The auction will be this Sunday the 23rd at 6pm Pacific time. It will be the final Whatnot auction. Good chance we hang out and chat for a bit after the books sell. If you are a new Whatnot user, signing up with this link will get you a free $15 credit. Most books will start at $3 and shipping is cheap. whatnot.com/invite/thriftalife If you're an existing user, this is the direct link to the auction page: www.whatnot.com/live/039f05ce-d7df-402b-92ff-f70df10b9620
I'm an old fart. Mostly read SciFi throughout my life. At certain intervals I would take my paperback novels and either donate them to the library or trade them in at the used book shop. I rarely if ever re-read a book. It has to be something that really left an impression on me or I have forgotten the story and want to rediscover it. Memory is a tricky thing because some books I hadn't read in several years seemed to have rewritten themselves into different endings than what I recalled from the first go around. As much as I would like to think that I have slipped into an alternative universe where books change their stories by themselves after sitting on the shelf many years, I have to conclude that I'm just becoming an addled minded doofus. Good luck on your auction and upcoming travels. I am a late subscriber to your channel.
Well fuck man..... That was real special. Sad to see the SciFire Place go but I'm happy you're gonna be doing cool shit and enjoying life even more than you already do. I think you've invented a new book tube video category, watching book addicts choose between which books to keep and which to not. It is some powerful stuff man. These last few videos have been effecting me in ways I wouldn't have guessed. I really love books. I know you do too. I guess we've been watching you get rid of books for a while now but, YOU actually choosing while we watch, is akin to skydiving or hard drugs. Thank you Matt. You're a real mofo.
And I just found this channel. Introduced me to so many good books, It's almost unreal. It's like I was living under a rock and your videos lifted said rock up over my head revealing some seriously impressive reads. Thank you for your work, good sir.
I will miss the sci-fireplace but I will continue to follow future content from you as it has been great for me watching all your reviews.Best wishes to you Matt and thank you!
A poingnant moment for sure, looking forward to finding out what your next move is tho. Hope you keep talking about books, I like your perspective on sci fi, it's close to my own but different enough to be interesting and lead me to new things.
When you stated your first haul of someone's collection at a thrift store caused you to have "...a dopamine drip..." and gave you the inspired idea to become a collector is well-put, BP. You're a deep well of memorable metaphors. Outstanding. Guessed your keepers at about a 90% rate. I hope this doesn't mean you're becoming predictable. :) You're love of Silverberg has inspired me to increase my miniscule collection of his works. Cheers.
I've enjoyed your videos. As someone who began reading science fiction in the early 1970s, so many of the books you talked about have brought about a lot of nostalgia. So thank you. Good luck in your travels.
I just discovered the Sci Fireplace in the last month and have been watching non-stop ever since. It’s heart breaking to watch this video a week after the auction!
Of all the channels that review books, I've come to admire yours the most. Your reviews and opinions have been absolutely solid. Thank you for the time and work you put into this channel and best of luck on your journey!
Say hello to the Summer Country for the rest of us. It's always easier to leave, than to be left. Wishing you smooth sailing and looking forward to those parts of the journey you care to share. PS. Started Dahlgren and so far so good. Delany does not disappoint.
Came across The Seedling Stars in a charity shop the other day and your championing of Blish urged me to get it, was a big blindspot before that. Cool to see my edition of Dune there, too! All the best of luck with your upcoming move/travels
Triplicity is one of my favorite Disch copies and is worth keeping for sure. Wow I’ve never seen that copy of the narrow land! What a great copy. Getting into death from Disch is a great one as well! Man I had so much anxiety as the piles got smaller and smaller on the sci-fireplace. Sad to have that part come to an end but very excited for you and the new adventure you get to embark on! Hopefully we will get to see many more great videos in the future. Thanks for being such a huge PILLar in the booktube community!
Hi Matt, good luck on your travels. I look forward to seeing the wonderful places you visit. I have to thank you and Steve the Outlaw Bookseller for triggering an SF renaissance in me. I don't blame you for being reluctant to shift your Silverberg, I cut down my collection and am now engaged in rebuilding it. Everyone thinks I'm obsessed, but I don't care, I know what's coming.
Non-Dune Herbert novels used to be easy to find in the 90s, but those days are over. I wish I had known. The Dune Encyclopedia used to be easy to find too, not anymore.
