# Is "Blue Mars" by Kim Stanley Robinson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (HarperCollins / Voyager, 1996) is identified by: UK HarperCollins/Voyager hardcover, London 1996, the true first. The UK HarperCollins/Voyager edition (1996) precedes the US Bantam Spectra edition (also 1996) and is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK HarperCollins/Voyager hardcover, London 1996, the true first
- The copyright page reads 'Published by Voyager 1996' above a number line printed in the Voyager style '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' (the '1' present marking the first printing); there is no 'First Edition' statement, that number line being the sole point
- Bound in blue heavy boards with silver lettering to the spine, 616 pages, in a priced pictorial jacket (the printed price should be present on the front flap)
- The US Bantam Spectra hardcover (also 1996) is a separate first, stating 'First Edition' with a full number line descending to 1
- Publisher imprint reads HarperCollins / Voyager
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Kim Stanley Robinson |
| Publisher | HarperCollins / Voyager |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK HarperCollins/Voyager hardcover, London 1996, the true first |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK HarperCollins/Voyager hardcover, London 1996, the true first. The copyright page reads 'Published by Voyager 1996' above a number line printed in the Voyager style '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' (the '1' present marking the first printing); there is no 'First Edition' statement, that number line being the sole point. Bound in blue heavy boards with silver lettering to the spine, 616 pages, in a priced pictorial jacket (the printed price should be present on the front flap). The US Bantam Spectra hardcover (also 1996) is a separate first, stating 'First Edition' with a full number line descending to 1.

## Is this the true first?
The UK HarperCollins/Voyager edition (1996) precedes the US Bantam Spectra edition (also 1996) and is the true first. Both are dated 1996, so confirm by imprint and jacket: the Voyager copy carries the '1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2' number line and no 'First Edition' line, whereas the Bantam Spectra copy states 'First Edition' with a full descending number line.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Science Fiction Book Club edition lacks the 'First Edition' statement, carries a blind-stamp (typically to the rear board), is on cheaper bulked paper, and comes in a club jacket without a printed price on the flap.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Blue Mars* by Kim Stanley Robinson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/blue-mars
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.