markkwan

There are 2 great book clubs out there right now that i am enrolled in. the first one is http://www.literaryguild.com
5 books for $2, required to buy 4 more books at half price.

and the other one is

http://www.qpb.com
4 books. 4 bucks. no commitment. no kidding.

they have some great deals. enjoy.

[Edited by markkwan on 04-25-01 at 08:01 AM]

Scarecrow

I'm in the Sci-Fi Book Club. It's great. I'm about ready to cancel and rejoin soon. A bunch more free books and the commitment is easy to complete because their prices are actually pretty good.

Holly E. Ordway

QPB is pretty good. I generally avoid hardcovers (hard to handle, take up more space on the bookshelves), so that cuts out most book clubs for me. The books I got from QPB were science and history, not fiction; somehow I don't mind those being in large format (and being softcover, they're not so heavy).

The History Book Club also had a nice deal. (I'm not sure if the same deal is online; I got it out of a paper insert into Scientific American). One of the books I got was The History of Rome, which was neat reading right after watching I, Claudius!

For fiction, my favorite place to get them is a good used book store -- or even better, a library book sale!

yosISme

Here are some summary sites that cover MANY book clubs:

http://www.book-clubs.com/
http://www.bookclubdeals.com/

Just found them and haven't had a chance to look through them much yet, so I can't comment on how helpful they are.

muut

I was wondering if there are any threads dedicated to getting the most out of book clubs....very much like the ones we have here for the Columbia House DVD club.

RandyC

I don't think so.

But I recommend the Quality Paperback Book Club

http://www.qpb.com/

I enjoy the quality of the books from them as a good value, and their editorial write ups make book selection easier. They also have the typical "buy X books for whatever.." deals.

Wormwood

Speaking of book clubs. I joined The Literary Guild on April 19th (they sent me confirmation of my order the same day). Now its July 5th and I still haven't recieved my package. I even wrote them and here's what they said:

gusamo

I have thought about joining a science fiction book club, but I am a little worried about it. I could fill the membership, but is it cheaper in the long run to buy them from a store? They are offering your first five books for 1 dollar and then buy 4 more in the next 2 years.

Darren Garrison

It depends on which books you pick, I suppose. If you can get some espically high-priced books in the initial run, you might end up with a good deal. Same as with things like Columbia House.

Josh-da-man

It's been a while since I've been involved with the SFBC, but here's my experience.

Like any "club," be expected to be hit hard by shipping and handling charges. Factor this in to any "deals" you might receive.

Second, the SFBC print their own books. These are not the same as the books you can go into a bookstore and buy. They're (usually) a bit smaller, have different binding, and have different dustcovers -- usually the same artwork, but made from a slightly lower grade paper and without any embossing or foil stamping (if that was present on the publisher's editions of the books).

Book club books also aren't really collectable in the same way that publisher's editions are, and don't generally net you as much money from collectors or used book shops.

Another thing, the books would often arrive with sometimes fairly extensive damage to the books and or jackets. Heavy scuffing and occasionally extensive tearing on the dustjackets was fairly common.

The SFBC's selection isn't very good either. Very little attempt is made to keep "classics" in stock, and books will often disappear quickly from the availability lists quickly and without notice. This can be especially frustrating if books from a series you've been reading vanish before your collection is complete. For example, if there's a series of seven books, all of sudden volumes 2 and 6 might go out of stock and never get back in stock.

The biggest advantage the SFBC has is that it allows you to get exclusive hardcover editions of titles published only in paperback. And also their exclusive omnibus editions, which contain two or more complete books in the same volume.

If you want to maximize your savings, I'd looke to front-loading my membership package with higher-priced books, and then using less expensive books for fulfillment. Also, possibly with an eye toward the "omnibus" editions.

gusamo

Would this be a good deal?

My first 5 books:
Harry Potter 1 - 4 and The Lord of the Rings omnibus

This would be my first order and would cost $1 + shipping.

The remaining would most likely be filled with Star Wars books down the line.

benedict

I just joined the British version! Our deals are nowhere near as good when it comes to CD, DVD Book Clubs etc.

Funnily enough - as part of my opening offer - I've snagged "proper" hardback editions of the first four Harry Potter books, a nice LOTR one-volume hardback (which I'm planning to give to a friend), the first three Dark Tower paperbacks, David Zindell's The Lightstone in hardback and a club edition h/b of Tad Williams' Otherland Vol4 (I have the first three in softback and this is a very similar size). I think I paid £24 for this opening offer inc postage and a couple of "free" books were thrown in; a Pratchett club edition h/b and a Beryl Bainbridge (!) collection which was a p/b club edition.

I don't recall how many further selections I need to make to satisfy membership; probably an order of some kind from the next four or six magazines. From the first magazine I actually splurged out on h/b club editions of the George RR Martin Fire & Ice books people have (in the main) been enthusing about here!

So, who else is currently a member of a similar club in their country?

Scarecrow

SFBC is one of those clubs I've belonged to off and on for many years. While their books are often smaller book club editions that's been fine by me. Many of their books can be a good deal, especially the omnibus Star Wars and D&D books. Just like Columbia House it's a join, fulfill your cominment, quit, rejoin type of club.

madcougar

I was a member of both the SFBC and the Quality Paper Back Club (I think that's what it was called). I never had a problem with either. In fact I recall getting some really good deals with the QPBC.

mikehunt

SFBC is good if you like getting hardcover
also they occasionally will have 3 or 4 books combined into one hardcover (often Star Wars trilogy books, like the bounty hunter books)

Merin

I really like SFBC's omnibus volumes. They are (to me) the answer for series as they take up less space and you are guarrenteed to have all (or sequential) volumes of a series.

gusamo

I still have a couple of books left to buy on my Science Fiction Book Club membership. Can you guys give me some suggestions on what to get? I already have the Hobbit and LOTR books and several of the Star Wars books. I really enjoy these types of books. I am starting to read mre, so I am kind of new at this.

Eric F

Use the library? I don't really buy anymore except at the local book-swap store. You can find so many of those books for under $1.

But, if you have to finish that book club deal and like LotR type books, you might want to check Terry Brooks "Shannara" series, or even better, Guy Gavriel Kay's "Fionivar Tapestry", which is great (he helped edit The Similrillian).

The Internet Top 100 SF/Fantasy List

That might help you, it does me when I'm at a loss of what to read next.

Scarecrow

Grab the Icewind Dale Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore.

ziggy

go for the classics - Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Issac Asimov, etc.
I'd suggest - Stranger in a Strange Land or THe Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein

benedict

.... China Mieville's PERDIDO STREET STATION

p1forest

Besides other suggestions above (some classics!), I'd recommend these:

George R.R. Martin's series - One of my favorite series, high on many lists, but not for everyone.

Glen Cook's Black Company series - SFBC has multi-book editions (2-in-1 or 3-in-1's, might be the only place to get these, I'm not sure. If you like Salvatore, there are some multi-book editions of his Drizzt/Drow series, too, I believe).

Terry Goodkind - Starting with Wizard's First Rule

Robin Hobb - The Farseer "Assassin" series or Liveship series. I personally like the Farseer trilogy better, along with the recently released Fool's Errand.

L.E. Modesitt - The Recluce series

Orson Scott Card - The Ender series, starting with Ender's Game.

Raymond Feist - Don't remember the first Krondor book.

Those are some off the top of my head, but I don't know if they carry all of them.

DodgingCars

I don't know if this has ever been mentioned before but the History Book Club offers good deals for new members.

I think the deal right now is $1 a book for 3 books, and the 4th book is $4.95 -- with nothing more to buy. I just signed up for a 2nd time and I think my total was something like $16 for 4 history books -- probably worth over $100.

I did this about a year ago and it worked out well. You don't have to buy any more books, but like Columbia House and others they send you something monthly that you have to respond to or they'll send you their "editor's choice."

I ended up cancelling my account because I was sick of telling them not to send me more stuff -- so they sent me a thing saying they wanted me back -- so I rejoined.

Also, I guess with your membership you can use the Oxford English Dictionary Online for free.

greatjedi

I also recently joined the history book club. There are some excellent deals and some great books for history buffs.

B.A.

I think I will give a try, thanks for the link.