Fledgling, the late Octavia E. Butler's final novel, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: she is in fact a genetically modified, fifty-three-year-old vampire.
Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted--and still wants--to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of otherness and questions what it means to be truly human.
About the Author :
Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, one of very few African American women in the field. She won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards and was the first science fiction writer ever to receive the MacArthur Foundation Genius grant in 1995.
Tracey Leigh is an audiobook narrator and actor with numerous theater, television, and radio credits.
Review :
"Readers who believe that the science fiction genre boasts no quality literature need look no further than Butler for proof to the contrary...This is a much deeper and much more emotional story about what it means to be 'other.' Tracey Leigh turns in a performance worthy of the material, which is no small feat...Listeners follow the character while she figures out who and what she is, and they will not doubt the journey for a single moment.
-- "AudioFile"
"It is hot! The vampires don't glitter, but it's a spectacular novel for people who like reading horror."
-- "Time"
"It is somehow more eerie to hear a person narrate the impending doom in a horror story than it is to read the same words on a page...[as in this] novel about a girl who learns she is a vampire...Fledgling is a descendant of Dracula, to be sure, but it also deals with themes of race, family and belonging."
-- "New York Times"
"A master storyteller, Butler casts an unflinching eye on racism, sexism, poverty, and ignorance and lets the reader see the terror and beauty of human nature."
-- "Washington Post"
"The first Octavia Butler novel I ever read was Fledgling, and it was a revelation...The highest praise I can give: Octavia Butler will astonish you."
-- "Tor.com"
"Butler has created a new vampire paradigm--one that's more prone to sci-fi social commentary than gothic romance--and given a tired genre a much-needed shot in the arm."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"Butler has a reputation as a master for good reason, and her narrative flows quickly and seamlessly along as Shori seeks those who would destroy her. Gripping and memorable, Butler's latest is a welcome return performance."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"A finely crafted character study, a parable about race, and an exciting family saga. Exquisitely moving fiction."
-- "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"
