The points of issue
US HarperPrism paperback, 1995 (early/January 1995); first printing indicated by the publisher number line counting down to 1. This is the authorized sequel to Wells's The Time Machine, issued for the centenary of the original.
Is this the true first?
Precedence corrected: the US HarperPrism paperback (early 1995) is the true first, appearing ahead of the UK HarperCollins/Voyager hardcover (May/June 1995). The original record had this reversed. Winner of the British Science Fiction Award (1995), the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (1996), and the Philip K. Dick Award for 1996 (presented 1997).
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The UK HarperCollins/Voyager 1995 hardcover is a desirable first hardcover edition and the first UK edition, but it follows the US HarperPrism paperback. A signed/slipcased Easton Press leather edition is a later collectible first thus.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Time Ships a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: US HarperPrism paperback, 1995 (early/January 1995); first printing indicated by the publisher number line counting down to 1. This is the authorized sequel to Wells's The Time Machine, issued for the centenary of the original.
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. Precedence corrected: the US HarperPrism paperback (early 1995) is the true first, appearing ahead of the UK HarperCollins/Voyager hardcover (May/June 1995). The original record had this reversed. Winner of the British Science Fiction Award (1995), the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (1996), and the
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The UK HarperCollins/Voyager 1995 hardcover is a desirable first hardcover edition and the first UK edition, but it follows the US HarperPrism paperback. A signed/slipcased Easton Press leather edition is a later collectible first thus.
I have a first edition of The Time Ships — 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.