# Is "Dying of the Light" by George R.R. Martin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Dying of the Light by George R.R. Martin (Simon & Schuster, 1977) is identified by: US Simon & Schuster hardcover, 1977; brown cloth with gilt lettering. US Simon & Schuster true first book edition; an abridged version was serialized earlier in Analog as After the Festival (1977), and the UK edition followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Martin's first novel
- US Simon & Schuster hardcover, 1977; brown cloth with gilt lettering
- Trade first issue carries the publisher's printed price on the jacket flap; the common book-club edition is identified by a gutter code (for example I 20 on page 276) and an unpriced jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | George R.R. Martin |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Martin's first novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Martin's first novel. US Simon & Schuster hardcover, 1977; brown cloth with gilt lettering. Trade first issue carries the publisher's printed price on the jacket flap; the common book-club edition is identified by a gutter code (for example I 20 on page 276) and an unpriced jacket.

## Is this the true first?
US Simon & Schuster true first book edition; an abridged version was serialized earlier in Analog as After the Festival (1977), and the UK edition followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club edition is frequent: gutter code in the text block and no printed price on the jacket; trade firsts have the priced, unclipped jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Dying of the Light* by George R.R. Martin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/dying-of-the-light
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.