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Phil from Australia reviews books

VJ Books presents Books Reviews by Phil!

 
My name is Phil Sutton and I live in a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, the worlds greatest hidden treasure. W.A. is the biggest state in the world, biggest trucks and biggest railroads and of course the largest distances if you want to go anywhere. This of course means that everything is expensive and no one, especially no international authors come here so I depend on VJ Books for my newer books, and a number of smaller book sellers for my earlier books.
 
I have developed a great relationship with Virginia and a number of sellers all over the world so my collection continues to grow. Funnily enough, it is cheaper to buy a signed 1/1 from VJs delivered to my front door than to buy a local hardcover book here from the book shop down the road when it first comes out.
 
I have nearly 550 signed first edition books (12 book cases full of books) now which are mainly thriller, adventure and crime books although I am the true eclectic collector and reader. I am a member of the clive Cussler Collector's Society and he will always be my favourite author.  I want and hope to get to one of his conferences in the next couple of years.  He has sent me a signed draft page from one of his books which is my prize possession.
 
As a collector I read the email newsletters where I learn about new authors especially from VJ Books and Thriller Writers International and a couple of International book clubs which lets me know who is writing what and I then decide who to buy and try them.
 
I have all the books from my favourite mainline authors being Cussler, Connelly, Clancy, Grisham, Coonts, Dan Brown, Lescroart, Deaver, Archer, Baldacci, James Patterson and Lee Child.
 
I have started reading other authors recently which I have learnt of through the newsletters and love the change to more adventure. I have recently read Tom Cain, James Rollins, Barry Eisler, Brian Haig, W.Griffin (Police and Presidential series), John Dunning, and enjoyed Boyd Morrison, Michael Koryta and Matthew Hilton. These are only a small number of authors in my collection.
 
I have enjoyed Australian authors especially Tony Park. Matthew Reilly, Bryce Courtney, Mark Abernethy, David Rollins and Colin McClaren. I have a number of autobiographical books and enjoy these especially Colin Powell, what an amazing man.
 
I have had emails from a number of authors and some of these people have been brilliant. I have corresponded with Mr Cussler, Jeffrey Deaver, Matthew Hilton, Colin McClaren, Michael Koryta and Mark Abernethy. All brilliant people who have taken the time to be available and help me getting signed books and just to say hello.
 
My favourite books I could not afford to buy signed would be JK Rowlings. The Harry Potter series are just brilliant and she appeals to all ages. When a table full of coppers can discuss and enjoy her books as well as a group of teenagers it says something about her skill as an author.
 
My favourite books I have chased down from my early days are Bryce Courtney with The Power of One, The Bourne series by Ludlum which are brilliant, Adventurers by Harold Robbins.   My best recent author was Stieg Larsson what a genius and what a sad loss.  I have about 10 books to go to finish sets but I will get them and this is part of the chase. Most of these are the first of sets, so price wise they are ones I will need to be lucky with.
 
I have just retired on medical grounds after being a police officer for 35 years. I have had 6 spinal operations and have my complete lumbar spine fused plus 4 vertebrae in my neck fused. I can still get around and what they can do medically is amazing so most people would not know how bad my injuries are by just looking at me. For this reason, collecting and reading books seems to fit and has gotten me through a lot of bad days and I am now reading about 5 books a week. I am on large amounts of morphine daily for pain so the world of adventure reading enables me a life of escapism and it works for pain relief as it takes away the thinking of pain and you lose yourself into a good story.
 
Now back to my current author James Rollins as I am half way through his Sigma series and it is brilliant.
 
So thank you to all the authors for helping me through the last 5 years and thanks to Virginia and crew for introducing me to a new group of "friends"who share there stories with me.
 
Phil

James Rollins Sandstorm
Signed 1st EditionJames Rollins Sandstorm

Boyd Morrison  The Ark
Signed First EditionsThe Ark by Boyd Morrison

James Huston     Falcon Seven      Signed First EditionJames Huston Falcon Seven

Brian Haig  Moral Allies
Signed 1st EditionsBrian Haig Mortal Allies

W.E.B. Griffin The Vigilantes
Signed 1st EditionsW.E.B. Griffin The Vigilantes

Michael Connelly Concrete Blonde
Signed 1st EditionsMichael Connelly Concrete Blonde

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Narrows, The | Connelly, Michael | Signed First Edition Book Connelly, Michael | Narrows, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2004 NY: Little, Brown & Co.  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Folsom, Allan | Hadrian Memorandum, The | Signed First Edition Book Folsom, Allan | Hadrian Memorandum, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  October 2009 NY: Doherty  First edition, first printing, fine (torn spine, small hole on back of dust jacket) in a near-fine dust jacket, signed by the author.