Best of luck on your travels! Loved the sci-fireplace. This channel reignited my reading habits and made me appreciate the genre. Looking foreword to future uploads!
I've only been watching and consuming your output for a few months, but I've become quite the fan of late. Change has to come, but The Fireplace was a great thing while it lasted. To my mind you come across as a very thoughtful lit lecturer, though somewhere in those micro gestures there is a sense of humour/humah just lying beneath. Thank you so much for your recommendations. I will act on some of them, I promise. You've given me a renewed purpose in reading 'SF' (as A C Clarke would denote it). I wish you a safe journey. Get laid overseas, be entertained and enjoy yourself on the new adventures. Your fawning public awaits updates. All the best man x
I don't always regularly keep up with UA-cam, so this is the first I'm hearing of your plans. Traveling the world with a sack of paperbacks sounds like a dream. Glad to hear you've got big plans. Sad to see the Sci-Fireplace go. She shall be missed. o7
Cool stuff, and sorry to see the SFireplace go. I've only been subbed to your channel for a little while, and have only watched a fraction of your videos, but I like your style - it's not mine, really, but it's different from other YT SF-fantasy reviewers too. Good to get different perspectives. I have a lot of the books you showed here, quite a few in the same editions, including that Gormenghast omnibus, which I read in the mid-90s and remains one of the great reading experiences in my life - I've gone on to collect oh, 50 or so Peake books (multiple editions of some, and books that he illustrated but didn't write included) - Peake's Progress, a collection of his shorter works, is the one to look out for I think. I also have all the Cabell books, most in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, though I haven't read any yet - he just seems like he'd be up my alley. And one more note about collectibility/selling - I feel like Lin Carter is kind of on the upswing, I've bid on and lost several of his books (mostly stuff he's edited but a couple that were "original" novels) in the past few months and many of the ones I already had are going for much more than I ever would have guessed, given his overall rep and his enormous output. But a lot of them are from DAW and I think that publisher is getting more and more sought-after as well, especially the earlier yellow spined editions. Just something to keep in mind if you keep buying & selling in the future. Cheers to your new adventure, wish I had contemplated something such when I was younger and more able to do it.
we will miss the scifireplace a lot mr matt, but looking forward to your travel readings and posts. i think you chose very well here to keep and sell, with maybe only a couple quibbles of our tastes. as we say out here in old ny - excelsior!
Only found the channel fairly recently myself. Like others, it's been influential in my own continuation of the endless research project that is science fiction.
I discovered this channel only a few weeks ago. Great idea for a channel! I've been on something of a hiatus in my SF reading for several years, so this is a good way for me to still get some vicarious pleasure from the genre. I've known it only a short time, but I will miss the sci-fireplace! Good luck in your travels, and I'm looking forward to seeing your SF reviews from exotic lands!
Dune is probably the most cherished Sci-Fi that I encountered, with the first book being one of the only 2 novels which I read in one go. At your recommendation I bought Blindsight and I must tell, it didn't grip me. I will still try to read it hoping will start to make sense later. I have the feeling you keep books which are obscure oddities than really good, relevant stories.
Great channel - bringing back great memories of long-ago reading matter. Good luck with all new ventures. And -and I suspect you get this all the time- can recommend 'Lords of the Starship' by Mark S Geston for a not-too-fantasy dying earth hit. Still perhaps the most miserable book I've ever read. And if you're ever in Brighton, England, let me know (got a book shop/stall there - lots of SF&F). Thanks again.
"I'll be living a much better life" is usually a warning sign. In your case, I'll take it to be a good thing. It'll be interesting to hear where you turn up. Make sure that the background to all your future videos is a stereotype of the region, i.e., windmills in Holland, the Great Wall in China, Satriale's Pork Store in Kearny, New Jersey, all the obvious classics.
I love your content, I've been wanting to get into Sci-Fi for ages, I've always leaned fantasy but it's so hard to know where to start. Came across Blood Music by Greg Bear in a second hand store and remembered it from one of your videos. Appreciate what you do!
I was trying to guess which book would be kept & the ones to be sold. It would be hard for me to go through my library to whittle it down so I understand the hard choices. Good luck in your travels: I will keep watching. Bon voyage!
