# Is "Parable of the Talents" by Octavia E. Butler a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (Seven Stories Press, 1998) is identified by: Seven Stories Press hardcover (1998); first printing with the complete number line ending in 1; black paper-covered boards lettered in silver on the spine. The US Seven Stories Press 1998 hardcover is the true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Seven Stories Press hardcover
- first printing with the complete number line ending in 1; black paper-covered boards lettered in silver on the spine
- First-state dust jacket bears an incorrect ISBN printed on the rear panel (ending 762), with a corrective sticker giving the proper ISBN (ending 819) applied over it; the sticker is frequently missing or rubbed on surviving copies
- Sequel to Parable of the Sower
- Publisher imprint reads Seven Stories Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Octavia E. Butler |
| Publisher | Seven Stories Press |
| Year | 1998 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Seven Stories Press hardcover |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Seven Stories Press hardcover (1998); first printing with the complete number line ending in 1; black paper-covered boards lettered in silver on the spine. First-state dust jacket bears an incorrect ISBN printed on the rear panel (ending 762), with a corrective sticker giving the proper ISBN (ending 819) applied over it; the sticker is frequently missing or rubbed on surviving copies. Sequel to Parable of the Sower.

## Is this the true first?
The US Seven Stories Press 1998 hardcover is the true first. The complete number line marks the first printing, and the rear-panel ISBN error with corrective sticker identifies the first-state jacket.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book club edition: no price on the jacket flap, a blind-stamp on the rear board, and it lacks the full number line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Parable of the Talents* by Octavia E. Butler a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/parable-of-the-talents
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.