The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories

Overview:

• Title: The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories
• Author: John L. Apostolou, Martin H. Greenberg
• Year: 1997
• ISBN-10: 156980124X
• Publisher: Barricade Books
• Price: $9.95
• Pages: 176
• Binding: Trade Paperback
• Type: Anthology
• Title Reference: The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories
• Notes:
  • This appears to be a photographic reprint of the Dembner Books edition (1989). The page layouts, fonts, and graphics are identical meaning that comments noted in the ISFDB publication record for the Dembner edition are also applicable to this publication. The only differences between the publications are:
    • The half-title of the Dembner edition has the title in a what appears to be a 9 or 10pt font. The Barricade edition's half-title is the same size and style as the title on the title page. This is also the same as the size and title shown on the front cover of the Dembner edition.
    • The title page is identical other than "Dembner Books • New York" versus "Barricade Books Inc." over "New York" at the bottom.
    • The copyright pages are different as they follow the standard layouts for the respective publishers. Some puzzles are that the copyright year was changed from 1989 to 1997 and that the Barricade edition does not acknowledge the earlier Dembner edition.
  • The credits on the title page are

    Edited by John L. Apostolou and Martin H. Greenberg Consulting Editors: Grania Davis and Judith Merril

    It seems from Grania Davis' foreword that she and Judith Merril worked with authors and translators in 1979 and 1980 to create a collection of stories. Once completed they could not find a publisher willing to take on the work. In the late 1980s Martin Greenberg and John Apostolou were able to arrange publication. Thus it's a little odd that the formal editor's credits are Apostolou and Greenberg.
  • First printing per number line. The printing date is not stated. The source of the 1997-10-00 used in this record is unknown but is assumed to be accurate. Possible points to help date this publication are:
    • "Copyright © 1997 by John L. Apostolou and Martin H. Greenberg". This copyright date is different than the one stated in the Dembner Books edition. However, there does not seem to be any new material. The editor essays are the same as in the Dembner Books edition.
    • Amazon.com reports a date of September 1997.
  • The publication's Contents has "Reading List of Japanese Science Fiction in English" while this list is titled "A Reading List of Japanese Science Fiction in English" on page 175 and at the top of page 176.