Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site inuxd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!inuxc!inuxd!keen From: keen@inuxd.UUCP (D Keen) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: SCIENCE FICTION BOOK CLUB Message-ID: <711@inuxd.UUCP> Date: Wed, 20-Feb-85 11:21:18 EST Article-I.D.: inuxd.711 Posted: Wed Feb 20 11:21:18 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 22-Feb-85 20:26:44 EST References: <512@topaz.ARPA> <27@unc.UUCP> <196@ihlpg.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Consumer Products Div., Indianapolis Lines: 32 Count this as another positive vote for the SFBC. I have belonged for more than 20 years or 150-175 books depending on ones viewpoint. Granted that I was much happier paying $1.49 per book than the current rate, it is still a bargain if one is fairly heavily addicted to reading and owning science fiction and/or fantasy. It provides a needed niche for those books that one wants to keep for long periods without serious deterioration, but that do not qualify for full hardback purchase price. This assumes that one has some limit to your budget and that you are in the 75+ per year book purchase range. Concerning quality of choice, I agree that the probability of acquiring an excellent original published work from the club is much smaller than it was 10 years ago, but I think this is inevitable given the current higher acceptance from the regular publishing houses of the SF&F genre. I also do not find significantly lower physical or typesetting quality in the book club editions than normal editions; maybe I have been lucky. Finally, upon request, the club will allow you to change to an order only relationship; that is, you will only be sent books which you have requested, rather than all books which you did not reject. This can save a lot of hassle. Good reading Don Keen AT&T-CP (Any relationship between AT&T and science fiction is purely coincidental as is any relationship between my views and theirs.)