{"product_id":"the-cutting-edge-dave-duncan-1992-first-edition-signed-fine-in-brodart-publisher-postcard","title":"The Cutting Edge — Dave Duncan — 1992 First Edition — Signed — in Brodart + Publisher Postcard","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Cutting Edge\u003c\/em\u003e is the opening movement of Duncan’s most respected epic, the sequel to the series that launched his career, and one of the titles that solidified his reputation among fantasy readers and collectors.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Edition\u003c\/strong\u003e, Del Rey \/ Ballantine, 1992. \u003cstrong\u003eSigned by Dave Duncan\u003c\/strong\u003e on the \u003cstrong\u003ehalf‑title page\u003c\/strong\u003e, no inscription. A sharp, well‑preserved copy housed in a \u003cstrong\u003eclear Brodart archival jacket cover\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book presents \u003cstrong\u003eexcellent condition\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul role=\"list\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBoards \u003cstrong\u003eclean, square, and unfaded\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBinding \u003cstrong\u003etight\u003c\/strong\u003e, no lean\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePages \u003cstrong\u003ecrisp, clean, and unmarked\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNo remainder marks or ownership markings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eoriginal dust jacket\u003c\/strong\u003e has its price, now protected in Brodart. Strong color, no chips or tears, only the slightest edge softness. Flaps bright and fully intact.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIncludes the original 9\" × 6.5\" Del Rey promotional postcard\u003c\/strong\u003e announcing the publication of \u003cem\u003eThe Cutting Edge\u003c\/em\u003e (Part One of \u003cem\u003eA Handful of Men\u003c\/em\u003e). The card is \u003cstrong\u003enot folded\u003c\/strong\u003e, lies flat, and shows \u003cstrong\u003elight bumping along the edges\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003emild age toning\u003c\/strong\u003e consistent with 34 years of storage. No creases, writing, or stains. A scarce piece of publisher ephemera seldom found with the book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA superior signed first printing with its original marketing material and a Brodart‑protected jacket—an appealing copy for collectors of Duncan, Del Rey fantasy, or early‑1990s promotional material.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Cutting Edge\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e (Part One of \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Handful of Men\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e) is important in Duncan’s bibliography\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. It continues and expands his breakthrough universe\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuncan’s earlier tetralogy, \u003cem\u003eA Man of His Word\u003c\/em\u003e, was the series that first put him on the map. \u003cem\u003eA Handful of Men\u003c\/em\u003e is the \u003cstrong\u003edirect sequel\u003c\/strong\u003e, but darker, deeper, and more politically complex. Starting with \u003cem\u003eThe Cutting Edge\u003c\/em\u003e, Duncan shifts from fairy‑tale‑inflected fantasy to a more mature, high‑stakes epic. This transition is widely seen as one of his strongest creative evolutions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. It’s considered one of his finest constructed worlds\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Pandemia setting becomes fully realized here — geopolitics, magic systems, prophecy, and the consequences of power all sharpen. Many readers and reviewers argue that \u003cem\u003eA Handful of Men\u003c\/em\u003e is Duncan’s \u003cstrong\u003ebest world‑building work\u003c\/strong\u003e, surpassing even \u003cem\u003eThe Seventh Sword\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. It’s the series that earned him sustained critical praise\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnne McCaffrey’s rave (visible in image) wasn’t just marketing fluff — she repeatedly championed Duncan’s writing. Her praise helped cement Duncan’s reputation among fantasy readers in the early 1990s, and \u003cem\u003eThe Cutting Edge\u003c\/em\u003e was the book she specifically highlighted.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. It’s one of his most collected works\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCollectors value Duncan’s early‑1990s Del Rey hardcovers because:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul role=\"list\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey had \u003cstrong\u003esmall print runs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMany were read heavily and not preserved\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSigned copies are relatively scarce\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePromotional ephemera (like the publisher's postcard) is almost never found with the book\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. It’s the foundation of his most ambitious narrative arc\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe four‑book sequence (\u003cem\u003eThe Cutting Edge\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eUpland Outlaws\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Stricken Field\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Living God\u003c\/em\u003e) is widely regarded as Duncan’s \u003cstrong\u003emasterwork\u003c\/strong\u003e — the culmination of themes he developed across multiple series.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Chapter \u0026 Hearth Booksellers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48021366603913,"sku":"0-345-37896-2","price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0759\/7519\/6809\/files\/PXL_20260826_182541137.jpg?v=1787770145","url":"https:\/\/chapterhearth.com\/products\/the-cutting-edge-dave-duncan-1992-first-edition-signed-fine-in-brodart-publisher-postcard","provider":"Chapter \u0026 Hearth Booksellers","version":"1.0","type":"link"}