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Unexpected Stories
An NPR Books Great Read: Two never-before-published stories from the archives of one of science fiction’s all-time masters.
The novella “A Necessary Being” showcases Octavia E. Butler’s ability to create alien yet fully believable “others.” Tahneh’s father was a Hao, one of a dwindling race whose leadership abilities render them so valuable that their members are captured and forced to govern. When her father dies, Tahneh steps into his place, both chief and prisoner, and for twenty years has ruled without ever meeting another of her kind. She bears her loneliness privately until the day that a Hao youth is spotted wandering into her territory. As her warriors sharpen their weapons, Tahneh must choose between imprisoning the newcomer—and living the rest of her life alone.
The second story in this volume, “Childfinder,” was commissioned by Harlan Ellison for his legendary (and never-published) anthology The Last Dangerous Visions™. A disaffected telepath connects with a young girl in a desperate attempt to help her harness her growing powers. But in the richly evocative fiction of Octavia E. Butler, mentorship is a rocky path, and every lesson comes at a price.
The award-winning author of science fiction classics Parable of the Sower and Kindred bestows these compelling, long lost gems “like the miraculous discovery that the beloved book you’ve read a dozen times has an extra chapter” (Los Angeles Review of Books).
Harlan Ellison and Dangerous Visions are registered trademarks of the Kilimanjaro Corporation. All rights reserved.
The novella “A Necessary Being” showcases Octavia E. Butler’s ability to create alien yet fully believable “others.” Tahneh’s father was a Hao, one of a dwindling race whose leadership abilities render them so valuable that their members are captured and forced to govern. When her father dies, Tahneh steps into his place, both chief and prisoner, and for twenty years has ruled without ever meeting another of her kind. She bears her loneliness privately until the day that a Hao youth is spotted wandering into her territory. As her warriors sharpen their weapons, Tahneh must choose between imprisoning the newcomer—and living the rest of her life alone.
The second story in this volume, “Childfinder,” was commissioned by Harlan Ellison for his legendary (and never-published) anthology The Last Dangerous Visions™. A disaffected telepath connects with a young girl in a desperate attempt to help her harness her growing powers. But in the richly evocative fiction of Octavia E. Butler, mentorship is a rocky path, and every lesson comes at a price.
The award-winning author of science fiction classics Parable of the Sower and Kindred bestows these compelling, long lost gems “like the miraculous discovery that the beloved book you’ve read a dozen times has an extra chapter” (Los Angeles Review of Books).
Harlan Ellison and Dangerous Visions are registered trademarks of the Kilimanjaro Corporation. All rights reserved.
81 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2014
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4956 people want to read
About the author
Octavia E. Butler
106 books22.3k followersOctavia Estelle Butler was an American science fiction writer, one of the best-known among the few African-American women in the field. She won both Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1995, she became the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant.
After her father died, Butler was raised by her widowed mother. Extremely shy as a child, Octavia found an outlet at the library reading fantasy, and in writing. She began writing science fiction as a teenager. She attended community college during the Black Power movement, and while participating in a local writer's workshop was encouraged to attend the Clarion Workshop, which focused on science fiction.
She soon sold her first stories and by the late 1970s had become sufficiently successful as an author that she was able to pursue writing full-time. Her books and short stories drew the favorable attention of the public and awards judges. She also taught writer's workshops, and eventually relocated to Washington state. Butler died of a stroke at the age of 58. Her papers are held in the research collection of the Huntington Library.
After her father died, Butler was raised by her widowed mother. Extremely shy as a child, Octavia found an outlet at the library reading fantasy, and in writing. She began writing science fiction as a teenager. She attended community college during the Black Power movement, and while participating in a local writer's workshop was encouraged to attend the Clarion Workshop, which focused on science fiction.
