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The King of the Beasts
Science fiction short story.
A very short story, only two pages, but a real gem of a tale.
Variant titles are: "The King of Beasts" or "King of Beasts". Some books – like An ABC of Science Fiction – are using all three variants in the same edition. The variant titles I mention below are the ones coming with the story itself.
Published also as a comic strip (1977).
DESCRIPTION:
All life on Earth is extinct. A biologist has gotten permission to recreate life, only the higher animals, on Earth.
 
PUBLICATION HISTORY
| US | UK | AUSTRALIA | CZECH REPUBLIC | FRANCEGERMANY | GREECE |
| HUNGARY | ITALY | JAPANRUSSIA | SPAIN |

61 Publications
 
US

Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
FIRST PUBLICATION
in Galaxy
Frederik Pohl
New York, NY: Galaxy Publishing Corporation
Volume 22, No. 5
magazine (18,5×13,5cm)
June 1964
196
$ 0.50
McKenna [= Martin McKenna]
-


McKenna
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Ninth Galaxy Reader
Frederik Pohl
Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Doubleday Science Fiction
no ISBN
hardcover (21,5×14,5cm)
02/1966
vii + 203
$ 3.95
Howard Berstein
-

Howard Berstein
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Ninth Galaxy Reader
Frederik Pohl
New York, NY: Pocket Books
# 50532
no ISBN
paperback (16×10,5cm)
04/1967 (1st)
viii + 227
$ 0.50
not credited
-

-
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Ninth Galaxy Reader
Frederik Pohl
Richmond Hill, Ontario: Pocket Books
# 50532
no ISBN
paperback (16×10,5cm)
09/1968 (2nd) [Canadian printing]
viii + 227
$ 0.50
not credited
This Canadian printing has nearly the same data as the first US edition. The date and the publisher's city differ. It states 'Published in Canada' in the Maple Leaf on the cover, and 'Printed in Canada' on the back cover.

-
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in An ABC of Science Fiction
Tom Boardman, Jr.
New York, NY: Avon Books
V2249
no ISBN
paperback (18×11cm)
12/1968 (1st)
223
$ 0.75
Ronald Walotsky
This anthology uses all three variants of the title, with the Acknowledgements, in the Table of Contents, and on the story page.

Ronald Walotsky
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in An ABC of Science Fiction
Tom Boardman, Jr.
New York, NY: Avon Books
Science Fiction, V2392
SBN 380-02392-075
paperback (18×11cm)
02/1971 (2nd)
223
$ 0.75
Ronald Walotsky
This anthology uses all three variants of the title, with the Acknowledgements, in the Table of Contents, and on the story page.

Ronald Walotsky
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Zoo 2000
Jane Yolen
New York, NY: The Seabury Press
A Clarion Book
ISBN 0-8164-3103-5
hardcover (23,5×16cm)
09/1973
224
$ 6.50
Jack Breslow
With a short introduction by the editor.

Jack Breslow
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Zoo 2000
Jane Yolen
New York, NY: The Seabury Press
A Clarion Book
ISBN 0-8164-3103-5
hardcover (23,5×16cm)
-/1973 [?]
224
$ 7.95
Jack Breslow
With a short introduction by the editor. This seems a second printing, with exact the same data as the first one. No indication in the book if this is a reprint. Only the price, printed on the dustjacket, differs.

Jack Breslow
Anthology
Edited by

Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in Science Fact/Fiction
Edmund J. Farrell, Thomas E. Gage, John Pfordresher & Raymond J. Rodrigues
Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company
-
ISBN 0-673-03407-0
trade paperback (23×15cm)
-/1974
xv + 394
not priced
Jack Youngerman
-

Jack Youngerman
Anthology
Edited by

Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in Science Fact/Fiction
Edmund J. Farrell, Thomas E. Gage, John Pfordresher & Raymond J. Rodrigues
Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company

ISBN 0-673-10224-6
trade paperback (23×15cm)
-/1976 (2nd)
xv + 394
not priced
Jack Youngerman
-

Jack Youngerman
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in Bananas
Jovial Bob Stine [= R.L. Stine]
New York, NY: Scholastic Press
No. 10
magazine (..×..cm)
January 1978
..
not priced
photo of Starsky and Hutch
Bananas was a popular humor magazine for teenagers.

