# Is "A Hole in Space" by Larry Niven a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A Hole in Space by Larry Niven (Ballantine, 1974) is identified by: Ballantine Books paperback original, catalog number 24011 (ISBN 0345240111), 1974, in pictorial wrappers with cover art by Dean Ellis. US Ballantine paperback original (1974, first number 24011) is the true first edition; there was no prior hardcover.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Ballantine Books paperback original, catalog number 24011 (ISBN 0345240111), 1974, in pictorial wrappers with cover art by Dean Ellis
- A Known Space collection of ten pieces, including the 1975 Hugo Award-winning short story The Hole Man
- First printing is identified by the 24011 price/catalog number on the cover and the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page
- Publisher imprint reads Ballantine
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry Niven |
| Publisher | Ballantine |
| Year | 1974 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Ballantine Books paperback original, catalog number 24011 (ISBN 0345240111), 1974, in pictorial wrappers with cover art by Dean Ellis |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Ballantine Books paperback original, catalog number 24011 (ISBN 0345240111), 1974, in pictorial wrappers with cover art by Dean Ellis. A Known Space collection of ten pieces, including the 1975 Hugo Award-winning short story The Hole Man. First printing is identified by the 24011 price/catalog number on the cover and the absence of any later-printing statement on the copyright page.

## Is this the true first?
US Ballantine paperback original (1974, first number 24011) is the true first edition; there was no prior hardcover.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition; later Ballantine/Del Rey printings carry a higher cover price and updated catalog numbering rather than the original 24011.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A Hole in Space* by Larry Niven a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-hole-in-space
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.