# Is "Royal Assassin (Farseer 2)" by Robin Hobb a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Royal Assassin (Farseer 2) by Robin Hobb (Voyager / HarperCollins, 1996) is identified by: UK Voyager hardcover, London, published 21 March 1996, is the first edition; first printings state first publication by Voyager 1996 on the copyright page with a printing line ending in 1, and the jacket should be unclipped. UK Voyager hardcover is the true first; it preceded the US Bantam Spectra paperback by several weeks.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- UK Voyager hardcover, London, published 21 March 1996, is the first edition; first printings state first publication by Voyager 1996 on the copyright page with a printing line ending in 1, and the jacket should be unclipped
- The US Bantam Spectra paperback followed in April 1996
- Publisher imprint reads Voyager / HarperCollins
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robin Hobb |
| Publisher | Voyager / HarperCollins |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | UK Voyager hardcover, London, published 21 March 1996, is the first edition; first printings state first publication by Voyager 1996 on the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
UK Voyager hardcover, London, published 21 March 1996, is the first edition; first printings state first publication by Voyager 1996 on the copyright page with a printing line ending in 1, and the jacket should be unclipped. The US Bantam Spectra paperback followed in April 1996.

## Is this the true first?
UK Voyager hardcover is the true first; it preceded the US Bantam Spectra paperback by several weeks.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
US book club hardcover editions exist; they lack a jacket price and printing line and are not first editions.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Royal Assassin (Farseer 2)* by Robin Hobb a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/royal-assassin-farseer-2
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.