KINDRED by Octavia Butler

 Finished Th 4/23/26 on Kindred through a library loan.

A woman from 1976 is transported back to the eastern shore of Maryland in 1819. The woman is black and experiences all of the social, racial, and economic issues that come with elevating one race over another.

From AI Overview: 

"Kindred by Octavia E. Butler is a powerful, harrowing, and essential masterpiece of historical fiction and sci-fi that transports a modern Black woman to the antebellum South to save her white ancestor. It is highly regarded for its visceral, non-sugarcoated depiction of slavery's brutality, exploring themes of race, power, and survival."

I really loved the book and would read anything by Butler.

an excellent discussion of the novel:

https://kara.reviews/kindred/

DAWN by Octavia Butler

 Finished Su 4/19/26

This was one of my paperbacks that finished in Key West on Th 9/3/98.

I really like Butler's style and reminds me of subjects that Philip K. Dick would develop.

Lilith awakens on a spaceship. She has been 'asleep' for 250 years and Earth has been conquered by an alien race. 

The premise is that this alien culture is 'breeding' Earthings to become 'better'. 

The book is the first in a trilogy and I'm considering buying the set on Amazon.

From a review online:

"Octavia Butler is one of my all-time favorite authors and was a groundbreaking African American science fiction writer known for her exploration of complex social issues, including race, gender, power, and survival. She was one of the first Black women to achieve mainstream success in the genre and became a MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient. Butler’s work is deeply philosophical, often engaging with questions of identity, autonomy, and the nature of humanity. “Dawn,” published in 1987, is the first book in Butler’s “Lilith’s Brood trilogy” (originally Xenogenesis). The novel was written during a time of rising concerns about nuclear war and environmental devastation, both of which influenced its themes of survival and rebuilding civilization. Butler was also responding to the genre’s traditionally Eurocentric narratives, introducing a unique perspective on human-alien relations that subverts colonialist tropes.

“Dawn” follows Lilith Iyapo, a Black woman who wakes up in captivity aboard an alien spaceship centuries after Earth has been devastated by nuclear war. She learns that the Oankali, an advanced alien species, have rescued the last remnants of humanity, preserving them in suspended animation while studying their biology. The Oankali are genetic traders who wish to merge their DNA with humans to create a hybrid species, offering survival at the cost of genetic autonomy. As Lilith is trained to awaken other humans and prepare them for life on a partially restored Earth, she grapples with moral dilemmas. The Oankali claim their intervention is necessary due to humanity’s self-destructive tendencies, but many of the revived humans resist, perceiving the aliens as captors rather than saviors. Lilith is caught between her desire to ensure humanity’s survival and her growing awareness that the Oankali’s help comes with profound consequences.

Review of the Book:

I think I’ve made it abundantly clear that I love this book and, in my eyes, it is perfect, so it is difficult to say anything negative about this fantastic novel. I love how this book challenges traditional science fiction narratives, not only in the sense that this is one of the first truly inclusive sci-fi books, but it has a certain ambiguity that doesn’t paint one side as better or worse. The Oankali are neither benevolent saviors nor malicious conquerors, but something more ambiguous. With that, the novel forces readers to reconsider the definition of humanity and whether survival is worth the price of transformation.

Additionally, the world-building is another fantastic element of the novel. Butler crafts an intricate alien society with unique biology, behaviors, and motivations. The Oankali’s ability to manipulate genetics raises profound ethical questions, and their interactions with humans feel deeply unsettling yet strangely logical. Butler’s prose is clear and compelling, with a deep psychological insight into Lilith’s struggles. The protagonist is complex, strong-willed, and resourceful, making her a fascinating guide through this alien world. And finally, the novel’s themes of consent, power imbalance, and cultural assimilation remain strikingly relevant, particularly in discussions about colonialism and bioethics.

Overall, “Dawn” is a masterful work of speculative fiction that challenges readers to rethink assumptions about identity, autonomy, and survival. Butler’s storytelling is as unsettling as it is thought-provoking, forcing readers to confront difficult questions about humanity’s future. Its originality and depth make it a must-read for those interested in complex, socially conscious science fiction, an absolute 100/10 in my eyes." 

an excellent link about the novel:

https://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Octavia-Butler/Dawn.html

PHANTOM by Jo Nesbo

 Finished the Kindle edition Tu 4/14/26

This was a novel that I got from the library on Kindle.

It was part of the Harry Hole series and it's a stand-alone novel, but it was a little confusing. It's the 9th book in the series. 

Harry is trying to find out who killed the son of an old lover. The reveal is that the kid who Harry thought was innocent was actually the murderer. 

A detailed recap of the book:

https://746books.com/2014/12/03/phantom-jo-nesbo/

From a reviewer at Amazon:  

""Phantom" by Jo Nesbo is an excellent book. I think this, even though I don't particularly like Police Crime novels. But Nesbo's stories are different: rich, engrossing, clever, brutal, full of carefully developed characters, even sentimental and loving at time, and astonishingly literary. The above title to my review is from Page 205 and is spoken by the ghost of the dead Gusto, one of the narrators in the story, a beautiful young man who is murdered. Wrongly accused of the murder, Oleg, the son of Harry Hole's erstwhile lover Rakel is already in prison awaiting prosecution. Harry, Nesbo's main police guy (or ex-police in this story), has returned from a 3 year hiatus in Hong Kong to save Oleg, believing him to be innocent of the murder. Harry has a troubled past (aptly illustrated in the long-running series), operates often as a loose cannon, doesn't really care what anybody thinks, and uses his long-established police and other Oslo connections to work his magic. Harry has long been Oleg's only father-figure. Harry loves the boy and puts his life on the line time and time again in his attempts to save him." 

