The points of issue
UK first (London, 1985, roughly 3,000-copy trade run) states first publication by George Weidenfeld and Nicolson. A signed, numbered limited of 250 copies also exists, bound in black cloth, issued without a dust jacket in a black cloth slipcase.
Is this the true first?
The UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition is the true first of Barker's first novel; the US Putnam edition (1987) is a later, slightly revised text. The 250-copy signed limited is the deluxe state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No true book-club issue of the UK first; later printings carry additional printing statements. Distinguish the 250-copy signed/numbered slipcased limited from the trade hardcover.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Damnation Game a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK first (London, 1985, roughly 3,000-copy trade run) states first publication by George Weidenfeld and Nicolson. A signed, numbered limited of 250 copies also exists, bound in black cloth, issued without a dust jacket in a black cloth slipcase.
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 UK Weidenfeld & Nicolson edition is the true first of Barker's first novel; the US Putnam edition (1987) is a later, slightly revised text. The 250-copy signed limited is the deluxe state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No true book-club issue of the UK first; later printings carry additional printing statements. Distinguish the 250-copy signed/numbered slipcased limited from the trade hardcover.
I have a first edition of The Damnation Game — 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.