# Is "The Dark Half" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dark Half by Stephen King (Viking, 1989) is identified by: 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. US Viking, released 20 October 1989, is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Viking
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Viking |
| Year | 1989 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | True first is the Viking trade hardcover with the printed jacket price present and a complete number line beginning with 1 on the copyright… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Dark Half* by Stephen King a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-dark-half
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.