She soon sold her first stories and by the late 1970s had become sufficiently successful as an author that she was able to pursue writing full-time. Her books and short stories drew the favorable attention of the public and awards judges. She also taught writer's workshops, and eventually relocated to Washington state. Butler died of a stroke at the age of 58. Her papers are held in the research collection of the Huntington Library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 517 reviews
July 22, 2014
It's Octavia Butler sounding very Octavia Butler-esque. That in itself warrants five stars. That said, in my opinion, these aren't Octavia at her best. I found the first story, "A Necessary Being", was fascinating and thought-provoking. Again, Octavia explores ideas of hierarchy, communication and relationships, something I've always loved about her...but when you have characters with blue skin, I couldn't help thinking of the Navi and Krishna. That's not a bad thing by definition but for this story, it was unavoidable and definitely affected how I imagined the characters. And that's not really Octavia's fault as it was mine, haha. Anyway, this story started off exciting and then slowed to a lot of talking and negotiating by the end. And the interaction between Diut and Tahneh felt a lot like the interactions between Doro and Anyanwu and Rye and Obsidian, etc. This made me wonder when these stories were written and if some of this story bled into the rendered of those other characters. Or vice versa. I also had a hard time keeping up with all the names and who was on whose side.
Childfinder was pretty short and I wish it were longer. I wanted to know about those children. It had echoes and aromas of Parable of the Sower. It was also seriously pessimistic. And her afterword was even more pessimistic. Especially the very last line of her afterword.
If you like stories that makes you think and reexamine how you relate to the world and your fellow human being and the future, this is a must-read and a must-discuss.
Childfinder was pretty short and I wish it were longer. I wanted to know about those children. It had echoes and aromas of Parable of the Sower. It was also seriously pessimistic. And her afterword was even more pessimistic. Especially the very last line of her afterword.
If you like stories that makes you think and reexamine how you relate to the world and your fellow human being and the future, this is a must-read and a must-discuss.
July 29, 2022
“After a few years of watching the human species make things unnecessarily difficult for itself I have little hope that it will do anything more than survive and continue its cycle of errors.”
Octavia Butler's Unexpected Stories some of Butler's lesser known work, the novella, A Necessary Being, and the short story, Childfinder. Of the two, A Necessary Being is the strongest and most complete. While it reminded me somewhat of the Xenogenesis Series, primarily because it involves the (not quite voluntary) cooperation of what might be alien species, it had its own take on what that cooperation would look like. In her world-building, there is also an exploration of hierarchy and gender in society. My biggest complaint about the novella was the fact that it ended way too soon.
"Childfinder" reminded of the Patternist Series that would follow later in Butler's career. In this story specifically, I I saw a lot of potential that is fully realized in Butler's later work. There is so much in her work to think about, and this work is no exception. It shows a search for telepaths in a very bleak world. Although I don't think this is her best work, fans of Butler's work should check this out. And, of course, if this leads anyone to read more of Butler's work, so much the better! 3.5 stars
Octavia Butler's Unexpected Stories some of Butler's lesser known work, the novella, A Necessary Being, and the short story, Childfinder. Of the two, A Necessary Being is the strongest and most complete. While it reminded me somewhat of the Xenogenesis Series, primarily because it involves the (not quite voluntary) cooperation of what might be alien species, it had its own take on what that cooperation would look like. In her world-building, there is also an exploration of hierarchy and gender in society. My biggest complaint about the novella was the fact that it ended way too soon.
"Childfinder" reminded of the Patternist Series that would follow later in Butler's career. In this story specifically, I I saw a lot of potential that is fully realized in Butler's later work. There is so much in her work to think about, and this work is no exception. It shows a search for telepaths in a very bleak world. Although I don't think this is her best work, fans of Butler's work should check this out. And, of course, if this leads anyone to read more of Butler's work, so much the better! 3.5 stars
January 5, 2015
I'm a HUGE Octavia Butler fan. In fact, her books were my first intro to queer lit of any kind and really defined my expectations for sci-fi. I think she was an unparallelled thinker, and I was devastated when I learned that she has passed years before I started reading her stuff. The idea that I would never get a new book from her was maddening. When I saw that a new collection of her stories was coming out, I almost cried I was so happy.
A Necessary Being- 4.5 stars
This story reminds me of everything that I love about Octavia Butler. Amazing, effortless-feeling world building, interesting commentary on gender roles and the concept of castes/races, and some excitement to boot. I loved it, though it was far too short for me, even at novella length. I could have used 200 more pages, plus a sequel.
