The points of issue
First edition is the Orbit trade paperback original (US, August 4, 2015), in wraps, first printing identified by a full number line ending in 1, with the original printed cover price. The first edition is a trade paperback, not a hardcover. Won the 2016 Hugo for Best Novel; first volume of the Broken Earth Trilogy.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Orbit trade paperback original (2015); no simultaneous hardcover. Subterranean Press later issued a signed/limited hardcover, a separate state.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The trap is expecting a hardcover. Confirm the trade paperback first printing by the full number line ending in 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Fifth Season a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition is the Orbit trade paperback original (US, August 4, 2015), in wraps, first printing identified by a full number line ending in 1, with the original printed cover price. The first edition is a trade paperback, not a hardcover. Won the 2016 Hugo for Best Novel; first volume of the Broken Earth Trilogy.
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. True first is the Orbit trade paperback original (2015); no simultaneous hardcover. Subterranean Press later issued a signed/limited hardcover, a separate state.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The trap is expecting a hardcover. Confirm the trade paperback first printing by the full number line ending in 1.
I have a first edition of The Fifth Season — 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.