Lilith’s Brood is a collection of three Octavia Butler (one of my favorite authors) books. Dawn is the beginning of Lilith’s story set after the last war on Earth, when the only survivors are alien captives. I loved the writing as usual, but I really disliked this story. Why?

Because the whole time (after I figured out what was going on) I knew Lilith had no chance to succeed in her primary goal. It was depressing! I give Dawn a two out of five. Normally, you won’t see that kind of score from me, and not just because I try to avoid books I won’t like, but because I won’t bore you with them (or give them press). So why Dawn? Because I love Octavia, and the rest of the trilogy is superb, and it’s worth reading the first one just for that!

Adulthood Rites, book two, is about Akin, a mixed species human born male, the first ever. Akin is on a quest, but doesn’t realize it. He knows his human parents harbor huge resentments (Lilith is one of his mothers), and he sympathizes with the rebel humans more than any of his generation. I love watching his struggles and especially the final gambit to save the human race. I give it five out of five.

Imago, book three, gives us another of Lilith’s children, Jodahs. I really love Jodahs and his plight to merely survive when it seems both the aliens and the humans are against him. The end of the book is scary because of how real it feels. I really liked this one, four out of five.

Delilah Rehm

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