# Is "The Divine Invasion" by Philip K. Dick a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Divine Invasion by Philip K. Dick (Timescape/Simon & Schuster, 1981) is identified by: Timescape Books (distributed by Simon & Schuster) first hardcover, ISBN 0-671-41776-5; the copyright page carries the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, and the correct first-printing dust jacket bears the date code 0681 on the rear flap. The US Timescape first hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Timescape Books (distributed by Simon & Schuster) first hardcover, ISBN 0-671-41776-5; the copyright page carries the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, and the correct first-printing dust jacket bears the date code 0681 on the rear flap
- The first-state jacket carries its printed price (not clipped) and reproduces the cover painting by Rowena Morrill
- Second book of the VALIS trilogy
- Publisher imprint reads Timescape/Simon & Schuster
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip K. Dick |
| Publisher | Timescape/Simon & Schuster |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Timescape Books (distributed by Simon & Schuster) first hardcover, ISBN 0-671-41776-5; the copyright page carries the full number line 10 9… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Timescape Books (distributed by Simon & Schuster) first hardcover, ISBN 0-671-41776-5; the copyright page carries the full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, and the correct first-printing dust jacket bears the date code 0681 on the rear flap. The first-state jacket carries its printed price (not clipped) and reproduces the cover painting by Rowena Morrill. Second book of the VALIS trilogy.

## Is this the true first?
The US Timescape first hardcover is the true first. It was the last book by Dick published during his lifetime; he died about eight months after publication.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1981 book-club edition has no printed price on the jacket, a smaller and lighter binding, and lacks the 0681 flap date code; identify the true first by the complete number line ending in 1 and the 0681 code.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Divine Invasion* by Philip K. Dick a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-divine-invasion
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.