# Is "Adulthood Rites" by Octavia E. Butler a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Adulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler (Warner Books, 1988) is identified by: First edition, Warner Books, New York, 1988 (ISBN 0446514225). The US Warner hardcover (1988) is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, Warner Books, New York, 1988 (ISBN 0446514225)
- The copyright page states 'First Printing: June, 1988' above a full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
- Octavo, bound in red paper-covered boards over black spine cloth lettered in gilt
- Issued in the original priced dust jacket (jacket design by Don Puckey, cover illustration by Wayne Barlowe); the jacket should retain its printed price
- Xenogenesis volume 2
- Publisher imprint reads Warner Books
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Octavia E. Butler |
| Publisher | Warner Books |
| Year | 1988 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, Warner Books, New York, 1988 (ISBN 0446514225) |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
First edition, Warner Books, New York, 1988 (ISBN 0446514225). The copyright page states 'First Printing: June, 1988' above a full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Octavo, bound in red paper-covered boards over black spine cloth lettered in gilt. Issued in the original priced dust jacket (jacket design by Don Puckey, cover illustration by Wayne Barlowe); the jacket should retain its printed price. Xenogenesis volume 2.

## Is this the true first?
The US Warner hardcover (1988) is the true first.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No standalone book-club edition confirmed; the trilogy's book-club issue is the 1989 Guild America (SFBC) Xenogenesis omnibus, a smaller volume with no printed jacket price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Adulthood Rites* by Octavia E. Butler a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/adulthood-rites
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.