Imago
What happens when an unstoppable force meets with an immovable object? Eventually, the force wins. It goes around the object, wears it down until there's nothing left. And so it went with the Oankali and Lilith. For all her pride and stubborness, her campaigning on behalf of the remaining humans and her willingness to sacrifice her own freedom that they might live on, the Oankali have won And the proof is in her children.
The last book follows the latest of Lilith's children, who happens to be the first human-born ooloi. He is more alien than ought to be possible for a child with mostly human DNA. But it just drives home how quickly and inexorably the Oankali ultimately work, wiping out the human race in a single generation. It also goes to show that culture plays a much larger part in our development than the Oankali are willing to admit. Raised by Oankali, and an ooloi in particular, Jodahs has far more in common with them than with his human parents.
This is the book where it's made clear that the ooloi view their mates more like pets than partners. They indulge them to an extent. They try to keep them happy and placid. But they don't really allow them autonomy. They don't even allow them to take physical comfort in each other without an ooloi go-between.
This trilogy was fantastic. It gave me so much to think about, and the horror built up in a fantastic way. I don't like it quite as much as Earthseed, but only because that series was ultimately hopeful whereas this one just gets bleaker and bleaker. Still, it has definitely cemented Butler as one of my favorite authors, and someone I think is fundamental to the genre.
The last book follows the latest of Lilith's children, who happens to be the first human-born ooloi. He is more alien than ought to be possible for a child with mostly human DNA. But it just drives home how quickly and inexorably the Oankali ultimately work, wiping out the human race in a single generation. It also goes to show that culture plays a much larger part in our development than the Oankali are willing to admit. Raised by Oankali, and an ooloi in particular, Jodahs has far more in common with them than with his human parents.
This is the book where it's made clear that the ooloi view their mates more like pets than partners. They indulge them to an extent. They try to keep them happy and placid. But they don't really allow them autonomy. They don't even allow them to take physical comfort in each other without an ooloi go-between.
This trilogy was fantastic. It gave me so much to think about, and the horror built up in a fantastic way. I don't like it quite as much as Earthseed, but only because that series was ultimately hopeful whereas this one just gets bleaker and bleaker. Still, it has definitely cemented Butler as one of my favorite authors, and someone I think is fundamental to the genre.
Comments
Post a Comment