The points of issue
First appeared in Dell's Binary Star No. 5 (February 1981), a mass-market paperback double pairing it with George R. R. Martin's 'Nightflyers'; interior illustrations by Jack Gaughan; final volume of the Binary Star series. The 1984 Bluejay 'True Names ... and Other Dangers' is a later collection.
Is this the true first?
True first appearance is the Dell Binary Star No. 5 paperback (February 1981); the seminal proto-cyberpunk novella.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
None.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of True Names a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First appeared in Dell's Binary Star No. 5 (February 1981), a mass-market paperback double pairing it with George R. R. Martin's 'Nightflyers'; interior illustrations by Jack Gaughan; final volume of the Binary Star series. The 1984 Bluejay 'True Names ... and Other Dangers' is a later collection.
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 appearance is the Dell Binary Star No. 5 paperback (February 1981); the seminal proto-cyberpunk novella.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
None.
I have a first edition of True Names — 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.