Forbidden Planet...

[fajrdrako]

Used to be when I wanted an order from Forbidden Planet (one of the most wonderful stores in the universe), I had to go to London. I remember when they were a cart in road - strategically placed on my normal walking route to University College. I remember the joy of seeing comics I hadn't seen since I'd left Canada. And my sense of guilt when I bought more than a pound's worth at a time.

Today I discovered how easy it is to order from them online. And they ship to Canada.

This is too easy.

I am doomed, but happy.

Comments

[sollersuk.livejournal.com]

BRILLIANT! One of my few regrets about moving to Manchester is that Forbidden Planet in Manchester is tiny and useless! *checks bank balance* uh... maybe not.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Aren't you glad you took the "vacuum cleaner" out of your savings? :-)

[At least it isn't making large amounts of your bank balance disappear. :-)]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Everything I encounter takes vast parts of my bank balance.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yeah - bank balance is the problem. Sigh. And they have Torchwood mugs. Mugs! I think I need to make another order, and get a set.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

The Edinburgh shop is better than the one here in Glasgow.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

I'm not impressed. At all. I was hoping they'd have Umbrella Academy's second series, which I am currently getting by post from TFAW (http://www.tfaw.com/) with a time-lag of three to four weeks. Some hope! They don't even have the single issues of Apocalypse Suite, let alone Dallas. Bah!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

They don't have Umbrella Academy? Why on earth not? My little Silver Snail here in Ottawa has Umbrella Academy. As they should. I would have thought a big sophisticated store like Forbidden Planet would have everything.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

What is confusing is that there is a second "Forbidden Planet" bookstore in Manhattan, which was the first one I encountered (back in about 1989). It still exists, but is now run by an offshoot of the British Forbidden Planet. I may not have been happy living in England, but visiting the Bristol branch of Forbidden Planet in the Broadmead shopping area was a *very* pleasant exception. :-)

Sigh. I find articles by Wikipedia (such as this one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Planet_(bookstore))) all too darn useful. What a shame that some of them (such as this one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_cosmology)) have a few errors, as this website (http://www.bigbangneverhappened.org/) illustrates.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Utterly crazy thought: would you like to join with me to open a branch of "Forbidden Planet" here in Ottawa or Toronto? :-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't that be loverly?

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Definitely ... but I can't think of a faster way to Go Bankrupt in this day and Age. :-/

One of us has *got* to win the lottery, no? :-)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Win the lottery? Good idea.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Ottawa, please, if you're going to do this at all.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What is confusing is that there is a second "Forbidden Planet" bookstore in Manhattan, which was the first one I encountered

I've been there. I've also been to one in Dublin. With so many Forbidden Planets around, I think there should be one in Canada!

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Wonderful idea! Now, if we can just get the money together ... :-/

[One can pipedream, no?]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

"Getting the money together" is always the sticking point.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I think there should be one in Canada!

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised there isn't one.

The one in NYC won't ship to Canada?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The one in NYC won't ship to Canada?

It probably will, but I couldn't find the same Torchwood merchandise there.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

*nods* For some reason, if you really want the good geek stuff, you have to go to thinkgeek.com instead of Forbidden Planet on these shores. Or better yet - buy Brit, as you've discovered.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't mind buying from UK stores. I don't see any disadvantage. The shipping may cost a bit more, but only a bit, and the products come just as fast, and the exchange rate is no better or worse. Usually. Well, sometimes. I haven't ordered enough to be sure!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I always get my books & audios straight from Britain. I'm too impatient to wait any longer!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I usually order the books from amazon co uk. They have them long before they turn up on Canadian sites. Torchwood books have yet to appear in Ottawa at all, and even the Doctor Who novels are hard to find.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I've been ordering from Amazon.co.uk, but their fulfillment is getting very strange. For instance, I have the Martha book, but they're not delivering the other two until much later, and they weren't able to get me the Donna book at all - I had to order from Waterstones to get that.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

How very strange! I wonder why. It's the same with amazon.ca, where they'll be telling me one day they can't get something, and then mailing it to me the next. I think they get confused.

What's the Martha book like? I was thinking of getting that.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I haven't read it yet. persiflage_1 liked it very much.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That's encouragement. I think I might get it.

[lilithlotr.livejournal.com]

The store, unfortunately, isn't what it used to be. They tend to concentrate more on the hotter fandoms, and you don't find much of anything there that isn't everywhere. I miss the old store

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I miss the old store

Sigh. Do you know somewhere better to shop for fannish items?

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Why don't they have Rose of Versailles??? :(

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Because no one ever does.

It's a crime against humanity, reallly.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

It really is! I keep hoping.

[xinef.livejournal.com]

I went there with Michael Bernardi and Michael Dolbear from the LMB mailing list several years ago. We met at Fantasy Centre, since I had a book to pick up there, and then made our way to Forbidden Planet, some other book store I don't recall, and then dinner. A good time was had by all, and amazingly enough, I didn't spend a fortune on books! :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What an absolutely perfect fannish outing - books, food, friends, talk, and fannish stuff.

What is the Fantasy Centre?

[xinef.livejournal.com]

It was a wonderful evening. I spent just over a week in the UK on my own in Feb 2003. Visited an IRC friend in the Worcester area for a couple of days, then 3 days in London and 3 or 4 days in Yorkshire visiting a cousin, my aunt, and their family. It was a great trip.

Used SF and Fantasy bookstore not too far north of Kings Cross Station in London. They had a James White book I wanted, and they held for me for a couple of weeks since I said I'd love to pick it up in person! I also got a copy of Shards of Honor to use as a loaner.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I must go there! Excuse #324 to return to London.

[xinef.livejournal.com]

I don't need excuses to want to go to London!! One of my favourite cities in the world. Three days there on my own, to do what I wanted, was absolute heaven.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Sounds fun. My last visit there was to a fannish friend, after a Dunnett convention. Good memories. And a good ten years ago - I know how much the city has changed since then.