Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Translations: Hebrew Star Trek novels and comics

This article is a history of Star Trek books published in Hebrew, from Israel. Several publishers have produced Star Trek novel translations in Hebrew, all TOS and TNG books. One publisher also produced a short run of Star Trek comics in Hebrew.

Zmora Bitan Modan (1979 -1982)
The first Star Trek books published in Israel came from Zmora Bitan Modan, who published four of James Blish's novelization anthologies (though curiously skipped the fourth book and went straight to number five) in 1979, and the original novel Trek to Madworld in 1982.

מסע בין כוכבים 1: החוק של צ'רלי
  • Published: 1979.
  • Original: Star Trek 1 - 1967.
  • Translator: Micha Yanai.

מסע בין כוכבים :2: מחר הוא האתמול
  • Published: 1979.
  • Original: Star Trek 2 - 1968.
  • Translator: L.E.D. Yehudai.

מסע בין כוכבים 3. מכונת יום הדין
  • Published: 1979.
  • Original: Star Trek 3 - 1969.
  • Translator: L.E.D. Yehudai.

מסע בין כוכבים 5 . כוכב גן העדן
  • Published: 1979.
  • Original: Star Trek 5 - 1972.
  • Translator: L.E.D. Yehudai.

מסע לעולם מטורף
Light Publishing (1979)
Light Publishing made its sole Star Trek book in 1979 with the translation of the novelization of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

מסע בין כוכבים :הסרט
  • Published: 1980.
  • Original: Star Trek: The Motion Picture - 1979.
  • Translator: Joseph Rust.
  • Cover: Art by Bob Peak, reuse of original movie poster art.
Queen Comics (1987)
Queen Comics did a short run of Star Trek comics in 1987, translating the first few issues of DC Comics' first TOS series. There appaer to have been four books published, but the three covers I have so far found reuse the artwork from the original first, third and fifth issues of the DC series. As the first four issues make up a continuous story arc it would seem an odd decision to drop one issue in favour of skipping to the fifth issue - However the publisher did apparently have a habit of picking and choosing non-consecutive issues from other series they published, so it's possible. Another possibility is that the original issues were split and spread acorss the four books published. The only thing I know for sure is I don't know exactly what is in these four books!:

(אנטרפרייז (קשר חור התולעת
  • Published: 1987.
  • Original: The Wormhole Connection - 1984.
  • Translator: Amos Eran.
  • Cover: Art by George Perez, reused of original DC cover.

הקלינגון הטוב
  • Published: 1987.
  • Translator: Amos Eran.

(אוייבים וידידים.(שותפות קטלנית
  • Published: 1987.
  • Translator: Amos Eran.
  • Cover: Art by George Perez, reused of original DC#3 cover.

אלים בני תמותה
  • Published: 1987.
  • Original: Mortal Gods - 1984.
  • Translator: Amos Eran.
  • Cover: Art by Tom Sutton and Sal Amendola, reused of original DC cover.
Kinneret Publishing (1992)
Kinneret Publishing were the next to appear with just one Trek book, this time the novelization of Encounter at Farpoint.

מסע לפארפוינט
Maariv Book Guild (1994-1995)
The Maariv Book Guild had a short run of Star Trek books starting in 1994. They published translations of several Bantam original TOS novels, in hardcover format.

עולם בלי קץ
  • Published: 1994.
  • Original: World Without End - 1974.
  • Translator: Ofra Ofer.
  • Cover: Art by Enric Torres-Prat, reused of 1985 Bantam Books cover.

עולם ללא כוכבים
  • Published: 1994.
  • Original: The Starless World - 1978.
  • Translator: Ofra Ofer.
  • Cover: Art by Kazuhiko Sano, reused of 1994 Bantam Spectra cover.

מחירו של הפניקס
  • Published: 1995.
  • Original: The Price of the Phoenix - 1977.
  • Translator: David Enoch.
  • Cover: Art by Kazuhiko Sano, reused of 1993 Bantam Spectra cover. 

ספוק משיח!
  • Published: 1995.
  • Original: Spock, Messiah! - 1976.
  • Translator: David Enoch.
  • Cover: Reused of 1993 Bantam Books cover.
Snow (1994-1997)
Snow also began publishing Star Trek translations in 1994, but they focused on TNG; printing translations of several early TNG novels; the first four books in the Starfleet Academy series; and finally the novelization of First Contact.

