About Transworld (UK, Corgi) paperbacks

[Jayru]

Re the UK paperbacks:

Transworld seem to re-cover them with some sort of new uniformed style about once every 10 years. The banded books (blocks of colour at the top and bottom of the cover) are from the 1992 re-print - actually to be fair, it wasn't a re-print, just a re-cover, and many of the books, The White Dragon and Dragonquest especially, tended to have problems with the newer covers, in that they either don't fit, or they fell off. As All The Weyrs Of Pern was published in paperback the same year, it came out in two styles - the full wrap around cover art by Weston, and a banded version as well (in fact it was the first released in that style). New books, from Chronicles of Pern: First Fall, up to The Skies of Pern were relased with full wrap-around cover art.

In 2001/2 Transworld gave the books a whole new look with the white spines and backs, and made use of a font called Mason (not Morpheus Hans - I got that wrong when I did my homework originally) - although the font has been altered for use on these books, and is not the true Mason font, some letters have been used from other type faces. (Took me a while, but I have my own true type font file that matches it for use on RUKBAT3.) They also replaced the three covers by David Roe (Dragonsong, Dragonsinger and The White Dragon) with new ones by Les Edwards. They also re-printed the books as well, not just glued new covers to them - and it's there first proper reprint in a few years in the UK.

Oddly enough the paperback of SOP was relased in two versions, one with the white spine, and one with the full wrap-around cover art by Edwards (I have both). What's been nice (and unusual for Transworld, as they like to change things) is that every book released since 2002 has followed the new style in the UK. It's probubly the first time ever that they have had a real sense of uniformity over here.

Annoyingly they have removed the printing history from the credits page of the new paperbacks. All that's listed now is who originally published it in the UK, and what year, and what the year of the first Corgi paperback edition was. The number of times I've seen these editions on eBay listed a "first editions" with the prices hiked up. I do take the time to contact sellers and tell them, and direct them to read the credits page.

Given that I tend to wear my paperbacks out - through excesive reading, I replace mine every few years, and the old ones end up in being stored in boxes, so currently my shelves have the 2002 re-prints on them.

As a side note: I noticed some editorial changes between the 2002 reprint edition of Moreta, and the editions prior to that date. I am working on a side by side comparrision to put up on MOM. I think the 2002 reprints may have featured some minor text changes within some of the books.

[Hans]

Thanks for the heads up on the two different paperback states, Jay. I didn't know (have only the white spine version). Could you also check/post the particulars of both books? ISBN etc. Were/are they published at the same time or were they published one after the other with one state being the current one?

Is this only true for Skies of Pern?

[Jayru]

The only Pern paperback to have the full wrap-around cover since 2002 is The Skies of Pern - and that seems to have been a limited run, as you can now only find it with the white spine cover in shops. I have both. They have the same ISBN number. Both versions were in the shops at the same time, although I know the full cover version was published first, and was a small run. Transworld were still sorting out this new uniformed style for the UK editions at the time, and Skies was to have been the first published in it (actually it wasn't, Dragonflight and Dragonsdawn were the first two published in the new style, subsequent re-prints were released in pairs, or in groups of four, apart from Dragonsong, Dragonsinger and The White Dragon which were released together). SOP was the last to be released in the new style.

There are rumours that Transworld are replacing the Steve Weston covers - IF they do another re-print in 2012.

I'm waiting for Dave to pull some more boxes out of the loft so I can check up on some more of the ISBN numbers. I'm sure that Moreta's changed, as I am sure it used to end with an "x". I'll get back to you all with that info.

[Jayru]

As a side note: in the Uk the books are marketed under the title: The Chronicles of Pern - a title that has been used since All the Weyrs of Pern was published in the Uk, and prior to The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall being published.

It still used today by Transworld. Go figure.

[Hans]

I know the covers for Dragonsong, Dragonsinger and The White Dragon, for instance have already changed. Transworld seems to be switching to Les Edwards' artwork

But that's all "white spine work". Must search now for the "wrap around skies" Thanks Jay

[Jayru]

No problem Hans!

