Iain M. Banks First Editions

• Consider Phlebas — 1987 · Macmillan, LondonFirst UK Macmillan hardcover, London, 1987: yellow cloth boards with the dust jacket carrying the net printed price on the front flap (the printed price should be present). First Culture novel and Banks's first SF under the 'M.' byline. Uncorrected proofs exist and are not the trade first. The UK Macmillan hardcover (1987) is the true first, preceding the US St. Martin's Press edition (also 1987). Collect the Macmillan for priority; uncorrected proofs exist and are not the trade first. The US St. Martin's edition (1987) is a later, separate setting and is bound in dark blue paper-covered boards with gilt spine titling and states 'First American Edition' — do not confuse it with the UK first. Confirm the Macmillan imprint and the yellow cloth binding for the true first.
• The Player of Games — 1988 · Macmillan, LondonFirst UK Macmillan hardcover, 1988; pictorial dust jacket with the price on the flap; no later-printing statement. Second Culture novel. A signed/numbered limited issue also exists and is distinct from the trade first. The UK Macmillan hardcover (1988) is the true first, preceding the US St. Martin's Press edition (January 1989) and all paperbacks. Priority to London. US St. Martin's and any club issues are later. Confirm the Macmillan imprint, the 1988 date, and the absence of a later-printing notice. Uncorrected proof copies exist and are not the trade first.
• The State of the Art — 1989 · Mark V. ZiesingStandalone novella, not the later expanded collection. The Mark V. Ziesing (Shingletown, CA) 1989 hardcover was issued in two states: a trade edition and a slipcased limited edition of 400 numbered copies signed by the author and by jacket artist Arnie Fenner. The limited edition is bound in publisher's purple cloth with silver titling to the upper board and spine, wears the Arnie Fenner illustrated dust jacket,…. The Ziesing US hardcover (1989) is the true first book appearance of the novella. The Orbit UK paperback of the same title (1991) is a different, expanded book: a story collection adding several short stories, and is the first UK edition. None for the Ziesing edition.
• Use of Weapons — 1990 · OrbitFirst UK Orbit hardcover, 1990; dust jacket priced on the flap (jacket art by Keith Scaife); copyright page reads as a first edition with no later-printing or additional-impression statement. Identification rests on the 'first published 1990' / first-impression copyright page, not a number line. The UK Orbit hardcover (1990) is the true first, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition (1992). The Orbit paperback followed in 1991; the 1990 hardcover holds collecting priority. US editions follow. Verify the Orbit imprint, the 1990 date, and a first-impression copyright page with no statement of a later printing.
• Against a Dark Background — 1993 · OrbitOrbit UK hardcover, first edition, first impression; the copyright page states first published in Great Britain by Orbit in 1993 with no later printings indicated (ISBN 1857230310). Octavo, viii and 487 pages. Bound in black cloth (boards) with silver lettering to the spine, issued in an illustrated dust jacket with the printed price present on the unclipped jacket. UK Orbit hardcover (1993) is the true first; the US Bantam Spectra edition (1993) was a paperback original. None notable.
• Feersum Endjinn — 1994 · OrbitOrbit hardcover (London, first published June 1994), the copyright page stating first publication by Orbit in 1994 with no later printing indicated and a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Bound in black cloth-covered boards with gilt spine lettering, collating to 279 pages (ISBN 1-85723-235-6). The first-state dust jacket is present and unclipped; the printed price should be on the flap. The UK Orbit hardcover (1994) is the true first worldwide, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition (1995). No book-club issue is noted for the first appearance.
• Excession — 1996 · OrbitOrbit (London) hardcover, 1996, ISBN 1-85723-394-8, approximately 455 pages. The copyright page carries the statement 'First published in Great Britain in 1996 by Orbit' with a descending printer's number line ending in 1 to denote the first impression. Issued in publisher's boards with a priced pictorial dust jacket; the printed price should be present on the jacket flap of a true first-issue copy. A Culture novel. The Orbit UK hardcover of 1996 is the true first edition; the US edition (Bantam Spectra) followed in 1997, so the London printing precedes it. None notable.
• Inversions — 1998 · OrbitOrbit UK hardcover. Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1998 by Orbit, with full number line descending to 1. Priced dust jacket. ISBN 1857236262. A Culture novel, though the connection is left implicit in the text. UK Orbit hardcover (1998) is the true first; the US edition followed later. None notable.
• Look to Windward — 2000 · OrbitOrbit UK hardcover, black cloth lettered in gilt on the spine. Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 2000 by Orbit, with full number line descending to 1. Priced dust jacket. ISBN 1857239695. A Culture novel. UK Orbit hardcover (2000) is the true first; the US edition followed in 2001. None notable.
• The Algebraist — 2004 · OrbitFirst edition published by Orbit, London, 2004, in publisher's brown cloth boards with silver titling to the spine; 534 pages (ISBN 1-84149-155-1). The copyright page states 'First published in Great Britain in 2004 by Orbit'; the priced dust jacket should be present and unclipped. A non-Culture SF novel; a signed, numbered limited issue also exists with a limitation page. The UK Orbit hardcover (2004) is the true first; the US edition (Night Shade Books) followed in 2005. None notable.
• Matter — 2008 · OrbitUK Orbit (London) hardcover, ISBN 9781841494173, 593 pages, bound in black boards; the copyright page states "First published in Great Britain in 2008" with a full number line ending in 1. Issued in a pictorial, unclipped jacket that should retain its printed front-flap price. A Culture novel. The UK Orbit hardcover, published 25 January 2008, is the true first; the US Orbit edition (ISBN 9780316005364) followed on 26 February 2008 and is a separate 'first US' state. None notable; distinguish the true UK first from the separately-dated US Orbit edition and from later printings lacking the 1 in the number line.
• Surface Detail — 2010 · OrbitUK Orbit (London) hardcover, ISBN 9781841498935, 628 pages, bound in black boards with white titling to the spine; the copyright page states "First published in Great Britain in 2010" with a full number line ending in 1. Issued in an illustrated, unclipped jacket that should retain its printed front-flap price. A Culture novel. The UK Orbit hardcover, published 7 October 2010, is the true first; the US Orbit edition (ISBN 9780316123402) followed the same month and is a separate 'first US' state. None notable; the US Orbit edition is a distinct first-US state, and later printings drop the 1 from the number line. Watch for remainder-marked copies.
• The Hydrogen Sonata — 2012 · OrbitOrbit UK hardcover, published 4 October 2012. Copyright page states first publication in Great Britain in 2012 by Orbit, with the first-impression number line including 1. Priced dust jacket. Final Culture novel. UK Orbit hardcover (4 October 2012) is the true first, preceding the near-simultaneous US Orbit edition of 9 October 2012. None notable.

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