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Octavia E. Butler
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Bloodchild and Other Stories Paperback – October 4, 2005

by Octavia E. Butler (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,357 ratings
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A perfect introduction for new readers and a must-have for avid fans, this New York Times Notable Book includes "Bloodchild," winner of both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and "Speech Sounds," winner of the Hugo Award. Appearing in print for the first time, "Amnesty" is a story of a woman named Noah who works to negotiate the tense and co-dependent relationship between humans and a species of invaders. Also new to this collection is "The Book of Martha" which asks: What would you do if God granted you the ability—and responsibility—to save humanity from itself?
Like all of Octavia Butler’s best writing, these works of the imagination are parables of the contemporary world. She proves constant in her vigil, an unblinking pessimist hoping to be proven wrong, and one of contemporary literature’s strongest voices.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Seven Stories Press
  4. Publication date
    October 4, 2005
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.59 x 7.23 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1583226982
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1583226988
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The title story is justly famous … splendid pieces, set forth in calm, lucid prose with never a word wasted.” —Kirkus Reviews

“An outstanding short story collection … [Butler] is an impressive writer whose work displays how science fiction readily transcends the perceived stylistic limitations of the genre.” —St. Petersburg Times

“Butler graces new mansions of thought with her eloquent, distinguished, and poignant prose. Although this book is little in size, its ideas and aims are splendidly large.” —Booklist

About the Author

A writer who darkly imagined the future we have destined for ourselves in book after book, and also one who has shown us the way toward improving on that dismal fate, OCTAVIA E. BUTLER (1947–2006) is recognized as among the bravest and smartest of contemporary fiction writers. A 1995 MacArthur Award winner, Butler transcended the science fiction category even as she was awarded that community’s top prizes, the Nebula and Hugo Awards. She reached readers of all ages, all races, and all religious and sexual persuasions. For years the only African-American woman writing science fiction, Butler has encouraged many others to follow in her path.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Seven Stories Press; 2nd edition (October 4, 2005)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1583226982
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1583226988
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.59 x 7.23 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,357 ratings

About the author

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Octavia E. Butler

Octavia E. Butler

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OCTAVIA E. BUTLER (1947–2006) was the renowned author of numerous ground-breaking novels, including Kindred, Wild Seed, and Parable of the Sower. Recipient of the Locus, Hugo and Nebula awards, and a PEN Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work, in 1995 she became the first science- fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Fellowship ‘Genius Grant’. A pioneer of her genre, Octavia’s dystopian novels explore myriad themes of Black injustice, women’s rights, global warming and political disparity, and her work is taught in over two hundred colleges and universities nationwide.

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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

ReadingWhileFemale
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Collection
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2011
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Bloodchild is a collection of short stories by the famous science-fiction writer Octavia Butler. The problem with short story collections is that they are usually a mixed bag, populated with mostly mediocre stories speckled with a few stinkers and a few gems. Well, I am happy to report to you that Bloodchild is not like that at all. Every single story in this collection is captivating, intelligent, and written in a style that is clear and accessible without losing any of its sophistication.

What really struck me about Bloodchild was the sheer emotional impact of each story. Because each story is such a perfect little world, and because the characters are so well realized, every story really packs a punch. I put down the book between each story, incapable of doing any real thinking because I was so blown away by what I had just read. I think the effectiveness of the stories comes from a mix of excellent writing and characterization and the way Butler uses those characters to explore complex ideas. One of Butler's strengths is in never letting her work become preachy or one-sided. Butler's ideas are as complex as her characters, and that makes her stories resonate in a very real and powerful way.

Usually, this would be the part of the review where I would tell you which stories were my favorite and which ones to skip, but I can't really do that with this collection, because they are all absolutely worth reading. I believe that Butler's most famous stories are Bloodchild and Speech Sounds, both of which are in this collection and both of which are absolutely mind-blowing. Bloodchild actually left me speechless and shaking by the time I finished it. Her other stories are more subtle, but are still incredibly well-written. There are also two essays included in the book, my favorite of which was Positive Obsession. Since I bought the updated version of the book, I got an extra two stories on top of the original five stories and two essays. If you are going to get it, I recommend getting the updated version, because the two added stories are both very good, especially Amnesty. In all of the stories Butler's characters are absolutely convincing, and her story-telling is so smooth that you never need time to get adjusted to the story, even when you are dropped right in the middle of the action. That is, to me, a sign of a great writer.