What a great smorgasbord of books. Watched it all the way to the end. It actually made me a little bit sad to see you separating them out so brutally, although of course I understand why you're doing it. Maybe I was thinking about my own similar piles of books and how one day a life time of collecting will be lucky to end up with anyone able to make any kind of critical assessment before they more than likely all get categorised as junk and go down the dump somewhere, despite what they've meant to me, which is a very morbid thought, but there you go! At least it was a fun game trying to predict which ones you'd sell and which you'd keep and I honestly got better at it as we went along. Think I'm getting a handle on your tastes now. Anyway, just want to wish you all the best in future adventures and look forward to seeing more from you!
I still remember 'The Marching Morons' even though I read it more than 40 years ago. I did not remember the author, but the story stuck with me. Could be the catchy title.
So sad but I’m glad you’re sharing it all! Thank you! With regards to The Chrysalids, I really enjoy the book but I’m guessing you’ll find it a bit YA/Juvenile. I think I’ve gotten a pretty good idea of your tastes over the last couple of years ;)
The closing of one chapter of your life and the beginning of another. I'm sure there will be many other lovely backdrops along your travels, though perhaps none with as cool a name as "sci-fireplace".
Nobody make fun of BP for vacillating between books. Everyone watching this is a book nerd, and we have all done this. Not me, I have a will of iron. And a wife who wants her den back.
we can only hope that one day, the sci-fireplace may be resurrected through the power of computer graphics. mayhaps a bit like the return of hari seldon
Adios and rest in storage Sci-Fireplace, agus go n-eirí an bóthar leat, Matt of Bookpilled. Look forward to your future endeavour and thank you for many an illuminating SF sharing ✌
you are giving it up, but i first read larry niven all the myriad ways again adapted in marvel’s unknown worlds of science fiction #5 illustrated by the great howie chaykin. in another issue they also did niven’s not long before the end which i really loved - its a departure for him - kind of a fantasy story.
Piserchia is one of my favorite authors because of how totally insane her stories are. Earthchild had the teenaged protagonist fighting against a sentient ocean destroying her planet. There are also carnivorous inflatable seals called Vembers I think. The Spinner is about a spiderlike alien invading a city and holding its inhabitants captive. There is also a group of elderly people with dementia who escaped their abusive retirement home and live in a cave system. Both manage to be simultaneously hilariously insane and depressingly bleak. It’s a mix of emotions I have never encountered elsewhere.
Put them all into storage so you can read them again when you return from vast experience which will give you a new way of looking at those masterpieces. May the wind be fair and the sea be calm on your journeys........
I said to myself at the start, if this man has got Ira Levin's "This perfect day" I will buy it.... never mind. I will research some of these books and buy one so I can help you out at this juncture of your life.
I know you haven't had much luck in finding a fantasy series that clicked with you, but keep that Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson in mind. His series The Malazan Book of the Fallen (of which this is part 1) is considered to be one of the most difficult to read yet profound fantasy series ever written. It can be difficult in the sense that Erikson gives very little exposition and avoids any unnecessary hand-holding, but writes in a way that demands of the reader to extrapolate information from subtextual clues, rather than giving explicit info dumps. He writes as if he expects the reader to know exactly what the characters know, which, when read carefully and with full attention, results in a very immersive reading experience that only gets better each time the series is reread. On top of that, his prose is just simply beautiful and highly erudite. So, having watched every single one of your videos at least once, I have a strong feeling that this could be a fantasy series that's right up your alley. It's bleak, it's grim, and truly engaging. Keep it in mind and give it a shot if you ever come across it again.
I think when you start “traveling the world” you’ll want to talk about that instead of SF books-maybe you could do two different channels. As much as I enjoy your SF reviews, I’m almost more interested in your upcoming journey. I’ve live in three Asian countries since leaving the US-no regrets. It’s challenging but rewarding in so many ways. Come to Korea. We’ll go for a hike and talk about Silverberg, etc. 😊
![Three Sci-Fi Books That Moved and Unnerved Me [100 Book Challenge #40-43]](/img/n.gif)
The auction will be this Sunday the 23rd at 6pm Pacific time. It will be the final Whatnot auction. Good chance we hang out and chat for a bit after the books sell.
