Combining parts of a book that was split into two parts in a different place

[Roman]

If a book was split into two parts in translation to one language and it was also split into two parts in translation to another language, but it was split in a different place, should the relevant parts be combined together ? (i.e, should part 1 in one language be combined with part 1 in another language, and the same for parts 2 ?)

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications)]

Umm, I think so, though there is always the risk of the two parts having split on different places. And some books, by internal structure will have pre-defined splitting points.

But in general, even when it isn´t so, I would think it is a good ide. For example in GRRM´s books I have seen it done combined. It reduces clogging at least.

[Deborah]

As long as it is the same number of parts, I think they should be combined. Part 1 of 2, should be combined with Part 1 of 2, but not with part 1 of 3.

[Cait]

Technically speaking, no, if each part has different content then it shouldn't be combined. On a practical level, usually we don't know where the split is and assume it to be the same based on the number of parts. If the parts can be confirmed as different, they should be separate (with very firm librarian notes to keep them apart); in the absence of information, they can be assumed to be the same.

[Roman]

What about when it's not just one book, but the whole series is split into two parts per book? And what if some books are split in the same place and others are split in a different place?

[Cait]

I think the technical term for that situation is "messy!", Roman. :) Is there a particular series you're working on here?

[Roman]

There's The Serpentwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist. The four books were split into two when translated to german and also when translated to czech. Books 1 and 3 were split in a different place, while books 2 and 4 were split in the same place.

There's also the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. The first 11 books were split into two when translated to czech. The first 6 books were split into two when translated to german. (Books 7-11 were not split when translated to german.) All 6 books are split in a different place. Complication is that the german translations are combined with spanish and italian translations (also split into two books), but I don't know if those are split in the same place or not.

[Cait]

Oof. Okay, let's see.

The first thing to do is to get all of the book parts in order: for the Serpentwar Saga, it sounds like you'll need to line up:
1. The four original books and any translations of the full books, combined.
2. Any parts of books which are the same in translation, which sounds like it would be Die Schlangenkrieg-Saga/Hadí sága #3, 4, 7, 8, combined.
3. Any other unique parts of books, which sounds like it would be Die Schlangenkrieg-Saga #1, 2, 5, 6, and Hadí sága #1, 2, 5, 6, uncombined.

Then make sure that each series -- The Serpentwar Saga, Die Schlangenkrieg-Saga, and Hadí sága -- each have links to each other with explanations that the series has also been published in different volume divisions.

Hadí sága is going to look strange, I'm afraid, because the editions where it's combined with the Die Schlangenkrieg-Saga editions are going to show the Die Schlangenkrieg-Saga editions by default, since those are the most popular. The Hadí sága series indication won't be immediately visible on any editions of, for example, Hadí sága #3, because the Die Schlangenkrieg-Saga series has to take precedence, but it will be visible in the "more details" section. Unfortunately, that's the way that translated series get displayed right now (and if it weren't for the different series split, there wouldn't be a new series object created at all -- it's still a little dodgy right now).

Here's an example of how it can work, with the Ranma 1/2 series.