Childminder- 3 stars
Short but powerful. This is more or less a direct commentary about race relations and wealth disparity, with the added element of telepathy. There is a lot of anger and desperation in this short story. I had trouble with the bleakness of it, though I enjoyed it all the same.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
A Necessary Being- 4.5 stars
This story reminds me of everything that I love about Octavia Butler. Amazing, effortless-feeling world building, interesting commentary on gender roles and the concept of castes/races, and some excitement to boot. I loved it, though it was far too short for me, even at novella length. I could have used 200 more pages, plus a sequel.
Childminder- 3 stars
Short but powerful. This is more or less a direct commentary about race relations and wealth disparity, with the added element of telepathy. There is a lot of anger and desperation in this short story. I had trouble with the bleakness of it, though I enjoyed it all the same.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
July 30, 2021
3.5 ⭐
I probably would have never picked this one out if not for the PopSugar challenge, and I was reminded of why during the first story, where Octavia talks about how blue the 'people' are (a lot) and all I could think about was Avatar...and I fell asleep during Avatar.
🙈
(clearly I'm not the right audience for this one, but I can tell she was a gifted writer!)
I probably would have never picked this one out if not for the PopSugar challenge, and I was reminded of why during the first story, where Octavia talks about how blue the 'people' are (a lot) and all I could think about was Avatar...and I fell asleep during Avatar.
🙈
(clearly I'm not the right audience for this one, but I can tell she was a gifted writer!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2020
Really enjoyed these two short stories by Octavia E. Butler. They were wonderful and I was left wanting more.
Per usual, here are my reviews for the two stories.
"A Necessary Being”(5 stars)-Butler creates a world in which the color of a person's skin means they are meant to be leaders. We find out that these "people" are able to change colors which shows what type of caste they belong to. We follow Tahneh who is a Hao. Hao are kidnapped and forced to govern "tribes". We get peeks into what was done to Taneh's father who was the Hao before her. Tahneh is not able to have a child which means her "tribe" is desperate for another Hao. When a Hao and two other "people" are found nearby, Tahneh can either go along with what her people want, or try to steer them to something new. This story really plays with race, class structure, and consent. You can see pieces of plots and narrative that will show up in Butler's Xenogenesis series.
"Childfinder" (5 stars)-Way too short. Seriously. I wanted more. We are in a new world when those who have telepathic abilities are valued. An older woman has found a new child with these abilities. We find out that she is focusing on finding black children and trying to hide them from a larger organization who does not have their best interest at heart. We have Butler playing with the angry black woman trope a bit and how black people do their best at not showing their feelings, i.e. their hatred. Who better to go out and find children with special abilities and teach them to keep their feelings inside. This really did read like a start to a longer book and I really really wanted that longer book.
Per usual, here are my reviews for the two stories.
"A Necessary Being”(5 stars)-Butler creates a world in which the color of a person's skin means they are meant to be leaders. We find out that these "people" are able to change colors which shows what type of caste they belong to. We follow Tahneh who is a Hao. Hao are kidnapped and forced to govern "tribes". We get peeks into what was done to Taneh's father who was the Hao before her. Tahneh is not able to have a child which means her "tribe" is desperate for another Hao. When a Hao and two other "people" are found nearby, Tahneh can either go along with what her people want, or try to steer them to something new. This story really plays with race, class structure, and consent. You can see pieces of plots and narrative that will show up in Butler's Xenogenesis series.
"Childfinder" (5 stars)-Way too short. Seriously. I wanted more. We are in a new world when those who have telepathic abilities are valued. An older woman has found a new child with these abilities. We find out that she is focusing on finding black children and trying to hide them from a larger organization who does not have their best interest at heart. We have Butler playing with the angry black woman trope a bit and how black people do their best at not showing their feelings, i.e. their hatred. Who better to go out and find children with special abilities and teach them to keep their feelings inside. This really did read like a start to a longer book and I really really wanted that longer book.
March 2, 2020
“Unexpected Stories” derives it’s title from the fact that these stories were unexpected treats found after Butler’s death. The word “stories,” however feels like a bit of a misnomer, particularly if you were led to believe it was a short story anthology. It is a collection of two stories, one which comprises nearly eighty percent of the book and a much smaller short. The first, “A Necessary Being,” is a brilliant work which imagines an entire new world of luminescently colored beings, divided into mountain and desert tribes such as the Rahkhan and the Tehkahn, which have little in common save their dependence on the genetically gifted Hao for leadership, a desperation so pervasive that they will obtain a Hao any way they can. The story is brilliant in the way it creates a universe with few details, essentially giving the reader little more than a brief glimpse. The second story, “Childminder,” is about telepaths and their fight for survival in a world uncomfortable with them. The two stories are unrelated except by some common thematic elements.
