Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavis Butler
Octavia Butler is probably my favorite author. She writes fantastic sci fi and fantasy and she is the first African American sci fi and fantasy writer to ever make enough money writing to call that her career. Her characters are strong and well developed and stories are multi-dimensional and thought provoking.
Lauren Oya Olamina is the heroine of the first novel-Parable of the Sower. It takes place in about 25 years in a suburb of Los Angeles. America has become so economically depressed that people who can afford to live in small "walled" communities. Children do not go to school, most adults work from home-it is simply to dangerous to leave the walled communities. Cars are for rich people, the middle class rides bikes everywhere and are lucky to have enough water to bathe once a week. America as we know it is in the middle of an economic depression, compounded by drought and mild famine. Lauren has lived her whole life in her walled community with her father, step-mother and brothers. Laurens father and step mother are both university professors. Laurens father is also a minister to their local community. Laurens mother was a drug addict-a designer drug that heightened intelligence in the users-and she was born addicted. The side effects of the addiction cause Lauren to experience the pain of others she observes. The slang is Sharers. There is some conflict because "sharing" occurs even when the pain is not real and can even cause victims to bleed if they see someone else bleeding.
Lauren sees her world crumbling around her and knows she has to make moves to protect her family. She also knows she is not Christian and that she has found a "set of truths" she calls Earthseed. Lauren plans to leave her community and spread the "truth" of Earthseed. Earthseed a different religion-incorporating ideals of buddhism, zen and neo-paganism. When Laurens walled community is destroyed she is forced out into the world more quickly than she planned for and her journey to spread Earthseed begins in earnest.
God is Change. Earthseeds destiny is to take root among the stars.
The second novel, Parable of the Talents, is told by Laurens estranged daughter. Lauren founds her first Earthseed community-Acorn-where she marries and has her daughter. Acorn is a self-supporting community that takes in run aways and travelers. Shortly after her daughter is born Acorn is over-run by the new US President-Andrew Steele Jarret's "Teachers". They gas the residents, take the children and seperate the men in one house and women in another. They basically become slaves. President Jarrett believes that by getting rid of "heathens" and forcing all Americans to become to Christians-he can make the country strong again. Bands of his followers form "re-education" camps where they rape the women, beat the men, steal the land, take the children and force the inhabitants to become Christians. Many years pass with members of Earthseed in bondage-partners killed, children stolen-it is a bad time. Eventually they are able to make their escape by killing the "teachers" freeing the students and spliting up-God is Change-and Lauren once again begins rebuilding Earthseed. This book is told though the point of view of Laurens daughter through a series of diary entries. What is it like to have a parent who founds a religion?
These novels are excellent and Butler plans to continue the series.
Parable Of The Sower
Parable Of The Talents
~~~~Where ever you go, There you are!
Lauren Oya Olamina is the heroine of the first novel-Parable of the Sower. It takes place in about 25 years in a suburb of Los Angeles. America has become so economically depressed that people who can afford to live in small "walled" communities. Children do not go to school, most adults work from home-it is simply to dangerous to leave the walled communities. Cars are for rich people, the middle class rides bikes everywhere and are lucky to have enough water to bathe once a week. America as we know it is in the middle of an economic depression, compounded by drought and mild famine. Lauren has lived her whole life in her walled community with her father, step-mother and brothers. Laurens father and step mother are both university professors. Laurens father is also a minister to their local community. Laurens mother was a drug addict-a designer drug that heightened intelligence in the users-and she was born addicted. The side effects of the addiction cause Lauren to experience the pain of others she observes. The slang is Sharers. There is some conflict because "sharing" occurs even when the pain is not real and can even cause victims to bleed if they see someone else bleeding.
Lauren sees her world crumbling around her and knows she has to make moves to protect her family. She also knows she is not Christian and that she has found a "set of truths" she calls Earthseed. Lauren plans to leave her community and spread the "truth" of Earthseed. Earthseed a different religion-incorporating ideals of buddhism, zen and neo-paganism. When Laurens walled community is destroyed she is forced out into the world more quickly than she planned for and her journey to spread Earthseed begins in earnest.
God is Change. Earthseeds destiny is to take root among the stars.
The second novel, Parable of the Talents, is told by Laurens estranged daughter. Lauren founds her first Earthseed community-Acorn-where she marries and has her daughter. Acorn is a self-supporting community that takes in run aways and travelers. Shortly after her daughter is born Acorn is over-run by the new US President-Andrew Steele Jarret's "Teachers". They gas the residents, take the children and seperate the men in one house and women in another. They basically become slaves. President Jarrett believes that by getting rid of "heathens" and forcing all Americans to become to Christians-he can make the country strong again. Bands of his followers form "re-education" camps where they rape the women, beat the men, steal the land, take the children and force the inhabitants to become Christians. Many years pass with members of Earthseed in bondage-partners killed, children stolen-it is a bad time. Eventually they are able to make their escape by killing the "teachers" freeing the students and spliting up-God is Change-and Lauren once again begins rebuilding Earthseed. This book is told though the point of view of Laurens daughter through a series of diary entries. What is it like to have a parent who founds a religion?
These novels are excellent and Butler plans to continue the series.
Parable Of The Sower
Parable Of The Talents
~~~~Where ever you go, There you are!
posted by Laileanah | 8:48 AM
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