The points of issue
UK Millennium (an Orion imprint) hardcover, 1998, with dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
The UK Millennium 1998 hardcover is the true first; a US Bantam Spectra paperback followed in 1998. Won the 1999 Arthur C. Clarke Award.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Bantam Spectra paperback is the first US and first thus, not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Dreaming in Smoke a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Millennium (an Orion imprint) hardcover, 1998, with dust jacket.
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 Millennium 1998 hardcover is the true first; a US Bantam Spectra paperback followed in 1998. Won the 1999 Arthur C. Clarke Award.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US Bantam Spectra paperback is the first US and first thus, not the true first.
I have a first edition of Dreaming in Smoke — 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.