# Is "Rite of Passage" by Alexei Panshin a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin (Ace Books, 1968) is identified by: Ace mass-market paperback original, issued as an Ace Science Fiction Special, Ace number A-16, pictorial wraps, cover art by Leo and Diane Dillon. True first is the Ace paperback original of 1968 (Ace SF Special A-16), the author's first book.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Ace mass-market paperback original, issued as an Ace Science Fiction Special, Ace number A-16, pictorial wraps, cover art by Leo and Diane Dillon
- Paperback original with no preceding hardcover
- The Ace number A-16 printed on the cover and spine identifies the issue
- Publisher imprint reads Ace Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Alexei Panshin |
| Publisher | Ace Books |
| Year | 1968 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Ace mass-market paperback original, issued as an Ace Science Fiction Special, Ace number A-16, pictorial wraps, cover art by Leo and Diane… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Ace mass-market paperback original, issued as an Ace Science Fiction Special, Ace number A-16, pictorial wraps, cover art by Leo and Diane Dillon. Paperback original with no preceding hardcover. The Ace number A-16 printed on the cover and spine identifies the issue.

## Is this the true first?
True first is the Ace paperback original of 1968 (Ace SF Special A-16), the author's first book. A US hardcover edition followed later. Won the 1968 Nebula Award for Best Novel.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No original paperback book-club edition. Later printings are identified by a changed cover price and altered cover treatment.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rite of Passage* by Alexei Panshin a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rite-of-passage
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.