First published in 2019, Joe Hill‘s short horror story Faun has been quick to receive the fine press treatment. Here I’ll be looking at the 2023 edition from Conversation Tree, which is the second publication to be offered by the press. The book was issued in a limitation of 736 copies distributed across four states: 500 standard copies, 200 deluxe, 26 lettered, and 10 roman numeral. At the time of writing the lettered and roman numeral states are out of print. But Conversation Tree’s proprietor, Tony Gear, was kind enough to provide review copies of the standard, deluxe and lettered states on loan so that I can take a closer look at them here. Before getting to the specifics of each state, let’s begin with what they share in common.
All three were bound by Ludlow Bookbinders and printed letterpress by Nomad Letterpress across about 50 pages. Nomad used hot metal type, casting the text from molten lead using their Monotype equipment. The face used is Perpetua, originally designed for Monotype by Eric Gill. It is among my personal favourite faces for its classical elegance that evokes so many ancient Latin inscriptions. The text is of a moderate size—I’d guess 11 or 12pt—but leaded with generous inter-line spacing for a relaxed reading experience.
Complementing the text are illustrations by Francois Vaillancourt who has provided twelve colour plates (including one double page fold-out) and three line drawings that were printed letterpress. Vaillancourt has become known for illustrating horror works such as this. I believe he mostly works digitally. In any case, the colour plates are rendered in a realist style, but with suitably dark and otherworldly overtones. The inclusion of twelve plates feels quite generous in light of the book’s modest length—this is an illustration approximately every four pages.
The first of the line drawings is found on the title page, where the book’s title is printed in red ink. Meanwhile, the text is divided into two parts of approximately equal length, each opening with another line-illustrated title page. In an interesting bit of book design, the two parts of the story are also divided by a bound-in sheet of Lokta paper. This is an artisanal paper handmade in Nepal with a quite pleasing fibrous texture. One side of this sheet shows its natural grey and white fibres, while the opposing side has been covered with metallic copper ink for a bit of visual impact. Since we cross a clear narrative boundary as we progress between the two parts of the story, it seems appropriate to also physically demarcate the boundary between them in this way. More to the point, this is a delightful paper and I found this to be a fun and tactile inclusion in the book.
There’s no introduction, which I personally consider an appropriate choice for a book of this length and recency.
Standard state
With a trim size of 170mm × 240mm (6.7″× 9.5″), our standard state arrives in a slipcase covered in a burgundy cloth. Like the slipcase for Peter Pan, it is lined with a black suede-like material that should be kinder to the book than a paper lining. It’s a relatively slender slipcase fashioned from heavy-duty board so it feels rock solid. Characteristic of Ludlow’s work it is also well made with neat, sharp corners.
The book is bound with red paper sides with a mottled pattern. It reminds me the kind of texture you might see at an abattoir, which seems apt for a dark fantasy horror book about hunting. The front board has been blind stamped with a horned skull. Meanwhile, the book has a square-back and is bound in a style that could variously be called a bradel binding, or bodoniana binding, or millimetre binding. Whatever you choose to call it, this means that the spine is covered in a separate material that extends only a few milimeters onto the sides and under rather than over the board covering. It’s less common that the more standard quarter-binding that we see all the time on this blog, which also makes it a bit of a novelty. The spine material in this case is elephant hide (sometimes alternatively known as vegetable parchment). This is an off-white paper with a parchment-like texture and an appearance similar to white marble. It is blocked simply in gilt with the title. Overall, it’s a fairly elegant design that, in spite of its simplicity, manages to communicate a lot about the book. Like the slipcase, the binding uses heavy-duty boards which make the entire book feel rigid and solid.
Opening the book we breeze past plain black endpapers to arrive at the text block, which, for the standard edition, is composed of Munken Pure rough 120gsm paper. Despite the name, the paper is relatively smooth and therefore feels modern in its refinement. Opacity is pretty good and the paper has a subtly cream colouration that is easy on the eyes. All four edges of the text block are trimmed.
