Welcome to Fantastic Literature Limited.

The UK's largest and best online purveyor of out of print books, rare books and used books in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, thrillers, ghost stories, weird tales and macabre fiction, historical fiction, vintage SF, Horror & Crime, small press and graphic novels both in paperback, hardcover and magazines, signed and uncorrected proof copies.. 19,000+ titles currently for sale. Get 10% off when you order direct from us. Visit our Ebay shop with many signed limited editions, sets and just plain quirky stuff, ideal for gifts or for the collector. Payment via Credit Card, Paypal and UK cheque accepted. Postage & Packing details. Latest Genre news.

Possibly the best bookseller in the world!

Our brand new booklist C10 is now on line. "Mars" has a selection of some 100+ 1st edition hardcovers, including some real treasure (many signed) and some 600+ quality paperbacks, magazines and fanzines at low, low prices, for your delectation. View now! Want a hard copy? Just e-mail and ask. New improved easier to read format and now illustrated!

NEW ARRIVALS - click here for more information

Just in is Interzone 227 from TTA Press, we still have the three Stoker Nominee's from Bad Moon Books "Doc Good's Travelling Show" by Gene O'Neill, , "The Hunger of Empty Vessels" by Scott Edelman and "The Lucid Dreaming" by Lisa Morton, all signed limited editions. Black Static 14 and Black Static 14 from TTA Press and Strange Tales Vol.3 from Tartarus Press and "The Push" by Dave Hutchinson, signed limited edition. For more information on these and other recent titles click here. or to order now just click on the image.

 

Rare Book Display Case - a few choice treasures from the vaults

 

The Forever war by Joe Haldeman. (W&N) 1st UK edition, Hugo & Nebula Winner.

 

The Man who Japed by Philip K Dick(Eyre methuen) scarce UK hcvr 1st edition

 
The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison (walker) 1st hcvr, signed copy.
 
Blood and Grit by Simon Clark (BBR) signed lmited edition
John Wyndham. The Chysalids (M Joseph) 1955, 1st ed, dw.
 
David Gemmell. Drenai Tales Vol.3 - signed limited edition
 
Stephen Baxter. The Time Ships (Harper) scarce proof copy in proof dw.
 
John Crowley. The Deep. NEL - debut novel, scarce title
 
A Case of Conscience. James Blish (Faber) 1959. 1st ed
 
Jeff Noon. Needle in the Groove. Signed limited edition manuscript
 
Frederick Forsyth. The Fist of God - limited edition signed proof

 

We buy and sell the following genres and the books by some of our favourite authors listed below:

Science Fiction (SF or Sci Fi) - stories or books about an imaginary fantastic future, especially about space travel or about other planets or a science fantasy, typically based on scientific discoveries or scientific developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets, forms part of the plot or background. Sometimes referred to as Speculative Fiction, sub genres include Alternate History, Robert Conroy, Harry Turtledove and Keith Roberts write in this sub genre, and Slipstream Fiction as well as Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who and other TV and film related material. Popular SF authors include Robert Adams, Brian Aldiss, Roger MacBride Allen, Kevin J Anderson, Poul Anderson, Catherine Asaro, Neal Asher, Isaac Asimov, Margaret Atwood, J G Ballard, Iain Banks, John Barnes, Stephen Baxter, Barrington J Bayley, Elizabeth Bear, Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, Alfred Bester, James Blish, Terry Bisson, Ben Bova, John Boyd, Leigh Brackett, Ray Bradbury, David Brin, Eric Brown, Fredric Brown, Tobias S Buckell, Lois McMaster Bujold, Richard Calder, Orson Scott Card, Jack L Chalker, C J Cherryh, Deborah Chester, Arthur C Clarke, Hal Clement, Adrian Cole, Edmund Cooper, John Dalmas, Jack Dann, Philip K Dick, Gordon R Dickson, William C Dietz, Thomas M Disch, Harlan Ellison, Christopher Evans, Mick Farren, Philip Jose Farmer, Paul di Filippo, Michael Flynn, Jeffrey Ford, Alan Dean Foster, William Fortschen, David Gerrold, William Gibson, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Harry Harrison, Joe Haldeman, Edmund Hamilton, Peter F Hamilton, Robert A Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Arthur Herzog, Philip E High, James P Hogan, Fred and Trevor Hoyle, John Kessel, Garry Kilworth, C M Kornbluth, R A Lafferty, Sterling Lanier, Keith Laumer,Murray Leinster, Ursula Le Guin, Ken Macleod, Ian R Macleod, Anne McCaffrey, Paul McAuley, Jack McDevitt, Ian McDonald, Vonda N Mcintyre, Barry Malzberg, R M Meluch, Walter M Miller, L E Modesitt Jr. Elizabeth Moon, C L Moore, Richard Morgan, Janet Morris, Larry Niven, Andre Norton, Alan E Nourse, H Beam Piper, Charles Platt, Frederik Pohl, Christopher Priest, John Rankine, Mike Resnick, Adam Roberts, Kenneth Robeson, Kim Stanley Robinson, Spider Robinson, E F Russell, Geoff Ryman, Fred Saberhagen, Nick Sagan, Pamela Sargent, Robert J Sawyer, John Scalzi, Charles Sheffield, Sharon Shinn, Robert Silverberg, Clifford Simak, John Sladek, E E "Doc" Smith, Brian Stableford, Olaf Stapledon, Christopher Stasheff, Allen Steele, Neal Stephenson, Bruce Sterling, S M Stirling, Bob Shaw, Charles Stross, William Tenn, Sheri S Tepper, Walter Tevis, Patrick Tilley, James Tiptree Jr, E C Tubb, Wilson Tucker, Jack Vance, John Varley, Jules Verne, Vernor Vinge, Howard Waldrop, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Ian Watson, Jack Williamson, David Weber, H G Wells, James White, Kate Wilhelm, Connie Willis, Robert Charles Wilson, Gene Wolfe,John Wyndham, Timothy Zahn, Roger Zelazny and David Zindell. The best selling UK science fiction magazine is Interzone. Comic SF is enjoyed by many particularly through the writings of the late, great Douglas Adams, Ron Goulart, Rob Grant and Robert Sheckley. Edgar Rice Burroughs was one of the earliest exponents of interplanetary romance. Terry Carr, John Carnell, Gardner Dozois, Damon Knight and Martin Greenberg have edited many SF anthologies

