I managed to snag a physical copy and a Kindle copy. Now I don't need to buy a third copy because this one is already signed. But I'll probably pick up a third copy anyway.
You are obviously not a victim of the cost of living crisis then? I will have to wait until hell freezes over or my library gets a copy, whichever comes first! 🤣
I made the mistake of checking my bank account, and it is just sat there laughing at me. I'm sure it'll sell out, and Subterranean Press books are *gorgeous* but alas too much for me at this point!
It's up on amazon, but delivery date appears to be the end of November. Which is probably why their shipping is so cheap, I think they just hand it to someone heading over here and say give this to Dave when you bump into him, he's in Yorkshire
Well I have ordered it even though it says delivery in November. Have ordered the ebook as well so I wont get it damaged when reading on the beach on holiday.
I've attempted to order Subterranean books through Amazon in the past, but the fulfilment frequently fails and you're left waiting on a title that has sold out despite ordering pre-release. At least the Kindle version of Time Out is easily available.
Your own collection was one of the few I did order from Subterranean direct, although the postage to Australia is eye-watering - often more than the cost of the title. I think I may have used a postal redirection service to save money but that generally only works if I am buying a bunch of things from the US in a narrow two week window which can be parcelled up as one.
This is amazing, I had no idea this was even in the pipeline. As I'm a book obsessive I'll be moving heaven and earth to get a hardcover to add to my collection, but as I'm a story obsessive I've just snaffled the ebook to read on my futurephone.
This has quite literally made my month. You should probably choose to see this as a referendum on the excitement that a new MMS publication generates, and not on the unwholesome state of my life right now.
I shall absolutely take it as the former, and thank you! It actually makes my month to hear this level of appetite for something :-) I really hope you enjoy it... let me know!
Sacked off work this afternoon to read it, don’t tell no one, mum’s the word etc. Here’s my Amazon review:
“There aren’t many writers who can do this. Who can cross-pollinate genres so skilfully, write taut, eerie, often horrifying stories that rattle the little bones of your skull about like little earthquakes rattle china on a shelf. Who can write so movingly about love, about loss, about the minutiae of our lives and how it interconnects with that of others, how we interlock with one another, how we fit. Who can make your breath catch in your throat and then make your heart catch in your chest.
There aren’t many writers who can do this, not all in the same story, and not so gracefully, seemingly without even trying.
A novella, Time Out has all the virtues of that uncanny dread that pervades all Smith’s best short stories, coupled with all the grace notes that come with his novels, that perceptive dissection of the casual thoughtlessness with which we can poison one another. Smith’s work is genre agnostic in the same way that The Twilight Zone is genre agnostic, which (coupled with that recidivist changing of his pen name every few books) makes him the living migraine of librarians and booksellers the world over. Time Out is not quite horror, not quite supernatural, very much WTF and absolutely wonderful, and evidence that the man is still at the top of his game.
Smith’s an engaging, no-nonsense writer, so it’s a quick read, until it isn’t: when you find yourself going back and reading a single perfect sentence over and over, or when a moment occurs that makes you go back and review what you’ve just read because the story just changed shape right in front of you and made you doubt what you thought you knew.
That’s because Smith is also a misdirecting, elliptical writer… but not because he likes a gimmick. He may have made his rep on a book about an unreliable narrator, but only because he wanted to tell a story that explains that we’re all unreliable narrators. He may write about vast unexplainable horrors that don’t exist, but those shadows are cast when he shines a light on the tiny explainable horrors that we inflict on each other every day of our lives.
So no, there aren’t many writers that can do this. Time Out is classic Michael Marshall Smith: tense, off-kilter, often scary, and suddenly devastating. Highly recommended.”
So the physical copy is described as Limited: 1000 signed numbered hardcover copies. Amazon UK are now quoting a delivery date of December, posts above suggested November. Me thinks we are being ripped off, Kindle will be used to for what will I am sure will be a stunning read but I won’t be able to add this to my collection of your first editions
The whole Amazon thing... not even sure how it happens, so lord knows when a copy would arrive. Sorry that a hardcover won't be an addition... but I'm grateful Subterranean gave me a chance to get this out into the world one way or another!
