For the first time, Butler's gripping trilogy--"Dawn, Adulthood Rites", and "Imago"--are presented in one omnibus. Butler, a Hugo and Nebula award-winner, relates the story of an alien race that comes to Earth after a nuclear holocaust and merges genetically with the human survivors.
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For the first time, Butler's gripping trilogy--"Dawn, Adulthood Rites", and "Imago"--are presented in one omnibus. Butler, a Hugo and Nebula award-winner, relates the story of an alien race that comes to Earth after a nuclear holocaust and merges genetically with the human survivors.
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Good. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 752 p. May show signs of wear, highlighting, writing, and previous use. This item may be a former library book with typical markings. No guarantee on products that contain supplements Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Twenty-five year bookseller with shipments to over fifty million happy customers.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 752 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 752 p. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Very good. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 752 p. Audience: General/trade. Pages are a little tanned but this book has no markings. The spine is a little worn on one end but has no creases and the binding is intact. The stock image is different from the actual book cover. Not an ex-library book.
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New in new dust jacket. New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory.
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Good. Ships in a BOX from Central Missouri! May not include working access code. Will not include dust jacket. Has used sticker(s) and some writing or highlighting. UPS shipping for most packages, (Priority Mail for AK/HI/APO/PO Boxes).
This edition combines three novels previously published separately: Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago. An apocalypse has rendered Earth uninhabitable, and human survivors have been rescued (or imprisoned) by aliens on a mission to exchange genetic material with any lifeforms they meet. These aliens awaken Lilith, introduce themselves, and train her to awaken groups of humans and teach them how to survive on Earth now it has been devastated, and partially rebuilt by the aliens.
Repeatedly, the aliens override Lilith's expressed wishes, claiming to know what she "really" wants due to their ability to make intimate contact by penetrating her skin with their tentacles. As the story progresses, Lilith is manipulated both physically and mentally to enable her to serve the aliens' purposes. Although she rages against her helplessness, she can do little to resist, and eventually she becomes at least partially reconciled to her situation. The alien neuters, who carry out the actual gene-mixing, have an almost irresistible sexual allure for humans that enables them to control and direct human sexuality and fertility. Yet humans are irresistible to the aliens too, and bring them a priceless gift: cancer, which enables genetic manipulations they could never have attempted before.
These novels explore a benevolent form of slavery, and the implications of the human dilemma: high intelligence combined with hierarchical thinking that inevitably leads to conflict. Thus, when Lilith is awakening humans, they demonise her as the aliens' representative--a traitor to humanity--even though she has as little choice as they. The slight power she has, to awaken humans, to raise walls and open doors, places her 'above' them and makes her the target for their fear, anger and frustration.
Even back on Earth, surrounded by evidence of the outcome of hierarchies and conflict, humans carry on in the same old ways. Young people whose fertility is free from alien control are imprisoned and forced to breed despite damaging genetic mutations. Humans haven't changed, and perhaps never will. But those who maintain close relationships with the aliens have a chance to send their descendants to the stars.
These novels are well written, and don't flinch from the implications of the situation in which Butler has placed her characters. Humans are shown at their best and at their worst, and the aliens come across as almost wilfully blind in their drive to manipulate humans regardless of their expressed wishes. Well worth reading.
Mallory
Apr 3, 2007
This book was horrible!!! I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to be bored out of their mind!! It was really weird, too.