Read all of Octavia E. Butler's novels

Her style of writing was amazing. I only wished I had discovered her earlier; currently reading Kindred and I can’t bare to see this story come to an end!

I have been reading (and re-reading) Butler for the last 8 years. She has been my favorite author every since I read “Bloodchild” and quickly followed that with the parable books. I need to read “Survivor,” “Mind of my Mind,” and “Patternmaster.” Just finished “Kindred” and am still reeling from that!!!

I have decided support my local public library…AND…read all of Octavia’s works in chronological order for the rest of 2008.

When I read her writing, I feel like I am leaping into the book and experiencing all that’s on the page. There’s not too many writers that have that transcendent power with their words.

Her books are amazing. I can’t but them down. When I finish, I wish I hadn’t. I’ve read both Parable books, all three Xenogenesis books, Wildseed, and currently reading Mind of My mind. The best part of her books for me is that she puts her characters in these impossible situations, but makes it all believable through the reactions and thoughts of her characters. The emotion and tension are tangible throughout. I feel like I miss Octavia somehow. I was living in Seattle at the time that she died actually…

The first book I ever read was Wild seed. I ended up reading it 4 times in the course of a week. It was the best read ever! I buy the books but this is cool too do just in case your hurting for cash or doing like me and mis place books.

I love Octavia Butler and I’m so sad that she past away two years ago now. (I’ve commented on her in more detail on my list entry page.)

I am reading Wild Seed now conincidentally. My very first book was Mind of my Mind (good!) I need only “Survivor” and then her most current book about the vampire girl (which I own and will read next.) I kind of agree with another post below. I think it is better if the Wildseed book is left to read as the last of the Patternist series. Mind of My Mind, Clay’s Ark, Patternmaster, Wildseed order is cool. Wildseed can serve like a prequel. So far for me – though never disappointing, it’s probably my least favorite of the series – so far anyway 75% done so far…

Though I’ve enjoyed every one of Octavia Butler’s books, I think the one that was the absolute hottest was Patternmaster. I also was engrossed in Adulthood Rites. Clay’s Ark and Kindred also keep you in their grip until they’ve decided to wind down to a close.

Octavia Butler is wildly facinating as you realize some of the limitless mindset she possessed in spinning these complex, alien, and sometimes disturbingly foreign, but engrossing stories.

The beauty of her books are that they are original and rich. All of her characters are thinkers, trying to work through whaterver situation they are in. They are smarter and even more stimulating than the average protagonists created by other authors.

I am so glad to come across a strong following of her work, she’s so well worthy of it. There’s another page dedicated to her on 43 things as well that I know of.

**Picture was taken by Leslie Howle. I like this picture of Octavia Butler (right) because it’s one of her smiling.

Octavia Butler is one of the my favorite SFF authors. Beautiful novels, especially her later work. I am very happy to have read all of her work.

Set sometime after Mind of My Mind we have Clay’s Ark. From the title we know two things: it’ll be about the clayarks from Patternmaster, and potentially that young boy Clay from MoMM will play a role…somehow.

Yes, and yes, but more. Clay’s Ark is an origin story on how the clayarks came to be and it brings a lot more humanity to the clayarks than that single moment in Patternmaster.

Excellent closure to the Patternist novels.

Even though Doro has only appeared in one previous novel (Mind of My Mind), he looms large over the entire Patternist series. Wild Seed takes about a hundred years of his life, set in the founding of America and colonies (though first in Africa). Wild Seed is still less about Doro than it is about Anyanwu, another “talented” woman.

Even though this is chronologically first, I would recommend reading this after Patternmaster (fifth in the chronology, first published) and Mind of My Mind (second in the chronology, second published) because reading Wild Seed first would change our understanding of later events and would reduce the wonder and discovery of those books which were, after all, published first.

Only one Octavia Butler novel remaining: Clay’s Ark…the final Patternist novel published (though probably third or fourth in the chronology, depending where Survivor fits)

I didn’t discover Octavia Butler until after she died. There was a post about her death on www.concreteloop.com which sparked my interest. The first one of her books that I read was “Wild Seed” and so far, it is my favorite. After Wild Seed I read “Parable of the Talents”, “Kindred”, “Fledgling”, and “Imago”, in that order. I’ve ordered “Lilith’s Brood” and “Adulthood Rites” from Amazon and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. I’m going to order “Mind of My Mind” next. From the excerpts I’ve read, I think I will enjoy My Mind as much as I did Seed.

Ms. Butler is an exceptional writer, and I’m lucky to have found her. It’s just too bad that I’ll never get the chance to meet her.