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THE NOVELS: SOME HINTS ON EDITIONS
There has been some
uncertainty about the number of copies printed of Terry’s early novels,
The Colour of Magic (first edition: 506 copies) Paperback: Corgi: 26,000 copies on 15.1.85 The Colour of Magic was the American Science Fiction Book Club’s Main Selection in May 1984. It had the Alan Smith jacket illustration and the reference 06199 on the back cover, but the St Martin’s Press imprint in the book. The first printing was in quarter deep green cloth with cloth-pattern embossed boards, and blocked gold on spine. The title verso gives the printer/binder as the Maple-Vail Book Manufacturing Group. Later printings lack the name of the printer and were bound in dark greenish-blue paper-covered boards, with printed blue-green lettering on spine. The text for the book club edition was reset, and has 184 pages as opposed to the St Martin’s Press (and Smythe) edition which has 206pp. After the first UK edition sold out and before producing the 1989 printing, Smythe imported a total of 400 copies of this book club edition for sale in the UK. These would have had some form of a Smythe price sticker on them.
LIGHT FANTASTIC (First printing: 1,043 copies) Paperback Corgi: 34,100 on 5/9/86 There was no general trade American edition of The Light Fantastic as Colin Smythe Ltd refused to accept the terms offered by St Martin’s Press for subsidiary rights on this title, it was published as a hardcover edition in the US only by Doubleday’s SF Book Club. The Smythe edition was distributed in the USA by Dufour Editions of Chester Springs, PA. The book club edition has the Smythe imprint on the book and jacket, but the text was reset, so that it has 190 pages as opposed to the Smythe edition which has 218 pages plus 3 blank leaves. The only book club copies I’ve seen have Prussian blue paper-covered boards, spine blocked in yellow, but copies may exist blocked in gold (which would be the earliest printing, as with The Colour of Magic, and other titles). Thenceforth, until the Discworld series was taken over by HarperCollins, the only American-published hardcover editions were the book club ones.
EQUAL RITES (first printing: 2,850 copies) Demy 8vo hbk: Victor Gollancz in association with Colin Smythe, 2,850 copies on 15/1/87 After Smythe became TP’s agent, the co-publishing arrangement ceased, later printings of this title, Mort and Sourcery appearing under Gollancz’s sole imprint. Reprinted six times, then reissued as 9” x 6” (22.9 x 15.2cm) hbk, 2,750 copies 14/11/96 Also issued as a promotional edition by W.H.Smith 2001 Bookproof: no records available but probably 50-100 (I’ve only ever seen one in 13 years – Gollancz seemed unaware that they had actually produced any. The rarity is doubtless caused by TP not having been collectible at the time) Paperback: Corgi 61,000 copies on 13/11/87
4. Mort Demy 8vo hbk: Victor Gollancz in association with Colin Smythe, 3,950 copies, 12/11/87 (0-575-04171-4). After Smythe became TP’s agent, the copublishing arrangement ceased and in due course the reprints appeared with Gollancz’s name only. The first four printings retained the joint imprint. There was a total of five reprints before it was reissued as a 9”x 6” (22.9 x 15.2cm) hbk, 2,750 copies on 14/11/96. Also issued as a promotional edition by W.H.Smith Bookproof: c.100 copies. Paperback: Corgi, 111,500 copies 18/11/88
5. Sourcery Demy 8vo hbk: Victor Gollancz in association with Colin Smythe, 7,200 copies 26/5/88 Reprinted six times, then reissued as a 9”x 6” (22.9 x 15.2cm) hbk, 2,750 copies on 7 or 14/11/96 Book proof: Instead of a full book-proof, Gollancz issued a sampler containing the first 61 pages of the book preceded by ‘Discworld’, which was described as ‘An Introduction to the series, composed by the Author, and included to make this special preview sample of Sourcery even more valuable as a collector’s item’. Bookclub: BCA Pbk: Corgi, 154,500 copies on 1/7/89
6. Wyrd Sisters Demy 8vo hbk: Victor Gollancz, 6,700 copies on 10/11/88 reprinted seven times, then reissued as 9” x 6” (22.9 x 15.2cm) hbk, 2,750 copies on 14/11/96 Book proof: c.100 copies Bookclub: BCA, 2,500 copies Pbk: Corgi, 110,000 copies on 10/11/89
