The points of issue
First edition is the Orbit trade paperback original (US, August 15, 2017), in wraps, first printing identified by a full number line ending in 1, with the original printed cover price. Like its predecessors, the first edition is a trade paperback. Won the 2017 Nebula and the 2018 Hugo (Jemisin's third consecutive Hugo for Best Novel); third volume of the Broken Earth Trilogy.
Is this the true first?
True first is the Orbit trade paperback original (2017); no hardcover first. Subterranean Press later issued signed/limited hardcovers of the trilogy as separate prized states.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition. The trap is expecting a hardcover. Confirm the trade paperback first printing by the full number line ending in 1. (The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate are likewise paperback-original firsts.)
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Stone Sky a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First edition is the Orbit trade paperback original (US, August 15, 2017), in wraps, first printing identified by a full number line ending in 1, with the original printed cover price. Like its predecessors, the first edition is a trade paperback. Won the 2017 Nebula and the 2018 Hugo (Jemisin's third consecutive Hugo for Best Novel); third volume of the Broken Earth Trilogy.
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. True first is the Orbit trade paperback original (2017); no hardcover first. Subterranean Press later issued signed/limited hardcovers of the trilogy as separate prized states.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No book-club edition. The trap is expecting a hardcover. Confirm the trade paperback first printing by the full number line ending in 1. (The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate are likewise paperback-original firsts.)
I have a first edition of The Stone Sky — 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.