The points of issue
Trade paperback original, Word Horde, 2016, cover art by Yves Tourigny. The first printing is so stated on the copyright page; a small-press print run. Won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel for 2016.
Is this the true first?
The 2016 Word Horde trade paperback is the true first edition, a small-press paperback original with no preceding hardcover. Genuine firsts are relatively scarce because of the small initial run.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition exists. Later printings are identified as such on the copyright page (for example a second-printing notation), so confirm the first-printing statement there.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Fisherman a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Trade paperback original, Word Horde, 2016, cover art by Yves Tourigny. The first printing is so stated on the copyright page; a small-press print run. Won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel for 2016.
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 2016 Word Horde trade paperback is the true first edition, a small-press paperback original with no preceding hardcover. Genuine firsts are relatively scarce because of the small initial run.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition exists. Later printings are identified as such on the copyright page (for example a second-printing notation), so confirm the first-printing statement there.
I have a first edition of The Fisherman — 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.