Search Results: Sci-Fi / Fantasy from CraigsClassics

This is an early example of Russian science fiction, "AELITA" by Alexei Tolstoi. Circa 1950's (there is no date of publication stated); Foreign Languages Publishing House; Moscow. Illustrated title page with frontispiece. From the "Library of Soviet Literature." Originally written in the 1920's, the book imagines the first breakneck human flight to Mars. From a review: "The action starts in the Soviet Union after the Russian Civil War. The old engineer Los and his companion Gusev, a Red Army soldier and true Bolshevik firebrand, fly to Mars in a rickety, egg-shaped craft. There they encounter an ancient civilization, which actually originated on the long-lost continent of Atlantis on Earth. While Los is attracted to the privileged and progressive upper class of Mars and begins a passionate romance with Aelita, the daughter of the totalitarian ruler, Gusev tries incessantly to spread Communist ideas among the poorer inhabitants. Eventually, a violent revolution breaks out. Partly inspired by… Read More

"Edison's Conquest of Mars" by Garrett P. Serviss with its original dust jacket. 1947 1st edition (stated); Carcosa House; Los Angeles. Limited Edition - this copy is #1,149 of only 1,500 copies produced. The book contains numerous full-page black & white illustrations. Illustrated end papers in color.From the dust jacket: "A stunned world, attempting to crawl from the ruins left by invading Martians, learns, to its horror, that again the ominous lights, which preceded the first invasion, are to be seen on the blood-red disc of Mars. Obviously the Martians are preparing for yet another onslaught against the stricken Earth." "In the writing of Edison's Conquest of Mars, Garrett Putman Serviss demonstrated a breadth of imagination, based upon solid scientific principles, which has resulted in his being acclaimed one of the great writers of the scientific romance and worthy of sharing the company of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells."Condition:Both covers have a strip of clear tape remainder at the top & bottom… Read More

"Farnham's Freehold" by ROBERT HEINLEIN with its original dust jacket. 1964; G.P. Putnam's Sons - Book of the Month Club edition; New York. From a review: "A nuclear holocaust throws a brave and tough-minded family into a future where they are considered traitors and sub-humans and where they must fight tooth-and-claw to avoid becoming slaves to the benighted survivors of the war."Condition:Clean covers and spine. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. Both covers are firmly attached. Nice interior - the pages are clean and appear unread with no notable issues found. Overall the book is in Very Good+ condition. The dust jacket has tears along the perimeter, most notable a 2" vertical tear at the bottom-left corner of the front cover; the back cover is lightly tanned and has a thin light stain along the right edge; tanning along the crease between the rear flap and back cover...overall the jacket is in Good- condition.

This is the rare, true first printing of "THE HOBBIT - or, There and Back Again" by J.R.R. Tolkien. 1937 1st edition, 1st printing (with "First Published in 1937" stated on the copyright page and no subsequent printings listed); George Allen & Unwin Ltd.; London. All illustrations are present as called for, and are firmly attached. The frontispiece and all illustrations are in black & white. "Thror's Map" and "Map of Winderland" are in color on the end papers. Exceedingly rare with only 1,500 copies printed. Additional photos can be provided upon request.

Condition:
Light soiling to covers and spine. Strip of cloth missing at center-left edge of spine. The center-right strip and the remainder of the spine below it are loose and attached at the right edge only. Small cloth tears at outer front cover corners; tiny cloth tear at bottom-left corner of back cover. Small cloth tear/piece missing at the top-left corner of the spine. No cracks and no loose pages. The front cover is a bit shaky. Pages 269/270… Read More

"The Man Who Sold the Moon" - Harriman and the Escape from Earth to the Moon! by ROBERT HEINLEIN. 1950 1st edition (stated); Shasta Publishers; Chicago. The dust jacket is un-clipped with the original price intact on the front flap. From the dust jacket: "The history of the past is a fascinating subject - but more fascinating by far is the history of the future! The Man Who Sold the Moon is the first volume of Robert Heinlein's Future History Series, spanning the years of the near-future through which we ourselves will live." From a review: "D.D. Harriman is a billionaire with a dream: the dream of space for all mankind. The method? Anything that works. Maybe, in fact, Harriman goes too far. But he will give us the stars..."Condition:The front and back covers each have a strip of tape remainder at the top and bottom edges. A tanned outline of the tape strips also appears at the top and bottom edges of the front and rear end papers. Clean spine. Sharp cover corners. Tight binding with no cracks and no… Read More

