The points of issue
The true firsts of the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas are the PS Publishing signed limited editions: Blood Follows (2002; 300 signed, numbered hardcovers plus signed limited paperbacks of 500, introduction by Stephen R. Donaldson), The Healthy Dead (2004; 400 signed, numbered hardcovers, introduction by Paul Kearney), and The Lees of Laughter's End (2007; 500 signed, numbered copies, introduction by James Barclay). Each carries a limitation page signed by Erikson and the introducer.
Is this the true first?
The PS Publishing signed limited novella editions are the true firsts. The omnibus collecting all three appeared later from Tor in the US (2009) and as The First Collected Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach from Bantam in the UK; both are later gatherings, not firsts.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 2009 Tor omnibus, the UK Bantam collected edition, and Night Shade reprints of individual novellas all postdate the PS Publishing limiteds; verify each novella's first against its PS limitation page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (Malazan novellas collection) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true firsts of the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novellas are the PS Publishing signed limited editions: Blood Follows (2002; 300 signed, numbered hardcovers plus signed limited paperbacks of 500, introduction by Stephen R. Donaldson), The Healthy Dead (2004; 400 signed, numbered hardcovers, introduction by Paul Kearney), and The Lees of Laughter's End (2007; 500 signed, numbered copies, introduction by James Barclay). Each carries a limitation page signed by Erikson and the introducer.
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 PS Publishing signed limited novella editions are the true firsts. The omnibus collecting all three appeared later from Tor in the US (2009) and as The First Collected Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach from Bantam in the UK; both are later gatherings, not firsts.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The 2009 Tor omnibus, the UK Bantam collected edition, and Night Shade reprints of individual novellas all postdate the PS Publishing limiteds; verify each novella's first against its PS limitation page.
I have a first edition of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach (Malazan novellas collection) — 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.