# Is "Inversions" by Iain M. Banks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Inversions by Iain M. Banks (Orbit, 1998) is identified by: Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1998 by Orbit, with full number line descending to 1. UK Orbit hardcover (1998) is the true first; the US edition followed later.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1998 by Orbit, with full number line descending to 1
- Priced dust jacket
- ISBN 1857236262
- A Culture novel, though the connection is left implicit in the text
- Publisher imprint reads Orbit
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain M. Banks |
| Publisher | Orbit |
| Year | 1998 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1998 by Orbit, with full number line descending to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Orbit UK hardcover. Copyright page states First published in Great Britain in 1998 by Orbit, with full number line descending to 1. Priced dust jacket. ISBN 1857236262. A Culture novel, though the connection is left implicit in the text.

## Is this the true first?
UK Orbit hardcover (1998) is the true first; the US edition followed later.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Inversions* by Iain M. Banks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/inversions
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.