|
SILVER EDITION |
Introduction |
Cover Gallery |
The Ballantine Edition was published between between December, 1966 and February, 1991 by Ballantine Books, Inc., New York.
[UPDATE] As of this date (September 10, 2012), this is what we know about the Ballantine Edition:
Title
Tarnsman of Gor Outlaw of Gor Priest-Kings of Gor Nomads of Gor Assassin of Gor Raiders of Gor Captive of Gor Ghost Dance |
First Printing
December, 1966 December, 1967 December, 1968 October, 1969 December, 1970 December, 1971 December, 1972 May, 1970 |
Last Printing
July, 1990 November, 1989 May, 1988 December, 1987 February, 1991 July, 1985 February, 1991 December, 1973 |
Number of Printings
23 22 18 18 21 16 20 2 |
In other words, a total of 140 different regular printings. There are also several Canadian printings, and even some Hybrid printings, with the book printed in Canada, but the cover printed in the U.S.A., giving a grand total of 164 different printings.
The Ballantine Edition features the artwork of Robert Foster, Gino D'Achille, Frank McCarthy, and Boris Vallejo. The covers can be organized in eleven different cover series, each with, sometimes only slightly, different coverart or design. There is also a series of Boxed Sets.
The Ballantine Red Book Series was published between 1966 and 1971. The series consists of 4 books and 21 printings.
The Ballantine Red Book Series can obviously be recognized by the red background of the front covers, but the differences between the 1st and later printings of the series are more difficult to spot. For Tarnsman of Gor, Outlaw of Gor and Priest-Kings of Gor, the First American Printings can most easily be identified by the red ORIGINAL text in the top-right corner of the front cover:
while the 2nd and 3rd printings have a black price tag in the top- right corner of the front cover:
The 1st printing of Nomads of Gor, however, has the same black price tag as the later printings of the other volumes. Its First Printing can be identified by a coverprice of $ 0,75, while the Second Printing has a coverprice of $ 0.95.
Besides the First American Printing of Tarnsman of Gor there also exists a First Canadian Printing, which can be identified by the blue ORIGINAL text in the top-right corner of the front cover:
We currently presume that there are also First Canadian Printings of Outlaw of Gor, Priest-Kings of Gor, Nomads of Gor, Assassin of Gor, Raiders of Gor, Captive of Gor and Ghost Dance, and Second Canadian Printing of Tarnsman of Gor, Outlaw of Gor and Raiders of Gor, but we have yet to find many of their covers.
To make matters even more complicated, there are also Hybrid Printings, with the cover printed in the U.S.A. and the book itself printed in Canada. An example is the First Hybrid Printing of Outlaw of Gor. We presume that there are also First Hybrid Printings of Tarnsman of Gor, Priest-Kings of Gor, Nomads of Gor, Assassin of Gor, Raiders of Gor and Captive of Gor, but we have yet to find many of their covers.
The Ballantine Full Cover Series was published between 1970 and 1972. The series consists of 3 books and 7 printings.
This is the only Ballantine series with the artwork covering the entire front cover. For Assassin of Gor the 1st and 2nd printings differ in the color of the text on the left side. On the First Printing, the text is white, and very difficult to read:
while on the Second Printing, the text is black:
For Raiders of Gor only the First Printing used the Full Cover layout.
(For Ghost Dance the main difference between 1st and 2nd printing also seems to be the text on the left side, but I need a better scan of the First Printing to show the difference.)
The Ballantine Black Title Series was published between 1972 and 1975. The series consists of 7 books and 38 printings.
Obviously, the most important feature of the Ballantine Black Title Series are its black titles. In general, the first two printings using this layout, for example the 4th and 5th printing of Tarnsman of Gor have similar covers, and can only be identified using the copyright page. The ISBN is changed, and the new number is used for the next one or two printings (Tarnsman of Gor: 6th and 7th printing). Then the ISBN is changed again, and this number is used for the next one or two last printings in this series (Priest-Kings of Gor: 6th and 7th printing). For the Ballantine Black Title Series, the copyright page provides the most reliable information.
