The Cutting Edge — Dave Duncan — 1992 First Edition — Signed — in Brodart + Publisher Postcard

The Cutting Edge 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.

First Edition, Del Rey / Ballantine, 1992. Signed by Dave Duncan on the half‑title page, no inscription. A sharp, well‑preserved copy housed in a clear Brodart archival jacket cover.

The book presents excellent condition:

• Boards clean, square, and unfaded

• Binding tight, no lean

• Pages crisp, clean, and unmarked

• No remainder marks or ownership markings

The original dust jacket has its price, now protected in Brodart. Strong color, no chips or tears, only the slightest edge softness. Flaps bright and fully intact.

Includes the original 9" × 6.5" Del Rey promotional postcard announcing the publication of The Cutting Edge (Part One of A Handful of Men). The card is not folded, lies flat, and shows light bumping along the edges and mild age toning consistent with 34 years of storage. No creases, writing, or stains. A scarce piece of publisher ephemera seldom found with the book.

A 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.

Why The Cutting Edge (Part One of A Handful of Men) is important in Duncan’s bibliography

1. It continues and expands his breakthrough universe

Duncan’s earlier tetralogy, A Man of His Word, was the series that first put him on the map. A Handful of Men is the direct sequel, but darker, deeper, and more politically complex. Starting with The Cutting Edge, 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.

2. It’s considered one of his finest constructed worlds

The Pandemia setting becomes fully realized here — geopolitics, magic systems, prophecy, and the consequences of power all sharpen. Many readers and reviewers argue that A Handful of Men is Duncan’s best world‑building work, surpassing even The Seventh Sword.

3. It’s the series that earned him sustained critical praise

Anne 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 The Cutting Edge was the book she specifically highlighted.

4. It’s one of his most collected works

Collectors value Duncan’s early‑1990s Del Rey hardcovers because:

• They had small print runs

• Many were read heavily and not preserved

• Signed copies are relatively scarce

• Promotional ephemera (like the publisher's postcard) is almost never found with the book

5. It’s the foundation of his most ambitious narrative arc

The four‑book sequence (The Cutting Edge, Upland Outlaws, The Stricken Field, The Living God) is widely regarded as Duncan’s masterwork — the culmination of themes he developed across multiple series.