Bargain Books | The Name of the Win

Every now and again, particularly around Christmas - and like or lump it, Christmas is coming, by gum - a catalogue from The Book People arrives at TSS headquarters; a leftover from the bad old days when I would spend my every other penny on stories to keep me dreaming.

Saturday there brought the latest issue of the catalogue, and paging through it on the throne, as one does, I was not a little surprised to see a stonking deal I think you lot'll like.

So how about the Gollancz 50, folks? Maybe you remember hearing about them a few months ago? If not: what we're talking about here is ten fantasy and sf books selected from a shortlist of 50 to celebrate the speculative fiction imprint's 50th birthday. Modern classics hand-picked by readers just like us, or indeed, us, "all been beautifully repackaged in cool retro editions that follow the classic Gollancz yellow jacket style. They've got brand new introductions from outstanding top genre authors; Joe Abercrombie, Stephen Baxter, Stephen Deas, Peter F. Hamilton, Paul McAuley, Richard Morgan, Alastair Reynolds, Adam Roberts, Justina Robson and Chris Wooding."

You can read more about the Gollancz 50 here, if you're at all inclined.

Back then it was all I could do to stop myself buying spare copies of a bunch of books I already own. But now that The Book People are flogging a set of eight of the ten for less than a tenner? Resistance is futile.

Here's the selection on offer:

So all ten of the Gollancz 50 except for... well let me ask Jeeves. Dune and... The Time Machine. Which is a shame, but hey, I'll take what I can get. And at £8.99 for the set, I'll take the lot.

There's usually postage to pay on top, but almost any one of the vouchers listed here will get you free shipping, and/or some more money off. And I do believe they stack.

If not as a gift to yourself, then, consider this collection of genre classics old and new an ideal introduction to speculative fiction... as the perfect present for the uninitiated amongst your circle of family and friends.

I'm not even pimping an affiliate link here, incidentally. Just thought this was a hell of a bargain, and with the season of giving suddenly so very, very close, I'm all about being Santa's little helper.

I have the hat and everything.