# Is "The Hand of Oberon" by Roger Zelazny a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny (Doubleday, 1976) is identified by: Doubleday hardcover with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. US Doubleday first hardcover is the true first edition; the UK Faber edition followed and does not precede it.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Doubleday hardcover with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page
- Doubleday firsts of this era also carry a gutter/printer's code at the foot of the last page of text (a year-letter plus week number); the presence of the "First Edition" statement is the governing point
- Issued in a priced dust jacket, the first-issue jacket retaining the printed price on the front flap
- Fourth Amber novel
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Roger Zelazny |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Doubleday hardcover with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Doubleday hardcover with "First Edition" stated on the copyright page. Doubleday firsts of this era also carry a gutter/printer's code at the foot of the last page of text (a year-letter plus week number); the presence of the "First Edition" statement is the governing point. Issued in a priced dust jacket, the first-issue jacket retaining the printed price on the front flap. Fourth Amber novel.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday first hardcover is the true first edition; the UK Faber edition followed and does not precede it.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the "First Edition" statement, have an unpriced jacket (often "Book Club Edition" on the flap), typically show a blind stamp on the rear board, and are printed on lighter bulking paper.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Hand of Oberon* by Roger Zelazny a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-hand-of-oberon
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.