-
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates



Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in Beyond Time and Space
Robert R. Potter
New York, NY: Globe Book Company, Inc.
-
ISBN 0-87065-155-2
trade paperback (21×14cm)
-/1978 (1st)
-/1985 (2nd)
not dated [= unknown] (3rd)
not dated [= unknown] (4th)
216
not priced
Mort Perry
With a short introduction by the editor. Illustrated by Charles Molina. The printing is indicated in a row of numbers on the copyright page. This is a textbook, intended for classroom use. The text of the story has been altered (simplified) for young readers, but why both protagonists of the story had to change their gender from male to female...?

Mort Perry
Title
Anthology

Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Microcosmic Tales (100 Wondrous Science Fiction Short-Short Stories)
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Joseph D.Olander
New York, NY: Taplinger Publishing Co., Inc.
-
ISBN 0-8008-5238-9
hardcover (21,5×14,5cm)
09/1980
325
$ 12.95
Ivy Strick
-

Ivy Strick
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates

Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Mad Scientists
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Charles G.Waugh
Milwaukee, WI: Raintree Publications Inc.
Sci-Fi Shorts
ISBN 0-8172-1733-9
hardcover [no dusjacket] (24×17cm)
10/1982
-/1988 (2nd)
48
not priced [= $ 11.95]
Joel Naprstek
Pictorial boards. The cover illustrates Farmer's story. A children's book.

Joel Naprstek
Collection
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Classic Philip José Farmer 1952-1964
New York, NY: Crown Publishers
Classics of Modern Science Fiction, Volume 4
ISBN 0-517-55193-4
hardcover (18,5×13cm)
02/1984
xii + 215
$ 7.95
Michael Booth
-

Michael Booth
Collection
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Classic Philip José Farmer 1952-1964
New York, NY: Crown Publishers
# 5451 / Classics of Modern Science Fiction
no ISBN
hardcover (21,5×14,5cm)
06/1984
viii + 215
$ 3.98
Michael Booth
Book Club Edition.

Michael Booth
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates





Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Tomorrow
Michael Spring
New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
Literature Anthologies
ISBN 0-590-34579-6
trade paperback (23×15cm)
-/1987 (1st)
not dated [= unknown] (2nd)
not dated [= unknown] (3rd)
not dated [= unknown] (4th)
not dated [= unknown] (5th)
not dated [= unknown] (6th)
191
not priced
Georgia O'Keeffe
With an illustration by Jim Ludtke. This is a textbook, intended for classroom use.

Georgia O'Keeffe
Calendar

Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in Science Fiction and Fantasy Story-a-Month 1989 calendar
Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg
Petaluma, CA: Pomegranate
-
ISBN 0-87654-237-2
calendar (30×28cm)
10/1988
unpaginated
$ 9.95
-
Calender with 12 very short stories and photographs of the authors.

-
Title
Anthology

Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Microcosmic Tales (100 Wondrous Science Fiction Short-Short Stories)
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Joseph D.Olander
New York, NY: DAW Books
Science Fiction, No. 883 / UE2532
ISBN 0-88677-532-9
paperback (17,5×10,5cm)
06/1992
330
$ 4.99
Jim Burns
-

Jim Burns
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates

Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in Stories Beyond Time and Space
Robert R. Potter
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Globe Book Company, Inc.
The Globe Reader's Collection
ISBN 0-83590-158-0
trade paperback (21×13,5cm)
-/1992 (1st)
not dated [= unknown] (2nd)
216
not priced
Salavdor Dali
With a short introduction by the editor. Illustrated by Charles Molina. The printing is indicated in a row of numbers on the copyright page. This is a textbook, intended for classroom use. The text of the story has been altered (simplified) for young readers, but why both protagonists of the story had to change their gender from male to female...?

Salavdor Dali
Anthology
Edited by

Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in 100 Astounding Little Alien Stories
Robert Weinberg, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz and Martin H. Greenberg
New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books
-
ISBN 0-76070-142-3
hardcover (21,5×14,5cm)
09/1996
xvi + 544
not priced [= $ 7.98]
Cheryl Knippenburg
-

Cheryl Knippenburg
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in What on Earth? (An Ecology Reader)
Terry Ofner and Rebecca Christian
Logan, IA: Perfection Learning Corporation
Literature & Thought
ISBN 0-7891-5274-6
trade paperback (23×16,5cm)
01/2001
144
not priced
Carey Moore
Text book, intended for classroom use. Story illustrated with a photo by Brad Wilson.

