Book Collecting

Roger Zelazny – First Edition Books: Identification Guide

Rober Zelazny
Rober Zelazny

Roger Joseph Zelazny (1937 – 995) was an American poet and writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for The Chronicles of Amber. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominations) and the Hugo Award six times (also out of 14 nominations), including two Hugos for novels: the serialized novel …And Call Me Conrad (1965), subsequently published under the title This Immortal (1966) and then the novel Lord of Light (1967).

In his stories, Roger Zelazny frequently portrayed characters from myth, depicted in the modern or a future world. Zelazny included many anachronisms, such as cigarette-smoking and references to modern drama, in his work. His crisp, minimalistic dialogue also seems to be somewhat influenced by the style of wisecracking hardboiled crime authors, such as Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett. The tension between the ancient and the modern, surreal and familiar was what drove most of his work.

Roger Zelazny’s stories inspired other authors in his generation including Samuel R. Delany, whose novel Nova and many of his short stories were written “partly in response to Zelazny’s eruption into the field.” In 1967 Algis Budrys listed Zelazny, Delany, J. G. Ballard, and Brian W. Aldiss as “an earthshaking new kind of” writers, and leaders of the New Wave. Neil Gaiman said Zelazny was the author who influenced him the most, with this influence particularly seen in Gaiman’s literary style and the topics he writes about. Andrzej Sapkowski considered Zelazny his spiritual teacher, whose work inspired him to write his first novel.

Roger Zelazny – First Edition Identification Guide

Note: This list only includes works published prior to 1977.

How to Identify First Edition books by Roger Zelazny Guide.
YearTitlePublisherFirst edition/printing identification points
1976BRIDGE OF ASHES[New York]: New American Library, [1976]Wrappers. First Signet Printing, July, 1976/1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 on copyright page. Signet Y7080 ($1.25).
1969CREATURES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESSGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1969First edition so stated on copyright page.
1969DAMNATION ALLEYNew York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, [1969]Boards. No statement of printing on copyright page.
1976DEUS IRAEGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1976Boards. First edition so stated on copyright page. With PHILIP K. DICK.
1971THE DOORS OF HIS FACE, THE LAMPS OF HIS MOUTHGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1971First edition so stated on copyright page.
1976DOORWAYS IN THE SANDNew York Hagerstown San Francisco London: Harper & Row, Publishers, [1976]Boards with cloth shelf back. First edition so stated on copyright page.
1966THE DREAM MASTERNew York: Ace Books, Inc:, [1966]Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. Ace Book F-403 (40¢).
ALSO: London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1968. Boards. First published in Great Britain 1968 on copyright page. First hardcover edition.
1967FOUR FOR TOMORROWNew York: Ace Books, Inc., [1967]Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. Ace Book M-155 (45¢). Issued later in Great Britain as A ROSE FOR ECCLESIASTES.
ALSO: [New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1975.] First U.S. hardcover edition. Notes: (1) Photo-offset from 1973 Ace Books second printing. (2) Not issued in dust jacket.
1972THE GUNS OF AVALONGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1972First edition so stated on copyright page.
1976THEHAND OF OBERONGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1976Boards. First edition so stated on copyright page.
1969ISLE OF THE DEADNew York: Ace Books, Inc., [1969]Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. An Ace Science Fiction Special 37465 (60¢).
ALSO: [London]: A Rapp and Whiting Book, Andre Deutsch, [1970]. Boards. First published 1970 on copyright page. First hardcover edition.
1971JACK OF SHADOWSNew York: Walker and Company, [1971]Boards. First published in the United States of America in 1971 on copyright page.
1967LORD OF LIGHTGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1967First edition so stated on copyright page.
1976MY NAME IS LEGIONNew York: Ballantine Books, [1976]Wrappers. First edition: April, 1976 on copyright page. Ballantine Books SF 24867 ($1.50).
1970NINE PRINCES IN AMBERGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1970First edition so stated on copyright page.
1969A ROSEFOR ECCLESIASTESLondon: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1969Boards. First published in Great Britain 1969 on copyright page. Issued earlier in the U.S. as FOUR FOR TOMORROW.
1975SIGN OF THE UNICORNGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1975Boards. First edition so stated on copyright page.
1966THIS IMMORTALNew York: Ace Books, Inc., [1966]Wrappers. No statement of printing on copyright page. Ace Book F-393 (40¢).
ALSO: London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1967. Boards. First published in Great Britain 1967 on copyright page. First hardcover edition.
1973TO DIE IN ITALBARGarden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1973First edition so stated on copyright page.
1973TODAY WE CHOOSE FACES[New York]: New American Library, [1973]Wrappers. First printing, April, 1973 on copyright page. Below the statement/All rights reserved appears First Printing [through] Tenth Printing set on ten lines. Signet 451-Q5435 (95¢).
ALSO: [London]: Millington, [1974]. Boards. First published 1974 ... on copyright page. First hardcover edition.

Roger Zelazny – First Printing Dust Jacket Identification Points

Gallery of First state Dust Jackets of Zelazny’s works. Only includes the first appearance in book form. Either the UK or US edition and does not include later printings.

Reference:

  • Wikipedia
  • L. W. Currey, Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors: A Bibliography of First Printings of Their Fiction and Selected Nonfiction.

BOOKSTORE: Rare, Antiquarian, First editions, Illustrated Children's Books

Related Posts

Scroll to Top
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap