First book edition of If the Stars are Gods, a science fiction novel by Gregory Benford and Gordon Eklund. Originally published in Universe 4 (1974), the Nebula Award-winning short story was issued in expanded form by Berkley in 1977, and distributed by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York.
The title typeface on the uncredited jacket design is Eightway Southwest, with the letter bodies filled with a green gradient, floating in space. The names of the authors are added above in all-caps Antique Olive Compact.
The title page brings together two grotesques with roots in England that were both available from VGC at the time: Sans Serifs No. 1 and Sans Serifs Shaded.
The spine lettering likewise is in Sans Serifs No. 1, and the text on the flaps and back panel in Helvetica.