Carey Moore
Title
Collection
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates


Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in The Best of Philip José Farmer
Dorman T. Skindler
Burton, MI: Subterranean Press
-
ISBN 1-59606-036-0
hardcover (23,5×16cm)
02/2006 (trade)
03/2006 (numbered, signed, in slipcase)
04/2006 (lettered, signed, in traycase}
572
$ 38.00 | $ 175.00 | $ 300.00
Michael Komark
Published in three editions.

Michael Komark
UK
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in An ABC of Science Fiction
Tom Boardman, Jr.
London: Four Square Books
Science-Fiction, # 1652
no ISBN
paperback (18×11cm)
11/1966
207
3/6
not credited [= Barry Evans]
-

Barry Evans
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
n The Ninth Galaxy Reader
Frederik Pohl
London: Victor Gollancz Ltd
-
no ISBN
hardcover (20,5×13,5cm)
-/1967
vii + 203
21/-
-
-

-
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
n The Ninth Galaxy Reader
Frederik Pohl
London: Pan Books
Science Fiction
ISBN 0-330-02449-3
paperback (18×11cm)
-/1970
239
£ 0.30
not credited [= W.F. Phillips]
-

W.F. Phillips
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Zoo 2000
Jane Yolen
London: Victor Gollancz, Ltd.
-
ISBN 0-575-01923-9
hardcover (20,5×13,5cm)
02/1975
224
£ 2.00
David Smee
With a short introduction by the editor.

David Smee
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Dates

Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in Zoo 2000
Jane Yolen
Basingstoke & London: Macmillan
Topliner Redstar
ISBN 0-333-19968-5
paperback (18×11cm)
-/1976
-/1977
142
not priced
Peter Whiteman
-

Peter Whiteman
Collection
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Classic Philip José Farmer 1952-1964
London: Robson Books
Classics of Modern Science Fiction, Volume 4
ISBN 0-86051-333-5
hardcover (18,5×12,5cm)
03/1985
8 not numbered + 215
£ 5.95
Michael Booth
-

Michael Booth
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in The Oxford Book of Animal Stories
Dennis Pepper
Oxford: Oxford University Press
-
ISBN 0-19-278134-0
hardcover (24×16,5cm)
10/1994
304
not priced
Terry Riley
A childern's book. Story illustrated by Neil Evans.

Terry Riley
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
"The King of Beasts"
in The Oxford Book of Animal Stories
Dennis Pepper
Oxford: Oxford University Press
-
ISBN 0-19-278160-X
trade paperback (21,5×13,5cm)
12/1999
304
£ 6.99
John Butler
A childern's book. Story illustrated by Neil Evans.

John Butler
AUSTRALIA
Collection
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Cover art
Notes
in The Classic Philip José Farmer 1952-1964
Richmond, Victoria: Greenhouse
Classics of Modern Science Fiction, Volume 4
ISBN 0-909104-94-8
hardcover (18,5×12,5cm)
-/1985
xii + 215
-
Michael Booth
-

Michael Booth
CZECH REPUBLIC
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Czech: "Král zvířat"
in Rychlý jako gepard a řvoucí jako lev
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Joseph D.Olander
Prague: And
Classic #21
ISBN 80-85782-13-8
paperback (18×10,5cm)
-/1994
300
not priced
Martin Janda
Jim Burns
-

Jim Burns
FRANCE
Title
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
French: "Le roi des animaux"
in Le nouveau Planète
Jean-Claude Guilbert
Paris: Le nouveau Planète
nº 22
magazine (20×17,5cm)
May-June 1971
164
FF 7
not credited
(a sculpture)
-

-
GERMANY
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
German: "Das größte aller Monster"
in Galaxy 3
Walter Ernsting
München: Heyne
Science Fiction, Band 3052
no ISBN
paperback (18×11,5cm)
-/1965
155
not priced
Walter Ernsting
Atelier Heinrichs
-

-
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
German: "Das geht zu weit"
in Feuerwerk der SF
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Joseph D Olander
München: Goldmann
Edition '84, Die positiven Utopien Vol.8, #8408
ISBN 3-442-08408-3
paperback (18×11,5cm)
07/1984
362
DM 14,80
Tony Westermayr
Klaus Holitzka
-

