The points of issue
Timescape (Simon & Schuster) first hardcover; full number line on the copyright page; jacket priced (not clipped). Bound in quarter black cloth over red boards with gilt spine titling. Dick's final novel, published the year he died.
Is this the true first?
US Timescape first hardcover is the true first.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later Quality Paperback Book Club and other club issues are not the Timescape first; identify the true first by the complete number line and priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Transmigration of Timothy Archer a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Timescape (Simon & Schuster) first hardcover; full number line on the copyright page; jacket priced (not clipped). Bound in quarter black cloth over red boards with gilt spine titling. Dick's final novel, published the year he died.
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. US Timescape first hardcover is the true first.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later Quality Paperback Book Club and other club issues are not the Timescape first; identify the true first by the complete number line and priced jacket.
I have a first edition of The Transmigration of Timothy Archer — 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.