# Is "Islands in the Net" by Bruce Sterling a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Islands in the Net by Bruce Sterling (Arbor House/William Morrow, 1988) is identified by: Arbor House / William Morrow hardcover (New York, 1988) with the words First Edition stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line descending to 1. The US Arbor House hardcover is the true first; the Legend (London) UK edition followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Arbor House / William Morrow hardcover (New York, 1988) with the words First Edition stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line descending to 1
- Bound in white cloth spine over blue paper-covered boards with gilt spine lettering, a tall octavo
- The first-issue dust jacket bears the printed price to the front flap and should be present and unclipped on a first-state copy; interior maps and decorations are by Don Bolognese
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House/William Morrow
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Bruce Sterling |
| Publisher | Arbor House/William Morrow |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Arbor House / William Morrow hardcover (New York, 1988) with the words First Edition stated on the copyright page together with a complete… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Arbor House / William Morrow hardcover (New York, 1988) with the words First Edition stated on the copyright page together with a complete number line descending to 1. Bound in white cloth spine over blue paper-covered boards with gilt spine lettering, a tall octavo. The first-issue dust jacket bears the printed price to the front flap and should be present and unclipped on a first-state copy; interior maps and decorations are by Don Bolognese.

## Is this the true first?
The US Arbor House hardcover is the true first; the Legend (London) UK edition followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book club edition exists, identifiable by a blind gutter code on a rear leaf and the absence of a printed price on the jacket flap; club copies are not firsts.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Islands in the Net* by Bruce Sterling a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/islands-in-the-net
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.