# Is "The Queen of the Damned" by Anne Rice a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice (Alfred A. Knopf, 1988) is identified by: Knopf (A Borzoi Book) hardcover first, October 1988. US Knopf (1988) is the true first; a UK edition also appeared in 1988.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- US Alfred A. Knopf (A Borzoi Book) hardcover first, October 1988
- First printing has the words First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and no later-printing statement, in the priced unclipped jacket
- Quarter white cloth over beige boards with gilt medallion
- Third of the Vampire Chronicles
- Note that Knopf ran printings before publication, so some copies state a later printing before publication date while still being first edition so stated
- Publisher imprint reads Alfred A. Knopf
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Anne Rice |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | US Alfred A. Knopf (A Borzoi Book) hardcover first, October 1988 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
US Alfred A. Knopf (A Borzoi Book) hardcover first, October 1988. First printing has the words First Edition stated on the copyright page with the Borzoi colophon and no later-printing statement, in the priced unclipped jacket. Quarter white cloth over beige boards with gilt medallion. Third of the Vampire Chronicles. Note that Knopf ran printings before publication, so some copies state a later printing before publication date while still being first edition so stated.

## Is this the true first?
US Knopf (1988) is the true first; a UK edition also appeared in 1988. Separate signed limited issues in slipcase exist as later fine-binding productions, first thus rather than the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A book-club edition lacks the printed jacket price and the stated First Edition line; identify the trade first by the stated First Edition on the copyright page and the priced jacket.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Queen of the Damned* by Anne Rice a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-queen-of-the-damned
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.