The points of issue
Hugo Award winning novella. US Tachyon Publications trade paperback original, October 2012. Tachyon simultaneously issued a signed limited hardcover of 1,000 copies, bound in purple cloth with spine stamped on black, signed by Sanderson on the title page.
Is this the true first?
The Tachyon trade paperback is the true first trade edition; the Tachyon signed limited hardcover is the premium issue of the same first edition.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later reissues include the Tachyon tenth anniversary special edition; the novella was also collected in Arcanum Unbounded (2016).
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Emperor's Soul a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Hugo Award winning novella. US Tachyon Publications trade paperback original, October 2012. Tachyon simultaneously issued a signed limited hardcover of 1,000 copies, bound in purple cloth with spine stamped on black, signed by Sanderson on the title page.
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 Tachyon trade paperback is the true first trade edition; the Tachyon signed limited hardcover is the premium issue of the same first edition.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later reissues include the Tachyon tenth anniversary special edition; the novella was also collected in Arcanum Unbounded (2016).
I have a first edition of The Emperor's Soul — 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.