Ah well… I can but try. I'll have to see if they've got any regular ones left then… Copy No 998½ here we come.
If you're ever back Kentish Town way, I can drop by a local pub of your choosing to get you to scribble it out & write my name in… not in any way like Baby Reindeer levels of stalkerism at all;)
[which I imagine the whole world must have seen by now. I was actually in one of the pub scenes - filmed in Dalston, not Edinburgh.]
I'm watching REINDEER.. got as far as the oh-my-god episode 4 and decided I needed a break ;-) I'll take you up on the beer when I can... we're briefly in London thus summer but it's already stupidly stacked: hoping to be back again later in the year.
Reindeer doesn't really get any …ermm… nicer as it runs. None of the people I know that were in it had any clue how the plot was going to pan out or how much attention it would garner. It was 'just another day's work'.
On the up side, I didn't expect my stalkery beer offer to be met with, "Sure, let's swap numbers right now! I can't wait!" but I'm always up for a gallon of pseudo-real ale, talking utter bollocks half the night & a dodgy curry - whenever you've nothing on in north London. ;)
Update: Copy #164 arrived safely this morning. No VAT on books in the UK which I have to admit I didn't know, so no customs fee to land it.
One thing - is there a digital entitlement to go with a hard copy, or is that an entirely separate transaction? I kind of wanted to keep the hardback in pristine condition, it went in the book case still in its clear bag. [I know it's daft & I'm not a 'proper collector' anyway, just an occasional 'casual anorak'.]
I read it in two sittings yesterday, and only cried at one part...wow, it was good. Most of what I'd like to say about it would contain spoilers, so I'll refrain.
This was a very engaging read. It felt to me like a meditation on grief. I read it a chapter or two at a time as part of my morning tea in the backyard ritual which had uncanny counterparts in the text. You capture relationships in an unnervingly real way and there are more than a few parts I wanted to underline but chose not it. I think my favorite thing about your writing is that you aren’t afraid to leave questions - like the blurry backgrounds in a stopped down photo, and where you do fill in the blanks it’s not entirely conclusive leaving a sense of not-quite closure and unease as the questions hang out there coming back over the course of the following days. The feeling this one left me with was similar to the feeling I had after reading Being Right.
Really glad you enjoyed it... and that you had a real-life environmental backup for it :-) And I'm delighted to read the part about leaving questions in the air... it's a delicate balance, but it's something I do like to try to do! Thank you for reading, Chris — and for letting me know what you thought.
“ I first suspected serious issues with our marriage when my wife called me an asshole on Christmas Day.” With this cracking opening line, the scene is set for a story that carries you along on a journey of growing unease, self-reflection, and an understanding of what’s really important in life. A little jewel of a story, written with MMS’s trademark insight into the human condition and slightly off-kilter view of reality that always remind me of Stephen King at his best. Consumed in a single sitting, the sense of immersion in the world of the story as things grow increasingly… strange, is masterful. I loved it.
Wow - what a lovely thing to read first thing in the morning. That's like... the perfect review :-) Thank you, I'm really glad you enjoyed it — and thank you for letting me know!
I managed to snag a physical copy and a Kindle copy. Now I don't need to buy a third copy because this one is already signed. But I'll probably pick up a third copy anyway.
Wow, thank you — hope you enjoy it!
I know I will. Can't wait to dive in. Thank you.
I think $45 (and postage to the UK) is an absolute bloomin' bargain for this - I am really looking forward to reading it.
I'm glad you think so and really hope you enjoy it - let me know!
You are obviously not a victim of the cost of living crisis then? I will have to wait until hell freezes over or my library gets a copy, whichever comes first! 🤣
Congratulations, Michael!
Thank you Mollie :-)
I made the mistake of checking my bank account, and it is just sat there laughing at me. I'm sure it'll sell out, and Subterranean Press books are *gorgeous* but alas too much for me at this point!
