# Is "Schismatrix" by Bruce Sterling a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling (Arbor House, 1985) is identified by: Arbor House hardcover, New York 1985. The US Arbor House hardcover is the true first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Arbor House hardcover, New York 1985
- The copyright page carries a full number line whose lowest numeral is 1, marking the first printing, with no statement of a later impression
- The book is in illustrated boards issued with a priced dust jacket (the printed price present and unclipped on an unaltered jacket)
- Publisher imprint reads Arbor House
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Bruce Sterling |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
| Year | 1985 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Arbor House hardcover, New York 1985 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Arbor House hardcover, New York 1985. The copyright page carries a full number line whose lowest numeral is 1, marking the first printing, with no statement of a later impression. The book is in illustrated boards issued with a priced dust jacket (the printed price present and unclipped on an unaltered jacket).

## Is this the true first?
The US Arbor House hardcover is the true first edition. Foundational Shaper/Mechanist novel; a Nebula nominee.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Science Fiction Book Club edition exists, identifiable by the blind gutter code on the rear board and the absence of a printed jacket price; the club printing lacks the Arbor House number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Schismatrix* by Bruce Sterling a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/schismatrix
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.