# Is "Eragon (Inheritance Cycle 1) — Knopf trade edition" by Christopher Paolini a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Eragon (Inheritance Cycle 1) — Knopf trade edition by Christopher Paolini (Alfred A. Knopf / Random House, 2003) is identified by: First Knopf trade printing: copyright-page number line running down to 1; a first-edition statement may be present; first-state jacket with no film banner. US Knopf is the first commercial trade edition (2003) but is effectively the second, revised edition of the work; the 2002 self-published Paolini International wrappers edition precedes it.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Knopf trade printing: copyright-page number line running down to 1; a first-edition statement may be present; first-state jacket with no film banner
- Text is the revised (shorter) version, distinct from the longer self-published text
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf / Random House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Christopher Paolini |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf / Random House |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First Knopf trade printing: copyright-page number line running down to 1; a first-edition… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First Knopf trade printing: copyright-page number line running down to 1; a first-edition statement may be present; first-state jacket with no film banner. Text is the revised (shorter) version, distinct from the longer self-published text.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf is the first commercial trade edition (2003) but is effectively the second, revised edition of the work; the 2002 self-published Paolini International wrappers edition precedes it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings advance the number line and add movie tie-in jackets referencing the film adaptation; book-club editions differ from the trade first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Eragon (Inheritance Cycle 1) — Knopf trade edition* by Christopher Paolini a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/eragon-inheritance-cycle-1-knopf-trade-edition
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.