Klaus Holitzka
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
German: "Das geht zu weit"
in Feuerwerk der SF
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Joseph D Olander
Gùtersloh: Bertelsmann / Science Fiction & Fantasy Club
Nr. 01680 8
no ISBN
hardcover (21×13cm)
not dated [= -/1985]
303
-
Tony Westermayr
Chris Foss
-

Chris Foss
Title
Collection
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
German: "Das größte aller Monster"
in Jenseits von Raum und Zeit
München: Heyne
Science Fiction & Fantasy, Band 4387
ISBN 3-453-00978-9
paperback (18×11,5cm)
-/1987
617
DM 14,80
Walter Ernsting
John Harris
-

John Harris
GREECE
Title
Anthology

Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Greek: "Ο Βασιλιας των Ζωων"
in Αγοραστε το δια (και άλλες 69 πολύ μικρές ιστορίες του Φανταστικού)
not credited
Thessaloniki: I Agnosti Kantath
-
ISBN 960-8112-01-X
trade paperback (19,5×14cm)
12/1999
265
not priced
Vangelis Parampoukis
unknown
-

-
Title
Anthology

Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Greek: "Ο Βασιλιας των Ζωων"
in Αγοραστε το δια (και άλλες 69 πολύ μικρές ιστορίες του Φανταστικού)
not credited
Thessaloniki: I Agnosti Kantath
-
ISBN 960-8112-01-X
trade paperback (19,5×14cm)
-/1999 [= actually -/2003] (2nd)
265
not priced
Vangelis Parampoukis
'Magbox'
The book does not indicate this as a second printing, nor gives it the actual publication date. The copyright page is the same as with the first printing.

'Magbox'
HUNGARY
Title
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Hungarian: "Az állatok királya"
in Galaktika
Péter Kuczka
Budapest: Móra Ferenc Youth Books
No. 153
magazine (23,5×16,5cm)
June 1993
128
Ft 128
Szántai Zsolt
János Jantner
-

János Jantner
ITALY
Title
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Italian: "Il re degli animali"
in Incidente a Leonta City, e altri racconti
Carlo Fruttero & Franco Lucentini
Milan: Arnoldo Mondadori
Urania No. 364
magazine (19×13cm)
12/1964
128
L 200
Beata della Frattina
Karel Thole
-

Karel Thole
JAPAN
Title
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Japanese: "百獣の王"
in 奇想天外 (Bizarre)
Tadashi Sone
..: Bizarre Inc.
No. 10
magazine (..×..cm)
10/1974
..
..
Akira Kagami
..
-

Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Japanese: "百獣の王"
in ミニミニSF傑作展 (Shoto shoto SF no seizui)
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Joseph D.Olander
Tokyo: KodanSha
-
ISBN 4-062-00019-9
paperback (18,5×12cm)
05/1983
257
-
Mariko Sakawa
Makoto Wada
-

Makoto Wada
Title
Anthology
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Japanese: "百獣の王"
in ショート・ショート秀作選 1
Isaac Asimov, Martin H.Greenberg and Charles G.Waugh
Tokyo: ShueiSha bunko
Cobalt series 67
ISBN 4-0861-0610-8
paperback (15×10,5cm)
10/1983
238
-
Jun Kazami
Shizuko Nakagawa
-

Shizuko Nakagawa
RUSSIA
Title
Omnibus
Publisher
Series+no.
Bookno.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Russian: "Царь зверей"
in Миры Филипа Фармера 15
Riga & Moscow: Polaris
-
ISBN 5-88132-275-4
hardcover [no dustjacket] (20,5×13,5cm)
03/1997
400
-
I. Ziveva
V. Kovalev
-

V. Kovalev
SPAIN
Title
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Spanish: "El rey de las bestias"
in Melodrama Infernal (y Otras Narraciones)
not credited
Barcelona: Géminis
Selecciones Géminis de Ciencia Ficción, No. 1
magazine (18,5×13,5cm)
-/1967
128
Pts 25
P. Castillo
Enrich
Story illustrated by '2hots'.

Enrich
Title
Magazine
Edited by
Publisher
Series+no.
Format
Date
Pages
Price
Translation
Cover art
Notes
Spanish: "El rey de las bestias"
in Nueva dimensión
José M. Armengou
Barcelona: Dronte
No. 51
magazine (19,5×17cm)
November 1973
128
Pts 100
not credited
Enrique Torres
-

Enrique Torres
TOP

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© Zacharias L.A. Nuninga -- Page last updated: 21 Nov 2012