If you are a new Whatnot user, signing up with this link will get you a free $15 credit. Most books will start at $3 and shipping is cheap.
whatnot.com/invite/thriftalife
If you're an existing user, this is the direct link to the auction page:
www.whatnot.com/live/039f05ce-d7df-402b-92ff-f70df10b9620
The lad is going travelling the world with a sack full of paperbacks. He’s evolved into a Wes Anderson character. It’s the most anyone can hope for.
but why do wes anderson movies look like that? 😂
Can we all agree this is the greatest episode of bookpilled (so far)?
This one feels like a funeral...I hope the next occupant will adorn you with a book or two. You were one hell of a background, Sci-fireplace.
End of an era, truly. Excited to see where you take the channel (both creatively and geographically)!
I'm an old fart. Mostly read SciFi throughout my life. At certain intervals I would take my paperback novels and either donate them to the library or trade them in at the used book shop. I rarely if ever re-read a book. It has to be something that really left an impression on me or I have forgotten the story and want to rediscover it. Memory is a tricky thing because some books I hadn't read in several years seemed to have rewritten themselves into different endings than what I recalled from the first go around. As much as I would like to think that I have slipped into an alternative universe where books change their stories by themselves after sitting on the shelf many years, I have to conclude that I'm just becoming an addled minded doofus. Good luck on your auction and upcoming travels. I am a late subscriber to your channel.
I have found one of the cool things about Alzheimer's is a room full of books I can re-read.
Well fuck man.....
That was real special.
Sad to see the SciFire Place go but I'm happy you're gonna be doing cool shit and enjoying life even more than you already do.
I think you've invented a new book tube video category, watching book addicts choose between which books to keep and which to not. It is some powerful stuff man. These last few videos have been effecting me in ways I wouldn't have guessed.
I really love books.
I know you do too.
I guess we've been watching you get rid of books for a while now but, YOU actually choosing while we watch, is akin to skydiving or hard drugs.
Thank you Matt.
You're a real mofo.
And I just found this channel. Introduced me to so many good books, It's almost unreal. It's like I was living under a rock and your videos lifted said rock up over my head revealing some seriously impressive reads.
Thank you for your work, good sir.
Black Easter with that cover by James Blish is like owning a fist sized ruby. Treasure. A Grail item for me and I must find it in the wild
I will miss the sci-fireplace but I will continue to follow future content from you as it has been great for me watching all your reviews.Best wishes to you Matt and thank you!
A poingnant moment for sure, looking forward to finding out what your next move is tho. Hope you keep talking about books, I like your perspective on sci fi, it's close to my own but different enough to be interesting and lead me to new things.
Enjoyed watching many episodes of the sci fireplace happy trails buddy ✌🏻❤️🫡
When you stated your first haul of someone's collection at a thrift store caused you to have "...a dopamine drip..." and gave you the inspired idea to become a collector is well-put, BP. You're a deep well of memorable metaphors. Outstanding. Guessed your keepers at about a 90% rate. I hope this doesn't mean you're becoming predictable. :) You're love of Silverberg has inspired me to increase my miniscule collection of his works. Cheers.
I've enjoyed your videos. As someone who began reading science fiction in the early 1970s, so many of the books you talked about have brought about a lot of nostalgia. So thank you. Good luck in your travels.
I love you, man. You’re the brother I never had nor missed until you came along with full shelves that would puff up any rational sibling with pride.
A bittersweet chrysalis like juncture. Safe travels and all the best!
I just discovered the Sci Fireplace in the last month and have been watching non-stop ever since. It’s heart breaking to watch this video a week after the auction!
Of all the channels that review books, I've come to admire yours the most. Your reviews and opinions have been absolutely solid. Thank you for the time and work you put into this channel and best of luck on your journey!
That was like watching them break down the set after the end of a favorite show. Bittersweet. What can we say except thanks for all the memories.
Well said.
Great channel Bookpilled :) Congrats on the move out
Say hello to the Summer Country for the rest of us. It's always easier to leave, than to be left. Wishing you smooth sailing and looking forward to those parts of the journey you care to share. PS. Started Dahlgren and so far so good. Delany does not disappoint.
Perhaps you can strew some about little free libraries on your travels. I downsized my massive library about five years ago. Truly, I regret it still.
Came across The Seedling Stars in a charity shop the other day and your championing of Blish urged me to get it, was a big blindspot before that. Cool to see my edition of Dune there, too! All the best of luck with your upcoming move/travels
I feel sad that it's gone. More so now that I know what was on there. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Triplicity is one of my favorite Disch copies and is worth keeping for sure.
