The last volume of the mind blowing, thought provoking Lilith’s Brood series (I prefer the original name Xenogenesis myself, it has a nice sci-fi ring to it).Jodahs the protagonist of this book is another offspring of Lilith Iyapo. The least human of the series' central characters, especially after its first metamorphosis. As Jodahs is neither male or female, and certainly not a hermaphrodite, the pronoun it is the only appropriate one for referring to characters of the “ooloi” gender; he third sex of the alien Oankali race. The story of Imago is basically a Bildungsroman, centered around the adventures of Jodahs. As if being an ooloi is not alien enough he (I'm slipping back into using he instead of it again, old habits) is even more alien than the average ooloi, being the first of this third gender to have human gene as well as Oankali. This necessitates that he goes into exile until he can control his genetic manipulation abilities; as the other aliens are concerned that he will inadvertently contaminate them, their biotech habitat, food sources etc. Fortunately he has his family going along with him to back him up. After straying in the woods with his family for a whole he soon wanders off on his own and soon encounters a couple of humans who he seduces to become his mates.That is probably the longest synopsis I have ever written, I normally avoid writing these like the plague but sometime I find a synopsis to be an unavoidable component of the review. Perhaps because there are so many bizarre concepts which need to be mentioned in order to proceed with the review. As with the other books in this series weird biotechnology is the main sci-fi aspect. While amazing the sci-fi fans with her wild inventions Ms. Butler is subtly making us ponder what it means to be human and whether it is worth preserving our humanity at all cost. The problem with being human, according to the Oankali’s observation, is that “the human biological contradiction” dictates that we will eventually self destruct because we can not refrain from hierarchical behavior. Basically being human is not what it is cracked up to be.The theme of xenophobia is also more prominent in this volume, how an open mind is required to achieve racial harmony. While conveying her ideas and themes Butler never forget that she is telling a story, more importantly a science fiction story. The novel is rich in subtext which can be inferred from reading between the lines, but reading the lines themselves is always entertaining, thrilling and involving. As with all her works the characters are very well developed and believable, and the writing is powerful. The book is also weirdly erotic in places without ever becoming sexually explicit or titillating.As my friend Michael kindly pointed out to me there is also an element of alien invasion in this trilogy. However, from the Oankali’s point of view the invasion is for our own good. They believe they are saving us from self destruction (“the human biological contradiction”), even if it means taking away our freedom to choose. The story so far, from their initial rescue of the few remaining humans in Dawn, would indicate that they may be right. However, mating with the Oankali would lead to hybrid offsprings and eventual end of the original human race.After reviewing the two previous volumes of this series I am almost out of hyperbole. One bold statement I can make is that Lilith’s Brood series (or Xenoegenesis) is my all time favorite sf series, and I have read all the greats, Dune, Foundation, Hyperion etc. Thank you Ms. Butler.
One of the disadvantges of an eBook, sometimes you turn the page and suddenly see "The End". No visceral warning that there are only a few pages left. Yeah, I know there is the percentage thing across the bottom, but with a good book you're really into, you don't pay attention to that.And so I cuddled into the blankets, turned the page ready to see what was next, and nothing. The end. I'm dissappointed, not in an unfinished story, but that it's time to leave such a well crafted universe. I want to meet Jodahs' Oankali mates and see their first child. To be there when he stirs a child to life. I want to see the next generation of Oankali. And the curse of the best books, how the hell do I review that? There are very few books that make you think and make you feel; that have equally good characters and plot and worldbuilding; that have a message, but don't hit you in the head with that message. Virtual standing ovation? Quick check to see what else the author wrote and the moment of sadness when you realize she died almost a decade ago. But the joy in knowing she has two other series that sound intriging.I should mention specifics for "Imago". No idea where the name came in, now that I mention that. Hmmm. In "Imago" we meet Lillith's newest child on the verge of metamorphous. While Jodahs has always looked and leaned towards being male, upon metamorphous, it becomes Ooloi, the first Ooloi construct. A spontaneous first that the Oankali were not yet ready to venture. Because it was unplanned, they want to call it back to the ship to study, but Nikanj convinces the collective to allow Jodahs, his 5 parents, and his pre-metamorphous sibblings to take exile from Lo over leaving earth.(By the way, Akin did create the colony on Mars.)Jodahs finds his human mates while wandering away from his family's camp. They are a pair of siblings crippled with disease -- a call to the Ooloi's need to heal -- and they are fertile. They eventually lead him to an enclave of resistors with fertile yet diseased men and women of childbearing age. Before the Oankali at large learn of the enclave, they must find a pair of human mates for Jodahs' paired sibling, who is also Ooloi -- Aaor being Oankali born where Jodahs was human born -- because the unfulfilled need for fertile mates might just kill it.And thus begins our final adventure in this unique world, so like and yet so different from our own.Highly recommended.
