# Is "Inconstant Moon" by Larry Niven a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Inconstant Moon by Larry Niven (Victor Gollancz, 1973) is identified by: Victor Gollancz, London, 1973, first hardcover edition in boards with the original unclipped dust jacket. The Gollancz hardcover is the true first edition of this collection; there was no earlier US edition under this title (the US Ballantine paperback followed).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Victor Gollancz, London, 1973, first hardcover edition in boards with the original unclipped dust jacket
- Collection of twelve stories assembled for the UK market, including the Hugo-winning title story
- Publisher imprint reads Victor Gollancz
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry Niven |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Victor Gollancz, London, 1973, first hardcover edition in boards with the original unclipped dust jacket |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Victor Gollancz, London, 1973, first hardcover edition in boards with the original unclipped dust jacket. Collection of twelve stories assembled for the UK market, including the Hugo-winning title story.

## Is this the true first?
The Gollancz hardcover is the true first edition of this collection; there was no earlier US edition under this title (the US Ballantine paperback followed). Individual stories had appeared earlier in US magazines and other collections.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book club edition.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Inconstant Moon* by Larry Niven a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/inconstant-moon
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.