July 25, 2022
I never have a bad time reading Octavia Butler. This collects a novella and a short story, both of which were great. The novella is set in a world that is extremely hierarchical based on skin color (people with blue skin are rare and highly revered). The short story is about a woman with psychic abilities who is searching for children with psychic capabilities. I won't say more because you should just read them, but both are interesting and explore elements of race, oppression, and society. I will say the short story was VERY short and could have stood to be a bit longer.
August 22, 2014
Just two stories... but one is a novella. And, as the title indicates, these stories were indeed 'unexpected,' after Butler tragically passed away in 2006. I was more than delighted to have the opportunity to read anything else from her pen...
'A Necessary Being'
The title phrase is one often used in philosophical arguments for the existence of a god (Aquinas' 'Argument of Necessity.') However, here the being in question is a tribal leader. The people we're introduced to here have a social hierarchy based on skin color. The rarely-born dark blue individuals known as Hao are considered to have near-mystical leadership skills - to the point where they're almost treated as 'luck' tokens. A tribe without a Hao, it is thought, is doomed.
The Hao of the Rohkohn, Tahneh, has no heir. In such a case, tradition demands that the tribe capture a Hao by force and compel their leadership.
This story is one that no Butler fan can miss. It deals with many of the themes she's best known for and presents challengingly alien scenarios with both delicacy and strength.
In the end, although the situation and society we are shown is bleak, the story is powerfully uplifting and hopeful: showing the possibility of a better way for humanity as well as the alien people we meet here.
I'd say this is among the best short work of Butler's.
'Childfinder'
This is the near-legendary story that Butler sold to Harlan Ellison for the never-published anthology 'Last Dangerous Visions.' Like many of the stories chosen for the original 'Dangerous Visions' anthology, this story has a very negative outlook.
Before its publication, Butler described it in this way: "this was about a bunch of telepaths who were fighting because they knew one another far too well. They were fighting because they understood each other. You know, we always feel that if we could just understand each other, we'd be fine. But the problem here was they couldn't conceal their disagreements and animosities and contempt, and they were killing each other." (http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/papers/...)
While Childfinder is about telepaths, it's also very explicitly about racism in America. It's powerful, and very, very sad. Butler famously said, "I'm a pessimist if I'm not careful." This clearly was a product of a non-'careful' day.
A brief Afterword from the author (notes on 'Childfinder') is also included.
Both stories are very, very strong and must-reads. I sort of wish I had read 'Childfinder' first and 'A Necessary Being' second, but either way, I'm just happy to have been able to read them.
According to tor.com, "The stories, which were written in the early 1970s, were discovered by Butler’s agent, Merrilee Heifetz, among the author’s papers at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California."
Thanks so very much to Open Road Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read these stories. As always, my opinions are unaffected by the source.
'A Necessary Being'
The title phrase is one often used in philosophical arguments for the existence of a god (Aquinas' 'Argument of Necessity.') However, here the being in question is a tribal leader. The people we're introduced to here have a social hierarchy based on skin color. The rarely-born dark blue individuals known as Hao are considered to have near-mystical leadership skills - to the point where they're almost treated as 'luck' tokens. A tribe without a Hao, it is thought, is doomed.
The Hao of the Rohkohn, Tahneh, has no heir. In such a case, tradition demands that the tribe capture a Hao by force and compel their leadership.
This story is one that no Butler fan can miss. It deals with many of the themes she's best known for and presents challengingly alien scenarios with both delicacy and strength.
In the end, although the situation and society we are shown is bleak, the story is powerfully uplifting and hopeful: showing the possibility of a better way for humanity as well as the alien people we meet here.
I'd say this is among the best short work of Butler's.
'Childfinder'
This is the near-legendary story that Butler sold to Harlan Ellison for the never-published anthology 'Last Dangerous Visions.' Like many of the stories chosen for the original 'Dangerous Visions' anthology, this story has a very negative outlook.
