The Time of the Hero
The Time of the Hero (La ciudad y los perros) is Mario Vargas Llosa's first novel, published by Seix Barral of Barcelona in October 1963. Set at Lima's Leoncio Prado Military Academy, it won the 1962 Premio Biblioteca Breve in manuscript. Lysander Kemp's translation followed in 1966.
- Editions tracked
- 3
- First edition
- Seix Barral, 1963
- First published
- Seix Barral, 1963
- First UK edition
- Jonathan Cape, 1967
The first edition of The Time of the Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa was published in Barcelona by Seix Barral in 1963. We track 3 editions.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Later and other editions
- Grove Press1966 Hardback Sold £32 · Oct 2026 I own The Time of the Hero, Grove Press 1966 Log in to want this
- Jonathan Cape1967 Hardback I own The Time of the Hero, Jonathan Cape 1967 Log in to want this
We have not yet researched the issue points for this book. If you know how to tell the first from later printings, tell us and we will credit you once it is checked against a second source.
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- The City and the Dogs film, 1985
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Callao
- Genre
- fiction literature
In print
- Editions recorded
- 96 on Open Library, 12 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 19 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by Mario Vargas Llosa
- The Green House1966 · 4 editions
- Conversation in The Cathedral1975 · 2 editions
- The Perpetual Orgy1975 · 2 editions
- Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter1977 · 3 editions
- Captain Pantoja and the Special Service1978 · 2 editions
- The Cubs and Other Stories1979 · 2 editions
- The War of the End of the World1981 · 2 editions
- The Storyteller1987 · 2 editions
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
Read the guide →6 min readBook Condition Grading: Fine to Poor Explained
Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Time of the Hero?
The first edition of The Time of the Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa was published in Barcelona by Seix Barral in 1963.
How many editions of The Time of the Hero are there?
We track 3 editions of The Time of the Hero, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The Time of the Hero been adapted?
Yes, including The City and the Dogs (film, 1985), according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- The Time of the Hero, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- La ciudad y los perros, Spanish Wikipedia (es.wikipedia.org)
- The Time of the Hero (Grove Press, 1966), Open Library (openlibrary.org)
- The Time of the Hero (Jonathan Cape, 1967), Open Library (openlibrary.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 23 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.