As of yet, I have seen nothing to confirm that Transworld are getting rid of Steve Westons cover art - it's just rumours at this stage.

I do know that it was felt that Dragonsong, Dragonsinger and The White Dragon looked "dated" and they wanted new artwork for them. Shame really, becasue I quite liked the David Roe art work.

It would be sad if they got rid of Steve's work. It may not be accurate to Anne's descriptions of what Pern dragons look like, but he does do eye catching covers, and I love the fact that he made use of The Atlas of Pern for Nerilka's Story - so that it is Anne's Ruatha Hold on the cover, and not his idea of it.

Would you know if Les has been asked to produce any art work for the 11 or so Pern novels that have Weston covers?

Let me know how you get along with finding a copy of the full cover of Skies. I know a friend of mine has a copy of it (she should do, I gave it to her). She's not worried about cover's and the like, and I am sure if I replaced it with a white spine copy she would be willing to part with it. Well, not 100% sure, but I can but ask, and see what she says. If nothing else, when I visit this weekend I will get some snap shots of it for you if you like.

[Cheryl]

Wow, thanks for all the info!

[Jayru]

my pleasure

[edith]

I was about to say "Did you want some photos of covers?" but I took my banded copies home the other week. :oops:
I can, in the next three days take a photo if people want an example of 4 diffrent corgi styles- my nice copy (compared to the rubbishly bound white covered one) of dragonflight is different again! As I'm popping home- run out of clean clothes and can't find the washing machine here! -plus I want to take some more stuff home!

[Jayru]

Prior to the banded copies of 1992, the only real variation was the style of font - or change in art work.

It's weird that Transworld didn't continue the banded style on the new books after 1992 - don't get me wrong, I wasn't much of a fan of it, but somehow it's nice to see the books given a uniformity that says they are a part of a series (IMOO).

One of the things I have noticed about the latest (2002) UK covers is that they haven't simply re-used the same art work from before, but touched it up, re-focused it, and in some cases changed the colour balance on it. Renegades seems to be a lot less greener then it used to be, and more blue in tone. It seems they made the colours more vibrant, and re-croped the art-work in some cases.

I'll post some examples later on.

Although it would be lovely to see your photos edith!

[edith]

I can take a photo of a white cover and the 1980's dragonflight now! If you want.

[Jayru]

I'm just going through the scans I have myself.

Off the top of my head, I think Dolphins and Red Star Rising are good examples of the way they improved the composition but "zooming" out on the picture...

[Hans]

Talking about a confused collector Turns out I HAVE the wraparound Skies rather than the White Spine (which is sensible since for the later years I have all first editions of course)

Oh dear... I'd better list what UK/Corgi covers I have Also got several Bantam TBP's but not listing those seperately.

Dragonflight
- Pennington circle (1973)
- Pennington full (1978)
- Pennington full (1978 variation)
- Weston full cover
- Weston banded

Dragonquest
- Achilleos (Sphere ed.)
- Weston full
- Weston banded
- Weston white spine

White Dragon
- Roe full
- Roe banded
- Edwards white spine

Dragonsong
- Roe full
- Roe full (variation)
- Roe banded
- Edwards white spine

Dragonsinger
- Roe full
- Roe full (variation)
- Roe banded
- Edwards white spine

Dragondrums
- Weston full
- Weston banded

Moreta
- Weston full cover (there's variation with white and red lettering I don't have)
- Weston banded
- Weston full white spine

Nerika
- Weston full
- Weston banded

Dragonsdawn
- Weston full

Renegades
- Weston full

Chronicles
- Weston full
- Weston full white spine

Dolphins
- Weston full

Red Star Rising
- Weston full

Masterharper
- Weston full

Skies
- Edwards full, wraparound

Dragon's Kin
- Edwards white spine

Get off the Unicorn
- Roe

Girl Who Heard Dragons
- Weston full


Pffff....

