Will I love Parable of the Sower?

I have never read a novel so close to prophecy.

Published in 1995, Parable starts in July 2024 amidst the election of an autocrat who, by the sequel Parable of the Talents, literally pledges to “make America great again.” I started my platform in 2015 in the same context.

This novel pulled me into its harrowing tale of how to survive civilizational collapse: the dismantling of systems, norms, and climate change that we are all currently going through.

The lesson is ultimately about embracing change, caring for and trusting each other in community, and coming up with our… show more.

I love this book because it tells the truth about what it means to build something new from what’s been broken.

Butler’s writing has a pulse—steady, alive, unafraid. I love how she weaves strength and tenderness together, how she makes survival feel like a creative act. Reading it, I felt both unsettled and seen. It doesn’t rush to comfort or resolve anything; it just keeps asking what we’re willing to carry forward.

Every time I return to it, I’m reminded that hope isn’t naive—it’s worthwhile work.

Beyond the chilling parallels between Octavia E. Butler’s 1993 novel and modern news headlines, what made this book stand out for me was how it explores hope in a desolate landscape.

I was not only drawn in by Butler’s masterful storytelling, but also by her exploration of what it means to be human in inhumane times. While I somehow only read this book in 2025, I’m looking forward to diving into the sequel.

Okay, technically, the young Black protagonist in this book doesn’t disrupt a tyrannical patriarchal community. She freaking invents her own religion called Earthseed, gathers a ragtag community of diverse sensitives, leads them through (hell) fire while being targeted by murdering psychopaths, towards a hopeful but not promised land.

This is the ultimate Lilith tale re-envisioned by Godmother of science fiction, Octavia E. Butler, herself a former Baptist, may she rest-in-power. Written in 1993 and set in 2024-27, it feels increasingly prescient–wildfires devour the book’s Los Angeles suburb setting as I write, and psychopaths have taken power in the USA. Butler,… show more.

It’s a fascinating book. The story takes place in 2024, and some themes seem prophetic: water shortages, soaring food prices, the resulting social chaos, and Mars exploration. There is also a president who promises to “make America great again” (the book was written in 1993). 

I liked the story, though it left a rather heavy impression on me. I couldn't put it down despite how grim it was. I was especially fascinated by its invented religion, though I’m more inclined to view it as a philosophy. It was refreshing, stimulating, and thought-provoking.

Through her dystopian vision, Octavia Butler explores the… show more.

Parable of the Sower definitely deserves to be considered alongside Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale as a book written several decades ago (1993 in this case) that's eerily prescient of today's world.

Butler's vision of a 2024 California fractured by climate change, water shortages, and extreme wealth disparity seems unpleasantly plausible, even if things aren't quite *that* bad. Yet...

I’ve long been inspired by Butler’s writing, which features BIPOC characters front and center. As a multiracial person, I seldom saw people who looked and thought like me in the older fiction I read.

The notable thing about this book is that it’s technically science fiction, not alternate history, since the novel's beginning in 2024 (this year!). However, much of what Butler wrote has come to pass, raising one question: Has her vision of the future become an alternate version of the past? I love trying to wrap my head around that conundrum.

I grew up reading every book I could borrow from the science fiction section of my local library. But somehow, I didn’t read anything by Octavia Butler until the mid-2010s. Why weren’t her books forced on me? I would have LOVED them.

This book is disturbing and uplifting, showing that near-future California is declining due to environmental pollution, political upheaval, and economic insecurity. The heroine is Lauren Olamina, a young woman with “hyper-empathy” who takes on other people’s emotions and pain. Lauren also serves as a beacon of hope with her growing “Earthseed” movement that attracts followers (and unwanted attention)… show more.

This is the first book I ever read by Butler and it remains my favourite. Butler’s vision of near-future America is one of climate crisis, economic collapse, and social anarchy. The scenes of violence and degradation are terrifying.

What I love about this novel is how Butler creates a true hero – visionary, determined, and inspirational – in Lauren, a teenage girl. Written as a journal, the protagonist’s youth can be heard in her language ("I hate being a kid," she complains), but Butler has every faith in her as an extraordinary leader. In many ways, it’s a classic quest… show more.

I love some books for their stories, characters, or writing; I love others for what they do to me. This is one of the latter. Whenever I thought I understood what this book was doing, it opened up another new idea–often one I found both interesting and challenging. I live my entire life immersed in books, both for work and for pleasure, so I’m always delighted when one takes me by surprise. 

This book changed how I think about the small but lasting effects I have on the world around me and shaped the stories I tell myself about the… show more.