Kevin's Watch

Hello everyone,

I am new to this particular forum, but certainly not new to the delights of the Thomas Covenant Chronicles.

It has been far too long since I sat and read through the First and Second Chronicles, and I decided to dig out my old, tattered mid 1980's paperback copies to read.

However, I decided to treat myself and thought I would upgrade my tatty paperbacks for something a little nicer.

So, I had a look around the internet and discovered that in 2002 the First Chronicles was re-released as a Voyager Classics series, with minimalist cover design, but I actually thought the cover was quite pleasing on the eye.

I managed to track down a new copy of each of the First Chronicles from the Voyager Classics series, so now it is time to look for a replacement set of the Second Chronicles.

Oh, and I also bought myself a pristine copy of the Easton Press release of Lord Foul's Bane, but that is not for reading, it is going to sit on my shelf for me to glance at occasionally

So, this is where my question comes in. Has there been any sort of "special edition" re-release of the Second Chronicles ?

I have perused the cover artwork section, and I see the First Chronicles Voyager Classics covers there, but nothing from the Second Chronicles jumps out at me as being a special release.

I thought I would check, as the Easton Press release cover appears not to be in the cover artwork section, so maybe there are a few of the more specialised releases missing from the cover section.

Failing this, what do you suggest I collect for my Second Chronicles ? I have been eyeing up the Ballantine hardcover versions from 1980, and although these are not overly abundant in VG-Fine condition, there are some out there...at a price

Or is there a more attractive set I should be looking for. I would appreciate your suggestions.

After that, I will be purchasing the Scott Brick First Chronicles audiobooks, with a view to getting the Second Chronicles by him later this year (November, I seem to remember...though I am sure this date is very flexible).

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.

Regards,
Kevin.

Welcome to the Watch, KevinM!

I wasn't aware of any special editions of the Chronicles being in print, except that Easton edition. Speaking for myself, my "good" editions are used hardcover first editions found on ebay and similar places (excepting the Final C's of course). I think many others think the same way, give or take a few first editions that they bought new themselves.

So for me that's the Ballantine/Holt, Reinhart, and Winston versions of the first Cs, and the Ballantine versions of the Second Cs, the Putnams version of Runes, and the Ace version of Fatal. And I also have the SFBC version of Lord Foul's Bane, which is the real first edition.



There have been omnibus editions, from the Science Fiction book club. I don't think anyone considers those the "good" editions of the books, though.

I had never heard of the "Voyager Classics".

I have seen the Easton Press edition of LFB on ebay, going for about $200 or so at the time. When it comes to deluxe edition, it was VERY deluxe.

I suppose if they every made a deluxe matching set of all ten Chronicles, I'd pick it up. Failing that, I prefer the first edition hardcovers, even though they don't match very well. (But that does make for historical interest.)

wayfriend wrote: There have been omnibus editions, from the Science Fiction book club. I don't think anyone considers those the "good" editions of the books, though.

I like them, they're in hardcover and the artwork on the 2nd Chronicles omnibus isn't too bad. I'd say that the only problem with them is for people who don't like small print, and since I'm not blind yet....

Orlion wrote:

wayfriend wrote: There have been omnibus editions, from the Science Fiction book club. I don't think anyone considers those the "good" editions of the books, though.

I like them, they're in hardcover and the artwork on the 2nd Chronicles omnibus isn't too bad. I'd say that the only problem with them is for people who don't like small print, and since I'm not blind yet....

I have those. They haven't held up too well over the years, but I've loaned them out quite a bit so one must keep that in mind. The cover art, however, is horrible....the 2nd Chronicles particularly, with TC hold up the Holy China Plate of Antioch to the sky, while a bewildered Linden Avery, wearing Daisy Dukes and striking her best Racquel Welch pose, looks on.