The points of issue
UK Voyager/HarperCollins hardcover, published 8 August 2000, precedes the US edition; first edition stated with number line ending in 1. US Bantam Spectra hardcover followed in November 2000.
Is this the true first?
UK Voyager is the true first, preceding the US Bantam edition by about three months. The UK text was later split into a two-volume paperback issue (Steel and Snow; Blood and Gold), which is not the first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
SFBC copies and later printings differ; the later UK two-volume split is a reprint format.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of A Storm of Swords (ASOIAF 3) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Voyager/HarperCollins hardcover, published 8 August 2000, precedes the US edition; first edition stated with number line ending in 1. US Bantam Spectra hardcover followed in November 2000.
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. UK Voyager is the true first, preceding the US Bantam edition by about three months. The UK text was later split into a two-volume paperback issue (Steel and Snow; Blood and Gold), which is not the first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
SFBC copies and later printings differ; the later UK two-volume split is a reprint format.
I have a first edition of A Storm of Swords (ASOIAF 3) — 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.