It's up on amazon, but delivery date appears to be the end of November. Which is probably why their shipping is so cheap, I think they just hand it to someone heading over here and say give this to Dave when you bump into him, he's in Yorkshire
LOL, yes, you might be right...
Stick one in thr bag for Wales too!
I feel your pain!
Ooh, yes, the wait is nearly over! Any word from Subterranean on when preorders will ship? Mine currently says "AWAITING FULFILLMENT".
I suspect/hope/assume it's going to be very soon, as I'm seeing people online who've received copies...
If only I'd been just a little more patient. I just got my shipping notice!
Fantastic! Instant purchase for me. Can't wait to read it.
Excellent! Thank you and hope you enjoy it... let me know!
So is the one on amazon UK a signed limited edition? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Out-Michael-Marshall-Smith/dp/1645241599
Yes, it must be — there's only one edition.
Well I have ordered it even though it says delivery in November. Have ordered the ebook as well so I wont get it damaged when reading on the beach on holiday.
Mine arrived today from amazon UK via amazon USA - number 999!
Hooray! I’ve got the day off to read my new ebook :)
Perfect! Hope you enjoy it... :)
I've attempted to order Subterranean books through Amazon in the past, but the fulfilment frequently fails and you're left waiting on a title that has sold out despite ordering pre-release. At least the Kindle version of Time Out is easily available.
Your own collection was one of the few I did order from Subterranean direct, although the postage to Australia is eye-watering - often more than the cost of the title. I think I may have used a postal redirection service to save money but that generally only works if I am buying a bunch of things from the US in a narrow two week window which can be parcelled up as one.
Just got the Kindle copy. Not signed, but the work will still have your signature all over it. Looking forward to reading.
Thank you - that's a lovely thing to hear :-)
This is amazing, I had no idea this was even in the pipeline. As I'm a book obsessive I'll be moving heaven and earth to get a hardcover to add to my collection, but as I'm a story obsessive I've just snaffled the ebook to read on my futurephone.
This has quite literally made my month. You should probably choose to see this as a referendum on the excitement that a new MMS publication generates, and not on the unwholesome state of my life right now.
I shall absolutely take it as the former, and thank you! It actually makes my month to hear this level of appetite for something :-) I really hope you enjoy it... let me know!
Sacked off work this afternoon to read it, don’t tell no one, mum’s the word etc. Here’s my Amazon review:
“There aren’t many writers who can do this. Who can cross-pollinate genres so skilfully, write taut, eerie, often horrifying stories that rattle the little bones of your skull about like little earthquakes rattle china on a shelf. Who can write so movingly about love, about loss, about the minutiae of our lives and how it interconnects with that of others, how we interlock with one another, how we fit. Who can make your breath catch in your throat and then make your heart catch in your chest.
There aren’t many writers who can do this, not all in the same story, and not so gracefully, seemingly without even trying.
A novella, Time Out has all the virtues of that uncanny dread that pervades all Smith’s best short stories, coupled with all the grace notes that come with his novels, that perceptive dissection of the casual thoughtlessness with which we can poison one another. Smith’s work is genre agnostic in the same way that The Twilight Zone is genre agnostic, which (coupled with that recidivist changing of his pen name every few books) makes him the living migraine of librarians and booksellers the world over. Time Out is not quite horror, not quite supernatural, very much WTF and absolutely wonderful, and evidence that the man is still at the top of his game.
Smith’s an engaging, no-nonsense writer, so it’s a quick read, until it isn’t: when you find yourself going back and reading a single perfect sentence over and over, or when a moment occurs that makes you go back and review what you’ve just read because the story just changed shape right in front of you and made you doubt what you thought you knew.
That’s because Smith is also a misdirecting, elliptical writer… but not because he likes a gimmick. He may have made his rep on a book about an unreliable narrator, but only because he wanted to tell a story that explains that we’re all unreliable narrators. He may write about vast unexplainable horrors that don’t exist, but those shadows are cast when he shines a light on the tiny explainable horrors that we inflict on each other every day of our lives.
