# Is "Network Effect" by Martha Wells a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Network Effect by Martha Wells (Tordotcom / Tor.com, 2020) is identified by: First Tordotcom hardcover, May 2020 (ISBN 9781250229861). The US Tordotcom 2020 trade hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Tordotcom hardcover, May 2020 (ISBN 9781250229861)
- First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line including 1, and carries the printed price on the dust jacket flap (unclipped)
- First full-length Murderbot novel; prior entries are novellas
- Publisher's boards
- Publisher imprint reads Tordotcom / Tor.com
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Martha Wells |
| Publisher | Tordotcom / Tor.com |
| Year | 2020 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Tordotcom hardcover, May 2020 (ISBN 9781250229861) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First Tordotcom hardcover, May 2020 (ISBN 9781250229861). First printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page with a complete number line including 1, and carries the printed price on the dust jacket flap (unclipped). First full-length Murderbot novel; prior entries are novellas. Publisher's boards.

## Is this the true first?
The US Tordotcom 2020 trade hardcover is the true first. A signed limited edition may exist as a separate state; confirm the 'First Edition' statement and full number line to distinguish the trade first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is the standard concern here; verify the priced jacket and full number line ending in 1 to confirm the first printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Network Effect* by Martha Wells a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/network-effect
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.