Parable of the Talents (Earthseed, #2)

448 pages

English language

Published Nov. 7, 2001

ISBN:
978-0-446-61038-4
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Goodreads:
60932

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4 stars (2 reviews)

Parable of the Talents is a science fiction novel by American writer Octavia E. Butler, published in 1998. It is the second in a series of two, a sequel to Parable of the Sower. It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel.

4 editions

Sometimes you have to bury your gifts to ensure survival

3 stars

This book definitely felt like a bridge to what could have been the next in a whole series. In fact I wonder if what was put in the epilogue traces the overarching plot of what could have been. I really would have liked to see a conversation between Olamina's space colonization desires with her daughter's view of "let's make sure we've figured out how to live on Earth in peace before we head to the stars."

This book does seem to put a cap on the 'Pox that treats it as just a stumbling block in the world's progress, but I would like to have heard Butler's answer to the question of "now that we've overcome our greatest trials, how do we move forward?" I guess what I'm asking for is more spiritual and philosophical introspection, but the narrative stays pretty focused on events.