# Is "Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology" by Bruce Sterling (editor) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology by Bruce Sterling (editor) (Arbor House, 1986) is identified by: Anthology edited and introduced by Sterling. The US Arbor House hardcover, issued late 1986, is the true first; the Ace paperback did not appear until 1988 and the Paladin UK edition followed.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Anthology edited and introduced by Sterling
- Arbor House hardcover, first printing identified by the full number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' ending in 1 on the copyright page
- Bound in gray boards with a black spine and silver lettering, in a priced dust jacket; the printed price should be present on the jacket flap
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Bruce Sterling (editor) |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1986 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Anthology edited and introduced by Sterling |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Anthology edited and introduced by Sterling. Arbor House hardcover, first printing identified by the full number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1' ending in 1 on the copyright page. Bound in gray boards with a black spine and silver lettering, in a priced dust jacket; the printed price should be present on the jacket flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Arbor House hardcover, issued late 1986, is the true first; the Ace paperback did not appear until 1988 and the Paladin UK edition followed. Defining cyberpunk anthology.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book club issue exists and is distinguished from the trade first by the blind gutter code on the rear board, the absence of the full number line, and a jacket without a printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology* by Bruce Sterling (editor) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mirrorshades-the-cyberpunk-anthology
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.