The points of issue
UK Corvus (Atlantic Books) hardcover, 2012; ISBN 9781848874633; dust jacket present. Corvus also issued a trade paperback at the same time (ISBN 9781848874640).
Is this the true first?
The UK Corvus hardcover of 2012 is the true first; it precedes the US edition (Crown/Broadway, 2014). The book won the 2013 Arthur C. Clarke Award and was Sunday Times SF Novel of the Year for 2012.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US edition is a later, separate state ('first US'); subsequent printings are reprints.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Dark Eden a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Corvus (Atlantic Books) hardcover, 2012; ISBN 9781848874633; dust jacket present. Corvus also issued a trade paperback at the same time (ISBN 9781848874640).
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 Corvus hardcover of 2012 is the true first; it precedes the US edition (Crown/Broadway, 2014). The book won the 2013 Arthur C. Clarke Award and was Sunday Times SF Novel of the Year for 2012.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US edition is a later, separate state ('first US'); subsequent printings are reprints.
I have a first edition of Dark Eden — 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.