Customer Reviews (2)

A must read for Ellison fans
Whether you've just gotten interested in Ellison's work or have been a fan for decades (I've been hooked since 1984 when a friend lent me "Strange Wine" at summer camp), this book offers an indispensable look at both the context and substance of HE's work--the 1950s pulp markets in which he published his earliest short stories; his seminal contributions to SF's "New Wave" of the late 1960s; and the various themes that run throughout his more mature stories of the 1970s and onward. Weil and Wolfe deserve high marks for their objectivity, neither excessively praising HE's unique talents nor damning his occasional lapses. Nearing 70, HE's output has slowed in recent years, so perhaps this is the ideal time for retrospective criticism of his career. This volume aptly summarizes one of the most notable talents in the history of speculative fiction.

A broad ranging volume of literary criticism
Harlan Ellison: The Edge Of Forever by Ellen Weil (Professor of Humanities and English, Roosevelt University, Chicago) and Ellen Weil (Humanities and Holocaust Studies, Roosevelt University and the Newberry Library, Chicago) is a broad ranging volume of literary criticism concerning the short stories, novels, TV scripts and movie scripts of the world-famous author Harlan Ellison, best known to the general public for his unique contributions to the science fiction and fantasy genres. Harlan Ellison: The Edge Of Forever explores Ellison's impact upon the science fiction literary genre, as well as Ellison's numerous other works including his early crime stories and his latest experimental narratives. Harlan Ellison: The Edge Of Forever is a "must-read" for the legions of Ellison's fans, and an invaluable addition to academic 20th Century American Literature reference collections. ... Read more

Product Description
Harlan Ellison, one of the Grand Masters of science fiction and a multiple Hugo-, Nebula-, and Edgar Award-winner, returns to his roots with Phoenix Without Ashes, now in comic book form, a four issue mini-series. The year is 2785, and Devon, a farmer banished for challenging his community's Elders, discovers a secret that changes everything he knew about the world, leading him on an adventure beyond his understanding and a quest to solve a mystery beyond his understanding before his entire world is destroyed in cataclysm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For the open-minded
If you are interested in other ways of thinking, then this is definitely the book for you. The writing is excellent. Well worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF! The only trouble is, fear comes in so many different shapes and sizes these days. It comes as rejection by a beautiful woman. It comes in the brutalization of your love by an amoral man. It comes with the threat of impending nuclear holocaust; with the slithering shadows in the city streets; with the ripoff artists who lie in wait behind every television commercial. Fear is the erratic behavior of all the nut cases and whackos walking the streets-they look just like you and me and your lover and your mother-and all they need is a wrong word and there they go to the top of an apartment building with a sniperscope'd rifle. Fear is all around you. You have nothing to fear but fear itself, right? Sure. The only trouble is, the minute you get all the rational fears taken care of, all battened down and secure, here comes something new. Like what? Well, like the special fears generated in these 16 incredible stories. Fear described as it's never been described before, by the startling imagination of Harlan Ellison, master fantasist, tour-guide through the land of dreadful visions, unerring observer of human folly and supernatural diabolism. Or, quoting the Louisville Courier-Journal & Times, Ellison's "stories are kaleidoscopic in their range, breathtaking in their beauty, hideous in their deformity, insulting in their arrogance and unarguable in the accuracy of their insight." AND HERE ARE 16 NEW TERRORS TO SCARE THE BEJEEZUS OUT OF YOU! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not his best stories, and possible publishing issues
Edgeworks Abbey and E-Reads have recently (2009) begun reprinting Harlan Ellison's works (32 titles in total).

No Doors, No Windows sounded like a good choice, from the few titles I was missing, so I picked up a copy.

This collects 16 stories, and has the introduction from the original release. Most of these stories were new to me, but they're short (the book is just under 200 pages, with the intro) and for the most part just aren't as good as his other works. Supposedly these are all mystery stories, having some sort of 'twist' at the end. Sometimes it comes off really well; sometimes it seems forced.

So, I'd say it's a collection of fairly low-end Ellison stories, with other collections of his works containing much better stories.

