The double ending of 'The Star Kings'

That's quite confusing: apparently there are two versions of 'The Star Kings' perfectly matching until the last chapter, where they split drastically.   ]In the first one Gordon wakes up in his own time bemoaning his beloved Lianna lost forever in a remote future - but in a mental contact she promises him that Zarth Arn would find a way for him to join her in his own body as soon as science develops far enough. Which leaves a door open to the 'Back To The Stars' sequel).   In the second one Gordon, back in his own time, retrieves Lianna, whose personality was sent back to him into the body of a woman (obviously attractive :-) previously lost to life due to irreversible coma. This would close the novel precluding any reasonable sequel.   The funny side is that the two versions seem to be evenly distributed over the internet.   A legitimate question would thus be "which one was originally written by Hamilton?"

"The Star Kings" by Edmond Hamilton was initially published as a novella in 1947, and later it was expanded into a full novel. During this expansion process, it's possible that the author made significant changes to the story, including the ending. Additionally, the book was reissued under the title "Beyond the Moon" in 1951, which could indicate further revisions or rebranding. Therefore, the differences you mentioned in the two versions might be a result of the author's edits and changes made when the novella was adapted into a novel or during its reissuing with a new title.   Ultimately, to determine the author's original intent, one would need to consult primary sources like Edmond Hamilton's notes, manuscripts, or any recorded statements he may have made about the work. Without such evidence, the question of which version was truly the original remains a matter of speculation and may vary based on personal interpretation.   My speculation is that Edmond Hamilton, like many authors, may have recognized the potential for a deeper and more intricate story within the universe he created. The expansion could have allowed him to explore the characters, the world-building, and the overarching plot in more detail. As a result, the differing endings could be a reflection of the author's creative growth and evolving vision for the story.   Is there anyone here with alternative suggestions or more creative solutions to consider? :)

Syfy doing stellar...awesome

It's been years since I read the "Star Kings" stories of Hamilton. But I [i]do[/i] know that Hamilton wrote the novel-length "The Star Kings" in 1944-45, but could not sell it. Eventually, editor Ray Palmer at [i]Amazing Stories[/i] reached out to Hamilton asking if he still had the mss for "The Star Kings." This was published, complete in one issue of [i]Amazing Stories[/i], in the September 1947 issue. Hamilton changed the ending (allowing for potential sequels) when the first book edition came out in hardcover from Frederick Fell, October 1949. I'm not aware of any other "expansion" to the original magazine text. The novel was retitled BEYOND THE MOON for its first paperback appearance from Signet Books using the revised ending. FYI, the novel was serialized, in English, in the Indian newspaper, [i]The Bombay Chronicle.[/i]   The only modification to a "Star Kings" story that I [i]know[/i] was [b]NOT[/b] performed by Hamilton was in the first publication of "Kingdom of the Stars" from [i]Amazing Stories[/i], September 1964. "Kingdom of the Stars" was the first of four novellas that Hamilton used to fix-up the "Star Kings" sequel novel, RETURN TO THE STARS. A short paragraph was inserted into the story to match that issue's cover image. Hamilton removed this description when RETURN TO THE STARS was published by Lancer Books in 1969.    Stephen Haffner HAFFNER PRESS Editor of STAR AND THE STAR KINGS by Edmond Hamilton and Leigh Brackett