My Revival of Lone Wolf Series

[alanathor1]

My journey started around 30 years ago.



I have been an avid fan of the series as quite a few starting of a child of my generation.

My earliest memory of the books was two copies; Think they were both completely out of sequence at my Mothers sister, a kid around 9 or 10.



I used to read it over and over and fantasize about how the other books would progress.



Through high school both my folks worked and I remember taking the bus, or in exam periods walking to the city to my moms work, waiting to go home.



Instead of doing anything constructive I wandered up and down the main road, occasionally running into a few bored hostel kids from my school, one thing we had in common was using the local book and stationary shop, as a library.



I was often introduced to an off copy of the books which I honestly would really wanted to buy, but there was a combination of resignation of not having preceding copies or finances.

Occasionally I was delighted to run into these in a library in which case I would read it.



As time progressed in my twenties I would every now and then spot a copy in a second hand bookshop, and again the whole thought of not being able to get a complete set always dissuaded me from buying any one copy



More time went by, and I finally met the love of my life, my anchor after a long nerdy journey a short marriage and divorce, and some philosophical non directionless pondering. We have been happily married for 7 with two beautiful very unique children.



I visited the Project Aon website a few times a few years ago also and played through Seventh Sense, think it was only going to book 3 and then a year or two later 7, then life took over.



My wife is very much in the crafty scene, and refurbishment of furniture, or she tries at least through a very hectic work schedule. So we went thrift shop hunting about a month ago. One of the shops was a hospice collection and had a bookshop the other a charity shop for mentally disabled people.



As before I spotted 2 Original Red fox versions of the Kai and 1 Berkley addition magnakai and a further 2 Red Fox Magnekai’s , the books were dirt cheap R15 or $1 each and I have to say in relatively good order.



Suffice to say I was salivating over these, and debating with my wife if I should take it being heavily conflicted due to somehow feeling that I would never be able to complete or get a meaningful set of the series.

I am not sure if it was love or pure impatience, or simply just knowing me better than I know myself she told me if I don’t take these I would be sorry.



I am glad to say I was not



I took the books and so my journey begins……………….

[alanathor1]

My social media and internet experience.


So obviously the books have become all but hens teeth, at least here in South Africa in it's original Red Fox or Berkley publications, the ones of my childhood dreams.


About a month ago I decided to make it my own mission to complete my own now 5 set off books to, well as far as I could take it, and started going to Social media,
Gumtree, Junkmail, secondhand and even new bookshops across my country at least.
A note:  The initial approach is a bit out of sequence to other things I did but for the sake of the story I felt I would mix it up a bit out of sequence.


If you have seen me on the Facebook or other posts 'Hi'


My initial strategy was that If I saw a double I would take it and attempt to trade it even if internationally.
I took a bit of a 'cheeky' chance on a Australia and New Zealand site and was told off; nicely at least.

I actually changed this strategy as it occurred to me 'besides books that are really valuable' it would paramount to hoarding.


Anything else gave minimal success, honestly actually think I almost came right with and South African ex Pat in England, who gave me a hint where he traded his in Capetown from a public group.
I called the shop three days later to my dismay, someone had very recently took these after it was apparently at the shop for years, a almost full collection.
The nagging thought hit me that I was robbed, this did not deter me through.


I have to say the social media experience otherwise had been very rewarding, I found a Red Fox version of Caverns of Calte by 'photo' identification on a search for books.

Yes I actually spend hours looking at advertised photo's off secondhand books and sometimes embarrassing myself to ask the sellers if they had.


I did it based the past where at least here in South Africa, there are certain 'tells'
for the lost little Lone Wolf Book that live in certain stores just by looking at other books. 

This is something you guys might find strange but girls occasionally like to binge read and experiment on these my ex Wife and current wife both had
Steve Jackson books somehow find it's way in between their Sexy Vampire or Fantasy novels.
Another tell is really old worn softcover books in between a bit of Africana type novels or at least that what I was looking for in pictures before asking,
in the type of secondhand shops I would spot these.

I asked a LOT of people on this; my strike rate 1/10, but i have to say it kept the juices going.
Strangely I actually never took Caverns of Calte book though this type of checking is very similar to what is done at certain book shops,
and I feel it honed my Hunting skills (yes Pun intended)


Some people really do get enthusiastic on your behalf or even helpful when interfacing with, this made it feel very justified.


I also found a few private traders and importers who this scavenge hunting actually quite nice to chat with them, as my mom and mom in law were
looking for some religious or family authored books,
and I have made a point of getting together a network of formal and informal contacts.


You will be surprised how connected some people are and strangely how disconnected others (even big group retail companies) are.
People are really interesting, even when they don't seem to initially.
A certain private lady contact that appeared to be a hoarder is actually sorts through thousand soft books weekly
by name does bible study and was nice enough to share a really rare book though not Joe Dever with me simply for asking.


As mentioned this got me absolutely nowhere but it got me honed and enthusiastic networking and hot for the hunt

[Zipp]

It's hard to find a full set of the books! My own collection feels very incomplete, because it only has American copies until the New Order series... and I only have a couple of those. I do have the latest Storms of Chai signed by Dever and that's a treasure in my collection now

I desperately want someone to rerelease the revised editions. I'd be all over that.