What's really unfortunate, and I don't know if this is a case with this collection or with this publisher/series, but the book itself suffers from some fairly major editorial issues. It seems that in every other story the word 'in' became the word 'hi.' Less commonly punctuation marks have vanished. In a couple cases letters even vanished, where 'had' becomes 'h l' for example. I don't believe I have a another copy of "The Man on the Juice Wagon" (it's not in The Essential Ellison: 50, which it shouldn't be anyways), so I can't determine if the two words spoken by Routener are intentional or not. (They are "Rggll" and "Fszl" in my copy. Huh?)

Overall, this requires me to give this collection 3 of 5 stars. Go grab a copy of Deathbird Stories or The Essential Ellison instead, assuming you don't already have them. Although if picking up those done by Edgeworks Abbey and E-Reads, give them a once-over first to verify the text issues aren't in the others.

Deathbird Stories

A masterpiece
This book contains 16 wonderful stories of triumph over alienation and despair.Stories that challenge us to find wonder in the common place and to seek out hope in a world that sometimes seems coldly indifferent to our struggles.Harlan Ellison is a wonderful writer and it is a shame to seesuch a great book go out of print. ... Read more

Product Description
The classic companion to the most essential science fiction anthology ever published. 46 original stories edited with introductions by Harlan Ellison. Featuring: John Heidenry • Ross Rocklynne • Ursula K. Le Guin • Andrew J. Offutt • Gene Wolfe • Ray Nelson • Ray Bradbury • Chad Oliver • Edward Bryant • Kate Wilhelm • James B. Hemesath • Joanna Russ • Kurt Vonnegut •T. L. Sherred • K. M. O'Donnell (Barry N. Malzberg) • H. H. Hollis • Bernard Wolfe • David Gerrold •Piers Anthony • Lee Hoffman • Gahan Wilson • Joan Bernott • Gregory Benford • Evelyn Lief • James Sallis • Josephine Saxton • Ken McCullough • David Kerr •Burt K. Filer • Richard Hill • Leonard Tushnet • Ben Bova • Dean R. Koontz • James Blish and Judith Ann Lawrence • A. Parra (y Figueredo) • Thomas M. Disch • Richard A. Lupoff • M. John Harrison • Robin Scott • Andrew Weiner • Terry Carr • James Tiptree, Jr. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not Free SF Reader
I think lots of people know this anthology, split here into two pieces isn't as good as the first.Still better than The Last Dangerous Visions though.Lots of not too good stories here.Bernard Wolfe supplies good booze, or something perhaps, to get two stories.Only a bit over a 3 average here, and 50-50 ifthe stories are any good, which overall spells a big steenkin' average.

Funny to hear Piers Anthony rant about editors not taking chances and later on go and write more fluffy kids fantasies in a series than you can probably count on your digits.

The intros and afterwords are pretty much done in the same style and spirit as the earlier volume.

Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Ching Witch! - Ross Rocklynne
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Word for World Is Forest [short story] - Ursula K. Le Guin
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : For Value Received - Andrew J. Offutt
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Robot's Story - Gene Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Against the Lafayette Escadrille - Gene Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Loco Parentis - Gene Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Time Travel for Pedestrians - Ray Faraday Nelson
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : King of the Hill - Chad Oliver
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The 10:00 Report Is Brought to You By... - Edward Bryant
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Funeral - Kate Wilhelm
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Harry the Hare - James B. Hemesath
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : When It Changed - Joanna Russ
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Big Space Fcuk - Kurt Vonnegut
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Bounty - T. L. Sherred
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Still-Life - K. M. O'Donnell
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : Stoned Counsel - H. H. Hollis
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Bisquit Position - Bernard Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : The Girl with Rapid Eye Movements - Bernard Wolfe
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : With a Finger in My I - David Gerrold
Again Dangerous Visions 1 : In the Barn - Piers Anthony

Wapoo ips SF.

3 out of 5


Apart from the fabulous title, a pretty interesting book.

A planet of aliens that are similar but different to humans is a target of exploitation.

The forests hold the whole ecology together in a more important way than on Earth. The natives know nothing of violent conflict, but when brutality and violence is used by the invaders to try and get what they want, the locals learn quickly.

4 out of 5


Resident patient intern cost.

4 out of 5


Real, maybe, dope.

2.5 out of 5


Balloon chick, maybe.

3 out of 5


Substitute boy.

2.5 out of 5


W@nker trip.

3 out of 5


Humans history, give the furry Titans a go.

