The points of issue
True first is the Viking trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a complete number line beginning with 1 on the copyright page. Black boards with gilt spine lettering and purple endpapers.
Is this the true first?
US Viking, released 20 October 1989, is the true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton also published in 1989.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition lacks the jacket price and carries the small blind-stamp on the rear board; it is physically smaller and lighter than the trade first.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Dark Half a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: True first is the Viking trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a complete number line beginning with 1 on the copyright page. Black boards with gilt spine lettering and purple endpapers.
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. US Viking, released 20 October 1989, is the true first. UK Hodder & Stoughton also published in 1989.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book club edition lacks the jacket price and carries the small blind-stamp on the rear board; it is physically smaller and lighter than the trade first.
I have a first edition of The Dark Half — 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.