Classic
Books
1968-1977
Nearly all the books listed below will never be reissued. My understanding
is that DK bought the rights to most of them, and will never allow them
to be published again.
Star
Quest
"In
a universe that had been ravaged by a thousand years of interplanetary
warefare... there seemed now but one thing that could bring the destruction
to an end..."
1968
Dean Koontz' first published novel STAR QUEST. Ace Double paperback,
H-70. Ace doubles contained two novels for the price of one.
Flip the book over, and you have "Doom of the Green Planet" by Emil Petaja
on the other side. SBN 020-08070-060, 60 cents. "Star Quest"
cover art by Gray Morrow. "Doom" cover art by Jerome Podwil.
No previous hardback. Any copy of this book would be a first edition.
The
Fall of the Dream Machine
"When
all the world's a stage, director Cockley will run it."
1969
Ace Double #22600 paperback, with no previous hardback. SBN 020-22600-060,
60 cents. The flipside contains THE STAR VENTURERS by Kenneth Bulmer.
Perhaps, slightly more difficult to find than the other Koontz Ace Doubles.
Still more common than many other Koontz fantasy/sci-fi paperbacks.
"Dream Machine cover by Jack Gaughan. "Star Venturers cover by John
Schoenherr. Any copy of this book is a first edition.
Fear
That Man
"The
Galaxy had forgotten war and evil - until the man without a past had intervened...
But...
was that his purpose? Or was he there to save all Hope from a threat
even deadlier than the one he himself presented?"
1969
Ace Double paperback. Number 23140, 60 cents. SBN 020-23140-060.
Backed with "Toyman" by E. C. Tubb. Any copy is a first edition.
"Fear that Man" is the combination of two earlier short stories, "Where
the Beast Runs" and "In the Shield". Less Common.
Anti-Man
"Sam
was a miracle being - and a curse to a dangerously overpopulated planet."
1970
Paperback Library paperback. #63-384, 60 cents. First Printing:
July, 1970 on the copyright page indicates first edtiion. No previous
hardback. An expanded release of the earlier short story "The Mystery
of His Flesh" from the July, 1970 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and
Science Fiction. Fairly rare.
Beastchild
"The
naoli came to Earth as conquerors...The two races, human and naoli, were
the most powerful intelligences in the galaxy - and destined to be immediate
and perpetual enemies! It was only through treason that the future
of each race could be assured!"
1970
Lancer paperback. SBN 447-74719-075, 75 cents. No previous
hardback. "Never Before Published" stated on the back cover and no
printing history or numberline series on copyright page indicate first
edition. One of the more difficult Koontz classics to come by.
Pages are trimmed in purple. An expanded release of the earlier story
of the Same Title in the August, 1970 issue of Venture Science Fiction
magazine.
1992
Charnel House reissued a limited edition hardback, 750 signed/numbered
copies. The only version containing the complete text, as written
by DK. Illustrated by Pamela Lee.
Dark
of the Woods
"The
First bit of trouble came even as they were leaving the starship..."
1970
Two Dean Koontz books back to back Ace Double style. SOFT COME THE
DRAGONS and DARK OF THE WOODS, Ace Double paperback. SBN 441-13793-075,
75 cents. No previous hardback. Any copy of this book is a
first edition. Fairly rare. Cover art by Jeff Jones.
Soft
Come the Dragons
"And
what will you do when the soft breezes come and the dragons drift in to
spread death?"
1970
"Dragons" is a collection of short stories and novellas, including the
Title Story, A Third Hand, A Darkness in My Soul, The Twelth Bed, A Season
for Freedom(Killerbot), The Psychedelic Children, Dragon in the Land and
To Behold the Sun. Each collected story contains an introduction
by DK. Cover art by Jack Gaughan.
The
Dark Symphony
"Earth
was easy prey, for there was little left after the last of the atomic wars,
except for pathetic mutants picking a living in the ruins... and others,
creatures no longer even remotely human..."
1970
Lancer paperback. SBN 447-74621-075, 75 cents. No previous
hardback. Certainly in the top five most difficult to come by Koontz
fantasy/sci-fi paperbacks. No printing history on the copyright page
indicates first edition. Pages are trimmed in purple.
Hell's
Gate
"Strictly
a fun book for Gerda to remind her of plasticine porters, glass onions
- and that nothing is real. Nothing foorthwith is real."
1970
Lancer paperback. SBN 447-74656-075, 75 cents. No previous
hardback. "Never Before Published" stated on the back cover indicates
first and only edition. Rivals "The Dark Symphony" as the second
rarest Koontz fantasy/sci-fi paperback. Pages are trimmed in purple.
The
Crimson Witch
"He
found himself in a strange world, wherein lived people with unusual Talents,
among them the beautiful Crimson Witch of the Eye Mountain. Taming
her was to be only the beginning of his dangerous quest...!"
1971
Curtis paperback. SBN 502-07156-075. 75 cents. Any copy is
a first edition. Originally appeared in Fantastic Stories magazine.
One of his very rarest books, and without question his rarest fantasy/sci-fi
paperback.
