Re: Reggie Oliver
 

That looks like one monumental tome!

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Wow! You got a loaf of bread with your copy?
Extremely jealous:p

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Nah, the loaf of bread came with the Stephen King book. ;)

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I see the new Passport Levant novella by Reggie Oliver, The Wounds of Exile, is only to be published in 100 copies. This could be the rarest Oliver book of all to date.

Ex Occidente Press - The Wounds of Exile

I also think it's a little odd that this new book is supposed to burst out before Virtue in Danger (which has been listed on Ex Occidente's site forever), but more Oliver is never anything to complain about. The setting looks fairly exotic even for Oliver, but he'll probably pull it off well, based on the excellent historical fiction component seen in his previous work.

His progress is amazing, in my opinion. R.O.'s stories just keep getting better, and that's quite an accomplishment when he set the quality standard high from the beginning.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Yes, I'm looking forward to receiving THE WOUNDS OF EXILE.

Also, please note - there is a new RO story in NULL IMMORTALIS.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Thinking about The Wounds of Exile and upcoming Dracula Papers (Volume I of III?), the realization that Reggie Oliver may be turning into a novelist struck me. It's true that he's had some further stand alone short stories published in anthologies within the last year (Null Immortalis, Strange Tales III, etc). However, this is the first time in awhile that there's no new Oliver short story collection on the horizon.

Does anyone else think he may be venturing away from short stories for the foreseeable future? I'm not that worried about it if this is the case because The Wounds of Exile was a fine read--albeit a bit different from his previous tales. Even with excellent novels, I think part of me will miss new short story collections, but maybe I'm jumping the gun since Oliver may be working to find a balance between short story and novel output, rather than focusing on one form over the other.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Volume I of IV.

I'm lucky enough to be able to look forward to some of the previously published Oliver short stories that I have not read yet, but I'm also looking forward to volume II of TDP.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Four volumes of The Dracula Papers! How lovely!

As for short story collections, is it just wishful thinking, or have I heard a rumour that Tartarus will be releasing a volume of Reggie Oliver stories some time in the near future?

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

According to Ray Russell, Tartarus is due to publish a new Oliver collection late next year, with a probable launch at FantasyCon 2011 (30 September - 2 October).

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Shmokin'! http://static.yuku.com/domainskins/b...ileys/pimp.gif

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

The World forgets that all is Orient and Immortal Wheat,

I think people may be slightly surprised with the format this work will take, should it ever come out.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Hey, someone out there may get really lucky:


I've got mine already, lest I would be bidding on this too.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

It will be amusing to see if someone gets a small profit by selling this on Ebay if it goes above $150. Actually, the book still seems to be in stock from Centipede, so it's all the more strange that people are bidding on it.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

It may interest Oliver fans to hear that Christopher Barker has put three copies of The Dreams of Cardinal Vittorini up for auction with all proceeds going to charity. The highest bidder also receives a special limited print signed by the both:

bona fide bidder uk items - Get great deals on Books, Comics Magazines items on eBay UK!

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Tartarus Press has posted information on Reggie Oliver's new collection, including title (Mrs Midnight and Other Stories), publication date (30 September, with a launch at FantasyCon in Brighton), and contents. For all the details, click here.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I've just received my copy of Mrs Midnight and Other Stories, which is, as one would expect from Tartarus, a handsome and substantial volume. I've posted a couple photos below, one of which shows it alongside Oliver's four previous collections. Apologies for the poor photography:

http://i958.photobucket.com/albums/a...y/100_0313.jpg
http://i958.photobucket.com/albums/a...y/100_0312.jpg

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Brendan, I've got those five volumes on my bookcase also - assembled today. :)

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

They make a lovely ensemble, don't they? The only problem is that shelving them together would mean separating Mrs Midnight from my other Tartarus hardcovers, which look so elegant all lined up together...

...This is a slightly sad thing to be worrying about, isn't it?

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I just received my copy of Mrs Midnight and Other Stories today. I am also fortunate to have the five volumes shown. And let's not forget The Dracula Papers.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I'm awaiting the Tartarus volume, but I too have this line up. (Though, unlike others, lack Drama from the Depths, or any Passport volume.)

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I'm also still awaiting my copy of Mrs. Midnight. I blame Canada for not having received it yet. I have found the post to be notoriously slow for the past few months.

I am afraid to say that I am not lucky enough to possess the Haunted River Reggie Oliver titles, but am proud to say that I do have all the others, including both Dramas for the Depths and both Ex Occidente volumes.

I love hearing about other people's book collections. I wish everybody on this forum lived in the same city so we could have a library hopping party one evening. I'd love the opportunity to ogle everybody else's library!

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Remarkably, Tartarus Press is reporting that only 30 of the 400 copies of Mrs Midnight and Other Stories remain available for purchase from them, so if you're hoping to get this book direct from the publisher (and avoid the markups that I imagine will soon start to appear), order quickly.

I've read about half of it so far, and can report that it's another set of great Reggie Oliver stories: classically erudite and spooky but psychologically modern in an unintrusive but thoughtful way. The range of Oliver's fiction continues to expand, but every story is still distinctively his.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

And now Mrs Midnight is entirely out of print at the publisher. Unless you want to pay four or five times the cover price, pick this one up from a supernatural fiction dealer now.

