The points of issue
Discworld 27; large-format illustrated Discworld fable with color art by Paul Kidby throughout. UK Gollancz, published 18 October 2001; quarto in blue boards with silver spine lettering, illustrated endpapers, pictorial dust jacket. A separate deluxe edition was issued in decorated cloth without a dust jacket.
Is this the true first?
UK Gollancz illustrated edition is the true first; the US HarperCollins edition appeared the same season in late 2001.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later smaller-format reprints and the expanded deluxe issue differ from the standard jacketed first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Last Hero a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Discworld 27; large-format illustrated Discworld fable with color art by Paul Kidby throughout. UK Gollancz, published 18 October 2001; quarto in blue boards with silver spine lettering, illustrated endpapers, pictorial dust jacket. A separate deluxe edition was issued in decorated cloth without a dust jacket.
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. UK Gollancz illustrated edition is the true first; the US HarperCollins edition appeared the same season in late 2001.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later smaller-format reprints and the expanded deluxe issue differ from the standard jacketed first.
I have a first edition of The Last Hero — 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.