The points of issue
First printing has the full Simon & Schuster number line '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10' on the copyright page and the price on the jacket flap; cloth-backed boards. Nebula winner; the novel that gave its name to the Pocket/S&S 'Timescape' imprint.
Is this the true first?
The US Simon & Schuster hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Gollancz (1980) and the paperbacks. Confirm the complete '1' to '10' number line for the first printing.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club edition is smaller in trim, unpriced ('Book Club Edition'), and carries a gutter blindstamp; the full S&S number line is absent or altered.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Timescape a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing has the full Simon & Schuster number line '1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10' on the copyright page and the price on the jacket flap; cloth-backed boards. Nebula winner; the novel that gave its name to the Pocket/S&S 'Timescape' imprint.
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 US Simon & Schuster hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK Gollancz (1980) and the paperbacks. Confirm the complete '1' to '10' number line for the first printing.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The Science Fiction Book Club edition is smaller in trim, unpriced ('Book Club Edition'), and carries a gutter blindstamp; the full S&S number line is absent or altered.
I have a first edition of Timescape — 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.