Fantasy - stories or books of an imaginative or fantastical nature, especially one dealing with supernatural or weird and unnatural events or characters. Fantasy can take place on other planets or on various forms of Earth. Current sub genres include Contemporary Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, High Fantasy, Historical Fantasy and Science Fantasy. Favourite authors include Joe Abercrombie, Piers Anthony, Kelley Armstrong, Robert Asprin, James Barclay, James Blaylock, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Chaz Brenchley, Terry Brooks, Emma Bull, Jonathan Carroll, Lin Carter, Susanna Clarke, Glen Cook, Louise Cooper, Susan Cooper, Richard Cowper, John Crowley, L Sprague de Camp, Charles De Lint, Stephen Donaldson, David Drake, Lord Dunsany, David Eddings, Steven Erikson, Raymond E Feist, Esther Friesner, Neil Gaiman, Alan Garner, Jane Gaskell, Mary Gentle, Terry Goodkind, John Grant, Simon R Green, Ed Greenwood, Barbara Hambly, Elizabeth Hand, Kim Harrison, Simon Hawke, Robin Hobb, Robert Holdstock, Robert E Howard, Robert Jordan, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz, Mercedes Lackey, Stephen R Lawhead, Tanith Lee, Jane Lindskold, Patricia McKillip, Juliet Marillier, George R R Martin, Michael Moorcock,China Mieville, Andrew J Offut, John Norman, Naomi Novik, K J Parker, Mervyn Peake, Tim Powers, Christopher Rowley, Sean Russell, R A Salvatore, Michael Shea, Lucius Shepard, Will Shetterly, Thomas Burnett Swann, Lisa Tuttle, J R R Tolkien, Jeff Vandermeer, Robert E Vardeman, Margaret Weis, Tad Williams, Scott Westerfield,Janny Wurts and Sarah Zettel. Comic fantasy is a sub genre best typified by the author Terry Pratchett, Robert Rankin, Tom Holt and Craig Shaw Gardner. Animal fantasy stories are also popular, Richard Adams, Brian Jacques and William Horwood write in this sub genre. Fantasy that can be enjoyed by adults and young people as well is typified in the works of Eion Colfer, J K Rowling, Philip Pullman and Jonathan Stroud. Conan is the most recognised S&S hero of all time. Mike Ashley and Ellen Datlow have edited a number of fantasy anthologies.

