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Prelude to Space

Arthur C. Clarke

First published 1951
Publisher World Editions, Inc.
Format Digest
Type Novel
Catalog ID 3
Cover art John Bunch
Pages 160
Price $0.25

The Harcourt, Brace & World reissue in 1970 has a "Post-Apollo Preface." The dedication is changed from the original "To Val / — Despite his proof that nuclear ramjets are totally impracticable" to "To Val and Wernher / Who are doing the things I merely write about." There are some deletions, e.g., speculation on a hypothetical article on "Scientific Romances and Their Effects on the Development of Astronautics" a.k.a. "Science Fiction—Its Cause, Diagnosis and Cure", p. 125). "make the Moon the fiftieth State" on p. 93 is changed to "fifty-first" (p. 117). There is an added explanation of why the characters did not consider what turned out to be the actual architecture of the first manned lunar rocket: their erroneous belief that "It would be quite impossible to build one huge spaceship that would make the journey to the moon and back on a single load of fuel" (p. 80).

  • Galaxy Science Fiction Novel No. 3
  • No attribution, but cover art signed by artist. Signature matches with other covers by John Bunch.

Title Year Publisher Format Type Catalog ID Cover Artist Pages
Prelude to Space Cover 1953 Sidgwick & Jackson Hardcover Novel Gerard Quinn 176
Prelude to Space Cover 1954 Gnome Press Hardcover Novel Emsh 191
Prelude to Space Cover 1954 Ballantine Books Paperback Novel 68 Richard Powers (artist) 166
Prelude to Space Cover 1954 Pan Books Paperback Novel 301 Gerard Quinn 156
Prelude to Space Cover 1962 Four Square Books Paperback Novel 755 159
Prelude to Space Cover 1964 Four Square Books Paperback Novel 755 Roy Carnon 159
Prelude to Space Cover 1968 Four Square Books Paperback Novel 2147 Richard Powers (artist) 159
Prelude to Space Cover 1970 Harcourt, Brace & World Hardcover Novel S. A. Summit, Inc. xii+209
Prelude to Space Cover 1970 Sidgwick & Jackson Hardcover Novel David A. Hardy 176
Prelude to Space Cover 1971 Lancer Books Paperback Novel 75172 173
Prelude to Space Cover 1971 Lancer Books Paperback Novel 75172 173
Prelude to Space 1972 Lancer Books Paperback Novel 75172 158
Prelude to Space Cover 1976 Sidgwick & Jackson Hardcover Novel David A. Hardy 176
Prelude to Space Cover 1976 Ballantine Books Paperback Novel Stanislaw Fernandes x+179
Prelude to Space Cover 1976 Ballantine Books Paperback Novel Stanislaw Fernandes x+179
Prelude to Space Cover 1976 Del Rey / Ballantine Paperback Novel Stanislaw Fernandes x+179
Prelude to Space Cover 1977 New English Library Paperback Novel Gordon C. Davies 176
Prelude to Space Cover 1977 Sidgwick & Jackson Paperback Novel Gordon C. Davies 176
Prelude to Space Cover 1980 Sidgwick & Jackson Paperback Novel Gordon C. Davies 176
Prelude to Space Cover 1980 Del Rey / Ballantine Paperback Novel Stanislaw Fernandes x+179
Prelude to Space Cover 1986 Del Rey / Ballantine Paperback Novel 179
Prelude to Space Cover 1993 Del Rey / Ballantine Paperback Novel Stanislaw Fernandes x+179
Prelude to Space Cover 1993 Del Rey / Ballantine Paperback Novel Stanislaw Fernandes x+179
Prelude to Space Cover 2011 Gateway / Orion eBook Novel
Prelude to Space Cover 2012 Audible Frontiers digital audio download Novel Richard Powers (artist)
Prelude to Space Cover 2012 RosettaBooks eBook Novel