“All that you touch, you Change. All that you Change, Changes you. The only lasting truth Is Change. God Is Change.”
— Octavia Butler
I finished reading this novel a couple of days ago, and I’m still allowing it time to sink in, to fully digest. I’m typically not this style of reader, but I’m already very tempted to read it again, it’s just that good.
It pains me to think of the notion that the great Octavia Butler transitioned in 2006, years before I ever discovered her works. She is a legend, and I am so grateful that I was led to her, and to her awe-inspiring, enigmatic way of writing + thinking.
When I was a child, I was deeply interested in the Science Fiction genre, but I was always turned off by the writing style of the Authors that I ran across, and I was never able to identify with any of the characters in the stories; therefore I could not connect to the material.
This always used to leave me feeling less than, weird, like an outcast, because I was drawn to a genre that excluded people that looked and thought like me. A lot of the Science Fiction that was “popular” and heavily touted back in the 90’s and early 2000’s was very White-washed and White-Male dominated and oriented. Even in my adolescence that just didn’t sit right with me.
I would often quip: Is that the future that they wanted?
Now, I am digging through the archives of time, and I am uncovering all of these amazing works of art created by this AMAZING Black Woman that is no longer with us…
She has left behind quite a legacy.
In the meantime, I’m probably going to read the ‘Parable of the Sower’ once more before continuing on to the next book in the series.
I purchased this lovely box set on eBay, and I immediately fell in love with the cover art! I initially thought that this was the original artwork, but after researching the name in the dust jacket, Paul Lewin, I discovered that this set was hard bound and re-released in 2006.
His cover artwork was what initially got me excited to read the book. It can be described in so many ways, but the first thing that came to mind for me was the inter-mixture of African Spirituality and Science Fiction. I’ve linked his website, so if you’d like to check out some more of his artwork, click here or the photo above.
Here’s a link to the series box set that I purchased on eBay, if anyone is interested in purchasing it as well! It came in great condition, with no marks or anything on the inside of the books. I would definitely buy this set again given the opportunity, and I think the price point for what you get, with free shipping, is an overall great value.
I am a bibliophile that also enjoys collecting my favorite titles, and this series is up there in the top 3 now. As soon as I read the first book again, I’m going to read the second book in the series, so stay tuned for a more in-depth look at ‘Parable of the Sower’ and the Earthseed series as a whole!
I give thanks to you, Miss. Octavia Butler, and the many worlds that you left behind for us to discover.
What are you all currently reading and/or obsessed with? Are you all fans of books, or do you prefer to wait until the movie is released? Looking forward to reading your responses in the comments below!