★★★★
Octavia E. Butler didn’t produce a large amount of shorter works, her favourite length was the novel. This collection gives a good impression to her work.
The stories seem to be hit or miss for me – when she uses phantasical elements or writes SF, I love the stories. But her dramatic writing doesn’t work for me at all, as good as they might be.
Don’t miss Jo Walton’s review @ Tor.com
My favourite ★★★★★ stories were
- Bloodchild
- Speech Sounds
Weakest ☆ or ★ stories
- Crossover
- Near of Kin
Contents:
- ★★★★★ • “Bloodchild” • 1984 • novelette by Octavia E. Butler • huge insects use human males as child bearers • review
- ★★★★ • “The Evening and the Morning and the Night” • 1987 • near SF novelette by Octavia E. Butler • genetic disease • review
- ★ • “Near of Kin” • (1979) • shortstory by Octavia E. Butler • no SF at all, an incest story; didn’t like it.
- ★★★★★ • “Speech Sounds” • 1983 • shortstory by Octavia E. Butler • social breakdown when people loose verbal communication • review
- ★ • “Crossover” • 1971 • shortstory by Octavia E. Butler • no phantastical elements, but dramatic writing; only “meh”, very pessimistic story about a self destructive woman; didn’t work for me.
And two essays: 1989 Positive Obsession and 1993 Furor Scribendi
Meta: isfdb. This collection was published 1995 by Four Walls Eight Windows.
Reißwolf 