A good starting offer, but beware the prices.. (Fantasy & SF Bookclub)

Member Name: John Rickard

Product:	Fantasy & SF Bookclub
Date:	22/04/01 (79 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great introduction offers, good range

Disadvantages: Pricey, must purchase every time

I was attracted to this bookclub by the quite incredible offer for new members - for just under £15 I got close to twenty books, including three complete series, and the special edition illustrated Lord of the Rings, a quite monumental volume. The quality of this offer appears to have remained just as high since I joined.

The choice of books in each catalogue is very high - unlike many bookclubs, the books on sale include the most up to date works by most authors, and invaluably in a fantasy club earlier volumns in each series are always available at the same time - often in decent value packs.

However, this club has two main problems. First is that you have to buy something from every single catalogue, admitedly only quarterly, for the duration of your membership - a minimum of three purchases. Thus you can not skip a catalogue when nothing grabs you. The second problem is that the prices in here are no better than in normal bookshops, at least on the items I purhased. Where you are getting a good offer, it's only on the hardback - personally I would rather get the paperbacks, but the choice of paperbacks in not brilliant.

For me, this club is a short term thing - join it for the brilliant offer, endure three magazines, which reduces the value of your savings, and then leave. A shame, because there were plenty of books of interest, but I don't want to be stuck having to buy books from every catalogue.

Summary: