Borderlands Books

This store has the best selection in San Francisco of Science-Fiction and Fantasy books. Since they carry both in and out of print books, you can usually find exactly what you want to find. Their staff is 95% friendly and I shop here often.

PROS: Great selection, helpful staff
CONS: parking and transit

Let me preface this review by saying I have never actually been to this store. I heard about it on a website (sci-fi writer Cory Doctorow). My only dealings have been over the phone and mail. Their customer service was excellent. They found the exact book I wanted and had it in the mail that day. They even offered free shipping on the item I wanted. The book arrived exactly as stipulated and already had a glassine cover. I will be shopping with them again.

I liked this place almost immediately after walking in the door. While it's not especially huge, there is some depth to the store's major sections of science fiction and fantasy. There's also a horror section, but I'm not terribly familiar with this particular genre.

The staff members I've dealt with are chatty, knowledgeable, and make good recommendations. Plus, you get to play with Ripley, the store's resident Sphynx cat who rules over the place with a velvet paw. Check out their website for lots more info about recommendations and upcoming author readings. This place is obviously a labor of love.

This place definitely is geared towards the sci-fi, horror end of things. It's quiet and easy to browse and right on Valencia street, so it's worth stopping in. However, if your tastes don't run in this direction you probably won't find much. However if you are looking for a dungeons and Dragons manual this could be the spot.

If science fiction is your thing and you live in the Bay Area, then you probably already know about Borderlands. If not, or if you're new here, Borderlands is a very specialized bookstore--science fiction, fantasy, and horror. That's all you'll find here, and they aren't going to stock any tie-in merchandise from TV shows or movies. The staff knows just about everything about their genres, and they are friendly and helpful. You can subscribe to their newsletter in order to find out about the readings and author appearances they sometimes host.