# Is "Lucifer's Hammer" by Larry Niven a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven (Playboy Press, 1977) is identified by: Playboy Press (Chicago) first hardcover, stating "First Edition" on the copyright page; octavo, 494 pages; red boards with a black cloth backstrip and gilt titling on the spine. US Playboy Press (Chicago) 1977 first hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Playboy Press (Chicago) first hardcover, stating "First Edition" on the copyright page; octavo, 494 pages; red boards with a black cloth backstrip and gilt titling on the spine
- First-issue dust jacket has a black spine with red and yellow lettering and carries its printed price on the front flap
- Co-written with Jerry Pournelle
- Publisher imprint reads Playboy Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry Niven |
| Publisher | Playboy Press |
| Year | 1977 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Playboy Press (Chicago) first hardcover, stating "First Edition" on the copyright page; octavo, 494 pages; red boards with a black cloth… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Playboy Press (Chicago) first hardcover, stating "First Edition" on the copyright page; octavo, 494 pages; red boards with a black cloth backstrip and gilt titling on the spine. First-issue dust jacket has a black spine with red and yellow lettering and carries its printed price on the front flap. Co-written with Jerry Pournelle.

## Is this the true first?
US Playboy Press (Chicago) 1977 first hardcover is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book club edition has a blind stamp on the rear board and an unpriced jacket; the trade first should show the printed jacket price and the stated "First Edition."

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Lucifer's Hammer* by Larry Niven a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/lucifers-hammer
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.