The points of issue
The true first edition is the Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, May 1983, with the number line ending in 1 and 'Bantam edition / May 1983' on the copyright page. There was no preceding hardcover. Hugo and Nebula winner.
Is this the true first?
The true first is the Bantam paperback original of May 1983. The Phantasia Press hardcover is a later first hardcover edition dated 1985 (not 1983); it presents a revised text and was issued in a run of 1,575 copies, of which 375 were numbered, slipcased, and signed on the limitation page. Verify its limitation page for the numbered state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Distinguish the paperback original true first (number line to 1, 'Bantam edition / May 1983') from later Bantam printings and from the separate 1985 Phantasia Press hardcover. There is no standard book club edition of the priority paperback.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Startide Rising a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The true first edition is the Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, May 1983, with the number line ending in 1 and 'Bantam edition / May 1983' on the copyright page. There was no preceding hardcover. Hugo and Nebula winner.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The true first is the Bantam paperback original of May 1983. The Phantasia Press hardcover is a later first hardcover edition dated 1985 (not 1983); it presents a revised text and was issued in a run of 1,575 copies, of which 375 were numbered, slipcased, and signed on the limitation page. Verify it
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Distinguish the paperback original true first (number line to 1, 'Bantam edition / May 1983') from later Bantam printings and from the separate 1985 Phantasia Press hardcover. There is no standard book club edition of the priority paperback.
I have a first edition of Startide Rising — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.