PeterDavid.net

I went looking for it last week. I love in Greece, Rochester, NY and there is only a couple well-known bookstores in town.

Since Waldenbooks and Media Play closed down, two places I could normally get your books are gone.

I went to my local Barnes and Noble early and none were anywhere to be found. Strike one. I went back a couple days later on the official release day and asked for help and he said it came in today. After leaving for 5 minutes he came back to say there was one copy in the back but it must be being held for someone. Strike two.

The next day I travelled next town over to the only Borders in the area and they had one copy, but for full cover price. And I'm sorry, but 24.95 or whatever is a bit too steep for me right now, especially since I don't even like reading Hardcover books. Strike three.

I'll probably order it off Amazon soon because I'm really interested.

I got mine on Amazon, but I saw several copies at the Books-a-Million here (Abilene, TX) right after Amazon shipped my order.

Corey

The local Books-A-Million had zero copies on the shelves when I was in there the other day. Barnes and Noble said that they had ten or so copies that were all sold out. I finally got fed up after several phone calls to other local retailers and ordered on line from Deepdiscount.com last night. They shipped it this morning.

I had to special order mine from my local Barns and Noble. They've been carrying a lack of TOR and Trek books though.

Haven't looked for it yet - really couldn't afford a HC if i found it.

Is that Boris, or Rowena, or a new imitator?

Pseudo-Beastiality and incest, your daughters must be proud.

I kid I really enjoyed the book. Very different from your Apropos and Arthur series with the multiple protagonists, though I never felt lost.

Though a small not beef but a bit where I got taken out of the narrative was in some of the wordplay. It may just be me, but once I saw Parriz I figured out what you were doing. I slapped my forehead when I figured out where Venets was, but I still can't figure out where Feend is. (Finland?)

I also got caught up in trying to figure how the laocoon's name translates. You explained the occular getting their mort name from a specific occular. Piri and Trull I figured out on my own.

Maybe it's just me, but when I know there's word play i need to figure it out.

As for book penetration. it wasn't at my bookstore the week it was supposed to be out, it was there a few days later. and it looks like the larger stores are carrying a couple of copies, but the smaller mall stores aren't

It's on the shelf at Bakka-Phoenix Books in Toronto.

Saw it at Hastings (Midwestern chain), waiting for the paperback. My to-be-read stack of just YOUR stuff is already a few books tall. :) (I don't read a lot of novels anymore, but I have a conference coming up with a long layover in Atlanta, so I should be able to whittle it down.)

No signs in Coles or Chapters (the big Canadian chain, Coles is smaller mall-friendly version of the Chapters megastores) in Vancouver, BC, although I did just pick up "Fall of Night" at the Chapters

Tried several B&N stores all over Long Island and the one Border's in Syosset with no luck. I even tried Book Revue in Huntington because I figured "Hey, independant bookstore. Surely THEY'D support a local best-selling author..." No love there either. Perhaps it was an act of sheer optimism given how these stores have handled your previous original works, but I still had to try.

I was considering writing to the managers of these stores, but I'm dreading the sphinchter-curdling canned response of "If it's not his Star Trek work, it won't sell..."

Books A Million had at least one copy the day after Kathy mentioned on her blog it was the best work you've written. (I forgot the date)

We're in Central Louisiana, Alexandria to be specific.

Odd that they make a point of mentioning that Terry Brooks is a Times best-seller, but don't mention that you are.....

Anyhow, will keep an eye out in the Manhattan bookstores.....

I saw it a little early, on June 9th -- at the one Border's I've been to lately, the same day I went to see Spider-Man 3. That was in suburban Portland, Oregon.

And Powell's Books (here in sorta-urban Portland) is listing it available both in-store and for online ordering. You're penetrating!

I haven't bought it yet. I'm pretending to be poor for a bit (May was expense-heavy), but it's on my purchase list.

[Repeating myself 'cause I messed up a link...]

Hey, here's the Powell's link, why not...

It's in the SF/Fantasy/Horror room of the main Powell's downtown. There's an elevator right next to that room that makes this great science fictional swooooooshing sound. Neat place for other reasons, too...

Haven't been to the bookstore in a while, but according to their online catalogue, the Indianapolis public library has ten copies in the system.

-Rex Hondo-

NICE cover, Peter. I just ordered my copy at Amazon.

Hey Peter!

I just bought Darkness of the Light at my local Barnes and Noble. I bought the last one, and I made sure to stop by the service desk and ask them to order some more! ;)

Rebecca

I'm an idiot. I forgot to tell you where I live! San Francisco, Ca.

