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Wild Seed (The Patternist Series Book 1) by [Butler, Octavia E.]

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Octavia E. Butler

Wild Seed (The Patternist Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Octavia E. Butler (Author)

239 ratings

Book 1 of 4 in The Patternist Series

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As the acclaimed Patternist science fiction series begins, two immortals meet in the long-ago past—and mankind’s destiny is changed forever.
For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew. He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. She is a shapeshifter, capable of healing with a kiss, and she recognizes Doro as a tyrant. Though many humans have tried to kill them, these two demi-gods have never before met a rival. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries and permanently alter the nature of humanity.

Hugo and Nebula award–winning author Octavia E. Butler’s sweeping cross-century epic places her “among the best of contemporary SF writers” (Houston Chronicle). This ebook features an illustrated biography of Octavia E. Butler including rare images from the author’s estate.

Length: 320 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
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Books In This Series (4 Books)

Complete Series

The Patternist Series

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1
Wild Seed (The Patternist Series Book 1)

(237)

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$8.99
2
Mind of My Mind (The Patternist Series Book 2)

(84)

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3
Clay's Ark (The Patternist Series Book 3)

(48)

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4
Patternmaster (The Patternist Series Book 4)

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From the Publisher

From the Illustrated Biography


Octavia E. Butler at age thirteen Butler began writing the year before when a science fiction film—the cult favorite Devil Girl from Mars—inspired her to create something of her own.	Parable of the Sower book tour Butler on a book tour for Parable of the Sower in New York City in 1993.	Octavia E. Butler's legacy When Butler passed away in 2006, the New York Times eulogized her as a world-renowned author whose science fiction explored 'far-reaching issues of race, sex, power and, ultimately, what it means to be human.'

Product details

File Size: 5494 KB
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy (July 24, 2012)
Publication Date: July 24, 2012
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B008HALNFQ
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

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Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,681 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #89 in Alternate History Science Fiction (Books)
- #275 in Historical Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- #99 in Alternative History

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Compelling, unique science fiction

November 27, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

‘Wild Seed’ is the first book in the famous ‘Patternist’ series (though it was not written first). It is also the first book by Butler that I’ve read but will definitely not be the last: this was a book that kept me reading far too late into the night because I just could not put it down.

The book starts off in 1690, in Africa, and ends in 1840s in the United States. It follows the immortal man/spirit Doro – born in Africa in the days of ancient Egypt, and Anyanwu, an African woman with astonishing powers that set her apart from everyone around her. Doro brings Anyanwu to America, and she becomes part of his “people”: an extensive group of individuals who are ruled by, and selectively bred by Doro to enhance their various special abilities.

With that as its starting point, ‘Wild Seed’ becomes a haunting, rich, and compelling story of Anyanwu’s struggle to survive in the new world under Doro’s rule, exploring themes like good and evil, slavery and oppression, race and eugenics, family and friendship, love and the essence of life itself: what makes life worth living? what is a good life? what is worth living for? what is worth dying for?

Butler’s cast of characters add to the richness of the book: they are all complex and conflicted, and even characters that pass by only briefly in the story are so well-written that they stay with you afterwards. And Anyanwu is one of the most interesting and likable literary characters I’ve encountered. She is a good, but flawed, person, fighting tooth and nail to stay true to herself and her own convictions, and to keep her freedom and self-determination – even under excruciatingly difficult circumstances.

‘Wild Seed’ is compelling, unique science fiction, and it’s a book that lingers in the mind long after you finish reading it.

31 people found this helpful

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*Review from the Illustrated Page*

November 11, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Anyanwu and Doro are two immortal beings. Doro is more of a spirit than a man. He lives through millennial by possessing other’s bodies, killing the original owners in the process. Anyanwu is a shape shifter who can constantly rejuvenate her body so that she stays young forever. Doro kills, Anyanwu heals. They are as opposite as they can be, and yet each is the only immortal the other knows. Wild Seed begins with the two coming into contact for the first time, when Doro happens upon the African village where Anyanwu’s living in the late 1600s and shows the relationship between them up until the late 1800s.

Wild Seed is easy to read, but there’s a lot going on underneath the surface. There’s so many different topics at play here – race, slavery, gender, sexuality. Basically, if it’s a topic relating to power structures, Wild Seed deals with it. It doesn’t deal much with LGBTQ themes, but I’m still listing it under the tag since Anyanwu has a wife at one point (happens between chapters) and could probably be considered bisexual.

Wild Seed deals with the difficulties of being immortal and the inherent loneliness of watching everyone you know die. This is the focal point of the relationship between Anyanwu and Doro. Anyanwu may not be able to condone what Doro does, but he’s the only person who will remain constant as the families she builds for herself die around her.

I hate Doro, but I think you’re supposed to hate him. He’s spent his extraordinary long life on a eugenics project, creating a race of people with special powers. He’s controlling and manipulative and thinks nothing of killing others. He wants people to be under his control, to respect and obey him in all things. But Anyanwu cannot respect him, and she does not always obey him. She’s wild seed – a talented person born outside his breeding programs.

I’m really not sure what to think about the relationship between Anyanwu and Doro. I really hope the ending wasn’t supposed to be an instance of the woman “changing” her man with her feminine influences, but I’m not sure. Anyanwu was also so passive. I really wanted to see her stand up to Doro and to oppose the things he did that she hated. But it feels more like she accepts powerlessness.

A large part of why I have these feelings is that I don’t think Wild Seed had a real conclusion. The book just sort of ends. There problems with Doro’s actions haven’t been dealt with. Maybe it’s because this is a first book in a series? I’d want to keep reading to find out what happens to Anyanwu, but I’ve heard she’s not the protagonist of the next one.

Do I recommend Wild Seed? Definitely. I can see why it’s considered a science fiction classic, one that I think I’d need to reread to appreciate more fully.

11 people found this helpful

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A different take on the usual Vampire story

September 1, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I only ran into this writer within the past year. I'm sorry I didn't do so earlier, because I'd recommend everything of hers I've read so far (this series and the Seed series, or whatever it's called).

The series is about a person who accidently finds out he is immortal, not in the normal sense, but in the fact he can displace himself into another body. Over time he finds other 'mutants' with other powers that he ends up trying to breed over centuries of time.

2 people found this helpful

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a paranormal story with roots in Africa

September 12, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is the first book I have read by Octavia Butler and I really enjoyed reading it. I will definitely be reading more of her books. The main characters in the book are Anyanwu and Doro. I really loved Anyanwu. She was a wise, loving female, as well as a strong and interesting individual.

This is a paranormal story with its roots in Africa, which gave it a refreshing and unique spin, even though it is not a new book! The story's main plot revolves around the enduring relationship between Anyanwu and Doro, but the story touches on the themes of family, belonging, and the experience of those who are a little bit different. Additionally, I think anyone who loves animals and feels a connection with them will enjoy Anyanwu's story.

I really don't know what else to say, except that Ms. Butler created a fascinating world unto itself, and the best way to experience it for yourself is read the book! Ms. Butler has a very smooth writing style. Nothing is ever overdone, and everything is deep.

4 people found this helpful

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