The points of issue
Story collection of three Miles Vorkosigan novellas with a framing story. Baen mass-market paperback original; copyright page states First printing, October 1989. No prior trade hardcover.
Is this the true first?
The Baen paperback original (October 1989) is the true first edition of the collection; the component novellas appeared earlier in magazines and anthologies.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No standalone book-club edition, but the Science Fiction Book Club issued a 1990 Guildamerica hardcover omnibus, Vorkosigan's Game, combining The Vor Game with Borders of Infinity; that omnibus is not a first edition of this title.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Borders of Infinity a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Story collection of three Miles Vorkosigan novellas with a framing story. Baen mass-market paperback original; copyright page states First printing, October 1989. No prior trade hardcover.
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 Baen paperback original (October 1989) is the true first edition of the collection; the component novellas appeared earlier in magazines and anthologies.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No standalone book-club edition, but the Science Fiction Book Club issued a 1990 Guildamerica hardcover omnibus, Vorkosigan's Game, combining The Vor Game with Borders of Infinity; that omnibus is not a first edition of this title.
I have a first edition of Borders of Infinity — 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.