Dawn (Book One of the Xenogenesis Series)
by Octavia E. Butler
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Read in January, 2006
an excerpt of my writings on Dawn, below. part of my first prelim draft and under consideration for becoming a section of an expanded article on the exploration of empathy in works of science fiction & fantasy.
By far, however, one of the most striking explorations of the price paid for extra-human ‘special powers’ takes place in Octavia Butler’s Dawn. Its protagonist, Lilith Iyapo, does not begin her journey through the author’s Xenogenesis Series endowed w...more
By far, however, one of the most striking explorations of the price paid for extra-human ‘special powers’ takes place in Octavia Butler’s Dawn. Its protagonist, Lilith Iyapo, does not begin her journey through the author’s Xenogenesis Series endowed w...more
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Read in April, 2008
When America & Russia both push the "red button", the world is utterly destroyed. Luckily, many humans are rescued by extraterrestrials (Oankali) that just happen to be passing their way. Kept asleep for 250 years while the Oankali restore the earth, the humans are finally beginning to be Awakened by the Oankali. This is the story of Lilith, one of the humans chosen to lead the newly Awakened humans to rebuild the earth.
I enjoyed the beginning of this novel immensely. I found ...more
I enjoyed the beginning of this novel immensely. I found ...more
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Read in January, 2008
This is part one of a trilogy.There is a war that destroys earth. The main character,Lilith,is kept asleep for 250 years and then awakened by the Oankali. She is on some kind of orbiting organic ship. The Oankali have saved others like her. Her job is train other humans to get ready for an eventual return to Earth. One by one , she awakens other humans for this training. Most of them think she is a lackey for the Oankali and don't trust her. Eventually, they split up into different groups and ra...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
Octavia Butler Fans
So this is the first in a sci-fi trilogy written 20 years ago. Once again, like -Survivor- this story comes with a very interesting alien race, though this one is much more alien being plant based as far as I can tell and having 3 genders. And so again I was reminded of Card's -Speaker for the Dead-.
The story holds up to time well, probably because as with other Butler sci-fi novels, advanced technology is (mysteriously?) absent. Also similar to her other novels the environment is harsh an...more
The story holds up to time well, probably because as with other Butler sci-fi novels, advanced technology is (mysteriously?) absent. Also similar to her other novels the environment is harsh an...more
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Read in April, 2001
One of the most challenging scifi books I've ever read. This book can get under a reader's skin and change them forever. The plot is simple: humankind has destroyed itself and an alien race stumbled upon the wreckage, gathered some genetic clippings, and reconstructed some "survivors" with which they now wish to mate-with, producing an alien-human offspring destined to travel among the stars forever. Okay, so it's not so simple, and that's why it's so challenging. It makes the rea...more
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Read in September, 2007
Having read this novel a few years ago, I reread it. Steven King thinks he writes horror stories, but he has never written anything as frightening as this novel of an unspecified, post-nuclear war world where a race of aliens has taken on the chore of saving the human race from extinction. In the process, they attempt to remove those characteristics of humans that makes them prone to war, and they aim for the creation of a blended race - not exactly identical to the aliens, but also no longer fu...more
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Read in September, 2007
I read this for and International Studies class, of all things. I thought it was an inspired choice on the part of the professor, but there were more students in the class who didn't "get" sci-fi then I'd expected. Loved the book in either case. Read the entire series in the week this one was assigned. An amusing point - for some reason folk didn't realize Butler was an African-American woman when the book was first published, and the old covers featured a blond woman, even though ...more
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OCTAVIA E. BUTLER-- Lilith's Brood (aka Xenogenesis): Three books originally marketed as a trilogy under the title Xenogenesis with newer editions published under the title Lilith's Brood. A story which takes place after Earth has been destroyed by war and pollution leaving only a handful of humans still alive but imprisoned by a strange horrific species of aliens who are willing to make a deal with the humans to save the Earth and humanity. In exchange for a total terraforming makeover of th...more
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Jenny by:
Jillian
I enjoyed this sci-fi on many levels. On one hand, it had some great scientific underpinnings and I really enjoyed not only the extraterrestrial beings' biology but how it was reflected by their culture. On the other hand, it was really creepy and gripping.
