# Is "Air" by Geoff Ryman a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Air by Geoff Ryman (St. Martin's Press / Gollancz, 2004) is identified by: Martin's Griffin imprint) trade paperback original, 2004; ISBN 9780312261214; full first-state title as printed reads 'Air: Or, Have Not Have.' Issued in wrappers with cover art by Philip Pascuzzo; there was no St. The US St.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Martin's Griffin imprint) trade paperback original, 2004
- ISBN 9780312261214; full first-state title as printed reads 'Air: Or, Have Not Have.' Issued in wrappers with cover art by Philip Pascuzzo; there was no St
- Martin's hardcover, so the Griffin trade paperback is the format of first publication
- A true first printing shows the complete descending printer's key on the copyright page terminating in 1
- The UK Gollancz edition (ISBN 9780575078116) followed in 2005
- Publisher imprint reads St. Martin's Press / Gollancz
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Geoff Ryman |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press / Gollancz |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Martin's Griffin imprint) trade paperback original, 2004 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
US St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin imprint) trade paperback original, 2004; ISBN 9780312261214; full first-state title as printed reads 'Air: Or, Have Not Have.' Issued in wrappers with cover art by Philip Pascuzzo; there was no St. Martin's hardcover, so the Griffin trade paperback is the format of first publication. A true first printing shows the complete descending printer's key on the copyright page terminating in 1. The UK Gollancz edition (ISBN 9780575078116) followed in 2005.

## Is this the true first?
The US St. Martin's Griffin edition of 2004 is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition followed in 2005. The book grew out of Ryman's 2001 novelette 'Have Not Have' (Fantasy & Science Fiction, April 2001). It won the 2006 Arthur C. Clarke Award, the BSFA Award, the 2005 James Tiptree Jr. (Otherwise) Award, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Note that the 'Or, Have Not Have' subtitle appears on the first edition but was dropped from later editions and printings, which appear simply as 'Air.'

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition. The UK Gollancz edition is a separate, later state; subsequent printings that drop the 'Or, Have Not Have' subtitle and carry a printer's key not ending in 1 are reprints.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Air* by Geoff Ryman a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/air
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.