The points of issue
US Tor mass-market paperback original, 1989; first printing identified by a complete Tor number line ending in 1.
Is this the true first?
The US Tor paperback original of 1989 is the true first edition, published directly into paperback. It won the 1990 Philip K. Dick Award, the award given at Norwescon for works published in 1989, and was also an Arthur C. Clarke Award finalist.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A later UK edition and subsequent reissues are separate states or reprints, not the true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Subterranean Gallery a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US Tor mass-market paperback original, 1989; first printing identified by a complete Tor number line ending in 1.
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 US Tor paperback original of 1989 is the true first edition, published directly into paperback. It won the 1990 Philip K. Dick Award, the award given at Norwescon for works published in 1989, and was also an Arthur C. Clarke Award finalist.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
A later UK edition and subsequent reissues are separate states or reprints, not the true first.
I have a first edition of Subterranean Gallery — 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.