Masters of the Weird Tales vs Library of Weird Fiction
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1icanmix
I see that Centipede Press have published several books containing some authors best works - however some are published as 'Masters of the Weird Tales' and some are 'Library of Weird Fiction' - For example, Arthur Machen had a MOTWT published in 2013 & a volume called LOWF in 2018; Similarly Lovecraft had his MOWT published in 2008 & his LOWF in 2014.
Are these the same book, but newly updated & published or is the latter a 'Volume 2' with all new material - or something else! Any help/guidance appreciated.
Are these the same book, but newly updated & published or is the latter a 'Volume 2' with all new material - or something else! Any help/guidance appreciated.
2AnnieMod
Nope, they are not the same books and they are not volumes which compliment each other.
For example Aickman's books have 48 stories in the Masters and 18 in the Library. The library is a low-cost alternative if you want a smaller "best of" which is not that impressive - it is smaller, it feels like a regular hardback, no slipcase and so on.
I need to pull both books to verify but I think all 18 from the latter are in the 2-volume Masters set (emphasis on think).
PS: We have a Centipede Press group: https://www.librarything.com/groups/centipedepress
For example Aickman's books have 48 stories in the Masters and 18 in the Library. The library is a low-cost alternative if you want a smaller "best of" which is not that impressive - it is smaller, it feels like a regular hardback, no slipcase and so on.
I need to pull both books to verify but I think all 18 from the latter are in the 2-volume Masters set (emphasis on think).
PS: We have a Centipede Press group: https://www.librarything.com/groups/centipedepress
3abysswalker
>1 icanmix: I believe volumes in the Masters series also have lower limitation and are numbered. (The one I had was a numbered limitation of 200 copies.)
4SolerSystem
Nope, they're not the same. Masters of the Weird Tale volumes are oversized, slipcased, heavily illustrated, often signed by the author and artists (when possible- sometimes just a facsimile), and run in the $300+ price range new from the publisher.
Library of Weird Fiction books are much more economical- no artwork (they usually have photographs of the author, though), smaller in size, and contain less stories than the MotWT volumes.
To me, the LoWF books are like books from Everyman's Library- they're well-made, inexpensive, and a great way to build a library of these author's works if you're not interested in the extravagant production values of the MotWT versions.
While a few authors in the MotWT series have been re-released in the LoWF format, there are far more that haven't, some of whom I don't really expect to get the LoWF treatment at all- Carl Jacobi, Fred Chappell, Arthur Burks, etc. (just speculation on my part here).
Length of time between the same author appearing in the two editions also varies. For example, the Robert Aickman MotWT volume was released in 2018, and the LoWF edition followed in 2019. On the other hand, the Ambrose Bierce MotWT was released in 2013, with the LoWF edition expected in 2021.
Hope this helps!
ETA: as >3 abysswalker: mentioned, the Masters of the Weird Tale books are also numbered. I believe the limitation is now up to 250 for the last couple releases.
Library of Weird Fiction books are much more economical- no artwork (they usually have photographs of the author, though), smaller in size, and contain less stories than the MotWT volumes.
To me, the LoWF books are like books from Everyman's Library- they're well-made, inexpensive, and a great way to build a library of these author's works if you're not interested in the extravagant production values of the MotWT versions.
While a few authors in the MotWT series have been re-released in the LoWF format, there are far more that haven't, some of whom I don't really expect to get the LoWF treatment at all- Carl Jacobi, Fred Chappell, Arthur Burks, etc. (just speculation on my part here).
Length of time between the same author appearing in the two editions also varies. For example, the Robert Aickman MotWT volume was released in 2018, and the LoWF edition followed in 2019. On the other hand, the Ambrose Bierce MotWT was released in 2013, with the LoWF edition expected in 2021.
Hope this helps!
ETA: as >3 abysswalker: mentioned, the Masters of the Weird Tale books are also numbered. I believe the limitation is now up to 250 for the last couple releases.
