Oh, Now I'm Happy.

I discovered a new-to-me bookstore today and having some time off took in my stack of hopeful trade ins. (The same stack that was too craptastic for Atlanta Vintage Books.) They took the whole load. Every one of them and gave me a huge helping of store credit in return. I love Books for Less, a father son operation with two north Atlanta outpost.

It was a funny place as they had used books, remainders (which are new) and regular old new books. What struck me the most was layout. Unlike some other used book stores this was clean and organized. Everything grouped by genre and alphabetized like you'd expect to find in a big chain store. This was the only book store I can ever recall being in where the fiction far out numbered the non-fiction. It was bliss.

After a few hours of hunting I tore myself away with The Flanders Panel, and The Fencing Master both by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I had a bit of a struggle with the latter as The Virgin Suicides did nothing for me. All three were in trade paperback and only Middlesex was in slightly less than, 'like new' condition. I also got The French Lieutenant's Wife by John Fowles (who I know to be awesome), The Epiphany of the Long Sun, by Gene Wolfe, and The Dragon Quintet edited by Marvin Kaye; a Tor 2004 publication with 'then' new novellas from Orson Scott Card, Mercedes Lackey, Tanith Lee, Elizabeth Moon and Michael Swanwick. Yeah, you should be jealous if you don't have that... The Kaye, Fowles, and Wolfe are all in hardback and as best I can tell, have never been opened--let alone read--and in perfect condition.

The Wolfe is an omnibus of Caldé of the Long Sun and Exodus from the Long Sun as published by Guild America Books. It features some chaotic yet spiffy art work that I prefer to the Orb Books omnibus. Now I gotta track down the first half of this tetralogy.

I've had dragons on the brain for the past few weeks with discovering Wings of Fire from Nightshade and currently reading The Dragon Book. I have a good feeling about The Dragon Quintet surpassing all previously dragon related collections as it features long, short stories from some truly heavy hitters who have proven themselves in working with that form.

Oh yeah, this treasure trove of goodness, after my store credit cost a whopping $18.04 I'm feeling really good about myself today.