# Is "Falling Free" by Lois McMaster Bujold a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen Books, New York, 1988) is identified by: Baen mass-market paperback original, wraps, 307 pages; first printing stated as 'First printing, April 1988' with a number line; original cover price on the front. The Baen mass-market paperback original (April 1988) is the true first book edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Baen mass-market paperback original, wraps, 307 pages; first printing stated as 'First printing, April 1988' with a number line; original cover price on the front
- Issued as a paperback original with no preceding US hardcover
- Publisher imprint reads Baen Books, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lois McMaster Bujold |
| Publisher | Baen Books, New York |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Baen mass-market paperback original, wraps, 307 pages; first printing stated as 'First printing, April 1988' with a number line; original… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Baen mass-market paperback original, wraps, 307 pages; first printing stated as 'First printing, April 1988' with a number line; original cover price on the front. Issued as a paperback original with no preceding US hardcover.

## Is this the true first?
The Baen mass-market paperback original (April 1988) is the true first book edition. The novel was earlier serialized in Analog, but magazine serialization does not displace the first book edition. Later printings advance the number line.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No paperback book club edition; later printings are distinguished by a higher cover price and an advanced number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Falling Free* by Lois McMaster Bujold a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/falling-free
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.