Rebecca

Darn it! I just went to the bookstore today. To pick up another one of your books, ironically enough. You couldn't have posted this sooner? I was at a local B&N to grab the last New Frontier book. Your non-Trek books are in another section so I didn't notice. Ah well.

I saw it in early June at the Borders in north Austin, TX. It wasn't face-out, though.

I have been to 2 separate Barnes & Noble stores in Pittsburgh and neither had the book on display. In all honesty I wasn't aware it was coming out so I didn't ask about it, but Peter is one of the authors I always make a special effort to see what they have available, and I know I would have grabbed this if it was there. Next time I'm in one I'll ask specifically about the new book.

I haven't check the stores yet, but my local library (in Suffolk County, LI) was already in the process of purchasing it for their collection when I asked.

I got the book last week from Amazon UK. It will be at least a few weeks until I read it and by then this thread will have disappeared. But when I read it I will write a detailed review afterwards as I usually do with all books I read and distribute it on Usenet.

I don't suppose the book is available yet outside the U.S. ?

Well, I haven't picked it up, but it's on the shelves of at least one Chapters store here in Ottawa.

arghc indigo seems to have them.

peter if you go to indigo.chapters.ca they do allow you to search to see if a book is in location at a store.

I picked up my copy using Amazon.com. Lately I have had a problem getting your books from Barnes and Noble.

I am enjoying the novel, but I am trying to read it slowly to savor the experience. I read Tong Lashing soo quickly that I was angry when I finished because I didn't know when or if there would be another Sir Apropo novel.

Keep up the good work.

Regards:
Warren S. Jones III

PAD,
I'm living here in the Pacific Northwest and I've been unable to find a copy of it anywhere. I've been to 3 cities (Puyallup (where I live), Federal Way and Bellevue), 2 counties (Pierce and King) and 4 bookstores (2 Borders and 2 Barnes and Nobles) and I have yet to be able to find a copy of it anywhere. At the Borders closest to me, their computer system listed your book as "Likely in store." But it wasn't. Still looking, but I'm close to ordering it from Amazon.

PAD,
I'm living here in the Pacific Northwest and I've been unable to find a copy of it anywhere. I've been to 3 cities (Puyallup (where I live), Federal Way and Bellevue), 2 counties (Pierce and King) and 4 bookstores (2 Borders and 2 Barnes and Nobles) and I have yet to be able to find a copy of it anywhere. At the Borders closest to me, their computer system listed your book as "Likely in store." But it wasn't. Still looking, but I'm close to ordering it from Amazon.

I've been to Border's, B&N and Waldenbooks in the last 4 days and in each store scanned the shelves and looked closely at the new release section. At none of them did I see the book. Now I wasn't looking for it, per se, but I would have noticed had it been there.

Location: North Shore, Boston

I picked it up at the Barnes & Noble in the University District, downtown Seattle, WA and saw it at the local Borders in Redmond, WA. I didn't see it on the bookshelves in Woodinville, WA (a suburb of the suburbs just east of Redmond), but since I'd already bought it, I wasn't looking that hard, either. ^_^

Down here in Miami, Florida, it has yet to show up at the two bookstores I frequent, but they're usually a little late with getting new books. I expect they'll show up in a week or two. I couldn't wait, though, so I ordered it from Amazon monday.

Our local store, Book World, which is a chain in Michiga, Wisconsin, and here in Minnesota, almost never has your books, at least not here in my town. The last book of yours they had was the Spider-Man 3 novelization. Before that, it was the first Fantastic Four novelization. They do carry your Trek novels, but if I want the latest Apropos or Knight novels, I have to drive 60 miles to Barnes and Noble.

So much for my lengthy, rambling post.

Well, I can tell you it's NOT at the Borders located at
3600 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
Phone: 214.219.0512

Although I have special ordered it.

The Hastings here in Yuma had 2 copies marked in inventory but they were not to be found in the store. Eventually, like a week and a half after I initially looked we found them. My guess was that they put them in inventory but never brought them out of the back.
The B&N in town didn't have any copies at all.

I haven't started it yet, but I hope to have a good chunk done by Comic-con.

I work at Bolen Books in Victoria, BC (Canadian Bookseller of the Year! Woohoo!) and we have it in stock.

Bought the only copy on the shelf at Borders in Mays Landing, NJ

I wait for paperbacks, but Books & Co (store in Dayton, OH owned by Books-A-Million) had it yesterday.

I saw three copies of it on the shelf at Barnes and Noble in Lewisville, TX.

Brad

Excellent, PAD ! Looking forward to getting my Autographed copy at SHORE LEAVE in two weeks....
Nice Cover.... How much input do you have into the appearance of the cover? Do you have any say in the artist?

