Blood, fire and the involuntary human

On my weekly, traditional browse through Galaxy Bookshop tonight, I swung past the "G" section to check out if David Gerrold's latest "War of the Chtorr" title was out yet. David was in-store recently, and signed Galaxy's back stock of all his titles; he'd been publishing several new and reprinted titles through Benbella in recent years, so several times books have just popped up there, rather than getting displayed on the "New Releases" shelves.

I was surprised to see "The Involuntary Human": a single, handsome, new David Gerrold 477 pp hardcover omnibus (dated February 2007, NESFA Press) sitting there, that definitely wasn't there last week - and even more surprised to see that this book publishes the complete text of Gerrold's controversial (and axed) "Star Trek: The Next Generation" script, "Blood and Fire" (pp 69-135).

Recently, "Blood and Fire" was rewritten as an instalment of his "Voyage of the Star Wolf" original SF book series, and it was even more recently announced that the story was being revamped as a TOS story for the "New Voyages" fan films. Now fans can finally own a hardcover copy of the original TNG script. (Previously, David Gerrold sold copies in script binding, via the Internet and at conventions, for HIV/AIDS charities. I bought a copy of that way back in 1988, at a New Zealand ST convention at which we were both guests of honour.)

In addition, the new hardcover volume includes: new foreword and afterword to "Blood and Fire"; a preview chapter from his eagerly-awaited, long-delayed, next "War of the Chtorr" title; the original, previously-unpublished version of "Chess with a Dragon"; quotes from his "Solomon Short" limited chapbook; and several fascinating short story reprints from various SF magazines.

But if you want a copy from a bookstore, hurry. "The Involuntary Human" is limited to 1000 hand-numbered, (some autographed, some also slipcased) copies. Mine is #180.

Of course, only a few weeks ago, my weekly swing past the "G" section in Galaxy found David Gerrold himself, preparing to autograph Galaxy's shelf stock of his body of work.