4 out of 5


Literal newsmakers.

4 out of 5


Getting hairy.

3.5 out of 5


Cartoon copyright escape.

3.5 out of 5


Separation anxiety.

3.5 out of 5


Stupendous space spoof load launch.

3 out of 5


Robbery removal, high calibre.

3.5 out of 5


Third man pissoff whiner.

3 out of 5


Dream lawyers.

2.5 out of 5


Napalm death dog.

3.5 out of 5


Dream rock psi transfer rubbish.

2.5 out of 5


Malleable reality.

3 out of 5


Udderly alternate Earth Prime.

3.5 out of 5

crikies, think of going to war with him in the ranks of Them.
Again, Dangerous Visions happens to include my favorite story 'Moth Race' by Richard Hill. It also includes 'With the Bentfin Boomer Boys on Little Old New Alabama' by Dick Lupoff. A story about a colony of whites at war with a colony of blacks.

I've read three reviews of this story. The editor himself remarked, "There has never been a thing like this one before, in or out of the field of SF. One expects some eye-openers... but nothing like Lupoff. He takes the solid gold award for chutzpah Above and Beyond the limits of Gall... Frankly, had no other story than this one been written for Again, Dangerous Visions, the book would have been worth reading."

Another reviewer echoed the editor saying the book was worth reading for this one story, "a truly dangerous vision, and a hoot to boot".

A third reviewer said, if you're going to write from the perspective of racists, "this is the only way they should ever be portrayed". I'll take the liberty of assuming he meant, if you're going to write from the perspective of a white racist. . . Or am I being redundant?

The story is written as a sort of parody. At one point, after attending mass, a character remarks, "Good to know God is on our side. Thanks chap old chap, crikies, think of going to war with him in the ranks of Them. How many divisions does he have, buy the weigh?" Another time they pass by a military surplus store looking for the bentfin boomer for their uniform, "military supplies (one-fourthmaster was out of stock bentfin boomers two months, three? local merchant had a-plenty, yes: old story, yes)" The story makes fun of their government, religion, and military. By extension, it's making light of our society really. I think this is done perhaps more to establish the credentials of the narrator than as simply a deconstruction.

I've reviewed this story myself now too, twice. I'm a lonely man.

It's in part a war story. When I watched the movie Saving Private Ryan a scene in the movie would remind me of this story.

'New Alabama' was nominated for a Nebula award (best SF story of the year) but didn't win. It's come to remind of 'New Riders of the Purple Wage', by Jose Farmer, a story that appeared in the original Dangerous Visions anthology, that won the Nebula.

'New Riders' received some odd criticism for being too far left (it's sometimes considering a satire of the left). New Alabama could be considered a response to the original story.

'New Riders' is about a young artist whose grandfather, the last capitalist alive, is a fugitive wanted by the leftest government. Said to be satire of the socialist nanny-state, the story in fact presents a great many interesting progressive ideas. 'New Alabama', on it's surface, is a satire of the racist right, while in fact presenting a great many ideas of it's own.

'New Riders' left quite an impression on me. I liked the society it presented more than the story itself which I probably didn't understand all that well. I liked it so much, im my own mind I'd always though of it as 'the book' (perhaps analogous to a Star Trek episode where a civilization had based their entire society on a book from Earth). As a note, the young artist in the story is in a competition that might be a bit similar to 'American Idol'. It's been a long while since I've read the story. I might note too that the 900 + page Dangerous Visions was a near iconic work (for the field of SF) that can still be found on most library shelves. This shorter and better positioned on the coat-tails follow up, for whatever reason, is hard to find. I also wonder how many who actually bought the book read this story. I didn't the first go-round. Never really liked the stories with Southern accents.

I definitely remember New Riders too. We're always told we live in a racist society (racism that benefits, whites) and this may be part of why I liked the story actually. In New Riders, health care, housing and everything, is free, and each and everyone, receives a minimum and equal amount of credit just for being alive. The 'unconscious racism' I carry around may be a big part of why I liked the society presented in New Riders so much.

The government in New Riders also trys to make sure young people have a sex parter, so, that could be another reason I liked it. . .

Unconscious racism may be why I Liked the story but the thing I really remember is that people were encouraged to cry.

