gobbledygook wrote:

Mr. Underhill wrote:

Getting reports of Book Depository canceling some orders. This has not happened to me.

After a check on my order status it says: Trade is "processing" Deluxe is "awaiting publication"

BD does that sometimes, they did something similar when Maker of M-E came out. Didn't shop with 'em for a couple of years after that.
As far as the Nature goes, I got an email saying that mine was shipped, I guess pre-ordering in June paid off. I'd usually go with Blackwell's but their delivery is bad and books come damaged, some of them significantly, and I'm really hoping I'll avoid that with BD.

Stu: Are you sure that the email you got few days ago wasn't just alerting you that the book was on the way from publisher to BD warehouse? Both that and "we've shipped it" email have a heading that says "it's on the way".

Yep, that's what it was - but somewhat misleading, given two books, one shipped, one not actually shipped - both with the notice, "It is on its way".

I'm surprised at them not receiving stock for pre-orders placed 6 weeks ago, mind. I re-ordered (an extra 5 NZD, mind)

Anyone who has gotten a copy of the deluxe edition is one up on me! (You know, its editor!) I hope they don't run out of copies before I get one! ;)

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what is the best method to get the HarperCollins deluxe version in the US? Blackwells I know is an option, but the shipment seems to be untracked which worries me in covid times. I also worry about packaging. What’s the best mix of tracking, price, and secure packaging?

I've had books delivered from Amazon UK, Blackwells, and Book Depository from the UK to the US, personally. I've had Amazon packaging fails, which they handled (they paid ridiculous return shipping cost and send me another copy), Blackwells packaging fail once (which their customer service handled well), and no particular issues from Book Depository, but I've not done any deluxe or slipcased editions through them yet.

I have been told by HarperCollins that the deluxe editions should all come in the publisher's cardboard mailers from this point on - I am curious to find out if that is true for the NoMe copies. That should really help no matter which retailer you go with.

I am going with Blackwells for the most part at this time. The prices are better than Amazon, as is the packaging, and the customer service has been great.

I just took delivery of two copies of the US (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) edition of The Nature of Middle-earth. Some observations:

1) The book is indeed "shorter" (i.e., less tall) than the Harper Collins edition, and I think the text size is correspondingly reduced.
2) Unlike the HC edition, the dust jacket has no embossing, either of the title or of the author's name.
3) The paper itself feels more supple than that of the HC edition. (Which to me is more pleasing. Can't speak to the durability/acid-resistance of the paper, though I do note that at least the outer edges of the HC edition have yellowed somewhat; can't say the HMH edition won't too.)
4) For whatever reason, the smell of the pages of the HC and HMH editions differ. (As one who delighted in the smell of the pages of the first Ballantine paperback set of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings I received in 1977, I notice these things!)

Caudimordax wrote:

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what is the best method to get the HarperCollins deluxe version in the US? Blackwells I know is an option, but the shipment seems to be untracked which worries me in covid times. I also worry about packaging. What’s the best mix of tracking, price, and secure packaging?

I've never encountered a mainstream retailer that is consistent. I've had the best experience with BD, generally (though this time there has been the order cancellation shenanigans).

Aelfwine wrote:

I just took delivery of two copies of the US (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) edition of The Nature of Middle-earth. Some observations:

1) The book is indeed "shorter" (i.e., less tall) than the Harper Collins edition, and I think the text block correspondingly reduced.
2) Unlike the HC edition, the dust jacket has no embossing, either of the title or of the author's name.
3) The paper itself feels more supple than that of the HC edition. (Which to me is more pleasing. Can't speak to the durability/acid-resistance of the paper, though I do note that at least the outer edges of the HC edition have yellowed somewhat; can't say the HMH edition won't too.)
4) For whatever reason, the smell of the pages of the HC and HMH editions differ. (As one who delighted in the smell of the pages of the first Ballantine paperback set of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings I received in 1977, I notice these things!)

That's interesting about the yellowing. I hope HarperCollins NoME doesn't become browned like HarperCollins PoME over time! The smell of books is interesting - when I think about the first paperbacks of Tolkien I read, the smell is definitely part of the distant memory.

My copy of the Deluxe is being delivered today from Amazon, so I will be able to confirm if it has the extra cardboard packing from HarperCollins as standard.

Amazon Australia is showing a release date of Sep 8 for the HC deluxe and Oct 13 for the HC hardback. What the heck!

eorl wrote:

Amazon Australia is showing a release date of Sep 8 for the HC deluxe and Oct 13 for the HC hardback. What the heck!

I think the Australian release date has been Sept 8 for a while -- presumably to allow extra time for shipping/logistics. I wonder if they will be getting a different print of the standard edition, though. This has happened before - both S&G and CoH had Australia-specific releases printed in the APAC region (though I'm not aware of any differences since, except for the pocket Hobbit where the 1st print went to Australia and the 2nd print went to the UK).