A - General:
Seed by Ania Ahlborn
Illustrated by Dolce Paganne
A spine-tingling story of Southern gothic suspense, Seed is the first novel by bestselling horror novelist, Ania Ahlborn.
As a young boy, Jack Winter fled his rural roots in Georgia, vowing to never look back. Years later, the new life he has built is threatened by a sinister presence that looms dead ahead. When Jack, his wife Aimee, and their two small children survive a near fatal car accident, six-year-old Charlie starts to change, taking on a new and frightening personality. Aimee struggles to understand what is happening to her little girl, but Jack already knows: the horror that once came to him as a child has found him again.
Seed was originally self-published by Ania Ahlborn on July 17, 2012. It clawed its way up to the #1 spot on Amazon’s horror chart, earning her a multi-book deal and a legion of readers. This is the first signed limited edition of the novel.
The Suntup Press Numbered edition of 350 copies is a quarter cloth flatback binding with Indiana Corn handmade paper boards. This unique archival paper is made from 100% corn stalk and leaf. The cover is foil stamped, and the endsheets are Hahnemühle Ingress. The edition is printed offset on Cougar Natural and is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase.
Featuring six full colour illustrations by Dolce Paganne as well as a new exclusive introduction by the author. Signed by Ania Ahlborn and Dolce Paganne.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
One of the most chilling cautionary tales of the 20th century, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a tour de force of dystopian fiction.
It is the world of the near future, and Offred is a Handmaid in the home of the Commander and his wife. She is allowed out only once a day to the market, she is not permitted to read and she is hoping the Commander makes her pregnant; as her very existence is only valued if her ovaries are viable.
Offred can remember the years before, when she was an independent woman, had a job of her own, a husband and child. Now those days seem far away. For in their wake, the land that was once the United States has become the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birth rate by reverting to and going beyond the repressive intolerance of the original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population.
Unpredictable, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid’s Tale is an uncompromising portrait of totalitarianism and institutional misogyny. The novel explores themes of subjugated women in a patriarchal society, loss of female agency and individuality, and the various means by which they resist and attempt to gain individuality and independence.
In 2018, Atwood reflected on her process writing The Handmaid’s Tale: “I made a rule for myself. I would not include anything that human beings had not already done in some other place or time, or for which the technology did not already exist. I did not wish to be accused of dark, twisted inventions, or of misrepresenting the human potential for deplorable behavior.”
The Handmaid’s Tale won the 1985 Governor General’s Award, and the first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987. It has been adapted into a 1990 film, a 2000 opera, and a 2017 television series.
A NOTE ON THE TYPOGRAPHY
Given that The Handmaid’s Tale is about the oppression of women, we thought it important that the types we used to set the book be designed by a woman. In this case, one woman: Maria Doreuli. Her William Text is based on the types of William Caslon (1692–1766), whose letterforms would have been familiar to Puritan New Englanders from whom the founders of Gilead seemed to take so much inspiration. The display type, Kak, has its own oppressive qualities: It’s heavy and dark and looming, always making its presence known. Like Gilead, it is overwhelming, inescapable, and allows for no light (or hope) to get through.
The Artist edition is limited to 1000 copies, and is the only edition to include a dust jacket illustrated by Ken Cunningham. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping, and is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase. The edition features embossed endsheets and is printed offset on premium archival Cougar Natural Vellum paper. This edition is signed by the artist.
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Jaws by Peter Benchley
First published in 1974, Jaws by Peter Benchley is a riveting novel of suspense and horror that terrified millions of readers and inspired an iconic film franchise.
When a great white shark preys upon the small seaside resort town of Amity, New York, police chief Martin Brody is one of the few residents taking the threat seriously. Nearly everyone in Amity wants to downplay the shark’s presence to not scare away the tourists. But when the body count starts to rise, Brody realizes he must find a way to kill it, even if means putting his own life on the line.
When Peter Benchley wrote Jaws in the early 1970s, he meticulously researched all available data about shark behavior. Over the ensuing decades, Benchley was actively engaged with scientists and filmmakers on expeditions around the world as they expanded their knowledge of sharks.
During this time, there was an upswing in shark hunting and tournaments. Benchley took this seriously and began working with governments and nonprofits to sound the alarm for shark conservation. He encouraged each new generation of Jaws fans to enjoy his riveting tale and to channel their excitement into support and protection of these magnificent, prehistoric apex predators.