7. Pyramids (The Book of Going Forth) Winner of BSFA’s Best Novel Award Demy 8vo hbk: Victor Gollancz, 12,300 copies on 15/6/89 reprinted six times, then reissued as 9” x 6” (22.9 x 15.2cm) hbk, 22/5/97 Book proof: c.100 copies Book club: Guild Publishing [BCA], 11,500 copies (CN 6682) Pbk: Corgi, 151,000 copies on 2/7/90 (0-552-13461-9); reprinted 1991 (twice), reset 1993,
8. Guards! Guards! Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 14,200 copies on 9/11/89 reprinted eight times, then reissued, 22/5/97 Book proof: c.100 Book Club: BCA took copies of the Gollancz edition without change. Pbk: Corgi, 161,000 copies on 16/11/90
9. Illustrated by Josh Kirby Large format hbk and pbk: Victor Gollancz, 4,200 copies of the hbk and 50,500 of the pbk on 16/8/90 (Hbk 0-575-04636-8, pbk -04836-0) repr. 9/90 Bookclub: BCA took copies with the Gollancz imprint *A format: VGSF (Gollancz), 75,000 copies on 8/8/91 (0-575-05191-4) reprinted 8/91, 19/9/91, 6/12/91, 20/7/92, 12/10/92, 27/4/93, c.2/12/93, 7/94, etc. reissued, Vista (Gollancz), 25,000 copies on 23/5/96 (0-575-60001-2) reissued, Millennium (Orion/Gollancz), ?3/00 (1-85798-954-6)
*Polish: Because the book was being published to coincide with a signing tour by Terry, it was produced to a very tight schedule and the translator’s name was omitted from the book, to the publisher’s embarrassment. NOTE: Before going bankrupt the Polish company CIA had, apart from publishing an edition of Good Omens [Dobry Omen, trs. Jacek GaUzka and Juliusz Garztecki, CIA Books-Svaro, 1992 (83-85100-63-6)], also acquired the licence for Eric and for that reason Dobry Omen contains an 8pp. extract from Eric as an advertisement at the end.
10. Moving Pictures Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 18,200 copies on 1/11/90 reprinted three times, then reissued, 3,400 copies on 22/5/97 Book proof: c.100 copies Book club: [BCA] Guild Publishing, 11,000 copies (CN 2915) Pbk: Corgi, 150,000 copies on 14/11/91 Polish: Ruchome Obrazki, trs. Piotr W.Cholewa, Prószyski i S-ka, 5/00 (83-7255-511-7) Due to an error in the design department, the first printing has Josh Kirby’s picture for Truckers on the cover – there’s a certain similarity when the two versions are side by side... About 11,000 were sold before the cover was corrected.
11. Reaper Man Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 20,200 copies on 23/5/91 reprinted three times, then reissued as the Collector’s Edition, 5,400 copies on 22/5/97 Book proof: c.100 copies Book Club: BCA, 12,500 copies in 1991 (CN 1660) Reissued in the Collector’s Edition binding, 2,300 copies, 31/3/98 Pbk: Corgi, 175,000 copies on 21/5/92
12. Witches Abroad Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 25,000 copies on 7/11/91 reprinted three times (twice in 11/91), then reissued, 3,500 copies (of which 2,500 for BCA had gloss laminated jackets and had no foil) 6/8/98 Book proof: c.100 copies Book club: BCA, 11,500 copies, 1991 (CN 4076) Pbk: Corgi, 190,000 copies on 12/11/92
13. Small Gods Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 27,700 copies on 21/5/92 reprinted once, then reissued, 2,500 copies (of which 1,500 for BCA had gloss laminated jackets and were without foil stamping) 6/8/98 Book proof: 100 copies Book club: BCA, 12,000 copies in 1992 (CN 1871) Pbk: Corgi, 213,500 copies on 27/5/93
14. Lords & Ladies Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 30,000 copies on 5/11/92 repr. twice 11/92, then reissued, 1,750 (including 750 for BCA with gloss laminated jackets but without foil stamping) on 6/8/98 (0-575-06578-8) Book proof: 116 copies Book club: BCA, 14,000 in 1992 (CN 6998) Pbk: Corgi, 242,000 copies on 4/11/93 Corgi Canada printed and published an edition in 1994
15. Men at Arms Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 40,000 printed 11/11/93 reprinted twice, then reissued, 6/8/98 Copies of the second reprint were rejacketed for the initial publication, but Gollancz did print 750 copies in 7/98 or 8/98. Book proof: 150 copies Book Club: BCA, 1994 (CN 6731) The first Discworld novel issued by BCA in the small format. Hitherto all copies had been printed for them by Gollancz. Pbk: Corgi, 250,000 copies on 10/11/94