I would go further, than suggesting one story is a response to the other, 'nice try but I see a different future!' or even, 'two can play at that game'. I would go further and suggest the entire Dangerous Visions project (Dangerous Visions, Again, Dangerous Visions, and the never completed Last Dangerous Visions) was simply a project to get this one story in print, by hook or by crook.

Ellison's second volume is too much of a good thing.
Flush with the success of the briliant Dangeraus Visions, Harlan Ellison and his publishers leapt into the creation of a mulit-volume sequel.They should have quit while they were ahead.Most of the stories are good, butthey have not dated well.Also the book runs needlessly long, withEllison's hyper ego prattling on in the introductions and needless doubleheader works by the writers.It took me a year to read it all and, forsomeone who goes through 3 to 5 books a month, that is NOT praise.

Forbidden Science Fiction from the 70's
To anyone who has read the original collection of science fiction stories by renowned Sci-Fi masters of the 70's that Harlan Ellison released, this sequel packs all these that were missed, such as Philip Jose Farmer's"Riders of the Purple Wage". Even doubters of repeat success willenjoy this book, as the one refreshing rule (rarely broken) is that eachauthor could only submit ONE story. There were no other rules.

Oh yeah,and Kurt Vonnegut's in it too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Classic Corben back in print from iBooks as of June 2003
Sure, Harlan Ellison wrote the classic stories, but my first exposure to the adventures of Vic and Blood came through Richard Corben's comic adaptations.I read Ellison's stories later and was happy to find that the comics were very faithful adaptations.It's good to see, therefore, that the iBooks paperback edition of VIC & BLOOD - THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF A BOY & HIS DOG gives you the chance to compare the comics with the original stories, all in one book!You get both comic and text versions of "Eggsucker", "A Boy and His Dog", and "Run Spot Run", and the texts are accompanied by a handfull of highly detailed Corben illustrations, along with sidebar quotes from Blood (The Wit and Wisdom of Blood).It's a very attractive package, led off with a humorous introduction by Ellison that touches on his supposed upcoming novel BLOOD'S A ROVER (will we ever see it?I can only hope).While this type of literature might not be everyone's cup of tea, I give this book 5 stars for presentation, as well as its appeal to fans of Ellison and Corben - they will love it.

Barely a 4 star read.
I debated wether I should give this graphic novel 3 stars or 4. I have decided to give it a 4 star rating.

The story was'nt that spectacular, and neither was the art (which is a letdown from this Corben fan). However,the story and art were still in the good range. It was a close call, but Iwill give this graphic novel a shaky 4 star rating. It was'nt bad. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Didnt have the product
Sorry guys - they dint have the product as advertised, or they couldnt find it.Either way it was a little disappointing and I wasnt in the mood for a bait and switch.

Generally good, sometimes classic
Harlan Ellison isn't a writer who is always 100% to my taste, as he's sometimes a little too mopey and apocalyptic in a whiny way.(I still like the stories that lean this way too much, just not as well as the others.)Still, he can write and when he's on he can be really amazing.

This collection is arguably a bit monontonous thematically, as it is subtitled something like 'Tales of Alienation in Speculative Fiction', and alienation is indeed almost inevitably the central theme.Honestly, thinking back on this collection I can't quite recall the details for most of the stories, but I did enjoy them all, and it certainly deserves particular recommendation due to it's two real standout stories, 'I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream' and 'Repent, Harlequin!', Said the Ticktockman.'The former is the archetypal, evil, omnipotent computer story, and it's definitely one of my favorite short stories of all time.It's about AM, a massive, intelligent computer which helped bring about the apocalypse, saving only 6 individuals, for the purpose of torturing them endlessly.It's simply one of the darkest stories ever, creating an atmosphere of sheer hopelessness far beyond anything else I can think of. Truly brilliant.'Repent...' is almost as good, but a lighter, more satirical tale about a future society where such an emphasis is put on efficiency that one has their life deducted every time they're late, focusing on the conflict between the Harlequin, who wishes to disrupt the system, and the Master Time Keeper. (The Ticktockman, natch.)That sounds pretty stupid, I'm sure, but it works in the story.A very influential story too, I remember Moore or maybe whathisname crediting it as a major inspiration for 'V For Vendetta', and you can totally see that.

