# Is "Eon" by Greg Bear a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Eon by Greg Bear (Bluejay Books, New York, 1985) is identified by: The true first is identified by the statement 'First Bluejay printing: August 1985' on the copyright page. The US Bluejay Books hardcover is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition follows.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The true first is identified by the statement 'First Bluejay printing: August 1985' on the copyright page
- This dated printing statement is the single reliable point
- There is no descending number line on the genuine first, so do not look for one
- The jacket carries a printed price (copies are described as not price-clipped), but the price is a secondary indicator, not a defining point
- Issued as a 'Bluejay International Edition'
- Locus- and Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated
- Publisher imprint reads Bluejay Books, New York

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Greg Bear |
| Publisher | Bluejay Books, New York |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The true first is identified by the statement 'First Bluejay printing: August 1985' on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The true first is identified by the statement 'First Bluejay printing: August 1985' on the copyright page. This dated printing statement is the single reliable point. There is no descending number line on the genuine first, so do not look for one. The jacket carries a printed price (copies are described as not price-clipped), but the price is a secondary indicator, not a defining point. Issued as a 'Bluejay International Edition'; Locus- and Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated.

## Is this the true first?
The US Bluejay Books hardcover is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition follows.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club printing lacks the 'First Bluejay printing' statement, carries a rear-board gutter blindstamp, and uses an unpriced 'Book Club Edition' jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Eon* by Greg Bear a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/eon
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.