Imago

~by Octavia E. Butler
1990 Locus Award Nominee

I'm not sure why, but it took me over a year to get around to reading Imago, the final book in Octavia E. Butler's Xenogenesis trilogy, after finishing the previous volume. I absolutely loved the first two books Dawn and Adulthood Rites; it's almost as if Butler wrote these novels with me in mind. The series is smart and sexy science fiction; it is possible to be read for pure entertainment value but more satisfactorily on a deeper level. The books were originally published separately between 1987, 1988, and 1989 respectively, but in 2000 they were released in a single volume called Lilith's Brood by Grand Central Publishing. I believe there was also an earlier omnibus called Xenogenesis, but if so it is out of print. The novels are relatively short so it makes sense that they would be collected together.

Jodahs was an accident--the first ooloi, a third sex neither male nor female, to be born from a Human mother. It wasn't until Jodahs entered metamorphosis that the mistake was caught. A Human-Oankali ooloi was not planned to appear for several more centuries at least. Jodahs is either a fluke or the unintentional start of a new species, but either way is considered to be a danger to itself and the living things around it. In order to minimize the impact it has on its environment and still maintain some degree of freedom, Jodahs and its family choose exile in the wilds of Earth. There Jodahs must learn to control its abilities of genetic manipulation, both voluntary and involuntary, prepare for its second and final metamorphosis, and prove that it is not a danger. It is a daunting task and even with the support of its family, Jodahs may fail.

Jodahs has a physical need, a hunger, to be with people beyond even the need the Oankali have. Its intense desire for acceptance and understanding make it a very sympathetic character despite its very alien mindset. The pain of being rejected simply for being what it is and what it never wanted to be is heartbreaking. The Oankali have no pretensions--they are not concerned with preserving Humankind, they are preoccupied with protecting Life. The ooloi are not the only thing that make the Oankali totally alien and Butler captures their strangeness marvelously. By telling the story through the eyes of Jodahs, who is different from anyone else, she is also able to explore the inherent strangeness and contradictions of Humans as well. And because the book is written in the first-person, Jodahs' observations and experiences with Humans, Oankali, and fellow constructs are acutely personal.

I had forgotten how amazing Butler's work is. Just like the first two books in Xenogenesis, I absolutely loved Imago--it was sensual, emotionally charged, erotic, and disconcerting. Although Imago is the third book of the trilogy, it actually stands alone quite well. The ending does seem to come a bit suddenly (Imago is the shortest book of the three) but it was a very satisfying conclusion to the series. Understandably, some people are going to be uncomfortable with these books--they do have quite a bit do with interspecies sex and challenging gender conventions, after all. The Oankali are the unarguably the species that holds the power. The Humans can't help that they are physically attracted to the Oankali even while being repulsed by them. This conflict makes them dangerous as the Humans fight against the sense they are betraying themselves and their species. Even I as a reader felt simultaneously drawn to and repelled by the Oankali. Xenogenesis is a compelling and challenging work, a fantastic series, and one that I would highly recommend.

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Adulthood Rites

~by Octavia E. Butler
1989 Locus Award Nominee

Even before I finished reading Dawn, I knew that I would be pursuing the rest of the Xeogenesis trilogy (also known as Lilith's Brood) and just about anything else that Octavia E. Butler had written. Adulthood Rites follow Dawn and is the second Xenogenesis book. Dawn is easily one of the best pieces of science fiction that I've read recently; it completely blew me away. So, I had high expectations for Adulthood Rites. I wasn't too disappointed, either.

Shortly after humanity destroyed itself in war, the Oankali arrived and rescued the few remaining fragments doomed for extinction. However, their actions weren't entirely altruistic--they plan on genetically merging with the surviving Humans in order to continue their own race. Akin is the first Human-born male construct to exist. Genetically engineered, he is both Human and Oankali, an important link in the creation of the next generation. Kidnapped as a young child by Human resisters, he is forced early on to confront and understand what makes the Humans so dangerous and yet so appealing to the Oankali. Ultimately, he may be the only hope for the Human race's survival.

Even when the narrative perspective changes to another character, the book is still very intimately about Akin. His importance to the Humans (both resisters and partners) and the Oankali is paramount to the novel. As a Human-Oankali construct, Akin must earn acceptance from others, but even more so he must learn to accept both sides of his heritage. One of the things that I liked so much about Dawn is that the characters weren't static and changed as the novel progressed--particularly Lilith (Akin's mother). Unfortunately, Akin seemed to stay very much the same person throughout Adulthood Rites despite his traumatic experiences and his eventual dramatic physical transformation. The Oankali are very strange, and Butler captures this superbly. I'm not sure if it's because I took so long between threading the first and second books, but some details did seem inconsistent--but I could just be misremembering. Sometimes it seemed like Butler was just making things up as she went along, especially in regards to Oankali culture. Then again they are supposed to be truly bizarre from the perspective of a Human.

While the book didn't capture me quite as much as Dawn, Adulthood Rites still explores a plethora of engaging ideas. Much of the novelty of Oankali gender relationships has worn off, but their relationships with Humans continue to be tense, uncomfortable, and a little creepy. Butler's style in Xenogenesis is very direct with very little superfluous description. I really wish that I hadn't waited so long between books because of this; many important elements and details were lost or forgotten. I definitely will be picking up the last book in the trilogy, Imago, sooner rather than later.

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Dawn

~by Octavia E. Butler
1988 Locus Award Nominee
1989 Ditmar Award Nominee

Since I've been on LibraryThing I keep coming across the name Octavia Butler. I had never heard of her before. Then I began noticing her name on multiple awards lists, my housemates and people I knew were reading her books--I heard nothing but good things about Butler. Finally, I decided it was about time that I read something of hers myself.

For a variety of reasons, I chose to start with Dawn, the first book of the Xenogenesis series. It is followed by Adulthood Rites and Imago--all three books have also been collected into a single volume called Lilith's Brood.

After humanity has destroyed itself itself in a nuclear holocaust, the few survivors are saved by an alien race known as the Oankali and put into suspended animation. Lilith Iyapo is chosen by them to become the leader, teacher, and protector of the first group of humans to be returned to Earth. But before this can happen, she must first learn to live with and accept the Oankali, who are terrifying in their differences. And they are not entirely innocent in their seemingly magnanimous efforts to save the human race--humanity may be changed forever.

Lilith is a fascinating character who develops tremendously as the novel progresses--she's not shallow or static. Particularly important to her development are her interactions and relationships with the Oankali and subsequently her interactions and relationships to her fellow humans. Needless to say--it's complicated.

I was completely blown away by this book and the amount of thought-provoking material packed into a rather small volume. Almost constantly, I was reminded of the issues brought up in Radical Evolution by Joel Garreau. What exactly makes us human? Sex, sexuality, gender, violence, and relationships are only some of the issues that are addressed.

Dawn is definitely one of the best books that I've read in a while. With it, Butler has easily moved into the ranks of my favorite authors. I plan to read more of her work--basically anything I can get my hands on--starting with the next two books in Xenogenesis.

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