Clay's Ark

Clay’s Ark is the last published novel in Octavia Butler’s Patternist Series. The novel is a prequel to others and documents the arrival of the Clay Ark disease that leads to the evolution of the mutant clayarks. The story is set in a near-future dystopia. Blake Maslin is a physician living in Southern California with his twin teenage daughters. They are kidnapped by Eli Doyle, the only survivor of Clay’s Ark spaceship that crashed in the desert. Eli is infected with a dangerous alien microorganism that gives him heightened senses and power but urges him to reproduce. He has isolated himself in the desert to stop the spread of the destructive. The organism kills many, but those who don’t succumb become powerful and have a strong desire to reproduce - mutant offspring that will eradicate the human race. Blake and his children have to decide whether to endanger themselves or humanity.

The first edition of Clay's Ark has "First Edition" stated on the copyright page with a complete number line: "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. The original cover art for Clay's Ark is by Lee Wade. "Design by Lee Wade" is stated on the copyright page, and "Jacket by Lee Wade" is printed on the back flap of the dust jacket.