The bygone days of massmarket paperbacks...
May 17, 2026 at 8:53 PM
The bygone days of massmarket paperbacks...
There's talk of "victory of the nerds" but something got lost along the way. Time was "nerd" meant "enthusiast" (is "otaku" clearer?). US massmarket nerd-dom isn't for enthusiasts. Disney/Sony sells you a pipe of things you probably like. Enthusiasts don't want to like things, they want to love them
November 28, 2025 at 11:40 PM
There's talk of "victory of the nerds" but something got lost along the way. Time was "nerd" meant "enthusiast" (is "otaku" clearer?). US massmarket nerd-dom isn't for enthusiasts. Disney/Sony sells you a pipe of things you probably like. Enthusiasts don't want to like things, they want to love them
best massmarket SF story ever told
May 7, 2024 at 1:46 AM
best massmarket SF story ever told
I've revisited 28 Weeks Later [2007]. I originally derided, but each viewing – and with age – I appreciate it more really novel and interesting outside the expectation of the original. The helicopter scene cringe I understand now as trailer/massmarket slopservice in an otherwise playtending realism.
June 28, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I've revisited 28 Weeks Later [2007]. I originally derided, but each viewing – and with age – I appreciate it more really novel and interesting outside the expectation of the original. The helicopter scene cringe I understand now as trailer/massmarket slopservice in an otherwise playtending realism.
LoL. Steam Machine is in for a rough road.
It's old hardware, but Valve gonna try and push even older Deck hardware at $800-1000? It'll still sell out, but that'll be due to limited quantities.
The massmarket trojan horse idea is dead.
It's old hardware, but Valve gonna try and push even older Deck hardware at $800-1000? It'll still sell out, but that'll be due to limited quantities.
The massmarket trojan horse idea is dead.
Valve has raised Steam Deck prices in the US
• 1TB OLED $649 -> $949
• 512GB OLED $549 -> $789
still out of stock
store.steampowered.com/steamdeck
• 1TB OLED $649 -> $949
• 512GB OLED $549 -> $789
still out of stock
store.steampowered.com/steamdeck
May 27, 2026 at 7:06 PM
LoL. Steam Machine is in for a rough road.
It's old hardware, but Valve gonna try and push even older Deck hardware at $800-1000? It'll still sell out, but that'll be due to limited quantities.
The massmarket trojan horse idea is dead.
It's old hardware, but Valve gonna try and push even older Deck hardware at $800-1000? It'll still sell out, but that'll be due to limited quantities.
The massmarket trojan horse idea is dead.
Fun #Dune additions. Tiny magnets of the series with incredibly accurate cover art. Massmarket paperback for size comparison. #booksky #FrankHerbert #arrakis
May 19, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Fun #Dune additions. Tiny magnets of the series with incredibly accurate cover art. Massmarket paperback for size comparison. #booksky #FrankHerbert #arrakis
...and the developments there are really exciting. But it's night and day from massmarket LLMs, and I resent being told I'm too stupid to understand the exciting possibilities of AI when I'm waiting on the Anthropic settlement to arrive (if? when?)
March 9, 2026 at 4:39 PM
...and the developments there are really exciting. But it's night and day from massmarket LLMs, and I resent being told I'm too stupid to understand the exciting possibilities of AI when I'm waiting on the Anthropic settlement to arrive (if? when?)
Seeing the "Read Real Literature (which is good), not Itch Io Slop (which is bad)" discourse is sooooo funny when you actually engage with massmarket book sales at all. There's so many very famous, very bad books out there. Something being published does Not necessarily mean it's good.
August 13, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Seeing the "Read Real Literature (which is good), not Itch Io Slop (which is bad)" discourse is sooooo funny when you actually engage with massmarket book sales at all. There's so many very famous, very bad books out there. Something being published does Not necessarily mean it's good.
Some #Dune for your day. A few #massmarket covers from throughout the years. #booksky #FrankHerbert #scifi #books 💙📚💙📚
December 12, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Some #Dune for your day. A few #massmarket covers from throughout the years. #booksky #FrankHerbert #scifi #books 💙📚💙📚
People read massmarket paperbacks, and before that pulp mags, and before that dime novels, and before that penny dreadfuls
Both because they cud actually afford them (current novels used to be *extremely* expensive)
and also because they were in genres *people actually wanted to read*
Both because they cud actually afford them (current novels used to be *extremely* expensive)
and also because they were in genres *people actually wanted to read*
April 30, 2026 at 10:49 PM
People read massmarket paperbacks, and before that pulp mags, and before that dime novels, and before that penny dreadfuls
Both because they cud actually afford them (current novels used to be *extremely* expensive)
and also because they were in genres *people actually wanted to read*
Both because they cud actually afford them (current novels used to be *extremely* expensive)
and also because they were in genres *people actually wanted to read*
Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2026 - Posts from last six months of 2025 - #Writers #Egotrip #Massmarket by Laura Lyndhurst smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2026/05/27/s...
Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2026 – Posts from last six months of 2025 – #Writers #Egotrip #Massmarket by Laura Lyndhurst
Welcome to the series of Posts from Your Archives for 2026 and I have been sharing posts from the SECOND six months of 2025 from your archives which I will select. This series is now closed but th…
smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com
May 27, 2026 at 9:32 AM
Smorgasbord Posts from Your Archives 2026 - Posts from last six months of 2025 - #Writers #Egotrip #Massmarket by Laura Lyndhurst smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2026/05/27/s...
Wer in den letzten Jahrzehnte auch viel englischsprachige Literatur und vor allem Phantastik gelesen hat, hatte vermutlich schon mal ein Mass Market Paperback in der Hand. Das sind kleine Taschenbücher, gedruckt auf groben, grauen und grieseligem Papier. #sfcd #massmarket #sciencefiction
Mass Market Paperbacks Are Dead
YouTube video by Daniel Greene
youtu.be
March 3, 2026 at 9:27 AM
Wer in den letzten Jahrzehnte auch viel englischsprachige Literatur und vor allem Phantastik gelesen hat, hatte vermutlich schon mal ein Mass Market Paperback in der Hand. Das sind kleine Taschenbücher, gedruckt auf groben, grauen und grieseligem Papier. #sfcd #massmarket #sciencefiction
To be fair to the fujo element of it, the boys are there as mostly empty vessels in various shapes (friendly-shaped Maxwell, depression-shaped-Trowa, etc) to be filled with whatever fanfic you wanna write, in a very 90s massmarket yaoi kind of way. It works for what it is.
July 25, 2024 at 5:52 PM
To be fair to the fujo element of it, the boys are there as mostly empty vessels in various shapes (friendly-shaped Maxwell, depression-shaped-Trowa, etc) to be filled with whatever fanfic you wanna write, in a very 90s massmarket yaoi kind of way. It works for what it is.
mine would have massmarket paperbacks and an old copy of national geographic from back before they fired everybody
February 2, 2024 at 2:49 PM
mine would have massmarket paperbacks and an old copy of national geographic from back before they fired everybody
i looked up what specific genre of country it is i tend to like bc it didn't sound quite country but also not quite pop country so i could make a "my most toxic trait is i unironically really like superficial massmarket country drek" and JESUS i am such a fucking clown 💀 it's so joever i've been had
March 25, 2024 at 3:03 PM
i looked up what specific genre of country it is i tend to like bc it didn't sound quite country but also not quite pop country so i could make a "my most toxic trait is i unironically really like superficial massmarket country drek" and JESUS i am such a fucking clown 💀 it's so joever i've been had
“Aha! You may have exposed irreparable holes in my very dumb argument, but there is a massmarket paperback from 2018 which previously put forth the same easily dismantled claims I made! Checkmate.”
March 17, 2026 at 5:25 PM
“Aha! You may have exposed irreparable holes in my very dumb argument, but there is a massmarket paperback from 2018 which previously put forth the same easily dismantled claims I made! Checkmate.”
Gerade noch kommentiert, dass ich gern die leichten Massmarket-Paperbacks der 80er wieder hätte.
Dann ist mir aufgefallen:
Die Bücher werden heute immer schwerer, während die Bücherregale immer weniger Gewicht halten können, oft nur 3kg pro Regalbrett.
WTF?
Dann ist mir aufgefallen:
Die Bücher werden heute immer schwerer, während die Bücherregale immer weniger Gewicht halten können, oft nur 3kg pro Regalbrett.
WTF?
October 30, 2023 at 1:24 PM
Gerade noch kommentiert, dass ich gern die leichten Massmarket-Paperbacks der 80er wieder hätte.
Dann ist mir aufgefallen:
Die Bücher werden heute immer schwerer, während die Bücherregale immer weniger Gewicht halten können, oft nur 3kg pro Regalbrett.
WTF?
Dann ist mir aufgefallen:
Die Bücher werden heute immer schwerer, während die Bücherregale immer weniger Gewicht halten können, oft nur 3kg pro Regalbrett.
