All bow before the shelf trophies!
You’ve probably heard the term “book dragon,” referring to those who collect books like dragons collect gold and gems for their hoard. For those enthusiastic fans of physical books, those shelf trophies are everything. They come in so many forms, too. I used to solely collect first edition, first-printing hardcovers. My collection is much more focused on signed books now.
Those shelf trophies almost always run along the lines of favorite books, though. After all, why display a book proudly on your shelf if you didn’t enjoy reading it? And when it comes to your favorite science fiction and fantasy books, there are some delectable and gorgeous editions out there. That first edition cover? Not good enough. No. You want the prized, collector’s edition. You want the sprayed edges. You want the slip cover.
You want the shelf trophy nobody has ever seen before. Well, here are some absolutely gorgeous editions of your favorite science fiction and fantasy books to fill that shelf out.
Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo – 35th Anniversary Box Set
Akira stands tall as one of the most lasting and influential cyberpunk stories ever told, including its wildly successful anime movie adaptation. Over the years, there have been some great collected editions, and this gorgeous box set that collects the entire story in a pristine box might be the best yet.
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor – Goldsboro Deluxe Edition
This one almost isn’t fair. The standard edition hardcover of Okorafor’s best work is already amazing, with a cover for the novel-within-the-novel inside the dust jacket. This Goldboro Deluxe Edition is black and gold, signed, numbered, and dazzling to look at.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro – The Folio Society Edition
I could have populated this entire list with books from The Folio Society. Their entire business is on creating gorgeous editions of your favorite novels, including Klara and the Sun. The geometric slipcase and beautifully illustrated cover hit on the major themes and emotional through-line of Ishiguro’s story, and the tactile feel of the book puts it over the top.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke – The Folio Society
I swear, only one more from The Folio Society. I do love it when a dust jacket or slipcase uses a cutaway, and the use of it here is also a bit of a spoiler for what’s going on in Clarke’s strange and twisted book. There are so many mysteries upon mysteries in Piranesi, and this edition plays right into that.
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone – Deluxe Edition
This is How You Lose the Time War is an absolutely gorgeous book, and I’m just talking about the story and prose. To create an edition that rose up to that level of beauty was a surefire challenge, but the Deluxe Edition really does it. From the clashing red-and-blue color scheme to the intricately sprayed edges, this edition hints at what’s inside and brings it all together.
Tolkien’s Classics by J.R.R. Tolkien – Easton Press
For nearly a century, Tolkien’s work has inspired readers and seen so many beautiful editions in so many languages. From original printings to movie variants to leatherbound editions, Middle Earth has seen it all. Perhaps the greatest is this new leatherbound set that collects all of Tolkien’s novels and The Silmarillion in matching green leather accented with genuine 22-carat gold.
What are some of your favorite SFF editions? Your favorite shelf trophies? Do you know how to find those illusive first edition, first printings?