The Claw of the Conciliator (1981) Signed First Edition Reference

The Claw of the Conciliator won the 1982 Nebula Award for Best Novel, the first of the Book of the New Sun’s major awards. Published in 1981, the second volume follows Severian northward through a landscape of increasing strangeness — plays within plays, hidden pasts, mysterious resurrections, and the deepening mystery of the Claw itself.

First Edition Identification

Publisher: Timescape Books (Simon & Schuster), New York Publication date: 1981 Format: Hardcover in dust jacket

The Timescape imprint — Simon & Schuster’s science fiction line — produced a modestly larger printing than Shadow, reflecting the first volume’s positive reception.

Signed Copy Market Values

• Signed first edition, fine/fine: $300–$800
• Unsigned first edition: $50–$150

The Nebula Award stamp enhances the title’s prestige. As the second of four volumes, it benefits from the set-building impulse — collectors who own a signed Shadow naturally seek the remaining three volumes in matching condition.