Not that I won't be getting autographs at Shore Leave as well, but I was also taking Sagittarius is Bleeding for an inscription. Started reading it yesterday; halfway through it right now, and so far it's up to your usual standards. (Yes, that's a compliment)

This may have nothing to do with your question, but I've been search at a couple of my local Half Price Books for your novels, really ANY of your novels and I can't find a damn thing! So, I guess that means that people either read your novels and LOVE THEM and want to hold on to them or hate them and want to burn them! :-)

I saw a copy last night at a Barnes & Noble in Austin, Texas. I was surprised that the only blurbs on the front or back cover were from Terry Brooks. I don't think his audience and yours are that similar.

There's a copy at my local Borders in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Also two brand new copies just came through my hands to be shelved at the library where I work. Shiny!

Saw it at Borders in Redmond, WA. Didn't pick it up yet since I couldn't afford the hardcover right now. Bought paperback copy of Stone and Anvil instead.

Picked it up a couple weeks ago at a Hastings. I echo the response that this is different from what I expected. Lots of build-up, not much movement in the first 60 pages.

Looked for it at my local Books-A-Million in Hazelwood, MO (greater St. Louis area) and they didn't have it. They didn't seem to have any hardcover Sci-Fi books though so that may be the reason they aren't carrying it.

They've got two on the shelf here at the Borders in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

haven't read it yet, but got a copy for me and my sister @waldenbooks. didn't see it at the local barnes & noble though (racine,wi).

It is on the shelf of the Barnes and Noble here in Corpus Christi, TX. It is not on the shelf of the other big chain store, Waldenbooks (which is a hassle because I had a 20% off coupon I wanted to use to buy it).

None on the shelf in Lufkin, TX, but the store manager said that they may be in their Friday shipment, he's got one on order for me, and will let me know if they show tomorrow.

None @ Borders in Garden City, RI
Gonna check the local Barnes & Noble tomorrow!

B. Dalton in Johnstown, PA, had two copies on the shelf. They now have one :)

Also available at a Chapters in western Canada (just outside of Edmonton). Don't know about other stores, as it was the first one I checked.

Bought it but haven't started reading it; I've got half a dozen books in my to-read pile as it is.

Didn't pick it up yet, due to lack of money, but I saw it at my Barnes & Noble in Poughkeepsie, NY. We have a Borders, but I didn't see it there (yet).

Well, the news from Richmond, VA gets worse. I had to kill some time in the West Broad Street Books-A-Million and checked up on it. This is the second or third largest BAM in our area. Not only did it have zero copies of the new book, but the only two PAD novels I could find was the Spider-Man Movie novel and the Battlestar novel. I asked one of the store's employees when the book would be in again and they couldn't tell me. They did offer to special order the thing, but they couldn't even tell me whether or not copies would be coming in on the next couple of deliveries of books to the store.

The lizard on the cover looks a lot like the Gorn from Star Trek. Is the hottie on the cover the protagonist of the story or just another character in the book?

I was hoping that there would be a non Star Trek sci fi book by PAD in the future instead. I still have Sir Apropos and it's sequel and still haven't read them. I know that they're good books but I gravitate toward SF nine times out of ten.

I got my copy at a charity auction at Duckon on June 9th.

Saw it this past weekend at my local Barnes and Noble in Peoria (Phoenix suburb) Arizona. I was there to pick up the complete Knight series, which they also had. All my other local B&N and Borders had one or two of the series, but not all three.

-TODD

Peter, who illustrated the cover?

Peter

I live in Nashville, TN and I searched far and wide for your book.

It was not available at the Borders chains in my area last week. I did pick up a copy at Barnes and Nobel last Friday.

OF course, as these things go, I picked it up and then got a tidal wave of books in on reserve at the library....I just need to give up my job and read all the time...:)

Haven't seen it in any of the Knoxville bookstores, so Amazon came through for me - arrived this morning - woot! Now I've got something to read this weekend...

The Barnes and Noble in Duluth, GA (zip 30096 if you want to look it up)had two copies before the last time I went in there. I cut that down to one...

I did not see a copy at the Borders in Snellville, GA today. Granted I wasn't really searching for it specifically, but I did check all the new arrival tables.

Bobby

I did not see a copy at the Borders in Snellville, GA today. Granted I wasn't really searching for it specifically, but I did check all the new arrival tables.

Bobby

I did not see a copy at the Borders in Snellville, GA today. Granted I wasn't really searching for it specifically, but I did check all the new arrival tables.

