# Is "Virtual Light" by William Gibson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Virtual Light by William Gibson (Bantam Spectra, 1993) is identified by: Bantam Spectra US hardcover, 325 pp, bound in red paper over quarter black cloth boards with the spine lettered in bright gilt. US Bantam Spectra (September 1993) is generally cited as the first edition; the UK Viking hardcover follows the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam Spectra US hardcover, 325 pp, bound in red paper over quarter black cloth boards with the spine lettered in bright gilt
- The first printing carries the statement 'A Bantam Spectra Book / September 1993' and a number line reading 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page (per Bantam practice the line ends in 0, not 1)
- The priced first-issue jacket should be present
- Viking UK hardcover also dated 1993 (different setting, lower page count)
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Spectra
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Gibson |
| Publisher | Bantam Spectra |
| Year | 1993 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam Spectra US hardcover, 325 pp, bound in red paper over quarter black cloth boards with the spine lettered in bright gilt |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam Spectra US hardcover, 325 pp, bound in red paper over quarter black cloth boards with the spine lettered in bright gilt. The first printing carries the statement 'A Bantam Spectra Book / September 1993' and a number line reading 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page (per Bantam practice the line ends in 0, not 1). The priced first-issue jacket should be present. Viking UK hardcover also dated 1993 (different setting, lower page count).

## Is this the true first?
US Bantam Spectra (September 1993) is generally cited as the first edition; the UK Viking hardcover follows the same year. Bridge trilogy volume 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A Science Fiction Book Club edition exists, identifiable by a blind stamp to the board and no price on the jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Virtual Light* by William Gibson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/virtual-light
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.