Latest Updates - L. Sprague De Camp

---

Comment by ppint.:

the reluctant king trilogy #1:

#1: ''the goblin tower'' (1968), (this novel)
#2: "the clocks of iraz" (1971), q.v.
#3: "the unbeheaded king" (1983), q.v.

---

Comment by ppint.:

"serialized" in two complete science-adventure books vol.1 #4, winter (10-12)/1951
interior b+w illustrations by herman vestal

---

Comment by ppint.:

first stand-alone book publication; this was the title novel in 1953 twayne publishers h/cvr collection, "the tritonian ring and other pusadian tales", which included two short stories and a novelelette, all pusadian pieces.

- leaving four other pusadian novelelettes remaining to be pu(r)saded^W hunted down:

the hungry hercynian universe #3, 12/1953
ka, the appalling fantastic universe vol. 10 #2, 8/1958
the rug and the bull "flashing swords 2" ed. lin carter (1973), q.v.
the stone of the witch-queen weirdbook #12, 1977

---

Comment by ppint.:

lancer books mmpb undated° second printing (not so stated)

cover art by (frank) kelly freas (signed, shot down considerably from the first printing, uncredited)
cat# 74646
cover price 75¢
224pp. (check) including titles, indicia etc, end pp. advertising

9/1970 publication date ex "lancer checklist" william j. denholm science fiction collector/megavore #10

---

Comment by ppint.:

contents:

a gun for dinosaur (novelette) galaxy vol.11 #5, 3/1956, three b+w illustrations by ed emshwiller; galaxy strato bre #38, 5/1956, 2 of the 3 illustrations
aristotle and the gun (ntte) astounding vol. lx #6, 2/1958, four b+w illustrations by frank kelly freas; astounding atlas bre vol. xiv #5, 5/1958, all 4 illustrations
the guided man (ntte) startling stories vol.27 #3, 10/1952, a b+w illustration by alex schomburg
internal combustion (short story) infinity vol.1 #2, 2/1956, a b+w illustration by robert engle
cornzan the mighty (ss) future science fiction #28, 12/1955 as "cornzan, the mighty", a b+w illustration by virgil finlay
throwback (ntte) astounding vol. xxxxiii #1, 3,/1949, three b+w illustrations by ed cartier; astounding atlas bre vol? #?, 1/1950
judgment day (ss) astounding vol. lvi #6, 8/1955, two b+w illustrations by frank kelly freas; astounding atlas bre vol. did i #1, 1/1956, both illustrations
gratitude (ntte) (?where?) ©1955
a thing of custom (ss) fantastic universe vol.7 #1, 1/1957
the egg (ss) satellite vol.1 #1, 10/1956
let's have fun (ss) science fiction quarterly vol.5 #1, 5/1957
impractical joke (ntte) future science fiction #29, 4/1956, a b+w illustration by ed emshwiller
in-group (ss) marvel science fiction vol.3 #6, 5/1952
new arcadia (ntte) future science fiction #30, 8/1956, a b+w illustration by frank kelly freas

---

Comment by ppint.:

contents:

"divide and rule" serialised in unknown vol.1 #2, vol.1 #3, 4/1939, 5/1939, as "divide and rule!"
"the stolen dormouse" in astounding vol.27 #2, vol.27 #3, 4/1941, 5/1941

both installments of both novellas with b+w illustrations by hubert rogers.

---

Comment by ppint.:

tom stacey h/cvr first printing, first uk edition

cover (d-j) art by david l. fletcher (unsigned, credited on d-j front flap)
cover (d-j) price £1.80
268pp. (check) including titles, indicia etc, end pp, bound with endpapers between covered boards

---

Comment by ppint.:

publication date of this printing entered above is^W was wrong and should^W has been corrected to 8/1969.

---

Comment by ppint.:

half tom doherty associates tor books mmpb first printing, first edition
half a "tor double" format mmpb with one front cover, contents printed the same way up
tor sf double series #20, the first to drop the two front covers (the same way up) format

cover art by joe burleson (unsigned, credited)
cover price in u.s. $3.50 (in canada $4.50)
186pp. (check) including titles, indicia, etc.


doubled with "the pugnacious peacemaker" harry turtledove (1990), q.v.,
the authorised sequel

---

Comment by ppint.:

"the wheels of if" was also published as half a popular library double mmpb, "the virgin & the wheels" (1976), q.v.
and again, as half a tor books "tor double" series mmpb (1990) together with
"the pugnacious peacemaker", an authorised sequel novella by harry turtledove, q.v.

