The points of issue
Tor hardcover in quarter black cloth over red paper boards; the copyright page reads 'First trade edition: August 1991' (not simply 'First Edition') with the number line 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; jacket priced.
Is this the true first?
US Tor trade hardcover (August 1991) is the first trade edition and the standard collected first; Tor's own wording is 'first trade edition.' An Easton Press signed leatherbound edition was also issued in the same period as part of its Signed First Editions of Science Fiction series.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
An SFBC book club edition exists: smaller format with no price on the jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Xenocide a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Tor hardcover in quarter black cloth over red paper boards; the copyright page reads 'First trade edition: August 1991' (not simply 'First Edition') with the number line 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1; jacket priced.
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 Tor trade hardcover (August 1991) is the first trade edition and the standard collected first; Tor's own wording is 'first trade edition.' An Easton Press signed leatherbound edition was also issued in the same period as part of its Signed First Editions of Science Fiction series.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
An SFBC book club edition exists: smaller format with no price on the jacket.
I have a first edition of Xenocide — 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.