שומרי השלום
  • Published: 1994.
  • Original: The Peacekeepers - 1988.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Maelo Cintron, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

מסיכת החוכמה
  • Published: 1994.
  • Original: Masks - 1989.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Maelo Cintron, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

כבודו של הקפטין
  • Published: 1994.
  • Original: The Captains' Honor - 1989.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Enric Torres-Prat, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

כוכב הפיראטים
  • Published: 1994.
  • Original: Debtors' Planet - 1994.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Keith Birdsong, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

תחנת פרומתאוס בסכנה
  • Published: 1995.
  • Original: Worf's First Adventure - 1993.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Catherine Huerta, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.


משימה בדאנטאר
  • Published: 1995.
  • Original: Line of Fire - 1993.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Catherine Huerta, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

המאבק בבריקאר
  • Published: 1995.
  • Original: Survival - 1993.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Catherine Huerta, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

המאבק בסאפיר
  • Published: 1995.
  • Original: Capture the Flag - 1994.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Art by Catherine Huerta, reuse of original Pocket Books cover art.

המפגש
  • Published: 1997.
  • Original: First Contact - 1996.
  • Translator: Inbal Sagiv.
  • Cover: Reuse of original movie poster art.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Bantam's novelizations by James Blish (first editions)

In 1967 Bantam Books published the first ever Star Trek book, Star Trek, by James Blish, an anthology of TOS episode adaptations. In the years to follow Blish adapted the rest of the episodes; producing a total of twelve books. The final book was co-authored by L.A. Lawrence, who then wrote one more novelization; Mudd's Angels, which contained adaptations of both Harry Mudd episodes plus a new original story. The first book in the Blish series was, in later reprints, re-titled Star Trek 1, conforming to the numbered titles of the rest of the series. This article is a listing of the twelve Blish adaptations, showcasing their first edition covers:

Star Trek
  • Published: January 1967.
  • Cover artist: James Bama.
  • Contents: Charlie's Law (Charlie X), Dagger of the Mind, The Unreal McCoy (The Man Trap), Balance of Terror, The Naked Time, Miri, The Conscience of the King.

Star Trek 2
  • Published: February 1968.
  • Cover: Photomontage.
  • Contents: Arena, A Taste of Armageddon, Tomorrow Is Yesterday, Errand of Mercy, Court Martial, Operation -- Annihilate!, The City on the Edge of Forever, Space Seed.

Star Trek 3
  • Published: April 1969.
  • Cover: Photomontage.
  • Contents: The Trouble With Tribbles, The Last Gunfight (Spectre of the Gun), The Doomsday Machine, Assignment: Earth, Mirror, Mirror, Friday's Child, Amok Time.

Star Trek 4
  • Published: July 1971.
  • Cover artist: Lou Feck.
  • Contents: A Piece of the Action, All Our Yesterdays, The Enterprise Incident, The Menagerie, Journey to Babel, The Devil in the Dark.

Star Trek 5
  • Published: February 1972.
  • Cover artist: Mitchell Hooks, signed M. Hooks.
  • Contents: Whom Gods Destroy, The Tholian Web, Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, This Side of Paradise, Turnabout Intruder, Requiem for Methuselah, The Way to Eden.

Star Trek 6
  • Published: April 1972.
  • Cover artist: Lou Feck.
  • Contents: The Savage Curtain, The Lights of Zetar, The Apple, By Any Other Name, The Cloud Minders, The Mark of Gideon.

Star Trek 7
  • Published: July 1972.
  • Cover artist: Signed CHB
  • Contents: Who Mourns for Adonais?, The Changeling, The Paradise Syndrome, Metamorphosis, The Deadly Years, Elaan of Troyius.

Star Trek 8
  • Published: November 1972.
  • Cover artist: Lou Feck.
  • Contents: Spock's Brain, The Enemy Within, Catspaw, Where No Man Has Gone Before, Wolf in the Fold, For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky.