Horror - books or stories intended to scare the living daylights, unsettle, or horrify the reader. Many argue that SF was born from horror. Historically, the cause of the "horror" experience has often been the intrusion of an evil and/or, occasionally, misunderstood supernatural elements into everyday human experience, Vampires, Ghosts and Zombies would fall into this category. Popular horror writers include Robert Aickman, Clive Barker, Michael Bishop, Algernon Blackwood, William Peter Blatty, Robert Bloch, Poppy Z Brite, Jim Butcher, Ramsey Campbell, Trudi Canavan, Hugh B Cave, Basil Copper, Simon Clark, August Derleth, Joe Donnelly, John Farris, Christopher Fowler, Stephen Gallagher, Ray Garton, Charlaine Harris, William Hope Hodgson, James Herbert, Joe Hill, Charlie Huston, Shaun Hutson, Carl Jacobi, K W Jeter, Graham Joyce, Brian Keene, Jack Ketchum, Stephen King, T E D Klein, Sarah Langan, Richard Laymon, Stephen Laws, Edward Lee, Bentley Little, Frank Belknap Long, Tim Lebbon, Fritz Leiber, Ira Levin, H P Lovecraft, Brian Lumley, John Lymington, Robert McCammon, Graham Masterton, Richard Matheson, Stephenie Meyer, Thomas F Monteleone, David Morrell, Mark Morris, Edgar Allen Poe, Anne Rice, Phil Rickman, Dan Simmons, Clark Ashton Smith, Guy N Smith, Peter Straub, Whitley Strieber,Thomas Tessier, Peter Tremayne, Karl Edward Wagner, Manly Wade Wellman, J N Williamson, F Paul Wilson, Colin Wilson, Dennis Wheatley and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. Horror anthologies are popular, Peter Haining, Stephen Jones, and Herbert Van Thal have edited many. Black Static is a UK magazine with dark fantasy and horror. Dracula is arguably the most memorable horror anti hero.

Crime - stories or books that deal with crimes, their detection, criminals, and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be blurred. It has several sub-genres, including detective fiction (including the whodunnit), legal thrillers, police precedural fiction, courtroom dramas, and hard boiled fiction. Notable crime authors include Stephen Booth, Lawrence Block, Ken Bruen, James Lee Burke, Michael Connelly, John Connolly, Harlan Coben, Agatha Christie, Robert Crais, Jeffery Deaver, Colin Dexter, Michael Dibdin, Arthur Conan Doyle, James Ellroy, Tess Gerritsen, Sue Grafton, Peter James, Carl Hiaasen, Jonathan Kellerman, Simon Kernick, Philip Kerr, Donna Leon, Elmore Leonard, Stuart McBride, Walter Mosley, Ngaio Marsh, George P Pelecanos, Ian Rankin, Kathy Reichs, Craig Russell, Jim Thompson and Joseph Wambaugh. Arguably the finest fictional detective of all time is Sherlock Holmes. Historical crime can be considered a sub-genre and popular exponents include Ellis Peters, Lindsey Davis, P C Doherty and C J Sansom.

Thrillers - books that deal with fast paced, frequent action, and resourceful heroes and heroines who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains. Literary devices such as suspense, red herrings, and cliffhangers are used extensively. David Baldacci, Mark Billingham, Sam Bourne, Christopher Brookmyre, Dan Brown, Brian Callison, Lee Child, Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, William Diehl, Michael Dobbs, Ian Fleming, Nicci French, Frederick Forsyth, John Gardner, Lisa Gardner, Robert Goddard, Ed Gorman, Mo Hayder, Hammond Innes, Dean Koontz, Joe R Lansdale, Robert Ludlum, Alistair Maclean, Andy McNab, James Patterson, Douglas Preston, Andrew Pyper, Michael marshall Smith, Tony Strong and Stuart Woods are renowned for writing quality thrillers.

Weird Tales and Macabre - books and stories that are characterized by a grim or ghastly atmosphere. Probably the best examples of this type of fiction were published in Weird Tales which started in 1923. Peter Ackroyd, Robert W Chambers, Rhys Hughes, Sheridan Le Fanu, Arthur Machen, A. Merritt, Seabury Quinn, Saki, Bram Stoker, Sax Rohmer and Henry Rider Haggard are often quoted as writers within this genre.In these works, there is an emphasis on the details and symbols of death. Macabre themes are often preoccupations in the Goth subculture.

Ghost stories - books or stories that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or the belief of some character(s) in them. M R James is considered by many to be the best ever writer of ghost stories. Ambrose Bierce, A. E. Coppard, Nathaniel Hawthorne, R Chetwynd-Hayes, Susan Hill and M P Shiel are favourites of ours.

