# For Terry Pratchett enthusiasts with money:

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 4, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403 "2006-05-04T16:02:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/21 "2006-05-06T19:39:45Z")

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> [@rjung](#):
>
> I don’t think so, but I know selling them (because your new domicile doesn’t have the shelf space)is a _sin._☹

My SO suggested that not too long ago. I looked at him and said, “Why don’t you just sell me into slavery, then? 'Cause that’s what it’s like!”  
He just :rolleyes: and went away. Hasn’t raised the subject since. 😃

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### Author: ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/22 "2006-05-06T21:30:48Z")

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Ummm…what’s the 1983 American Printing worth?  
This might be important.

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### Author: ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/23 "2006-05-07T20:33:38Z")

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> [@Dervorin](#):
>
> $16,000 for _TCOM_? Among my TP-reading friends (and that’s a not insubstantial number) it is universally held to be the worst DiscWorld novel.

I imagine the price here is for (a) its rarity and (b) its status as the _first_ novel in the entire series.

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### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/24 "2006-05-19T22:43:08Z")

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Just a follow-up: I got my first copy today, in a box marked “Fragile?” It came with 2 dustcovers. Since the Second Edition and subsequent books all had standardised Kirby covers and the First Edition CoM didn’t, they give you your choice of dustcover. I has taken its place of honor at the far left of my Pratchett bookshelf, Level 1.

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### Author: ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2006, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/25 "2006-05-20T00:53:33Z")

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And, once again—.what’s the 1983 American Printing worth?

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### Author: ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2006, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/26 "2006-05-20T01:34:28Z")

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> [@silenus](#):
>
> Just a follow-up: I got my first copy today, in a box marked “Fragile?” It came with 2 dustcovers. Since the Second Edition and subsequent books all had standardised Kirby covers and the First Edition CoM didn’t, they give you your choice of dustcover. I has taken its place of honor at the far left of my Pratchett bookshelf, Level 1.

Can I visit? I won’t touch them or anything, I’ll just look at them in awe.

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### Author: ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/27 "2006-05-21T21:39:00Z")

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Got my copy of _TCoM_ on Friday as well, which made for a nice reward after a tiring day. I’m thinking of keeping the Kirby cover, just so the rest of my collection is all either Kirby or Kidby.

And aside from the little boxed text in the indica(?) indicating it’s a reprint, I don’t think there’s anything that distinguishes this from the original. Woo hoo! 😃

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### Author: ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/28 "2006-11-27T21:33:03Z")

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At the risk of incurring the wrath of the mods by bumping this thread, I have to ask if anyone has gotten any of the other _Discworld_ replica hardbacks yet? I’ve only got _The Color of Magic,_ and am starting to wonder when _The Light Fantastic_ will arrive…

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### Author: ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/29 "2006-12-02T00:19:31Z")

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**Bump** Anyone?

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### Author: ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)
#### Post date: [December 2, 2006, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/30 "2006-12-02T08:20:19Z")

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Just what does the first edition look like, anyway? I have one from Signet, 1985, and the cover is remarkably different than the other Pratchett books I own. Instead of the Kirby art there’s a more “realistic” picture of Rincewind and Twoflower falling as the dragon fades away beneath them. I’ve always wondered what printing it is.

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### Author: ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/31 "2006-12-07T06:22:39Z")

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[QUOTE=BraheSilver]  
Just what does the first edition look like, anyway?  
[/quote]

[First edition cover of _The Colour of Magic._](http://hillhousepublishers.com/terrypratchett/cm-cover.jpg)

I’m guessing from the total lack of responses that nobody else has seen any of the other volumes from Hill House Publishers either, eh?

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### Author: ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/32 "2006-12-07T12:50:48Z")

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[QUOTE=rjung]  
[First edition cover of _The Colour of Magic._](http://hillhousepublishers.com/terrypratchett/cm-cover.jpg)

I’m guessing from the total lack of responses that nobody else has seen any of the other volumes from Hill House Publishers either, eh?  
[/QUOTE]

Ummm…I might have that.

Lemme check at home, tonight…

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### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2006, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/33 "2006-12-07T14:54:17Z")

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Haven’t seen hide nor hair of the second volume yet. If it gets here this year, it will be a nice Christmas present.

**BraheSilver** , check the print run info on the copyright page. That dust-cover sounds like the Book Club edition.

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### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [December 7, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/34 "2006-12-07T19:03:39Z")

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Well, I e-mailed the publisher and got this response (within 2 hours, I might add!):

\*Dear Discworld x 12 Series Member,

This is Peter Schneider, publisher of Hill House, writing to you.

I wanted to let you know that the second book in the Series, THE LIGHT FANTASTIC, will be off-press and ready for shipment to you within the next three weeks.

We know that you’ve probably been wondering why the second title has taken so long to come out. We’re truly sorry for this unavoidable delay as well as any frustration this might have caused you.

We do want to reassure you that we have our production of the Discworld books back on track. In fact, we’re now working on EQUAL RITES and we plan on being able to ship you this book around the first week of March.

Again, we are sorry for the delay, and we thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

Peter Schneider  
Publisher  
Hill House, Publishers  
491 Illington Road  
Ossining, NY 10562\*

So…good news all around.

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### Author: ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/35 "2006-12-08T20:51:21Z")

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Good to hear, though I didn’t get an email for some reason… **pout**

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### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2007, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/36 "2007-01-09T23:50:37Z")

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Calloo! Callay! _The Light Fantastic_ came today! We’re back on schedule. The first of PTerry’s books with a Kidby cover…Rincewind looks stupid. 😃

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### Author: ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/37 "2009-03-07T01:34:50Z")

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So whatever happened with this? Have you all received all the titles? The link in Post #1 doesn’t work (any more?).

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### Author: ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/38 "2009-03-07T02:56:20Z")

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> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#):
>
> And, once again—.what’s the 1983 American Printing worth?

It looks like about $25.

Here’s the process:

1. Go to [http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/discworldpages/dwindex.htm](http://www.colinsmythe.co.uk/discworldpages/dwindex.htm) and click on the item of interest (in this case, THE COLOUR OF MAGIC).
2. Find the issue in question (in this case, under USA, “St Martin’s Press, 4,000 copies, 11/83”).
3. Use the ISBN listed (0-312-15084-9) to search on [http://www.bookfinder.com/](http://www.bookfinder.com/) for other copies currently for sale.

Some are listed for as much as $75, but it’s not clear to me why they might be worth 3 times as much as the lower-priced copies.

Questions? Ask WordMan! I have no idea what I’m talking about. 🙂

Note: the same process yields $18,003.50 (including $3.50 shipping) for the actual first run copy. Yikes! Even the Hill House Publishers copy, signed by Terry, is going for $334.36!

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### Author: ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/39 "2009-03-07T02:59:43Z")

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> [@Shalmanese](#):
>
> Didn’t Pterry say something about not liking to put out special editions of any of his books?

And finally, if anyone actually looks at this rather old thread, what’s up with the “special editions” thing? Can anyone point me to a quote? Is it because he thinks it’s elitism, or it’s just too much trouble for him, or what?

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### Author: ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [March 7, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-terry-pratchett-enthusiasts-with-money/355403/40 "2009-03-07T13:28:51Z")

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I just hope that when he finally stops writing - may it be many years yet - he’ll put out a ‘Complete Works’. One volume, done on onion-skin paper.

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