Bobby

I bought mine today at the Borders in Everett, WA. There were a few more on the shelves.

Peter:
I live near the Eastbrook Mall Borders Express in Mansfield, CT and they didn't have it. Of course they don't ever have much of anything, but that goes without saying.
My current job had me working near the state border between Connecticut and Rhode Island.
On a lark I drove all the way to the Borders in Providence, Rhode Island and bought their lone copy today. How many they had before my purchase I can't say.
Also managed to acguire your Fantastic Four novel and the trade paperback to No Limits, both of which until now I had no luck finding either, so over all it was a pretty worthwhile trip.
As for the book itself, will let you know my opinions after I read it.
But no matter where I go, I still can't find any of the Anthony Tollin produced Shadow pulp reprints. *sigh* :(

Edmonton, AB - I went to 3 different Chapters and there was one hardcover available. Which I scooped up.

Mishawaka, IN, 2 copies on the shelf at B&N.

I've taken three orders for it.

My shelves are virtual, [and thus virtually limitless] since I'm an online retailer rather than a brick-and-mortar.

I don't know whether the fact that I *am* virtual skews your research.

I've taken three orders for it.

My shelves are virtual, [and thus virtually limitless] since I'm an online retailer rather than a brick-and-mortar.

I don't know whether the fact that I *am* virtual skews your research.

I got it just fine from Amazon (and just in time for my trip to Disney World this past week too), though I haven't finished it and so am staying quite far from this thread until then.

I am going to have to wait for the paperback but I am going to get it. PAD's books are the only ones I'll get without reading the reviews on it because I usually get more out of them than the usual author.

25 bucks with a discount is still a lot for me for one book. I figure if I wait I can purchase the third Apropos novel along with this.....

My local bookstore (B Dalton)did not have it in and I have not seen it in there. I live in Danville, VA.

I had preordered and recieved my copy from my local comic book store (B & D's Sports Cards and Comics) so I wasn't worried about it.

1I have the book but have not yet had a chance to start it. I have a few vacation days coming so I pla on starting it then with some anticipation. However, I really can't halp with the market penetration survey since I had ordered it through the comic shop I work at. I get a discount there but not at my local book shop so I get whatever I can there. I'll keep an eye out as I stop elsewhere now that you've asked.

1I have the book but have not yet had a chance to start it. I have a few vacation days coming so I pla on starting it then with some anticipation. However, I really can't halp with the market penetration survey since I had ordered it through the comic shop I work at. I get a discount there but not at my local book shop so I get whatever I can there. I'll keep an eye out as I stop elsewhere now that you've asked.

1I have the book but have not yet had a chance to start it. I have a few vacation days coming so I pla on starting it then with some anticipation. However, I really can't halp with the market penetration survey since I had ordered it through the comic shop I work at. I get a discount there but not at my local book shop so I get whatever I can there. I'll keep an eye out as I stop elsewhere now that you've asked.

Hmmm. The Borders in Canoga Park, California did not have a copy on their shelves when I was in the store today.

"25 bucks with a discount is still a lot for me for one book."

I point everybody to...

http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct.htm?productId=8487272

$16.56 & free shipping is a pretty good deal.

Spotted it on the shelves at the Barnes and Noble in Columbia, Missouri.

2 copies on the shelf at a Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

The Borders in Brandon, FL had it, but just one copy.

The Chapters I went to in Oakville, ON, had none in stock, although it was available to order.

I just got in the mail today, Peter! It looks even nicer in my hands than online! I'm gonna crack it open and dig into it at the gym today!

Success!!! Found ONE copy on the shelves at the Border's Books in Centereach, which I promptly snagged.

On the shelf at two more Texas Barnes & Nobles -- South Hulen in Fort Worth and I-30 in Arlington.

I was in San Diego over the weekend and dropped by a book store (sorry don't rememebr the name) looking for the book. While the clerk mentioned you were a popular writer, and he seemed to think they had copies, it turned out they had sold out, so I have not yet been able to aquire the book myself.

Our local Hastings (Russellville, Arkansas) has a few copies, as does our Pope County Public Library.

I just finished reading the book, and it made me think of what a PAD novelization of a Ray Harryhausen film would be like. (I mean that in a good way.)

Steve Leavell

I admit I was a bit nervous at the start of the first chapter, thinking it might just be a standard fantasy novel, but my concerns were thankfully alleviated very quickly. I really dug the book, and, given how low tech the Twelve Races all seem to be compared to the humans they replaced, I'm very curious to see just how they managed to largely wipe out humanity (or even if they did, given that from what we've seen so far they seem to all be localized in Europe).

