Out of curiousity, anyone on here have a first edition Ender's Game? I'm trying to get first editions of everything for my OSC collection but I don't think I'll be able to afford this one anytime soon.
By the way, I love that apparantly you can now finance things on Ebay, including this book.
posted
I can't be postive but it seems like that $1,900 bid might not be real. Considering it jumped from &80 to that number is... a wee bit much.
I mean, I can understand being a large enough fan to for over a lot of money, but not more than you need to.
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's what I was thinking too. $1900 is ALOT of money. And the reserve hasn't even been met yet. Anyone know what the going price actually is for a signed 1st Ender's Game?
Posts: 124 | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
My guess is they got one of their friends to bid that, to speed things up. They don't even have to sell the book if the reserve isn't met (which it's not yet), so it seems a smart enough strategy.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ditto. Interesting seller, though. In its store there is:
USA DECLARATION INDEPENDENCE 1776 PRINTING $RARE$ COMES WITH CUSTOM LEATHER CLAM CASE AND CONSTITUTION $450,000.00
All the same, I think eighty dollars is a far more reasonable bid than two thousand. No matter how much I'd want the book. Posts: 973 | Registered: Apr 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Several years ago, OSC was at a signing at the BYU bookstore. The general book buyer had run out of certain titles, and was searching everywhere for the last hardcover Ender's game they had in stock for a lady.
He got it for her, and then was suprised to see OSC's reaction when he saw it. He pointed out that it was an original first edition, and ask when she'd got it. She told him she'd just paid cover price for it.
When the woman asked him to personalize it to someone, he asked her if she was really sure, because that book, with just his signature, was worth hundreds of dollars, but it would be worth much less if he put someone's name on it.
At least until he died. For some reason after authors die, then books that are personalized become more valuable.
But he assured her he was not planning to extend her that courtesy.
The general book buyer in the story, a good guy who was a friend of mine, still kicks himself for giving up the book.
Now, I rarely see them for less than $1,500.
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I find it interesting that the inside cover of the book talks about Ender being the result of a "Genetic Experiment," of which Peter and Valentine are also products. I guess the copywriter didn't feel a need to read the book himself?
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
the high school i used to go to had over 3 dozen first edition enders game's. i doubt theyre nearly as valuable in australia, though.
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: I find it interesting that the inside cover of the book talks about Ender being the result of a "Genetic Experiment," of which Peter and Valentine are also products. I guess the copywriter didn't feel a need to read the book himself?
posted
well, I think it's a bit of a stretch to call it that, but the basic principle could be sound:
I always got the feeling that the government was trying to breed geniouses. Ender at least could be considered as much since he was a third. Otherwise you could say that Ender's parents were in a way participating in their own genetic experiment even if the government wasn't. They seemed very aware that they would be breeding incredibly smart offspring.
But maybe I'm reading too much into that.
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
I still can't find my copy of Ender's Game. I want to reread it. Of course, we have every other Ender/Bean book on the shelf, besides SotG. Which I still need to read. *sigh* Looks like I need to start asking who has a copy.
Posts: 1164 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have the most valuable copy. Nyah nyah nyah. First edition, signed to the kid it was dedicated to Posts: 1539 | Registered: Jul 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Puppy, do me a favor. Go to the nearest coppy machine and copy every page. Then send it to me. Or I'll top Steve with a $10.00 Target
Posts: 1164 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's too bad that OSC does so many book signings. Signed copies of his newer books would be worth more in the future if there weren't many floating around to begin with. I only have a signed first edition of SotG... I would NEVER sell it, but it would make me feel good to know that it was worth a lot. But of course he must have signed a ton of them during the tour when it first came out.
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Actually, the fact that he ANNOUNCED he was going to be doing less signings helped the value of his signature, even if he has done a few more after that . . .
Posts: 1894 | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
Oh, and Puppy, I'll one up everyone and give you a $30 gift card to Barnes and Noble. Lol...if only...
Posts: 124 | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have signed copies of all the books in the Ender & Shadow series minus SotG which I purchased after the signing.
None are first editions, although my Ender's Game is very old...it is from one of the first mass market printings.
Posts: 206 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Seems like one time Card discussed someone bringing him a first edition to be signed and Card said "You know this could adversely affect the collector's value, right?" But the guy wanted it signed anyway. I know for a fan the signature is better, but in a certain sense having no marks in it is more desireable from a general collectable standpoint. :shrug:
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
wait... having the author's signature in a first edition can lower the value? I can understand if it was personalized, but just the signature?
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
He's probably picked up some wear and tear over the years. He would no doubt be worth more if he had been kept in a thin plastic coating all his life.
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
But he's still a limited edition...and I imagine we could convince the author to slap an autograph on him.
Posts: 3852 | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Javert: But he's still a limited edition...and I imagine we could convince the author to slap an autograph on him.
I'm waiting for the sequel before I make my decision. Who is Bean based on? He's smarter and more efficient. Taller too, although he doesn't last as long as the original model... oh well.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: I find it interesting that the inside cover of the book talks about Ender being the result of a "Genetic Experiment," of which Peter and Valentine are also products. I guess the copywriter didn't feel a need to read the book himself?
Actually, if you read the first meetings collection, that description is not that far off.
In the Polish Boy, Graff said that they were moving Ender's father out of Poland and to the USA so that he could grow up in a place that didn't hate the government...and then marry a smart person and have a kid that could fight.
