"To Dream..." taken off bookshelves

\"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I have a part-time job as a bookseller at a local bookstore. Yesterday, I worked on "returns" for the Science Fiction section, which basically means that I take books off the shelf that are on a certain list and send them back to the publisher, because of a number of reasons: it's been remaindered, a new edition is coming out, etc...

"To Dream in the City of Sorrows" was one of those books. Why? Code NS -- "Not Selling."

If you want it, go NOW.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

This really doesn't surprised me, but it is unfortunate. B5 has a very tech savvy audience, for the most part, that would be more likely to buy online.

I can't tell you the last time I've gone to a bookstore. I enjoy obscure books, B5 included, and haven't found a single store in the Philadelphia area with B5 books, for example. Thus, I have turned online for my purchases. My guess is that many others have had similar experiences.

Regards,

-Tim

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I might not be so bad an idea to buy some of those copies that your bookstore is sending back - after all, if the book's not in distribution then it'd be worth more.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

Does the fact that your store is returning it (or rather, the torn-off cover since bookstores don't return paperbacks) necessarily mean that other stores are doing the same? How many copies did you have, anyway?

A title that is not selling in your store may be selling just fine elsewhere. When I worked at a small independent bookstore our big sellers and the national lists rarely matched up. (Even though we were one of the stores that was polled for the NYT Best Seller list. BTW, anybody who thinks the Neilsen TV ratings are somehow skewed ought to look into the laughable process that determines NYT "Best Sellers". ) Titles the flew off the shelves at heavy-discounters like Waldenbooks and Barnes and Noble had to be special ordered by our customers because we didn't stock them. (We ordered exactly one copy of the SW: Attack of the Clones novelization so that we'd have one to put on our NYT Best Sellers wall display. When it sold we replaced it with a color photocopy of the cover and a "sold out" banner.) On the other hand we sold four of five copies a month of a $150 book about a local architect. Go figure.

Are you working for an indy, or a national chain? Is the removal list chain-wide or only for your store or region?

Regards,

Joe

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

Because the book is a re-issue, I'd hazard a guess that most of the people interested in buying it had already done so the first time around. Just like I did.

Whether or not this channe's news heralds a global shortage of "To Dream...," I do suggest anyone interested in Sinclair or the Rangers pick the book up as soon as possible.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I've checked many big-name retail bookstores across the southeastern US (LA, MS, TN, AL, GA) and have had poor luck finding B5 books. To Dream... and the novelization of A Call To Arms are usually the only B5 books on the shelves of the stores I've checked. I've been looking for the Technomage and Centauri trilogies, but have been unsuccessful in finding ANY of the books in those series. I guess I'm going to be forced into buying them online. Not that it's a bad thing, I just prefer to look the clerk in the face and hand him my cash. I'm just old-fashioned, I guess.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

Large chain bookstore. Chain-wide returns list. More I cannot say.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

FlipperPA

haven't found a single store in the Philadelphia area with B5 books

Click to expand...

Check with the comic shop in the King of Prussia Mall.
I used to get the magazines there, and the guys that work there are pretty cool about helping you out.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I find that two chain bookstores that both begin with "B" and have coffeshops in them tend to have a wider selection of some harder to find books, including some B5 books. I never go anywhere else anymore.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

BTW, nice to see you back. Hope things are going well.

Regards,

Joe

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I often see the Technomage and Centauri trilogy books at our Barnes & Noble. Usually only one copy of each.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

Check with the comic shop in the King of Prussia Mall

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip - although I now have all the books. ;-) It always nice to know somewhere where you can speak "the language" locally with people.

I live in Roxborough and work in Plymouth Meeting so KoP isn't too far away... although I do generally try to avoid malls. ;-)

Thanks again.

-Tim

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I've checked many big-name retail bookstores across the southeastern US (LA, MS, TN, AL, GA) and have had poor luck finding B5 books. To Dream... and the novelization of A Call To Arms are usually the only B5 books on the shelves of the stores I've checked. I've been looking for the Technomage and Centauri trilogies, but have been unsuccessful in finding ANY of the books in those series. I guess I'm going to be forced into buying them online. Not that it's a bad thing, I just prefer to look the clerk in the face and hand him my cash. I'm just old-fashioned, I guess.

