That is correct. In classic Overlook fashion, they were inconsistent. TTT does not have "First Edition" printed on the publisher page, unlike the others. Also, AFAIK Overlook only ever did 1 printing of TTT in hardback.

Concerning superficially similar sex organs, I assume something going on like with the spotted hyena: females have a "pseudo-penis" so they appear to be male, but there is still sexual reproduction.

But why is Sil's shield so big? Are you suggesting that the shield is a relic from the days when the Inchoroi were huge, but the Heron Spear is more recent (or was shrunk down from a previously bigger weapon)?
That still doesn't explain how Aurang was able to wrestle the Tall and win.

Maybe just that the Tall have grown, substantially, by the time we see them? A Tall at Arkfall was 2-3 meters, whereas in TUC they are like 5?

I don't think anything in the text contradicts the idea that it is a lot larger than we assume: it was stolen by Seswatha and Nau-Cayûti together -- perhaps this is the reason Seswatha needed Nau-Cayûti to come with him -- and was transported in Anaxophus' chariot, so it could actually be ~20 ft long.

The exact dimensions are never really given, so yes it could be any/all explanations.

Then again there is nothing to contradict the idea of the spear being like a laser pointer, other than the fact that it is a silly image.

This provides the primary drawback of the type of obfuscation Bakker loves - you can end up in weird places, like a fearsome weapon being a toothpick.

"Touched by a masterpiece, a person begins to hear in himself that same call for truth that prompted the artist to the creative act"

Andrey Tarkovsky. Sculpting in Time.

Essentially this?

These are just guesses on my part. Except for the Heron Spear being more recent... Perhaps, if the Ark was pumping out weapons to scale Rick and Morty style.

Honestly, I would have given you a different answer years ago but now I do wonder about Bakker's antecedents. It was suggested in deleted comments on a draft of The Four Revelations that the Tall grew on Earwa based on their heroism (which really complicates the Inchoroi's original stature, excepting the pound of flesh metaphor and grafting them to acclimatize to Earwa and sorcery).

What really is starting to freak me out is that Earwa has a Firmament and "the Void" (space) is a misdirect.

Also, you should join the Discord (check your private messages). I'll keep you this going forever but there is activity on the Discord, before the governance starts cracking down on "unregulated" communication.

Strength on the Journey, Journey well.