The points of issue
Signet paperback original, catalog number W7645. Copyright page states FIRST PRINTING, SEPTEMBER, 1977 with a full number line 1 through 9 (including 1). As by Richard Bachman.
Is this the true first?
Paperback original; no hardcover first. Earliest Bachman title and scarce in collectible grade. UK New English Library edition came later.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
N/A (paperback original); later printings show a higher printing statement or a number line lacking 1.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Rage a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Signet paperback original, catalog number W7645. Copyright page states FIRST PRINTING, SEPTEMBER, 1977 with a full number line 1 through 9 (including 1). As by Richard Bachman.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. Paperback original; no hardcover first. Earliest Bachman title and scarce in collectible grade. UK New English Library edition came later.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
N/A (paperback original); later printings show a higher printing statement or a number line lacking 1.
I have a first edition of Rage — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.