# Is "The Fifth Heart" by Dan Simmons a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Fifth Heart by Dan Simmons (Little, Brown, 2015) is identified by: Little, Brown and Company US first edition, published March 2015 (ISBN 9780316198820). The Little, Brown trade hardcover (March 2015) is the true first edition and first printing.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Little, Brown and Company US first edition, published March 2015 (ISBN 9780316198820)
- The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a complete descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1)
- First-state jacket carries the printed price at the top of the front flap and should not be price-clipped on a collector's copy; the wraparound art depicts a Victorian street scene and the rear panel carries the publisher's blurbs and review matter
- Trade binding is boards with stamped spine and dust jacket
- Publisher imprint reads Little, Brown
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dan Simmons |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Year | 2015 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Little, Brown and Company US first edition, published March 2015 (ISBN 9780316198820) |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Little, Brown and Company US first edition, published March 2015 (ISBN 9780316198820). The copyright page states 'First Edition' with a complete descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1). First-state jacket carries the printed price at the top of the front flap and should not be price-clipped on a collector's copy; the wraparound art depicts a Victorian street scene and the rear panel carries the publisher's blurbs and review matter. Trade binding is boards with stamped spine and dust jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The Little, Brown trade hardcover (March 2015) is the true first edition and first printing. A separately produced Subterranean Press signed limited edition also appeared in 2015; it is a distinct deluxe issue and does not precede the Little, Brown trade first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack the 'First Edition' statement and full number line, are printed on lighter bulked stock, and carry a jacket with no printed price and often a blind-stamped code to the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Fifth Heart* by Dan Simmons a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-fifth-heart
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.