The Folio Society The Wasp Factory limited edition is a gorgeous object, but it asks £350 for a 500-copy run, and that made me stop and think. Stunning to look at, steep to own. I haven’t held it, so I’m judging from Folio’s photography, its spec sheet and owner reports.
Quick verdict: buy it for the leather binding, the clamshell box and the signed limitation label. If you only want Darren Hopes’ artwork, the £70 standard edition carries the same illustrations.
| Edition | Limited to 500 copies worldwide |
|---|---|
| Author / illustrator | Iain Banks / Darren Hopes |
| Pages and size | 240 pages, 8¾ x 5½ in (22.2 x 14 cm) |
| Binding | Quarter blocked leather, blocked buckram sides |
| Box and extras | Gold-blocked cloth clamshell, foiled edges, ribbon marker, limitation label signed by the artist |
| Price | £350 UK, $550 US (checked October 2026) |
What you get with the Folio Society The Wasp Factory limited edition
Folio quarter-binds it in blocked leather, with buckram sides overprinted with Hopes’ wasp design and a loud yellow spine. The whole book lives in a clamshell box covered in gold-blocked cloth.
The box is lined in metallic blue and mustard paper, with text in black and gold ink. On paper it’s serious bookbinding, though I’d want the leather in my hands first.
Does the clamshell box feel too big for the book?
Some collectors in the LibraryThing Folio Devotees thread think so, though one owner likes the compact size. The book itself is compact.
Folio’s photos show the book seated in a recess. For dark, gothic packaging done differently, see The Blood of Dawnwalker Collector’s Edition.
How Darren Hopes’ artwork changes The Wasp Factory
Folio calls it the first illustrated edition, a claim I can’t verify, but the art is the real draw. The color spreads look saturated and strange, from a skull by candlelight to a red telephone box.
Macmillan published Banks’ debut in 1984 and critics split, with the Irish Times calling it “a work of unparalleled depravity.” Illustrating that book is a gamble, and Hopes goes for mood over shock. Divisive material suits striking objects, as in our Kubrick Criterion set review.
Is the standard edition a smarter buy than the limited edition?
Folio lists the standard edition at £70, bound in printed and blocked textured paper with a printed and blocked slipcase, due September 2026. You pay £280 more for leather, the clamshell, foiled edges and the signed label.
One poster plans to wait for the standard, and neither edition lists a new introduction. Another illustrated set weighed on price: our Harry Potter Illustrated Collection review.
Is £350 a fair price for a 500-copy run?
It’s worth it if you already collect Folio limiteds or value the object as much as the text. See also our Beatles Anthology 12LP box set review.
The 500 limit is real, but resale value is unproven, so I’d buy to keep.
What are the pros and cons before you buy?
My rating is 4 out of 5. The LibraryThing mood is mixed to positive: praise for the art and compact size, doubts about the price and the box.
- Pros: quarter-leather binding, six double-page color illustrations, compact trim, signed limitation label.
- Cons: big jump over the £70 standard, a box some call oversized, no new introduction, and the signature is the artist’s.
Check availability on the Folio Society. Buy from Folio directly to match the specs above.
Our Take
What I love is how bold it is: a yellow-spined wasp book in gold cloth, with art that sticks. Folio completists and Banks fans will get the most from it, as will fans of British dark humor like our Inside No. 9 Complete Collection review. It’s sold direct by the Folio Society. Would you pay £350, or wait for the standard? Tell us in the comments.
FAQs
How many copies of the Folio Society The Wasp Factory limited edition exist?
Folio limits it to 500 copies worldwide.
Is The Wasp Factory limited edition signed by Iain Banks?
Folio says the artist, Darren Hopes, signs the limitation label. It doesn’t mention Banks.
How much does The Wasp Factory limited edition cost?
Folio lists it at £350 in the UK and $550 in the US. The standard edition is £70.
Does the limited edition include an introduction?
Folio’s page lists none, and its Editor’s Note section is empty.
What size is The Wasp Factory limited edition?
It runs 240 pages and measures 8¾ x 5½ inches (22.2 x 14 cm).
Is there a standard edition of The Wasp Factory from Folio?
Yes. Folio lists a £70 paper-bound standard edition with a slipcase for September 2026.
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