Foreverness Message Board

[lacovara]

I am idly curious, wondered what folks might think of a three volume Vance set. In order to fit the entire Work into three volumes, each volume being an octavo, we'd have to print on onion paper, perhaps 3000 pages each, or something of that sort. That would make each volume something like a scientific reference manual, one of those thick CRC volumes. Cost? Well, not cheap, but not, perhaps the cost of the 44 volume set.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

[hansvanderveeke]

Bob,

I am not a collector. I had all of Vance's work before the VIE and I now have a definitive version after the VIE. I want to collect all of his work but not all of the versions of all of his work.
I would not purchase such a massive Vance volume. It would be difficult to take away with you, it would be easy to tear and it would be difficult to read.
But that is my opinion, others will differ.

For a reference I would rather have a version of Totality on DVD which I could fire up in my pc and do research on.
_________________
The Legendary Locator

[paulwilliamrhoads]

...I think I would like it, if, dispite thickness, weight, thinness of pages, smallness of print, etc.. it was readable. I have such volumes of Jane Austin and a Shakespear, which I like to use.

p

[lacovara]

Hm, I suppose I should explain a bit more. Like Hans, I'm not a collector, but I have a good deal of Jack's work in various paperbacks and trades. In fact, one fateful day in 1999, looking for a list of Jack's work, I came across the not-quite-formed Vance Integral Edition. The rest is sordid history.

But my thought behind the Massive Vance is that it might be more affordable than the full Integral Edition in 44 volumes ever was. I have to do a bit more homework. And then, of course, there is the problem of the copyrights. However, I have ideas on that as well.

Hans is correct; the books will not be easy to travel with, and the pages will be quite delicate. But maybe one could purchase all of the works for $500 or so.

Bob

[paulwilliamrhoads]

Bob,

here is how to get an answer on price: do a rough calculation about how many words will go an a page (some fooling around with page sizes, fonts and settings would have to be done. Divide by 4,000,000 (or whatever the VIE word count is) and add a factor for special stuff (empty pages at ends of stories, etc) (I would think that chapters, in this book, would not start on new pages!)).

Then decide how many pages per volume.
Then ask the good people at ZoneS how much it would cost to make X number of books, of X pages, of X size, in X (paper, hardcover) format).

If the number is good, then all you need is a market and typesetting--assuming you have the permissions.
An American writer has the right to publish a single complete edition of his work; despite this law Vance was reluctant to ignore existing contracts for the VIE, and in fact everything was negotiated with all his publishers. However, there is no law of physics or morals to prevent such a publication, and I support your efforts.

[lacovara]

Paul,

Hm, I was about to send you e-mail and ask you the question you've just answered. I have some notions of handling the copyrights, but such things must be discussed more privately, and, of course, with John Vance. In these matters I feel strongly that the letter of the law must be observed, and when possible, the spirit as well...

Bob

[paulwilliamrhoads]

However, I can do some sample pages for you. What size page are you thinking about? And my I suggest setting the book in Amiante Note, at 8 points, which is as small as you can get and still remain absolutely readable. Or we could do 8.5 to go beyond 'absolutely readable', into the zone of 'excessively large'?

p

[Raphael Aloysius]

If my Lulu efforts come to nothing (see the thread I just started), I would be happy to see your project come to fruition. It would be nice though, if the three massive volumes could be purchased separately. But anyway, having a kind of "bible edition" of Vance's work would certainly be better than nothing, and I would gladly get one (assuming I could spare that much money at any one time).

[Rhialto]

This sounds interesting! I missed the VIE and I would like to have some way to "catch up". I would personally prefer a new wave of printing of the VIE or something like that, but this sounds like a good second option.