From: Shep Iiams <A HREF="MailTo: vibooks@ns.net ">&lt;vibooks@ns.net&gt;</A>
<BR>Date: Mon, 4 Nov 1996
<BR>Subject: Science Fiction Reference Books

<P>This is  a summary of the best, most current, primary SF references I am
aware of to identify first editions, find reading material, find stories
with favorite themes, pricing, etc.
<HR>
<H2>GENERAL REFERENCE, ENCYCLOPEDIA</H2>

<B>Clute & Nichols</B>, <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION</FONT></I>, 1993 St. Martins,
1370 pages. Hard back $75. Paperback updated 1995. $29.95. Illustrated
CD ROM available from Grolier for Mac and Windoze. An indispensable
reference book on science fiction that contains over 4,300 entries and
1.2 million words. For every reader who loves, uses and wishes to know
more about science fiction, this is the first and most important
reference you should get. Has publication dates and title changes only
with no other first edition ID information. Unlike the 1979 edition, the
book is not illustrated and there are no magazine checklists.

<H2>SF FIRST EDITION IDENTIFICATION</H2>

<B>Currey Lloyd</B>, <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY AUTHORS: A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF
THEIR FIRST EDITIONS</FONT></I>,  1979, G. K. Hall. Covers roughly 215 important
authors thru December 1977, reference citations thru June 1979. Although
perhaps the most important, thorough and accurate guide to
identification of first editions, it if far from complete or accurate.
For instance it is very easy to misidentify Heinlein's STRANGER IN A
STRANGE LAND by Currey's less than complete description. There are
almost no cover/dust jacket prices or page counts mentioned excepting
paperbacks. $75 from author at (518)873-6477

<P><B>Tuck, Donald</B>, <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY</FONT></I>,  1974
Advent. Out of print. A three volume encyclopedia current thru 1968. The
bulk of vol. 1 & 2 consist of short author biographies with extensive
book bibliographies which include many authors and descriptive items not
found in the more recent Currey bibliography such as cover prices, page
counts, later and  foreign editions.

<P><B>Reginald, R. </B><FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY LITERATURE: A CHECK LIST 1700 -
1974</FONT></I>,  Gale Research. vol. 1 is 786 pages. Attempts to identify all first
and first thus editions thru 1974, but only contains date, publisher,
page count, hardback/paperback information. No cover price or other
identifying point information included. Includes by title, series, award
, ace and Belmont doubles indexes. Vol. 2 Short biographies including
original author comments and 32 page B&W "Pictorial History of Science
Fiction Publishing". Out of print

<P><B>Reginald, R. </B><FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY LITERATURE 1975-91: Supplement</FONT></I>, 1992 Gale Research $199.00 Attempts to identify all first and first thus
editions 1975 thru 1991, but only contains date, publisher, page count,
hardback/paperback information. No cover price or other identifying
point information included.

<P><B>Stephens, Christopher P. </B><FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>THE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY PAPERBACK FIRST
EDITION: A COMPLETE LIST OF THEM ALL (1939 - 1973) </FONT></I>,  Ultramarine 1991, 8
1/2 x 11 wraps, 144 pages. $22.95  (914)-478-2522 By author listings
with a title index. Includes publisher ID numbers, cover price, page
count, and illustrators

<H2>MAGAZINE REFERENCES</H2>

<B>Day, Donald</B>, <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INDEX TO THE SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINES 1926 - 1950</FONT></I>,  1952
Perri Press, out of print. All major SF magazines but no Horror such as
WEIRD TALES. By author and title with pseudonyms, but no index by index.

<P><B>Strauss, Erwin</B> <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INDEX TO THE SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINES 1951-1965</FONT></I>,  1966
MIT Science Fiction Society. Author, Title and Issue indexes with a
check list of magazines indexed.

<P><FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INDEX TO THE SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINES 1966 - 1970</FONT></I>,  1971, ... 1989,
beginning 1971 the New England Science Fiction Association published a
number of SF magazine indexes. Author, Title and Issue indexes with a
check list of magazines indexed.

<P><B>Tymn, Marshall B. and Mike Ashley</B>, <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY, AND WEIRD
FICTION MAGAZINES</FONT></I>, 1985 Greenwood Press, 970 pages, $95 A comprehensive
critical description of over 600 main stream magazines, associated
magazine-like anthologies, academic periodicals, major fanzines and non-
English language magazines. Critical descriptive essays are 1/2 to 40
pages. Includes bibliographies of source information and primary library
holdings; a concise publication history with the dates of title changes,
size and format changes, volume data, publisher changes, editorial
changes, and issue price. Includes index to several hundred major cover
artists; and a chronology of magazines started by year.

