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Wild Seed

The Patternist Series, Book 1

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About this listen

As the acclaimed Patternist science-fiction series begins, two immortals meet in the long-ago past - and mankind's destiny is changed forever.

For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew. He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. She is a shape-shifter, capable of healing with a kiss, and she recognizes Doro as a tyrant. Though many humans have tried to kill them, these two demi-gods have never before met a rival. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries and permanently alter the nature of humanity.

©1980 Octavia E. Butler (P)2020 Recorded Books Fiction Genre Fiction Science Fiction

Critic reviews

“Richly evocative...particularly striking.” (Chicago Tribune)
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I really enjoyed the parable series and kindred but I hadn’t expected to love this one as much as I did - I think this has been my favourite Octavia Butler so far. It had so much to say about archetypes and gender roles and race, about power and control. I absolutely loved the way that shape shifting was described. The whole contrast of a healer and a destroyer was fascinating in how it is played out. Really want to read the other books in the series.

Loved this

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Strong characterisation. A truly unique storyline in a world where life was brutal and cheap. The action and drama hold the reader's attention throughout; while at the same time the writer's "fantastic" concepts are explored and developed in detail. Let your imagination go with the story and embrace a new take upon old myths.

A new take upon old myths - great story, well told

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Captivating from start to finish…world building through intimate narrative…amazing characters…all brought together by a master storyteller.

PHENOMENAL

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excellent characters and pace the story subjects and their powers and how they navigate the world

Wildseed

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Similar themes to Xenogenesis, but I was confused by the setting, and would have liked to have had more technical explanations of how things worked.

Slightly confusing

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