# Is "The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles 3)" by Rick Riordan a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles 3) by Rick Riordan (Disney-Hyperion, 2012) is identified by: First printing of the US edition (Disney-Hyperion, New York, 2012; 406 pages; ISBN 9781423140573) has "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full number line present that descends to 1, dated 2012, under the Disney-Hyperion imprint. US first edition (Disney-Hyperion, May 1, 2012), the recognized first for this American author; the US edition is the standard collector reference over the near-simultaneous UK Puffin release.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First printing of the US edition (Disney-Hyperion, New York, 2012
- 406 pages
- ISBN 9781423140573) has "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full number line present that descends to 1, dated 2012, under the Disney-Hyperion imprint
- The first-issue dust jacket should retain the printed price on the front flap (an unclipped jacket is preferred, though price-clipping alone does not unseat a first printing)
- Third and final volume of the Kane Chronicles
- Publisher imprint reads Disney-Hyperion
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Rick Riordan |
| Publisher | Disney-Hyperion |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Children's / illustrated |
| Key point | First printing of the US edition (Disney-Hyperion, New York, 2012 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First printing of the US edition (Disney-Hyperion, New York, 2012; 406 pages; ISBN 9781423140573) has "First Edition" on the copyright page with the full number line present that descends to 1, dated 2012, under the Disney-Hyperion imprint. The first-issue dust jacket should retain the printed price on the front flap (an unclipped jacket is preferred, though price-clipping alone does not unseat a first printing). Third and final volume of the Kane Chronicles.

## Is this the true first?
US first edition (Disney-Hyperion, May 1, 2012), the recognized first for this American author; the US edition is the standard collector reference over the near-simultaneous UK Puffin release.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later printings show a number line that no longer descends to 1; the lowest digit present rises with each printing.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Serpent's Shadow (Kane Chronicles 3)* by Rick Riordan a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-serpents-shadow-kane-chronicles-3
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.