Star Trek 9
  • Published: August 1973.
  • Cover artist: Eddie Jones.
  • Contents: Return to Tomorrow, The Ultimate Computer, That Which Survives, Obsession, The Return of the Archons, The Immunity Syndrome.

Star Trek 10
  • Published: February 1974.
  • Cover artist: Eddie Jones, signed as S. Fantoni.
  • Contents: The Alternative Factor, The Empath, The Galileo Seven, Is There in Truth No Beauty?, A Private Little War, The Omega Glory.

Star Trek 11
  • Published: April 1975.
  • Cover artist: Eddie Jones, signed as S. Fantoni.
  • Contents: What Are Little Girls Made Of?, The Squire of Gothos, Wink of an Eye, Bread and Circuses, Day of the Dove, Plato's Stepchildren.

Star Trek 12
  • Published: Novemeber 1977.
  • Cover artist: Eddie Jones
  • Contents: Patterns of Force, The Gamesters of Triskelion, And the Children Shall Lead, The Corbomite Maneuver, Shore Leave.
  • ISBN 0-553-11382-8

Monday, August 8, 2011

Covers: Spock Must Die!

Spock Must Die! was Bantam Books first original Star Trek novel, first published in 1970. It was written by James Blish, who had by then already written several of Bantam's Star Trek novelization anthologies. The book was later reprinted many times by Bantam, by Corgi in the UK, and in French, German and Italian translations.

Original 1970 edition
  • Publisher: Bantam Books
  • Cover: Photomontage



1972 Williams-Verlag German translation
  • Title: Enterprise 7
  • Publisher: Williams-Verlag
  • ISBN 380710029
  • Cover artist: Eddie Jones, signed as S. Fantoni
  • Language: German
  • Number 7 in Williams-Verlag's Enterprise series. The only book in the series that is not a reprint of one of Blish's adaptation anthologies.
1974 Corgi reprint
  • Publisher: Corgi Books
  • ISBN 0-552-09498-6


1978 Bantam reprint
  • Publisher: Bantam Books
  • ISBN 0553125893
  • Cover artist: Bob Larkin


1978 Star Trek Reader omnibus


1984 Bantam reprint
  • Publisher: Bantam Books
  • ISBN 0-553-24634-8
  • Cover artist: Bob Larkin, reuse of 1979 edition artwork.


1984 Corgi reprint
  • Publisher: Corgi Books
  • ISBN 0-552-09498-6



1988 Goldmann-Verlag German translation
  • Title: Spock Muß Sterben!
  • Publisher: Goldmann-Verlag
  • ISBN 3-442-23742-4
  • Cover artist: Bob Larkin, reuse of 1979 edition artwork.
  • Language: German
  • Translator: Hans Maeter and Hermann Urbanek
  • Number 12 in Goldmann-Verlag Raumschiff Enterprise series
  • Note: There seem to be two different versions of this book, but as far as I can tell both have the same ISBN and publication date. One of my readers has suggested the top cover was the one used in the first printing of the book, and that subsequent reprints used the second version of the cover.

1998 Garden Editoriale Italian translation
  • Title: Spock Deve Morire
  • Publisher: Garden Editoriale
  • Cover artist: Bob Larkin, reuse of 1979 edition artwork.
  • Language: Italian
  • Translator: Annarita Guarnieri
  • Number 5 in Garden Editoriale's Star Trek series
  • The book also contains an adaptation of Patterns of Force, and articles on Vulcan physiology and Star Trek: The Next Generation

1993 Fleuve Noir French translation
  • Title: Spock Doit Mourir
  • Publisher: Fleuve Noir
  • ISBN 2-265-04787-2
  • Cover artist: Bob Larkin, reuse of 1979 edition artwork.
  • Language: French
  • Translator: Gilles Dupreux
  • Number 3 in Fleuve Noir's Star Trek series


1999 Bantam reprint
  • Publisher: Bantam Spectra
  • ISBN 0-553-24634-8
  • Cover artist: Kazuhiko Sano

1999 Fanucci Editore Italian translation
  • Title: Spock Deve Morire
  • Publisher: Fanucci Editore
  • ISBN 8834707109
  • Cover artist: Kazuhiko Sano, reuse of 1999 Bantam reprint edition artwork.
  • Language: Italian
  • Translator: Annarita Guarnieri