[edith]

Is Pennington the one with the egg shell?

[Hans]

Yes Edi.

This is the original:



and this is the third Pennington, with thick, orange title and the author's name above it, with the "short blurb"



On the second one the font is different and less thick and Anne's name is written below it (haven't scanned that cover yet). The blurb is the short one

There is also a cover with a longer blurb text (Winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards / Author of Dragonsong) and the thick orange font, which is the fourth Pennington variation.

Thus this first Corgi edition has four different cover states.

[Jayru]

I must get Dave to get those boxes down, and properly catalog what I have

Should be noted, that two short story compendiums, Get off the Unicorn and The Girl Who Heard Dragons were not re-printed in 2002. In fact I have not seen either in any book store in the Uk in ages, although neither is out of print. Get off the Unicorn was re-covered in 1992, and I have a "banded" copy of it, and a full cover version as well - both with the Davis Roe cover. This seems to be the last of Anne's books with one of his covers in the UK.

Here are some examples of the way Transworld "spruced" up covers/art-work:


(from left to right, 1990 edition, 1992 edition, 2002 edition)



(from left to right, 1996 edition, 2002 edition)



(from left to right, 1994 edition, 2002 edition)

It's minor stuff, but nice what they did with the recomposition, and changing the colour balance on some of them - especially Renegades.

@ Hans - LOL, Frances was more then happy to let me swap her copy of Skies if you had wanted it!!!

[edith]

the bottom one's the one I've got!
with a plain teal back cover

[Jayru]

Originally Posted by edith

the bottom one's the one I've got!
with a plain teal back cover

That looks like the very first copy I bought myself! Brings back such fond memories...

[Hans]

I see what you mean by them changing the cover art subtly, Jay. Well, the white spine series was on my "to obtain" list anyway

[Jayru]

I'll set up an off site page, with the old and current versions side by side.

BTW, here's the recover of Get Off The Unicorn, from 1992:

[Jayru]

Just went hunting through the old pictures I use to have on RUKBAT3 many years ago, and found these small graphics...

The 1992 banded editions (new covers, NOT new printing):


The four books that came out after 1992 we're not included in the "banded" style:


the 2002 re-print with new covers:



To be clear about what Transworld did in 1992:
initially they carried on the style that had been used for the prior 5 years with the books, and then recalled all the stock, ripped the covers off them, and stuck new ones on. Only All The Weyrs Of Pern seems to have escaped this, because the unbanded vesion was released in a small run.
As to why Transworld did this; Anne's books were selling a lot more in the Uk, and Transworld felt the need to "unify" the look of the Pern series - as it is one of the few full series of Anne's books that they publish (at the time).
I do remember having to send a lot of the banded books back to Transworld becasue the covers were falling off, or badly put on in some cases. In the case of The White Dragon the cover was scored in the wrong place, and so never sat right on the book. There were similar problems with Dragonquest as well.
Most of these problems were solved in later print runs.

Personally, I thought the colours sucked on them. Interestingly enough, the "white stripe" editions have colour text on the spines, which matches the colours used on the banded editions! although the latest books all have the same colour text on the spines.

[Jayru]

Here's the link I promised:

http://www.avni94.dsl.pipex.com/rukb.../bch/r3bch.htm

I have made use of two/three images from Meus's Gallery of Anne McCaffrey Book Covers - BUT given how many of those images I have sent to that site over the years, I do not think I would be begrudged

I've put the cover art up for Weston, Edwards and Roe to show what Transworld has basically done since the mid 1980's

[Nefermiw]

This is very interesting.
I think I will have a close look on what covers I have when I come back to Germany. I thought I didn't like the ones with the band, but seeing them next to the other versions I actually like them.
But the font on the 2002 ones... ...I really don't like it. What's up with writing the N in Pern as a capital pi? It makes me think it says PERP and not PERN.

