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

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Patternmaster by Octavia E. Butler (Doubleday, 1976) is identified by: Doubleday hardcover with First Edition stated on the copyright page; light gray cloth lettered in black; price printed at the top of the front jacket flap (unclipped); printer's code G-24 at the foot of page 185. US Doubleday hardcover (1976) is the true first; the key Butler collectible.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Doubleday hardcover with First Edition stated on the copyright page; light gray cloth lettered in black; price printed at the top of the front jacket flap (unclipped); printer's code G-24 at the foot of page 185
- Butler's debut novel
- Publisher imprint reads Doubleday
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Octavia E. Butler |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Year | 1976 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Doubleday hardcover with First Edition stated on the copyright page; light gray cloth lettered in black; price printed at the top of the… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Doubleday hardcover with First Edition stated on the copyright page; light gray cloth lettered in black; price printed at the top of the front jacket flap (unclipped); printer's code G-24 at the foot of page 185. Butler's debut novel.

## Is this the true first?
US Doubleday hardcover (1976) is the true first; the key Butler collectible. Patternist series.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Doubleday/SFBC book-club edition: no printed jacket price, blind stamp or gutter code, lacks the First Edition statement and the G-24 code; smaller, cheaper boards.

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