# Is "Pandora's Star" by Peter F. Hamilton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton (Macmillan, 2004) is identified by: Macmillan (London) hardcover in dust jacket, Part One of the Commonwealth Saga. The UK Macmillan hardcover (2004) is the true first; it preceded the US Del Rey edition of March 2004 and is the edition collectors seek.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Macmillan (London) hardcover in dust jacket, Part One of the Commonwealth Saga
- The first printing is identified by the full descending number line 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page, beneath the statement that the book was first published 2004 by Macmillan
- The jacket should retain its printed cover price
- A Goldsboro Books signed limited slipcased issue also exists and is a distinct collectible printing from the trade hardcover
- Publisher imprint reads Macmillan
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Peter F. Hamilton |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Macmillan (London) hardcover in dust jacket, Part One of the Commonwealth Saga |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Macmillan (London) hardcover in dust jacket, Part One of the Commonwealth Saga. The first printing is identified by the full descending number line 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page, beneath the statement that the book was first published 2004 by Macmillan. The jacket should retain its printed cover price. A Goldsboro Books signed limited slipcased issue also exists and is a distinct collectible printing from the trade hardcover.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Macmillan hardcover (2004) is the true first; it preceded the US Del Rey edition of March 2004 and is the edition collectors seek.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None notable.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Pandora's Star* by Peter F. Hamilton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/pandoras-star
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.