miles862's review
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
This was probably my least favorite so far. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood to read it, but I found myself struggling to be invested in what was happening. As someone who predominantly loves character-driven series, I found it hard to get invested again. While I like the overall threads and worldbuilding, I was mostly checked out as far as the individual plots.
jacobshere's review
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
albatrossonhalfpointe's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Weird little tangent from the overall series arc. It has its issues, but generally, I enjoyed it. More thoughts at https://kingshearte.blogspot.com/2022/10/survivor-octavia-butler.html
calarco's review against another edition
3.0
Perhaps a bit unorthodox, but I need to start this review off by thanking my local library and Inter Library Loan system. First published in 1978 as an entry to the Patternist series, [b:Survivor|256890|Survivor|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1186985614l/256890._SY75_.jpg|3346577] was Butler’s least favorite work and she subsequently opted to not have it reprinted. Being a completionist, I still really wanted to read it (without paying hundreds of dollars for a rare copy), so that is when my library came to the rescue—they have all of my nerd gratitude.
Now having read Survivor, I can see why Butler hated it. Compared to her other work, it really does stand out as it lacks her classic polish and narrative flow. In general, Butler’s stories are brilliantly paced with a smooth feel as they unfold; her dialogue often reveals key facts about the character, world, relationships, all while moving the plot along in interesting ways. As Survivor initially follows a group of humans (Missionaries) who have escaped a chaotic earth dealing with the Clayark plague and public emergence of Patternists, only to land on a planet during a dangerous conflict between the surprisingly anthropomorphic aliens called Tehkohn and Garkohn—there are simply too many sci-fi elements in too short a book (180 pages) to fully and seamlessly flesh out these different narrative ideas. This ultimately resulted in more “tell” than “show,” with dialogue often existing to provide convoluted exposition—I can see why Butler called this “my Star Trek novel.”
In this scenario, Butler has to lay down the rules of three distinct cultures, which we largely see through the eyes of Alanna—the titular “survivor”—who struggles to navigate all three. While not the first of Butler’s work to play with the concepts of consent amidst alien conflict and interspecies procreation (the Xenogenesis series does this really well), in Survivor these concepts devolve into a bizarre Stockholm syndrome as we follow Alanna’s storyline. She is not the strongest protagonist to begin with, but the way she jumps hoops of mental gymnastics to sympathize with a given captor would indicate more psychological malleability than adaptability. Some of these parts were really hard to read, but I digress.
So those are some criticisms, but all said and done I would be lying if I said I did not like this book (admittedly I do not think I could ever truly dislike anything Octavia Butler wrote, I stan far too much, as the kids say). The main reason I enjoyed this book was that Survivor, with its clunky over-expositioning, really does an excellent job of tying the events of [b:Wild Seed|52318|Wild Seed (Patternmaster, #1)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388462753l/52318._SY75_.jpg|1330000], [b:Mind of My Mind|116254|Mind of My Mind (Patternmaster, #2)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389676159l/116254._SY75_.jpg|111957], [b:Clay's Ark|60933|Clay's Ark (Patternmaster, #3)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1461533398l/60933._SY75_.jpg|1008173], and [b:Patternmaster|116256|Patternmaster (Patternmaster, #4)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389456750l/116256._SY75_.jpg|1119636] together. Also, I am a Trekkie, so while this was not Butler’s strongest work, it still works for me as a decent space story fueled by weird melodrama.
All in all, Survivor will not be for everyone, but I would still recommend it as I do with everything by Octavia Butler. That said, DO NOT pay hundreds of dollars for a copy; check your local library and if they do not have it you can put in an order through Inter Library Loan. Every library system is a part of a unique loaning network, so results may vary, but it is worth a try if you’re truly curious.
Now having read Survivor, I can see why Butler hated it. Compared to her other work, it really does stand out as it lacks her classic polish and narrative flow. In general, Butler’s stories are brilliantly paced with a smooth feel as they unfold; her dialogue often reveals key facts about the character, world, relationships, all while moving the plot along in interesting ways. As Survivor initially follows a group of humans (Missionaries) who have escaped a chaotic earth dealing with the Clayark plague and public emergence of Patternists, only to land on a planet during a dangerous conflict between the surprisingly anthropomorphic aliens called Tehkohn and Garkohn—there are simply too many sci-fi elements in too short a book (180 pages) to fully and seamlessly flesh out these different narrative ideas. This ultimately resulted in more “tell” than “show,” with dialogue often existing to provide convoluted exposition—I can see why Butler called this “my Star Trek novel.”
In this scenario, Butler has to lay down the rules of three distinct cultures, which we largely see through the eyes of Alanna—the titular “survivor”—who struggles to navigate all three. While not the first of Butler’s work to play with the concepts of consent amidst alien conflict and interspecies procreation (the Xenogenesis series does this really well), in Survivor these concepts devolve into a bizarre Stockholm syndrome as we follow Alanna’s storyline. She is not the strongest protagonist to begin with, but the way she jumps hoops of mental gymnastics to sympathize with a given captor would indicate more psychological malleability than adaptability. Some of these parts were really hard to read, but I digress.
