Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Where are Leigh Brackett's Dragon Queens exactly?

In the Planet Stories version (which is identical, except for Jupiter references it seems) we have the Planet Stories original part from 1941 listed first, and the later version second:-

"TEX stirred uneasily where he lay on the parapet, staring into the heavy, Jupiterian fog."
and
"Tex stirred uneasily where he lay on the parapet, staring into the heavy, Venusian fog."

"The Jupiterians were swarming up the incline on which the fort stood"
and
"The Venusians were swarming up the incline on which the fort stood"

"Jupiter is a virgin planet."
and
"Venus is a virgin planet."

"It's the rust that'll lose us Jupiter in the end."
and
"It's the rust that'll lose us Venus in the end."

"Hertford's Jungles of Jupiter"
and
"Hertford's Jungles of Venus"

"Then they can slaughter our boys when they come up, and have the whole of Jupiter clear."
and
"Then they can slaughter our boys when they come up, and have the whole of Venus clear."

"And some day the swamps would be drained, and men and women would find new wealth, new life, new horizons here on Jupiter."
and
"And some day the swamps would be drained, and men and women would find new wealth, new life, new horizons here on Venus."

However, the Planet Stories version seems to contradict itself joviographicaly:-

"There's your countryman, Breska. I'd say he isn't so sold on the idea of making Venus safe for colonists."
and
Tex grunted. "There's your countryman, Breska. I'd say he isn't so sold on the idea of making Venus safe for colonists."

"rouse the more lethargic pastoral tribes against the colonists, and sweep outland Peoples from the face of Venus."
and
"rouse the more lethargic pastoral tribes against the colonists, and sweep outland Peoples from the face of Venus."

"It's the rust that'll lose us Venus in the end—that, and these Dry Spots."
and
"It's the rust that'll lose us Venus in the end—that, and these Dry Spots."


So pretty clearly some dodgy editing in the original magazine version and the later one changes it to actually make sense to the reader. Venus is certainly the more logical choice from the setting, too. So it really is the same story, with some errors fixed.

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