Wow I’ve never seen that copy of the narrow land! What a great copy. Getting into death from Disch is a great one as well! Man I had so much anxiety as the piles got smaller and smaller on the sci-fireplace. Sad to have that part come to an end but very excited for you and the new adventure you get to embark on! Hopefully we will get to see many more great videos in the future. Thanks for being such a huge PILLar in the booktube community!
Haha, thanks Ryan. Appreciate it man.
Excellent form on saluting. Thumb tucked in like a karate chop 'n-evertything, bravo!
You are always welcome Matt and yes that Blish will take a very long time to read. It is absolutely packed.
6:10 The man who lived in inner space... didn't expect to see that come up! It is a strange and beautiful story.
Hi Matt, good luck on your travels. I look forward to seeing the wonderful places you visit.
I have to thank you and Steve the Outlaw Bookseller for triggering an SF renaissance in me. I don't blame you for being reluctant to shift your Silverberg, I cut down my collection and am now engaged in rebuilding it. Everyone thinks I'm obsessed, but I don't care, I know what's coming.
Non-Dune Herbert novels used to be easy to find in the 90s, but those days are over. I wish I had known. The Dune Encyclopedia used to be easy to find too, not anymore.
Best of luck on your travels! Loved the sci-fireplace. This channel reignited my reading habits and made me appreciate the genre. Looking foreword to future uploads!
Aha -- yeah, that's my copy of The Dispossessed, too. -- All such gorgeous covers -- very fun review!
I've only been watching and consuming your output for a few months, but I've become quite the fan of late.
Change has to come, but The Fireplace was a great thing while it lasted.
To my mind you come across as a very thoughtful lit lecturer, though somewhere in those micro gestures there is a sense of humour/humah just lying beneath.
Thank you so much for your recommendations. I will act on some of them, I promise.
You've given me a renewed purpose in reading 'SF' (as A C Clarke would denote it).
I wish you a safe journey. Get laid overseas, be entertained and enjoy yourself on the new adventures.
Your fawning public awaits updates. All the best man x
I don't always regularly keep up with UA-cam, so this is the first I'm hearing of your plans. Traveling the world with a sack of paperbacks sounds like a dream. Glad to hear you've got big plans.
Sad to see the Sci-Fireplace go. She shall be missed. o7
Cool stuff, and sorry to see the SFireplace go. I've only been subbed to your channel for a little while, and have only watched a fraction of your videos, but I like your style - it's not mine, really, but it's different from other YT SF-fantasy reviewers too. Good to get different perspectives.
I have a lot of the books you showed here, quite a few in the same editions, including that Gormenghast omnibus, which I read in the mid-90s and remains one of the great reading experiences in my life - I've gone on to collect oh, 50 or so Peake books (multiple editions of some, and books that he illustrated but didn't write included) - Peake's Progress, a collection of his shorter works, is the one to look out for I think. I also have all the Cabell books, most in the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, though I haven't read any yet - he just seems like he'd be up my alley. And one more note about collectibility/selling - I feel like Lin Carter is kind of on the upswing, I've bid on and lost several of his books (mostly stuff he's edited but a couple that were "original" novels) in the past few months and many of the ones I already had are going for much more than I ever would have guessed, given his overall rep and his enormous output. But a lot of them are from DAW and I think that publisher is getting more and more sought-after as well, especially the earlier yellow spined editions. Just something to keep in mind if you keep buying & selling in the future. Cheers to your new adventure, wish I had contemplated something such when I was younger and more able to do it.
we will miss the scifireplace a lot mr matt, but looking forward to your travel readings and posts. i think you chose very well here to keep and sell, with maybe only a couple quibbles of our tastes. as we say out here in old ny - excelsior!
man you really leveled up the book shipping packaging
Very excited for your new adventures. Follow your heart always. I have been a fan for years. I know you’ll succeed. Happy travels.
I'm glad you kept the Frederic Brown, because anything of his is *really* hard to find in my experience.
Only found the channel fairly recently myself. Like others, it's been influential in my own continuation of the endless research project that is science fiction.
