# Is "Rainbow Six" by Tom Clancy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1998) is identified by: 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 through 10 beginning at 1. US G.P.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 through 10 beginning at 1
- Bound in blue paper boards with a black cloth spine stamped in silver
- 740 pages
- The first-state dust jacket retains its printed front-flap price and is not clipped
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tom Clancy |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1998 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | 'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 through 10… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
'First Edition' stated on the copyright page with a complete number line 1 through 10 beginning at 1. Bound in blue paper boards with a black cloth spine stamped in silver; 740 pages. The first-state dust jacket retains its printed front-flap price and is not clipped.

## Is this the true first?
US G.P. Putnam's Sons edition (ISBN 0-399-14390-4), published August 3, 1998, is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and the number line, carry no printed jacket price, and typically show a blind-stamped dot on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Rainbow Six* by Tom Clancy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/rainbow-six
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-03.