The points of issue
Tor hardcover first printing with the 'First Edition: March 1999' statement on the copyright page and a complete number line ending in 1. Priced dust jacket (price on the front flap); publisher's boards. Hugo, Campbell, and Locus SF Novel winner.
Is this the true first?
The US Tor 1999 hardcover is the true first; the UK Millennium edition is a separate printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club edition has no price on the jacket, a blind-stamp on the rear board, and lacks the Tor number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Deepness in the Sky a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Tor hardcover first printing with the 'First Edition: March 1999' statement on the copyright page and a complete number line ending in 1. Priced dust jacket (price on the front flap); publisher's boards. Hugo, Campbell, and Locus SF Novel winner.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US Tor 1999 hardcover is the true first; the UK Millennium edition is a separate printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Science Fiction Book Club edition has no price on the jacket, a blind-stamp on the rear board, and lacks the Tor number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of A Deepness in the Sky — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.