Parable of the Talents

by Octavia E. Butler

Paperback, 448 pages

English language

Published Aug. 20, 2019 by Grand Central Publishing.

ISBN:: 978-1-5387-3219-9

(9 reviews)

Environmental devastation and economic chaos have turned America into a land of depravity. Taking advantage of the situation, a zealous bigot wins his way into the White House. Lauren Olamina leads a new faith group directly opposed to the new government. This is the story of the group's struggle to preserve its vision.

As the government turns a blind eye to the violent bigots who consider a black female leader a threat, Lauren Olamina must either sacrifice her child and her followers or forsake her religion. The plot contains profanity, sexual situations and violence,

9 editions

reading crustacean reviewed Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (Earthseed, #2)

a book I won't forget very soon

4 stars

the writing is fantastic. also there is more... story than in parable of the sower, definitely more things happening and also more hope. somebody (I forgot the source) wrote about this "parable of the sower is about problems, while parable of the talents is about solutions" and yeah, this seems true. it is also still about horrible, horrible problems. some of these chapters were really hard to get through.

also everything seems so realistic - the characters and the choices they have to face, but also the USA/world politics.

the earthseed verses feel so much on point by now. they're definitely the thing I will remember most. as religions go, it's a good one.

EDIT: I wanted to add, if you want to read this book, check out the Octavia's Parables podcast by adrienne maree brown and Toshi Reagon. It is worth it for the songs from the opera "parable …

also everything seems so realistic - the characters and the choices they have to face, but also the USA/world politics.

the earthseed verses feel so much on point by now. they're definitely the thing I will remember most. as religions go, it's a good one.

EDIT: I wanted to add, if you want to read this book, check out the Octavia's Parables podcast by adrienne maree brown and Toshi Reagon. It is worth it for the songs from the opera "parable of the sower" alone!

Anuradha Reddy reviewed Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (Earthseed, #2)

Fantastic read and too real!

5 stars

I loved the sequel as much as the first book. It's simultaneously tragic and utopian; I don't know how Butler (and other black women authors) does it!

lukethelibrarian reviewed Parable of the talents by Octavia E. Butler

Jaw-droppingly prescient

5 stars

Jaw-droppingly prescient for a novel written 25 years ago. "Hunting for scapegoats is always popular in times of serious trouble," notes Butler in an interview in the afterword of this edition. "So is hunting for the great leader who will restore prosperity and stability... He turns his true believers - his thugs - loose on those he chooses as scapegoats and he looks around for an external enemy to use as an even bigger scapegoat and a diversion from the reality that he doesn't really know what to do. Because of him, innocent people lose their freedom, lose custody of their children, lose their lives."

Ted Tschopp reviewed Parable of the talents by Octavia E. Butler

Review of 'Parable of the talents' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Lauren Olamina, now a woman, continues her journey through an America that in decline that struggles with a TV Personality uniting White Nationalism and Protestant America with a slogan of "Make America Great Again!" to become President and execute his vision of a purified safe America.