Do You like book Imago (1997)?
Jodah is undergoing metamorphosis, and instead of being male or female he becomes an ooloi, the third sex. It's too early for the constructs, human and alien mix species to develop the third sex and people are concerned that it will damage the delicate ecology for ooloi are not just able to see genetic material but alter it. Lilith and her family decide to leave their home Lo so that Jodah can go through metamorphosis without harming anyone. This volume delves deeper into the alien part of the species more than the other volumes. It focuses on the biological for the species to mate and the mutual benefits it receives from his mates pairs. The ooloi requires that it's mates only interacts through it. It taps into their nerve centers and stimulates them directly. In doing so it gives them and himself much pleasure but it's also necessary for his life. The ooloi also keeps humans in tip top shape. It can correct genetic defects and provide long life but it also dies if their mates die. This final volume gives us an idea where the new hybrid species is going and a nice ending for the Iyapo family and of course I want more!
—Alan Chen
So after reading this series, I've gotten to thinking, What Would Jillian Do?Given the choice between (1) shunning the aliens and living in an all-Human colony which is doomed to fail or (2) mating with said aliens, which would result in mixed-species children, with some remnants of human genetics but are not recognizable as such... which would I choose?The difference between this book and reality (besides the aliens I guess) is that in the book it's more or less certain that humans are doomed to destroy themselves because of genetic conflict. We are intelligent, but also hierarchical - this latter trait is what causes people to need to be dominant, marginalizing and/or ostracizing those who are different from the norm. This could be a valid theory from what I can see - while I personally don't feel the need to constantly try to stand above others and put them down, there are enough people who do that makes me wonder if it is genetic, or somehow programmed into us. Though it's probably a result of society and culture... but anyways. In the book, the Humans are told about this genetic conflict and then given the choice - join the surviving humans (the ones who didn't die in the nuclear winter) and start again, certainly to die for good this time, or go with the aliens.So in our world this hierarchical behaviour sucks, but as the cynical optimist I am, I will hope and believe that we can overcome this crappy behaviour and act like rational caring beings, someday. I'd join the human colony, unless I were really caused to believe that the colony was doomed to destroy itself. Then... maybe I'd do the aliens.What would you do?
—Jillian
hmmmm....somehow, I am suspicious of being manipulated into liking this book.This last installment of Butler's trilogy has us seeing the inside view of the ooloi, the 'third sex' of the aliens that have taken over Earth. Ooloi operate by using their pheromones and sensory arms to calm and pleasure humans. Once this happens to you, you decide you like them and literally cannot live with out them.What we don't know is how bad they NEED humans. If they don't have human contact, they literally go insane. Thus they tend to bond and mate with the first humans they come across, even is they're siblings. Although it is mutual, it is very much addictive in nature through the oolois biochemical processes. While they all go off happily into their future, it is an induced happiness, which seems, I don't know, wrong somehow. If you can say being happy and healthy and having over a hundred years to raise a family is wrong. Hmmmm.so this not-quite-consensual mating thing is fodder for some deep thoughts, as well as the resistors ideas about trying so hard to make a comeback for humanity that they force the mutant yet fertile humans they find into a breeding program.In the end, humans really are a fascinating species....
—Maggie K
