# Is "Dead Air" by Iain Banks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Dead Air by Iain Banks (Little, Brown, 2002) is identified by: Little, Brown (London) hardcover of 2002; the copyright page states that it was first published in Great Britain in 2002 by Little, Brown and carries a full descending number line. The UK Little, Brown hardcover (2002) is the true first edition; US publication followed later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Little, Brown (London) hardcover of 2002; the copyright page states that it was first published in Great Britain in 2002 by Little, Brown and carries a full descending number line
- Bound in purple cloth boards with silver titling to the spine, issued in the original pictorial dust jacket
- A first-issue jacket retains its printed price on the front flap (unclipped); price-clipped copies are common but do not by themselves affect edition status
- Text runs to 408 pages (pp. viii, 408)
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain Banks |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Year | 2002 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Little, Brown (London) hardcover of 2002; the copyright page states that it was first published in Great Britain in 2002 by Little, Brown… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Little, Brown (London) hardcover of 2002; the copyright page states that it was first published in Great Britain in 2002 by Little, Brown and carries a full descending number line. Bound in purple cloth boards with silver titling to the spine, issued in the original pictorial dust jacket. A first-issue jacket retains its printed price on the front flap (unclipped); price-clipped copies are common but do not by themselves affect edition status. Text runs to 408 pages (pp. viii, 408).

## Is this the true first?
The UK Little, Brown hardcover (2002) is the true first edition; US publication followed later.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Dead Air* by Iain Banks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/dead-air
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.