Click to expand...

So do what I did. Go into your local bookstore where you have a discount card (e.g. WaldenBooks, in my case), with the list (See below.) and have them order the books for you. That way, you don't pay shipping, you get your discount, and you can look the clerk in the face and hand him your cash. Naturally, Dell Books 1 thru 6 and 8 are out-of-print, and not available this way.

NOVELS:

Title: Book #1 Voices
Author: Vornholt, John
Timeframe: After Points of Departure & before A Race through Dark Places
Isbn1: 0-440-22057-2
Copyright1: March 1995
Publisher1: Dell

Title: Book #2 Accusations
Author: Tilton, Lois
Timeframe: After The Coming of Shadows & before All Alone in the Night.
Isbn1: 0-440-22058-0
Copyright1: May 1995
Publisher1: Dell

Title: Book #3 Blood Oath
Author: Vornholt, John
Timeframe: Historian's Note: This story takes place prior to the events in The Coming of Shadows.
Isbn1: 0-440-22059-9
Copyright1: October 1995
Publisher1: Dell

Title: Book #4 Clark's Law
Author: Mortimore, Jim
Timeframe: 11/15/2242 - 12/24/2259
Isbn1: 0-440-22229-X
Copyright1: February 1996
Publisher1: Dell

Title: Book #5 The Touch of Your Shadow, the Whisper of Your Name
Author: Barrett, Jr., Neal
Timeframe: Historian's Note: The events of this novel take place in early 2260, before A Day in the Strife.
Isbn1: 0-440-22230-3
Copyright1: April 1996
Publisher1: Dell

Title: Book #6 Betrayals
Author: Stirling, S.M.
Timeframe: Historian's Note: The year is 2259, during the Narn-Centauri War.
Isbn1: 0-440-22234-6
Copyright1: June 1996
Publisher1: Dell


Title: Book #7 The Shadow Within
Author: Cavelos, Jeanne
Timeframe: 11/2256 - 01/2257
Isbn1: 0-440-22348-2
Copyright1: April 1997
Publisher1: Dell
Isbn2: 0-345-45218-6
Copyright2: December 2002
Publisher2: DelRey


Title: Book #8 Personal Agendas
Author: Sarrantonio, Al
Timeframe: Historian's Note: The events of this novel take place in 2261, before Falling Toward Apotheosis.
Isbn1: 0-440-22351-2
Copyright1: May 1997
Publisher1: Dell


Title: Book #9 To Dream in the City of Sorrows
Author: Drennan, Kathryn M.
Timeframe Marcus in 10/2260, recalling events of 1/2259-9/2260.
Isbn1: 0-440-22354-7
Copyright1: July 1997
Publisher1: Dell
Isbn2: 0-345-45219-4
Copyright2: July 2003
Publisher2: DelRey

Title: Dark Genesis - The Birth of the Psi Corps
Author: Keyes, J. Gregory
Timeframe: 2115-2189
Isbn1: 0-345-42715-7
Copyright1: October 1998
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: Deadly Relations - Bester Ascendant
Author: Keyes, J. Gregory
Timeframe: 2189-2258
Isbn1: 0-345-42716-5
Copyright1: March 1999
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: Final Reckoning - The Fate of Bester
Author: Keyes, J. Gregory
Timeframe: 2271-2281
Isbn1: 0-345-42717-3
Copyright1: October 1999
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: Legions of Fire - Book I - The Long Night of Centauri Prime
Author: David, Peter
Timeframe: ~10/2262-12/2266. Dates corrected to line up with A Call to Arms and Crusade.
Isbn1: 0-345-42718-1
Copyright1: December 1999
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: Legions of Fire - Book II - Armies of Light and Dark
Author: David, Peter
Timeframe: 12/14/2266-04/18/2272. Dates corrected to line up with A Call to Arms and Crusade.
Isbn1: 0-345-42719-X
Copyright1: May 2000
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: Legions of Fire - Book III - Out of the Darkness
Author: David, Peter
Timeframe: 05/14/2273-01/21/2277. Dates corrected to line up with A Call to Arms and Crusade.
Isbn1: 0-345-42720-3
Copyright1: November 2000
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: The Passing of the Techno-Mages - Book I - Casting Shadows
Author: Cavelos, Jeanne
Timeframe: 11/2258-12/31/2258
Isbn1: 0-345-42721-1
Copyright1: March 2001
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: The Passing of the Techno-Mages - Book II - Summoning Light
Author: Cavelos, Jeanne
Timeframe: 1/2259-2/2259
Isbn1: 0-345-42722-X
Copyright1: July 2001
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: The Passing of the Techno-Mages - Book III - Invoking Darkness
Author: Cavelos, Jeanne
Timeframe: 8/2260-2261
Isbn1: 0-345-43833-7
Copyright1: December 2001
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: A Call to Arms
Author: Sheckley, Robert
Timeframe: 12/2266-01/2267
Isbn1: 0-345-43155-3
Copyright1: January 1999
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: In the Beginning
Author: David, Peter
Timeframe: Events of 2245-2248, as told by Londo in 01/2277.
Isbn1: 0-345-42452-2
Copyright1: January 1998
Publisher1: DelRey

