Weird Immortal Coil revision issue

[ryan123450]

While talking about Immortal Coil, @Jbarney @DarrenTR1970 and I noticed that some copies of Immortal Coil have the stardate given as 51505.9 in chapter two (there's a slightly later stardate listed farther in book), but in other copies the stardate is given as 51405.9. Both versions were 1st printing, Feb 2002.

None of us were aware of why this revision was made, or which was the earlier "incorrect" version as opposed to the revised "correct" one. Anyone know why this was done?

Interestingly @David Mack seems to have had a copy that said 51405.9 which I think he used to assign Immortal Coil a May date in Cold Equations: Persistence of Memory. We had theorized though that perhaps the date was edited to 51505.9 to account for a mention of Starfleet knowing Voyager was in the Delta Quadrent, which they wouldn't have known about until after Stardate 51462 in "Message in a Bottle."

Can anyone confirm this theory or say what the reason was for the change? Thanks!

 

[Defcon]

or which was the earlier "incorrect" version as opposed to the revised "correct" one.

If I'm not totally misrembering, you can determine the printing run by looking at the page with the copyright information. Somewher should be a string of numbers counting down from 10

The last number indicates the printing run, so

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 would be a first printing

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 would be a fourth printing

 

[Daddy Todd]

I've got two hardcopies, both first printings, and both have the 51405.9 stardate. I just downloaded the Kindle preview; it also has the 51405.9 stardate.

I suppose there could've been a running change during the first printing (which has occasionally happened -- Killing Time being the classic example). If so, it looks like the 51505.9 was the incorrect stardate, which was corrected to 51405.09 during the first printing.

Anyone have a later printing with the 51505.09 stardate?

 

[JD]

If I'm not totally misrembering, you can determine the printing run by looking at the page with the copyright information. Somewher should be a string of numbers counting down from 10

The last number indicates the printing run, so

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 would be a first printing

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 would be a fourth printing

He said both copies were first printings.

 

[Jbarney]

I've got two hardcopies, both first printings, and both have the 51405.9 stardate. I just downloaded the Kindle preview; it also has the 51405.9 stardate.

I suppose there could've been a running change during the first printing (which has occasionally happened -- Killing Time being the classic example). If so, it looks like the 51505.9 was the incorrect stardate, which was corrected to 51405.09 during the first printing.

Anyone have a later printing with the 51505.09 stardate?

Mine was the copy 51505.9.....I bought the book pretty soon after it came out. Read it in 2005. Wasn't aware of this issue until timeliners started comparing notes.

 

[ATimson]

He said both copies were first printings.

Yes, but since the OP mentioned the "First printing, Month 1900" text and not the printing number strip, it seems pretty clear he was unaware of it. (As are most readers.) Explaining how to truly derive the printing # and asking him to double-check was completely reasonable.

 

[ryan123450]

The first pic is of JBarney's copy, the second of DarrenTR1970's. Maybe they can discover who has the earlier copy. Based on the fact that the ebook and at least three out of four print versions we've now compared have the 51405.6, I'm going to guess that is the "updated" stardate. For what ever reason it was updated. If that is true then the theory about correcting it on account of knowledge of Voyager can't be the reason, and changing the stardate actually creates that discrepancy.

 

[Scout101]

I've got a first run copy with 405 in it, so not sure how many got out with the 505 or why it changed. Just tossing out another data point...

 

[tomswift2002]

I just checked my copy. It has the 51505 stardate, and the book is a 2nd printing.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

Mine says First Printing, February 2002.

 

[Defcon]

Mine says First Printing, February 2002.

That text will be in every book no matter the printing, it just says when the first printing occurred. You will have to check the string of numbers like I described above.

 

[Extrocomp]

IIRC, Immortal Coil is the novel where a conversation that takes place in the ready room suddenly changes to Data's quarters. Do any of these printings fix this error?

 

[tomswift2002]

I haven’t read the book. I have had it on my shelf for over a decade. Where does that switch take place?

 

[Extrocomp]

I haven’t read the book. I have had it on my shelf for over a decade. Where does that switch take place?

Pages 34-35