Book imprints I’m familiar with? DAW, TOR, DelRey. Older is Bantam. I’m not sure, but I might still have some 95 cent Bantams.
I was reading a computer review site, tech stuff, and the images included some books in the background, and I got to looking at the spines of the books rather than the hardware.
Made me think, the old Science Fiction, as it was called at the time, though it encompassed much more, the old book taxonomy included numerous offerings from those imprints. At one point, I’m pretty sure I had almost all of the Lensman series, more from a collector, archivist standpoint rather than reading all of them. However, there were several series, and a couple of authors, as I’ve sawed my way through their collective canons.
I’m certainly more circumspect these days as I’m less willing to invest the time in just any old pulp fiction. Has to be something good that sets it apart, riveting characters, plot, action, mayhem.
There was a time when those very imprints did that. At least one of the companies mentioned has successfully jumped into “straight to digital” format, as well.
Cool. Baen, that was another imprint. Publisher.
Old school, now.
As I feel Time’s chilly breath on my neck, I, too, am more select about how I invest my time. I choose books carefully and if, after a chapter or two it’s clear it’s not worth my reading, I send it to the great Bookyard in the Sky (or I delete it from my iPad or Kindle). Not enough time left to read everything.
There never was, but the older I get, the more aware I am of the limits of what’s left to us. At least in this lifetime.
Used to be, though, I could count on those imprints being good reading material… Look for familiar name on the spine…
True. The ones you cite above, all quality pubs.