# Is "Intensity" by Dean Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Intensity by Dean Koontz (Alfred A. Knopf, 1996) is identified by: Knopf first US trade edition was published in January 1996, not 1995; the copyright page states 'First Trade Edition' and notes that a signed first edition was privately printed by The Franklin Library. The UK Headline edition (October 1995) precedes the Knopf trade edition and is the true first trade edition; a Franklin Library signed edition also appeared in 1995.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf first US trade edition was published in January 1996, not 1995; the copyright page states 'First Trade Edition' and notes that a signed first edition was privately printed by The Franklin Library
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean Koontz |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1996 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf first US trade edition was published in January 1996, not 1995; the copyright page states 'First Trade Edition' and notes that a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf first US trade edition was published in January 1996, not 1995; the copyright page states 'First Trade Edition' and notes that a signed first edition was privately printed by The Franklin Library.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Headline edition (October 1995) precedes the Knopf trade edition and is the true first trade edition; a Franklin Library signed edition also appeared in 1995. The Knopf is the first US trade edition only.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the First Trade Edition statement and the jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Intensity* by Dean Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/intensity
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.