The points of issue
Rothfuss's debut. US DAW hardcover, April 2007 (DAW Book Collectors No. 1396); first printing states First Printing, April 2007 on the copyright page with a complete number line running to 1 and no later-printing statement. Donato Giancola jacket art.
Is this the true first?
US DAW hardcover is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition followed later in 2007. As the author's debut and the key Kingkiller collectible, first printings are much scarcer than the book's popularity suggests.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later DAW printings drop the 1 from the number line. The SFBC book-club edition and the 10th-anniversary illustrated edition are distinct and are not the first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle 1) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Rothfuss's debut. US DAW hardcover, April 2007 (DAW Book Collectors No. 1396); first printing states First Printing, April 2007 on the copyright page with a complete number line running to 1 and no later-printing statement. Donato Giancola jacket art.
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. US DAW hardcover is the true first; the UK Gollancz edition followed later in 2007. As the author's debut and the key Kingkiller collectible, first printings are much scarcer than the book's popularity suggests.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later DAW printings drop the 1 from the number line. The SFBC book-club edition and the 10th-anniversary illustrated edition are distinct and are not the first.
I have a first edition of The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle 1) — 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.