Before its publication, Butler described it in this way: "this was about a bunch of telepaths who were fighting because they knew one another far too well. They were fighting because they understood each other. You know, we always feel that if we could just understand each other, we'd be fine. But the problem here was they couldn't conceal their disagreements and animosities and contempt, and they were killing each other." (http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/papers/...)
While Childfinder is about telepaths, it's also very explicitly about racism in America. It's powerful, and very, very sad. Butler famously said, "I'm a pessimist if I'm not careful." This clearly was a product of a non-'careful' day.
A brief Afterword from the author (notes on 'Childfinder') is also included.
Both stories are very, very strong and must-reads. I sort of wish I had read 'Childfinder' first and 'A Necessary Being' second, but either way, I'm just happy to have been able to read them.
According to tor.com, "The stories, which were written in the early 1970s, were discovered by Butler’s agent, Merrilee Heifetz, among the author’s papers at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California."
Thanks so very much to Open Road Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to read these stories. As always, my opinions are unaffected by the source.
June 30, 2014
American novelist Walter Mosley opens this short story collection by expressing exactly how I feel about the loss of Octavia E. Butler and how it feels to find these stories so long after that loss.
She was a woman who defied convention on every level to give us incredible, award winning stories; all of which feature prominently on my bookshelf. That isn't to say that I blindly love all of her work. But I do love the mind behind them. My introduction to her work was Lilith's Brood: Contains the complete series Dawn, Adulthood Rites and Imago. I became an instant fan and I wanted nothing more than to sit down with this woman and pick her brain to find out where these incredible ideas came from. Her death meant I could never have that opportunity, but thankfully, others have, which is why one of the books I treasure most is Conversations with Octavia Butler (Literary Conversations.
Unexpected Stories are more than just an addition to my treasured collection. They are earlier works, still rough around the edges and not nearly as rich as her subsequent stories, but they are no less impressive for the opportunity to see how this woman evolved as a writer.
"A Necessary Being" and "Childfinder" are very characteristic of Butler's work. They are both stories helmed by strong women who must deal with dire situations, and make significant decisions and sacrifices in order to protect those they lead. Both women bear heavy burdens and are fueled by loss, but also by hope. Butler's stories are often quite bleak and realistic, despite the science fiction and fantasy stamp. Her work never shies away from the harsh topics, and even in her most fantastical stories, everything remains so very human as she holds up a mirror to the darkness within us; the complicated dance of power that defines humanity. I cannot recommend her work to anyone who needs their speculative fiction to be sunshine and roses, but to everyone else? Octavia Butler should be necessary reading.
"Our worldview is transformed by an imagination that sees no border between thought and what is real." ~Walter Mosley on Octavia E. Butler
www.BiblioSanctum.com
She was a woman who defied convention on every level to give us incredible, award winning stories; all of which feature prominently on my bookshelf. That isn't to say that I blindly love all of her work. But I do love the mind behind them. My introduction to her work was Lilith's Brood: Contains the complete series Dawn, Adulthood Rites and Imago. I became an instant fan and I wanted nothing more than to sit down with this woman and pick her brain to find out where these incredible ideas came from. Her death meant I could never have that opportunity, but thankfully, others have, which is why one of the books I treasure most is Conversations with Octavia Butler (Literary Conversations.
Unexpected Stories are more than just an addition to my treasured collection. They are earlier works, still rough around the edges and not nearly as rich as her subsequent stories, but they are no less impressive for the opportunity to see how this woman evolved as a writer.
"A Necessary Being" and "Childfinder" are very characteristic of Butler's work. They are both stories helmed by strong women who must deal with dire situations, and make significant decisions and sacrifices in order to protect those they lead. Both women bear heavy burdens and are fueled by loss, but also by hope. Butler's stories are often quite bleak and realistic, despite the science fiction and fantasy stamp. Her work never shies away from the harsh topics, and even in her most fantastical stories, everything remains so very human as she holds up a mirror to the darkness within us; the complicated dance of power that defines humanity. I cannot recommend her work to anyone who needs their speculative fiction to be sunshine and roses, but to everyone else? Octavia Butler should be necessary reading.
