As the acclaimed Patternist science fiction series begins, two immortals meet in the long-ago past—and mankind’s destiny is changed forever. For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered … thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew. He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. She is a shapeshifter, capable of healing with a kiss, and she recognizes Doro as a tyrant. Though many humans have tried to kill them, these two demi-gods have never before met a rival. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries and permanently alter the nature of humanity.
Hugo and Nebula award–winning author Octavia E. Butler’s sweeping cross-century epic places her “among the best of contemporary SF writers” (Houston Chronicle). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Octavia E. Butler including rare images from the author’s estate.
more
As close to a perfect book as I can imagine. There’s almost nothing that one could do to improve Butler’s prose, pacing, or characterization. She never gives you an excuse to not turn the page . . . which is why I read Wild Seed in a single sitting. The moral issues Butler addresses make for fascinating drama.
Such a weird book! I read Parable of the Sower a couple years ago expecting greatness and…kind of liked it? But I’ve heard so much about Octavia Butler I figured I needed to give her another try and I think this was an Audible daily deal at some point, so I went for it. And…I think it’s a lot better than Parable, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around it!
I had a lot of complaints initially. Why, when Anyanwu seemed to be the main focus, did they choose a male narrator? Why is Doro such a creep? Do I really have to listen to ten more hours of this? But then…somehow those ten hours went by in a flash, and now I can’t really imagine a better narrator for it than Dion Graham. Doro…never really stops being a creep, but there’s also a little more to him than that, and I found his and Anyanwu’s relationship kind of fascinating. I finished it wanting more, which I guess is good because there are three more books in the series!
I hesitated at first to rate it a full five stars. Why? I dunno. A lot of the subject matter is…uncomfortable, and things happen that made me really, really angry, and like I said, Doro. Is a CREEP. Like, that’s a major understatement, and I think partly I didn’t want to give that extra star to show that I DON’T LIKE HIM.
But you know? I think that’s actually why this deserves that extra star–the whole book feels like a push and pull between two immortals with very different ideals and Butler manages to show us the humanity in both of them. It’s complex and sensitive and weirdly beautiful the way Doro’s horribleness is fully acknowledged right along with the idea that though he partly can’t help being what he is, he may still actually be capable of growth. That though he’s more powerful than Anyanwu is in most ways, she’s really the stronger one.
Just…it’s a book that’s going to stick around in my brain for a long time. Boom, 5 stars! So there!
***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** First, let me say that I consider myself an Octavia Butler fan all day long. However, on the days I read “Wild Seed,”… let’s just say… they were challenging ones. Although the writing was top-notched and unparalleled (it’s Octavia Butler, after all), this book irritated the heck out of me. Octavia Butler is always a 5-star read. Alas, here we are. It’s nearly unbelievable that I’m giving this story a 4- a 3, is just inconceivable (but probably more indicative of my true feelings).
Given Anyanwu’s stunning gifts, I was expecting a whole other kind of story. I didn’t get that. At least not in my opinion. Instead, I got the story of a woman playing the role of the “savior-negro”. Apologies for the term, but that’s just how annoyed I was while reading this book. There just seemed to be way too much of Anyanwu spending her time coddling men, bearing their children, or saving them from certain disasters. I kept expecting her to rise up against Doro regardless of what she thought he might do to her. I at least expected her to realize that he was not a man (or thing) of his word and know that whatever she thought she was doing to protect her people was irrelevant. I nearly stopped listening during the conversation between Anyanwu and Isaac. There, he convinces her-easily in my opinion- to indenture (enslave?) herself to his father for the rest of her life. All this while expecting her to be “shared” by him and his father.
Anyanwu could have done anything-gone anywhere. At this point in the story, there were no children for her to protect from Doro. There was nothing for him to use against her. So what does she do? She allows the enabler Isaac to convince her that she needs to stay-to essentially help his father become a better… whatever. Anyanwu idolizes Isaac, reveres him, and he was no better than his father was.
This character could have done anything. The book just goes on and on about the many instances of her being subservient to a maniac. Nothing changed even after many years (centuries?) when she was the mistress of her own home. She had even topped on a few more abilities to make her even more dynamic!
I’m sure that I missed the point Ms. Butler was going for with this story. She’s a literary genius after all. I’d like to gain a different perspective and move forward to the other titles in the series. I think I’ll need to build up a lot more tolerance for the storyline before I do.
I recently discovered Octavia Butler, and her work is amazing. Like the others, Wild Seed takes a bunch of sci fi and fantasy ideas and breathes humanity and depth into them. There’s a real focus on the nature of community, culture and conflict, that’s often glossed over in other books of the type. More than anything, it reminds me of Sherri S Tepper’s work, with the same mix of fantasy and worldliness.
The first book in the Patternist series is a great read. Octavia Butler can always be counted on for engaging characters and the unexpected ways she weaves sci-fi story telling and social commentary together.
I loved this book and have read all of Octavia Butlers work because of this story. I only wish she’d had more time. R.I.P.
Very original concept and terrific writing. The story was a slow developer, but I never thought about not finishing it. It is designed to make you think, not just entertain.
Octavia Butler publishes yet another original story that stimulates both heart and mind.
Read any book by Octavia Butler for memorable, hunting, and lingering stories.
This is my first Octavia Butler novel. I found her imagined world startling and compelling. I read at night to help unwind and I could barely wait to read the next chapter each night. POWERFUL female lead character. I love the way Butler uses the opportunities of fantasy to explore the vagaries and excesses of our own world. For me, there are correspondences between the great Ursula LeGuin’s “The Left Hand of Darkness” and Butler’s “Wild Seed.” To say more would undermine some of the surprise in this novel.
Octavia was an amazing writer. What a mind.
This is part of a series which, while complete in itself, lacks one final book to resolve the conflict between the Center=like human own race from Proxima Centori with the Telepaths. One of the most brilliant minds humanity has produced–read all of her worksheets was an awesome profit, predicting Trump, the Religious Right Take Over of the USA, and much more that we had better start thinking about NOW!
Octavia Butler was a fantastic writer. I sorely miss her.
The whole series was page turning. Was sorry to get to the end
Gripping and wicked;y compelling, Butler is a wonderful writer who isn’t as famous as she should be. Please check this out.
Butler is such an excellent writer that anything she undertakes is a good read.
This book is on my comfort shelf. I reread it every couple years and it is always satisfying
Book has a good story line. It was very interesting for me, an old white man, to read a story from the perspective of a black woman and I found it disturbing, with the narrative of inter tribal war and capture and slavery. I strongly recommend this book.
Great ready. Original story.
Interesting idea, poor writing