---

Comment by ppint.:

contents:

preface (nf) l. sprague de camp (original to the collection)
the wheels of if (novella) unknown worlds vol. iv #2, 10/1940
the best-laid schemes (short story) astounding vol. xxvi #6, 2/1941, a b+w illustration by ed cartier
the warrior race (ss) astounding vol. xxvi #2, 10/1940
hyperpelosity (ss) astounding vol. xxvi #2, 4/1938 as "hyperpilosity"
the merman (ss) astounding vol. xxii #4, 12/1938, the cover story, art & a b+w illustration by charles schneeman
the contraband cow (ss) astounding vol. xxix #5, 7/1942, a b+w illustration by william augustin kolliker
the gnarly man (novelette) unknown worlds vol. i #4, 6/1939, a b+w illustration by ed cartier

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #5:

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #4

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

berkley publishing group ace books mmpb first printing, not first mmpb edition

cover art by paul alexander (unsigned, uncredited; he provided the cover art for all this ace mmpb set of (five books in) the viagens interplanetarias series)
cover price $2.50
216pp. (check) including titles, indicia etc, end pp. advertising

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #4

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

combines viagens interplanetarias series #2 & #3:
one novel previously published in two parts:

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series (#2 (&) #3: ~one novel in two parts:

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #2 (& #3): ~one novel in two parts:

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

contents:

in re sprague (nf) Isaac asimov (original to the collection, 1953)
author's note (nf) l. sprague de camp (original to the collection, 1953)
the inspector's teeth (short story) astounding vol.xlv #2, 4/1950, two b+w illustrations by ed cartier
summer wear (ss) startling vol.21 #2, 5/1950
finished (ss) astounding vol. xliv #3, 11/1949 (a story predicted by a fan, in a review a year earlier), two b+w illustrations by ed cartier
the galton whistle (novelette) (?original to the collection, 1953?; but it is credited as © 7/1951: is it the story "ultrasonic god", future c.w. science fiction stories vol. 2 #2, 7/1951, & de camp's preferred title?)
the animal-cracker plot (ss) astounding vol. xliii #5, 11/1949, three b+w illustrations by ed cartier
git along! (ss) astounding vol. xlv #6, 8/1950, two b+w illustrations by ed cartier
perpetual motion (novella) future c.w. science fiction stories vol.1 #3, 9/1950 as "wide-open planet", b+w illustration by virgil finlay
the continent makers (nlla) thrilling wonder stories vol. xxxviii #1, 4/1951, three uncredited b+w illustrations

---

Comment by ppint.:

collection of almost all of the viagens interplanetarias series short stories, a new novelette and two novellas not published as short novels or half "ace doubles"

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing and links.

---

Comment by ppint.:

n.b. there is no "missing second printing": the canadian-carcased simultaneous first printing was retrospectively accounted the second signet books mmpb printing, as was standard practice for new american library with such simultaneous first printings of signet and of its other imprint mmpbs (where it possessed the canadian rights and made such use of them), until late 1978 through late 1980 (iirc).
this also applies to daw books mmpbs produced and distributed for donald a. wollheim's company during this period.

---

Comment by ppint.:

new american library signet books mmpb undated° simultaneous third° and fourth printings sharing merkin-printed covers

cover art (unsigned, uncredited; i'm pretty certain it's by dean ellis, but this isn't yet an attribution)
cover price $1.50
192pp. including titles, indicia, introduction etc, end pp. including "glossary of ormazdian names and words" (nf-within-f), advertising

refer to indicia publishing history to see if carcass of copy held was canadian- or merkin- printed
no priority established nor liable to be, both undated dropping "1 2" or "1 2 3" from printing number line: fourth printings have the canadian-printed carcases.

