6 replies to this topic

[Condottiere]

I'd like to upgrade from the paperbacks, so I hope this isn't a ridiculous question, but any differences between the Del Rey and Book Club hardcovers for Conan and Kull? For instance, there are two versions of The Coming of Conan, but other than the dimensions and possibly quality with the Book Club edition, is the latter's print smaller or is it missing 30 pages? Are the plates in color or black and white?

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (November 22, 2005)
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches

• Hardcover: 463 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey - Ballantine Books; Book Club Edition edition (2003)
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches

The same question for Kull: Exile of Atlantis, especially due to the $150.00 price for the Subterranean Press version.

Edited by Condottiere, 06 November 2011 - 12:46 AM.

[Arcadian]

I've got my Del Rey paperback here, and the last numbered page is 463. Before page 1, however, there are twenty-five pages (in roman numeral) for the forward and introduction, plus a few other pages that don't appear to be a part of any numbering system. So, I'm guessing the content is probably the same, but the book club just reported the last page number and didn't bother to go back add all of the other pages.

[Condottiere]

I've got my Del Rey paperback here, and the last numbered page is 463. Before page 1, however, there are twenty-five pages (in roman numeral) for the forward and introduction, plus a few other pages that don't appear to be a part of any numbering system. So, I'm guessing the content is probably the same, but the book club just reported the last page number and didn't bother to go back add all of the other pages.

Thanks and this makes sense.

I know of http://howardworks.com/howard.htm, but it looks incomplete in regards to the various hardcover versions. According to Howard Works, The Coming of Conan hardcover by Del Rey (2005) has color plates, but the preceding Book Club Edition (2003) is black and white, while The Bloody Crown of Conan and The Conquering Sword of Conan BCE hardcovers, published almost simultaneously with the paperbacks and with identical covers are listed as being b&w, do the Del Rey equivalents have color or b&w plates?

Not looking at the hardbacks as an investment, but for reading and durability, and would like to buy the ones with the color plates, unless the titles are limited edition.

[terryallenuk]

The only BC edition I've got is the Kull one , same pagination , illustrations in B&W though with the paper not pure white they don't look quite as good as in the Del Reys.

IIRC Del Rey only did Coming in HC with colour plates - guess it didn't sell enough to warrant them doing the rest sadly

Terry

[Condottiere]

The only BC edition I've got is the Kull one , same pagination , illustrations in B&W though with the paper not pure white they don't look quite as good as in the Del Reys.

IIRC Del Rey only did Coming in HC with colour plates - guess it didn't sell enough to warrant them doing the rest sadly

Terry

Thanks. I was beginning to suspect as such, based on some searches here, but was hoping the information was out of date or had missed the relevant threads. Color printing in the 21st Century isn't as expensive as the 1980s, unless a small print run with high quality inks, but I'm interested in the mass market hardcovers. I prefer cream colored paper to pure white, as the former's color doesn't look as pronounced as the latter's after being aged in a bookcase.

I could pick up the Del Rey The Coming of Conan with color plates for ~$65, but it'd look out of place with the BC versions and Del Rey or another publisher might re-release the remaining two or all three with color illustrations in the future. I might pick up the Gollancz version, especially for the differences in text and it being an hardback, then wait for proper hardcovers from Del Rey.

Does the BC version of Kull have any of the plates from the Subterranean Press version, albeit b&w, or just plane ink drawings?

[terryallenuk]

The only BC edition I've got is the Kull one , same pagination , illustrations in B&W though with the paper not pure white they don't look quite as good as in the Del Reys.

IIRC Del Rey only did Coming in HC with colour plates - guess it didn't sell enough to warrant them doing the rest sadly

Terry

Thanks. I was beginning to suspect as such, based on some searches here, but was hoping the information was out of date or had missed the relevant threads. Color printing in the 21st Century isn't as expensive as the 1980s, unless a small print run with high quality inks, but I'm interested in the mass market hardcovers. I prefer cream colored paper to pure white, as the former's color doesn't look as pronounced as the latter's after being aged in a bookcase.

I could pick up the Del Rey The Coming of Conan with color plates for ~$65, but it'd look out of place with the BC versions and Del Rey or another publisher might re-release the remaining two or all three with color illustrations in the future. I might pick up the Gollancz version, especially for the differences in text and it being an hardback, then wait for proper hardcovers from Del Rey.

Does the BC version of Kull have any of the plates from the Subterranean Press version, albeit b&w, or just plane ink drawings?

It's got all the plates.

Terry

[Hyborian Frog]

Del Rey only put out the 1st Conan officially in hardcover as a 1st Edition.

Conan1-3
Solomon Kane
Bran Mak Morn
Kull

Were the only others officially licensed to the Sci Fi Book Club as hardcovers. They are the only hardcover versions of the Del Reys. They were a good deal when they were in print, but now that they are out of print they are probably not worth picking up unless you can find them cheap. Bookclub editions have poorer binding than standard hardcovers. But when these were in print, they were a killer deal compared to the outrageous prices of the Subterranean and wandering star editions.

If you want hardcovers you can get easily get Gollanscanz Coming of Conan and Conan's Brethren. Otherwise just pick up the Del Rey paperbacks.