Published by Canongate Press, Edinburgh, 1994. 8vo. 224pp. First edition, first impression. Condition: Near Fine/Near Fine
Bound in original blue boards with silver detailing and the title to the spine. The binding is square and tight and in smart condition, There is small loss of paper to the bottom of the front board and a little bumping to the spine ends, but it is otherwise free from marks and damage. Inside, the pages are clean and bright and free from blemishes and wear.
The book is housed in its original, first issue dust jacket, which is vibrant and bright and in excellent condition with just a touch of shelf wear to the edges.
In all, this is a very smart example of this first edition by Alisdair Gray. It is a tale of border warfare, military and erotic, set in the Errick Forest of the twenty-third century. Superbly muscled Wat Dryhope, son of the Errick chief, is unhappy about his clan's violent and permissive lifestyle. Only when challenged by the fearfully seductive Delilah Puddock and her plot to restore the competitive exploitation of human resources does he learn to embrace the women and traditional values he truly loves. It is a kilted sci-fi yarn full of poetry, and porridge, courage and sex (blurb) and would be an interesting addition to any modern collection.