Then in Teacher's Pest, Ender's Parents speculated that the government arranged their meeting since the only class that Ender's dad could take was the one taught by Ender's mom.
It was never proven...just suspected, but if he was true it would be a sort of artificial selection.
Posts: 1901 | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
All children are genetic experiments. Let's see what happens if we combine THESE sets of DNA.
But authorizing a third child in order to see if a third attempt at combining the same gene set led to better results - that'a a genetic experiment!
Signatures: It all depends on what KIND of collector you are. If you're a "serious" collector, interested in the financial value, then you want straight signature, NOT personalized. I've had collectors who make the distinction quite clearly. "Please just sign all of these except this one, which I'd like you to personalize - it goes into my personal collection, which I'll never sell."
That's because AFTER I'm dead (and presumably so is the collector), then my signature TO a known collector actually has cachet. The possible increase in value after I'm dead partly depends on whom the book is signed to. For instance: A copy signed to an astronaut - that's going to have some extra cachet. But a signature simply to "Bob"? Not so much.
And remember that signed books are a VERY BAD INVESTMENT. Here's why: It depends solely on demand. And demand can evaporate when an author dies - whereupon even the collectable books have less and less value. It's raw free market - perceived value is the only value. So it's absurd, in my opinion, to spend exorbitant amounts for signed firsts in perfect condition. If you collect because you like the books, then ANY hardcover will complete your collection. And if it's for resale, you're betting that EG will be a true classic - i.e., continuing to sell after the author no longer is pumping out new books to spur sales of the old ones.
Have I written a "Huckleberry Finn"? Or just "Tom Sawyer, Detective"? Twain certainly didn't know that one sequel would be called the greatest American novel ever, and the other would be regarded as a sad little exercise in hackery. And he couldn't have guessed that it would be Huckleberry, and not the original Tom Sawyer to which it was a sequel, that became the literary classic (though Tom Sawyer still sells just fine as a classic "boy's book.")
There's Moby Dick - but it was one of the LEAST popular of Melville's books in his lifetime; his other books were far more popular. Who knew?
The greatest likelihood is that twenty minutes after I'm dead, all my books will plummet in value and within ten years nobody will ever say the name of any of my characters out loud again. Period.
But if they endure, there's no guessing which ones will be the collectible ones. Ender's Game, while at the moment it is still my most popular, is not my best novel. I've learned a few things since writing it <grin>. Indeed, after working on the screenplay, I'm soooooo tempted to create a completely new version of Ender's Game that includes some of the really cool stuff that I've come up with for the film script. (While still not be a movie novelization - for instance, I still like having Ender meet the hive queen on another planet, not on the asteroid Eros, but for the film there's just no way.)
Then again, some of that really cool stuff can come out as Ender stories in IGMS ...
Posts: 2005 | Registered: Jul 1999
| IP: Logged |
quote:But if they endure, there's no guessing which ones will be the collectible ones. Ender's Game, while at the moment it is still my most popular, is not my best novel. I've learned a few things since writing it <grin>. Indeed, after working on the screenplay, I'm soooooo tempted to create a completely new version of Ender's Game that includes some of the really cool stuff that I've come up with for the film script. (While still not be a movie novelization - for instance, I still like having Ender meet the hive queen on another planet, not on the asteroid Eros, but for the film there's just no way.)
Then again, some of that really cool stuff can come out as Ender stories in IGMS ...
You are such a tease, OSC . . .
Posts: 786 | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Orson Scott Card: Indeed, after working on the screenplay, I'm soooooo tempted to create a completely new version of Ender's Game that includes some of the really cool stuff that I've come up with for the film script. (While still not be a movie novelization - for instance, I still like having Ender meet the hive queen on another planet, not on the asteroid Eros, but for the film there's just no way.)
hmm... "Ender's Game: Special Edition"? Hey, it worked for George Lucas (in the sense that it made him a lot of money, although it was far from universally well-received).
As far as the movie goes, at least since you're not only alive to authorize the changes, but the one actually making them, the obligatory purist whining should be lessened somewhat.
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: I find it interesting that the inside cover of the book talks about Ender being the result of a "Genetic Experiment," of which Peter and Valentine are also products. I guess the copywriter didn't feel a need to read the book himself?
Actually, if you read the first meetings collection, that description is not that far off.
In the Polish Boy....
Nah Lupus, that's revisionist history. The only way that would make sense is if the person who wrote the cover of Enders game was OSC. Not likely, especially since Polish boy didn't get published until many years later. Besides, even if the copywriter KNEW the story would unfold that way, it wouldn't make sense to mention backstory which never appears anywhere in the book, and won't be fit to print for 20 more years. I don't buy that.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ok, Orson...I don't buy that! 20 minutes after your dead?! I'm 18, and I have two brother around my age who also are in love with your book. Not only that, but also countless friends who I have gotten addicted to your writing. One of us has to have children! And trust me...if I do, they will be falling asleep to stories of Ender and his alien friends.
The name Ender will be said long after you are dead, unless , of course, you have accidently foretold an alien invasion...then probably not.
When you die, I will wait 21 minutes, and say every name I can think of from every character in every book or yours. I will start with Ender, and end with Orson.
Posts: 2 | Registered: Oct 2007
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
!!!!!!!!!!!
