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Quag Keep
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Lurker Below
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:15 am 
 

I recently acquired a copy of Andre Norton's novel Quag Keep.  I have never read it and wanted to for thirty years (has it really been that long?).  The copy that I received appears to be a hardback first edition, first print and is NOT a book club edition.   It has the book cover in a Mylar jacket and appears unread.  Neither the endpapers nor the jacket have been clipped, nor are there any remainder or ex libris marks.  The book is perfect bound (glued binding, an oxymoron) and creaks when opened.  I am afraid that the pages might come loose if I read it.

My question is, do I save it and buy a reading copy, or do I read it as it was meant to be read and not worry about it?  I would really like Grodog's and Badmike's comments.  Any others are welcome too.

LB
  

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JasonZavoda
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:52 am 
 

Lurker Below wrote:I recently acquired a copy of Andre Norton's novel Quag Keep.  I have never read it and wanted to for thirty years (has it really been that long?).  The copy that I received appears to be a hardback first edition, first print and is NOT a book club edition.   It has the book cover in a Mylar jacket and appears unread.  Neither the endpapers nor the jacket have been clipped, nor are there any remainder or ex libris marks.  The book is perfect bound (glued binding, an oxymoron) and creaks when opened.  I am afraid that the pages might come loose if I read it.

My question is, do I save it and buy a reading copy, or do I read it as it was meant to be read and not worry about it?  I would really like Grodog's and Badmike's comments.  Any others are welcome too.

LB


Someone on ebay is trying to get $40 for a hardcover 1st edition with dust jacket, but no takers. You can get the paperback for $1 + shipping or $5 and free shipping which is usually the same thing. There is also a 'Return to Quag Keep' novel, which surprised me. The book didn't impress me either as an Andre Norton novel or as a Greyhawk novel and I've never had the urge to read it again (though it has been about 20 years since I read it and I should probably give it another try). It doesn't seem to be a particularly collectable book (or good one). If it is in bad enough shape that you are afraid of reading it then you might just want to read it and let the pages fall where they may.


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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 2:49 pm 
 

Thanks Jason.  After I posted my question, I thought I should have added your name to the list of people I was hoping to get answers from, based on what I have read on your blog.  Still hoping for more bits from early fanzines.

The copy of Quag Keep that I have seems to be in better condition than the one on eBay.  
** expired/removed eBay auction **
 Mine doesn't have the fraying on the edge of the dust jacket and is clearly unread.  I think $40 is overpriced, but it is good to know that replacements exist.  

Like I said, mine is in unread condition.  My only reason for concern is the tendency for perfect bound books to fall apart if the glue has lost its resiliency.   The way it creaked when I opened it startled me, so I put it away.  I think I will keep it put away and buy a reading copy.  Anybody here have one?  

I also received a copy of Return to Quag Keep in the same purchase.  I'll post a review when I get through my current backlog of books (about fourteen years).

LB
  

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Badmike
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:37 pm 
 

Lurker Below wrote:Thanks Jason.  After I posted my question, I thought I should have added your name to the list of people I was hoping to get answers from, based on what I have read on your blog.  Still hoping for more bits from early fanzines.

The copy of Quag Keep that I have seems to be in better condition than the one on eBay.  
** expired/removed eBay auction **
 Mine doesn't have the fraying on the edge of the dust jacket and is clearly unread.  I think $40 is overpriced, but it is good to know that replacements exist.  

Like I said, mine is in unread condition.  My only reason for concern is the tendency for perfect bound books to fall apart if the glue has lost its resiliency.   The way it creaked when I opened it startled me, so I put it away.  I think I will keep it put away and buy a reading copy.  Anybody here have one?  

I also received a copy of Return to Quag Keep in the same purchase.  I'll post a review when I get through my current backlog of books (about fourteen years).

LB


Hey Lurker;

Over the years I've seen the HB Quag Keep go for generally a lot less than I would expect (although many no doubt are book club editions).  Plus, it is not hard over 30 years later to find the paperback version, not to mention the recent reprint, so I think that has had some effect on value.  Optimistically I would say $50 for the item, but I'd be tempted to toss it up for auction just to see what it might go for, all you need is two maniacs to drive the price sky high!  Good luck with that, I've never found an original HB that wasn't a book club edition.

Mike B.


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FoulFoot
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:58 pm 
 

As an interesting bit of trivia -- here's a letter that Gary Gygax sent to Ms. Norton while she was beginning to write Quag Keep.  I had the original letter (before I sold my collection), but sadly, the mentioned cassette tapes were not with it.

Foul

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grodog
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:15 pm 
 

FoulFoot wrote:As an interesting bit of trivia -- here's a letter that Gary Gygax sent to Ms. Norton while she was beginning to write Quag Keep.  I had the original letter (before I sold my collection), but sadly, the mentioned cassette tapes were not with it.


Scott:  is this the same lot that included Rob's missing level 8 map?  It doesn't seem to have been mentioned in the letter, which is why I ask :D


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FoulFoot
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2012 6:43 pm 
 

Yep.

My guess has always been that the map wasn't "stolen"... it was given to Andre along with whatever else they gave her for her novel research.

Foul
  

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Post Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:22 am 
 

FoulFoot wrote:My guess has always been that the map wasn't "stolen"... it was given to Andre along with whatever else they gave her for her novel research.


That aligns with Rob's memory from when we had been discussing this:  mystery solved =)


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