Title: Thirdspace
Author: David, Peter
Timeframe: 6/2261
Isbn1: 0-345-42454-9
Copyright1: July 1998
Publisher1: DelRey

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

So do what I did. Go into your local bookstore where you have a discount card (e.g. WaldenBooks, in my case), with the list (See below.) and have them order the books for you. That way, you don't pay shipping, you get your discount, and you can look the clerk in the face and hand him your cash.

Click to expand...

Good plan! I really need to renew my B-A-M discount card anyway - this'll give me a reason. Thanks for the list.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I have a part-time job as a bookseller at a local bookstore. Yesterday, I worked on "returns" for the Science Fiction section, which basically means that I take books off the shelf that are on a certain list and send them back to the publisher, because of a number of reasons: it's been remaindered, a new edition is coming out, etc...

"To Dream in the City of Sorrows" was one of those books. Why? Code NS -- "Not Selling."

If you want it, go NOW.

Click to expand...

Well, yesterday, I bought the only B5 book that the local WaldenBooks (in the mall in Monaca, PA) had, and it was "To Dream..." (Hey, I can always give it as a gift. I already 1 Dell and 1 DelRey of it for myself, and read it long ago.) As I was checking out, I told the clerk that I was looking for Babylon 5 books, and the one I was buying was the last they had. He mentioned that I could have him order them for me (which I already knew.)

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

The fact that the books 1-6 and 8 are out of print is perhaps more of a blessing than a curse (if you're not collecting for completeness).

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

The fact that the books 1-6 and 8 are out of print is perhaps more of a blessing than a curse (if you're not collecting for completeness).

Click to expand...

And if you are collecting for completeness, wait and buy the Del Rey reprints.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I've just been to my nearest B&N and they had about 8 copies of "To Dream..." on the shelf. They also had a full set of each of the Centauri and Technomage trilogies, one of the Psi Corps books and a couple of copies of "The Shadow Within". I don't think I've ever seen that many in one place before. It almost makes me wish I didn't have them all already.

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

I have a part-time job as a bookseller at a local bookstore. Yesterday, I worked on "returns" for the Science Fiction section, which basically means that I take books off the shelf that are on a certain list and send them back to the publisher, because of a number of reasons: it's been remaindered, a new edition is coming out, etc...

"To Dream in the City of Sorrows" was one of those books. Why? Code NS -- "Not Selling."

If you want it, go NOW.

Click to expand...

I just wanted to thank you for bringing this to my attention. I picked up To Dream... the other day because of this thread, coupled with a bit of my own idle curiousity, and I was not dissapointed; it was an absolutely fantastic read, and it's kind of a shame that Ms. Drennan didn't write any others. I would've loved to see her take on Sheridan and Garibaldi, for instance. Aw well...

My only legitimate complaint is that the cover really looks like it was designed by a blind man. I mean, purple and pink meets neon green is just about the absolute worst color combination I've ever seen. To make matters worse, I know I've seen a rather snazzy looking, darker cover for this novel. This means that someone, somewhere actually believed it an improvement to switch the cover image over to this beast:



Can't have everything, I guess. Thanks again!

Re: \"To Dream...\" taken off bookshelves

To make matters worse, I know I've seen a rather snazzy looking, darker cover for this novel.

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You talkin about this one?