constraint. If FS follows up with a SE then it'll be even more of a challenge, although it's the sort of book that people will always seek the best.
I do think it was perhaps £50 too expensive, but once you've bitten the bullet as a reader then you hardly mind. For anyone that wishes to sell their copy then I think that it's a constraint. If FS follows up with a SE then it'll be even more of a challenge, although it's the sort of book that people will always seek the best.
227Keith_Ldn
For those who bought the LE but haven't read it yet - you're in for a treat! A beautiful object and more importantly, a great read.
228drizzled
The contrast versus the "IT" madhouse is striking. If I’m not mistaken, nearly all of the "Mythago Wood" copies that sold on eBay in June/July went below issue price, some by a significant (25-ish percent) margin. Honestly, I don’t get it. Both editions offer comparable features in terms of used materials, "Mythago Wood" even being oversized. So what’s with all the Kingo-mania?
229abysswalker
>228 drizzled: supply and demand, simple as. Huge number of, ahem, enthusiastic collectors chasing a small number of copies. How many of us had even heard of Mythago Wood before this? I had, but not much about it, and I suspect many hadn't heard of it at all.
230coynedj
>228 drizzled: Supply and demand, and in this case it's down to demand. King has a following that Holdstock can't even dream of, justified or not.
PS: abysswalker beat me to it.
PS: abysswalker beat me to it.
231drizzled
I bought a copy via an eBay auction (for £310). At that price I consider it excellent value: the leather is soft and of high quality, the gilt is flawless, and the printed boards are beautiful (alongside the cloth-covered slipcase). The only issue is a few very minor ink splotches on page 41, as noted earlier. Even so, it remains my favourite Folio LE in a looooonnnnggg time.
232rubix_cubin
>231 drizzled: Congrats! I really love my copy as well, although the form factor on the "d" in Holdstock on the spine drives me a little nuts. I'm not usually that particular but it's bothered me since day 1. Not enough to actually bother me, bother me, just enough to make me shake my head every time I see it!
233red_guy
>232 rubix_cubin: I know what you mean - it does seem a little wayward. In 'celtic' fonts I have seen this form, but with a longer ascender. Even so, it does read as a (halfhearted) D. I have never walked past the shelf and thought - OMG Robert Holostock Mythago Wooo.
234cyber_naut
>231 drizzled: well below retail, I think?
Any indications whether this was a regretted genuine purchase or if it was bought to flip for profit (e.g. sold as still sealed, unread, etc)?
Any indications whether this was a regretted genuine purchase or if it was bought to flip for profit (e.g. sold as still sealed, unread, etc)?
235drizzled
>234 cyber_naut: Yes, indeed. For the ROW region on the FS website, it would be £490 + shipping for me (£425 in the UK). The auction was listed by a private seller, with genuine photos, not stock ones. I don’t suspect any initial intent to flip, but rather some thinning of the library.
236stubedoo
>235 drizzled:
Might have been replaced. I know at least one person that got a replacement due to the blotches and then sold the original.
Might have been replaced. I know at least one person that got a replacement due to the blotches and then sold the original.