Historical fiction- a novel or a story in which the story is set among historical events, or more generally, in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the author. As such, the historical novel is distinguished from the alternate-history genre. Notable authors include .Patrick O'Brian. Bernard Cornwell, Cecelia Holland, Alexander Kent, George McDonald Fraser, Conn Iggulden, John Jakes, Allan Mallinson, Valerio Massimo Manfredi, Robert Harris, Wilbur Smith and Robyn Young

Vintage Paperbacks and Magazines - We do have some stock of these items, some of our favourite publishers with the lovely lurid covers are Curtis Warren, Scion, Digit and John Spencer who published the Badger books. We also have stocks of New Worlds and Science Fantasy Magazines as well as a host of Doc Savage titles. John Russell Fearn is a great favourite of ours.

Small Press - We are delighted to be able to support small press publishing through the site, currently we stock books from the legendary Arkham House, Ash-Tree Press, British Fantasy Society, Dead Letter Press, Eibonvale Press, Elastic Press, Fedogan & Bremer, Gray Friar Press, GrimGrin Studio, The Haunted Library, HumDrumming Books, Mythos Books, Necronomicon Press, award winning PS Publishing, Rainfall Books, Sarob Press, Tartarus Press, Telos Publishing and TTA Press, though this list is not exhaustive and we stock a wide range of small press items.

Graphic Novels - A graphic novel is a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels, and often aimed at mature audiences. Some of the finest comic book writers include Alan Moore and Frank Miller. Titan Books here in the UK publish very fine graphic novels in the States it's DC Comics Marvel Comics and Dark Horse Comics. Heavy Metal is a graphic magazine that is well respected and loved.

Pirate Books, Books about Sharks, and Dinosaur Books - not sure if these are sub-genres we just think they are cool.

(Author footnotes from Wikipedia unless otherwise specified)

