# Is "The Children of the Sky" by Vernor Vinge a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Children of the Sky by Vernor Vinge (Tor Books, 2011) is identified by: Tor Books hardcover, published October 2011, with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page and a full Tor number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (ending in 1). The US Tor hardcover (2011) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Tor Books hardcover, published October 2011, with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page and a full Tor number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (ending in 1)
- The dust jacket carries art by Stephan Martinière and retains its printed price
- Third Zones of Thought novel (sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep)
- Publisher imprint reads Tor Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Vernor Vinge |
| Publisher | Tor Books |
| Year | 2011 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Tor Books hardcover, published October 2011, with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page and a full Tor number line reading 10 9 8 7… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Tor Books hardcover, published October 2011, with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page and a full Tor number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (ending in 1). The dust jacket carries art by Stephan Martinière and retains its printed price. Third Zones of Thought novel (sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep).

## Is this the true first?
The US Tor hardcover (2011) is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Copies lacking the priced jacket, the stated "First Edition," and the full number line ending in 1 suggest a book club or later printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Children of the Sky* by Vernor Vinge a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-children-of-the-sky
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.