Childhood's End first chapter puzzle

[saturnine]

Hi,
I hope someone can help me with a little issue I've got.
I was about to order online an English edition of "Childhood's End", but on amazon.com I've noticed, on 2 different editions, two different beginnings (using the Search Inside option).
One edition starts with: "The volcano that had reared Taratua up from the Pacific depths had been sleeping now for half a million years".
The other begins: "Before she flew to the launch site, Helena Lyakhov always went through the same ritual".
I have the Spanish translation, which begins with the volcano sentence.
Can anyone explain why these two different versions of the first chapter (as the rest, starting from chapter 2, seems identical in both editions)?

I'd appreciate any insight as I'm really anxious to order the book.

Thanks
Monica

[Urlik]

I just started a reread of Childhood's End today and I have the volcano version (I didn't even know a different version existed)

[iansales]

My version (Pan paperback) is also the volcano start. And looking through the book, I couldn't even see a character called Helena Lyakhov (although I may have missed mention of her).

[saturnine]

Originally Posted by iansales

My version (Pan paperback) is also the volcano start. And looking through the book, I couldn't even see a character called Helena Lyakhov (although I may have missed mention of her).

Quite so. The version beginning with the volcano has no reference to Helena Lyakhov, as the version with Helena has no reference to such a word as "Taratua".

I'm still puzzled Unfortunately, I'm new in this forum and I'm not allowed to post any links, but the first chapter excerpt from the edition with Helena Lyakhov is available for readers on the first book showed by amazon.com when you search for "Childhood's End". (Publisher: Ballantine Publishing Group, division of Random House; first edition by Ballantine - 1953, reprinted - 1990).

tks for posting back,
monica

[Quokka]

There's a brief mention here and on Wikipedia about a new opening chapter being added in 1990 but my copy is from 1974 (I think and certainly pre-1990) and it has the Volcano opening as well so I'm not to clear either .


Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke Summary

[gully_foyle]

Interesting. I have the volcano version too, but if I google Helena Lyakhov I do find references to Childhood's End. I saw this was discussed last year too, but it was inconclusive.

If memory serves me correctly the first chapter was originally a short story. Perhaps Helena appeared in this original story.

[saturnine]

Originally Posted by gully_foyle

Interesting. I have the volcano version too, but if I google Helena Lyakhov I do find references to Childhood's End. I saw this was discussed last year too, but it was inconclusive.

If memory serves me correctly the first chapter was originally a short story. Perhaps Helena appeared in this original story.

thanks a lot.
kinda what I was suspecting, too.

I've ordered the second version (Helena Lyakhov) to see how's the book like with this first chapter