The points of issue
The first edition is the Del Rey/Ballantine mass-market paperback original (first printing June 1979), cover art by Doug Beekman. It is a paperback original; the first hardcover came later from a specialty press.
Is this the true first?
The 1979 Del Rey/Ballantine paperback is the true first. Later signed specialty-press hardcovers are 'first thus' issues, not the first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition is the issue. The trap is later specialty-press hardcovers marketed as 'firsts'; verify the 1979 Ballantine/Del Rey paperback original.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Drawing of the Dark a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The first edition is the Del Rey/Ballantine mass-market paperback original (first printing June 1979), cover art by Doug Beekman. It is a paperback original; the first hardcover came later from a specialty press.
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 1979 Del Rey/Ballantine paperback is the true first. Later signed specialty-press hardcovers are 'first thus' issues, not the first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition is the issue. The trap is later specialty-press hardcovers marketed as 'firsts'; verify the 1979 Ballantine/Del Rey paperback original.
I have a first edition of The Drawing of the Dark — 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.