[Hans]

Thank you, Jay, that's a beautiful page and like you I sent many a pic to Francois ( who unfortunately is not reacting to my mail - he still has a wrong/outdated link to my website )

Nef, I actually like the font. Ah well firtunately tastes do differ

[Jayru]

Quite like it myself (font that is).

My pleasure to put the info/pictures up.

Hans, would you know why the cover of Dragon's Kin was changed for the paperback release?

Francois/Meus has not responded to any of my emails either - for a while now.

[Nefermiw]

Yep, tastes differ, and luckily they also can change. Maybe some day I will actually come to like the font.

But I wonder why they made the capital n in the font to look like a capital pi. I mean, If you are new to the series, you wouldn't now it was an N until you actually picked it up and started to read.

[Jayru]

Originally Posted by Nefermiw

Yep, tastes differ, and luckily they also can change. Maybe some day I will actually come to like the font.

But I wonder why they made the capital n in the font to look like a capital pi. I mean, If you are new to the series, you wouldn't now it was an N until you actually picked it up and started to read.

The font used, is an adapted form of one called "Mason" - I say adapted becasue the type face used for Anne's books (that's right folks, they also use this font on non Pern books as well, the Freedom series comes to mind) has been changed and some of the letters are actually from other fonts.

The "N" is original to the Mason font, and I can only assume that it is something the art department at Transworld liked. The first time they used this was on the Uk Hardback edition of The Skies of Pern.

Ok, just had a look at the Freedom books, and compaired the "Mason" font with what's being used (which for the sake of argument is being called "Pern-UK"): 2 letters are known to be different ("T" and "U") possible the "H" is different, although it's not a major one. The letters "J", "V", "X" and "Z" have not been seen yet, so no idea whether they have been changed or not, although given that I know why they changed the "U" I wouild guess that "J" would be different. So basically, they didn't make many changes to the font before using it.

The only problem I have with it, is that it is similar to a font called "Morpheus" - which is overused by other publishers.

[Hans]

As a PR guy I especially like the fact the N is so different because it will catch your eye and even brings along discussion

And that is exactly what the designer/publisher wants

It does catch your eye, even if only to say: huh?

[Lady Maelin]

Jay, this is a fantactic information thread, and very interesting for all of us I believe. I love being able to see all the different covers that are availible in England and Europe.

I wish that there was a site to go and see all the different covers that are on all the Books that Anne has had published. There is one that the hubby goes to for his Star Trek books, and it is marvelous to go and look at.

If there was a site like this you would know more from sight what book that you were wanting to add to your collection.

Maybe there is a sight like this, and I just don't know of it ????

[Hans]

Maelin, as things stand now our FRench friend Francois (a.k.a. Meus) has the best site with covers: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/meus/covers/ (t is the one Jayru also mentioned and linked to)

But actually Cheryl will eventually probably have more cover pics on her non-Pern McCaffrey site: http://mccaffrey.srellim.org/

And I will - eventually - have a database on my site with all covers, especially all those non English ones

[Lady Maelin]

Hans, Thank you for finding me some alternate book cover sites to look at, as it is, I had followed a link from here to all three of these a while back, and have made myself some private copies of them for my files.

I am always going to you, and Cheryl's sites, to check on something or other, and to read more on both. The two of you, have fantastic site's that any and all Anne Mccaffrey fans should go and visit many, many times . It can takes days and days to go through those two site's and read and see all that there is and to enjoy it all.

I will be looking forward to the updated verisions of both Cheryl and yours sites. Thanks again for the information !!

[Jax]

Wow I really like the way you've done the comparison Jay!!

I want them all!!