This edition of Jaws contains bonus content from Peter Benchley’s archives, including the original typed title page, a brainstorming list of possible titles, a letter from Benchley to producer David Brown with honest feedback on the movie adaptation, and excerpts from Benchley’s book Shark Trouble highlighting his firsthand account of writing Jaws, selling it to Universal Studios, and working with Steven Spielberg. Also included is a reproduction and sketches of the iconic painting by Roger Kastel used on the original paperback cover and film poster.
Since its original publication, Jaws has spawned a movie franchise, two video games, a Universal Studios theme park attraction, and two musicals.
The Artist edition is limited to 1000 copies with a dust jacket featuring the iconic painting by Roger Kastel used on the original paperback cover and film poster. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping on the cover, and red stained edges.
It is the only edition of the three with the dust jacket, and is signed by artist John Anthony Di Giovanni. The edition is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase with an acrylic coating. The bookcloth grade linen covering the edition is made using plastic collected from the ocean..
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of this iconic masterpiece of horror and paranormal suspense, Suntup Editions is delighted to announce a fine press limited edition of The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.
One of the most controversial novels ever written, The Exorcist was first published in June 1971, and would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. The book spent fifty-seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, seventeen consecutively at #1. Five decades later, the novel retains its power to possess readers with its raw and visceral prose.
Inspired by a 1949 article in The Washington Post in which a Catholic priest recounts his experience performing the ritual of exorcism on a young child, William Peter Blatty’s groundbreaking novel details the demonic possession of eleven-year-old Regan MacNeil. When neither medical professionals nor psychiatrists can come to Regan’s aid, her mother enlists the assistance of two priests. Overwhelmed but determined, they endeavor to rescue Regan from an unspeakable fate. To do so, they must face a series of terrifying moments that will test not only their strength, but the very core of their faith.
Two years after its publication, The Exorcist, was adapted for the screen by Blatty. The film, directed by William Friedkin, who has penned an exclusive introduction for this edition of the novel, would become a wildly successful motion picture, garnering ten Academy Award nominations. Friedkin and Blatty formed a lifelong friendship, with Friedkin often referring to Blatty as “my brother,” and “the most spiritual man I ever met.” To both men, The Exorcist was not a horror story, but one of the great mystery of faith. Friedkin’s new introduction chronicles the moments of inspiration that led Blatty to write the novel.
On September 27, 2011, The Exorcist was re-released as a 40th Anniversary Edition in hardcover, paperback and audiobook featuring new and revised material. Of this edition, Blatty wrote:
“This will have a touch of new material in it as part of an all-around polish of the dialogue and prose. First time around I never had the time (meaning the funds) to do a second draft, and this, finally, is it. With forty years to think about it, a few little changes were inevitable — plus one new character in a totally new, very spooky scene. This is the version I would like to be remembered for.”
Guests by Kealan Patrick Burke
A child who can turn your reality into an unspeakable nightmare. A monster from childhood with wire-hangers for hands. A baby blanket that will suck the breath from your lungs. And a tour bus full of elderly visitors in search of a new life—even if it isn’t their own. These are the guests that occupy the mind of author Kealan Patrick Burke. Now, he invites them into yours.
Guests is a collection of four novellas by Kealan Patrick Burke, complete with new introductions to each story and illustrations by the author himself. “Jack and Jill” is a harrowing story of childhood trauma and how the scars it leaves behind can manifest into adult-sized nightmares; “Sour Candy” is a twisted and unnerving tale of psychological terror that holds readers as captive as its characters; “Blanky” is an emotionally charged study of loss, grief and rage; and “Guests,” a brand new story exclusive to this collection, is a chilling exploration of what makes a monster, what makes us human, and how the weak will always run rather than face their own reflections.
In each of these four novellas, Burke shows us that real horror lies in life’s tragedies. Guests is Kealan Patrick Burke at his most hauntingly lyrical and original, with four fear inducing tales of terror that will leave readers breathless.
The Artist edition is limited to 750 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Kealan Patrick Burke. It is a full cloth, smyth-sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping. It is the only edition of the three with the dust jacket, and is signed by artist and author Kealan Patrick Burke. The edition is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase with an acrylic coating.
Guests by Kealan Patrick Burke
The Numbered edition of 350 copies is a full Japanese cloth binding with a foil stamped spine label and Hahnemühle Bugra endsheets. The edition is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase with an acrylic coating, and is signed by artist and author Kealan Patrick Burke.
Imajica by Clive Barker
An exhilarating journey through sprawling worlds inhabited by wonderfully strange creatures, Imajica is an astonishing feat of the imagination, straight out of the nightmares of Clive Barker. Published in 1991, this year marks the 30th anniversary of this epic fantasy of myth, magic and forbidden passion.
