The points of issue
Oversized 8vo, 636 pp, illustrated by Dan Simmons and Kathleen McNeil Sherman. Issued in three states: 26 lettered copies (signed), 450 numbered copies (signed by author and artist) plus a small number of publisher's copies marked P/C on the colophon leaf, and an unsigned trade issue (ISBN 0-913165-37-9). The limited states carry a limitation leaf; the trade does not.
Is this the true first?
US Dark Harvest 1989 is the true first, preceding the UK Headline 1990 edition. The lettered and numbered signed states are the premium points; the trade hardcover is the affordable first. Won the Bram Stoker, Locus, and August Derleth awards.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No standard book-club edition. Later printings and the UK edition are not the first. Distinguish the signed limited (limitation leaf present) from the trade (no limitation leaf).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Carrion Comfort a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Oversized 8vo, 636 pp, illustrated by Dan Simmons and Kathleen McNeil Sherman. Issued in three states: 26 lettered copies (signed), 450 numbered copies (signed by author and artist) plus a small number of publisher's copies marked P/C on the colophon leaf, and an unsigned trade issue (ISBN 0-913165-37-9). The limited states carry a limitation leaf; the trade does not.
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. US Dark Harvest 1989 is the true first, preceding the UK Headline 1990 edition. The lettered and numbered signed states are the premium points; the trade hardcover is the affordable first. Won the Bram Stoker, Locus, and August Derleth awards.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No standard book-club edition. Later printings and the UK edition are not the first. Distinguish the signed limited (limitation leaf present) from the trade (no limitation leaf).
I have a first edition of Carrion Comfort — 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.