# Is "Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen" by Lois McMaster Bujold a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen Books, 2016) is identified by: Baen trade hardcover; copyright page states first printing with a full number line to 1. US Baen trade hardcover (February 2016) is the true first; a signed limited edition (9781476781785) appeared simultaneously with a tipped-in signature leaf.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Baen trade hardcover; copyright page states first printing with a full number line to 1
- First-state jacket carries the printed price on the front flap
- ISBN 9781476781228
- A separate signed limited edition (ISBN 9781476781785) was issued at publication, signed by the author on a publisher's tipped-in leaf
- Publisher imprint reads Baen Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lois McMaster Bujold |
| Publisher | Baen Books |
| Year | 2016 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Baen trade hardcover; copyright page states first printing with a full number line to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Baen trade hardcover; copyright page states first printing with a full number line to 1. First-state jacket carries the printed price on the front flap. ISBN 9781476781228. A separate signed limited edition (ISBN 9781476781785) was issued at publication, signed by the author on a publisher's tipped-in leaf.

## Is this the true first?
US Baen trade hardcover (February 2016) is the true first; a signed limited edition (9781476781785) appeared simultaneously with a tipped-in signature leaf.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Trade and book club copies exist; the club edition lacks the number line and the jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen* by Lois McMaster Bujold a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/gentleman-jole-and-the-red-queen
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.