KING, Stephen. Firestarter (Signed First Edition)

New York: The Viking Press, 1980. First edition. 8vo. 428pp. Publisher’s black paper-covered boards with red cloth spine, initials ‘SK’ in gilt to upper board, spine lettered in gilt and black, in the original pictorial dust jacket. Jacket worn and chipped at head of spine with further edge wear, creasing and a closed tear to lower front panel; evidence of an old label or tape removal towards foot of spine; some staining to lower edge of text block. Internally clean and sound. Signed by Stephen King in a large, bold hand on the front free endpaper.

First edition of King’s sixth novel, with the copyright page stating ‘First published in 1980 by The Viking Press’ and the number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3, as called for on the first trade edition.

Firestarter follows Charlie McGee, a young girl possessing the terrifying ability to create fire through psychokinesis. Charlie and her father are pursued by a secret government organisation known as The Shop, which seeks to exploit her extraordinary powers. Combining supernatural horror with the atmosphere of a government-conspiracy thriller, the novel became one of the books that consolidated King’s international reputation at the beginning of the 1980s.

The novel was nominated for several major genre awards and was adapted for the 1984 film starring Drew Barrymore as Charlie McGee. A desirable signed first edition of an important early Stephen King novel, considerably enhanced by the prominent full signature.

[WR]