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Parable of the Talents
- Narrated by: Patricia R. Floyd, Peter Jay Fernandez, Sisi Aisha Johnson
- Length: 15 hrs and 26 mins
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Parable of the Talents
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Publisher's Summary
Environmental devastation and economic chaos have turned America into a land of horrifying depravity. Assault, theft, sexual abuse, slavery, and murder are commonplace. Taking advantage of the situation, a zealous, bigoted tyrant wins his way into the White House.
Directly opposed is Lauren Olamina, founder of Earthseed - a new faith that teaches "God Is Change". Persecuted for "heathen" beliefs as much as for having a Black female leader, Earthseed's followers face a life-and-death struggle to preserve their vision.
Best-selling author Octavia Butler's fluid writing and keen observations about race, gender, politics, and religion make for a moving parable that will be pondered for generations. A powerful reading from three standout narrators captures the multi-generational sweep of this poignant tale.
Butler's acclaimed novels have won numerous awards, and she is a recipient of a "genius" grant from the MacArthur Foundation. Parable of the Talents was selected as one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly.
Critic Reviews
- Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1999
"Octavia E. Butler is one of the finest voices in fiction....period." (Washington Post Book World)
"These...are the keynotes of Talents: family and characters, warmth and endurance, hope and determination. It's a worthy book, well up to Butler's standard for thoughtfulness and insight." (Analog Science Fiction & Fact)
"Though not for the faint-hearted, this work stands out as a testament to the author's enormous talent, and to the human spirit." (Publishers Weekly)
What listeners say about Parable of the Talents
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bradley martin
- 26-11-2023
We need more Octavia E. butler Books on Audible ! God is change!
Having adhd and autism reading is my number one thing that relaxes me.
It is also one of the only ways to help me not grind my teeth. Even in stories like this I find it hard not to grind my teeth, as Mrs Butler has decided to let us the audience see the full storyline of Acorn and we get to know our characters way much more.
I loved having resolution to this story line from the first book parable of the sower - these books are just black excellence at its most finest!
No wonder she has won the nebula award.
This sci fi - dystopian will have all fans of the community of GOD IS CHANGE and ACORN to be at the edge of their seat waiting for what Lauren does next.
I love the themes that Octavia e. Butler has used in this book once again, social and economic devision that is set in the very near future around the corner however still relevant completely relevant today - and that is what is scary - what if his is change is that this is the world that we continue to change - but not for all the right reasons (eg Donald trump, corona virus)
Total book cult classic!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Deb Burns
- 07-11-2023
I loved this!
Butler was ahead of her time and her books are very much in tune with the concerns of today. According to Earth Seed God is change and we can shape it. We have certainly shaped it very poorly to date. So much food for thought.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- lavender
- 02-07-2019
Outstanding
true sf it shows us to ourselves using the near future. Frightening in its accurate depiction of our present written 25 years ago it offers hope of a better future.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 16-10-2023
Amazing future sight
This author is outstanding! It brought slavery into a lived perspective. It brought Right wing fanatical christianity it a new but dreadfully recognisable perspective. Change as the fundamental truth is a simple all- encompassing concept. Think and feel it than guide one’s actions accordingly.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Rachel Macy
- 22-12-2021
I’m always sorry when Butler’s books end
I thought the performances were great and writing as usual so poignant
Love Patricia Floyd’s voice - it’s reminiscent of Michelle Obama’s cadences and accent
Sisi Johnson’s narration as the daughter is spot on and representative of a new generation
The story evokes Hand Maid’s tale before it became in-vogue since the show
Parable of Talents is a story that will continue to be relevant through time, and some elements of religious bigotry and abuses of power we wouldn’t have dreamed possible st the time of writing are alarmingly current given recent events in America that are being replicated in ultra-right conservative politics internationally
I’ll be re-listening to this one for sure
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 14-02-2022
Fantasies or Prophecies?
Loved this story but feel like I may have just read someone's vision of the not to distant future which is also terrifying.
Really Enjoyed this book, If Earthseed was a real religion, I think I'd be converting!
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- Robyn
- 02-04-2021
An enunciation of intergenerational trauma
And the ways in which different parts of society deal with it. Even here, Elsewhere is offered as the main hope, even by those who continue to work with a broken Earth. Look to the oldest living culture on Earth to know that, long ago, the Universe was turned upside down. Our solutions are here.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- DeD
- 03-05-2020
Riveting and so painful.
Absolutely terrifying in this climate. I struggled through this book. I could not help but feel the pain the characters went through. I am so glad to have read this book. I feel changed.
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- Anonymous User
- 31-08-2022
Parable of the Talents
A magnificent sequel. I was worried that it would be too hard diving into this straight after Parable of the Sower, but it wasn’t. What an incredible series. Required reading for everyone. This book will live with me.
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- Anonymous User
- 12-12-2023
delish!
loved it. little sad about acorn though. cosmically informed. wish she wrote more about the car
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