Dawn

Rating:
Summary: Mind-blowing sf with very human characters - some combo!
Review: This book is an extraordinary accomplishment, combining mind-blowing science fiction concepts with a very personal perspective.

It's several hundred years in the future. Human civilization has been all but destroyed through vaguely described but clearly self-inflicted wounds. Aliens have arrived with the goal of restoring human civilization as part of their drive to trade genetic and other information with other species. They've snatched a bunch of humans and effectively put them in storage until they can figure out what to do with them. Our main character, Lilith, is one of the first to be awakened as the aliens start to put their scheme into place. She must deal with the (initially terrifying) aliens at first, then, as she's selected as one of the leaders of the restoration, deal with her fellow revived humans as they are awakened as part of what's to be the first colony on the restored earth.

Though the initial conceit is remarkable, Butler focuses on Lilith's reactions to her situation, giving the story a remarkably personal, down-to-home feel despite the extraordinary occurrences. And there are no simple solutions. The aliens are doing good in restoring humanity but also have their own agenda, involving significant genetic manipulations of the restored humans. Lilith has misgivings about this which she much try to conceal while she awaits an opportunity to escape from their control. She must also deal with the similar concerns of her fellow humans without giving too much away.

All that being said, despite my admiration I somehow didn't find the book as gripping a read as one might think from the description. I'm definitely interested in reading the rest of the books in the series, but without the sort of urgency a devoted reader comes to expect when he or she makes a new "find." Still, I am impressed by the book and perhaps the series will grow on me.

Rating:
Summary: Good book, very interesting but...
Review: This is a good book, well written with an extemely interesting premise--advanced (and very alien) aliens come to earth after a nuclear war and "save" mankind but turning humans into something else. The aliens call this a trade, a trade of genetic material in which each the two parties become something neither was before. The humans aren't thrilled with the idea and there lies the conflict. This is all well and good and certainly original and interesting but the humans in Butler's story seem too self destructive, too violent, and too unreasonable. At times Butler's aliens seem more realistic and more diverse than her human charcters. Still, it is both startling and thought provoking. And certainly worth reading. Just don't expect it to be perfect.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful story and characters
Review: This is an excellent trilogy. I've re-read it several times. Although Butler tends to write end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it books, they are really about the will to survive and about hope. Her characters, especially the women, are each in their own way very strong individuals who learn to cooperate in order to live. The fact that the cast of characters are of several races but race is not a negative issue is an interesting motif. Her image of the earth changed by nuclear war, alien intervention, and humanity's return to hunter-gatherer bands is fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking, but it does get old
Review: This is the first book I've read by Butler and I had mixed feelings about it. The plot was interesting and the ideas behind it were pretty intriguing, but the book just seemed to lose me after about a hundred pages of the same old things happening over and over. It seemed to me that Lillith would have her own thoughts about how terrible the genetic engineering that was happening to her was, but then she would turn around and reason herself into almost accepting it.

The book just frustrated me. The character development is pretty good for Lillith and the Oankali (the aliens out to save/change mankind), but despite that, I didn't care much for anybody in the story. During the course of the book there are a lot of different events that occur, but the book just didn't seem to go anywhere. My recommendation would be to read this book if you are interested in the ethical issues surrounding genetic engineering, or if you are looking for some philosophical debate, but if you're looking for a story that draws you into it and makes you want to read the rest of the series, I'd keep searching.

Rating:
Summary: human identity challenged by aliens
Review: This trilogy is another one of Butler's remarkable offerings. So much Sci-fi is trash that a good story stands out. This is one of the best. The Oonkali have rescued earthling survivors after a nuclear war but the price we pay for rescue is to mate with the Oonkali and become something else. It doesn't really matter that they are benevolent. What matters is that they are committed to the gene trade and there is no recourse. Lilith, the human heroine, is on the horns of this dilemma and struggles with it through all 3 books. Her children (Oonkali-Human) face the same problems. This is an exceptional story that shouldn't be missed by fans of the genre (don't miss her other books, either!).

Rating:
Summary: Butler delivers a strong novel
Review: This was, quite simply, an amazing book. It's incredible how Ms. Butler manages to convey such a complex scenario through the use of such simple, straightforward writing. She makes us sympathize with the protagonist while at the same time understanding the needs of her captors. "Dawn" also makes us take an uncolored look at who we are as humans in today's world. Please read this. You won't be disappointed.

P.S. - It's really a shame when people say that Octavia Butler is a great female African-American science fiction writer. She is a great writer. Period.

Rating:
Summary: couldnt really feel it....
Review: This wasnt a bad book but i was disappointed. This is my fourth Butler book and i didnt feel like it lived up to the other three (Kindred, Parable of the Sower and Talents). In the beginning i was intrigued but the same thing just continued to happen over and over. I got bored way too many times. I felt as bored as the character was sometimes. And then -- i dont think this is a spoiler but the idea of her being sexual with (...) really replused me. I really didnt get why the character felt like she had to do it. I didnt sympathize with her at all. The whole time i was more on the side of the people that were against her. The reasonings just didnt make a lot of sense. Supposedly this is the worst book in the series so i hope it gets better. Butler's other characters i really cared for but i haven't cared for Lilith... yet.

Rating:
Summary: couldnt really feel it....
Review: This wasnt a bad book but i was disappointed. This is my fourth Butler book and i didnt feel like it lived up to the other three (Kindred, Parable of the Sower and Talents). In the beginning i was intrigued but the same thing just continued to happen over and over. I got bored way too many times. I felt as bored as the character was sometimes. And then -- i dont think this is a spoiler but the idea of her being sexual with (...) really replused me. I really didnt get why the character felt like she had to do it. I didnt sympathize with her at all. The whole time i was more on the side of the people that were against her. The reasonings just didnt make a lot of sense. Supposedly this is the worst book in the series so i hope it gets better. Butler's other characters i really cared for but i haven't cared for Lilith... yet.