In the standard state the colour plates are printed on a semi-gloss paper that, while not as tactile as the rest of the book, takes the printing very well. The images are accordingly detailed and vibrant. The images are printed with a white border and gold trim on a sheet of this paper that is then bound into the volume.
Rounding out the details of the standard copies, the colophon page is signed by author and illustrator, and the edition is unnumbered. There’s a black ribbon marker.
Deluxe state
The deluxe state’s contents are substantively the same as the standard, including the trim size of 170mm × 240mm (6.7″× 9.5″), but various aspects of the book’s design and production have seen an upgrade. This starts with the slipcase, which has green linen cloth sides and purple leather ends. Like the slipcase of the standard state, it feels rock solid.
The book within has one of the most interesting and eye-catching bindings I have seen in some time. It is bound in a custom marbled paper of yellow and green tones. Rather than a conventional half- or quarter-binding, we have a hint of purple leather running along the book’s fore edge, at the tale of the spine, and in a small panel at the head of the spine on which is blocked the title in gilt. These restrained hints of leather make the book look unusual, and therefore interesting. In my earlier review, I enthused about the bold binding design of the standard state of Conversation Tree’s first publication, Peter Pan. If anything, this deluxe state of Faun looks even more captivating and I think Conversation Tree is in danger of acquiring a reputation for striking bindings.
The end papers in the deluxe state are a Japanese stock called Takeo Tant Select. This is another interesting paper with an embossed linen texture which really does look like cloth.
The top edge of the text block is now gilded and the paper has seen an upgrade to 145gsm Liber Charta mould made. This is billed as a spiritual successor to paper from the erstwhile fine press favourite Zerkall mill (whose loss to the 2021 flooding we still mourn). In any case, it has a broadly similar surface to the Munken paper in the standard copies (perhaps with a slightly more noticeable texture) but the increase in weight comes with improved opacity. All four edges of the text block are trimmed.
The presentation of the colour plates also changes in the deluxe copies. Now instead of being printed with a white border, the images are trimmed to size and then tipped in directly onto the Liber Charter paper. I don’t think this changes the presentation of the images too substantially, but the Liber Charter has a greater tactility than the glossy surface on which the images themselves are printed, so it’s a little bit nicer to turn the pages with the plates in this state.
The last changes from the standard state are that the colophon page is now numbered and the ribbon marker is purple to match the binding.
Lettered state
The lettered state offers across the board upgrades over the deluxe. This starts with the presentation, the slipcase having been replaced by a sturdy solander box covered in a warm-grey marl linen cloth. The first thing to say is that the book has double the trim size of the standard or deluxe states, coming in at 340mm × 240mm (13.4″× 9.5″), and is therefore a more impressively imposing volume. Inset on the spine of the box is a brown leather label blocked in gilt with the title and author’s name. The top, bottom, and fore edges of the box are covered in a matching brown cloth. I’m a big fan of solander boxes and this one feels nicely made. The box has a grey lining in a suede-like material with a strip of green marbled paper lining the inner surface of the spine—more on that in just a minute.
Nestled inside is a chemise covered in the same linen cloth as the box. It has been blocked on the front and rear in brown with an angular geometric design of a horned skull. Running vertically along the spine in brown is the title in a nice delicate face. The inside of the chemise is lined with plain black paper.
Like a set of Russian dolls, the chemise itself opens to reveal the volume within. It is fully bound in chocolate brown goatskin leather. This leather has a nice even grain and feels luxuriously soft to the touch. Like the chemise, the title is blocked on the spine (now in gilt) in the same small lettering. But the most striking thing about the biding is that the geometric skull pattern from the chemise is now reproduced by laser-cut pieces of mica stone veneer that have been adhered to the front and back boards. This makes for an interesting contrast with the leather: the stone is cold to the touch and has severe edges that remind us we shouldn’t get too comfortable in this book’s world. I often have mixed feelings about objects adhered to the binding of a book, but this has the merit of being interesting from a tactile point of view, thematically appropriate, and neatly executed. So, it’s won me over. I think this is a case where photos can’t do the presentation justice because the tactile sensation is such an important part of experiencing this book’s binding. It certainly makes the book quite a show piece. The top edge of the text block is gilded and the bottom and fore edges have a deckle. Lastly, we have a dark ribbon marker.
