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Unexpected Stories
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
17 posts | 20 read | 13 to read
An NPR Books Great Read of 2014: Two never-before-published stories from the archives of one of science fictions all-time masters The novella A Necessary Being showcases Octavia E. Butlers ability to create alien yet fully believable others. Tahnehs father was a Hao, one of a dwindling race whose leadership abilities render them so valuable that their members are captured and forced to govern. When her father dies, Tahneh steps into his place, both chief and prisoner, and for twenty years has ruled without ever meeting another of her kind. She bears her loneliness privately until the day that a Hao youth is spotted wandering into her territory. As her warriors sharpen their weapons, Tahneh must choose between imprisoning the newcomerand living the rest of her life alone. The second story in this volume, Childfinder, was commissioned by Harlan Ellison for his legendary (and never-published) anthology The Last Dangerous Visions. A disaffected telepath connects with a young girl in a desperate attempt to help her harness her growing powers. But in the richly evocative fiction of Octavia E. Butler, mentorship is a rocky path, and every lesson comes at a price. Harlan Ellison and Dangerous Visions are registered trademarks of the Kilimanjaro Corporation. All rights reserved.
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eol
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

I'm a bit ashamed to admit this as a #sf fan, but I haven't read anything by Octavia Butler before, so I decided to dip my toes into something short. Here are two of her early works, and if that's how she wrote when still inexperienced, then oh boy, do I have a lot of catch up reading to do. It's not ideal, and you can sort of feel the lack of confidence under the storyteling, but the flow, the ideas, and her style—those really vibe with me. 3.5/5

Kenyazero If you end up looking for a other Butler book, I don't know what most people would choose as her must-reads, but I'd highly recommend her Xenogenesis trilogy (which I just learned has also been published as an all-in-one book: Lilith's Brood.). 2y
eol @Kenyazero thanks for the recommendation. I've read the description and it sounds as something right up my alley. 2y
Kenyazero @eol hope you enjoy if you get around to reading them! 2y
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TiminCalifornia
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Thank you, Michelle (@Chelleo) for this card and bookmark but most of all, thank you for being the amazing host of the Black History Month Swap. #bhms #blitsyswap

Chelleo 🥰 You are very welcome! 3y
37 likes1 comment
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Melismatic
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Mehso-so

What makes Butler‘s writing so engaging is present here, but as the stories are so short, the ideas are compressed and don‘t get to truly flourish.
#AuthorAMonth

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Eggs
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Mehso-so

These stories were found and published posthumously. Not my favorite but that has more to do with it being outside my genre than with Butler

#authoramonth2020 @Soubhiville

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BookishMe
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

#ReadYourSign 1/6
#AuthorAMonth
Not familiar with speculative fiction, so I chose Butler's short stories.
An unexpected surprise!
Perfect for night & I had to restrain from continuing in the day 😉😆

A Necessary Being succinctly captures paradoxical hierarchy, where the Hao is apprehended to rule the captors.
The second, A Childfinder, is a brief tale of budding telepaths and their mentor facing danger.

Looking forward to more of her books.

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Liberty
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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🎉 It‘s the weekend! 🎉 I have my reading nest all set up, and what I hope to read all picked out. (And now I also have an apple with nose smudges from Farrokh.🤣) What are your reading plans this weekend? 📚

rachelsbrittain This looks absolutely lovely! I'm hoping to finish the 3 I'm reading right now: A Princess in Theory, Autonomous, and Docile 5y
CocoReads Just finished my first book of the new year (Regretting You), need to finish my book group book for tomorrow (Lost For Words Bookshop), after that, who knows? 5y
Linsy Love that pillow!!! I‘m working on LOTR read-along, a book about holiday lore, and fairies! (edited) 5y
BobbiB Can you actually read that many books in a weekend? That's amazing! I just finished The Giver of Stars, and I started A Gentleman in Moscow. 5y
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amma-keep-reading
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
Pickpick

I've loved her short stories so far. So excited to read one her full novels.

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S3V3N
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

I wasn't ready. LOL I don't know what I thought these short stories would be about, but I wasn't expecting what they were. Very good, interesting stories.

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lauren.lerner
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Finished The Hate U Give with four hours to go in my flight... thank goodness I never travel without my #Kindle! (I have two more hardcovers in my checked luggage too. 😉)

I actually finished this novella within an hour or so of starting it (review to come🤞🏻), and am currently halfway through Akata Witch as we touch down in AZ, site of my SIL-to-be‘s bachelorette weekend. My first trip away from Little Dude! 🌵🌵🌵

#readblackwomen

Zelma Excellent packing and planning ahead. 👍 6y
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CrowCAH
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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#AustenInAugust #Stats

Read two physical books
Listened to two audiobooks
Listened to three LeVar Burton Reads podcast episodes

Thank you @Crinoline_Laphroaig for hosting this month; I had a great time admiring all your Jane Austen paraphernalia!!!

Crinoline_Laphroaig It was my pleasure! 6y
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parasolofdoom
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
Pickpick

It's Octavia Butler, of course it was good. This book was made up of two stories discovered after her death and I especially enjoyed the first (and much longer) story, A Necessary Being. I just read my first Butler last year (the Xenogenesis trilogy) and I look forward to exploring all of her work in the future.

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parasolofdoom
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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This will FINALLY start my #readharder challenge (a posthumously published work). I like to go at challenges strictly in order for an extra challenge and could not get into this first prompt until now. I LOVED Xenogenesis trilogy last year when I did titles track for #litsyAtoZ so I expect great things here (so far so good!)

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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Pickpick

Two little short stories that were found in the authors paperwork after her passing. I enjoyed both and wish there were more.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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😂😂Sadly I have to agree completely Ms Butler, how we've managed to survive this long as a species is down right amazing when you think about some of the difficulties we bring on ourselves.

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Riveted_Reader_Melissa
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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The afterward of a little collections of two short stories by Octavia Butler found in her papers after her passing.

I love the added parentheses remake.

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ColleenLindsay
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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SF/F readers: we've got a fantastic Humble Bundle going right now. The charity we're supporting is First Book, a great literacy organization. Bundle runs through March 28th. Link: https://www.humblebundle.com/books/women-of-scifi-and-fantasy-book-bundle

CherylDeFranceschi Oooo. Thanks for the info! 8y
EllanaRose Oh no. I'm meant to be on a book buying ban, but this looks too good to not get 8y
tracyrowanreads Thank you. I quit their mailing list because I'm not a gamer, and that was all I was getting. 8y
See All 6 Comments
ColleenLindsay Just unlocked two more titles... 8y
Richryan52 @ColleenLindsay Struggling author here. Are you by any chance a Sherlock Holmes fan? 7y
Mr.Lazy Sir I need help regarding this app... 7y
50 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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melissa.in.books
Unexpected Stories | Octavia E. Butler
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First book read in 2017, and last Octavia Butler book I had left to read. I am so sad. The first Octavia Butler book I read was Parable of the Sower and I read all of the rest of her books rather quickly. She got me in to sci-fi. I waited over two years to read this collection (it's been sitting in my kindle since 2014) because I didn't want to really be done with all her books. No one compares to #octaviaebutler. #diversebooks2017

Liatrek Oh man I feel the same way! I've been slowly working through her books because I know limited. Kindred was my first and Fledgling my second. I was totally hooked! I have two books to finish in Seed to Harvest and the Lilith Brood series to start. 8y
melissa.in.books Oh, I envy you. Enjoy and savor every word :) 8y
melissa.in.books Also, #thefreeblackwomenslibrary reading challenge book 1. 8y
5 likes1 stack add3 comments