First impression
1993At a glance
Points of issue
- Dust jacket, front flapPrinted price on the front flap: £15.99→ first issue jacket
First edition
Hardback
Against a Dark Background (1993)
Identification points are listed only where two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 21 Oct 2026.
Market value
What decides the price
- It is the first edition, which is the one collectors want.
- The first printing is told from later ones by 1 point of issue listed below.
- The original dust jacket carries much of the price for a book of this age; its condition matters as much as the book's.
- Condition is graded separately for book and jacket, from Fine down to Poor.
Sales record
No sales recorded yet
We value a printing from verified sales of that exact printing, and none of the first impression has come to auction in our records so far. The chart and the value by condition appear here as soon as one does.
Pro members with this book on their wantlist are emailed when it sells under their price.
Quick answer
- How do I identify an Against a Dark Background first edition?
- Check these points. Dust jacket, front flap: Printed price on the front flap: £15.99. Each point is confirmed by at least two independent sources.
- Who published the Against a Dark Background first edition?
- Orbit, London, in 1993, in hardback.
How to identify this edition
Published as by Iain M. Banks, the name he used for science fiction; Banks rewrote it from a draft of 1975. The first edition is the Orbit hardback, London 1993, ISBN 1-85723-031-0, 487 pages, with 'a science fiction novel' as subtitle on the title page. It is bound in black boards and issued in a pictorial dust jacket priced £15.99. The jacket spine is prone to fading, so check it closely. Dealers identify a first printing by the copyright page showing no later printings. A London hardback dated 1994 (ISBN 1-85723-185-6, under the Orion name in one library record) notes first publication by Orbit in 1993 and is a later issue.
Printing by printing
Printings and states
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify an Against a Dark Background first edition?
Check these points. Dust jacket, front flap: Printed price on the front flap: £15.99. Each point is confirmed by at least two independent sources.
Who published the Against a Dark Background first edition?
Orbit, London, in 1993, in hardback.
Where these facts come from
- Against a Dark Background, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Against a dark background : a science fiction novel, Jisc Library Hub Discover (discover.libraryhub.jisc.ac.uk)
- Against a Dark Background, signed first UK printing, Ashton Rare Books (ashtonrarebooks.com)
- Against a Dark Background, Orbit 1993, Arapiles Mountain Books, AbeBooks UK listing (abebooks.co.uk)
- Against A Dark Background, UK 1st edition 1st print, Treasured Books UK, AbeBooks UK listing (abebooks.co.uk)
- Against a Dark Background (Orion 1994), Jisc Library Hub Discover (discover.libraryhub.jisc.ac.uk)
Points of issue are listed only where at least two independent sources agree. Last reviewed 21 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.
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