# Is "Forge of Darkness (The Kharkanas Trilogy 1)" by Steven Erikson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Forge of Darkness (The Kharkanas Trilogy 1) by Steven Erikson (Bantam Press, 2012) is identified by: UK Bantam Press (Transworld) hardcover, 2012, first edition, first printing, with the number line reading down to 1 on the copyright page. UK Bantam Press is the true first, published 31 July 2012; the US Tor hardcover (ISBN 978-0-7653-2356-9) followed on 18 September 2012 as a separate, later setting.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Bantam Press (Transworld) hardcover, 2012, first edition, first printing, with the number line reading down to 1 on the copyright page
- Issued in boards with a pictorial dust jacket; the printed jacket price should be present
- Signed first editions signed on the title page exist
- Confirm the number line rather than the date alone
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Steven Erikson |
| Publisher | Bantam Press |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Bantam Press (Transworld) hardcover, 2012, first edition, first printing, with the number line reading down to 1 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
UK Bantam Press (Transworld) hardcover, 2012, first edition, first printing, with the number line reading down to 1 on the copyright page. Issued in boards with a pictorial dust jacket; the printed jacket price should be present. Signed first editions signed on the title page exist. Confirm the number line rather than the date alone.

## Is this the true first?
UK Bantam Press is the true first, published 31 July 2012; the US Tor hardcover (ISBN 978-0-7653-2356-9) followed on 18 September 2012 as a separate, later setting.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings show a number line no longer reaching 1; the US Tor edition and any trade-paperback issues are distinct from the UK first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Forge of Darkness (The Kharkanas Trilogy 1)* by Steven Erikson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/forge-of-darkness-the-kharkanas-trilogy-1
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.