The points of issue
Timescape Books hardcover (a Simon & Schuster imprint); first printing carries a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page and a priced, unclipped dust jacket. Second volume of The Book of the New Sun.
Is this the true first?
The US Timescape/Simon & Schuster 1981 hardcover is the true first; the UK Sidgwick & Jackson edition is separate. The signed/limited editions of the New Sun volumes are distinct collectible states. Won the 1981 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1982 Locus Award.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Science Fiction Book Club edition has no price on the jacket, a blind-stamp on the rear board, lacks the trade number line, and uses thinner boards.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Claw of the Conciliator a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Timescape Books hardcover (a Simon & Schuster imprint); first printing carries a full number line descending to 1 on the copyright page and a priced, unclipped dust jacket. Second volume of The Book of the New Sun.
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. The US Timescape/Simon & Schuster 1981 hardcover is the true first; the UK Sidgwick & Jackson edition is separate. The signed/limited editions of the New Sun volumes are distinct collectible states. Won the 1981 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1982 Locus Award.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Science Fiction Book Club edition has no price on the jacket, a blind-stamp on the rear board, lacks the trade number line, and uses thinner boards.
I have a first edition of The Claw of the Conciliator — 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.