[Jayru]

@ Hans & Cheryl -I've got hi res scans of all the covers from books I have owned - or borrowed. So if I can be of help with the pages on your websites, drop me a line and let me know :-)

I used to work in the idustry, and being an Anne Fan, I got to know what they were doing to her books I still have contacts, although not as many as I used to - hence I still don't know why they changed the cover on Dragon's Kin for the UK paperback edition

I should have qualified some of the stuff about the "pern-uk"/Mason adapted font: the reason the letter "U" was taken from another type face is becasue the Mason "U" and "V" are to much alike. The same is true of the Mason "I" and "J". The other changes made to font were minor, but made to make it more streamlined, and easy to layout on a cover (the "T" had a portion chopped off - ouch). I'll set up another off line page later today so you can see

The Mason font can be downloaded from sites like Themeworld - although the exact font used by Transworld is NOT avalible to the public.

The 1992 "banded" books - the only Transworld book's of Annes to be put in that style were her Pern books, and the two short story compendiums (although The Girl Who Heard Dragons was the post 92 non banded style that matched the Pern books released after 92).

The "white spine" style has been used on the Pern series, and the Freedom series (which also has the same type face as the Pern books) - BUT not on any of her other books. Only Skies has "bucked" the trend to have a wrap around cover (albet in a limited run) in the post 2002 re-print and re-cover of the Pern books. Dragon's Kin was only released in the "white spine" format (and with a different cover!!!!!!!!) - to my knowledge . I do not know at this stage if Dragonsblood will be in the same format, or whether it will have the a full wrap-around cover. It's going to be a big book though at 600+ pages - so I am guessing that there may well be a Dragon's Fire preview at the end of it, or maybe a longer edit of Dragonsblood. Both are possible, but Transworld - who are usually helpful and informative, were a little closed mouth about it when I last called and asked.

I do know that since Pern topped 15 novels (Nerilka's Story is considered to be a novel in the UK - although it is published as Nerilka's Story & The Coelura in the UK, and is not published seperatly), Transworld have been hot about making sure people know the books are a single series (hence the word PERN is quite big accross the covers now). But then, next to Pratchetts Disc World series, Pern is there next biggest series of books.

It is quite likely that the next time they do a major re-print of the books (2012?) they will be given new cover art, as some of Westons covers are topping 20 years of age now, and a good way to sell old books is to make them look new

The look of the Uk books is unlikely to change prior to Dragon's Fire being published in hardback - although anything is possible with the paperback (which we wont see until 2007), and if it should change, then the Dragon's Fire paperback will probubly come out in both styles

I wonder if they know people collect the covers, as well as the books...

@ Hans: I don;t know if you have noticed, but the two links we have posted for Meus's site link to different versions of it, one last updated in 2003 (the link you posted) and one last updated in 2005 (the link I posted). Do you think it might be possible that the site now exists at a third location?

[c_ris]

The Freedom ones have a small thumbnail picture on the white spine as well. (I found a great bookstore in town today that had loads of them... took all my willpower not to buy the ones I didn't already have in that style. It helped that I already had picked out £35 worth to get...)

[Lady Maelin]

"J", new covers is a great way to sell a few more copies of the same book. I was going to buy the Red Star rising, thinking it was a book that I didn't have when I first came on site, until Hans, and Cheryl told me what it was, and why that happens and why. Nice new article

[Jayru]

@ c_ris - yes I am aware of the small difference on the spine - although, the first run of the books in the white spine style didn;t have the small picture on them, which makes me wander if this is something they will do to the Pern books eventually...

@ Lady M - I personally prefer Red Star Rising myself. It has always struck me a silly that the publishers in the USA needed to change the name of the book.


Question for Hans: Re your paperback copy of Skies, does the cover art go all around the book, front, spine and back? Looks like I have a copy with the cover art on the cover and spine, but with a white back. A third variation?

[Hans]

Jay, no the back of mine is white too, the cover just runs fron front along the spine but not further.

[Jayru]

Interesting...

Well I'm going to see my Fraind Frances today (hospital appointment down in London, so may as well make a trip of it). I'll take the camera with me, and gets some snaps of the one she has...

[Hans]

TAke a pic of the copyright page, too Jay!

Have a good trip.

[Jayru]

Will do!