Collector Features & Identification
○ Author: Stephen King & Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
○ Book Series: The King/Bachman Mirror Experiment (Twin Paired Novels)
○ Cover Artist / Jacket Design: Mark Ryden (Both Titles)
○ Publisher & Year:
- Desperation: Viking (1996)
- The Regulators: Dutton (1996)
○ Format: Hardcover with Dust Jackets
○ Edition: First Edition / First Printing (True First Trade Editions)
○ ISBN:
- Desperation: 0670868361
- The Regulators: 0525941908
○ Identification: A matched set of the iconic King/Bachman release. Desperation: Verified by number line (10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1) and Viking imprint. Features blue boards with recessed "SK" stenciling and cream/light brown quarter cloth. The Regulators: Verified by number line (10-1) and Dutton imprint. Features red boards with recessed "RB" stenciling and cream/light brown quarter cloth.
○ Genre: Horror, Supernatural Thriller
○ Topics: Collie Entragian, Supernatural forces, Psychosis, Small-town horror, The King/Bachman Pseudonym
○ Page Count:
- Desperation: 690 pages
- The Regulators: 480 pages
- Combined Total: 1,170 pages
About the Books (Synopsis)
This set captures the legendary mirror image experiment where Stephen King and his pseudonym, Richard Bachman, released two books simultaneously that shared the same characters but existed in different realities. Desperation follows a group of travelers in a brutal Nevada desert, while The Regulators unleashes supernatural chaos on a quiet suburban street in Ohio. Together, they form one of the most unique publishing events in horror history.
Archival Preservation
○ Archival Sleeve: Both dust jackets are protected by professional-grade, 1.5-mil clear Mylar archival covers to prevent edge wear, scuffing, and corner bumping during storage.
○ Archival Backing: Jackets are supported by acid-free, pH-neutral backing paper to preserve the paper quality and prevent any toning or degradation over time.
○ Structural Integrity: Stored upright in a smoke-free, climate-controlled environment.
Condition Report
This set is in Like-New condition, presenting as an impeccable, matching collector’s pair.
○ Dust Jackets: Flawless condition. Both are unclipped ($27.95 and $24.95 prices intact) and perfectly preserved under Mylar with absolutely no edge wear, chipping, or rubbing. The colors are vibrant and flawless.
○ Binding & Boards: Like-New condition. Boards are clean, square, and completely firm. Bindings on both volumes are incredibly tight, displaying the high resistance characteristic of unread, pristine volumes.
○ Text Block: Mint condition. The pages across both volumes are crisp, white, and completely flawless internally, appearing unread.
○ Internal: Crisp white paste-downs and endpapers are clean and perfect. No markings, library stamps, remainder marks, or previous owner names.
Why This Listing Has Premium Pricing
This is a preserved collector asset that respects forensic honesty. You are paying for verified quality and professional curation:
Deep Forensic Research: I conduct meticulous
research on every book, thoroughly checking codes, publisher history, and number lines to guarantee exactly what you are receiving.
The Craft of Preservation: Hardcover books arrive protected by high-grade archival sleeves with acid-free backing.
Unmatched Transparency: I provide honest, detailed descriptions of condition, ensuring you know exactly what is in your collection.
Transparent & Fair Shipping: I do not inflate shipping costs to pad margins. You pay the true, calculated rate for secure transit, whether domestic or international.
360° Video Display & Comprehensive Photography: Please see all pictures and the included video to know exactly what you are getting. I utilize a rotating display platform to provide a full 55-second 360-degree rotation of the actual book. The first half of the video shows the rotation with the dust jacket on, and the second half shows the rotation with the jacket off so you can clearly see the condition of the underlying boards.
Buyer Inquiries
Questions: If you have any questions about this listing or need to see additional details, please reach out. I am always happy to answer any questions you might have.
Negotiations: All of my books are OBO (Or Best Offer). Please feel free to make me an offer or send me a message. I do have minimum cut-off amounts that vary by book. If you see your offer being auto-declined, it is under that threshold.
Shipping & Handling
○ Your books will be shipped with protective padding in a safely padded box or bubble padded mailer. I ship within 1-2 business days.
○ Service: USPS Media Mail
○ Combined Shipping: I offer combined shipping if you are looking to acquire multiple items from the archive. Just send me a direct message before checking out so I can sort the rates for you.
Physical Dimensions (Books Only)
○ Height: 9.50 in
○ Length: 6.50 in
○ Width: 3.75 in (Combined)
○ Weight: 4 lb 2 oz (Combined)
LISTING LOGISTICS & PRICING
Please be cautious when shopping for premium and collectible books online. Across various marketplaces and book forums, I am seeing an increasing number of sellers artificially inflating their prices to match the listings in this archive without putting in the actual work.
A premium price tag should guarantee premium service. Many of these sellers are not curating cohesive bundles, they are not wrapping jackets in archival Mylar, they skip the forensic edition research, they hide behind poor photographs instead of transparent 360-degree videos, an omission of the truth is a lie by deception. They inflate shipping costs, they do not prioritize 1 day handling times and fast shipping, and they do not pack their books properly to survive transit. When you pay a collector's premium, you deserve transparency, preservation, and professional care. Always double-check what is actually included and how the books are being treated before you spend your hard-earned money. A quick pro-tip: If you see a listing claiming to be a "First Book Club Edition" run. That is not a real classification, and it tells you everything you need to know about that seller's expertise.