# Is "Gateway" by Frederik Pohl a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Gateway by Frederik Pohl (St. Martin's Press, 1977) is identified by: Martin's Press (New York), 1977, first edition, first book of the Heechee saga. US St.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Martin's Press (New York), 1977, first edition, first book of the Heechee saga
- Bound in blue/navy textured boards stamped in gilt on the spine, issued in a pictorial dust jacket with cover art by Boris Vallejo; the first-issue jacket retains its printed price on the front flap
- Winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Campbell awards
- Publisher imprint reads St. Martin's Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Frederik Pohl |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Martin's Press (New York), 1977, first edition, first book of the Heechee saga |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
St. Martin's Press (New York), 1977, first edition, first book of the Heechee saga. Bound in blue/navy textured boards stamped in gilt on the spine, issued in a pictorial dust jacket with cover art by Boris Vallejo; the first-issue jacket retains its printed price on the front flap. Winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Campbell awards.

## Is this the true first?
US St. Martin's (1977) is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition is separate. Included for completeness of Locus-winner coverage.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club edition reprints the same Boris Vallejo jacket art but is marked 'Book Club Edition' on the flap with no printed price, has a blind-stamped dot to the rear board, and is printed on cheaper bulking paper; it is not the first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Gateway* by Frederik Pohl a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/gateway
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.