Vast in conception, meticulously detailed in execution, and apocalyptic in its resolution, Imajica is a tale of ill-fated lovers lost among worlds teetering on the edge of destruction. Gentle is a sensualist and master art forger whose life unravels when he encounters Judith Odell, a woman whose power to influence the destinies of men is greater than she knows, and Pie ‘oh’ pah, an alien assassin who comes from a hidden dimension, one of five in a great system known as Imajica. As Gentle, Judith, and Pie ‘oh’ pah travel the Imajica, they uncover a trail of crimes and intimate betrayals, leading them to a revelation so startling that it changes reality forever.
Upon its release, the novel received high praise from critics and readers alike. Washington Book World raved, “Rich in plot twists, byzantine intrigues and hidden secrets, Imajica is a Chinese puzzle box constructed on a universal scale. Barker has an unparalleled talent for envisioning other worlds.”
Many of the ideas for those worlds came to Clive Barker in dreams. The author was so inspired, he worked at an intense pace to complete the novel in fourteen months, writing up to sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. Barker has frequently named the book his personal favorite of all his writings.
The Artist edition is limited to 1000 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Jody Fallon. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with four-hits foil stamping. Title and section divider pages are printed letterpress on grey Oxford paper and are foil stamped. It is the only edition of the three with the dust jacket, and is signed by the artist. The edition is printed offset and is housed in a color shifting paper covered slipcase with an acrylic coating.
Fahrenheit 451
Highly regarded as Ray Bradbury’s masterpiece, Fahrenheit 451 depicts a dystopian society in which all books are outlawed and burned. The novel follows the personal evolution and journey of Guy Montag, from a fireman for whom it is a pleasure to burn books, to a man disillusioned with the censoring of knowledge and dedicated to the preservation of literature.
In a 1956 interview, Bradbury said, “I wrote this book at a time when I was worried about the way things were going in this country four years ago. Too many people were afraid of their shadows; there was a threat of book burning. Many of the books were being taken off the shelves at that time.”
Bradbury has also described the book as a commentary on resistance to conformity, and how mass media can create a lack of interest in reading literature.
Though considered one of the greatest science-fiction novels of all time, much of Fahrenheit 451 has become science-fact. The novel predicted earbud headphones, flatscreen televisions, and 24-hour banking machines.
In 1954, Fahrenheit 451 won the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature and the Commonwealth Club of California Gold Medal. It later won the Prometheus “Hall of Fame” Award in 1984, and a “Retro” Hugo Award in 2004, one of only seven Best Novel “Retro” Hugo Awards ever given.
The Suntup Artist Gift edition is limited to 1000 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by multiple award-winning artist Michael Whelan. It is a full cloth smyth-sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping, and is the only edition of the three with the dust jacket. The edition is printed offset, and is housed in a printed paper-covered slipcase.
The edition is signed by Julia Griffin and Michael Whelan.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
A mind-bending, relentlessly fast-paced science-fiction thriller, Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a page turner that propels its reader into a different dimension.
Jason Dessen hears only six words before a masked abductor knocks him unconscious: “Are you happy with your life?” The next thing he knows, he awakens strapped to a gurney surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits, one of whom smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” Nothing here in this world in which he has awakened is the same. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved the impossible.
Is it this world, or the other that is the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how will he make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could have imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.
Dark Matter is author Blake Crouch’s exploration on the nature of identity. A brilliantly plotted tale with twists and turns that are at once sweeping and intimate, wildly strange and profoundly human. Dark Matter is about the choices we make, the paths not taken, and how far we will go to claim the lives we dream of.
Our display face is Wolpe Fanfare Black, originally designed in 1937 by Berthold Wolpe for the exclusive use of the Fanfare Press. The version we’ve used is Toshi Omagari’s digital revival from 2017. Its bold, brash letterforms brought just the right sense of immediacy to this thriller where there’s no time to waste.
The Artist edition is limited to 1000 copies, and is the only edition to feature a wraparound dust jacket illustrated by Hilary Clarcq. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with hot foil stamping, and is housed in a slipcase covered with an acrylic coated pearlescent cloth. The edition is printed offset on archival Cougar Vellum paper and is signed by Hilary Clarcq who created the illustrations.
A NOTE ON THE TYPOGRAPHY
Dark Matter zips between alternate realities—and required more typefaces than usual. In instances like this, designers will rely on superfamilies which often include a serif version and complimentary sans serif. Here we’ve used Matthew Carter’s recently released Role, one of the latest entries into the superfamily genre with four families in a whopping 200 styles. (We only used a few of them.) We chose Role because it is a cohesive collection of good letterforms designed to help tell a story, not be the story.
