# Is "Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders 1)" by Robin Hobb a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders 1) by Robin Hobb (Voyager / HarperCollins, 1998) is identified by: UK Voyager hardcover, March 1998, with John Howe jacket art and number line ending in 1. UK and US hardcovers appeared essentially simultaneously in March 1998.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Voyager hardcover, March 1998, with John Howe jacket art and number line ending in 1
- US Bantam Spectra hardcover published 2 March 1998 with Stephen Youll jacket art
- Publication was essentially simultaneous
- Publisher imprint reads Voyager / HarperCollins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robin Hobb |
| Publisher | Voyager / HarperCollins |
| Year | 1998 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Voyager hardcover, March 1998, with John Howe jacket art and number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Voyager hardcover, March 1998, with John Howe jacket art and number line ending in 1. US Bantam Spectra hardcover published 2 March 1998 with Stephen Youll jacket art. Publication was essentially simultaneous.

## Is this the true first?
UK and US hardcovers appeared essentially simultaneously in March 1998. Collectors generally treat the UK Voyager hardcover as the preferred true first, but the US Bantam Spectra hardcover is a legitimate first edition of the US issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club hardcover editions exist; they lack a jacket price and printing line and are not first editions.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ship of Magic (The Liveship Traders 1)* by Robin Hobb a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ship-of-magic-the-liveship-traders-1
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.