Perhaps one can be too picky about your books...

Radagan · Post by **Radagan** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:12 pm

I'm picky about my books--really, I am. I know it's sometimes even bordering on obsessive, but we all have to have those defining quirks after all, right?

So, I ordered several of the Christmas Day # sales this year from the Troll Lords and, as I was enjoying my new found loot, I noticed that my East Mark Gazetteer inside cover had a silly number scribbled on it.

I was irked. Well, I thought, it must have just been a stock thing or something. They are a small company after all, etc. etc. I shrugged it off most uncharacteristically, until I noticed black marker on the front cover! I was stunned from irritation right up to the point where I was humbled by comprehension: it was Gary Gygax's signature.

What a really spiffy surprise! I just wanted to say thank you Troll Lords! When you said that you would slip in a few extras in the order description, well, you weren't kidding.

Cheers to you!

-R.

seskis281 · Post by **seskis281** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:19 pm

Yeah, you ended up getting one of the numbered and signed folios it looks like...

LOL - I bought mine directly from Steve's hands at Winter Dark, so it was mint condition (i.e., no Gary's sig )

Luckily Gary was around and signed a couple of things for me.

P.S. Good thing you didn't just say "man, it's marked up..." and throw it into the trash...
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:28 pm

Thanks for sharing!

M
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:21 am

Wow, that is cool that you got one of the Spartan 300 EM Folios Neat. I hear you about being particular with your books though.

You know, I LOVE the spell of freshly printed books. I think the smell is absolutely delicious. Kind of sad when the smell goes away.

-O
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Eisenmann · Post by **Eisenmann** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:37 am

That is pretty danged cool.

Omote wrote:
Wow, that is cool that you got one of the Spartan 300 EM Folios Neat. I hear you about being particular with your books though.

You know, I LOVE the spell of freshly printed books. I think the smell is absolutely delicious. Kind of sad when the smell goes away.

-O

Omote, I'm going to bottle that scent and sell it to gamer geeks like that fresh new car smell is sold to car geeks.

pactmaster · Post by **pactmaster** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:38 am

I am pretty picky as well and my natural paranoia always kicks in if I receive a dented corner or a scratch on a new book. It usually takes a while for me to relax and not think about it, although sometimes I always see the ding first.
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Deserve has nothing to do with it, if you think you're entitled. You're not.

--Stephen Chenault

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.

J. R. R. Tolkien

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:38 am

I'll buy that for a dollar!
-O
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Zudrak · Post by **Zudrak** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:41 pm

pactmaster wrote:
I am pretty picky as well and my natural paranoia always kicks in if I receive a dented corner or a scratch on a new book. It usually takes a while for me to relax and not think about it, although sometimes I always see the ding first.

Our mail carrier must be a former discus thrower. The last order I received was tossed onto our top step and a couple books had dented corners. I'm not as anal as I used to be, but I hate our mail carrier.

Ghul, can we trade mail carriers?
_________________
AD&D, Amish Dungeons & Dragons.

"Galstaff, ye are in a cornfield, when a moustachioed man approaches. What say ye?"

"I shun him."

-----

"Knowledge, logic, reason, and common sense serve better than a dozen rule books."

-- E. Gary Gygax

moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:48 pm

Zudrak wrote:
Our mail carrier must be a former discus thrower. The last order I received was tossed onto our top step and a couple books had dented corners. I'm not as anal as I used to be, but I hate our mail carrier.

Ghul, can we trade mail carriers?

I'm particular about my books and have come to despise my mail carrier. I live in an apartment building and the guy has a tendency to try and make things fit at all costs! Three instances of major irritation thus far:

1) The two town module replacements that Steve sent me came in one of those thick padded envelopes. It was thoroughly bent and shoved in the slot. Not only did I have a problem getting it out, the envelope was shredded (probably due to the forcing of said package into my mail box). Needless to say... they are not in pristine shape.

2) A CD... a CD in and envelope arrived and was shoved in such a way that I couldn't take it out. The only thing I could do is get the CD out of the envelope first and then remove the empty envelope afterwards. It was tricker that it sounds.

3) A book from the UK (300 page softcover) was folded and shoved in. Envelope was ripped again (through some shoving) but at least it was wrapped in extra bubble wrap besides the padded envelope. The book was in better condition that the two modules and there is only slight creasing on the bottom of the front cover.

The lesson here is to order enough so that it has to be shipped in a box!

M
_________________
"You face Death itself in the form of... 1d4 Tarrasques!"

Partner to Brave Halfling Publishing
http://www.arcanacreations.com

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:00 pm

Zudrak wrote:
Our mail carrier must be a former discus thrower. The last order I received was tossed onto our top step and a couple books had dented corners. I'm not as anal as I used to be, but I hate our mail carrier.

Ghul, can we trade mail carriers?

God that stinks! Nothing worse then dented corners on a good, hardback book. GAH!
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

Zudrak · Post by **Zudrak** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:07 pm

Omote wrote:
God that stinks! Nothing worse then dented corners on a good, hardback book. GAH!

I'd sic my dog on the oaf, but I do not think a beagle instills fear in mailmen.
_________________
AD&D, Amish Dungeons & Dragons.

"Galstaff, ye are in a cornfield, when a moustachioed man approaches. What say ye?"

"I shun him."

-----

"Knowledge, logic, reason, and common sense serve better than a dozen rule books."

-- E. Gary Gygax

pactmaster · Post by **pactmaster** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:19 pm

I had recently ordered the director's cut of Hellboy on Barnes and Noble to replace the theatrical edition a friend had lost (he paid me $20 and the director's version was around $17 on bn). Everything was fine, I was breathing well, several books had arrived ok recently and I almost believed that the conspiracy against me by the world of printed material had been foiled.

Then the UPS guy comes skipping along, trips over his own feet and drops my package on the ground. He gets up, recovers the box hands it to me and says,"Hey, buddy, I hope your book is ok." Turns and scuttles away.

Instantly I knew that the fiendish plot against me was still in full force.
_________________
Deserve has nothing to do with it, if you think you're entitled. You're not.

--Stephen Chenault

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.

J. R. R. Tolkien

Omote · Post by **Omote** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:31 pm

Oh my! Although, the DC of Hellboy is sweeeeet.

Crazy @$$ mailman.

-O
_________________
> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

pactmaster · Post by **pactmaster** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:29 pm

I concur! The director's cut, with all of the extras, is like a whole other movie. All of the add-ons really enhance the movie. Luckily Barnes & Noble are expert packagers and anticipate the shenanigans of the UPS folk as well as the USPS.
_________________
Deserve has nothing to do with it, if you think you're entitled. You're not.

--Stephen Chenault

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.

J. R. R. Tolkien