# Is "Endymion" by Dan Simmons a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Endymion by Dan Simmons (Bantam Spectra, 1996) is identified by: Bantam Spectra US first edition, identified by the complete number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page. US Bantam Spectra first, published essentially simultaneously with the first British edition; the UK Headline printing states 'First published in Great Britain in 1996' and does not precede the American issue.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam Spectra US first edition, identified by the complete number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page
- The book carries a 1995 copyright with trade publication at the start of 1996; the pictorial first-issue dust jacket bears art by Gary Ruddell and shows the printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Spectra
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dan Simmons |
| Publisher | Bantam Spectra |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam Spectra US first edition, identified by the complete number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam Spectra US first edition, identified by the complete number line reading 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on the copyright page. The book carries a 1995 copyright with trade publication at the start of 1996; the pictorial first-issue dust jacket bears art by Gary Ruddell and shows the printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
US Bantam Spectra first, published essentially simultaneously with the first British edition; the UK Headline printing states 'First published in Great Britain in 1996' and does not precede the American issue.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club editions lack the full number line and the printed jacket price; a book-club issue exists, so confirm the complete 10-to-1 number line and the priced Ruddell jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Endymion* by Dan Simmons a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/endymion
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.