# Is "Paladin of Souls" by Lois McMaster Bujold a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (Eos, 2003) is identified by: First Eos/HarperCollins hardcover, 2003 (first published September 2003), stating "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. The US Eos 2003 hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First Eos/HarperCollins hardcover, 2003 (first published September 2003), stating "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- Dust jacket art by David Bowers, with the printed price present on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Eos
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Lois McMaster Bujold |
| Publisher | Eos |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First Eos/HarperCollins hardcover, 2003 (first published September 2003), stating "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First Eos/HarperCollins hardcover, 2003 (first published September 2003), stating "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Dust jacket art by David Bowers, with the printed price present on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The US Eos 2003 hardcover is the true first. The UK Voyager/HarperCollins edition is separate/later.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Science Fiction Book Club edition is a separate book-club issue: blind-stamp on the rear board, no printed jacket price, and it lacks the trade first-edition points. Confirm the trade jacket and the stated "First Edition" with the descending number line ending in 1.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Paladin of Souls* by Lois McMaster Bujold a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/paladin-of-souls
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.