The points of issue
UK Gollancz hardcover, London 2001, full title Bold as Love: A Near Future Fantasy, with dust jacket; first printing per the Gollancz number line.
Is this the true first?
The UK Gollancz 2001 hardcover is the true first and the only true first, as no early competing US edition appeared. Won the 2002 Arthur C. Clarke Award. First book of the Bold as Love cycle.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reissues and SF Masterworks/print-on-demand editions are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Bold as Love a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Gollancz hardcover, London 2001, full title Bold as Love: A Near Future Fantasy, with dust jacket; first printing per the Gollancz number line.
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 UK Gollancz 2001 hardcover is the true first and the only true first, as no early competing US edition appeared. Won the 2002 Arthur C. Clarke Award. First book of the Bold as Love cycle.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reissues and SF Masterworks/print-on-demand editions are reprints.
I have a first edition of Bold as Love — 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.