My review of the book, for any who are interested, is here. One of the stories, "Minos or Rhadamanthus," is my new favorite among Oliver's work.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

An absolutely brilliant review of a brilliant book. Thanks.
des

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Thanks, Des.

After mentioning that Mrs Midnight had sold out, I recently had a bit of a Twitter debate with someone making the familiar argument that expensive books with small print runs that quickly sell out are unfair to readers with limited financial resources. I don't want to reignite that discussion here- I can see both sides of it, and either way it's not the most important issue. But I do think that a situation like this one does cry out for some kind of reprint, be it a second edition hardcover, or preferably a trade paperback or ebook. Obviously Tartarus' decisions involve a lot of factors to which consumers aren't privy, and I imagine they didn't foresee this particular development, but it would be nice to have at least one Reggie Oliver collection available to curious readers at an introductory price. The first book of The Dracula Papers is affordable, but that's not quite the same thing.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Hi all,

I'm new to this site as a member even though I visited it frequently in the last year.

I just want to let canadian member here know that ordered Reggie's last title from Tartarus and I received mine last week one day before the official release date (september 29). I'm on the east coast (New Brunswick) and I don't have postal problems since the strike is over from US or UK (I actually have 5 packages crossing the atlantic as we speak).

I agree that it's time that Reggie's work get a broader audience with paperbacks or ebooks. A lot of people are missing his great talent.

As for my Reggie collection, I have all his books from Cardinal to Mrs Midnight. I can post picture if you want. ;)

Jerome

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Having now had some experience in this area, I think I can say that one reason publishers do limited print runs is that it's actually a good business model. If people are worried about there only being limited editions and this not being fair, they should also support publishers that don't do limited editions. No support, no publisher.

Sorry, I know the statement here was explicitly not meant to stir up debate.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

To put a positive angle on this, Reggie's back catalogue is now large enough to give scope for an excellent "Best of . ." anthology, which would increase interest in the existing source volumes. Anyone care to suggest picks?

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Flowers of the Sea
The Giacometti Crucifixion

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

There are a number of Reggie's stories I've yet to read, but I'd vote for (difficult as it is to choose), 'The Skins' and 'Difficult People'.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

While reading Dramas from the Depths, I found myself idly trying to select a dozen or so stories from the volume that I'd like to see in a hypothetical mass-market "sampler" of Oliver's work.* I think these were some of the ones I had in mind: "Beside the Shrill Sea" (as a very accomplished first story), "Tiger in the Snow," "The Golden Basilica," "The Boy in Green Velvet," "Among the Tombs," "The Time of Blood, " "The Babe of the Abyss," "Bloody Bill," and "The Devil's Funeral." From the later work, I'd probably add "Minos or Rhadamanthus," "Flowers of the Sea," and "The Brighton Redemption." If you asked me to cut it down to one or two, I'd probably mention "Minos or Rhadamanthus," "The Devil's Funeral," and "The Babe of the Abyss."

*I think about things like this a lot. I don't know why.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Anyone know where this is available now? Miskatonic had them two days ago, but I had to wait until payday (today) and, alas, they are gone. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Fantastic Literature still lists it as in stock, and Chris Drumm Books seems to have one copy. Edit: also Wrigley-Cross Books.

A lot of places that had copies in stock do seem to have sold them very recently.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

This is to be cultivated: it shows you are looking at the pieces critically.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Many thanks. I've placed my order.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Thanks for the tip. I only just got into Reggie Oliver a few days ago (thankfully my library had a good selection of anthologies with Reggie Oliver stories).

My favorite so far is Mr. Poo-Poo. It has that borderline supernatural feel that is right up my ally.

I must also report that all the copies listed have been sold.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I received my copy of Reggie Oliver's Mrs. Midnight yesterday, and while I haven't read any of it but a few sample pages (I'm reading Nocturnal Products, which I am quite impressed with, incidentally), but man, those Tartarus Books are so nice. Another book that looks and feels like a book like that should. It's a nice piece. I get the impression that it will be another solid collection by RO. His style is so refined it appeals to me in a very particular and somewhat sublime way. He just produces work of such high quality it's hard to deny his talent. Anyway, those of you who ordered and are waiting, looks like you're in for a nice surprise.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I'm biased, of course, but I have to admit, the first time I held a copy of my Tartarus collection in my hands, I felt as though I'd finally, FINALLY, published a book.

Even though it was my second.

There is something about those volumes that really connects you to them as objects, and triggers those sensory receptors in you brain, evoking memories of your favourite days curled up with some forgotten volume of lore. They're a beautiful thing, they are.

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

Yes, 'Cold To the Touch' was just like that for me, too, as I set about real-time reviewing it.
Indeed, all real books at least tend in that direction, but Tartarus and Ex Occidente books are a sort of culmination of that effect - as opposed to the empty electronic osmosis books some people are now publishing!

Re: Reggie Oliver
 

I received my copy of Mrs. Midnight yesterday, much to my delight and relief. I agree with you all that Tartarus Press books feel just right in the hand, and are so aesthetically pleasing.

My only slight disappointment with the book was that I had several of the stories already in various anthologies. I believe only three or four will be new to me. Still, it is nice to have them all bound up together in such a beautiful package!