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Parable of the Sower

By: Octavia E. Butler
Narrated by: Lynne Thigpen
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Publisher's Summary

Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Octavia E. Butler paints a stunning portrait of an all-too-believable near future. As with Kindred and her other critically-acclaimed novels, Parable of the Sower skillfully combines startling visionary and socially realistic concepts.

God is change. That is the central truth of the Earthseed movement, whose unlikely prophet is 18-year-old Lauren Olamina. The young woman's diary entries tell the story of her life amid a violent 21st-century hell of walled neighborhoods and drug-crazed pyromaniacs - and reveal her evolving Earthseed philosophy. Against a backdrop of horror emerges a message of hope: if we are willing to embrace divine change, we will survive to fulfill our destiny among the stars.

For her elegant, literate works of science fiction, Octavia E. Butler has been compared to Toni Morrison and Ursula K. LeGuin. Narrator Lynne Thigpen's melodious voice will hold you spellbound throughout this compelling parable of modern society.

©1993 Octavia E. Butler (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about Parable of the Sower

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Doom and Gloom

The storyline is unending gloom and doom and as such, it is wearing on the listener.

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  • E.
  • 28-10-2022

What a bore

Genuinely do not see how this has been so popular, the MC was completely unrelatable and the storyline just meandered around with no purpose. How was this about climate change? Seemed more like it was about an entitled teenager who decided she knew best and started a cult.
Not engaging, not captivating and not challenging.

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1 person found this helpful

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A timeless, brutal classic

You'd think that a story that includes brutal violence, multiple horrific murders, cannibalism and heartbreaking slavery against a backdrop of global destruction and horrifying social collapse would be soul destroying but this is so beautifully told and the protagonist is such a queen that somehow it seems as though there might be some hope for us all. I can't wait to read the second book immediately.

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Bad interpretation of the gods

there were many great aspects but there was no need for god in her philosophy

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wonderful story and narration

confronting story, absorbing and thoroughly engaging. wonderful sensitive narration. the author had amazing insight into people

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rare that I don't complete a book

This wasn't for me. Too much God. the accent of the reader really emphasised the word, over and over and over. I just couldn't relate to the characters or believe the plot.

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Parable of the lifetime!

This book is such a great sci-fi read / dystopian- with more a heavy focus on dystopia themes.
If you loved reading the handmaids tale or 1984 then this is a book you will love.
Making the central character with a disorder that is more empathic towards humans and living in multiple worlds over a span of a few years. Taking us to modern day slavery, climate change conversation, survivalist living,! And a very compelling love story of generation divide. And brilliant representation of different ethnic groups trying to survive.
It also explores the central themes of displacement and family inter generational trauma to some aspect, with many themes of religion and what true spirituality is, and how one’s judgements morals and values can impact the decision on either creating or leaving aspects of god to the version they wish to know or understand.
This book shows and proves once again Butlers impressive mind of what a near future may look like would ever be so true. And if so, I’m defiantly converted to joint Lauren’s Mob of survivalist group.
I ask the audible please put more of Octavia e butlers books on this platform please in Australia.
As I have ADHD I read the book as well as listen at the same time on approx 1.85x speed and it’s difficult for me to not read whilst listening.
However highly reccomened this novel to anyone who loves a dystopia sci go series and can’t wait to continue Lauren’s storey in the next book.
Also check out her other book KINDRED it is just as more brilliant !

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Just great!

The story is excellent, the reader is perfect, what more can I say. This author is wonderful.

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A disappointing story - disappointingly read

I'd read another of Octavia Butler's novels and really enjoyed it, so I looked forward to this one. Unfortunately it was nowhere near as enjoyable as the former work. My main problem with it was the flatness of the story. There didn't feel like there was any dynamic to it. It was pretty much uniformly grim without any tension, climax, release etc.
The main character: a preacher's daughter - spends the entire novel heading in the same direction. There are fundamentally no revelations. Also, I never felt invested in any of the characters.
The reading was OK, but by no means outstanding. There were many many points where I felt the narrator was on 'automatic', not actually conscious of the story she was reading - just scanning words on a page. My recommendation: give this one a miss.

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Awesome book

This is a really great story. It's a dystopian type story but it has a lot of substance to it. Highly recommend.

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