# Is "The Dark Forest" by Cixin Liu a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu (Tor Books, New York, 2015) is identified by: 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. The Tor US hardcover is the true first in English.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Tor Books, New York
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Cixin Liu |
| Publisher | Tor Books, New York |
| Year | 2015 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First English-language edition, translated by Joel Martinsen, states 'First Edition: August 2015' on the copyright page with a full number… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## 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.

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Dark Forest* by Cixin Liu a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-dark-forest
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.