The points of issue
DAW paperback original, DAW Collectors No. 464, stated first printing (1982) on the copyright page; first of the Chanur novels.
Is this the true first?
The US DAW paperback (early 1982) is the true first trade edition; an SFBC book-club hardcover appeared essentially simultaneously (printed December 1981 as the January 1982 club selection), and Phantasia Press issued the first trade hardcover in March 1987 (1,200 copies, the first 300 signed and numbered).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
SFBC book-club hardcovers exist (1982 and a 1985 reprint); no cover price and a gutter code distinguish them from trade editions.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Pride of Chanur a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: DAW paperback original, DAW Collectors No. 464, stated first printing (1982) on the copyright page; first of the Chanur novels.
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 US DAW paperback (early 1982) is the true first trade edition; an SFBC book-club hardcover appeared essentially simultaneously (printed December 1981 as the January 1982 club selection), and Phantasia Press issued the first trade hardcover in March 1987 (1,200 copies, the first 300 signed and nu
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
SFBC book-club hardcovers exist (1982 and a 1985 reprint); no cover price and a gutter code distinguish them from trade editions.
I have a first edition of The Pride of Chanur — 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.