THE LATHE OF HEAVEN by Ursula K. Leguin

 I didn't record when I finished the novel, but it was in early April of 2026. I've read the book several times since I bought it at the library booksale on Sa 2/7/04.

It's the story of a man who seeks psychological help when he realizes that his dreams are affecting reality. However, his therapist hijacks his ability and uses 'the changes' to implement what the counsulor feels should be 'real'. 

A take on the novel from 'sammatey.substack.com':

"That’s the book. It’s a really good book! From one perspective, it’s lost some of its punch these days because it’s very much “of its time” and can seem outdated: many people now worry far more about human population decline than human population growth, as fertility rates are dropping sharply around the world. But I would argue that as time has gone by, The Lathe of Heaven has actually taken on a whole new meaning that enriches the reading experience. As its featured fears receded into the past; it’s become a fascinating time capsule of what smart people in the mid-20th century were extremely worried about. The litany of horrors George dreams up really did seem like very plausible near-term futures in the 1970s. Reading books and articles from the time gives a sense of a broad-based horrifying feeling among many intelligentsia of the time that dystopian tradeoffs were inevitable, that we’d either have Malthusian mass famine or totalitarian control of all reproduction, and probably lots of both. The fact that we have a population of over eight billion humans as of 2024 would have seemed a sure indicator of apocalypse to many. Make Room! Make Room!, the 1966 science fiction novel that inspired the movie Soylent Green, posited that a population of just seven billion would have caused total environmental collapse, with only the infamous ration left as a food source for the starving multitudes."  ken

PRNETICE ALVIN by Orson Scott Card

 Finished We 4/1/26

This is a paperback that I had never read and I don't know why I ignored it for so long.

The novel is set in an alternative colonial period in American history. The colonies are different and there is no American federal government. The author is Mormon and his writing reflects his 'conservative' views on life. 

From Kirkus:

"Third volume of Card's Tales of Alvin Maker (most recently Red Prophet, 1988), set in an alternate America where magic works (people have "knacks") and a fledgling US peacefully coexists with various Crown Colonies, republics, and independent Indian nations. Alvin returns to the town of his birth, Hatrack River, to take up his apprenticeship with Makepeace the blacksmith; he will also, finally, meet Peggy, the "torch" (she reads people's futures, among other things), who has been Alvin's secret protector since his birth. Alvin hopes she can teach him the art of Making. But Makepeace turns out to be a harsh and mean taskmaster; worse, Peggy has disappeared (she loves Alvin, but can foresee nothing but disaster for them as a couple). Alvin, then, learns to extend his powers greatly, but does not yet discover what he needs in order to become a Maker. After various complications involving slavery (still institutionalized in the South), Peggy returns to Hatrack River magically disguised, to be the town schoolmarm. Alvin, furious with the unyielding Makepeace and inspired by the schoolmarm's gentle guidance (he still doesn't know who she really is), mingles iron and magic to craft a golden plow that, in some eerie fashion, seems alive. Finally, Alvin and Peggy reveal themselves to each other, then part once more, as Alvin—now secure in his knowledge of the art of Making—realizes that his true vocation is to teach the art to others. Another thoughtful, involving, immensely appealing yarn, bubbling with folksy charm: Alvin shows no sign of running out of steam." 

This novel is part of a series and I would like to read more of this 'fantasy fiction'. 

 

VICTIM by Gary Kinder

 Finished Tu 3/26/26: Superb Non-Fiction!

This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I bought at Forsyth old book barn on Sa 11/25/15 and I read it again and finished on Sa 1/23/16.

I said that "it's as good as they said it would be" and "leaves Anne Rule in the dust and easily compares to Truman Capote's 'IN COLD BLOOD'". 

This has to be one of the most gruesome 'botched robberies' ever recorded- The Hi- Fi Murders; Ogden, Utah; April 1974. 

I was surprised that the author never wrote any more True Crime books. However, he is a famous lawyer and is known for his software program that he developed. 

This would have made a terrific movie although it was done many years ago (not so good) and starred Richard Chamberlin. 

I loved the book and I've been hyping it to Janny. 

THE PURPLE BOOK by Philip Jose Farmer

Finished We 3/25/26

This is one of my ancient paperbacks that I had never read and purchased at the library book sale on Sa 6/9/18.

It's a short collection of novellas by Farmer.

The best (by far) is part of his novel, 'THE RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE'. This is a pun on the Zane Grey novel and deals with an American future in which the government financially supports all citizens. 'Purple' was picked because the color invokes the richness of ancient Rome. 

The poor are housed in ovid shaped apartments located about 20 feet above the surface. Everything is paid, but the lifestyle is boring and people are moved randomly to protect against popular uprisings. I would have loved to read this interesting book because with the real threat of AI and complete automation it is not at all surprising that the government would initiate a 'standard minimum salary for all'. 

One novella dealt with C.B. Demille coming back and making a movie with The Devil and God. One dealt with Rip Van Winkle and the others were completely forgettable. 

I'd still read anything by Philip Jose Farmer because he was one of the best 'pulp fiction' writers who ever lived.