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NEW OSC BOOK - The Space Boy

Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:56 pm
by locke
From Subterranean Press' latest newsletter:

The Space Boy by Orson Scott Card

Approximate Length: 125 pages

Illustrated by Lance Card

Is it space that children dream of, or merely visiting other worlds? Todd had always set his heart on being an astronaut, but when he meets an alien and travels to another world, he doesn't use a spaceship, he just hangs out in his own back yard.

In Space Boy, Orson Scott Card, author of Ender's Game, takes readers into a strange and wonderful future, where people from another world regularly visit Earth - usually without being noticed. And when humans travel to their world, they find themselves dangerously weak and powerless. Until Todd finds a way to set both worlds to rights.

By turns funny and painful, Space Boy is Card at his best, exploring human nature for the entertainment of readers young and old.

Limited: 2000 signed numbered hardcovers: $35
Lettered: 26 signed leatherbound copies, housed in a custom traycase: $150

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:57 pm
by Oliver Dale
Pre-order it here:

Linky!

This is a limited edition and won't appear in stores, folks. (As far as I know, anyway)

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 11:19 pm
by peterlocke123
Nice!!! Can't wait!

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:14 pm
by Jayelle
Lance Card? Is that one of his kids?

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:59 pm
by Oliver Dale
Nope, not a kid. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was a brother / cousin.

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:02 pm
by luminousnerd
Why are so few being printed o_O

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:42 pm
by Tome
Geez. I enjoy a good read, and Card is a great author, but I have better things to do with $35, and I certainly have better things to do with $150. I hate it when authors do stuff like this. :(

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:59 am
by Oliver Dale
Tome,

It's a very short novel, most likely considered unmarketable by major publishers (yeah, some short books come out, but even OSC doesn't have those kinds of numbers). Therefore, one big way you can sell an otherwise unmarketable product is to go to a small-press publisher which, by definition, doesn't have the capability to create large print-runs. Instead, they focus on quality and create a collector-class item which is intended, not for the casual reader, but for the die-hard fans. So the fact that $35 is enough to chase you away doesn't mean OSC hates you and your family. It just means this collectors item isn't for you.

Oh, and the 'author' generally isn't to blame either. I bet his agent was the one that found this particular sale, or the publisher came to him. Either way, would you say no to a no-hassle publication which could help keep the roof over your head?

Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 7:21 am
by Luet
I just got mine this week and read it. Not bad...neat scifi ideas, I thought. But it's certainly no EG. :)

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:51 pm
by KennEnder
So people who read this book... was it worth the price? Happy you did it?

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:21 am
by Luet
Eh, probably not. Since the story is going to be included in the upcoming anthology of short stories, Keeper of Dreams (see thread), I wouldn't buy it if I had to do over again. It wasn't that great and the only reason that I don't totally regret it is that it makes my OSC library more complete for my ocd self.

Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:36 pm
by KennEnder
Thanks (albeit belatedly) for the heads-up, Luet!