Again, those are the standouts, but it's all worth a read.I also particularly like 'Nothing For My Noon Meal', 'The Discarded', 'Blind Lightning'and 'The Silver Corridor'.(which has a really great ending.)

Yeah, check it out.

A universal theme
Published in 1971, ALONE AGAINST TOMORROW is a retrospective anthology of stories based around the theme of alienation, set against futuristic backgrounds.It contains two of Ellison's most famous works: "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream," a story of a small group of humans trapped in a virtual hell and tormented by a malevolent virtual god, and "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman," in which a relentless prankster causes bits of chaos in a rigidly structured society, and the final message of which appears to be "You can make a difference; you can put a dent in the machine."

Earth's discarded freaks roam the spaceways; a method actor takes his art to the limit; a man is trapped in a room with a robot programmed to obliterate anything that moves; another man finds he has slipped through perception's cracks.

If there is one weakness to the collection it is that some of the stories seem too similar.The theme of a man stranded alone on an alien planet appears a number of times.The details vary, but not enough to make them distinct.

Still, while this material may not be as powerful as that in Ellison's other collections (to be fair, it is very early work), it is a book worth picking up should you come across it.At least, until the rest of those Edgeworks come out.

Ten Years In the Making...
This was, originally, a ten-year retrospective into HE's work, and contains many of his classics."Repent, Harlequin, Said the Ticktockman!", "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream","Lonelyache" and others combine to bring forth a comment onloneliness andisolation; that whether it is caused by the individual, orbyforces beyond their control, it can have horrible, and damningconsequences. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Classic Sci Fi written and illustrated by legends
Harlan Ellison has written some of the most memorable science fiction stories that have ever been produced for television.He is the author of the script "The Demon with a Glass Hand" that shocked audiences of The Outer Limits, as well as the victim of Gene Rodenberry claiming credit for Star Trek's most popular episode "City on the Edge of Forever" which Ellison has conclusively shown was his work.

Many of Ellison's concepts of robots and time travel were adapted to the big screen in the Terminator series (for which he was given a cash settlement and credit for to preclude a law suit)and were part of stories set against an epic conflict between the planets Earth and Kyba. The five stories that had been previously published are presented in graphic format here with Ken Steacy's illustrations.

If you like great Science Fiction, you will love this lavish production of art and literature written by one of the genre's greats and illustrated by another legend.

Stories with vision
Whatever else I might think of Ellison, some of his writing (especially older stuff) really is good. Then, when Steacy's bold artwork brings the narrative to life, the result is a very enjoyable read.

Five short to very-short stories appear here. The first, "Run for the stars," reminds the reader that a man with nothing more to lose has everything to gain. "Life hutch" presents a deadly puzzle with startling solution. "The untouchable adolescents" offers a stark lesson on pride, as does "Sleeping dogs." "Trojan hearse," a two-pager, shows how just how little information can be enough information, in the hands of a clever opponent.

It's not a must-have, or the centerpiece of anyone's collection of graphic novels, but this offers a brief, enjoyable trip to the stars. If you find it at a reasonable price, give it a shot.

-- wiredweird ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Repent, Harlan
This is a fascinating piece of detective work - probably not of great interest to the average book reader, but a wonderful revelation to people like myself, who have long wondered what happened to the book we awaited eagerly over 30 years ago.
It was a time when Harlan Ellison seemed to be both a great story writer and a great editor.
Little did we know that his third anthology would sit on the edge of forever.
I have read a number of speculations on the non-appearance of The Last Dangerous Visions, but at last here is one that makes complete sense.
Highly recommended.

The facts of the case...
This is a very specialized non-fiction book (booklet? pamphlet? it is very short) dealing with the sad history of the much awaited but never realized publication of The Last Dangerous Visions anthology by Harlan Ellison.The author, Christopher Priest, did his research, cited all of his sources, and pretty much just relates the facts of what Ellison has said and when he said it verses what he has actually done.

The biggest fact one can add to this book is that it is now 2005, over thirty years after the project began and eight years since Priest wrote his history/analysis of its non-occurence, and LDV _still_ has not come out nor shown any sign of ever coming out. And with each passing year, the stories age even further and, except for the handful of authors who took their stories back and had them published elsewhere, more of the included authors pass on with their stories unseen and unread in their lifetime.

