# Is "The Smoke Ring" by Larry Niven a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Smoke Ring by Larry Niven (Del Rey, 1987) is identified by: First hardcover printing states 'First Edition: May 1987' on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 beneath it. US Del Rey hardcover first edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First hardcover printing states 'First Edition: May 1987' on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 beneath it
- Quarter blue cloth over light blue boards, Michael Whelan jacket art, jacket price present on the front flap
- Sequel to The Integral Trees
- Publisher imprint reads Del Rey
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Larry Niven |
| Publisher | Del Rey |
| Year | 1987 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First hardcover printing states 'First Edition: May 1987' on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 beneath it |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First hardcover printing states 'First Edition: May 1987' on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 beneath it. Quarter blue cloth over light blue boards, Michael Whelan jacket art, jacket price present on the front flap. Sequel to The Integral Trees.

## Is this the true first?
US Del Rey hardcover first edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition: no number line, no price clipped to the flap; thinner boards and the standard 'Book Club Edition' gutter code.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Smoke Ring* by Larry Niven a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-smoke-ring
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.