Octavia E. Butler
2026-06-04
A beautiful new edition of a modern classic by celebrated, award-winning author, Octavia E. Butler. With an introduction by Levar Burton and an afterword by N.K. Jemisin.
'If there is one thing scarier than a dystopian novel about the future, it's one written in the past that has already begun to come true' GLORIA STEINEM
We are coming apart. We're a rope, breaking, a single strand at a time.
America is a place of chaos, where violence rules and only the rich and powerful are safe. Lauren Olamina, a young woman with the extraordinary power to feel the pain of others as her own, records everything she sees of this broken world in her journal.
Then, one terrible night, everything alters beyond recognition, and Lauren must make her voice heard for the sake of those she loves.
Soon, her vision becomes reality and her dreams of a better way to live gain the power to change humanity forever.
Praise for Octavia E. Butler
'Unnervingly prescient and wise' YAA GYASI
'Butler's prose, always pared back to the bone, delineates the painful paradoxes of metamorphosis
with compelling precision' GUARDIAN
'One of the most significant literary artists of the twentieth century. One cannot exaggerate
the impact she has had' JUNOT DIAZ
'Butler's evocative, often troubling, novels explore far-reaching issues of race, sex, power and, ultimately, what it means to be human' NEW YORK TIMES
'An icon of the Afrofuturism world, envisioning literary realms that placed black characters front and center' VANITY FAIR
'Octavia Butler was a visionary' VIOLA DAVIS
'Parable of the Sower' serves as a stark, yet hopeful exploration of a future America ravaged by climate change, societal collapse, and economic disparity. Butler's narrative is both a critique of our current trajectory and a beacon of resilience and community-building. The protagonist's journey is as much about survival as it is about the power of words and ideas to forge a new path forward. This book challenges the reader to confront uncomfortable truths about our world while also celebrating the indomitable human spirit. It's a powerful addition to any speculative fiction collection, offering a blend of dystopian realism and optimistic futurism that resonates deeply.
