The points of issue
UK HarperCollins mass-market paperback original, 1994, ISBN 0-586-21774-6; Smith's debut novel; first printing.
Is this the true first?
The UK HarperCollins paperback original of 1994 is the true first. Won the British Fantasy (August Derleth) Award in 1995 and the Philip K. Dick Award presented in 2000 for the US edition. The US Bantam edition was the award-eligible form.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Voyager and Harper reissues are reprints or first thus. The US edition is the first US printing. The first hardcover appearance was a separate later Subterranean Press edition (2002), not a 1994 issue.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Only Forward a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK HarperCollins mass-market paperback original, 1994, ISBN 0-586-21774-6; Smith's debut novel; first printing.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The UK HarperCollins paperback original of 1994 is the true first. Won the British Fantasy (August Derleth) Award in 1995 and the Philip K. Dick Award presented in 2000 for the US edition. The US Bantam edition was the award-eligible form.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Voyager and Harper reissues are reprints or first thus. The US edition is the first US printing. The first hardcover appearance was a separate later Subterranean Press edition (2002), not a 1994 issue.
I have a first edition of Only Forward — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.