# Is "To Die in Italbar" by Roger Zelazny a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of To Die in Italbar by Roger Zelazny (Doubleday, 1973) is identified by: "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no Doubleday gutter code on the last text page. US Doubleday first hardcover, first printing (1973).

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no Doubleday gutter code on the last text page
- Bound in pale blue (turquoise) boards with lettering to the spine, octavo, 182 pages
- Jacket art by Margo Herr; the jacket retains its printed price
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Roger Zelazny |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1973 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | "First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no Doubleday gutter code on the last text page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
"First Edition" stated on the copyright page, with no Doubleday gutter code on the last text page. Bound in pale blue (turquoise) boards with lettering to the spine, octavo, 182 pages. Jacket art by Margo Herr; the jacket retains its printed price.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday first hardcover, first printing (1973).

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions omit the "First Edition" statement, carry the gutter code on the last text page, and show a blind stamp with an unpriced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *To Die in Italbar* by Roger Zelazny a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/to-die-in-italbar
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.