# Is "Prophet Song" by Paul Lynch a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Prophet Song by Paul Lynch (Oneworld, 2023) is identified by: First UK edition, Oneworld Publications 2023, with 'First published in Great Britain by Oneworld Publications 2023' on the verso and a number line ending in 1 on the first printing; original boards in dust jacket, first-state jacket without a Booker band. The UK Oneworld edition is the true first; the US Atlantic Monthly Press (Grove Atlantic) edition followed in 2023.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK edition, Oneworld Publications 2023, with 'First published in Great Britain by Oneworld Publications 2023' on the verso and a number line ending in 1 on the first printing; original boards in dust jacket, first-state jacket without a Booker band
- 2023 Booker winner
- Publisher imprint reads Oneworld
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Paul Lynch |
| Publisher | Oneworld |
| Year | 2023 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK edition, Oneworld Publications 2023, with 'First published in Great Britain by Oneworld Publications 2023' on the verso and a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First UK edition, Oneworld Publications 2023, with 'First published in Great Britain by Oneworld Publications 2023' on the verso and a number line ending in 1 on the first printing; original boards in dust jacket, first-state jacket without a Booker band. 2023 Booker winner.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Oneworld edition is the true first; the US Atlantic Monthly Press (Grove Atlantic) edition followed in 2023.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US edition is distinguished by imprint; later printings and reissues add a Booker band to the jacket. The first is told by the number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Prophet Song* by Paul Lynch a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/prophet-song
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.