# Is "The Apocalypse Watch" by Robert Ludlum a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Apocalypse Watch by Robert Ludlum (Bantam Books, 1995) is identified by: The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries the full descending number line ending in 1 (0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) beneath it. The US Bantam Books hardcover (New York, 1995) is the true first, preceding the trade paperback and later mass-market printings.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries the full descending number line ending in 1 (0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) beneath it
- Issued in black boards with silver spine lettering
- The first-issue dust jacket must retain the printed price on the front flap, unclipped, and carries the ISBN 0-553-09993-0
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert Ludlum |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
| Year | 1995 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries the full… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The first printing states 'First Edition' on the copyright page and carries the full descending number line ending in 1 (0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) beneath it. Issued in black boards with silver spine lettering. The first-issue dust jacket must retain the printed price on the front flap, unclipped, and carries the ISBN 0-553-09993-0.

## Is this the true first?
The US Bantam Books hardcover (New York, 1995) is the true first, preceding the trade paperback and later mass-market printings.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the printed jacket price and the full number line, are typically smaller and lighter, and carry a blindstamped code (dot, square, or circle) on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Apocalypse Watch* by Robert Ludlum a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-apocalypse-watch
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.