The points of issue
Phantasia Press first edition, 1981, limited to 750 numbered copies signed by both authors on a bound-in limitation leaf; beige cloth with matching slipcase and wraparound full-color jacket. Co-written with Jerry Pournelle.
Is this the true first?
US Phantasia Press first hardcover precedes the later Pocket Books paperback edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No relevant hardcover book club edition; the Phantasia first is the signed, numbered, slipcased limited, so the blind-stamp/no-price book-club identifier does not apply to this title's true first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Oath of Fealty a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Phantasia Press first edition, 1981, limited to 750 numbered copies signed by both authors on a bound-in limitation leaf; beige cloth with matching slipcase and wraparound full-color jacket. Co-written with Jerry Pournelle.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. US Phantasia Press first hardcover precedes the later Pocket Books paperback edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
No relevant hardcover book club edition; the Phantasia first is the signed, numbered, slipcased limited, so the blind-stamp/no-price book-club identifier does not apply to this title's true first.
I have a first edition of Oath of Fealty — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.