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Confused by movie tie-in editions

1 Feb, 2014
2014-2-1 9:12:54 PM UTC

Okay, before Christmas I bought the latest paperback movie tie-in edition of The Hobbit. My understanding was that this is also available in a box set with the current movie tie-in editions of The Lord of the Rings. However, as I didn't currently have the previous year's movie tie-in Hobbit, I decided to buy the box set containing that version. That way I figured I would end up with one copy of each book.

When my box set arrived today, however, I was slightly surprised to find that the books are a different size. The copy of The Hobbit I bought individually is in B-format, whereas the box set books are in the smaller A-format. I've attached some photos to illustrate.

This leaves me wondering whether there are two versions of all of the books. Does anyone else have any of these books and can they confirm this?

Looking at the HC website, each of the books is listed individually as well as in a LOTR box set and the two Hobbit/LOTR box sets. However, none of the descriptions mention size. Also, the ISBN numbers for my box set books don't appear to match those quoted by HC for the individual volumes, and the page counts are higher.

TolkienBooks.net doesn't cover any of the LOTR books or the box sets. However, the page for The Hobbit has recently been updated and shows both the 2012 and 2013 movie tie-in paperbacks. In fact, it shows two versions of the 2013, but only one of the 2012.

Here's what I think. All five books are available individually in B-format. As far as I can see, the LOTR box set is also B-format. However, it appears that both Hobbit/LOTR box sets contain A-format versions of the books, and that these aren't available individually. This would imply that the only way to get both Hobbits in A-format is to buy the same LOTR books twice.

Anyone know if I'm right?

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1 Feb, 2014
2014-2-1 11:28:09 PM UTC
I am working on adding these 3 volume LR paperback editions to TolkienBooks.net at the moment and can confirm that they do appear in both 'A' and 'B' format. The 2013 film tie-in Hobbit also appears in both formats.

I have not got a copy of the 2012 film tie-in Hobbit in the larger 'B' format yet and was wondering if HarperCollins had omitted this in favour of the 2-volume Hobbit, but now I have had another look at the ISBNs, I see that there are two on Amazon:

'B' Format
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; Film tie-in edition edition (30 Aug 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0007487282
ISBN-13: 978-0007487288
Product Dimensions: 20 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm

'A' Format
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; International Film tie-in edition edition (30 Aug 2012)
Language: French
ISBN-10: 0007487290
ISBN-13: 978-0007487295
Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 11 x 3.2 cm

"Language: French" is a database error I think.
2 Feb, 2014
2014-2-2 12:20:30 PM UTC
Thanks, Deagol.

Yes, the ISBN for the A-format matches the one from my box set. I've reserved a copy of the B-format at Waterstones, so I'll post an update when I've got it.

That still leaves me the 2013 A-format to get hold of. Do you know if this can be sourced individually, or does it only come in a box set?
2 Feb, 2014
2014-2-2 12:25:14 PM UTC
I bought the 2013 'A' format Hobbit from Amazon.
They call it an "International Film tie-in edition".
4 Feb, 2014
2014-2-4 8:15:21 PM UTC
My copy of the 'B' format 2012 film tie-in edition arrived today.
Details added at TolkienBooks.net
5 Feb, 2014
2014-2-5 11:51:04 PM UTC
Mine just turned up too. 13th impression - same as yours?

I've also a 2013 A-format on order, so we'll see what turns up.
15 Feb, 2014
2014-2-15 8:23:43 PM UTC
Hello everybody,

I have another question regarding the Tie-In/Movie-reated editions.
I got myself a copy from HaperCollins (ISBN: 9780007487295) and then I got a DelRey edition (ISBN: 9780345534835). I have added 2 small pictures I took of the covers.

And yet again, recently I've seen in Amazon.com/co.uk/.es what seems to be a 'new edition' with the same ISBN as the second one: 9780345534835; but with a different cover. See this link for example: https://www.amazon.es/The-Hobbit-There ... xibrium0a-21&linkCode=osi

To add more confusion, Amazon says this "new" edition was released: 18/09/2012; which cannot be ok, since this cover design was released for the 2nd movie, if i'm not wrong....

Now I'm confused as I'd like to complete all the movie-related covers little by little, and I am not sure if I should order this one, as I am almot 100% sure Amazon will send me a copy with the old cover ¬_¬

Can anyone shed any light on this?

PS. Check out this link where I keep track on my Movie-related editions: http://hobbit.gololo.es/hobbitmovie.php Can anyone help with the Korean edition?

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15 Feb, 2014
2014-2-15 8:29:24 PM UTC
Amazon says...
I think this is at the heart of your problem(s)!

BH
15 Feb, 2014
2014-2-15 8:43:07 PM UTC

Khamûl wrote:
Amazon says...
I think this is at the heart of your problem(s)!

BH

Well that and collecting movie covers :) The 'Desolation of Smaug' is in the top five worst movies I have ever seen. And I don't mean because it has no real Tolkien content, I mean because it is just an utterly terrible example of the 'art' of film making. Only George Lucas could have made more of a mess. Looking forward to someone doing a three hour fan edit (of the Hobbit story) from the nine hours of crap that PJ will have randomly thrown at the screen by the time the third one comes out.

(Note to gololo - Nothing wrong with collecting those covers, really - I just felt the need to vent about the movie, having had the misfortune of seeing it last week. My expectations were low and it delivered in spades)
15 Feb, 2014
2014-2-15 8:45:56 PM UTC
The 18/9/2012 date is probably the date of the original release of the film edition with the Bag-End doorway cover rather than the date for the Smaug eye cover. Possibly due to the previous database record being only partially updated.

The databases that drive sites like Amazon are chock full of errors, for instance, a lot of the current HarperCollins paperback editions on Amazon claim to be in French!
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