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saulprompt's review against another edition
5.0
This is the best work of sci-fi I have yet to read. Butler's vision of the potential of other species (and our own) is fascinating, inspiring, and unlike anything I've encountered. As a biology major, I love what she has done with concepts related to the field. Throughout this work I often thought about Butler's reasoning and development behind character's actions, she doesn't underestimate the reader which makes this trilogy that much more captivating.
wiggles69's review against another edition
1.0
Terrible, horrible, no good very bad.
1 dimensional characters, ridiculous plot. Reads like a terrible self insertion fan fiction.
1 dimensional characters, ridiculous plot. Reads like a terrible self insertion fan fiction.
qog's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
rileyml103's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
dhgwilliam's review against another edition
5.0
Incredible. Deep, complex, thought provoking. Moving. A sometimes distressingly lucid exploration of what it is to be truly human.
missnelsonsings's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
john_quixote's review against another edition
5.0
Fun to read, but even better to talk about. I found the ending chilling, but others I know thought it was optimistic.
luisvilla's review against another edition
3.0
Pros: well-written; interesting ideas; characters who were well-drawn and developed over the course of the books(s). I'll definitely be grabbing more Butler from my wife's shelf.
Cons: the conclusion(s) were extremely pat and unchallenging (particularly the third book), and ultimately the most interesting question raised by Butler (below, for spoiler-ish reasons) is very underdeveloped.
------------ Spoiler ---------------
In the book, the alien species that saves what is left of human-kind identifies that human genetics has an inbuilt, ultimately destructive conflict between intelligence and a drive towards hierarchy - the latter being something that the aliens supposedly lack. But the way this is developed was frustrating and unsatisfying to me. On the one hand, the aliens do some pretty hierarchical things - on the small scale, impregnating a human character involuntarily; on the large scale, involuntarily sterilizing the entire remaining human race (later rescinded to "only" deporting them to Mars). And on the other hand, the supposed flaw in humans - despite being an incredibly important part of the plot - is explored only shallowly, with repeated, blunt points that "hey, humans kill each other"and "humans give too much deference to tall men". Given how important this was to the book, and how potentially interesting it could have been I would really have liked to have seen it developed more - how is it that humans are so stuck on this? What is it that can't be trained out of them? And vice-versa, how do the aliens make decision other than hand-wavy "we've got a mind-meld and consensus"? This doesn't make the book unreadable, or anything, just... a lost opportunity.
Cons: the conclusion(s) were extremely pat and unchallenging (particularly the third book), and ultimately the most interesting question raised by Butler (below, for spoiler-ish reasons) is very underdeveloped.
------------ Spoiler ---------------
In the book, the alien species that saves what is left of human-kind identifies that human genetics has an inbuilt, ultimately destructive conflict between intelligence and a drive towards hierarchy - the latter being something that the aliens supposedly lack. But the way this is developed was frustrating and unsatisfying to me. On the one hand, the aliens do some pretty hierarchical things - on the small scale, impregnating a human character involuntarily; on the large scale, involuntarily sterilizing the entire remaining human race (later rescinded to "only" deporting them to Mars). And on the other hand, the supposed flaw in humans - despite being an incredibly important part of the plot - is explored only shallowly, with repeated, blunt points that "hey, humans kill each other"and "humans give too much deference to tall men". Given how important this was to the book, and how potentially interesting it could have been I would really have liked to have seen it developed more - how is it that humans are so stuck on this? What is it that can't be trained out of them? And vice-versa, how do the aliens make decision other than hand-wavy "we've got a mind-meld and consensus"? This doesn't make the book unreadable, or anything, just... a lost opportunity.