In celebration, they’re holding a poll/contest… thinger.

Let me explain more clearly than that.

They’ve picked 50 of their top novels from the last 50 years. 25 in fantasy and 25 in science fiction. Flatteringly enough, The Name of the Wind made that list.

They’re asking people to vote on their favorites, and the top five novels in each category are going to be published in special retro-style collector’s editions.

Normally when there’s some sort of online poll like this, I try to resist the urge to point y’all at it, howling, “Fly my pretties, Fly! Vote for me!”

I did that sort of thing fairly often back when The Name of the Wind first came out, because…. well… because I was pretty excited about my book. And it’s nice to win things, even if it’s just an online poll in someone’s blog.

These days, I try to restrain those impulses. Mostly because my inner Midwesterner isn’t entirely cool with that sort of self-aggrandizing behavior. I always felt kind weird afterwards.

That said, I have to admit I’m curious what a retro edition of The Name of the Wind would look like. I think that would be pretty cool.

Here’s a link to the Gollancz poll, just in case you want to, y’know, go over there and, like, look at it. Or whatever.

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Well folks, the fundraiser’s been going for just a little more than 10 days, and we’ve already hit 25,000 dollars. I think that means that we are awesome.

Well… almost. We’re just a couple bucks short, but I’m calling it 25,000. Because that gives me an excuse to post up a celebratory blog full of more donated books.

Gollancz is my UK publisher. It is there, in ye olde London, where Gillian, my lovely UK editor, works.

When I was setting up this year’s fundraiser, I dropped Gillian a line to see if they might be interested in donating a few books to a good cause. I’m pretty midwestern about these things: I never want to come across as pushy. “Just if you want to.” I said. “No pressure. A couple books would be great. Whatever you have laying around the office…”

So imagine my delight and amazement when Gillian starts shipping over boxes and boxes of books, over 150 total. I so owe her a footrub.

Let’s list them off, shall we?

• Five sets of the first eight books by Charlaine Harris: Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, All Together Dead, From Dead to Worse and Dead and Gone.

Booklist says that “Charlaine Harris is a superstar in the paranormal fantasy field- Just the right mixture of humour, intrigue, and excitement.”

How’s that for cool. These books don’t just have humor, they have humour. Which is way better. Because it’s Brittish.

I’ve actually read the first four of this series and was pleasantly surprised. They’re a nice change from the dark, gothic drama of some of the urban fantasy out there. And now, thanks to Gollancz, you can own the whole set.

• Five hardcover first editions of the collection of short stories of Charlaine Harris‘ heroine Sookie Stackhouse in A Touch of Dead.

This is a nice hardcover collection, and while I haven’t read it personally, Bookpage says, “It’s impossible not to love the wry, sexy Sookie, surely one of the most winning heroines to guide us through the dark side in a long time – maybe ever!”

• Five copies of the Commemorative Edition of the Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales of H.P. Lovecraft.

This is a gorgeous book. If you’ve never read Lovecraft, you really should. He’s one of the cornerstones of modern fantasy and horror, and his stories still pack a punch.

Don’t believe me? Well, maybe you’ll trust Steven King when he says, “Lovecraft opened the way for me, as he had done for others before me.”

Still not convinced? How bout this quote blurb from Neil Gaiman:

“H.P. Lovecraft built the stage on which most of the last century’s horror fiction was performed. As doomed as any of his protagonists, he put a worldview into words that has spread to infect the world. You need to read him-he’s where the darkness starts.”

Man, Gaiman’s way better at this than me. I’m all, “Cornerstone of fantasy… blah blah blah.” But that up there is a serious quote. I suck at blurbing.

• Five copies of The Centenary Edition of The Complete Chronicles of Conan by Robert E. Howard.

Back before Conan the Barbarian was govenor of California, he was a character written by Robert E. Howard. Collected here, in the chronological order they were first published, are the definitive stories of Conan, exactly as Howard wrote them.

This is another one of those books that made me wish I wasn’t a moral person. If I wasn’t a moral person, you see, I could just take one of these for myself and nobody would ever know the difference.

Brain Williamson says, “The energy of the writing practically thrums off the page and often the sense of tension and unease invoked is genuinely unsettling. Read it, then use the weighty tome to smite your enemies, drive them before you and hear the lamentation of their women!”

• Five Advance Reading Copies of Jacqueline Carey’s Naamah’s Kiss.

Jacqueline Carey is bringing sexy back to epic fantasy.

Want to read the best plot synopsis ever? Here’s what Publisher’s Weekly has to say about this book, “The seventh installment in Carey’s bestselling Kushiel series follows its youthful protagonist, Moirim, from bed to bed as she worships sexuality goddess Naamah.”

There’s more of course. But would you really bother reading it? Don’t you already know enough to want this book?

• Six ARC and five hardcover copies of The Cardinal’s Blades by Pierre Pevel.

It’s rare that a book gets translated from French into English. So you should probably sit up and take notice when it happens.

The Cardinal’s Blades is part historical novel, part old-fashioned swashbuckling high-action adventure, and part classic fantasy. Award winning novelist Pierre Pevel has woven some of the best-loved fantasy tropes – musketeer-style adventuring, daring swordsmen, political intrigue, non-stop action and dragons – into a stunning new fantasy series set during the reign of Louis XIII.

• Five copies of Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding.

I’ve heard this book described as, “an entire season of Firefly all in one book.” Honestly, you don’t get higher praise than that.

“Retribution Falls picks you up, whisks you swiftly and entertainingly along, and sets you down with a big smile on your face.” – Joe Abercrombie

• Five copies of The Stranger by Max Frei.

Kirkus reviews says, “If Harry Potter smoked cigarettes and took a certain matter-of-fact pleasure in administering touch justice, he might like Max Frei.”

• Five copies of Fire by Kristin Cashore.

Kirkus gives Fire a starred review, and says that Cashore’s book is “Fresh, hopeful, tragic and glorious.”

• Four copies of the ARC of Horns by Joe Hill.

Since he’s Stephen King’s son, Joe Hill must have absorbed some of his dad’s mojo. Publishers Weekly calls him, “One of the most confident and assured new voices in horror and dark fantasy.”

• Five copies of the ARC of Retromancer by Robert Rankin.

First off, Retromancer is a cool title. Second off, I have never, ever seen a book that color before. Then I hear this book has, “beautiful spies, advanced alien technology, killer robots, death rays, and a battle with an ancient god.”

It sort of makes me wonder if my own books might be a little boring, honestly.

• Five copies of the ARC of Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds.

According to Daily Mail, “Those who like their sci-fi on an epic scale will be impressed by Reynolds’ hugely imaginative, sprawling space adventure. Magnificent stuff.”

• Five sets of Alastair Reynolds‘ books: Revelation Space, Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap, Chasm City, Century Rain, Pushing Ice, The Prefect, House of Suns, Galactic North and Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days.

This is a hefty stack of books. We’ve got five sets of all ten books. Yet another collection I’d love to keep for my own shelf.

According to The London times, “Reynolds’s narrative is truly breathtaking in scope and intricate in detail, making him a mastersinger of the space opera.”

And Publishers Weekly says, “It’s rare to find a writer with sufficient nerve and stamina to write novels that are big enough to justify using words like ‘revelation’ and ‘redemption.’ Reynolds pulls it off.”

Remember folks, for every 10 dollars you donate to Heifer International you get a chance to win these books and hundreds of others. So why not head over to my page at Team Heifer and chip in?

Or, if you want to go back to main page for the Worldbuilders fundraiser, you can click HERE.

As always, with special thanks to our sponsor, Subterranean Press.

(I just noticed that little face in the “S” up there. Creepy…)