# Is "Sole Survivor" by Dean Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz (Alfred A. Knopf, 1997) is identified by: Knopf first US edition (1997, ISBN 0-679-42526-8) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page; it was a very large first printing. The UK Headline edition (with a descending number line 10 through 1) was published roughly three weeks ahead of the Knopf edition in early 1997 and is technically the true first; the Knopf, with its stated 'First Edition', is the first US edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Knopf first US edition (1997, ISBN 0-679-42526-8) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page; it was a very large first printing
- The dust jacket was designed by Chip Kidd and should retain the printed price on the front flap, unclipped
- Collation runs [xii], [4], 5-321, [3] pages
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean Koontz |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1997 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Knopf first US edition (1997, ISBN 0-679-42526-8) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page; it was a very large first printing |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Knopf first US edition (1997, ISBN 0-679-42526-8) states 'First Edition' on the copyright page; it was a very large first printing. The dust jacket was designed by Chip Kidd and should retain the printed price on the front flap, unclipped. Collation runs [xii], [4], 5-321, [3] pages.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Headline edition (with a descending number line 10 through 1) was published roughly three weeks ahead of the Knopf edition in early 1997 and is technically the true first; the Knopf, with its stated 'First Edition', is the first US edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement, use thinner boards, and carry a blind-stamped mark on the rear board; the BCE jacket has no printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Sole Survivor* by Dean Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/sole-survivor
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.