This is more a question of how Amazon treats its different customers, but I am also considering whether it would be better to get the US or the UK version. This will depend on your location (I am in France for now). A time wasting exercise while waiting for the book.

The UK version is available through Amazon France, at a steep but not unreasonable 30 euros, with free shipping.

However, when I get into the Amazon UK site, I can choose between the UK version (19 pounds, 28 euros plus shipping, so the keeping things in France looks better) and the US version (with the weak dollar, it stands at 18 euro plus shipping, so twentysomething depending on the size of the order). Finally, ordering directly from the US I will get the book when everyone has already finished, but it would be some 13 euros plus shipping.

Back in 2003, the Pattern Recognition hardcovers, though with different covers and different publishing dates (3-Feb vs 24-Apr) had the same page counts (368). I got the UK one because it was discounted and it is more attractive.

Now the publishing dates are quite close, though they favour the British this time (7-Aug vs 2-Aug), I do not like much both covers, but according to Amazon the UK version has 288 pages while the US version has 384. Weird!

Desperately looking for more information I got a link to this Viking catalogue where it says that the Viking version will have 320 pages. At least, helpfully, it gives dimensions (a quite hefty 234 x 163 mm).

320 is closer, but that means the US book will be clearly smaller.

So, the real question is, what version should I preorder (and before you all say: both, that would be a big expense for a student)?

Buy the US version from Amazon.co.uk - sometimes they actually get sent out before the actually publishing date.

Checking at home, the Viking PR hardcover has the same dimensions as SC.

Is getting the book one week earlier and keeping the shelves at equal height worth six euros? I suppose it depends on the physical quality of both editions.

Has anyone both editions of PR and can comment on durability, paper quality, legibility?

hmm. so its actually cheaper for me to buy the american? thats crazy, though demonstrates how over priced some publishers make their hardbacks

US
Spook Country by William Gibson (Hardcover - 7 Aug 2007)
Buy new: £13.21 £11.89
You save: £1.32 (10%)
Available for pre-order
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery.
Books: See all 2 items

UK
Spook Country by William Gibson (Hardcover - 2 Aug 2007)
Buy new: £18.99
Available for pre-order
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery.
Books: See all 2 items

for some reason i thought the US edition was out april and the UK edition out august.

5 days earlier release in the UK - then I would order the UK edition - just to get the Euro-advantage on the WGB

WILD SPECULATION: Perhaps the man will be in London for a book signing. He sure as hell not come to Copenhagen at the end of July - 'cause I'll be in the US!

I thought book signings involved a pile of hardcovers so fans would buy an extra copy just for it to be signed. So no signings before August, and as August is a bad month for travelling and getting crowds, I would assume the promotion will start in September.

Except for cons and those weird meeting things the Americans do in summer.

Still undecided. Probably will end up ordering the UK book from Amazon.fr.

certainly the idoru signing that i stumbled upon when in london must have been early enough in the release, since i don't seem to recall having been aware it was even out till i saw the poster saying that gibson was signing the next day.

should be a good excuse for a good european get together if there is a signing in london or something.

quote:

Originally posted by remotepush:
i stumbled upon when in london must have been early enough in the release, since i don't seem to recall having been aware it was even out till i saw the poster saying that gibson was signing the next day.

The exact same thing happened to me. I was there also.

quote:

Originally posted by yer.andreas:
The exact same thing happened to me. I was there also.

you were at the same signing for idoru, in forbidden planet, in london? wow. that is mad!