The points of issue
DAW paperback original, catalog number UY1226, DAW Collectors No. 188, with Michael Whelan cover art; first printing per the copyright page. Cherryh's debut novel; Morgaine vol. 1.
Is this the true first?
The US DAW paperback original (1976) is the true first; there was no prior hardcover. The first hardcover appearance came in 1979 in the Nelson Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club omnibus The Book of Morgaine.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None for the paperback; the later Book of Morgaine hardcover is itself a book club omnibus.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Gate of Ivrel a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: DAW paperback original, catalog number UY1226, DAW Collectors No. 188, with Michael Whelan cover art; first printing per the copyright page. Cherryh's debut novel; Morgaine vol. 1.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US DAW paperback original (1976) is the true first; there was no prior hardcover. The first hardcover appearance came in 1979 in the Nelson Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club omnibus The Book of Morgaine.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None for the paperback; the later Book of Morgaine hardcover is itself a book club omnibus.
I have a first edition of Gate of Ivrel — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.