# Is "The Cardinal of the Kremlin" by Tom Clancy a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1988) is identified by: Putnam first printing: identified by a complete number line on the copyright page that includes the digit 1 (the ascending sequence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; Putnam did not state "First Edition"). The US Putnam edition (1988) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Putnam first printing: identified by a complete number line on the copyright page that includes the digit 1 (the ascending sequence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
- Putnam did not state "First Edition")
- First-state dust jacket carries the printed retail price on the front flap; the jacket shows a satellite against a black background with red foil lettering
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Tom Clancy |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Putnam first printing: identified by a complete number line on the copyright page that includes the digit 1 (the ascending sequence 1 2 3 4… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Putnam first printing: identified by a complete number line on the copyright page that includes the digit 1 (the ascending sequence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; Putnam did not state "First Edition"). First-state dust jacket carries the printed retail price on the front flap; the jacket shows a satellite against a black background with red foil lettering.

## Is this the true first?
The US Putnam edition (1988) is the true first. The UK Collins edition also appeared in 1988 but follows the US printing.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club editions lack a price on the jacket flap, may print "Book Club Edition" on the flap, run smaller and lighter than the trade first, and usually show a blind-stamped dot or square on the rear board.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Cardinal of the Kremlin* by Tom Clancy a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-cardinal-of-the-kremlin
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.