The points of issue
Angry Robot paperback original, May 2015; third and final volume of the Nexus trilogy (Nexus Arc). First printing identified by the Angry Robot number line; US and UK editions appeared under the Angry Robot imprint.
Is this the true first?
The Angry Robot 2015 paperback original is the true first edition. The title is a paperback original with no preceding hardcover. It won the Philip K. Dick Award announced in 2016.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and any reissues are reprints, not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Apex a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Angry Robot paperback original, May 2015; third and final volume of the Nexus trilogy (Nexus Arc). First printing identified by the Angry Robot number line; US and UK editions appeared under the Angry Robot imprint.
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. The Angry Robot 2015 paperback original is the true first edition. The title is a paperback original with no preceding hardcover. It won the Philip K. Dick Award announced in 2016.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and any reissues are reprints, not the first edition.
I have a first edition of Apex — 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.