# Is "Feersum Endjinn" by Iain M. Banks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Feersum Endjinn by Iain M. Banks (Orbit, 1994) is identified by: Orbit hardcover (London, first published June 1994), the copyright page stating first publication by Orbit in 1994 with no later printing indicated and a number line whose lowest digit is 1. The UK Orbit hardcover (1994) is the true first worldwide, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition (1995).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Orbit hardcover (London, first published June 1994), the copyright page stating first publication by Orbit in 1994 with no later printing indicated and a number line whose lowest digit is 1
- Bound in black cloth-covered boards with gilt spine lettering, collating to 279 pages (ISBN 1-85723-235-6)
- The first-state dust jacket is present and unclipped; the printed price should be on the flap
- Publisher imprint reads Orbit
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain M. Banks |
| Publisher | Orbit |
| Year | 1994 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Orbit hardcover (London, first published June 1994), the copyright page stating first publication by Orbit in 1994 with no later printing… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Orbit hardcover (London, first published June 1994), the copyright page stating first publication by Orbit in 1994 with no later printing indicated and a number line whose lowest digit is 1. Bound in black cloth-covered boards with gilt spine lettering, collating to 279 pages (ISBN 1-85723-235-6). The first-state dust jacket is present and unclipped; the printed price should be on the flap.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Orbit hardcover (1994) is the true first worldwide, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition (1995).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club issue is noted for the first appearance.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Feersum Endjinn* by Iain M. Banks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/feersum-endjinn
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.