The points of issue
Bantam Spectra hardcover in original cloth, number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. ISBN 0-553-09393-2.
Is this the true first?
US Bantam Spectra hardcover is the true first; the Millennium/Orion UK edition followed.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
An Easton Press signed limited collector's edition (leather, gilt edges) appeared near the same time and is a distinct issue, not the trade first. No book-club state is the priority issue point here.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Heavy Weather a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Bantam Spectra hardcover in original cloth, number line ending in 1 on the copyright page. ISBN 0-553-09393-2.
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. US Bantam Spectra hardcover is the true first; the Millennium/Orion UK edition followed.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
An Easton Press signed limited collector's edition (leather, gilt edges) appeared near the same time and is a distinct issue, not the trade first. No book-club state is the priority issue point here.
I have a first edition of Heavy Weather — 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.