I discovered this channel only a few weeks ago. Great idea for a channel! I've been on something of a hiatus in my SF reading for several years, so this is a good way for me to still get some vicarious pleasure from the genre. I've known it only a short time, but I will miss the sci-fireplace! Good luck in your travels, and I'm looking forward to seeing your SF reviews from exotic lands!
I really enjoy your channel. May the next chapter of your life be everything you want it to be.
Dune is probably the most cherished Sci-Fi that I encountered, with the first book being one of the only 2 novels which I read in one go. At your recommendation I bought Blindsight and I must tell, it didn't grip me. I will still try to read it hoping will start to make sense later. I have the feeling you keep books which are obscure oddities than really good, relevant stories.
Great channel - bringing back great memories of long-ago reading matter. Good luck with all new ventures. And -and I suspect you get this all the time- can recommend 'Lords of the Starship' by Mark S Geston for a not-too-fantasy dying earth hit. Still perhaps the most miserable book I've ever read. And if you're ever in Brighton, England, let me know (got a book shop/stall there - lots of SF&F). Thanks again.
"I'll be living a much better life" is usually a warning sign. In your case, I'll take it to be a good thing. It'll be interesting to hear where you turn up. Make sure that the background to all your future videos is a stereotype of the region, i.e., windmills in Holland, the Great Wall in China, Satriale's Pork Store in Kearny, New Jersey, all the obvious classics.
I love your content, I've been wanting to get into Sci-Fi for ages, I've always leaned fantasy but it's so hard to know where to start. Came across Blood Music by Greg Bear in a second hand store and remembered it from one of your videos. Appreciate what you do!
I was trying to guess which book would be kept & the ones to be sold.
It would be hard for me to go through my library to whittle it down so I understand the hard choices.
Good luck in your travels: I will keep watching.
Bon voyage!
What a great smorgasbord of books. Watched it all the way to the end. It actually made me a little bit sad to see you separating them out so brutally, although of course I understand why you're doing it. Maybe I was thinking about my own similar piles of books and how one day a life time of collecting will be lucky to end up with anyone able to make any kind of critical assessment before they more than likely all get categorised as junk and go down the dump somewhere, despite what they've meant to me, which is a very morbid thought, but there you go! At least it was a fun game trying to predict which ones you'd sell and which you'd keep and I honestly got better at it as we went along. Think I'm getting a handle on your tastes now. Anyway, just want to wish you all the best in future adventures and look forward to seeing more from you!
That edition of Dune is amazing. A Taiwanese bootleg? You gotta love the esoterica of it!
it’ll live on in our hearts and continue to fuel and inspire other burgeoning collections
Thank you so much and best of luck! You introduced me to some truly awesome books.
RIP Sci-fireplace! Great times were had. Best of luck to you Matt as you embark on your journey. To the vagabond lifestyle!
The silence of the Paxwax.
For Red Dwarf fans the novels are a must read as they tend to expand on many of the themes of the TV show. Good luck on your travels mate.
Thanks for what you do. Adios fireplace!
Seeing the last of the books come off the sci fireplace really was poignant. Looking forward to hearing more about your plans in the next video.
Gonna attend this auction on sunday. Even though I have 200+ on my tbr shelf, i might pick up a few!
All the best on your travels, look forward to the first video from wherever. Good bye to the sci-fireplace. It's been real.
I still remember 'The Marching Morons' even though I read it more than 40 years ago. I did not remember the author, but the story stuck with me. Could be the catchy title.
So sad but I’m glad you’re sharing it all! Thank you!
With regards to The Chrysalids, I really enjoy the book but I’m guessing you’ll find it a bit YA/Juvenile. I think I’ve gotten a pretty good idea of your tastes over the last couple of years ;)
The closing of one chapter of your life and the beginning of another. I'm sure there will be many other lovely backdrops along your travels, though perhaps none with as cool a name as "sci-fireplace".
It is a bummer, but knowing there is another chapter to come, with book reviews and adventures makes it worth it
Wow what a thumbnail
Nobody make fun of BP for vacillating between books. Everyone watching this is a book nerd, and we have all done this. Not me, I have a will of iron. And a wife who wants her den back.
Sadder than any drama film I’ve seen in the last 15 years.
"Bellend edition" resulted in a coffee fountain 😂
Sad. But I wish you all the best for your new adventure 🙏🖖👍
Sad to see the end of Sci Fireplace, but best wishes on your future journeys!