Razor sharp in its depiction of drug-induced paranoia and madness, A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick is as unnerving as it is riveting.
Set in a dystopian Orange County, California, in the then-future of June 1994, Substance D is the most toxic drug to ever find its way onto the streets. The drug destroys the links between the brain’s two hemispheres, causing, first, disorientation, and then irreversible brain damage. Bob Arctor is an undercover narcotics agent desperate to discover the ultimate source of supply, but to find any kind of lead he has to pose as a user, and inevitably, become one as addicted as those he works among.
First published in 1977, A Scanner Darkly received the 1978 BSFA Award for Best Novel, and the Graouilly d’Or Award upon the novel’s 1979 publication in France. In 2006, writer/director Richard Linklater shot a live-action film, starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, and Winona Ryder, and then animated over the underlying images creating an eerily lifelike and richly detailed animated film adaptation.
A Scanner Darkly is steeped in an insider’s knowledge of 1960s drug culture. Philip K. Dick once stated of the novel, “Everything in A Scanner Darkly, I actually saw.” Based largely on his own experiences and the many friends he met and lost along the way, A Scanner Darkly is Philip K. Dick’s deeply personal exploration on the fragility of identity, how we choose to define ourselves, and how easily that definition can be altered and obliterated.
The Artist Gift edition is limited to 750 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Vanessa Lemen. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping. It is the only edition of the three published by Suntup with the dust jacket, and is signed by artist Vanessa Lemen. The edition is housed in a paper covered slipcase.
John Fowles:
Hailed as the first modern psychological thriller, The Collector is the bestselling novel that catapulted John Fowles into the front rank of contemporary novelists.
When Frederick, a lonely clerk who collects butterflies, sets his gaze upon Miranda, a beautiful young art student, he discovers something more beautiful, rare and precious than any butterfly he’s ever seen. Disturbing, engrossing, and utterly unforgettable, The Collector is the story of Frederick’s obsessive love for Miranda, as he kidnaps her and holds her prisoner in the cellar of his rural farmhouse. The novel contains both the perspective of the captor and the captive.
The Collector is the first novel by John Fowles, whose multilayered fiction frequently explores the tensions between free will and the constraints of society, even as it plays with traditional novelistic conventions, and challenges readers to find their own interpretations. Upon its release in 1963, The New York Times raved, “There is not a page in this first novel which does not prove that its author is a master storyteller.”
In 1965, The Collector was adapted into an Academy Award nominated motion picture directed by William Wyler.
The Artist edition is limited to 1000 copies with a dust jacket featuring an illustration by Tom Adams which appeared on the cover of the first paperback edition of the novel. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping. It is the only edition of the three with the dust jacket, and is signed by artist David Álvarez. The edition is printed offset on archival Cougar Vellum and is housed in an illustrated paper covered slipcase.
The Numbered edition of 350 copies is a quarter leather binding with Corkskin paper sides handmade in Portugal. The cover features a letterpress printed label and endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra. The edition is printed letterpress on Mohawk Superfine and is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase with an acrylic topcoat. The edition is signed by Bradford Morrow and David Álvarez.
Replay by Ken Grimwood
When 43-year-old radio journalist Jeff Winston dies and wakes up in his 18-year-old body in 1963, he is given a great gift: The ability to relive his life with all his memories of the previous 25 years intact. Now, he can make different decisions. But when Jeff reaches the end of his life, the replay happens again. And again. Jeff’s knowledge soon becomes as much of a curse as it is a blessing. As he plays out his life differently each cycle, he comes to discover that time is, in fact, shorter than he thinks—and that he is not alone.
One of the most elegant and gripping time travel stories ever written, Replay holds a mirror up to its reader, asking them to examine and re-examine their own existence. With each incarnation that Jeff lives through, we come to understand how short life truly is, and that to live each day to the fullest we cannot look backward, but must move forward.
First published in 1986, seven years before the release of the film Groundhog Day, Ken Grimwood’s novel was a precursor to countless “time loop” stories that would follow.
In 1988, Replay won The World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
The Artist edition is limited to 1000 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Alessandro Sicioldr Bianchi. It is a full cloth, smyth sewn binding with two-hits foil stamping. It is the only edition of the three with the dust jacket, and is signed by the artist. The edition is printed offset and is housed in an embossed paper covered slipcase with an acrylic coating.