# Is "King of Morning, Queen of Day" by Ian McDonald a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of King of Morning, Queen of Day by Ian McDonald (Bantam Spectra, 1991) is identified by: US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, first printing June 1991; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1. The US Bantam Spectra paperback original of June 1991 was the Philip K.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, first printing June 1991; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1
- Publisher imprint reads Bantam Spectra
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ian McDonald |
| Publisher | Bantam Spectra |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, first printing June 1991; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
US Bantam Spectra mass-market paperback original, first printing June 1991; first printing identified by a complete number line ending in 1.

## Is this the true first?
The US Bantam Spectra paperback original of June 1991 was the Philip K. Dick Award-eligible first edition, published directly into paperback. It won the 1992 Philip K. Dick Award. A UK edition followed.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The later UK edition is a separate state, and subsequent reissues are reprints, not the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *King of Morning, Queen of Day* by Ian McDonald a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/king-of-morning-queen-of-day
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.