The Ballantine Red Title Series was published between 1975 and 1976. The series consists of 5 books and 9 printings.
Again, the most important feature of the Ballantine Red Title Series are its red titles. In March, 1975, Ballantine released the Eighth Printing of Tarnsman of Gor, Outlaw of Gor and Priest-Kings of Gor, the Seventh Printing of Nomads of Gor and the Sixth Printing of Raiders of Gor. Seven month later, in October, 1975, they released the Nineth Printing of Tarnsman of Gor, Outlaw of Gor and Priest-Kings of Gor, and the Eighth Printing of Nomads of Gor. These last four books carry the same ISBN and cover price as their previous printings. For the Ballantine Red Title Series, the copyright page provides the most reliable information.
As far as we know, Assassin of Gor was never published with a Red Title design.
The Ballantine Stone Cover Series was published between 1976 and 1977. The series consists of 7 books and 9 printings.
In June, 1976, Ballantine introduced a brand new design, with stunning new coverart by Boris Vallejo, for the Tenth Printing of Tarnsman of Gor, Outlaw of Gor and Priest-Kings of Gor, the Nineth Printing of Nomads of Gor and Assassin of Gor, and the Seventh Printing of Raiders of Gor. In August, 1976, they added the Eighth Printing of Raiders of Gor and the Seventh Printing of Captive of Gor. and in October, 1976, the Eighth Printing of Captive of Gor.
The most important feature of this series, apart from the Vallejo artwork, is the "Stony Gor Logo", shown on the right. The Ballantine Stone Cover Series can be identified by the small Ballantine logo in front of the cover text:
The Ballantine 1st Del Ray Stone Cover Series was published between 1977 and 1980. The series consists of 7 books and 26 printings.
In 1977, using a slightly changed cover design, the Ballantine Stone Cover Series was republished under the Del Ray imprint. In February, 1977, Ballantine released the Eleventh Printing of Tarnsman of Gor, Outlaw of Gor; in April, the Nineth Printing of Raiders of Gor; in June, the Tenth Printing of Nomads of Gor; in July, the Tenth Printing of Assassin of Gor; in October, the Eleventh Printing of Priest-Kings of Gor and in November, the Nineth Printing of Captive of Gor. Each of these books was reprinted several times between December, 1977, and November, 1979. Note the color change in the title of Nomads of Gor, from black on orange to white on purple. The Ballantine 1st Del Ray Stone Cover Series can be identified by the small Del Ray logo in front of the cover text:
Note that the titles of the books are printed in black (or white for Nomads of Gor) on a colored background:
The Ballantine 2nd Del Ray Stone Cover Series was published between 1980 and 1983. The series consists of 7 books and 24 printings.
To follow...
The Ballantine 3rd Del Ray Stone Cover Series was published in 1983. The series consists of 2 books and 2 printings.
To follow...
The Ballantine 4th Del Ray Stone Cover Series was published between between 1984 and 1989. The series consists of 5 books and 16 printings.
To follow...
The Ballantine Orange Cover Series was published between between 1985 and 1987. The series consists of 3 books and 6 printings.
To follow...
These are some very special printings.
The Red Cover Assassin of Gor is probably a fluke. This ought to be a First Canadian Printing, and we're sure this printing exists, as it is referenced on the copyright pages of the Fifth Printing, Sixth Printing, Seventh Printing and Eighth Printing of the Ballantine Edition of Assassin of Gor as being published in January, 1973. However, according to this publication year, the cover should probably be a Ballantine Black Title Series, not a Ballantine Orange Cover Series. We still seraching for a better scan of this printing.
The other two books are real enigmas. The Priest-Kings of Gor on the left, occording to its copyright page, is a Sixteenth Printing from September, 1982; Captive of Gor on the right is a Fifteenth Printing from March, 1982.
These are the boxed sets.
To follow...
Here is a cover gallery showing all the titles and printings within the Ballantine Edition. The images are sorted by title. Click on any cover to see the book.