I know this review is vague, but that is only because Butler's stories are so good. I don't feel like I need to speak for them, and I'm not sure that I could even if I wanted to. If you want intelligent stories with concise yet vivid writing and realistic characters, then Octavia Butler is absolutely the writer for you.

Rating: 5 stars
Vivid writing, engaging plot, convincing characters, and intelligent world building. Highly recommended.
66 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars My first experience of Butler's writing, but it won't be my last
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2018
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I feel it is a terrible sin of omission on my part that until now I have never read any works by Octavia Butler.
I mean, sure, everyone has their gaps in their reading history, where there's an author here or there who you've always meant to get round to reading but just haven't. But Butler has been a glaring hole in my reading - until now.
She freely admits in her introduction to this short story collection that novels are where her heart truly belongs, but this is a good way to delve into her writing, a gentle starter with the main course ready and waiting to follow, if you will.
There are seven stories and two essays in this collection, kicking off with the award-winning title story. Bloodchild is a complex story of interdependent relationships, with humans being used as hosts to nurse the infants of an alien species, but at a cost. There are questions of what one is willing to exchange in order to survive, issues of abusive relationships and personal sacrifice, all heady topics swirling within the confines of a short story.
Award-winner that it is, though, personally I prefer another story in the collection, The Evening and the Morning and the Night. It's a story of a society where a drug created to cure ailments such as cancer has after-effects, with the descendants of those who took the drug affected by a condition which can cause them to "drift", losing touch with the society around them and slipping into dangerous psychosis. Told from the perspective of the children affected by this disorder, as they face a future which seems inevitably to slip towards madness and death, it's a deeply poignant tale of how society deals with those it cannot cope with, and what happens to those individuals themselves - whether they can carve out their own future in a world that offers them none.
These two stories stand out above the others, but there's still plenty of great reading to be had in the collection. There's no binding theme - though a recurring focus is on issues of biology and illness. One nice feature is that each story has notes after it with the author detailing her thoughts on the tale. For example, she addresses the fact that many think Bloodchild is about slavery - it isn't, though talk in the story of selling people hints that way. It's more complex than that, though, and very much worth discovering if, like me, you've been lagging behind on exploring Butler's work.
52 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Paul
5.0 out of 5 stars Features the Hugo and Nebula award-winning stories “Bloodchild” and “Speech Sounds.”
Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2023
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Read for the sheer pleasure!
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Thomas Berirne
5.0 out of 5 stars It was a gift. Recipient said it was very good.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2024
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it was a gift. Recipient said it was very good.
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Mr. B
5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing and thought-provoking
Reviewed in Spain on May 11, 2021
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Ms. Butler’s stories stand on the shoulders of the giants of 50s, 60s and 70s sci-fi, and adds incredible depth, sensitivity and a much-missed point of view. Terrific reading.
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Tara
5.0 out of 5 stars To entertain as well as get you thinking
Reviewed in Canada on November 30, 2021
Verified Purchase
I adore this author. The stories are amazing in their inventiveness and yet maintain a very real sense of possibility. Included in this collection are a couple of essays she wrote about writing. If you are an aspiring writer those alone are worth it.
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Unicycleonthefreeway
5.0 out of 5 stars Bloodchild
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 31, 2022
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I’m sad to say I have only just discovered Olivia Butler’s fiction. Some of these stories were astonishing, in that themes which are so familiar to us in 2022 were written so long ago, when these concepts were original. Her writing is beautifully lucid and her scientific foundations are well researched. Her aliens, alternative worlds and challenges to humanity are wonderfully imagined. On the whole, I much prefer these short stories to the novels, where I find the number of unfinished sub-plots frustrating.
A great place to begin with this underrated author.
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