Wish that i would have found this channel sooner
It bummed me out! Happy to see the future, though
we can only hope that one day, the sci-fireplace may be resurrected through the power of computer graphics. mayhaps a bit like the return of hari seldon
PAXWAX!
P A X W A X
Damn, it’s a sad day good luck with the travelling Matt!
Adios and rest in storage Sci-Fireplace, agus go n-eirí an bóthar leat, Matt of Bookpilled. Look forward to your future endeavour and thank you for many an illuminating SF sharing ✌
End of an era. Master of Paxwax face indeed. See you on the discord.
you are giving it up, but i first read larry niven all the myriad ways again adapted in marvel’s unknown worlds of science fiction #5 illustrated by the great howie chaykin. in another issue they also did niven’s not long before the end which i really loved - its a departure for him - kind of a fantasy story.
Erstwhile background no more? No problem. Pretty sure if and when you post, from wherever, it'l be fun to listen to.
Chthon, Hothouse, Fire Upon the Deep and Nostrilia.
I found this channel first then Moid's.
Safe travels.
_The Diamond Age_ has got to be really rare. It's a book by Neal Stephenson that is less than 800 pages long.
RIP Sci-fireplace, forever in our hearts 😔✊
That bell end cover lol.
Piserchia is one of my favorite authors because of how totally insane her stories are.
Earthchild had the teenaged protagonist fighting against a sentient ocean destroying her planet. There are also carnivorous inflatable seals called Vembers I think.
The Spinner is about a spiderlike alien invading a city and holding its inhabitants captive. There is also a group of elderly people with dementia who escaped their abusive retirement home and live in a cave system.
Both manage to be simultaneously hilariously insane and depressingly bleak. It’s a mix of emotions I have never encountered elsewhere.
Those sound awesome
Put them all into storage so you can read them again when you return from vast experience which will give you a new way of looking at those masterpieces. May the wind be fair and the sea be calm on your journeys........
that Brak book with cover is hard to come by.-- The Dancer from Atlantis looks like Jones cover art.
Yeah kept the Brak.
If and when you stay at Moid's house, let the UK know how we can send you beer vouchers...
Take a photo of the sci-fireplace so we can all revisit it someday as a background for a video.
I said to myself at the start, if this man has got Ira Levin's "This perfect day" I will buy it.... never mind. I will research some of these books and buy one so I can help you out at this juncture of your life.
Great thumbnail. End of an era! Do you offer international shipping on whatnot Matt?
Thanks. Yes, but tends to be expensive. Whatnot controls the rates.
so many bangers
I know you haven't had much luck in finding a fantasy series that clicked with you, but keep that Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson in mind. His series The Malazan Book of the Fallen (of which this is part 1) is considered to be one of the most difficult to read yet profound fantasy series ever written. It can be difficult in the sense that Erikson gives very little exposition and avoids any unnecessary hand-holding, but writes in a way that demands of the reader to extrapolate information from subtextual clues, rather than giving explicit info dumps. He writes as if he expects the reader to know exactly what the characters know, which, when read carefully and with full attention, results in a very immersive reading experience that only gets better each time the series is reread. On top of that, his prose is just simply beautiful and highly erudite.
So, having watched every single one of your videos at least once, I have a strong feeling that this could be a fantasy series that's right up your alley. It's bleak, it's grim, and truly engaging. Keep it in mind and give it a shot if you ever come across it again.
Put that Ratman’s Notebooks from the last video in the auction. I’m in on it.
That Doomtime cover gives me major heebie jeebies
Keeping Castleview but sold Latro, strange choice.
I think when you start “traveling the world” you’ll want to talk about that instead of SF books-maybe you could do two different channels. As much as I enjoy your SF reviews, I’m almost more interested in your upcoming journey. I’ve live in three Asian countries since leaving the US-no regrets. It’s challenging but rewarding in so many ways. Come to Korea. We’ll go for a hike and talk about Silverberg, etc. 😊
The other channel is going to be more travel focused than this one. If I wind up in Korea I'll ping you.
Gonna miss the Fireside Chats.
This is agony
If you come to Seoul, Korea I’d love to meet up for a beer.
One day I will join the endless path of the wanderer. Just hope I will have enough time left.
From the sci-fireplace to the sci-seashore perhaps?
If you come to India , I’d love to show you the book thrift stores around here