The points of issue
First published as a Science Fiction Book Club hardcover in June 1976: a club edition with a gutter code and no price on the jacket. The DAW paperback (DAW Collectors No. 212, catalog number UW1257) followed in October 1976 as the first mass-market edition. Cherryh's second published novel.
Is this the true first?
Unusual precedence: the book club hardcover (June 1976) came before the DAW paperback (October 1976), so the SFBC hardcover is the true first edition; the DAW first printing is the first mass-market edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The true first is itself a book club edition, so club traits such as the gutter code and unpriced jacket do not disqualify it here.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Brothers of Earth a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First published as a Science Fiction Book Club hardcover in June 1976: a club edition with a gutter code and no price on the jacket. The DAW paperback (DAW Collectors No. 212, catalog number UW1257) followed in October 1976 as the first mass-market edition. Cherryh's second published novel.
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. Unusual precedence: the book club hardcover (June 1976) came before the DAW paperback (October 1976), so the SFBC hardcover is the true first edition; the DAW first printing is the first mass-market edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The true first is itself a book club edition, so club traits such as the gutter code and unpriced jacket do not disqualify it here.
I have a first edition of Brothers of Earth — 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.