Clay’s Ark by Octavia E. Butler
Clay’s Ark by
Octavia E. Butler
Blake
thought he would be safe with his daughters in their armored truck, even as
they traveled out of their safe enclave. But when a man ripped open his locked
door and threatened to kill his family everything changed. Blake knew these
people were different. They were reading his body language, like they were
reading his mind. They knew Keira was sick even if the strangers couldn’t
deduce what was wrong. The strangers forced them to go to the ranch, kidnapping
Rane, Blake’s other daughter and threatening them all if they didn’t follow.
Eli, the leader of the ranch, made it clear that they couldn’t leave. That they
would be infected like him, and everyone else at the ranch. The
extraterrestrial organisms inhabiting Eli’s body would infect him too. Shockingly,
the only way to keep any one at the ranch, and the world safe, would be for
Blake and his family to stay. By then they were already infected.
I have
absolutely no idea how this novel fits into the Patternist series because none
of the other characters of the previous books were even mentioned, but it is
obvious that this novel is part of the Patternist universe, so beyond anything
else, I am extremely curious. With that being said, this book could stand on
its own. Changing in narrative from the past, with Eli’s infection and him
coming upon this inhabited ranch, back to the present with Blake’s family
kidnapped and brought to the ranch, Butler weaves a tale of the struggle to
maintain humanity, while your body is losing its humanity. Every single character
is struggling with their circumstances, brought on by a mission off the planet
and an infection that took the lives of everyone but Eli. The possibilities of
what could happen in this well-crafted, and terrifyingly realistic world are
disturbing to say the least. And I could not put this novel down.
I mean,
damn. I’m continually shocked by how amazing Octavia E. Butler was a writer.
This story, like every single one of hers that I have read so far, has
incredible character development and world building. Each plot has been
mind-blowing in its uniqueness and detail. This is another book that I could
easily recommend. I give this 5 out of 5 stars.
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