So no, there aren’t many writers that can do this. Time Out is classic Michael Marshall Smith: tense, off-kilter, often scary, and suddenly devastating. Highly recommended.”
So the physical copy is described as Limited: 1000 signed numbered hardcover copies. Amazon UK are now quoting a delivery date of December, posts above suggested November. Me thinks we are being ripped off, Kindle will be used to for what will I am sure will be a stunning read but I won’t be able to add this to my collection of your first editions
The whole Amazon thing... not even sure how it happens, so lord knows when a copy would arrive. Sorry that a hardcover won't be an addition... but I'm grateful Subterranean gave me a chance to get this out into the world one way or another!
What are the chances - going out on a limb here - of getting a copy that instead of a number, says 'this is Graham's copy'?
You know I'm the guy with Steph's copy of More Tomorrow, right?
I mean, you can always say no…
Ha :-) Would love to be able to do so, but my guess is they're either all numbered or — like the few I have — have "PC" in that slot...
Ah well… I can but try. I'll have to see if they've got any regular ones left then… Copy No 998½ here we come.
If you're ever back Kentish Town way, I can drop by a local pub of your choosing to get you to scribble it out & write my name in… not in any way like Baby Reindeer levels of stalkerism at all;)
[which I imagine the whole world must have seen by now. I was actually in one of the pub scenes - filmed in Dalston, not Edinburgh.]
I'm watching REINDEER.. got as far as the oh-my-god episode 4 and decided I needed a break ;-) I'll take you up on the beer when I can... we're briefly in London thus summer but it's already stupidly stacked: hoping to be back again later in the year.
Reindeer doesn't really get any …ermm… nicer as it runs. None of the people I know that were in it had any clue how the plot was going to pan out or how much attention it would garner. It was 'just another day's work'.
On the up side, I didn't expect my stalkery beer offer to be met with, "Sure, let's swap numbers right now! I can't wait!" but I'm always up for a gallon of pseudo-real ale, talking utter bollocks half the night & a dodgy curry - whenever you've nothing on in north London. ;)
Update: Copy #164 arrived safely this morning. No VAT on books in the UK which I have to admit I didn't know, so no customs fee to land it.
One thing - is there a digital entitlement to go with a hard copy, or is that an entirely separate transaction? I kind of wanted to keep the hardback in pristine condition, it went in the book case still in its clear bag. [I know it's daft & I'm not a 'proper collector' anyway, just an occasional 'casual anorak'.]
I read it in two sittings yesterday, and only cried at one part...wow, it was good. Most of what I'd like to say about it would contain spoilers, so I'll refrain.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it — thank you for getting it, and for letting me know!
This was a very engaging read. It felt to me like a meditation on grief. I read it a chapter or two at a time as part of my morning tea in the backyard ritual which had uncanny counterparts in the text. You capture relationships in an unnervingly real way and there are more than a few parts I wanted to underline but chose not it. I think my favorite thing about your writing is that you aren’t afraid to leave questions - like the blurry backgrounds in a stopped down photo, and where you do fill in the blanks it’s not entirely conclusive leaving a sense of not-quite closure and unease as the questions hang out there coming back over the course of the following days. The feeling this one left me with was similar to the feeling I had after reading Being Right.
Really glad you enjoyed it... and that you had a real-life environmental backup for it :-) And I'm delighted to read the part about leaving questions in the air... it's a delicate balance, but it's something I do like to try to do! Thank you for reading, Chris — and for letting me know what you thought.
“ I first suspected serious issues with our marriage when my wife called me an asshole on Christmas Day.” With this cracking opening line, the scene is set for a story that carries you along on a journey of growing unease, self-reflection, and an understanding of what’s really important in life. A little jewel of a story, written with MMS’s trademark insight into the human condition and slightly off-kilter view of reality that always remind me of Stephen King at his best. Consumed in a single sitting, the sense of immersion in the world of the story as things grow increasingly… strange, is masterful. I loved it.
Wow - what a lovely thing to read first thing in the morning. That's like... the perfect review :-) Thank you, I'm really glad you enjoyed it — and thank you for letting me know!