# Is "Mona Lisa Overdrive" by William Gibson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson (Victor Gollancz, London, 1988) is identified by: First UK Victor Gollancz hardcover, June 1988, in the publisher's characteristic bright-yellow pictorial dust jacket with the printed price present on the front flap; a first impression carries no statement of a later printing and Gollancz did not use a number line in this period. The UK Gollancz hardcover is the true first, published in June 1988 and preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition of the same year; dealers of confirmed firsts consistently describe the Gollancz as the earlier issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK Victor Gollancz hardcover, June 1988, in the publisher's characteristic bright-yellow pictorial dust jacket with the printed price present on the front flap; a first impression carries no statement of a later printing and Gollancz did not use a number line in this period
- Concludes the Sprawl trilogy after Neuromancer and Count Zero
- Publisher imprint reads Victor Gollancz, London
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Gibson |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz, London |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK Victor Gollancz hardcover, June 1988, in the publisher's characteristic bright-yellow pictorial dust jacket with the printed price… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First UK Victor Gollancz hardcover, June 1988, in the publisher's characteristic bright-yellow pictorial dust jacket with the printed price present on the front flap; a first impression carries no statement of a later printing and Gollancz did not use a number line in this period. Concludes the Sprawl trilogy after Neuromancer and Count Zero.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Gollancz hardcover is the true first, published in June 1988 and preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition of the same year; dealers of confirmed firsts consistently describe the Gollancz as the earlier issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US Bantam Spectra and US book-club editions follow; a Science Fiction Book Club issue typically shows a gutter blindstamp to the rear board and an unpriced jacket, whereas the Gollancz first retains its flap price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Mona Lisa Overdrive* by William Gibson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/mona-lisa-overdrive
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.