# Is "Use of Weapons" by Iain M. Banks a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks (Orbit, 1990) is identified by: First UK Orbit hardcover, 1990; dust jacket priced on the flap (jacket art by Keith Scaife); copyright page reads as a first edition with no later-printing or additional-impression statement. The UK Orbit hardcover (1990) is the true first, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition (1992).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK Orbit hardcover, 1990; dust jacket priced on the flap (jacket art by Keith Scaife); copyright page reads as a first edition with no later-printing or additional-impression statement
- Identification rests on the 'first published 1990' / first-impression copyright page, not a number line
- Publisher imprint reads Orbit
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Iain M. Banks |
| Publisher | Orbit |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK Orbit hardcover, 1990; dust jacket priced on the flap (jacket art by Keith Scaife); copyright page reads as a first edition with… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First UK Orbit hardcover, 1990; dust jacket priced on the flap (jacket art by Keith Scaife); copyright page reads as a first edition with no later-printing or additional-impression statement. Identification rests on the 'first published 1990' / first-impression copyright page, not a number line.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Orbit hardcover (1990) is the true first, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition (1992). The Orbit paperback followed in 1991; the 1990 hardcover holds collecting priority.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US editions follow. Verify the Orbit imprint, the 1990 date, and a first-impression copyright page with no statement of a later printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Use of Weapons* by Iain M. Banks a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/use-of-weapons
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.