# Is "Gilgamesh the King" by Robert Silverberg a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Gilgamesh the King by Robert Silverberg (Arbor House, 1984) is identified by: US Arbor House first edition, 1984, with a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and the original printed price on the jacket front flap. US Arbor House hardcover is the first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Arbor House first edition, 1984, with a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and the original printed price on the jacket front flap
- Bound as an octavo in quarter cloth over boards, with the first-issue dust jacket designed by Loretta Trezzo
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Silverberg |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1984 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Arbor House first edition, 1984, with a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and the original printed price on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Arbor House first edition, 1984, with a complete number line ending in 1 on the copyright page and the original printed price on the jacket front flap. Bound as an octavo in quarter cloth over boards, with the first-issue dust jacket designed by Loretta Trezzo.

## Is this the true first?
US Arbor House hardcover is the first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions are identified by 'Book Club Edition' on the jacket flap, the absence of a printed price, and a blindstamp to the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Gilgamesh the King* by Robert Silverberg a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/gilgamesh-the-king
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.