# Is "The Taking" by Dean Koontz a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Taking by Dean Koontz (Bantam, 2004) is identified by: Bantam hardcover, first printing dated May 2004, running to 338 pages. The Bantam US hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK HarperCollins edition of June 2004.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Bantam hardcover, first printing dated May 2004, running to 338 pages
- The first printing is identified on the copyright page by a full descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Dean Koontz |
| Publisher | Bantam |
| Year | 2004 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Bantam hardcover, first printing dated May 2004, running to 338 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Bantam hardcover, first printing dated May 2004, running to 338 pages. The first printing is identified on the copyright page by a full descending number line ending in 1 (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1); the jacket should retain its printed price on the front flap.

## Is this the true first?
The Bantam US hardcover is the true first, preceding the UK HarperCollins edition of June 2004. A separate Charnel House slipcased, signed limited edition also followed the trade first and is a distinct issue rather than the first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club variants carry an identifying club number and lack a printed price on the jacket flap; they are not firsts.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Taking* by Dean Koontz a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-taking
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.