So those are some criticisms, but all said and done I would be lying if I said I did not like this book (admittedly I do not think I could ever truly dislike anything Octavia Butler wrote, I stan far too much, as the kids say). The main reason I enjoyed this book was that Survivor, with its clunky over-expositioning, really does an excellent job of tying the events of [b:Wild Seed|52318|Wild Seed (Patternmaster, #1)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388462753l/52318._SY75_.jpg|1330000], [b:Mind of My Mind|116254|Mind of My Mind (Patternmaster, #2)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389676159l/116254._SY75_.jpg|111957], [b:Clay's Ark|60933|Clay's Ark (Patternmaster, #3)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1461533398l/60933._SY75_.jpg|1008173], and [b:Patternmaster|116256|Patternmaster (Patternmaster, #4)|Octavia E. Butler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389456750l/116256._SY75_.jpg|1119636] together. Also, I am a Trekkie, so while this was not Butler’s strongest work, it still works for me as a decent space story fueled by weird melodrama.
All in all, Survivor will not be for everyone, but I would still recommend it as I do with everything by Octavia Butler. That said, DO NOT pay hundreds of dollars for a copy; check your local library and if they do not have it you can put in an order through Inter Library Loan. Every library system is a part of a unique loaning network, so results may vary, but it is worth a try if you’re truly curious.
cindywho's review against another edition
3.0
This is the one that Butler did not want to have reissued in the Patternmaster series. I kept trying to figure out why, but there's no way to know. It's bizarre and original like most of her stuff. Alanna is the survivor who survives homelessness on a savage Earth, as a missionary child on an alien planet and as an alien amongst the inhabitants of the planet.
sophiessofa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
tinygriff's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
NB: This is out of print (I was able to get a pdf copy from Sistah Scifi - https://sistahscifi.com/ . The quality of the pdf was a little questionable in places, but I am so used to reading children's work that I could overlook the typos and still access and enjoy the story! The only really frustrating thing was that there was NO formatting that signalled the change between POVs and timelines, that was jarring in every single chapter.)
With that caveat out of the way, this was Octavia Butler's personal least favourite in her Patternmaster series. It still fits into the overall themes of society, privelege and opression; but explores these in an alien setting on a world far from Earth.
A group of Missionaries have left Earth on a custom-built starship and have settled in a green valley. They have made trade deals with the local people, the Garkohn, in return for protection and knowledge of the world they find themselves on. However, things aren't simple and the humans are caught up in a power struggle between the Garkohn and a neighbouring tribe, the Tehkohn. When people start going missing it is up to Alanna, the daughter of the Missionaries' leader, to try and save her people.
Through a series of first person narratives we hear Alanna's story and then switch to that of the Missionary colony in third person. Octavia Butler balances these dual timelines and gradually builds a picture of a crumbling utopia. Through this story she examines prejudice and personhood and religion, what it means to belong, and how outsiders to a culture might adapt to survive and what advantages and disadvantages this brings for them and their adoptive society.
I enjoyed this story, I was engaged by Octavia Butler's prose and the story that she was weaving, and enjoyed the foreign planet setting. Would recommend if you want to read her whole body of work, it is worth not overlooking this one.
With that caveat out of the way, this was Octavia Butler's personal least favourite in her Patternmaster series. It still fits into the overall themes of society, privelege and opression; but explores these in an alien setting on a world far from Earth.
A group of Missionaries have left Earth on a custom-built starship and have settled in a green valley. They have made trade deals with the local people, the Garkohn, in return for protection and knowledge of the world they find themselves on. However, things aren't simple and the humans are caught up in a power struggle between the Garkohn and a neighbouring tribe, the Tehkohn. When people start going missing it is up to Alanna, the daughter of the Missionaries' leader, to try and save her people.
Through a series of first person narratives we hear Alanna's story and then switch to that of the Missionary colony in third person. Octavia Butler balances these dual timelines and gradually builds a picture of a crumbling utopia. Through this story she examines prejudice and personhood and religion, what it means to belong, and how outsiders to a culture might adapt to survive and what advantages and disadvantages this brings for them and their adoptive society.
I enjoyed this story, I was engaged by Octavia Butler's prose and the story that she was weaving, and enjoyed the foreign planet setting. Would recommend if you want to read her whole body of work, it is worth not overlooking this one.
literaturesciencealliance's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I can see why this would be a work Octavia Butler would not want in her cannon, although I still find it to be a pretty enjoyable story. I enjoyed the format of once again having a past timeline and present timeline side by side to keep the pace moving along. I do think it was pushing against some tropes that existed in the 70s and 80s around humans interacting with "primitive" alien cultures but also is not perfect. I enjoyed the love story and was surprised that it was similar to a beauty and the beast retelling, which is not something I would expect in a Butler work. I think all of these things are probably why she eventually disavowed it but I enjoyed the story and seeing the work in all its messiness. I found the Kohn species interesting and although the one push against colorism and genetic rights to be strong was the villain I felt other parts of their creation and study were really interesting. Alanna is a really interesting character to follow as a mixed race person, an adoptee and then a hostage and how she uses her learned instincts to survive. There is more good than bad in this one and I am glad I was able to get a hold of it.