Winter is Taking Its Time Getting Here ...

Came across a listing at AbeBooks, showing that George R.R. Martin's first volume of the never-ending Fire and Ice series (A Game of Thrones)  is worth more than I paid for it.

Considerably more.   

When the novel came out, I was doing frequent reviews for the local paper, and I convinced them they should let me do an interview with George, who was touring to support the book. This was in 1996. Which, if you do the math, was seventeen years ago, and how close are we to the end? The monsters haven't even come over the Wall yet ...

Um. Anyhow, I went to the signing, bought a copy of the book, had George sign it to me. We chatted, he allowed he was doing the trilogy, and maybe, maybe a fourth book, no more, and he gave his fans permission to shoot him if he did more volumes ... 

I wrote the review/interview, and went along my way. 

I liked it:

"Martin has created a rich and colorful novel, laced with courtly intrigue, defeated rivals, barbarian hordes and magical Others. Herein are all the elements of a great fantasy novel, melded with action, politics, coming-of-age, duty, honor and human frailties.

"You would be hard-pressed to find a contemporary writer who does it better, and you need not wait for the next installment to enjoy this book, for while it is part of a series, it stands alone enough to satisfy by itself."

You heard it here first ...



Fast forward to 2013. My copy, read once and stuck into the autographed rack of the shelf, is not in mint condition. The edges of the dust-jacket are a little wrinkled, there is some dusting on the page edges, so it's in whatever condition that makes it, and I can't tell what "extra-fine," or "fine," or "not awful" means. The better the condition, the more it's worth, and the 1st editions, signed, apparently can pull in $1500 and some. I'd guess mine is probably worth $800-1000, given what is being offered.

So I'm thinking maybe it goes into the gun safe in a plastic bag ...