Wild Seed (Patternist, 1) Paperback – April 1, 2001

I first read this book decades ago (probably very recently after she first published it), and it is still an incredible work. I am now, however, much older reading it this time, and I found the utter grimness of it very hard to get through.She is/was an astonishing talent, but her subject matter has never been for the faint of heart. I can’t help but look for the remaining books in this series because I know how incredible they are, but there is also some part of me that needs to continue because I absolutely long to read the death of Doro (omg how he needs to die).Her books are amazing and incredibly memorable, but they are perhaps best read when one is young.

I really appreciate Octavia Butler's ability to draw in a reader and create an inviting world to visit. When this happens, it's like discovering an uncharted place with wonderful people who greet you with open arms.

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.

This was the first book I've read from Octavia E. Butler. She's been on my list for quite sometime but I didn't know where to start. I was truly captivated by the book cover art and went from there. Whew, I am glad I did. There are some heavy themes surrounding relationships as well as slavery and slave mentality as well. I cried, I laughed, I yipped excitedly at small wins. Excited to read more of her books.

Butler has the ability to draw the reader into a world that she creates that is just a small sidestep from reality. In this book we live in the midst of the time of slave ships, American enslavement of human beings and the fear of Witchcraft without getting trapped in the usual cliches and tropes that travel with those themes. As in all her books I have read, her characters are strong, complex and invite me deeper into their experience. I’m ready for book II in the series.

This book was not what I expected. It was a fascinating story and difficult to put down. I had some trouble keeping the names in mind and had to go back several times to remember who’s who. I recommend this.

Character development intriguing. The story somewhat disjointed and confusing. Lots of unanswered questions. I assume the other books clarify things. But I'll never know because I finished this not caring or interested enough to read them

Always outside the box , fantastic writer . Holds the storyline creatively in her artistic and imaginative ways . Absolutely rises to the top of my enjoyable and reading pleasure. An author who doesn’t disappoint and gives us news eyes in outlook ! A gift to anyone who reads her work ! Worth every cent in word.

Yes, this was a wonderful book. It grabbed my attention from the start to the end, never allowing me to go. I had to force myself to leave the book enough to eat dinner!I have loved the characters. Anjanwu is just awesome, and Doro, even if he's not exactly the most sympathetic character ever (oh well, he's actually NOT synpathetic, at all) is wonderfully portrayed. I loved even him in the end, and I won't say anything more about the final of this wonderful book, because you *must* buy it and read it up to the end. But the character I loved the best was Isaacs. A wonderful, three-dimensional character.I thank so much Orson Scott Card, who suggested this book in his "How to write science fiction and fantasy" (a book I suggest any aspiring writer to read). Otherwise I would never have bought it, and it would be a shame.

This book was a masterpiece to me. A friend recommended it saying it was one of the most unforgettable pieces of writing. I read it and have to agree. The pace and relationships as well as the setting work so well. This book was written way before its time. The writer although Black American captures the african essence, customs and attitudes in such an accurate way. Octavia Butler was talented and way before her time.

I bought this book from a recommendation in Orson Scott Card’s book ‘How to write Science Fiction and Fantasy’, along with another called Arslan. I read Arslan first, and it was so bad that I wondered whether it was worth reading Wild Seed. I decided to read it just for its technical merits, as the concept didn’t interest me.I’m glad I did, as this book kept me engrossed from start to finish. The author takes the central idea, that some people are born with special abilities, and explores it in many different ways. So it remains fascinating all the way through. The story was compelling as well, as the two main characters tried to outwit each other, with frequent verbal confrontations.I’m not into the fantasy genre, because I often feel cheated by the way conflicts are resolved, where the hero overcomes the enemy simply by summoning up enough strength. But I never felt cheated by the progression of this story.I’m only learning about how to write, so I can’t judge the technical merits, and I quickly forgot that I was reading it to learn. But as a reader I can say that this book has the following qualities: It keeps the tension going throughout. The writing is clear and straightforward, so that it’s the story, not the writer’s technical brilliance, which is on show. Unlike the other book recommended by Card, this is a great example to learn from.

Not her best. If new to Butler try Kindred or The Parables. Record

I loved this book with my entire soul.