Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... Puolipäivän riitit (edition 1991)by Octavia E. Butler
Work InformationAdulthood Rites by Octavia E. Butler
Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. In conclusion, Octavia Butler is amazing. I'm not even sure where to begin. The Xenogenesis trilogy is completely unlike anything I've ever read before. The closest I can come in comparison is to [b:The Left Hand of Darkness|18423|The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle, #4)|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388229638s/18423.jpg|817527]: this is a book with rich, thorough world/species building, compelling characters, a solid plot and more theme than you can shake a stick at. Butler understands that meaningful speculative fiction asks "what if" questions to cause readers to reflect on the world as it is. And here, she does that artfully, weaving in questions about whether human nature is intrinsically violent, how different we are able to tolerate our children being from us and still perceive them as "ours," whether it is better to die sticking with the familiar, or be irrevocably mutated and survive. In there are implications about environmentalism, gender relations, racial relations, consent, and warfare. But all of this lies under an intricate plot, and beautifully devised characters: the bitter, resigned, maternal Lillith; the optimistic, daring Akin; sweet Tino and others. The Oankali as an alien species feel so real: Butler has developed for them a physicality, a culture, a morality, subdivisions, etc. such that it is as easy to predict how an Oankali will feel as a human character, and yet they feel so alien that it's easy to feel that undercurrent of revulsion towards them that is felt by the characters. This is intelligent scifi - not all technology and gizmos. It is about aliens and earthlings shining a light on how 'earthlings' treat each other. I'm enjoying the series, and the author gets the reader thinking about the content - if only all scifi was as good! But, having said that, this second book in a trilogy is not as good as the first - the pace lags, and the plot doesn't seem to move forward. But I'll be back for the final volume. no reviews | add a review
Is contained inIs an expanded version ofAwards
Fiction.
Science Fiction.
HTML:The futures of both mankind and an alien species rest in the hands of one hybrid son in the award-winning science fiction author's masterful sequel to Dawn. Nuclear war had nearly destroyed mankind when the Oankali came to the rescue, saving humanityâ??but at a price. The Oankali survive by mixing their DNA with that of other species, and now on Earth they have permitted no child to be born without an Oankali parent. The first true hybrid is a boy named Akinâ??son of Lilith Iyapoâ?? and to the naked eye he looks human, for now. He is born with extraordinary sensory powers, understanding speech at birth, speaking in sentences at two months old, and soon developing the ability to see at the molecular level. More powerful than any human or Oankali, he will be the architect of both races' intergalactic future. But before he can carry this new species into the stars, Akin must decide which unlucky souls will stay behind. At once a coming-of-age story, science fiction adventure, and philosophical exploration, Butler's ambitious and breathtaking novel ultimately raises the question of what it means to be human. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Octavia E. Butler including rare images from the author' No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
I was fully immersed in the story and watching Akin’s journey of becoming something not quite human or alien. But this was very slow-moving and long-winded, so I found myself getting fatigued. I don’t think I’ll finish this trilogy, at least no time soon, but it’s not bad at all.
The humans here are so distinctly human that they’re frustrating.
SN: I cannot get over once Akin reaches puberty, how down bad he was for those sea anemone-looking thangs lol ( )