The Hutt Recommends: Parable of the Sower

Parable of the Sower (Earthseed #1) by Octavia E. Butler

God is Change.
So writes Lauren, the First of the Earthseed.

   Our future world has fallen under human's destructive influence and left are only islands of relative security protected by high walls and armed guards. Lauren grows up in one of theses gated communities outside LA the daughter of a preacher. In the midst of the pollution, drugs, arson, kill or be killed, and theft, her father does his best to keep what semblance of civility and culture he can within their community. To make matters worse Lauren's got what's called hyperempathy; the ability to feel other people's sensations, be it pain or emotions, as she observes them. Not only that but she's also a doubter - a doubter of her father's god and a doubter of how the future will treat the human race. Little by little, she pieces together a belief system she grows to call Earthseed, to comfort her and let her hope for a better tomorrow.

   However, their community is struck by tragedy and Lauren's family is murdered along with most of the other families living with them. Together with a lucky few survivors she decides to head north and maybe, just maybe, get to start anew amidst the dangers of the world outside those collapsed comforting walls.

   I was enthralled all the way through.
   If you've ever, like me, had your differences with what people describe as God you should read this. If you've ever, like me, fretted about what damage we'll do to each other tomorrow you should read this. It's in the same vein as The Hunger Games but somehow more hopeful and definitely more philosophical. I just regret not having read it much sooner.