Comments on: Giving Science Fiction the ‘Criterion Collection’ Treatment http://futurismic.com/2008/12/10/giving-science-fiction-the-criterion-collection-treatment/ Presenting the fact and fiction of tomorrow since 2001 Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:51:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ian Sales http://futurismic.com/2008/12/10/giving-science-fiction-the-criterion-collection-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-17258 Ian Sales Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:24:18 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=5066#comment-17258 The way I understood it was that the roman numeral hardback Masterworks were addenda to the paperback series - and branded slightly differently - specifically for those books they couldn't get paperback rights to. However, I suspect they sold badly - copies of them are pretty rare now. The paperback series has been selling solidly - much better than the Fantasy Masterworks (which stopped at 50), and the Crime Masterworks (which has also stopped). Gollancz then decided to format Dune as an unjacketed hardcover so they could add it to the "paperback" series. It's the series branding, rather than the hard/soft covers, which determine the series - but the choice of unjacketed hardcover makes it more "paperbacky-like". Now they've done the same to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Perhaps they'll do likewise with the other roman numeral masterworks... The way I understood it was that the roman numeral hardback Masterworks were addenda to the paperback series – and branded slightly differently – specifically for those books they couldn’t get paperback rights to. However, I suspect they sold badly – copies of them are pretty rare now. The paperback series has been selling solidly – much better than the Fantasy Masterworks (which stopped at 50), and the Crime Masterworks (which has also stopped). Gollancz then decided to format Dune as an unjacketed hardcover so they could add it to the “paperback” series. It’s the series branding, rather than the hard/soft covers, which determine the series – but the choice of unjacketed hardcover makes it more “paperbacky-like”. Now they’ve done the same to The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Perhaps they’ll do likewise with the other roman numeral masterworks…

]]> By: Jonathan M http://futurismic.com/2008/12/10/giving-science-fiction-the-criterion-collection-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-17254 Jonathan M Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:32:11 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=5066#comment-17254 Having just checked wikipedia, it turns out that the Moon is a Harsh Mistress was previously released by Gollancz as a part of the hardback masterworks series and adorned with the roman numeral VII. So if the book has been reissued as a hardback with the number 72 on it then their numbering systems really have been chucked out of the window. Having just checked wikipedia, it turns out that the Moon is a Harsh Mistress was previously released by Gollancz as a part of the hardback masterworks series and adorned with the roman numeral VII.

So if the book has been reissued as a hardback with the number 72 on it then their numbering systems really have been chucked out of the window.

]]> By: Jonathan M http://futurismic.com/2008/12/10/giving-science-fiction-the-criterion-collection-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-17253 Jonathan M Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:29:07 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=5066#comment-17253 I suspect Ian is right about paperback rights though as Martin suggests, it is slightly weird that the paperback rights would be unobtainable given that it's OOP in the UK. The masterwork hardbacks are rather confusing from a brand perspective as they're kind of a separate series. They originally had roman numerals though if TMIAHM is number 72 AND a hardback then it suggests that this distinction has been dissolved. In a way it's slightly weird that they're reactivating the masterwork series as Gollancz have clearly been operating a rolling programme of ad hoc branding with SF4U (still a terrible fucking name... who rips off a mobile phone shop's name and gives it to books?) then the semi-non-sensical Future Classics then various other new series of covers and now they've gone back to a successful series but with weird numbering. There seems to be some weird mindset that you can't just re-print old books nowadays. you have to push them out as a part of a series even if that series means absolutely nothing. I suspect Ian is right about paperback rights though as Martin suggests, it is slightly weird that the paperback rights would be unobtainable given that it’s OOP in the UK.

The masterwork hardbacks are rather confusing from a brand perspective as they’re kind of a separate series. They originally had roman numerals though if TMIAHM is number 72 AND a hardback then it suggests that this distinction has been dissolved.

In a way it’s slightly weird that they’re reactivating the masterwork series as Gollancz have clearly been operating a rolling programme of ad hoc branding with SF4U (still a terrible fucking name… who rips off a mobile phone shop’s name and gives it to books?) then the semi-non-sensical Future Classics then various other new series of covers and now they’ve gone back to a successful series but with weird numbering.

There seems to be some weird mindset that you can’t just re-print old books nowadays. you have to push them out as a part of a series even if that series means absolutely nothing.

]]> By: Ian Sales http://futurismic.com/2008/12/10/giving-science-fiction-the-criterion-collection-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-17251 Ian Sales Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:02:24 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=5066#comment-17251 They may not have had paperback rights - and as they managed to include Dune in the SF Masterworks series by making it an unjacketed hardback, they may be doing the same with the Heinlein. I've not read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, although I'll buy it chiefly because I've got the other 71 SF Masterworks. They may not have had paperback rights – and as they managed to include Dune in the SF Masterworks series by making it an unjacketed hardback, they may be doing the same with the Heinlein.

I’ve not read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, although I’ll buy it chiefly because I’ve got the other 71 SF Masterworks.

]]> By: Martin http://futurismic.com/2008/12/10/giving-science-fiction-the-criterion-collection-treatment/comment-page-1/#comment-17250 Martin Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:57:11 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=5066#comment-17250 <i>I’m not a huge fan of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.</i> No, it is balls. I think this edition is a small format hardback - an odd choice given it is OOP in paperback in the UK - so I'm not sure if it really signals the return of the series. I’m not a huge fan of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

No, it is balls. I think this edition is a small format hardback – an odd choice given it is OOP in paperback in the UK – so I’m not sure if it really signals the return of the series.

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