# Is "A World Out of Time" by Larry Niven a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of A World Out of Time by Larry Niven (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1976) is identified by: Copyright page states 'First Edition' with no later-printing line. US Holt, Rinehart and Winston first hardcover, 1976 (ISBN 0-03-017776-6), is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states 'First Edition' with no later-printing line
- Octavo, cloth-backed boards, approximately 243 pages
- The first-issue dust jacket carries cover art by Rick Sternbach and should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Holt, Rinehart and Winston
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry Niven |
| Publisher | Holt, Rinehart and Winston |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states 'First Edition' with no later-printing line |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Copyright page states 'First Edition' with no later-printing line. Octavo, cloth-backed boards, approximately 243 pages. The first-issue dust jacket carries cover art by Rick Sternbach and should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Holt, Rinehart and Winston first hardcover, 1976 (ISBN 0-03-017776-6), is the true first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition lacks the printed jacket price, usually carries a blind stamp (dot or maple-leaf) on the lower rear board, is often slightly smaller in bulk, and the text-block paper is the same inexpensive stock that tans with age.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *A World Out of Time* by Larry Niven a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/a-world-out-of-time
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.