The points of issue
First novel under the Robin Hobb pen name (Hobb is Megan Lindholm). US Bantam Spectra trade paperback original, May 1995, with number line running to 1. The UK hardcover from HarperCollins' newly launched Voyager imprint followed about three months later, in 1995.
Is this the true first?
The US Bantam Spectra paperback original (May 1995) is the true first; the UK Voyager hardcover (August 1995) is the first hardcover but not the first edition. A paperback original preceding any hardcover is an unusual and frequently misunderstood point on this title.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The UK Voyager hardcover, though desirable as the first hardcover, postdates the US paperback by roughly three months. Later printings and the many reissue and anniversary editions are distinct.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy 1) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First novel under the Robin Hobb pen name (Hobb is Megan Lindholm). US Bantam Spectra trade paperback original, May 1995, with number line running to 1. The UK hardcover from HarperCollins' newly launched Voyager imprint followed about three months later, in 1995.
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 US Bantam Spectra paperback original (May 1995) is the true first; the UK Voyager hardcover (August 1995) is the first hardcover but not the first edition. A paperback original preceding any hardcover is an unusual and frequently misunderstood point on this title.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The UK Voyager hardcover, though desirable as the first hardcover, postdates the US paperback by roughly three months. Later printings and the many reissue and anniversary editions are distinct.
I have a first edition of Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy 1) — 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.