Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun is J. G. Ballard's novel first published by Victor Gollancz in September 1984, with a Simon & Schuster edition in New York that year. Set in wartime Shanghai under Japanese occupation, it follows the English boy Jim Graham; it won the Guardian Fiction Prize and was filmed in 1987.
- Editions tracked
- 2
- First edition
- Victor Gollancz, 1984
- First published
- Victor Gollancz, 1984
The first edition of Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard was published in London by Victor Gollancz in 1984. We track 2 editions, with the points that separate the first printing from later ones.
Spot the first edition: Dust jacket, rear panel: carries only two reviews, by Graham Greene and Angela Carter (first-state jacket) Full identification guide
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Later and other editions
Awards, adaptations and setting
Awards and honours
Adaptations
- Empire of the Sun film, 1987
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Republic of China, Shanghai
- Genre
- autobiographical novel
Read next
- Followed by
- The Kindness of Women
In print
- Editions recorded
- 28 on Open Library, 16 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 11 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by J. G. Ballard
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of Empire of the Sun?
The first edition of Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard was published in London by Victor Gollancz in 1984.
How many editions of Empire of the Sun are there?
We track 2 editions of Empire of the Sun, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has Empire of the Sun been adapted?
Yes, including Empire of the Sun (film, 1987), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after Empire of the Sun?
In order, it is followed by The Kindness of Women, according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- Empire of the Sun (novel), Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Empire of the Sun (Simon and Schuster, 1984), Open Library (openlibrary.org)
- Empire of the Sun, Wikidata (wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 29 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.