How many books is this slated to be? Is it going to be a trilogy, or is it going to be a bit more expansive in scope?

Peter:
As of July third, my local Borders Express at the Eastbrook Mall still had not gained any copies of DARKNESS OF THE LIGHT.
However they did now have two copies to the paperback edition of FALL OF NIGHT and two copies of your new Fantastic Four novel.
Meanwhile, have read about the first ten pages of DARKNESS in what I laughingly call my "spare" time.
'She followed me home mother. Can I keep her?'
ROTFLMAO!

The Barnes & Noble where I work (Geneva, IL) has 2 copies on the shelf.

Just to let you know, there are copies in the Calgary Chapter stores, at least two, three or four in each that I've been in.

I got my copy at a different chain McNally Robinson that had a couple of copies.

I want to finish up a couple of books I'm reading before starting it,

Tom Dakers,
Calgary, AB

Picked it up on the 4th at a Books a Million in Charlotte, NC.

- John Martinek

Saw it prominently displayed (either front window, or front counter, can't remember which) just yesterday at Borderlands Books, an excellent fantasy horror SF shop in San Francisco.

1 Peter, I was very curious to see how the big chain does with this in Toronto, and with over 5 million people - you'd starve to death on brick and mortar sales here.
Here's the results of the 'in store' copies from their website.

Canada - Chapters/Indigo /Coles bookstores - Online Search:
You've searched in Mississauga, Ontario + 50 km; found 44 matching locations.
Results: largest per store was 4 copies, most were 0. Total 32 books.
The Greater Toronto Area, population roughly 5 million, 5 hundred thousand people - from wikipedia.

Maybe you have to go on tour.
jim

Evanston Il. No sign of "Darkness of the Light." Will check further south ( chicago).

B&N Toledo, Ohio, had a copy on Thursday, 7-5-7.

I went to my local Waldenbooks in DuBois, PA (in central Pennsylvania) a week or two after the release date, and they did not have any copies in and were not showing any being shipped to them. The manager, who was waiting on me, asked me if I wanted to have the book special ordered, and I told him that I would just check back periodically until it came in. (One Knight Only and Fall Of Knight both came in over a month after their release dates, so I'm used to your some of your books taking a little longer to arrive here.) He looked at the description of the book and told me that he was ordering ten copies for the store and they would be in within a couple of weeks.

He was good as his word, because when I stopped in on Friday night, there were eight copies of the book on the shelves, and I happily bought one of them.

Hmmm. Well the Barnes & Noble in Woodland Hills, CA had two copies in the SF new hardback section.

Books-A-Million, Reston Virginia:
No copies (and very few Peter David - I think the Battlestar Galactica and a few of the Star Trek were the only selections)

Barnes & Noble, Springfield Virginia:
2 copies in Sci-Fi/Fantasy
They also had the Wuin series and several Star Treks.

I saw this book in Houston, Texas, when I was there a couple of weeks ago (specifically in the Barnes and Noble in Clear Lake).

Indigo (Montreal , Canada) had 4 copies yesterday

Luc

Well, I haven't seen it in a bookstore yet around here (Greensboro/High Point NC) but the Greensboro Library has it. I'll be at Borders on Friday so I'll check and add a post.

I have a couple whiny 'where the hell was the editor' comments about the book so far. Please don't take it as criticism of the book plot/characters/etc.

1) Page 79, paragraph starting 'She sensed something ...' -- Merrih suddenly has more than one eye as "Her eyes were closed, but she opened one lazily"
2) Pages 138 and 152. On the former page, the Firedraques are "the smallest in number of the Twelve Races", on the latter page "It is said [the Phay] ... are fewest in number of all the races". Granted, the language on page 152 allows that what "is said" could be wrong.

To echo a previous poster: is Feend supposed to be Finland?

No problem finding it in B/N in the DC area. Phenomenal book! After finishing it I feel as if I've only seen the trailer for a great upcoming movie. Definitely some original twists on some old fantasy race favorites. A few of the races feel underexplored or underexplained, but that will serve as insurance on all of us purchasing the next book. As usual, I've bought and read the latest Peter David work and been thoroughly satisfied.

Just bought it yesterday at the Barnes and Noble in Baton Rouge, LA. I have looked several times at Books A Million and they never had it.

Found one copy at the Borders in Schaumburg, IL. Haven't bought it yet...our budget is that I wait until I'm ready for a new book, and then Borders has to issue a 30% off coupon.

First let me state that I have never read any of your other books. I will be correcting that soon. I loved "Darkness of the Light". Also, I just thought you'd like to know that the person who did your editing goofed on a number of pages. Thanks for a great book.