Some of the other reviewers who have castigated Priest apparently didn't bother to do their research.One implies that Priest is being vindictive because his own story was rejected for LDV, which is not true (that was a completely different author, John Shirley).Another reveals his ignorance of Priest's publishing history, accusing him of riding the coattails of an American comic book author of the same name, when in fact the British author Priest has been around longer, pubished more and in fact has the real claim to the name since the comic book author apparently changed his name.

This book is interesting and invaluable if you're at all curious about this much talked-about but never seen anthology. Harlan Ellison is one of the truly great writers of speculative fiction and has earned his place of honor in its history.But even great men have their foibles and failures, and sadly LDV looks to be his.

By Another Man's Bootstraps
First, it should be said that if you discovered this jumped-up fan tirade to be linked in any way to REAL books by award winning writer Harlan Ellison you have been led astray. But since the link to Harlan's work and Priest's is probably established by Priest and his associates pressing on this link repeatedly in their free time you will have this.

An unsuspecting reader should also know that when pressing the name Christopher Priest one is presented with links to a number of comic book TPB's by a different Christpher Priest. Here we have an example of a person achieving marginal notice by riding on the coat tails of not one, but TWO different (and far better) writers.

If you enjoy long winded and meanspirited tirades that bleat on for pages about slights and literary misdemeanors that could be covered in a few sentences - this is the screed you've been waiting for. If, on the other hand you'd like to read a good book - fiction or non-fiction - in just about any genre imaginable - try one of the 70 or so books Harlan has published in the last 45 years.

This book is published in the United States by Fantagraphics. This is appropriate as Fantagraphics also publishes the Eros line of XXX rated comics in order to stay afloat these days. Fans of self-abuse will be right at home with this title or any of the other books in the one-fisted Fantagraphics catalog.

Insightful Little Book.
Really, I still think that after reading this essay it's a great loss that The Last Dangerous Visions never saw the light of day. Up to now, I mean. I hope it will be put together one day but chances seem small.

Anyway, The Book on the Edge of Forever provides plenty of information, though a sad feeling may overcome you while reading it.

Thank you, Christopher Priest, for this book.

One-sided hatchet job by two self-described "Enemies"...
Priest's contribution to TLDV was rejected 30 years ago by Harlan Ellison, and this one-sided hatchet job, published by another of Ellison's personal antagonists, Gary Groth, is the result. The fact that these two individuals went so far as to actually refer to themselves as the "Enemies of Ellison" (later "Victims of Ellison" but still something right out of elementary school) speaks volumes about both writer and publisher. It is ad hominem masquerading as journalism, and wasn't worth reading as a free download, let alone paying ... for it.

If you want to be entertained, read the many many volumes of Harlan Ellison's stories and essays. If you want to know more about Ellison himself, there are far better and more objective biographies and critiques of the man and his work.

For those previous reviewers who mentioned Stephen King's "lost story," consider this: It doesn't seem to have bothered King, who has gone on to have some modest success as a writer. Priest, OTOH, has built his entire ... career by attaching himself to Harlan's ankle like an angry Yorkie.

Skip this book... ... Read more

Product Description

"World War IV broke out on American Independence Day, 4 July 1995. Then what was left belonged to anybody who wanted it; anybody with a taste for radiation and rubble. The 'good folks' sank their caisson cities, their sterile down-unders, deep in the earth. And the snaggle-toothed remnants of the aboveground were abandoned to the new masters of desolation: vicious roverpaks of parentless young boys...and their telepathic dogs."

From the History of the World, as Blood tells it

The acclaimed series of short stories around the adventures of Vic and his telepathic dog, Blood, by Harlan Ellison is brought together as one stunning graphic novel by Richard Corben, one of today's leading fantasy artists. This conjugation of talents forms a powerful saga of love, death, and the consequences of both in a devastated society.

After winning a Nebula Award for Best Novella, "A Boy and His Dog" was made into a movie starring Don Johnson and Jason Robards, which itself won a Hugo.

In addition to the graphic novel adaptations of "A Boy and His Dog," "Eggsucker" and "Run, Spot, Run," this volume contains the original short stories by Ellison.

Features never-before-published sketchbook material from Richard Corben, critically-acclaimed artist for Heavy Metal magazine, Hellblazer (DC Comics), and The Incredible Hulk (Marvel Comics).