16. Soul Music Hbk: Victor Gollancz, c.40,000 copies on 19/5/94 (0-575-05504-9) reprinted three times (6/94. 10/94, 1/95) reissued 21/10/99 (0575-06689-X) Book proof: 146 copies Book club: BCA, 1994 (CN 3524) Large print: Isis, 550 copies in 3/97 (0-7531-5157-X) Pbk: Corgi, 265,000 copies on 4/5/95 (0-552-14029-5), reprinted 1995 (twice), 1996, 1997
17. Interesting Times Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 43,000 on 2/11/94 Repr. three times before reissue in 21/10/99 Book proof: 250 copies Book club: BCA, 1995 (CN 8469) Large print: Isis, 1995 hbk and pbk Pbk: Corgi, 294,000 copies on 2/11/95,
18. Maskerade Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 55,000 copies on 2/11/95 Book proof: 189 copies Book club: BCA, 1996 (CN 8862) Large print: Isis, 500 copies in 9/96 Pbk: Corgi, 295,000 copies on 7/11/96
19. Feet of Clay Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 85,000 copies on 6/6/96 Book proof: 167 copies Book club: BCA, 1996 (CN 4401) Pbk: Corgi, 50,000 early edition, 250,000 main edition on1/5/97
20. Hogfather Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 70,000 copies on 7/11/96 Book proof: 196 copies Book club: BCA, 1997 (CN 2577) Pbk: Corgi, 230,000 copies on 1/11/97
21. Jingo Hbk: Victor Gollancz, 120,000 copies on 6/11/97 Book proof: 170 copies Book club: BCA, 1998 (CN 5106) Pbk: Corgi, 308,000 copies on 5/11/98
On 30/8/94 [or 27/9/94], Gollancz issued The Witches Trilogy, ‘A Discworld Omnibus’, containing Equal Rites, Wyrd Sisters, and Witches Abroad, the printing was of 21,250 copies, 10,000 of which contained a statement that they had been produced exclu-sively for W.H.Smith (who had an exclusive arrangement for six months), and the balance, with a slightly different title verso, was put on general sale on 30/3/95. The Josh Kirby jacket illustration had originally appeared in the booklet that accompanied the CD of Dave Greenslade’s album From the Discworld.
On 22/10/98 Gollancz published Death Trilogy, ‘A Discworld Omnibus’, containing Mort, Reaper Man and Soul Music (0-575-06584-2) with a first printing of 22,000 copies. The advance publicity jackets used as a colour illustration Josh Kirby’s 1974 painting ‘The Grim Reaper’, which showed a view of Death that was ‘everything the Death of the Discworld manifestly is not’ (to quote the author). The published edition used a detail of ‘Death in His Study’ from Eric.
The First Discworld Novels. Colin Smythe published The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic in a single volume under this title. 3,044 copies on 8/5/99 (0-86140-421-1). The introduction added to the 1989 edition of Colour is not included.
On 3/6/99 the US Science Fiction Book Club issued as a selection, the Collector’s Issue # 1 1999, Rincewind the Wizzard, cover illus. Tom Kidd (0-7394-0345-1, ref. 00286) an omnibus containing The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery and Eric German: Rincewind der Zauberer, Heyne
On ?22/10/99 Gollancz published City Watch Trilogy, ‘A Discworld Omnibus’, containing Guards! Guards, Men at Arms and Feet of Clay (0-575-06798-5) with a first printing of 29,800 copies.
Drame de Troll Translation of Troll Bridge by Patrick Couton issued by L’Atalante as a free booklet for publicity purposes, 9,000 copies, 05/2000 (2-84172-139-6). Cover illus. ‘Jess Tourby’ the name, a pseudonym, and painting style being in homage of Josh Kirby. (See section A1c for further publishing details)
On 20/7/00 Gollancz published The Gods Trilogy, containing Pyramids, Small Gods and Hogfather (0-575-07036-6), with a first printing of c.11,000 copies
With the success of Terry’s novels the number required at the time of publication is very considerable, so there are in fact a number of printings that together constitute the ‘first printing’. Coupled to this, the first occurs a good many months ahead to publication so they can be shipped to Australia whose copyright laws require a publication date within 30 days of the UK date otherwise the country becomes ‘open market’. Thus there are often variations between the copies sent to the Antipodes and those sold in Britain. Naturally the Antipodean copies are rarer . Here are some examples of variations, and there are doubtless others I’ve missed.