<H2>CRITICAL GUIDES TO SF</H2>

<B>Barron, Neil</B> <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>ANATOMY OF WONDER: A CRITICAL GUIDE TO SCIENCE FICTION 4th
edition</FONT></I>,  1995, R. K. Bowker, 912 pages. $55 Contains no 1st edition or
price information whatsoever. This is THE guide of what to read or films
to see. Revised and updated edition has concise summaries and
evaluations of some 2,100 works of fiction and over 800 works of non
fiction published from the genre's beginnings to the present. Includes
listings of films based on SF novels and short stories, guidance to
books on video and audio tape, public and private research libraries SF
magazines, comics, and art. Excludes foreign language SF. (See 3rd
(1987) edition for most comprehensive guide to foreign SF).

<H2>INTERNET SOURCES</H2>

<FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INTERNET SPECULATIVE FICTION DATABASE</FONT></I>, <A HREF="http://www.cu-online.com/~avonruff/sfdbase.html"> http://www.cu-online.com/~avonruff/sfdbase.html</A>.
A user contributory Sci-Fi database with 7164 Authors 37,030 Titles of
books, stories, anthologies, magazines. Includes contents and
publication data when available. Intends to list ALL genre SF.

<P><FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY, & HORROR: 1984-1996</FONT></I>, <A HREF="http://www.sff.net/locus/0start.html"> http://www.sff.net/locus/0start.html</A>
From the monthly Books Received column in LOCUS MAGAZINE, covers ALL
books, anthologies and magazines from 1984 thru 1996 including contents
and publication data. A huge annual reference book version: SCIENCE
FICTION, FANTASY, & HORROR: 1984-1996 by Charles N. Brown & William G.
Contento (Locus Press, 1986-1996) was available, however the internet
version is constantly corrected and updated

<P><B>Contento, William</B>: <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INDEX TO SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGIES AND COLLECTIONS,COMBINED EDITION</FONT></I>,
at: <A HREF="http://www.best.com/~contento"> http://www.best.com/~contento</A>
A comprehensive, complete, updated and corrected index compiled from
<FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INDEX TO SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGIES AND COLLECTIONS</FONT></I>, (G.K. Hall 1978)
and <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INDEX TO SCIENCE FICTION ANTHOLOGIES AND COLLECTIONS 1977-1983</FONT></I>, (G.K.
Hall 1984). Catalog of all SF anthologies thru 1983 searchable by story
or author, and by book title or author/editor. Excellent reference for
finding original magazine publication of any SF story that has been
anthologised.

<H2>SCIENCE FICTION PRICE GUIDE</H2>

<B>Howlett-West, Stephanie</B>. <FONT COLOR="#95004A"><I>INTER-GALACTIC PRICE GUIDE</FONT></I>, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror.

The ONLY current price guide to books by modern and classic Science
Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror authors. This 8 1/2 by 11, 408 page book
has 20,000+ entries. A compilation of 89 catalogs over the year from 29
different dealers, spiral bound with laminated covers and includes a
detailed introduction. There are multiple listings for many titles.
Entries are coded for condition, signed, inscribed, limited, ARC, Proof,
association, etc. Cover price $35.
<HR>

<P>Shep Iiams
<BR>------------------------------
<BR>             <A HREF="MailTo: vibooks@ns.net ">vibooks@ns.net</A> or <A HREF="MailTo: 71140.553@compuserve.com">71140.553@compuserve.com</A>
<BR>Catalog "VolkIiam.cat" at the CompuServe Book and Magazine page:
<BR>           <A HREF="http://www.massmedia.com/~mikeb/cissale.html"> http://www.massmedia.com/~mikeb/cissale.html</A>
 <BR>          Showing at The Book Collector in Sacramento, CA

<P>Christine Volk (916)-392-0498 & Shep Iiams (916)-391-8448
<BR>          Specializing in modern 1st editions including mysteries, women authors,
poetry, African American, children's, Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror.

<BR>          Payments & Correspondence to: 7043 Demaret Dr, Sacramento CA 95822-4326
<BR>          Shipments to: C/O The Book Collector, 1008 24th St. Sacramento, CA 95816