Foreign novel covers

[tomswift2002]

I was just wondering if there were any good sites on the Internet that show the non-North American covers too the various Trek novels both past and present?

[Defcon]

tomswift2002 wrote:

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I was just wondering if there were any good sites on the Internet that show the non-North American covers too the various Trek novels both past and present?

You can see the German covers for the books released (And some upcoming) by the current publisher Cross Cult (who picked up the license in 2008) on their promotional site http://www.startrekromane.de/

It's in German, but it should be easy enough to click on the different series titles in the left column.

And here are some cover drafts for upcoming novels (those are links to their Facebook page):

TOS:
Mudd in your Eye


New Frontier:
Excalibur: Requiem
Excalibur: Renaissance Draft A
Excalibur: Renaissance Draft B
Excalibur: Restoration

Typhon Pact:
Zero Sum Game
Seize the Fire
Rough Beasts of Empire
Paths of Disharmony


Enterprise:
Kobayshi Maru (this one has been canceled)


Their predecessors mostly used the original covers IIRC.

[Therin of Andor]

tomswift2002 wrote:

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I was just wondering if there were any good sites on the Internet that show the non-North American covers too the various Trek novels both past and present?

Do a Google Image search on the book title and use an additional descriptor, ie "Corgi", "Titan Books" or "UK" and lots will turn up.

eg. "corgi" "star trek log" reveals:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=%...MdGQiQeWyIDQBQ

[Mike Winters]

Why do they have different covers for US and for the same books outside of the US? I have never understood this...


Mike

[Christopher]

Different publishers, different art directors designing with different markets in mind. Lots of books get new covers when they get republished, even by the same publisher years later, as with the Bantam Trek novels.

[Therin of Andor]

Mike Winters wrote:

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Why do they have different covers for US and for the same books outside of the US? I have never understood this...

Sometimes artists demand too much for international distribution of their artwork, so the overseas publisher commissions a new local (or already-contracted, resident) cover artist.

[Defcon]

Mike Winters wrote:

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Why do they have different covers for US and for the same books outside of the US? I have never understood this...


Mike

A Cross Cult representative has said in the past that they basically commission new covers when they don't like the original ones.

[OmahaStar]

Out of curiosity ... When an author does a book, they get copies of it from the publisher. Do they also receive copies of the book from other publishers, or when the cover is changed? Or is it a one-time deal, and if they want variations they have to buy them out of their own pocket?

[Defcon]

^ Again I can only speak about the German publisher:

I know Cross Cult sends complimentary copies to S&S , but it seems no copies of those ever reach the authors, as I have put two authors into contact with CC officials in the past, so that they could get copies of their novels in German.

[tomswift2002]

Therin of Andor wrote:

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Do a Google Image search on the book title and use an additional descriptor, ie "Corgi", "Titan Books" or "UK" and lots will turn up.

That only works about 5% of the time, since if you don't know the publisher, a lot of times I'm left with "Star Trek Voyager" "novels" "France" for instance.

So no one knows of any sites like Steve Roby's Starfleet Library---but for the foreign editions?

[Greg Cox]

The Valeyard wrote:

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Out of curiosity ... When an author does a book, they get copies of it from the publisher. Do they also receive copies of the book from other publishers, or when the cover is changed? Or is it a one-time deal, and if they want variations they have to buy them out of their own pocket?

In theory, the author might get copies, but, in practice, this usually doesn't happen. It's very random. Unless you pay close attention to your royalty statements, you might not even know a foreign edition exists.

(I'm dimly aware that there are foreign editions of my ALIAS novels, but I don't think I've ever laid eyes on one.)

As for a new English edition with a new cover, most editors are happy to send you a few complimentary copies, but it might take a little prompting sometimes . . .

"Hey, I see there's a new paperback edition of my book out. Would you mind popping a couple copies in the mail? Thanks a bunch!"

[8of5]

tomswift2002 wrote:

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I was just wondering if there were any good sites on the Internet that show the non-North American covers too the various Trek novels both past and present?

Well, I report on new ones on my blog (link to all posts about foreign language editions). As has been noted Cross Cult in Germany are very active right now, I've also come across the odd French and Spanish book, and Laser Books in the Czech Republic has recently restarted their Star Trek range, with a few new covers coming from them.

On my "archive" blog I also do occasional (read one or two a year) features on either books from a given country, or all edition of a given book. My favourite find so far is the German cover of Mission to Horatius - I liked it so much I bought a copy!

[Therin of Andor]

tomswift2002 wrote:

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That only works about 5% of the time, since if you don't know the publisher, a lot of times I'm left with "Star Trek Voyager" "novels" "France" for instance.

Well, in that case, you attempt to improve your hit rate by doing additional research. Find out the French publishers by other means. Have you asked on a French ST bbs? Do we even know if VOY novels have received French translations? The only French edition I've ever heard of was the novelization of ST:TMP, which had a now-infamous mistranslation assigning the movie's "story by" credit for Alan Dean Foster into a novelization credit (instead of Gene Roddenberry).

So no one knows of any sites like Steve Roby's Starfleet Library---but for the foreign editions?

They may well exist. The trick is being able to think of words that will improve your hit rate. Okay, a first, quick Google of

novel covers "French translation" "Star Trek"

brought me a page of reviews of French Gold Key comics:
http://8of5archive.blogspot.com.au/2...-reprints.html

Not exactly what you're looking for, but the page may lead to other clues.

Have you tried seeing what languages Memory Alpha and Memory Beta wikis are translated into?

eg. #2:

translation "star trek novel" in Google brought me Hebrew cover art!

http://8of5archive.blogspot.com.au/2...ek-novels.html

Ah, I see 8of5 is already here!

[8of5]

Therin of Andor wrote:

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Ah, I see 8of5 is already here!

<jazz hands>

Therin of Andor wrote:

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Well, in that case, you attempt to improve your hit rate by doing additional research. Find out the French publishers by other means. Have you asked on a French ST bbs? Do we even know if VOY novels have received French translations? The only French edition I've ever heard of was the novelization of ST:TMP, which had a now-infamous mistranslation assigning the movie's "story by" credit for Alan Dean Foster into a novelization credit (instead of Gene Roddenberry).

There are definitely other French novels, not sure if any Voyager off the top of my head. I started researching for a piece on them ages ago. Should really finish that one! Also on my to do list are the Japanese translations, they have some very impressive covers.

Therin of Andor wrote:

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Have you tried seeing what languages Memory Alpha and Memory Beta wikis are translated into?

Yeah, very good resources! I've found the German one in particular to be quite comprehensive.

[Therin of Andor]

8of5 wrote:

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Also on my to do list are the Japanese translations, they have some very impressive covers.

I was going to mention them. Japanese "Starlog" used to pop up in Japanese collector shops in the 80s, and it had lots of cover art in there.

Also the three volumes of "Super-Visual" (1980s) that were dedicated to the Star Trek phenomenon, encompassing TOS, TAS, TMP and a preview of then-forthcoming ST II. The third volume had lots of Japanese translation covers of Bantam, Ballantine and early Pocket books.