The points of issue
Warner hardcover; copyright page states 'First printing: June 1988' with a full number line 10 through 1; priced jacket. Xenogenesis vol. 2.
Is this the true first?
US Warner hardcover (1988) is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No standalone book-club edition confirmed; the trilogy's book-club issue is the 1989 Guild America (SFBC) Xenogenesis omnibus, a smaller volume with no jacket price.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Adulthood Rites a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Warner hardcover; copyright page states 'First printing: June 1988' with a full number line 10 through 1; priced jacket. Xenogenesis vol. 2.
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. US Warner hardcover (1988) is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No standalone book-club edition confirmed; the trilogy's book-club issue is the 1989 Guild America (SFBC) Xenogenesis omnibus, a smaller volume with no jacket price.
I have a first edition of Adulthood Rites — 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.