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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit New Hardcovers Out of Print, Ridiculously Expensive!

Discussion in 'Literature' started by zchmrkenhoff, Mar 9, 2017.

  1. revan772

    revan772 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 5, 2014
    @EmperorHorus they do release paper backs. They just come out a few months later. They currently have several out.
     
  2. JABoomer

    JABoomer Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2009
    Me too, I never had the money for hardcovers when I was in grade school, and now my OCD prevents me from having various formats/sizes of SW novels. Plus hardbacks are a pain to read lying in bed.

    They do, see below


    The Del Rey books all get paperback releases, the next one is Aftermath: Life Debt at the end of the month. The Disney published young adult novels do not seem to get paperback releases, at least not in North America.
     
  3. jSarek

    jSarek VIP star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Feb 18, 2005
    He's not talking about paperback releases in general. He's talking about the smaller paperback format that the novels used to come in. Canon releases are in premium paperback format.
     
    EmperorHorus likes this.
  4. Manuel Bothans

    Manuel Bothans Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Apr 8, 2016
    Those premium paperbacks are the only way I can read paperbacks these days. My eyes aren't what they used to be, so if what I want to read is in the smaller, compact paperbacks I'll just get it on my Kindle.
     
  5. ATimson

    ATimson Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2003
    That extra 25% profit per copy is hard to pass up for publishers.
     
  6. Giovs

    Giovs Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2013
    I had the same problem a few years ago when I was hunting for hardcovers from the old bantam era books.
    Fortunately I've been keeping up with the new Canon hardcovers from the start, the only ones I don't have are Dark Disciple and the Rogue One novel, not sure if I'll buy them eventually or not. I'm also getting the Marvel hardcovers, those things can get really expensive and hard to find when they're out of print.

    Related to this, a few days ago I ordered an out of print hardcover from a non star wars related 2005 book and managed to find a new copy for 10$, sometimes you just get lucky.
     
  7. EmperorHorus

    EmperorHorus Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2016


    No the paperbacks they release now are a different size, larger than the classic "106 x 170" (I think) paperbacks that they used to have. I know I'm really OCD but the larger paperbacks they have now are just as annoying to read to me as the hardcovers.

    I would genuinely be willing to pay way more for a small, compact paperback than a hardcover if it was on the market.
     
    revan772 and JABoomer like this.
  8. JABoomer

    JABoomer Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2009
    Yes, they are tall and skinny, I agree they're not enjoyable to hold. And they are an inch higher on my bookshelf then 95% of Legends paperbacks.
     
  9. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Hmm, gonna have to catch up on a few hardbacks before they get too pricey.

    EDIT- Crap, too late- Life Debt is already up to 75 on Amazon, yeesh.

    EDIT 2- But B&N still has it for normal price. Phew.
     
    Sinrebirth likes this.
  10. SheaHublin

    SheaHublin Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2008
    Hello, Del Rey person- old EU fan here!

    Thanks for posting this, and I'd like to ask if there's any chance of there being reprints of various EU/ "Legends" books being re-released in hardcover format, even if they have to have that awful yellow Legends banner on them. I would instantly buy hardcover rereleases of books that never got proper hardcover releases, in particular the X-Wing series, Ruins of Dantooine, The Crosscurrent Duology, and various anthologies. I am not alone in this, and there is an untapped market for such books here and elsewhere in collector and fan circles. It is good that Del Rey is keeping the classic EU novels in print (even with that "Legends" banner) and please do consider releasing new hardcover versions. You can be assured that they'll sell :)
     
  11. DarthInternous

    DarthInternous Editor - Del Rey Star Wars star 3 VIP

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2017
    SheaHublin There's virtually no chance of something like that happening. The production and distribution issues alone would make it a none starter.
     
  12. Jeff_Ferguson

    Jeff_Ferguson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 15, 2006
    DarthInternous Thanks for all the info. Any chance of e-book releases for Legends novellas like Crisis of Faith or Emissary of the Void? A few of the older novellas, like Fool's Bargain and Darth Maul: Saboteur, seem to have Kindle editions available, but I'd love to be able to purchase Crisis of Faith by itself without picking up the paperback of Choices of One, or Emissary of the Void without using eBay to track down six different old issues of the Insider and Gamer mags. The NJO is still really popular around these parts, but I'd be surprised if more than a handful of us have ever read Emissary.
     
  13. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    But that's the fun part! :D
     
  14. DarthInternous

    DarthInternous Editor - Del Rey Star Wars star 3 VIP

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2017
    Jeff_Ferguson for similar reasons that I mentioned above this is also unlikely to happen. Especially if they haven't been published separately before.
     
    Sinrebirth likes this.
  15. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    I get distribution and production where printed copies are concerned, but how do the same issues prevent e-issuing?

    LFL own all the content, it's all already written, is that hard to make available digitally? Particularly in today's world where that seems to be where everything is going.
     
  16. DarthInternous

    DarthInternous Editor - Del Rey Star Wars star 3 VIP

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2017
    Similar issues - perhaps not quite exactly the same ones.
     
  17. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Hmm, that's a shame.
     
  18. mbruno

    mbruno Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2010
    Wait, Crisis of Faith was reprinted in the paperback of Choices of One? Really?
     
  19. Jeff_Ferguson

    Jeff_Ferguson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 15, 2006
    mbruno No that's my mistake --- it was actually the 20th anniversary Heir, wasn't it?

    Also, I purchased Saboteur on my Kindle the other day and finally read it, sixteen years after its release. Can't believe I never checked it out --- I guess it was 'cause for years I held onto the belief that I would one day buy and read Shadow Hunter, which includes Saboteur in the paperback.
     
  20. Darth_Henning

    Darth_Henning Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 1, 2007

    A lot of books are switching to the "Premium Paperback" size the last few years.

    The claim is its easier to hold and read, which I have never seen anything to support.

    Really? As far as I'm concerned, its the fact they can charge 2-4 dollars more for each book. Its all about profit.

    For Star Wars I think there's a supplementary reason. The different paperback sizes distinguish the Legends books (Mass Market) from Canon (Premium) even without the banner. (And there's the psychological element that the canon books are 'bigger')
     
  21. ATimson

    ATimson Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2003
    Books have been "stuck" at $7.99 for a very long time. Prices were past due to go up anyways - you just also get the annoying format shift too.
     
  22. Darth_Henning

    Darth_Henning Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 1, 2007

    As a Canadian, in the 90s, it was $8.99 for a mass market paperback, now its generally $11.99-$12.99, and a premium up to about $14.99, so prices have consistently increased here in the same format size. I'm surprised to hear that wasn't the case in the USA.
     
  23. nom_anor_no_more

    nom_anor_no_more Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2007
    I've recently discovered some of the aftermarket prices for early new canon books, and holy-moses, I was shocked (some of the comics too, lordy!)

    I am damned glad I buy this stuff day-and-date

    Does anyone else display their books sans dust jackets? I think they look fantastic this way (but I do go back and forth.)

    [​IMG]
     
  24. Endol

    Endol Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2014
    nom_anor_no_more why do I see legends material cluttering up your canon collection?!!!

    On a different note, it's interesting to see how del Rey books under the dust jacket. The century ones in the UK are all the same , just black with gold embossed writing.
     
  25. Taalcon

    Taalcon Chosen One star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 1998

    Seeing this makes me wish I hadn't gotten rid of my ANH, HTTJ, TARKIN, LotS, TPM, AotC, and RotS hardcovers in a shelf-space purge :_|