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Latest genre news & gossip
Dick Francis dies 14/02/10
2010 Edgar nominations 09/02/10
2009 Stoker award preliminary ballot 09/02/10
Ansible remembers Robert Holdstock - 14/01/10
Hugo nominations open 07/01/10
Joe Haldeman named Damon Knight Memorial Grand master 2010 - 16/12/09
Robert Holdstock dies 30/11/09
Neil Gaiman wins Booktrust Teenage Prize for the Graveyard Book. 19/11/09
Michael Moorcock to write a Dr Who novel. 16/11/09
Ray Bradbury has signed to do a TV mini-series - 15/11/09
World Fantasy Awards 2009 - 02/11/09
The Independent on Sherlock Holmes - 02/11/09
Louise Cooper dies - 22/10/09
CWA announce Dagger Awards 2009 - 28/10/09
Colossal fossil sea monster found - 27/10/09
BBC weird science - time travel, transportation etc - 16/10/09
Asterix is 50 -14/10/09
Edgar Allen Poe's funeral - 10/09/09
Sunburst Award winners 2009 - 30/09/09
Terry Pratchett on how he wants to die 23/09/09
BFS award winners 2009 - 22/09/09
Tim Powers "On Stranger Tides" to be 4th Pirates of the Caribbean Movie" -22/09/09
Dan Brown's latest thriller breaks all records -17/09/09
Spielberg buys rights to Crichton's Pirates - 30/08/09
Hugo award winners - 15/08/09
Crime Writers' Association Dagger Awards - 17/07/09
Phyllis Gotlieb dies - 17/07/09
Shirley Jackson Awards - 15/07/09
Pratchett supports assisted suicide bill- 01/07/09
2009 Locus Awards - 28/06/09
2009 Stoker Awards - 15/06/09
Paul O Williams dies - 15/06/09
Christopher Lee knighted in Queen's Birthday Honours - 13/06/09
2009 Edgar winners - 11/06/09
2009 Campbell Award finalists - 10/06/09
British Fantasy Award nominations - 10/06/09
Crime Writers' Association - Dagger nominations - 10/06/09
Guillermo del Toro on "The Hobbit" -06/06/09
David Eddings dies - 03/06/09
Mythopoeic Award Finalists 2009 - 31/05/09
Doctor Who's new assistant revealed - 29/05/09
Tintin museum set to open in Belgium - "blistering barnacles"!. - 27/05/09
NY Times - Charlaine Harris profile - 23/05/09
Sidewise Awards for alternate history - finalists - 08/05/09
Ian R Macleod wins Arthur C Clarke Award - 01/05/09
Nebula Awards 2008 - 27/04/09
Da Vinci Code sequel due Sept - 20/04/09
J G Ballard dies after long illness 19/04/09
Shirley Jackson awards shortlist - 17/04/09
Legends Award shortlist - 17/04/09
Dave Arneson (D&D) dies - 11/04/09
Tour of new Star Wars show - 10/04/09
Michael Crichton - two more books - 07/04/09
Wincanton twinned with Discworld 06/04/09
2009 Prometheus Award finalists 27/03/09
Final Stoker Award ballot - 24/03/09
How SF moves with the times -20/03/09
Hugo nominations - 20/03/09
Arthur C Clarke award finalists - 18/03/09
BBC - Bruce Sterling interview - 13/03/09
Stephen King's "IT" to be made into a film - 13/03/09
Dark Knight gets 11 Saturn nods - 12/03/09
Watchmen tops UK box office - 10/03/09
Robert J Sawyer - Kepler Mission - 09/03/09
Ansible 260 - 03/03/09
Philip Jose Farmer dies 25/02/09
Joss Whedon wins Bradbury Award - 18/02/09
Richard Gordon dies - 13/02/09
Ackerman sci-fi, horror collection up for sale - 06/02/09
John Updike dies - 27/01/09
Red Dwarf returns - 27/01/09
Aurealis Awards 2008 - 26/01/09
John Mortimer "Rumpole of the Bailey" loses his last case 17/01/09
Andrew Taylor wins 2009 Cartier Diamond dagger - 15/01/09
Patrick McGoohan - Number six dies - 15/01/09
Barack Obama to star in Spiderman comic - 10/01/09
Preliminary Nebula ballot - 10/01/09
Donald E Westlake dies - 06/01/09
Matt Smith is new Dr Who - 04/01/09
Ansible 258 - 03/01/09
Arise, Sir Terry Pratchett - 31/12/08
Star Wars - the musical? - 13/12/08
Forry Ackerman dies at 92 - 06/12/08
Bond screenplay fetches 46K - 05/12/08
Ansible 257 - 02/12/08
The Triffids are back - 28/11/08
The Death of Batman? - 24/11/08
Dawn of the Dead Dames - 15/11/08
Michael Crichton dies - 5/11/08
Ansible 256 -04/11/08
World Fantasy Award - 03/11/08
International Horror Guild awards 2007 01/11/08
Tony Hillerman dies - 30/10/08
David Tennant to stand down as Dr Who 30/10/08
Arthur Conan Doyle talks about the creation of Sherlock Holmes - 23/10/08
Feathered Dinosaur found - 23/10/08
Barrington J Bayley dies - 16/10/08
Prince Charles turns down Doctor Who 13/10/08
Salman Rushide wins Joyce award -10/10/08
Terry Pratchett on dementia - 7/10/08
After the Tardis - Russell T Davies profile - 04/09/08
Blogcritics interview with some company called Fantastic Literature? - 4/10/08
James Crumley dies - 03/10/08
Ellis Peters Historical Award shortlist- 02/10/08
Ansible 255 - D. Langford 1/10/08
Jude Law to be Dr Watson in new Sherlock Holmes film - 1/10/08
Kenneth Branagh to direct "Thor" movie 29/09/08
Steven Spielberg acquires rights to Wyndhams "Chocky" 25/09/08
David Gemmell Legend Award for fantasy 25/09/08
2008 Sunburst awards -20/09/08
New Hitchhiker's author announced 17/08/09
Gregory Mcdonald author of the "Fletch" novels dies 15/09/08
Del Toro to remake Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Slaughterhouse 5 - 06/09/08
Tim Roth to play lead role in "Skellig" film 02/09/08
Ansible 254 01/09/08
Pauline Baynes - Tolkien illustrator dies - 12/08/08
Hugo and John W Campbell award winners 2008 - 10/08/08
Top 10 movie robots - 13/07/08
International Horror Guild nominations 12/07/08
This Spectred Isle - 12/07/08
Thomas M Disch dies -07/07/08
Locus Award Winners - 22/06/08
Algis Budrys dies - 09/06/08
New Bond novel breaks sales record - 04/06/08
Robert Asprin dies - 28/05/08
Holmes 1st ed fetches £15,500 22/05/08
Michael De Larrabeiti dies 14/05/08
Ansible 250 02/05/08
Sidewise Award finalist 28/04/08
Del Toro to direct Hobbit movie 25/04/08
Blake's Seven poised for comeback 24/04/08
Ansible 249 02/04/08
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The 85 weirdest storytellers of the past 85 years - Weird tales. 27/03/08
Hugo & Campbell award nominees 21/03/08