The points of issue
UK Macmillan hardcover (2002, ISBN 0333781740/9780333781746) is the true first: priced dust jacket, no later-printing statement, publisher's boards. The first US edition (Del Rey, 2002) is a trade paperback original with French flaps, and is later. Locus Award notable.
Is this the true first?
The UK Macmillan 2002 hardcover is the true first, preceding the US Del Rey edition, which appeared as a trade paperback original rather than a hardcover.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No prominent book-club edition; the operative point is precedence of the UK hardcover over the later US trade-paperback original.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Scar a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: UK Macmillan hardcover (2002, ISBN 0333781740/9780333781746) is the true first: priced dust jacket, no later-printing statement, publisher's boards. The first US edition (Del Rey, 2002) is a trade paperback original with French flaps, and is later. Locus Award notable.
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 UK Macmillan 2002 hardcover is the true first, preceding the US Del Rey edition, which appeared as a trade paperback original rather than a hardcover.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No prominent book-club edition; the operative point is precedence of the UK hardcover over the later US trade-paperback original.
I have a first edition of The Scar — 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.