- Mass Market Paperback
- Publisher: Questar (July 1995)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0445205377
- ISBN-13: 978-0445205376
- Product Dimensions: 16.8 x 10.7 x 2.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 312,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Doro has been alive for almost 4,000 years. He has great power and influence and yet he is alone. He has watched generation after generation of his children die. But he still dreams of breeding a new race of immortal telepaths in his own image. When he encounters Anyanwu, the shape-changer and healer, he knows that he has met his true mate. Although only 300 years old, he is Doro's equal, perhaps the only other one of their kind on Earth. But she has sprung from wild seed, beyond his control, and she is Doro's implacable enemy.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Octavia Butler was born in 1947. Her novels include the other books in the acclaimed Patternist series (Wild Seed is a prequel to the events that unfold later), Patternmaster, Mind of my Mind, Survivor and Clay's Ark, and the Xenogenesis series, Dawn, Adulthood Rites and Imago.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
Doro discovered the woman by accident when he went to see what was left of one of his seed villages. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Doro discovered the woman by accident when he went to see what was left of one of his seed villages. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Yes, this was a wonderful book. It grabbed my attention from the start to the end, never allowing me to go. I had to force myself to leave the book enough to eat dinner!
I have loved the characters. Anjanwu is just awesome, and Doro, even if he's not exactly the most sympathetic character ever (oh well, he's actually NOT synpathetic, at all) is wonderfully portrayed. I loved even him in the end, and I won't say anything more about the final of this wonderful book, because you *must* buy it and read it up to the end. But the character I loved the best was Isaacs. A wonderful, three-dimensional character.
I thank so much Orson Scott Card, who suggested this book in his "How to write science fiction and fantasy" (a book I suggest any aspiring writer to read). Otherwise I would never have bought it, and it would be a shame.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent book and well worth the read, be sure to buy the reprint, because the previous print I purchased was terribly proofed which at times broke the fun of reading the story - I am talking about lines being wholly or partially repeated, yes lines not words.
I thoroughly good read, you'll zip through it on no time at all!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
From Butler's debut with `Patternmaster' in 1976 one would never have suspected that she would produce a novel - a prequel at that - of such power and intensity as this.
Perhaps of all Butler's work, this is the novel that so deeply explores the concept of slavery, a theme that runs through nearly all of her work like a dark thread.
The story begins in the late eighteenth century, in Africa, where Anyanwu the shapeshifter has already lived for three hundred years.
It is here she is discovered by Doro, a creature far older than herself, and a human life-force able to move from body to body, killing each one in the process.
For over three thousand years he has been seeking out those humans with special gifts: telepathy, telekinesis, psychometry, the whole panoply of psychic abilities, and bringing them together to breed. They have become both his children and his slaves, in some cases quite literally since Doro has become heavily involved in the slave trade, using it as a cover to bring the residents of his `seed villages' to America.
For Doro, Anyanwu is a very valuable find, mentally stable, unlike many of his people, terrifyingly strong and able to change sex at will, or into a leopard, eagle or dolphin.
Doro promises not to harm any of her people if she will return to America with him. However, as Anyanwu discovers, Doro considers her to be `Wild Seed' and plans to kill her once she has served her usefulness by providing children for his people.
This book certainly deserves its place in Pringle's `100 Best SF Novels' since, like all the best SF novels it employs the conventions of SF to explore the depths of human nature. Butler understands, more than many writers, the capacity for humans not only to enslave others in various ways, but to willingly submit to that slavery in some cases. There are also many deaths in `Wild Seed' and yet, each one is keenly painful to those who have to deal with the grief or other consequences.
Above all, Butler writes characters with all the flaws, warts and all. This makes for a novel not, as one might expect, doomful and depressing, but one that is full of power and fury, mining gold from the depths of the human soul.
Perhaps of all Butler's work, this is the novel that so deeply explores the concept of slavery, a theme that runs through nearly all of her work like a dark thread.
The story begins in the late eighteenth century, in Africa, where Anyanwu the shapeshifter has already lived for three hundred years.
It is here she is discovered by Doro, a creature far older than herself, and a human life-force able to move from body to body, killing each one in the process.
For over three thousand years he has been seeking out those humans with special gifts: telepathy, telekinesis, psychometry, the whole panoply of psychic abilities, and bringing them together to breed. They have become both his children and his slaves, in some cases quite literally since Doro has become heavily involved in the slave trade, using it as a cover to bring the residents of his `seed villages' to America.
For Doro, Anyanwu is a very valuable find, mentally stable, unlike many of his people, terrifyingly strong and able to change sex at will, or into a leopard, eagle or dolphin.
Doro promises not to harm any of her people if she will return to America with him. However, as Anyanwu discovers, Doro considers her to be `Wild Seed' and plans to kill her once she has served her usefulness by providing children for his people.
This book certainly deserves its place in Pringle's `100 Best SF Novels' since, like all the best SF novels it employs the conventions of SF to explore the depths of human nature. Butler understands, more than many writers, the capacity for humans not only to enslave others in various ways, but to willingly submit to that slavery in some cases. There are also many deaths in `Wild Seed' and yet, each one is keenly painful to those who have to deal with the grief or other consequences.
Above all, Butler writes characters with all the flaws, warts and all. This makes for a novel not, as one might expect, doomful and depressing, but one that is full of power and fury, mining gold from the depths of the human soul.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Amazing and written before its time
This book was a masterpiece to me. A friend recommended it saying it was one of the most unforgettable pieces of writing. I read it and have to agree. Read more
Published on 22 Mar 2009 by N. Maddy
A fascinating story
I bought this book from a recommendation in Orson Scott Card’s book ‘How to write Science Fiction and Fantasy’, along with another called Arslan. Read more
Published on 12 Oct 2003 by J. Hannan
A Pleasant Surprise!
I am not normally a science fiction reader, though my boyfriend is. I bought him this as part of his Gollancz collection and ended up reading it myself out of curiosity. Read more
Published on 1 July 2001 by MrsGibbo76
An Excellent book BUT, there is now a new edition!!
This is an excellent book and well worth the read, be sure to buy the reprint, because the previous print I purchased was terribly proofed which at times broke the fun of reading... Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2001
Excellent
Brilliant characterisation, plot, and pace. It left me wishing I could meet the person who wrote it. She must be quite a character.
Published on 22 Jan 2000 by MoQingbird
This book is a wonderful emotional read!
Octavia Butler at her best! You will go through every emotion as you read this novel. The characters are very interesting. The plot will keep you guessing until the end. Read more
Published on 7 July 1999
a captivatig story
This book is very captivating it keeps your intrest from the beginning to the end. I could really believe some of the super human things to be true. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 1999
Brilliant!
This was a *great* book. The characters were just gripping. I was moved to tears more than once. You *have* to read this!
Published on 2 Mar 1999
Brilliant
I began Wildseed in an anthology, 'Breaking Ice', several years ago. I then spent each visit to a bookstore scanning the shelves for Ms Butler until I finally found Wildseed at a... Read more
Published on 2 Dec 1998
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