A
Darkness in My Soul
"The
gene-tamperers produced two supermen - one a defiant mentalist, the other
a defiant...God?"
1972
DAW Books paperback. UQ1012-095, 95 cents. Jack Gaughan cover.
There was no previous hardback. No number series on copyright page
indicates first edition. One of Koontz' earliest published novellas,
this story first appeared in the January 1968 issue of Fantastic Stories
magazine. Fairly rare.
This
book has two different covers, depending on which printing you buy.
Both covers from 1972. Less Common.
1979
UK hardback. Dennis Dobson.
The
Flesh in the Furnace
"A
race of living puppets, bound to the puppet master, fearing him, hating
him, planning..."
1972
Bantam paperback. SBN 553-06977-075, 75 cents. Published June
1972 on the copyright page, and "First Publication Anywhere" stated on
the front cover; indicate first edition. One of the rarest Koontz
fantasy/sci-fi paperbacks. No previous hardback.
Starblood
"Timothy
was not human - not if by human you mean a man with two arms, two legs,
two eyes. Of the first criteria, he had none at all; of the last,
only one. And even that one was misplaced."
1972
Lancer paperback. SBN 447-75306-095, 95 cents. There was no
previous hardback. "Never Before Published" stated on the front cover
indicates first and only edition. An expanded version of the earlier
Koontz novella "A Third Hand" from the January 1970 issue of The Magazine
of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Fairly rare, especially if the binding
is still solid and intact.
Time
Thieves
1972
Ace Double paperback. Backed with "Against Arcturus" by Susan Putney.
More common than many of the vintage pb.
1977
UK hardback. Dennis Dobson.
Warlock
"New
magic clashes with old science in the final battle to win a world reborn!"
1972
Lancer paperback. SBN 417-75386-095, 95 cents. "Never Before
Published" on the front cover indicates first and only edition. No
previous hardback. Very rare. The original Kent cigarette advertisement
page within adds to the value.
Demon
Seed
"In
the privacy of this woman's room...Against her will...A sensually self-programmed,
murderously intelligent non-being commits the inconceivable act of terror!"
1973
Bantam paperback. Reasonably common, for it's age.
1977
The second issue of this novel, was the movie-tie-in for the film of the
Same Title. 1977 Bantam paperback. ISBN 0-553-10930-8, $1.75.
As with the original book, there was no previous hardback. The printing
history on the copyright page listing the 2nd printing.......June 1977,
and nothing following, indicates first release of this book. Nearly
as rare as the original.
1997
Revamped and reissued in Berkley paperback.
Hanging
On
"The
tension was doing funny things to Major Kelly's men's minds...which meant
anything could happen - and you can bet your last C-Ration it did!"
1973
Atheneum hardback. Very rare. Koontz' first hardback, using
his own name. Thank you Atheneum!
1976
Dell paperback. SBN 440-05437-150, $1.50. First Dell Printing
- February 1976 on the copyright page indicaates first edition. A
much cheaper alternative to the very rare and pricey 1973 hardback.
The paperback is quite rare in it's own right.
1973
UK hardback. Barrie & Jenkins.
1976
UK paperback. Mayflower.
The
Haunted Earth
1973
Lancer paperback. Rare.
A
Werewolf Among Us
"He
was a cyberdetective - A super-man"
1973
Ballantine paperback. SBN 345-03055-125, $1.25. First Printing
January, 1973 on copyright page indicates first edtion. No previous
hardback. Cover art by Bob Blanchard.
After
the Last Race
"They
recruited a team of pros and put their dream into action...no one saw the
whole pattern - until it was too late...."
1974
Atheneum hardback. Very rare and pricey.
1975
Fawcett-Crest paperback. SBN 449-02650-150, $1.50. First Printing:
December 1975 and 1-10 numberline on copyright page indicate first edition.
A much cheaper alternative to the extremely rare and pricey 1974 hardback.
The paperback is quite rare in it's own right.
Nightmare
Journey
"Locked
on Earth, mankind explores the fearful terrain of their own genetic being..."
1975
Berkley/Putnam hardback. Very rare and pricey.
1975
August, Berkley paperback. SBN 425-02923-095, 95 cents. "First
time in paperback" stated on the front cover indicates first edition.
A much cheaper alternative to the very rare and pricey hardback edition.
The paperback is fairly rare in it's own right. Nightmare Journey
marks the end of an era for Koontz; the last of many science fiction novels
written using his own name. 1975 turned out to be an interesting
year for DK, instead of using pseudonyms for stories other than Sci-fi,
he used two different pen names for sci-fi. John Hill and Aaron Wolfe.
While stories after '75 contained elements of that gender, he never looked
back.
Night
Chills
1976
Atheneum hardback. Very rare. One without ink bleed on the
jacket, costs much more.
1977
Fawcett-Crest paperback. Fairly common.
1977
UK hardback. WH Allen.
The
Vision
1977
Putnam hardback. Rare. Fairly easy to find the book club edition.
1978
paperback. Fairly common.
1988
WH Allen UK hardback.
No books were released, using his own name, in 1978
or
1979
Note:
I will be adding more detailed descriptions of all the books as I find
the time. Happy Koontzing :)
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