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Coil, The | Lynds, Gayle | Signed First Edition Book Lynds, Gayle | Coil, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book. April 2004 NY: St. Martin's Press First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Consent to Kill | Flynn, Vince | Signed First Edition Book Flynn, Vince | Consent to Kill | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2005 NY: Atria Books  First edition, later printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by author.

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Last Assassin, The | Eisler, Barry | Signed First Edition Book Eisler, Barry | Last Assassin, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2006 NY: Putnam  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Scarecrow, The | Connelly, Michael | Signed First Edition Book Connelly, Michael | Scarecrow, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  May 2009 NY: Little, Brown and Co.  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Narrows, The | Connelly, Michael | Signed First Edition Book Connelly, Michael | Narrows, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2004 NY: Little, Brown & Co.  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Hard Rain | Eisler, Barry | Signed First Edition Book Eisler, Barry | Hard Rain | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..    2003 NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons

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Judas Strain | Rollins, James | Signed First Edition Book Rollins, James | Judas Strain, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2007 NY: HarperCollins  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee. including author drawn doodle.

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Bones | Kellerman, Jonathan | Signed First Edition Book Kellerman, Jonathan | Bones | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  October 2008 NY: Random House  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Falcon Seven | Huston, James W. | Signed First Edition Book Huston, James W. | Falcon Seven | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  May 2010 NY: St. Martin's Press  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee.

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Final Theory | Alpert, Mark | Signed First Edition Book Alpert, Mark | Final Theory | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book  June 2008  NY:  Simon & Schuster  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Chicago Confidential | Collins, Max Allan | Signed First Edition Book Collins, Max Allan | Chicago Confidential | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2002 NY: New American Library  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee.

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Outlaws, The | Griffin, W.E.B. | Signed First Edition Book Griffin, W.E.B. | Outlaws, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  December 2010 NY: Penguin  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Fault Line | Eisler, Barry | Signed First Edition Book Eisler, Barry | Fault Line | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  February 2009 NY: Random House  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Coil, The | Lynds, Gayle | Signed First Edition Book Lynds, Gayle | Coil, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book. April 2004 NY: St. Martin's Press First Edition, First printing, near-fine (spine top chipped) in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.

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Requiem for an Assassin | Eisler, Barry | Signed First Edition Book Eisler, Barry | Requiem for an Assassin | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2007 NY: Penguin  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Omega Theory | Alpert, Mark | Signed First Edition Book Alpert, Mark | Omega Theory | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book  February 2011 NY:  Simon & Schuster  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Private Sector | Haig, Brian | Signed First Edition Book Haig, Brian | Private Sector | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  2003 NY: Warner  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..

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Capitol Game, The | Haig, Brian | Signed First Edition Book Haig, Brian | Capitol Game, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  August 2010 NY:  Grand Central Publishing  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Cussler, Clive - Black Wind (Abridged Audio Tape Cassettes) Black Wind | Cussler, Clive & Cussler, Dirk | Book on Tape

2004 NY: Penguin Audio  Abridged, 4 Audio Tape Cassettes, read by Ron McLarty

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No Going Back | Hilton, Matt | Signed First Edition UK Book Hilton, Matt | No Going Back | Signed First Edition UK Copy

Author Signed UK Hardcover Book.  Feb 2012 LON: Stodder & Houghton  UK edition, first printing, mint, new/unread in a flawless dust jacket, signed by the author.

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Ark, The | Morrison, Boyd | Signed First Edition Book Morrison, Boyd | Ark, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  May 2010 NY: Simon & Schuster  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Inside Out | Eisler, Barry | Signed First Edition Book Eisler, Barry | Inside Out | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  June 2010 NY: Random House  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee..  Promotional author photo card and bookmark laid-in.

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Last Spymaster, The | Lynds, Gayle | Signed First Edition Book Lynds, Gayle | Last Spymaster, The | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book  2006 NY: St. Martin's  First Edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Secret Sanction | Haig, Brian | Signed First Edition Book Haig, Brian | Secret Sanction | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book  2001 NY: Warner  First edition, first printing, near-fine (page toning) in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author, remainder marked.

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Marine One | Huston, James W. | Signed First Edition Book Huston, James W. | Marine One | Signed First Edition Copy

Author Signed Hardcover Book.  May 2009 NY: St. Martin's Press  First edition, first printing, fine in a fine dust jacket, signed by the author.  This is a collectible book free from material defects.  Jacket covering services are available for a small fee.

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