"Our worldview is transformed by an imagination that sees no border between thought and what is real." ~Walter Mosley on Octavia E. Butler
www.BiblioSanctum.com
January 18, 2023
These are two "unexpected stories" by Octavia Butler (1947-2006) because they are early stories that were published after her death. One story, "A Necessary Being," is a novella that takes up most of this slim volume. In this one, Butler does some wonderful world-building by creating an alien society with a hierarchical system based on caste and skin color. When visitors from a distant tribe arrive in the land of the Rohkon, the Hao--the leader--knows that social change is necessary. The other story is much too short. "Childfinder" is about a telepathic woman looking for children with "pre-psi" talents in order to save them from abuse and exploitation. Too short, but the grimness of the story is very powerful and, maybe, a longer story would be unbearable. In both stories, we see themes that would be developed in Butler's novels. Octavia Butler was one of the more compelling and thought-provoking science fiction authors of our time and these two stories remind us of how much we are missing by her untimely death.
November 2, 2021
Two stories by Octavia Butler, each one a gem. You can read these stories in one sitting, if you want. If you have never heard of this author, well, you are in for a treat. Her stories are about psychology and relationships. They are "science fiction" in so far as they are about non-human cultures or about civilizations on distant worlds. But all of her stories are about 1the threats of violence and intolerance. Highly recommended!
I did not read this book--I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Robin Miles. A straight-forward reading, and enjoyable.
I did not read this book--I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Robin Miles. A straight-forward reading, and enjoyable.
August 14, 2024
Audiobook (2 hours 24 minutes) narrated by Robin Miles
The Robin Miles narrations of all things Octavia E. Butler are stories that I look forward too. Robin Miles is known for not only her outstanding character impressions and her voices, but he ability to meet and even create accents for placed near, far, and imagined.
Excellent narration and excellent audio, without distortion, erroneous noise, or obvious edits.
This book has two short stories, as stated in the synopsis:
Having read the four available books of the Patternmaster series: Wild Seed, Mind of My Mind, Clay's Ark, and Patternmaster, I immediately recognized the world.
It was a nice trip back, and I do recommend it to those who have read all, or at least the first 3 books of the series.
The second story is another good story. As short as it is, it has all the hallmarks of any story told by Octavia. Anyone who has read a bit of her work would immediately recognize her unique voice. It is a nice bonus.
Recommend, to those who have finished at least 3 of the 4 books of the Patternmaster series. You could enjoy these short stories on their own but the first story is much more meaningful read as part of the series that it belongs with.
The Robin Miles narrations of all things Octavia E. Butler are stories that I look forward too. Robin Miles is known for not only her outstanding character impressions and her voices, but he ability to meet and even create accents for placed near, far, and imagined.
Excellent narration and excellent audio, without distortion, erroneous noise, or obvious edits.
This book has two short stories, as stated in the synopsis:
A Necessary Being precedes the events of Survivor, Butler's third (famously disowned) installment in her Patternist series, and includes characters from it, focusing exclusively on the Kohn, aliens who build their social hierarchies on the blueness of their fur.
In Childfinder, a black woman with the gift of identifying children with latent psychic ability refuses to share her skill with an organization of white telepaths.
Having read the four available books of the Patternmaster series: Wild Seed, Mind of My Mind, Clay's Ark, and Patternmaster, I immediately recognized the world.
It was a nice trip back, and I do recommend it to those who have read all, or at least the first 3 books of the series.
The second story is another good story. As short as it is, it has all the hallmarks of any story told by Octavia. Anyone who has read a bit of her work would immediately recognize her unique voice. It is a nice bonus.
Recommend, to those who have finished at least 3 of the 4 books of the Patternmaster series. You could enjoy these short stories on their own but the first story is much more meaningful read as part of the series that it belongs with.
June 2, 2018
It is such an emotional experience to receive these stories so long after Octavia’s passing. Like with Zora Neale Hurston, being given these works posthumously and hearing these voices again that we never thought we would, is such a tremendous gift. These unexpected stories were just that: unexpected. They have all of the creativity and ingenuity I have come to know in all of Butler’s work. I was immediately back in one of her worlds without even thinking of how easy it is to slide into writing this complex and original. There are only two short stories in this collection but I was initially surprised to find that “Unexpected Stories” was one of the first things she ever submitted for publication. You can easily see the seeds of what would later become her larger works, her more intricate and nuanced themes. She is incredibly adept at using social injustices as instruments to prism her thoughts and thus grew herself into a speculative fiction writer who’s work has widely been known as literary activism. She is able to captivate you in a way few other authors have for me, and I think about her concepts far after I’ve finished reading. With both of these short stories I just couldn’t believe it when they ended, not because they didn’t have a solid ending but because her landscapes are so rich there is always space for more. This is perhaps why she has written trilogies. Her ideas are so vast they can easily translate into multiple books. The wonderful thing about Butler is that you can pick up any of her books, either singular or part of a series, and be lifted into it without needing any additional context. In fact, when I was first introduced to her they hadn’t yet republished all of her pieces and put the trilogies in volumes, as they have now. I thought they were all separate and read them as such, totally out of order without anything being confused. I can’t recommend her writing enough, and these stories reminded me of why when people ask who my favorite author is she is one of the first names out of my mouth.