22. The Last Continent Hbk: Doubleday, 93,500 copies on 1/5/98 (0-385-40989-3) Book proof: 100 copies There were two issues of the first printing: an initial quantity for Australia (to ensure exclusivity in that market) - about 10,000 copies - with deep blue end-papers and plain spine blocking, and those for the home market in which the spine blocking used the same lettering as on the dustjacket, and had red end-papers. The first reprint combined the deep blue end-papers and the second style of spine blocking. Book club: BCA, 1998 (CN 1952) Pbk: Corgi, early edition 77,500 copies. Main edition 272,000 copies 30/4/99
23. Carpe Jugulum Hbk: Doubleday, 160,000 copies on 5/11/98 Book proof: 148 copies Book club: BCA, 16,000 copies in 3/99 (CN 7149) Pbk: Corgi, 40,000 copies primarily for Australia and New Zealand, 322,000 copies for the British market with the cover illustration reproduced on a smaller scale (both listed as first printing) 4/11/99 An easy way to see which is which is that the Antipodean copies show a shoe jutting into the title box on the front cover, while the British market copies do not..
The Last Continent UK Hbk: Doubleday, 145,198 copies on 4/11/99 This was primarily for the UK market. The Antipodes were covered by a separate Australian printing, which has slight changes on the title verso – printer’s imprint and the decimalisation of the font sizes: 10.5/13.5 instead of 10˝/13˝ – and the blocking on the spine. The UK edition has author and title in a single line, whereas the Australian printing has the title in two lines at the foot of the spine, separated from the author’s name by two rules. The front flap of the jacket lacks any prices (the UK edition has the British and Canadian ones). The embossed pattern on the binding material is of a finer grain than that on the British printing. Book proof: 155 copies
25. The Truth Book proof: 370 copies released in June, of which 200 were signed by Terry for special presentation purposes - to mark the appearance of the 25th Discworld novel - unsigned copies are therefore the rarer item. The spine blocking on the first of the first printings (intended only for export to the Antipodes and South Africa), has a different typeface, similar to that used on exported printings of The Fifth Elephant, to that on the ‘first’ edition sold in the UK, which is closer to the artwork on the dustjacket. As with The Fifth Elephant, this was not deliberate policy, merely a later refinement in the design. Somehow copies were also sent out to Eymundsson in Iceland in August, and were immediately released to local booksellers and put on sale, to be pounced on with glee by local fans. The date for Transworld’s release of copies to ‘the Rest of the World’ was mid-September, as the on-sale date airside and internationally is 1 October. In Britain the publication date is unaffected by overseas release dates.
Thief of Time Antipodean market copies of both hardcover and paperback editions lack a line on the verso of the title page crediting Stephen Briggs with the drawing of the right-facing arrow instructing one to keep left. It was inserted in the printings of both editions indended for the UK market. Don’t ask me why the error occurred in the paperback...
‘The Sea and Little Fishes’ in Robert Silverberg (ed.) Legends HarperCollins issued a pre-publication publicity sampler containing two stories from the collection, Terry’s contribution and Raymond E.Feist’s ‘The Wood Boy’. Each, with its appropriate cover design, is inverted in relation to the other. 1000 copies were produced, of which 200 were signed on the respective title page by the author. Advance dustjackets for this edition had a Josh Kirby picture illustrating a passage from ‘The Sea and Little Fishes’ that was removed from the published version. In order to speed production, HarperCollins had given an early text of the story to Kirby but had not warned him of the revision. This picture was then published on the front cover of the 1998 Discworld Convention Programme Book on which it appeared the correct way round, HarperCollins’ design department having used it in reverse. Pbk: HarperCollins, 10/99 (0-00-648394-1) The stories were divided into two for the mass-market paperback edition, this volume containing five stories, the first being ‘The Sea and Little Fishes’, pp.7-49. The others in this volume as those by Anne McCaffrey, George R. R.Martin, Tad Williams, and Robert Jordan. There was a ‘Special overseas edition’ for the Australian market, followed by ‘This paperback edition’ for the UK, both having the same ISBN, and being treated as first printings. Apart from the slight changes on the title verso, namely the extra line of printing history, and the addition of the printers’ details, the volumes are identical. The front cover has the same Kirby design as on the back cover of the original hardback, while the back cover has a detail from Kirby’s first picture. Colin Smythe |