# Is "Eye in the Sky" by Philip K. Dick a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Eye in the Sky by Philip K. Dick (Ace, 1957) is identified by: Ace single full-length paperback original, catalog number D-211 (an 'Ace Double-Size Book,' i.e. The US Ace paperback original (1957) is the true first; the novel was never serialized or issued in hardcover prior to it.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Ace single full-length paperback original, catalog number D-211 (an 'Ace Double-Size Book,' i.e. a single complete novel rather than a dos-a-dos Ace Double)
- Pictorial wrappers with the celebrated cover art by Ed Valigursky showing a giant eye; the printed cover price appears on the front wrapper
- First printing carries the D-211 designation on the cover and spine
- Publisher imprint reads Ace
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip K. Dick |
| Publisher | Ace |
| Year | 1957 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Ace single full-length paperback original, catalog number D-211 (an 'Ace Double-Size Book,' i.e. a single complete novel rather than a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Ace single full-length paperback original, catalog number D-211 (an 'Ace Double-Size Book,' i.e. a single complete novel rather than a dos-a-dos Ace Double). Pictorial wrappers with the celebrated cover art by Ed Valigursky showing a giant eye; the printed cover price appears on the front wrapper. First printing carries the D-211 designation on the cover and spine.

## Is this the true first?
The US Ace paperback original (1957) is the true first; the novel was never serialized or issued in hardcover prior to it. Later Ace reprintings appear under different catalog numbers (e.g. the later Ace reissue), so a copy lacking the D-211 designation is not the first printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; paperback original only. Distinguish later Ace printings by a changed catalog number and revised cover price rather than the original D-211.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Eye in the Sky* by Philip K. Dick a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/eye-in-the-sky
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.