I read it instead of two trashy romances on an airplane, which is saying a lot, and I finished it on an extremely turbulent last leg when I wanted really very much to throw up... and I think I paid more attention to the ending than to the...more
I read it instead of two trashy romances on an airplane, which is saying a lot, and I finished it on an extremely turbulent last leg when I wanted really very much to throw up... and I think I paid more attention to the ending than to the...more
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This is a generic review for all my Octavia Butlwer novels: If you love sci-fi (and I'm an admitted junky) you'll want to take a look at it through the eyes of (the recently deseased) Octavia Butler. I've really enjoyed the little bit of the genre produced from the female mind. With Octavia Butler you always get rich story lines from an frican American, female point of view. How often does that happen? Butler writes many of her stories with a keen eye on race, genesis of genetic offshoots, st...more
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Read in April, 2007
recommends it for:
OEB fans, SF fans, people who worry about global annihilation
I have always been susceptible to Ms. Butler's seductive style of writing. Her characters tend to start out in impossible situations and things generally don't get better, except in the ways they do. Dawn (like Bloodchild and, in another way, Kindred) is a morally nuanced examination of an unequal contact between people (and not-so-people) who can't hack it without each other. This is my first time reading any of the Xenogenesis books and I look forward to hunting down the next.
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
scifi dorks.
what a weird book.
i've been meaning to read octavia butler for some time now, and was given a copy by a friend-of-a-friend who was identified as a comrade of scifi. "dawn" is set in a post-apocalyptic time when the earth has been basically destroyed by nuclear war. a race of aliens have "saved" (or is it "abducted"?) our protagonist and held her aboard their ship.
it's a good read, and i hope i'm right in my impression that this is part of a series.
i've been meaning to read octavia butler for some time now, and was given a copy by a friend-of-a-friend who was identified as a comrade of scifi. "dawn" is set in a post-apocalyptic time when the earth has been basically destroyed by nuclear war. a race of aliens have "saved" (or is it "abducted"?) our protagonist and held her aboard their ship.
it's a good read, and i hope i'm right in my impression that this is part of a series.
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A truly fantastic book (and series) you could recommend to any lover of sci-fi, and probably also to most people who tend to stick to other genres.
Butler really knows how to write a fascinating story, frequently with likable characters, and with a rare talent for originality.
Read everything of hers you can get your hands on. I believe you'd love at least 80% of it, and enjoy the rest of it.
Memorability Factor 9/10
Butler really knows how to write a fascinating story, frequently with likable characters, and with a rare talent for originality.
Read everything of hers you can get your hands on. I believe you'd love at least 80% of it, and enjoy the rest of it.
Memorability Factor 9/10
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Read in June, 2008
It started so great. It really did. I really liked the heroine and being inside her head when she is trying to figure out what the hell is going on and then later when she is goes through an inner struggle to accept the situation or figure how to fight it.
The second part of the book changes focus to another character and while it took some adjusting to switch points of view, it was ok. But then it just got boring.
The second part of the book changes focus to another character and while it took some adjusting to switch points of view, it was ok. But then it just got boring.
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
Sci-fi fans
Second time reading this book. It was a bit slow at the start but I definitely got into it by mid-way. Octavia Butler is well worth reading and this one is very interesting. Set on a spaceship after the majority of humanity has died in war. Just a few remain and are held captive by an alien race. Butler manages to explore so many things- sexuality, power, racism. Can't wait to move on the rest of the series.
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Read in May, 2007
Just finished the book. Can't wait to start "Adulthood Rites." I love how Butler wove contemporary social issues into her stories. Especially being down in Palm Beach County, genetic engineering is a really hot issue (though not with aliens). I continue to be engaged not only by Butler's writing style and pace, but because it seems as though the plot is so real, it could happen tomorrow.
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Read in March, 2007
human beings are problematic in that they are hierarchical. I´ve never imagined existing in another way. This book pins it as human nature, or at least one set of characters does. By claiming its human nature you can justify the tendency of communist regimes to end when the upper class becomes overly corrupt and unequal. Interesting take on the problems facing mankind.
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recommends it for:
Karey
So I read this book for my Women and Lit class in college and liked it though I thought it was a rather strange choice. And like five years later, my mom is telling me about this fabulous book she's reading and I'm like "I've read that..." and then even my BROTHER read it and loved it....Both of them read all three books, I think. I didn't even know it was part of a series.
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Read in March, 2007
recommends it for:
Any and all
I've had this book on my shelf for forever now, and I really don't know why I haven't read it before now. But I'm wicked glad I did, cause it was really really good! World blows itself up, and aliens rescue those still alive, nurse them back to health on their ship, but what do they want in return? Interesting twist on alien story. Very cool. And well-written too! Woot.
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Read in December, 2007
I've read this before, it was great the second time too. It paints a very accurate picture of humanity - the good bad and ugly. I love all of the issues that Butler brings up in a book about aliens - gender, race, love, the meaning of Earth and Humanity, honesty, change, diversity, survival. I'm moving on to the rest of the series now, reading them for the first time.
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