The Xenogenesis Series
Looking around for something non-fiction to read, I remembered that I had a copy of Lilith's Brood, the collection of the Imago series. I'd read the book Imago many, many years ago and, despite the fact that it nearly made my mind melt, it started my passion for Butler's writing. I had no idea at the time that it was the third in a series so I have high hopes now that reading the books in order will allow me to avoid the melt factor. Fun fact: the bookstore where I bought it had Lilith's Brood advertised as a vampire novel. When did bookstore employees stop reading books? Or knowing anything about authors? Perhaps some twerp born after 1990 heard Butler was black and confused her with Jewell Gomez.
Anyway. The three novels are Dawn, Adulthood Rites and Imago. I started reading Dawn yesterday evening and didn't put it down until chapter 8, when I just had to go to sleep. Dawn takes place 250 years after our species has nearly committed humancide. Most of the population is dead or dying, and the planet is fairly well wiped out, when we're lucky enough to have the Oankali give us a second chance. They're an easy-going and friendly bunch that greatly resemble sea cucumbers and survive/evolve by wandering the universe trading genetic material with other species.
Once they're convinced we didn't try to kill ourselves off deliberately (they've known species to do that and don't interfere with the suicidal) they pluck up the survivors and put most of them into a kind of suspended animation while they learn all they can about our biology, cultures, history, etc and mend whatever is wrong with various individuals. And collect genetic material as their part of the pay-off in the exchange. They already hit paydirt with us when they find about our "talent" for developing cancers, which they don't have and immediately neutralize in us and add to their own genetic makeup. The only problem with cancer, as far as the Oankali are concerned, is that we hadn't yet learned how to use it for our own benefit. They've manipulated the cancer gene to allow them to spontaneously regenerate limbs, so they're delighted with the exchange.
The first character we meet is Lilith Iyapo who is being Awakened from her suspended animation for the last time, preparatory to being returned to Earth as an instructor for other returning humans. Twenty-six at the time of the war, thanks to Oankali technology she's aged only 2 years in the last 250. The Oankali think Lilith will be psychologically adaptable enough to both deal with them (many humans tend to freak out over giant talking sea cucumbers) and deal with life on a renewed, wild Earth that's not quite the same as it used to be.
They also hope that Lilith will be one of those able to help other humans adapt the conflicting parts of our genetic heritage (intelligence and hierarchy) to our advantage, the way the Oankali adapted cancer to their advantage. According to the Oankali, heirarchy is similar to cancer in that it is not necessarily dangerous but can be if we aren't able to control it, and when uncontrolled and combined with intelligence it creates what medical science calls "conditions inconsistent with life."
So far in the story, Lilith has been living with the family of her chief caretaker while she was in suspended animation -- a family that includes 3 adults (the Oankali have 3 sexes) and one child. She and the child become each others instructors in the others language, manners, morals and such. It should be noted at this point that the child is twice Lilith's age and close to becoming mature enough to take mates, who have already been selected.
Obviously I'm enjoying this collection a lot, between being sorry for Butler's early death in one of those household accidents everyone thinks will never happen to them. In addition to just being sorry for anyone's death, I'm sorry the reading world's been cut off from Butler's genius, and I am not using that word lightly.
Anyway. The three novels are Dawn, Adulthood Rites and Imago. I started reading Dawn yesterday evening and didn't put it down until chapter 8, when I just had to go to sleep. Dawn takes place 250 years after our species has nearly committed humancide. Most of the population is dead or dying, and the planet is fairly well wiped out, when we're lucky enough to have the Oankali give us a second chance. They're an easy-going and friendly bunch that greatly resemble sea cucumbers and survive/evolve by wandering the universe trading genetic material with other species.
Once they're convinced we didn't try to kill ourselves off deliberately (they've known species to do that and don't interfere with the suicidal) they pluck up the survivors and put most of them into a kind of suspended animation while they learn all they can about our biology, cultures, history, etc and mend whatever is wrong with various individuals. And collect genetic material as their part of the pay-off in the exchange. They already hit paydirt with us when they find about our "talent" for developing cancers, which they don't have and immediately neutralize in us and add to their own genetic makeup. The only problem with cancer, as far as the Oankali are concerned, is that we hadn't yet learned how to use it for our own benefit. They've manipulated the cancer gene to allow them to spontaneously regenerate limbs, so they're delighted with the exchange.
The first character we meet is Lilith Iyapo who is being Awakened from her suspended animation for the last time, preparatory to being returned to Earth as an instructor for other returning humans. Twenty-six at the time of the war, thanks to Oankali technology she's aged only 2 years in the last 250. The Oankali think Lilith will be psychologically adaptable enough to both deal with them (many humans tend to freak out over giant talking sea cucumbers) and deal with life on a renewed, wild Earth that's not quite the same as it used to be.
They also hope that Lilith will be one of those able to help other humans adapt the conflicting parts of our genetic heritage (intelligence and hierarchy) to our advantage, the way the Oankali adapted cancer to their advantage. According to the Oankali, heirarchy is similar to cancer in that it is not necessarily dangerous but can be if we aren't able to control it, and when uncontrolled and combined with intelligence it creates what medical science calls "conditions inconsistent with life."
So far in the story, Lilith has been living with the family of her chief caretaker while she was in suspended animation -- a family that includes 3 adults (the Oankali have 3 sexes) and one child. She and the child become each others instructors in the others language, manners, morals and such. It should be noted at this point that the child is twice Lilith's age and close to becoming mature enough to take mates, who have already been selected.
Obviously I'm enjoying this collection a lot, between being sorry for Butler's early death in one of those household accidents everyone thinks will never happen to them. In addition to just being sorry for anyone's death, I'm sorry the reading world's been cut off from Butler's genius, and I am not using that word lightly.