The points of issue
John Joseph Adams Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) trade paperback original, July 2017; first volume of the Bannerless Saga. No hardcover edition was issued.
Is this the true first?
The US John Joseph Adams Books / HMH 2017 trade paperback original is the true first edition. The Philip K. Dick Award is specifically for an original science fiction paperback, and this title was issued as a paperback original with no preceding hardcover. It won the award announced in 2018.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings and the mass-market reissue are reprints, not the first edition.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bannerless a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: John Joseph Adams Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) trade paperback original, July 2017; first volume of the Bannerless Saga. No hardcover edition was issued.
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 John Joseph Adams Books / HMH 2017 trade paperback original is the true first edition. The Philip K. Dick Award is specifically for an original science fiction paperback, and this title was issued as a paperback original with no preceding hardcover. It won the award announced in 2018.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later printings and the mass-market reissue are reprints, not the first edition.
I have a first edition of Bannerless — 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.