Opening the book delivers us to end papers in the same marbled paper that we saw inside the solander box. This has been custom made for the edition. It is predominantly green with a “bouquet”-style design in metallic green and copper inks. I love this kind of marbling that makes subtle but effective use of metallic elements that catch the light in interesting ways—it’s just so interesting to look at. Immediately after the front endpapers is a sheet bearing an original drawing by Francois Vaillancourt. Advertised as a “remarque”, this is no small doodle, but a full-page piece of art bound into the book.
This time the text block is handmade paper specially made by Gangolf Ulbricht. This is my first encounter with a Gangolf Ulbricht paper, but I hope it won’t be the last. It has a noticeable wove texture giving it a wonderfully rough tactile quality and artisanal aesthetic. Overall, the paper is probably my biggest highlight of this lettered state; it’s just superb.
There are a couple of other interior changes from the deluxe and standard states. The colour illustrations are now tipped onto a fibrous pale-yellow laid paper that is also pleasant to handle. The larger format of the volume allows a generous margin around the images and gives them a bit more room to breathe, from which they benefit. Meanwhile. the line drawings have seen a more significant upgrade. Taking advantage of the larger format of the book, these illustrations have been printed from a completely different set of plates that reproduce the images at a larger size and with much more detail. I wasn’t struck by a particular lack of detail on the standard and deluxe copies but, once you’ve looked at the images in the lettered state, the difference here is obvious. Lastly, each of the two parts of the book opens with a decorative drop cap designed by Svetlana Molodchenko and printed in red ink with a noticeable bite. This lettering connects nicely with the red printing on the title page and therefore helps to develop a consistent design language for the book. The colophon page is signed by printers, binder, author and illustrator.
Summary
Like its first, Conversation Tree Press’ second offering has much to recommend it. We again have books that feel markedly solid and well-made, and printed letterpress by a respected fine press to an exacting standard. The edition is generously illustrated for its comparatively short length.
I also find the choice of title an interesting one. In its first two editions, Conversation Tree has leapt from a century-old world classic to the very cutting edge of what is sometimes called genre fiction. Perhaps this is a sign of an intention to establish a broad literary church, which could certainly make for some interesting editions—especially if it extends to forays into the treasure trove of high quality mid 20th century literature that seems underserved by the fine press community.
Considering the book’s raw specifications, the standard edition’s US$225 retail price looks like a good deal. At this level readers get a bona fide fine press experience with few compromises. There are many ways to spend a larger sum and get less book for your money. Although arguably less striking, the standard edition’s quieter binding might also appeal to some.
The deluxe state offers a few upgrades for its US$495 price tag (upgraded slipcase, upgraded binding, upgraded endpapers, upgraded paper, not to mention presentational details like the page gilding or tipped in illustrations). The standout, though, is the binding, which not only sees a materials upgrade but also shows Conversation Trees’ willingness to experiment with some bold design choices.
Lastly, the lettered state impresses by finding another across-the-board round of upgrades. The most enjoyable for me was the superb paper that really makes this feel like a top-notch fine press book. But the binding is also inventive, and this state probably has the most coherent overall design vision.
Once again, its very difficult to imagine that collectors who choose any of the states will be anything other than delighted. ■
Where to buy
At the time of writing, the standard and deluxe states of Faun are in print and can be purchased directly from the Conversation Tree Press shop. Readers are cordially encouraged to exhaust this source before searching elsewhere.
For those arriving here after the books are out of print, you can search for used copies of the edition:
eBay US*, eBay UK*, AbeBooks US*, or AbeBooks UK*.
Or browse more generally for Conversation Tree Press books on the secondary market at:
eBay US*, eBay UK*, AbeBooks US*, or AbeBooks UK*.
* These are affiliate links. Buying a book via one of these links produces a modest revenue for this site at no additional cost to you. Any revenue thus generated is recycled into supporting the activities of this site.
The Ubiquitous Book blog 