First of all, sorry for the quality of the pictures. I hope you can notice it anyway.

On the books, I don't get it. I'm pretty disappointed. The details don't match. The size is different, and because of it, the place of the letters is also different and so on. Also, the sides of the slipcase are unalike. For the price, I think this product is under quality.

I have asked HarperCollins about your issues with the book, will let you know any response.

Anyone who is thinking of buying this edition, I would hold off, until I get a response from HarperCollins?

Reply from HarperCollins.

Fortunately it’s been generally well received and we have almost sold out of the first printing of 235 copies. The initial printing error where half a page in the last volume was blanked out was corrected years ago, including in this new edition.

Wow, only 235 copies? That's a pretty short first printing.

235 copies, I'd be curious of those how many were pre-orders before a single picture or even render was provided.

I had mine pre-ordered when it first showed up, assuming it would be matching the others in the most recent Deluxe line. I then promptly cancelled when we got the first renders and it matching was in question.

Figured if the initial renders were wrong (as they have been in previous Deluxe editions) I could always order it at that time. Very glad I held off, but I'm betting a lot of that 235 were from people in a similar spot and who didn't cancel their pre-orders.

The fact that it was such a short print run may explain why it is such a poor effort.

I'm happy to miss out on this one. Just because something is rare does not make it good.

Got my copy

Stu wrote:
I'm happy to miss out on this one. Just because something is rare does not make it good.

Exactly my sentiments.

Also, while HC says "fortunately", it almost seems like they're going "phew, dodged a bullet there", which is more than can be said for the poor folks who paid good money for this worthless set.

I still cannot understand how HC could have gotten this *so wrong*. I've moved on from sad to laughable

I don't think they got it so wrong to be honest. Looking at the set it's hardly some publishing/printing travesty. For me it's just too expensive for a set that's already been published as a standard boxset twice (& there's very little difference, as Stu points out); and which previously had a better deluxe treatment anyway. I mean, this is the sort of HC "half deluxe" anyway, so I'm not clear what people were expecting. The other matching "deluxe" copies are just decent hardbacks by historical standards. There's nothing very deluxe about them.

BH

Deluxe HoM books are here, box is demolished in transit and broke in two places, thank you Amazon for such a beautiful collectors edition