"Rogues in Space" Manuscripts

GM Joe · #1 September 21st, 2014, 02:37 PM

The Far Traveller #3 topic made me think about the two bound manuscripts I have for Rogues in Space. Looking around the web, it seems they're not unheard of. But I have two copies: one is with a black plastic comb-type binding and is unsigned. The other has a red spiral binding, has a signature "J. Andrew Keith", and below the "Submitted: February 1984" it has "(c) 1998 by Paul Sanders, all rights reserved." At the bottom of that copy is "Approved for Use With Traveller," whereas the black comb one lacks that.

Anyone know the story behind these two different versions?

**aramis** · #2 September 21st, 2014, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ransom

The Far Traveller #3 topic made me think about the two bound manuscripts I have for Rogues in Space. Looking around the web, it seems they're not unheard of. But I have two copies: one is with a black plastic comb-type binding and is unsigned. The other has a red spiral binding, has a signature "J. Andrew Keith", and below the "Submitted: February 1984" it has "(c) 1998 by Paul Sanders, all rights reserved." At the bottom of that copy is "Approved for Use With Traveller," whereas the black comb one lacks that.

Anyone know the story behind these two different versions?

The Paul Sanders one is probably from a bundled set that apparently got broken up. The other one may be Andrew's own ashcan release. Is the layout otherwise the same?

GM Joe · #3 September 21st, 2014, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aramis

The Paul Sanders one is probably from a bundled set that apparently got broken up. The other one may be Andrew's own ashcan release. Is the layout otherwise the same?

No, the Paul Sanders one starts with a blank page (that is, the back of the cover page is blank). The other one has page 1 printed on it.

It may have been Paul that sent these to me. I remember someone on TML sent them to me back in the 90s, when I was doing the freelance work for Imperium Games. I'm ashamed that I don't remember who gifted me with them.

**robject** · #4 September 22nd, 2014, 10:42 AM

Paul did both of these. The red-spiral version came out first and included a separate folio of finished versions of the deckplans ("Letter of Marque" on the top, a vargr in the center, and "Ship's Compendium" on the bottom), sort of as a proof-of-concept or a desire to publish the most recent manuscript revision. The later version came in the Cargonaut folder with the Keiths' unpublished stuff, including the Rogues in Space stuff. The two publications came out less than a year apart, if I recall.

I still have the red spiral, but I sold the "Lost Supplements" folder-of-goodies a couple years ago, due to it not being used by me at all. It has collector's value, however.

....Although, the Lost Supplement versions I had were saddle-stapled, rather than combed...

GM Joe · #5 September 22nd, 2014, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robject

Paul did both of these. The red-spiral version came out first and included a separate folio of finished versions of the deckplans ("Letter of Marque" on the top, a vargr in the center, and "Ship's Compendium" on the bottom), sort of as a proof-of-concept or a desire to publish the most recent manuscript revision. The later version came in the Cargonaut folder with the Keiths' unpublished stuff, including the Rogues in Space stuff. The two publications came out less than a year apart, if I recall.

I still have the red spiral, but I sold the "Lost Supplements" folder-of-goodies a couple years ago, due to it not being used by me at all. It has collector's value, however.

....Although, the Lost Supplement versions I had were saddle-stapled, rather than combed...

Ah, OK. Thank you!

One of the two does have the folio in it, by the way. I'm at work and don't recall which it was in, but I did notice it there when I was looking at it last night. So it seems you've hit it on the head.

I won't be selling these, of course. I'm just trying to remember how I got them. It amazes me how little I remember from that period, just a little over 15 years ago. All the time I spent on the TML (and XBoat ML before that)...

Thanks again!

Baron · #6 September 22nd, 2014, 01:44 PM

Well, I hadn't heard (or remembered hearing) of "Rogues in Space" before now. Sounds right up my alley! I'll keep my fingers crossed that they become available again someday.

Any feedback on the quality? Are they any good, must-have, or just so-so?

**robject** · #7 September 22nd, 2014, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron

Well, I hadn't heard (or remembered hearing) of "Rogues in Space" before now. Sounds right up my alley! I'll keep my fingers crossed that they become available again someday.

Any feedback on the quality? Are they any good, must-have, or just so-so?

They are good. They're done by the Keith brothers, to boot.

**aramis** · #8 September 22nd, 2014, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron

Well, I hadn't heard (or remembered hearing) of "Rogues in Space" before now. Sounds right up my alley! I'll keep my fingers crossed that they become available again someday.

Any feedback on the quality? Are they any good, must-have, or just so-so?

They're typical Keith Brothers work. Higher end of CT 3rd party.

It should be noted that one of Bill Keith's editors commented on a blog that he had little to do on Bill's novel work.