In a career spanning fifty years, Harlan Ellison has won more awards than any other living fantasist.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

They get no better than this!
For me Richard Corben is the most original artist in the field. While his older work is certainly inspired by the old EC horror and crime masters, his style and aesthetic became (during the late 70's) something completely unique. His style and skill allow him to slip from realistic to iconic (or cartoony) without any of it seeming out of place. His characters have a presence and weight to them that I have seen no other comic book artist achieve. The effect is sometimes unnerving and bizzare but always engrossing.

Harlan Ellison has a similiar ability with prose. He can go from comical to downright heartbreaking without missing a beat.A Boy and His Dog is a great showcase of Ellisons ability in this respect. The combination of he and Corben is perfectly suited for this story of humor and horror on a post apocalyptic landscape. An evironment Corben seems to have mastered (see his brilliant Mutant World, recent Punisher comic, or short story An Angel Shy of Hell for other examples).

In an industry full of cheesy clenched-teeth hunched-over superheroes,or generic drawn-from-digital-photos-of-artists-friends characters and Mike Mignola rip off's it's refreshing to look at a work of art done by two rebel/masters who made their own masterpiece on their own terms with their own aesthetic.

Great Ellison
If you love "A Boy and His Dog", you will LOVE this book.Great stories well done in a comic style.Most women hate this series for some reason :).A wonderful read. Ellison is at his dark, bitter best, and the drawings are great.

Classic Corben back in print from iBooks as of June 2003
Sure, Harlan Ellison wrote the classic stories, but my first exposure to the adventures of Vic and Blood came through Richard Corben's comic adaptations. I read Ellison's stories later and was happy to find that the comics were very faithful adaptations. It's good to see, therefore, that the iBooks paperback edition of VIC & BLOOD - THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF A BOY & HIS DOG gives you the chance to compare the comics with the original stories, all in one book! You get both comic and text versions of "Eggsucker", "A Boy and His Dog", and "Run Spot Run", and the texts are accompanied by a handfull of highly detailed Corben illustrations, along with sidebar quotes from Blood (The Wit and Wisdom of Blood). It's a very attractive package, led off with a humorous introduction by Ellison that touches on his supposed upcoming novel BLOOD'S A ROVER (will we ever see it? I can only hope). While this type of literature might not be everyone's cup of tea, I give this book 5 stars for presentation, as well as its appeal to fans of Ellison and Corben - they will love it. ... Read more

Product Description
Master essayist, gadfly, literary myth-figure and viewer of dark portent, Harlan Ellison has been, for the greater part of his life, a burr under the saddle of Complacency. His two books of TV criticism, The Glass Teat and The Other Glass Teat, are taught in more than 200 universities and colleges. In this, his former assistant and confidante, Marty Clark, has culled from hundreds of rare and unreprinted works twenty wide-ranging essays that demonstrate why the monstre sacré of imaginative literature won the prestigious Silver Pen award of P.E.N. International for his journalistic frays in 1982. ... Read more

Product Description
In the sub-atomic kingdom of K'ai, the Hulk gained Bruce Banner's brain but lost his heart to the gorgeous green Grace: Jarella! After the sinister Psyklop gets their world in his hands, the atom-crossed couple seek happiness on Earth, but the odds seem stacked against them in both dimensions! Will the Hulk save his emerald angel and her war-torn world? Can green hearts be broken? Find out in this saga that spans time, space, and [non]human emotion! Guest-starring Captain Marvel and the Avengers! Collects Incredible Hulk #140, #148, #156, #202-205 and #246-248, and What If? #23. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Adventures of Hulk the barbarian
This volume collects stories featuring the Incredible Hulk and his microworld love interest ,Jarella.Marvel at the time was exploring old pulp magazine ideas such as the works of H.P. Lovecraft, John Carter of Mars, Doc Samson and Conan the Barbarian.In many ways, the Hulk yarns of this era have a lot in common with those low fantasy genre pieces.The Hulk in this set of collected stories comes off as more human and much smarter than in his old Hulk smash phase.The best stories are the ones written by Steve Engelhart.The artwork of Engelhart's main collaborator,Herb Trimpe, is more innovtive than the usual Jack Kirby swipe Marvel house style.Marvel under the editorial direction of Roy Thomas sought to postion itself as a new culture entertainer.These stories collect some of the best examples of that era. ... Read more

