# Is "The Dreamstone" by C.J. Cherryh a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dreamstone by C.J. Cherryh (DAW Books, 1983) is identified by: DAW paperback original, DAW Collectors No. The US DAW paperback (First Printing, March 1983) is the true first of the novel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- DAW paperback original, DAW Collectors No
- 521 (catalog number UE1808), March 1983, the copyright page stating "First Printing, March 1983"
- 192 pages, cover art by the author's brother David A. Cherry
- The first-issue wrapper should retain its printed cover price
- Publisher imprint reads DAW Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | C.J. Cherryh |
| Publisher | DAW Books |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | DAW paperback original, DAW Collectors No |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
DAW paperback original, DAW Collectors No. 521 (catalog number UE1808), March 1983, the copyright page stating "First Printing, March 1983"; 192 pages, cover art by the author's brother David A. Cherry. The first-issue wrapper should retain its printed cover price.

## Is this the true first?
The US DAW paperback (First Printing, March 1983) is the true first of the novel. It incorporates substantially revised versions of Cherryh's earlier Ealdwood material, including the Hugo-nominated 1981 novelette "Ealdwood" (first issued by Donald M. Grant in a 1981 illustrated limited edition of 1,050 copies) and a related short story first published in 1979.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None known; as a paperback original there is no separate book-club printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Dreamstone* by C.J. Cherryh a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-dreamstone
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.