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Ken's Reviews > Parable of the Sower
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1)
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Parable of the Sower isn't the easiest book to read. The prose is clear and uncomplicated, but the content can be hard to take. This is a close-to-home dystopia, one which I found hard to dismiss as improbable. And the world that it depicts is cruel and ugly. Even the well-meaning must do ugly things to survive.
This is science fiction only in the most technical sense. Sure, it's set in a hypothetical future, and the main character, Lauren, has an uncanny/(super)natural ability to feel the pain of others. But there is no reliance upon imagined technologies, alien races or superhuman heroics to move the plot along. The framework of this fictional universe is our own, moved forward in time to a barren future.
Lauren is intent upon founding her own religion. Her ideas are represented by excerpts from her poetry at the beginning of each chapter. As the story progresses, Lauren explains her ideas to many (initially skeptical) people. I was a little bit unhappy with this (central) aspect of the book: the ideas, and Lauren's writing, felt to me a lot less deep and meaningful than Lauren intended.
But what was Octavia Butler's intention? Did she intend these ideas, and Lauren's writings, to be full of meaning, resonance and depth? Was it supposed to be a bit naive and simple, but with potential (which is how I felt)? The answer isn't to be found in this book.
When I finished the book, satisfied at its refusal to come to a pat conclusion or judgment about Lauren's ideology, I found out that there is a sequel. I look forward to it and to finding out whether Lauren's ideas mature once put to the test. Apparently, Butler had begun to work on a third book in this series, but sadly she never completed it.
Oh, one warning: don't read the back cover. At least for the edition I have, the description on the back gives away a crucial, major turning point in the plot that occurs midway through the book. I hate knowing too much in advance, and I would have been really irritated had I seen that beforehand.
This is science fiction only in the most technical sense. Sure, it's set in a hypothetical future, and the main character, Lauren, has an uncanny/(super)natural ability to feel the pain of others. But there is no reliance upon imagined technologies, alien races or superhuman heroics to move the plot along. The framework of this fictional universe is our own, moved forward in time to a barren future.
Lauren is intent upon founding her own religion. Her ideas are represented by excerpts from her poetry at the beginning of each chapter. As the story progresses, Lauren explains her ideas to many (initially skeptical) people. I was a little bit unhappy with this (central) aspect of the book: the ideas, and Lauren's writing, felt to me a lot less deep and meaningful than Lauren intended.
But what was Octavia Butler's intention? Did she intend these ideas, and Lauren's writings, to be full of meaning, resonance and depth? Was it supposed to be a bit naive and simple, but with potential (which is how I felt)? The answer isn't to be found in this book.
When I finished the book, satisfied at its refusal to come to a pat conclusion or judgment about Lauren's ideology, I found out that there is a sequel. I look forward to it and to finding out whether Lauren's ideas mature once put to the test. Apparently, Butler had begun to work on a third book in this series, but sadly she never completed it.
Oh, one warning: don't read the back cover. At least for the edition I have, the description on the back gives away a crucial, major turning point in the plot that occurs midway through the book. I hate knowing too much in advance, and I would have been really irritated had I seen that beforehand.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
November 1, 2007
–
Finished Reading
November 4, 2007
– Shelved
November 13, 2010
– Shelved as:
own
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Sylvia I totally agree. I found it to be, at it's essence, frighteningly plausible.
I carefully read just the first bit of your review because I'm barely through 59 pages so far. I was thinking I may not make it through this book (I will, stubborn always wins) I was skimming reviews to see that I'm not the only one. Its putting a lump in my chest because it's not so very wrong.
I agree. For all the praise this book has received, I expected something more interesting or surprising. Kindred was a bit better, but I’ve been disappointed by Butler, given her giant reputation. It’s been interesting enough to keep reading, mainly based on a “what will happen next” basis, but nothing impressed me, beyond Butler’s smooth and enjoyable prose.
Looks like Octavia Butler book is getting the last laugh....everything is coming to pass now from Parable of a Sower.
I want your thoughts from 2025 how much closer this book feels to today than 2007 when you posted this.
I can easily see society breaking down like it has in this story.
"Clay's Ark" didn't effect me like the 'Parable of the Sower' has. The ultra violent 'have nots' are all to real. Racial prejudice still alive and unwell also makes this possible future all to true, and just a scary as it always is.