Product Description
Robert Bloch / Ben Bova / Algis Budrys / Avram Davidson / Samuel R. Delany / Joe L. Hensley / Keith Laumer / William Rotsler / Robert Sheckley / Robert Silverberg / Henry Slesar / Theodore Sturgeon / A. E. Van Vogt / Roger Zelazny / and Harlan Ellison, unassisted. If you mix Ellison with wild talents like those names listed above you've got a book as unique as the Abominable Snowperson. Here is the first collection of collaborative stories ever created, each deranged vision complete with introduction (in the patented Ellison manner) explaining how the story was written and who gets the blame. The lunatic mind of Harlan Ellison strikes again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

groovy sci-fi
Harlan Ellison can weave an amazing world around the reader and this collection does it in spades.I have a copy so read the spine is almost gone but I love it. The cartoons are a real hoot as well. A true joy to read again and again

Ellison through several lenses
What could be better than Harlan Ellison writing his sometimes dark, sometimes funny but always engaging work?Only Harlan Ellison working with other authors, equally gifted but perhaps with different takes on the world, society and fiction.Instead of nullifying each other's thoughts, the result is a fantastic synergy which takes you on a wild ride from cover to cover.The story introductions by themselves could have been published as a standalone work as they give an insight to Ellison's work, his work with other and the creative mind that has kept us all making room on our bookshelves and merrily tracking down ever more of Mr. Ellison's writings ... Read more

Product Description
The best stories from the first ten volumes of the anthology series. Contains Nebula Award winning stories The Secret Place, by Richard McKenna; Mother to the World, by Richard Wilson; The Planners, by Kate Wilhelm; Passengers, by Robert Silverberg; and other outstanding stories by George Alec Effinger, Carol Emshwiller, James Salles, Joanna Russ, Thom Lee Wharton, Avram Davidson, Harlan Ellison, Gardner Dozois, Gene Wolfe, RA Lafferty, Ursula K Le Guin, Carol Carr, Langdon Jones, Philip José Farmer, Joanna Russ, Ted Thomas, and Ruth Allison and Jane Rice (writing as Allison Rice). ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the kinetic sculptures of Lisa Snellings, STRANGE ATTRACTION is a carnival ride of dark fantasy and horror. These 24 tales and poems explore the night-side of the looming Ferris wheel and its many inhabitants. But things aren't always what they seem on this ride and surprises await all who stand in line, waiting to experience the wheel for themselves. The ride is open. Admit one. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dark carnival stories probe the limits of humanity
It's difficult to easily categorize these dark works of fantasy: they are short stories written by such notables as Ray Bradbury, Michael Bishop, Nina Kiriki Hoffman and others, blending literature and art and all based on the strange kinetic sculpture Crowded After Hoursby Lisa Snellings. Dark carnival stories probe the limits of humanity.

Combines quality writing, art and binding
Strange Attraction is a fascinating anthology that combines quality writing, art and binding into a unique synthesis. This showcase volume presents memorable and highly recommended work by Michael Bishop, Ray Bradbury, Ed Bryant, Richard lee Byers, Nancy A. Collins, Jack Dann & Janeen Webb, Charles de Lint, James Dorr, Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Alexandra Elizabeth Honigsberg, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Brad Linaweaver, Jason Miller, Fred Olin Ray, Robert J. Sawyer, Darrell Schweitzer, John Shirley, S.P. Somtow, Chet Williamson, David N. Wilson, and Gene Wolfe.

Give This One A Ride
Strange Attraction is a fascinating anthology that combines quality writing, art and binding into a unique synthesis. This showcase volume presents memorable and highly recommended work by Michael Bishop, Ray Bradbury, Ed Bryant, Richard lee Byers, Nancy A. Collins, Jack Dann & Janeen Webb, Charles de Lint, James Dorr, Harlan Ellison, Neil Gaiman, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Alexandra Elizabeth Honigsberg, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Brad Linaweaver, Jason Miller, Fred Olin Ray, Robert J. Sawyer, Darrell Schweitzer, John Shirley, S.P. Somtow, Chet Williamson, David N. Wilson, and Gene Wolfe. ... Read more