# Is "The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower" by Stephen King a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower by Stephen King (Donald M. Grant, 2004) is identified by: Grant first edition; trade edition plus a 1,500-copy signed/numbered two-volume slipcased set (signed by King and Michael Whelan) and a 5,000-copy artist edition signed by Whelan. Grant true first; the signed/numbered set is the collectible signed first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Grant first edition; trade edition plus a 1,500-copy signed/numbered two-volume slipcased set (signed by King and Michael Whelan) and a 5,000-copy artist edition signed by Whelan
- Illustrated by Michael Whelan
- Publisher imprint reads Donald M. Grant
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Stephen King |
| Publisher | Donald M. Grant |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Grant first edition; trade edition plus a 1,500-copy signed/numbered two-volume slipcased set (signed by King and Michael Whelan) and a… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
Grant first edition; trade edition plus a 1,500-copy signed/numbered two-volume slipcased set (signed by King and Michael Whelan) and a 5,000-copy artist edition signed by Whelan. Illustrated by Michael Whelan.

## Is this the true first?
Grant true first; the signed/numbered set is the collectible signed first. Grant limited and artist editions preceded the trade edition.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
N/A; later trade reprint.

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