# Is "Pattern Recognition" by William Gibson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Pattern Recognition by William Gibson (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2003) is identified by: Putnam's Sons (New York) hardcover shows a stated first edition with a full number line running to 1. US Putnam (February 2003) is generally cited as the true first edition; the UK Viking hardcover follows the same year.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The G.P. Putnam's Sons (New York) hardcover shows a stated first edition with a full number line running to 1
- The binding has a dark blue spine and gray boards with the title embossed at the top of the front board, and black endpapers
- The jacket, designed by Archie Ferguson, is glossy and illustrated with a human face in shades of blue across front, spine and back, carries a Neil Gaiman blurb, and shows a photographic portrait of Gibson against a dark ground on the rear panel; the printed price should be present
- The Viking (London) hardcover is also dated 2003
- Publisher imprint reads G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Gibson |
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
| Year | 2003 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The G.P. Putnam's Sons (New York) hardcover shows a stated first edition with a full number line running to 1 |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
The G.P. Putnam's Sons (New York) hardcover shows a stated first edition with a full number line running to 1. The binding has a dark blue spine and gray boards with the title embossed at the top of the front board, and black endpapers. The jacket, designed by Archie Ferguson, is glossy and illustrated with a human face in shades of blue across front, spine and back, carries a Neil Gaiman blurb, and shows a photographic portrait of Gibson against a dark ground on the rear panel; the printed price should be present. The Viking (London) hardcover is also dated 2003.

## Is this the true first?
US Putnam (February 2003) is generally cited as the true first edition; the UK Viking hardcover follows the same year. Blue Ant trilogy volume 1.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Issued as a trade hardcover; no significant book-club printing is noted.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Pattern Recognition* by William Gibson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/pattern-recognition
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.