August 16, 2017
A large part of the reason I picked up a particular Humble Bundle was because it included several Octavia Butler books, including the two Parables, one of which I'd read, and one of which I hadn't. I wasn't sure what Unexpected Stories would be, but my general theory is that if it's Butler, I'm in.
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
January 26, 2015
How I wish these were novels.
March 28, 2025
Well, I’ve come to the end of Octavia E Butler’s published work, this odd little two-story collection.
The first story is an offshoot of Survivor, and much like that book, I didn’t find it terribly compelling. But “Childfinder,”an offshoot of Mind of My Mind, has something to it, and in the spirit of the Bloodchild collection, it’s followed by a note from the author herself, which ends with the most heartbreaking line I could imagine for my last work by her:
I am surprised to find myself writing the same kind of warning in “Childfinder.” “Get along out there! No fighting!” But in at least one way I’m different from my aunts and my grandmother. I know no one’s listening.
Oh, if you only knew just how many of us out here are listening. ❤️
The first story is an offshoot of Survivor, and much like that book, I didn’t find it terribly compelling. But “Childfinder,”an offshoot of Mind of My Mind, has something to it, and in the spirit of the Bloodchild collection, it’s followed by a note from the author herself, which ends with the most heartbreaking line I could imagine for my last work by her:
I am surprised to find myself writing the same kind of warning in “Childfinder.” “Get along out there! No fighting!” But in at least one way I’m different from my aunts and my grandmother. I know no one’s listening.
Oh, if you only knew just how many of us out here are listening. ❤️
May 30, 2020
I like science fiction. A lot. So of course I’ve heard of Octavia Butler and of course I’ve been meaning to check out her work. This slender volume collecting two of her lesser known stories appeared on Netgalley and seemed like a perfect sampler size. Alas, size aside it might not have been the best introduction. Or maybe it is a perfectly adequate representation of Butler’s work and it just isn’t for me. The book features two stories, but the divide isn’t even, the first one takes up the bulk of the novel, over 2/3rds, and didn’t work for me at all. It was the sort of sci fi that read very much like high fantasy, a genre I don’t care for, and the entire thing left this reader completely indifferent. Not even sure I can give you an accurate plot description, blue people, skin color based tribal loyalties, something…honestly it faded as soon as it was read. The second shorter story did have the advantage of reading more like proper science fiction, a morality tale of the evils of both government based psi experimentation and racism. This one actually is one of Butler’s first sold stories 9albeit for an anthology that was never published), wherein the other one was shopped around briefly and then shelved and it’s easy to understand why. So then going by latter should give one more of an idea of Butler as a writer, she seems to have written a great deal on both psi experimentation and race. And yes, I can objectively understand how this is significant, especially for the time, and I can even objectively say the writing is fairly decent, but subjectively none of it really worked for me or interested me. It took maybe 90 minutes to read, but the main value was in just having finally read a name that’s supposed to be a genre classic and that just isn’t enough to merit the time. Thanks Netgalley.
May 5, 2024
My rating is for "A Necessary Being" only as I am not sure that "Childfinder" was a finalized project. (This is what I gathered from the editorial notes as these stories were found and publisher after the author regretfully passed away.)
"A Necessary Being" is a great example of how strongly you can communicate through body language.
I never seen any other author painting a more vivid picture of interactions using body language than in this story.
As always Octavia E. Butler left me in awe.
You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff
"A Necessary Being" is a great example of how strongly you can communicate through body language.
I never seen any other author painting a more vivid picture of interactions using body language than in this story.
