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Posted By: Lamasu Sep 14, 2001 - 08:23 am

I am interested to know how collectible star trek paperbacks are.
A book seller just told me that paperback first editions of the original series published in the 1970s are very valuable. Is that true?

Posted By: Bmat Sep 14, 2001 - 11:08 am

Lamasu, perhaps you could look in the used books section of barnesandnoble.com. It tells about the used books and their values. Also maybe ebay?

Posted By: Lamasu Sep 14, 2001 - 02:04 pm

Thank you Bmat. Just checked with Barnes & Noble and it seems there is no haste in selling my first editions just yet. They are collectible only in a sense that people want to collect them, there is no spectacular value to them. too many prints I suspect.
The only ones that have a small value are the 12 first ones by James blish published by Bantam at the end of the 60s.

Posted By: The Master Sep 14, 2001 - 04:37 pm

Paperbacks rarely retain value regardless of subject. Book collectors seek hardbacks and first editions. I'm surprised any book seller would tell you something like that.

In addition to the overal low value of paperbacks, the books are not generally considered part of the ST cannon because they tend to drift pretty far from the series. As a result, they aren't too high on ST collector lists and they don't bring premiums. Its the kind of thing you pick up when you come across it, but only if its cheap. Sorry...I don't think they will ever be too valuable! If they are in very good condition and you really want to sell them, doing so as a set may be your best bet for a reasonable price.

Posted By: Lamasu Sep 15, 2001 - 03:20 am

Thanks for the information, Master.
The bookseller was actually trying to sell some to me at what seemed to me to be an unreasonable price. (yes. I collect ST books - mea Culpa).
I usually buy them for 50p at most in charity shops and had a terrible feeling I passed on some great bargain.
Thank you for setting the record straight I can sleep easy now, and on monday have a serious talk with a specific book seller.

Posted By: Bmat Sep 15, 2001 - 04:00 am

The problem I have with paperbacks is that the pages turn very yellow/brown and the glue disintegrates after time. Is there anyway to slow or stop the damage?

Posted By: Lamasu Sep 15, 2001 - 07:54 am

There is not much that can be done about yellowing paper, apparently this is a problem especially with paperbacks from the 60s and 70s and is caused by the acid created by the manufacture of the paper itself.
You can try sticking individual pages by carefully adding glue to the page's edge and inserting it in place. I suggest diluting the glue in water first.
if the book is in really bad condition (as many of my 70s and 60s favorite sci-fi are), I usually opt for binding them a new creating a hard cover from cardboard covered by fabric, using the original cover from the paperback front back and spine.
The pages can be then stuck individually or sewn together.
rather a long process but in some hard to find books worth while.
Hope this helps a bit.

Posted By: Bmat Sep 15, 2001 - 08:02 am

Thank you, Lamasu! Yes that does seem like a lot of work, but I appreciate all the information.

So far I've been replacing some of the books as I discover they are in such bad shape. But being unwilling to discard old friends I keep the damaged copies too. It takes up a lot of shelf space to have both copies.

Posted By: Lamasu Sep 15, 2001 - 09:03 am

Bmat, i know what you mean about shortage of shelf space. I too cannot part with any of my books, especially sci-fi and fantasy.

On the other hand it is good that so many of the old classics of sci-fi and fantasy are making a comeback and ar in print again.

Posted By: The Master Sep 15, 2001 - 10:14 pm

Paperbacks are printed on cheap paper...they are for mass consumption and not intended to last. That's one of the reasons book collectors don't seek them. Even many older hardbacks don't hold up...as Lamasu mentions, its the acid in the paper. Modern hardbacks are usually printed on acid free paper so they will last.

If you want to retain paperbacks (and yes, I've got quite a few myself!), very careful reading is about all you can do (assuming its a new paperback of course...can do anything about what someone else did to it). Wash your hands before you pick it up to remove surface oil (good for hardbacks too), and never ever crease back the spine...cracking the spine is what makes pages fall out because it breaks the glue. I have some paperbacks from the early 80's that have stayed very nice because I was careful. The pages are yellowing, but they aren't otherwise damaged.

Posted By: deejay Feb 01, 2003 - 01:56 am

does anyone know what the startrek books are like because the look interesting but i'm not sure.

Posted By: Nomad Feb 01, 2003 - 05:20 pm

There are so many. I dont read the new type of series. I have read Voyager , ST:TOS, DS9 and TNG as well as a 6 book series containing them all. Some are bad, some are really good.

Posted By: deejay Feb 01, 2003 - 06:47 pm

which ones are good and which ones are not? it will be easier that way because i won't have to waste my time.

Posted By: Nomad Feb 02, 2003 - 04:21 pm

Man, I havent actually read one in over a year. Hmmm ... Ill get back to you. If you want a good reference to what IS ST. There is a book called "Federation". Very enlightening.

Posted By: Captain Marsh of the USS Galactica Feb 02, 2003 - 05:01 pm

My favorite is the New Frontier books. Peter David created some very interesting characters. All of the crew members on the Excaliber have a few screws loose.

Posted By: Nomad Feb 03, 2003 - 03:02 pm

Those are the ones I haven't read at all. aCTUALLY i SHOU7LDN'T SAY THAT, i THINK i HAVE READ ONE.Oh well. There is a series they created about the Engineers. HAVENT READ THOSE EITHER.