THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE

First edition, first printing. Signed by the author. Publisher's original navy cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in the Ian Miller illustrated dustwrapper. A near fine copy, the binding square and firm with just a touch of fading to the head of the spine and extreme top edge. The contents, with a bookplate to the front pastedown and light toning to the closed text block, are otherwise clean throughout and without previous owners' inscriptions or stamps. Complete in the fine, lightly rubbed dustwrapper, that has a small retailer's label to the rear panel and is without fading loss or tears. Not price-clipped (£13.95 net to the lower front flap).

Signed by William Gibson in black ink above his printed name of the title page. The true first edition of Gibson and Bruce Sterling's collaborative alternative history novel, published in the UK in September 1990 and preceding the Bantam Spectra first US edition by seven months. Widely regarded as having helped establish the genre conventions of steampunk. Nominated for the 1990 British Science Fiction Award in 1990, the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1991, and both the John W. Campbell Memorial Award and the Prix Aurora Award in 1992.