# Is "Random Walk" by Lawrence Block a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Random Walk by Lawrence Block (Tor, 1988) is identified by: Tor (A Tom Doherty Associates Book), New York, 1988, first edition, first printing, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above a full descending number line ending in 1. US Tor hardcover (1988) is the true first edition; identify by the stated 'First Edition' and complete number line.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Tor (A Tom Doherty Associates Book), New York, 1988, first edition, first printing, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above a full descending number line ending in 1
- Full title on the title page is 'Random Walk: A Novel for a New Age.' Issued in hardcover, 345 pages, in a dust jacket with the printed price present on the front flap (present regardless of any clipping)
- A standalone New Age / metaphysical novel outside Block's series work
- Publisher imprint reads Tor
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lawrence Block |
| Publisher | Tor |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Tor (A Tom Doherty Associates Book), New York, 1988, first edition, first printing, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Tor (A Tom Doherty Associates Book), New York, 1988, first edition, first printing, with 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page above a full descending number line ending in 1. Full title on the title page is 'Random Walk: A Novel for a New Age.' Issued in hardcover, 345 pages, in a dust jacket with the printed price present on the front flap (present regardless of any clipping). A standalone New Age / metaphysical novel outside Block's series work.

## Is this the true first?
US Tor hardcover (1988) is the true first edition; identify by the stated 'First Edition' and complete number line. The 2008 signed/numbered slipcased issue is a later printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No significant book-club edition is a concern for this title; a later 2008 limited signed/numbered slipcased edition is distinct from the 1988 first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Random Walk* by Lawrence Block a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/random-walk
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.