As always Octavia E. Butler left me in awe.
You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff
August 11, 2018
Levar Burton Reads podcast offering.
Loved the characters. Butler makes her characters REAL.
The story though was too depressing for me and it needed something more at the end. It felt incomplete.
1, too sad for me but maybe if I had more story at the end it wouldn't have left me so sad, stars.
Loved the characters. Butler makes her characters REAL.
The story though was too depressing for me and it needed something more at the end. It felt incomplete.
1, too sad for me but maybe if I had more story at the end it wouldn't have left me so sad, stars.
August 5, 2022
Riveting fantasy novellas. Not normally my wheelhouse and I was enthralled!
January 19, 2023
Both novellas felt like shelved projects publishers printed after Butler's death.
Meh.
Meh.
June 25, 2014
What a joy to find this small collection from an author untimely ripped from us. Octavia Butler wrote brave, beautiful stories and thought-provoking novels. I miss her.
The biographical notes and photos are a nice addition here.
The biographical notes and photos are a nice addition here.
April 11, 2018
I am thrilled that LeVar Burton decided to read one of her short stories on his fabulous podcast. I’ve always wanted to read one of her stories and now I know why she deserves so much praise for her skill in writing science-fiction.
May 15, 2023
The two stories in this short collection do what good fiction should never do -- they leave you wondering, "So what?" Not one star because [see my review of Clay's Ark].
April 24, 2019
I listened to the short story Childfinder by Octavia Butler on LeVar Burton Reads and was impressed with how Butler combines science fiction into a larger narrative about racism and being true to yourself. In this story a black telepath who has the unique ability to discover children with untapped psi abilities is threatened by a white woman from an unnamed society that controls and harnesses telepaths and is upset that she left the organization to work only with black children. This telepath mentor is able to shield her young protégés, but at a cost to herself. Butler makes a brilliant connection early in the story with Harriet Tubman, that parallels what happens later in the story.
March 3, 2025
Octavia E. Butler é, indiscutivelmente, um merecido cânone mundial da ficção científica. As duas histórias presentes neste livro são uma amostra do seu começo, um vislumbre raro de uma autora em seu princípio, já demonstrando um refinamento além das expectativas e todo o potencial que viria a dar origem aos seus livros mais renomados. Fiquei de queixo caído com a capacidade precoce de Octavia de desenvolver personagens e mundos complexos em poucas páginas, em especial a primeira história, que me lembrou muito a trilogia Xenogênese (minha favorita). As temáticas que marcam sua obra já estavam presentes aqui, com suas personagens femininas carregadas de poderes e responsabilidades e discussões acerca de conflitos de raça e classe.
Como é sabiamente dito no prefácio, ler "Unexpected Stories" é como ver uma foto de sua mãe quando era ainda uma mulher jovem, antes de conhecê-la tão intimamente, e enxergar ali traços de quem ela viria a se tornar.
Como é sabiamente dito no prefácio, ler "Unexpected Stories" é como ver uma foto de sua mãe quando era ainda uma mulher jovem, antes de conhecê-la tão intimamente, e enxergar ali traços de quem ela viria a se tornar.
May 31, 2022
Blue aliens in power as a commentary on colorism and community alongside a story of a secret population of telepaths clashing with one another.
Octavia Butler has my whole heart in how she navigates complex personal and social conflicts.
An excellent novella featuring two short stories :)
CW: violence, heavy focus on color-based caste system, dated language referencing disability, references to torture, racism
Octavia Butler has my whole heart in how she navigates complex personal and social conflicts.
An excellent novella featuring two short stories :)
CW: violence, heavy focus on color-based caste system, dated language referencing disability, references to torture, racism
January 14, 2022
Unexpected gifts from Butler.
I love the first story very much. A society based on color, how intriguing! The second was too short and underwhelming, but I'd still give this four stars on account of how much I like the first story.
I love the first story very much. A society based on color, how intriguing! The second was too short and underwhelming, but I'd still give this four stars on account of how much I like the first story.
February 15, 2022
Two novellas with some very fine writing. Could've used more setting detail, but that's to be expected in a short work. And as short as these were, they still managed solid speculative world-building aspects.
April 17, 2017
Two little short stories that were found in the authors paperwork after her passing. I enjoyed both and wish there were more.
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