° - date of publication taken from locus #213, 8/1978

---

Comment by ppint.:

new american library signet books mmpb simultaneous first printings sharing merkin-printed covers, not first mmpb edition

cover art (unsigned, uncredited; i'm pretty certain it's by dean ellis, but this isn't yet an attribution)
cover price 95¢
192pp. including titles, indicia, introduction etc, end pp. including "glossary of ormazdian names and words" (nf-within-f), advertising

refer to indicia publishing history to see if carcass of copy held was canadian- or merkin- printed
no priority established nor liable to be, both state first printing november 1972

---

Comment by ppint.:

dell books first printing, first p/b edition; i didn't note if it was an mmpb or a digest format p/b

cover art by mike ludlow (unsigned, credited) (pretty lurid in colour and picture)
cover price 25¢
192pp. including titles, indicia etc, end pp. advertising

---

Comment by ppint.:

a viagens interplanetarias series novel, often omitted from listings of the series;

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

serialised in science fiction stories :
vol.8 #6 (uk #3), vol.8 #7 (uk #4), vol.9 #1 (uk #5), vol.9 #2 (uk #6); 5/1958, 6/1958, 7/1958, 8/1958.
with b+w illustrations by (frank) kelly freas.

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #6:

#1: ''cosmic manhunt'' (1949), q.v. for series listing, and links.

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #6:

title on title page is "the tower of zanid"

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1949), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

the front cover puff-line is still not the, or even a, subtitle, and should still be deleted

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias series #8

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing, and links

---

Comment by ppint.:

viagens interplanetarias #7:

#1: "cosmic manhunt" (1954), q.v. for series listing and links.

---

Comment by ppint.:

ballantine books mmpb simultaneous first printings sharing merkin-printed covers, first p/b edition

adds ''about ''land of unreason'', l. sprague de camp and fletcher pratt: a michigan yankee in king oberon's court'' (nf) lin carter

cover art by donna violetti (signed violetti, credited)
cover price 95¢
252pp. (check) including (i-)xi pp. titles, indicia etc, nf introduction by lin carter, end p. advertising

refer to indicia to see if carcass of copy held was canadadian- or merkin- printed; no priority established nor liable to be, both state first ballantine books edition: january, 1970

---

Comment by ppint.:

revised and expanded from "the land of unreason" in unknown worlds vol.v #3, 10/1941

---

Comment by ppint.:

ein ullstein buch, apparently first german language edition

cover art by frank frazetta (part of signature visible) (re-used from ''child of the sun'' kyle onstott, lance horner (1966); (fawcett gold medal mmpb 1972), q.v.)
cover design by ingrid roheling (unsigned, credited)
cover price dm 2,80
144pp. (check) including titles, indicia etc, end pp. including nf afterword by robert a. heinlein (german translation, presumably by ingrid rothmann, of the english language nf introduction)

german translation ©1973 by ullstein, book printed and published 1974

month of publication not given, taken from science fiction times #134

---

Comment by ppint.:

first published date is^W was wrong and should^W has been corrected from 1952 to 1960.

---

Comment by ppint.:

baen publishing enterprises baen books mmpb first printing, not first mmpb edition

cover art by doug anderson
cover price (canada $5.50) u.s. $4.50
224pp. (check) including titles, indicia, nf introduction by robert a. heinlein, etc, end pp. advertising

---

Comment by ppint.:

first published date is^W was wrong and should^W has been corrected to 1960

---

Comment by ppint.:

grosset & dunlap charter communications ace books mmpb first printing, not first mmpb edition

cover art by steve (stephen) hickman (credited)
cover price $1.95
248pp. including titles, indicia, nf introduction by robert a. heinlein, etc, end pp. advertising

---

Comment by ppint.:

first published date is^W was wrong and should^W has been corrected to 1960

the short novel version ''serialized'' in startling stories vol.25 #3, 4/1952, may've been abridged - or an earlier, somewhat shorter - version; i've not attempted to compare the word-counts.

the first edition is the avalon books h/cvr published by thomas bouregy & co. in h/cvr in 1960

---

Comment by ppint.:

thomas bouregy & co. avalon books h/cvr first printing 1960, first edition

cover (d-j) art by ed emshwiller (unsigned, credited on d-j front flap)
cover (d-j) price $2.95
224pp. including titles, indicia, nf introduction by robert a. heinlein, etc, end p., bound with endpapers between covered boards