WTF?
HONOR AMONG ROGUES is available NOW in both MASSMARKET PAPERBACK and EBOOK! DRM FREE and downloaable as EPUB or PDF! Kindle Unlimited too!
www.amazon.com/Honor-Among-...
www.amazon.com/Honor-Among-...
February 5, 2026 at 5:28 PM
HONOR AMONG ROGUES is available NOW in both MASSMARKET PAPERBACK and EBOOK! DRM FREE and downloaable as EPUB or PDF! Kindle Unlimited too!
www.amazon.com/Honor-Among-...
www.amazon.com/Honor-Among-...
My first was at a store the week after you. Only people there were two random customers who sat and listened and then didn't buy a copy of my book. It was a $7 massmarket paperback.
However you left a signed copy of your book for me, so it took the edge off.
However you left a signed copy of your book for me, so it took the edge off.
December 8, 2024 at 9:14 PM
My first was at a store the week after you. Only people there were two random customers who sat and listened and then didn't buy a copy of my book. It was a $7 massmarket paperback.
However you left a signed copy of your book for me, so it took the edge off.
However you left a signed copy of your book for me, so it took the edge off.
The Fortnight of Rath is here! Join Recent Reads as we dissect the Rath and Storm #anthology . We'll cover one #shortstory per day over the next two weeks!
#ReaderSky #BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
#ReaderSky #BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
Rath and Storm (Anthology Introduction, Schedule & Framing Device) — Jou Montfort
Hello, all. Welcome to our second anthology review series. In this case, we will be reviewing the short stories contained within Rath and Storm, a Magic: the Gathering (MTG) tie-in book that cover...
www.joumontfort.com
July 5, 2026 at 9:32 PM
The Fortnight of Rath is here! Join Recent Reads as we dissect the Rath and Storm #anthology . We'll cover one #shortstory per day over the next two weeks!
#ReaderSky #BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
#ReaderSky #BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
Same. Burnt out on massmarket game. I've been writing since 1987. Two literary agents since 1992. Some small press publishing, stuff on Ream subscription platform (which I'll get back to).
I published too early in 2012 to hit the queer SFF trend.
Art and manufacturing fund me. Writing is love.
I published too early in 2012 to hit the queer SFF trend.
Art and manufacturing fund me. Writing is love.
May 16, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Same. Burnt out on massmarket game. I've been writing since 1987. Two literary agents since 1992. Some small press publishing, stuff on Ream subscription platform (which I'll get back to).
I published too early in 2012 to hit the queer SFF trend.
Art and manufacturing fund me. Writing is love.
I published too early in 2012 to hit the queer SFF trend.
Art and manufacturing fund me. Writing is love.
The Fortnight of Rath reaches "Karn's Tale". Let's talk about how the study of Karn's pacifism comes close to greatness, but fails because the author won't commit to Karn's failure.
#BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG #anthology #shortstory
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
#BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG #anthology #shortstory
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
Karn’s Tale (A Rath and Storm Short Story) — Jou Montfort
Hello, all. Welcome back to the anthology mini-review series for Rath and Storm . This part of the review will cover the 7th story in the anthology, “Karn’s Tale”. Please see the review serie...
www.joumontfort.com
July 14, 2026 at 1:18 AM
The Fortnight of Rath reaches "Karn's Tale". Let's talk about how the study of Karn's pacifism comes close to greatness, but fails because the author won't commit to Karn's failure.
#BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG #anthology #shortstory
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
#BookSky #BookReview #readerscommunity #massmarket #MTG #anthology #shortstory
www.joumontfort.com/recent-reads...
Of course, Sam and Dean* are taking very good care of the baby, who is the very antithesis of a vengeful spirit.
He is just baby.
He is just baby.
October 2, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Of course, Sam and Dean* are taking very good care of the baby, who is the very antithesis of a vengeful spirit.
He is just baby.
He is just baby.
In the 80s this would have been an implausibly neon “cyberpunk” cover for a mediocre massmarket paperback scifi slop
To see it IRL is depressing
To see it IRL is depressing
What a heartbreaking photograph - the impact of satellite constellations on the night sky.
Taken above the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, Western Australia.
Credit: Joshua Rozells
Taken above the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, Western Australia.
Credit: Joshua Rozells
March 29, 2025 at 8:33 PM
In the 80s this would have been an implausibly neon “cyberpunk” cover for a mediocre massmarket paperback scifi slop
To see it IRL is depressing
To see it IRL is depressing