Kevin's Watch

Working at a bookstore, I see many "Uncorrected Proof" copies of books the publisher would like us to read and promote. Imagine my delight the other day when I fished a copy of "Runes" out of the pile! Now, I'm not going to post spoilers or anything, but below is some minor trivia and maybe 1 or 2 “rumors” confirmed... Also I'm new to this forum, so I apologize if someone has already covered all of this:

* the UP copy is 605 pages but states that the final book will actually be 496 pages

* price is $26.95

* the book is divided into 3 parts: a 5-chapter prologue (which runs 86 pages in the UP), titled "My heart has rooms"; a 12-chapter part 1, "Chosen for this desecration"; a 12-chapter part 2, “The only form of innocence"

* there is also a glossary and a "What Has Gone Before" intro

* the cover art doesn’t strike me as looking much like Michael Whelan; however, this may not be the final art--or it may be a really low-quality, typically-UP cover-art problem--or it may be a “detail” of a much larger Whelan painting; I do not see a cover artist cited on the UP

Awalter

Yes you might want to start a PM or IM club with ShawnPartrick (see his, "It's Really, Really Good" thread just below this) for those who read Runes in advance (just please don't spoil the Watch, thanks ). Romeo says the cover art is Whelan--tho whether it's the finished work is unknown. A bunch of these ARCs have popped up all of a sudden and a couple of bozos have been spotted on E-Bay today trying to sell them--of course this is highly illegal and SRD and his publishers have been notified.

danlo wrote:A bunch of these ARCs have popped up all of a sudden...

...because BEA 2004 (BookExpo America) just happened in Chicago.

Adam

Aha. That helps explain it.

The cover art is Whelan, but is still still just draft. It could change quite a bit by the time the final comes out.

I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tempted to read this!!!! But I didn't! ARGH!!!!

awalter wrote:Working at a bookstore, I see many "Uncorrected Proof" copies of books the publisher would like us to read and promote. Imagine my delight the other day when I fished a copy of "Runes" out of the pile!

Seems like there might be a God after all, because one of my friends encountered a similar sitation. Thing is, she isn't a Covenant fan, but she knows I am. You can guess where I'm going with this.

I haven't asked her yet if I could read it, as I don't want her to lose her job or anything. Which leads to this question: would it be legal to borrow it, or is it a "employees onlyl" deal? I could read it now, no harm done, but if there's a penal code 400395B that causes a flock of publishers to smack me down, then I won't touch this thing. So should I go for it and give this thing a read (I mean it's freaking RUNES), or should I just wait till it officially comes out? The power of the dark side is seductive.

I'd be all over that book!! I'd get it no matter what it took!! And tomorrow I'm going to all the local stores I can find to ask if they have one I can read!!!!!!!!

If you find one, you better not spoil us, Fist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My life doesn't work that way anyway. Damned little chance of me getting my hands on one. But if I do, you're all safe.

Thank you.

Feel free to spoil it for me though! I don't mind being told what's gonna happen...

There's one on ebay inthe states. I put in a bid, but am reconsidering, it may go very very high. I am sure the highest bidder is a watcher too! own up!!!!

I want that book! heh. I'm gonna bid now...

do it, and outbid danomite!!!!

heh, I'll doubt I'll be able to do that.

You know you can't. But, for the moment, somebody else has. Time to pull out my trusty sniper's rifle.

I've considered buying it just to keep it out of the wrong hands. But I'm afraid that as soon as I do that, five others will pop up on the auction list.

And now, of course, I'm afraid of getting hit by stray bullets!

Princess Buttercup wrote:You know you can't. But, for the moment, somebody else has. Time to pull out my trusty sniper's rifle.

LOL! hey dAN! if you get it... can you tell me what happens please?

Current bid $56 - if Dan gets it he will probably split the price with Tom C, making it a much better buy.

The cover looks great, much better than the one on srd.com.

Romeo said:

I've considered buying it just to keep it out of the wrong hands. But I'm afraid that as soon as I do that, five others will pop up on the auction list.

And now, of course, I'm afraid of getting hit by stray bullets!

Great minds must think alike. I was thinking about bidding a couple hundred on it last night, so I could give it unopened to Mr. Donaldson in New Mexico next week. (How is that for self control? )
But the same thought occurred to me -- that ten more might pop up, and it might get to be a bit expensive after awhile.
So I reported the possible legal violation to ebay instead. If they don't end the auction, though, I might still make a last minute grab for it in order to give it to the author.