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First-Edition Identification · Cixin Liu

Is My The Dark Forest a First Edition?

Tor Books, New York, 2015

The points of issue

First English-language edition, translated by Joel Martinsen, states 'First Edition: August 2015' on the copyright page with a full number line ending in 1. Cloth boards with the title and author stamped on the spine, in dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap. Book two of Remembrance of Earth's Past.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder.

Is this the true first?

The Tor US hardcover is the true first in English. The Chinese original (2008) predates it, but for English-language collecting the Tor edition has priority. The UK Head of Zeus edition is a separate, later setting.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

Later printings lack the dated 'First Edition: August 2015' line and the full number line; confirm the number line ends in 1 on the copyright page.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of The Dark Forest a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: First English-language edition, translated by Joel Martinsen, states 'First Edition: August 2015' on the copyright page with a full number line ending in 1. Cloth boards with the title and author stamped on the spine, in dust jacket with the printed price on the front flap. Book two of Remembrance of Earth's Past.

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 Tor US hardcover is the true first in English. The Chinese original (2008) predates it, but for English-language collecting the Tor edition has priority. The UK Head of Zeus edition is a separate, later setting.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

Later printings lack the dated 'First Edition: August 2015' line and the full number line; confirm the number line ends in 1 on the copyright page.

I have a first edition of The Dark Forest — 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.

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