This is a vintage Sci-Fi collection, "The Outer Reaches - Favorite Science-Fiction Tales Chosen by Their Authors" with its original dust jacket. 1951 1st edition published by Pellegrini & Cudahy. The book features 17 short stories in all, including "Ylla" by RAY BRADBURY, "Death Sentence" by Isaac Asimov, "Interloper" by Poul Anderson"...please see the photos for the complete list. Edited by August Derleth.From the dust jacket: "August Derleth has made the experiment. In this volume some of the best-known writers of science-fiction have chosen favorites of their own, never before in any anthology and for the most part out of print, to represent their work in the genre. And in each case the author tells why - for reasons which are technical, romantic, sentimental - he holds this particular story as his favorite. The seventeen stories here presented offer a singular variety and give evidence beyond doubt of the vitality of the form of writing today classified as science-fiction."Condition:Clean covers… Read More

This is an early edition of "Red Planet - A Colonial Boy on Mars" by ROBERT HEINLEIN. 1952; Charles Scribner's Sons; New York. The book features black & white Illustrations, and illustrated end papers in color by Clifford Geary.Condition:Clean covers and spine. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. Both covers are firmly attached. The paper at the hinge between the front end paper and pastedown has split halfway down from the top edge. Nice interior - the pages are clean and appear unread with only a name written in pen on the front end paper. A bit of erased pencil writing is visible at the top-right corner of the front end paper. Overall the book is in Very Good condition.

Nice condition, early copy of Robert Heinlein's first book - "ROCKET SHIP GALILEO" with its original dust jacket. 1947 1st edition, presumed 2nd state (with "1947," the Scribner's seal, and no code on the copyright page, but lacking the "A" 1st printing designation); Charles Scribner's Sons; New York. The dust jacket is un-clipped with the original $2.50 price intact on the front flap. The book contains illustration by Thomas W. Voter; illustrated end papers. From the dust jacket: "A thrilling story of three boys who accompany a scientist on the first piloted rocket ship flight to the moon. The time is several years from now. The action is based on scientific fact, and much of it may come true before long. The illustrations have been carefully worked out under the author's supervision, and are as accurate as it is possible for 'projected' illustrations to be. Mr. Heinlein is in the top rank of science-fiction writers, and his unusual stories for adults have attracted much attention. This, his first… Read More

This is a handsome, French language edition of "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" ("Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers") by JULES VERE. Circa 1890's (there is no date of publication stated); Bibliotheque D'Education et de Recreation; Paris. Complete set in two volumes. Nicely decorated covers and spines, with gilt page edges on all sides of the text blocks. Each volume features a frontispiece (with tissue guard), and numerous full-page and in-text illustrations. The volumes are written entirely in French.Condition:Clean covers. The red cloth on the spine has partially faded. Sharp cover corners. There is a crack at the front hinge of volume I before page 1 (despite the crack, the front cover is still firmly attached). All covers are firmly in place and are not shaky. Bright gilt page edges on all sides of the text blocks. Nice interiors - the pages are age-toned (though not brittle) and clean with no writing or stains found. Overall the set is in Very Good- condition.

This is a collection of three vintage paperbacks by H.G. Wells, as follows: The Island of Dr. Moreau (1964), The Time Machine (1963), and The War of the Worlds (1971). Published by Berkley Publishing Corporation in New York.Condition:Overall the lot is in Very Good- condition. The pages are age-toned, though not brittle. Aside from the age-toning, the pages of all 3 books are clean with no writing, stains or tears found. A strip of clear tape has been affixed at the top of the back cover and inside back cover. The Time Machine from cover has some light staining along the top edge, and a stain at the right edge of the back cover. The spine of Dr. Moreau has a small foxing spot at the top edge. The inside covers of Dr. Moreau have heaving age-toning along the perimeters. All books are tightly bound with no cracks and no loose pages. All covers are firmly attached.

"The Wonderful World of Oz" - the book contains two illustrated "OZ" stories: "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Land of Oz" by L. Frank Baum. 1982; Lemon Tree Press / Galahad Books; New York. Each story contains the original illustrations by W.W. Denslow, and John R. Neill, respectively.From the dust jacket: "Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, the Woodman, the Scarecrow, and all of your favorite characters are back in this special edition of The Wizard of Oz and The Land of Oz. Included are the famous, original illustrations by W.W. Denslow, and beautiful drawings by John R. Neill. The Oz stories are jam-packed with magic, fantasy, adventure, and fun. They are sure to bring back many fond memories, and to enchant all new visitors to The Wonderful World of Oz."Condition:The book is clean both inside and out and nearly appears unread with only an inscription written in pen dated 1984 on the front end paper. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. The dust jacket has a tiny tear at the top edge of the rear… Read More