Compulsion and Conundrum

Is it mad that I want to buy a book for the sole purpose of taking a picture of it, for my 'read in 2017' post?

I've read the novel, but in an edition that is an omnibus of that one and its sequel, so I feel unable to put it on the pile. I feel like I could buy it because the book itself was very good and touched on themes I love to see in stories, and the cover for the original paperback isn't at all atrocious.

Here's the book in question.

Not your typical Sword and Sorcery novel wouldn't you say?

It also would (maybe) take away the need, no; the pressure, no; The POUNDING COMPULSION to plow through the same omnibus again before the end of the year, this time reading both books back to back, and reviewing the whole (though that would not be for this year). 

 This reading-the-whole-omnibus-idea also seems to conflict with my 'want to read in 2018' scheme.... which just adds yet another incentive to buying the stand-alone novel.

Buying an older copy of book 1 would (/might), in effect, stifle the need for finishing the omnibus by the end of the next month because even if there's no review of it, there would be a version of the novel I'd read in the pile, even if what was on the pile wouldn't actually be the version I'd  read (which, again, maybe I shouldn't but I am going to reiterate at this point, I would be unable to put on the pile because I haven't yet read both novels therein and the reading plan for next year necessitates a complete re-read of the book I already read, hence my thought that I should buy a different copy).

The marvelous evil-doer at the heart of these mental perambulations

Maddening cyclical reasoning, indeed, dear sir or madam.

The whole conundrum is utterly ridiculous, in any case: first world problems.

And yet. And yet the thoughts are still grinding away in my head, and I can't just shove them aside.

I suppose it's the same issue I'm having now with telling myself I can put the Necronomicon omnibus on the 2017 read-pile.

"Yes, yes I FINISHED it this year, but the bulk of it was read over the PREVIOUS years..."

But I find I can easily solve that one by argumenting that those anthology novels, despite having been partially read in 2016 as well weren't eventually part of the picture that I took that year.

Which validates Necronomicon but still brings up the Von Bek omnibus one... and besides, it isn't as if it was a small part (of the overall book) that I read: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath was 80 pages, and the Afterword was another 50. That's a good chunk of the book.

...

I just now realized that I have actually done what I first was harping on about earlier with another novel already this year: buying a new copy to put on the read-pile in lieu of the omnibus version.

The difference, of course, lies in that the Necronomicon is a collection of short stories, whereas that other (Vampires) was made up of several books AND short stories...

Laying it out like this still doesn't help me though.

Ah fuck it, it's 5 pounds. Just do it and stop thinking. You've spent way more time on this than it merits.

-----

Aaaaaand when picking books to take the pictures I realize that the novel I've bought to stand in place for the Vampires Omnibus isn't actually that particular novel of that omnibus that I've read this year.

I knew that it wasn't Ancient Blood and I didn't really mind at the time, as I have long had this hidden goal, which is so insane that I don't want to write it down or say aloud for fear of making it real, for fear of making me commit to it. And if I'm honest to myself, it's this goal rather than the replacement copy I stated I needed that urged me to make the purchase.

With this information in mind, I find that I have actually no problem with putting the Vampires omnibus on the read-pile. Huh.

Anyway. A middle way for the Von Bek novels then? Read this year, review at the start of the next? Would that smear the greasy ill-smelling ointment of comforting, cooing platitudes on my frustrated and bewildered brain?

...

Nope. Nope, I don't think so.

Shit, I guess I'll go sleep on it.

I have to get up for work in 6 hours. I'm just quickly posting this so it's out of my system, and because, groggy and tired as I am, I'm more inclined to post this now as it is rather than risk waking up tomorrow and deleting it all in annoyed self-reproach.

Sharing is caring... but then, for myself? Caring for myself?
...
Hell, maybe I'm just here to entertain.

Edit: Slip-shod Rough-shod but there it is. Slight edits but nothing big.
Oh, and I'm buying the novel. It's got a bad-ass cover. That's all it needs really.