Parable of the Talents
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Parable of the Talents
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Narrated by:
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Patricia R. Floyd
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Peter Jay Fernandez
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Sisi Aisha Johnson
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Written by:
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Octavia E. Butler
About this listen
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.
©2007 Octavia Butler (P)2007 Recorded Books, LLCYou may also enjoy...
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5 out of 5 stars
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Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning White boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes she's been given a challenge.
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Bloodchild and Other Stories
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2
A perfect introduction for new listeners and a must-have for avid fans, this New York Times Notable Book includes "Bloodchild," winner of both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and "Speech Sounds," winner of the Hugo Award. Appearing in audio for the first time, "Amnesty" is a story of a woman named Noah who works to negotiate the tense and co-dependent relationship between humans and a species of invaders. Also new to this collection is "The Book of Martha" which asks: What would you do if God granted you the ability—and responsibility—to save humanity from itself?
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5 out of 5 stars
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All of Octavia could be taught as soon as Shakespeare is taught.
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Dawn
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1
When Lilith lyapo wakes from a centuries-long sleep, she finds herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. She discovers that the Oankali—a seemingly benevolent alien race—intervened in the fate of the humanity hundreds of years ago, saving everyone who survived a nuclear war from a dying, ruined Earth and then putting them into a deep sleep. After learning all they could about Earth and its beings, the Oankali healed the planet, cured cancer, increased human strength, and they now want Lilith to lead her people back to Earth—but salvation comes at a price.
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Fledgling
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- Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 15
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 15
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This 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, 53-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.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Meh
- By Catherine Humphrey on 2021-03-29
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
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Parable of the Sower
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Lynne Thigpen
- Length: 12 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 327
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 290
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 290
God is change. That is the central truth of the Earthseed movement, whose unlikely prophet is 18-year-old Lauren Olamina. The young woman's diary entries tell the story of her life amid a violent 21st-century hell of walled neighborhoods and drug-crazed pyromaniacs - and reveal her evolving Earthseed philosophy. Against a backdrop of horror emerges a message of hope: if we are willing to embrace divine change, we will survive to fulfill our destiny among the stars.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
First Afrofuturism, first futurism and it’s a yes!
- By Heather Connell on 2020-09-03
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
-
Wild Seed
- The Patternist Series, Book 1
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 26
For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew. He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great storytelling with inventive premise
- By Kevin S. on 2024-07-23
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
-
Kindred
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Kim Staunton
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 261
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 221
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 221
Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning White boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes she's been given a challenge.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Absolutely Amazing
- By Alicia C on 2020-03-11
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
-
Bloodchild and Other Stories
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Malik Rashad, Allyson Johnson, Bahni Turpin
- Length: 5 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
A perfect introduction for new listeners and a must-have for avid fans, this New York Times Notable Book includes "Bloodchild," winner of both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and "Speech Sounds," winner of the Hugo Award. Appearing in audio for the first time, "Amnesty" is a story of a woman named Noah who works to negotiate the tense and co-dependent relationship between humans and a species of invaders. Also new to this collection is "The Book of Martha" which asks: What would you do if God granted you the ability—and responsibility—to save humanity from itself?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
All of Octavia could be taught as soon as Shakespeare is taught.
- By Em on 2024-11-12
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
-
Dawn
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Julienne Irons
- Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 1
When Lilith lyapo wakes from a centuries-long sleep, she finds herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. She discovers that the Oankali—a seemingly benevolent alien race—intervened in the fate of the humanity hundreds of years ago, saving everyone who survived a nuclear war from a dying, ruined Earth and then putting them into a deep sleep. After learning all they could about Earth and its beings, the Oankali healed the planet, cured cancer, increased human strength, and they now want Lilith to lead her people back to Earth—but salvation comes at a price.
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
-
Fledgling
- Written by: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Adenrele Ojo
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 15
This 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, 53-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.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Meh
- By Catherine Humphrey on 2021-03-29
Written by: Octavia E. Butler
What the critics say
- 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
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-12-07
If you loved the first book, you'll love the 2nd
Everything positive that can be said about the first book, Parable of the Sower, can be said of the sequel. I loved it, couldn't put it down. It had the same heartbreaking realism, but overall, it left me satisfied with the series.
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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
- Carmen
- 2021-08-13
Excellent Narration
The Narrator was perfect!
I have also listened to the first book. The narration was new to me then, but it set the tone and remained consistent. Good job.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JenBee
- 2022-06-21
Book is incredible - narrator is awful
This book is amazing, but the narrator is constantly swallowing and sounds like she is drinking water while reading. It’s so awful I had to stop listening and bought the book to read instead.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- jam
- 2020-10-04
overall satisfaction
This is a brilliant and thorough world to visit. I'm very glad to have done so. at time I was over saturated with too many forgettable characters. most often though, the characters were full and rich, with much to to teach me. the 1st book is better. this one is great though. and if by the 3/4 mark you tire of it, know that the end is satisfying.
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1 person found this helpful
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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
- Amazon Customer
- 2021-05-05
Excellent!
This was a great sequel. For anyone who liked the first book, this one will not disappoint.
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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
- Fraser Simons
- 2019-11-13
Amazing!
It’s heavy stuff but incredibly well written and prescient as hell. Climate change, a post-collapse America turning to alt-right and Christian values again resurge in an effort to literally “make America great again”. It’s scary how on point this is for being written in ‘98, and is a fantastic piece of writing. Especially with the full context of the previous book. The narrators are also great!
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1 person found this helpful
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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
- Rhonda Sheen
- 2020-10-12
Poignant tale for our times
Butler story is a like a glimpse into our future. Especially, watching the current climate of the USA. A must read for all.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tara
- 2021-09-16
something off with the exiting
It's a fantastic novel and the narrator is so pleasant to listen to. However, between chapters and breaks in the story the audio is chopped and edited together in a way that takes me out of the story. I don't even know if it's something that ca be fixed, but it was jarring.
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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
- Cybele Cloutier
- 2022-07-05
Inspiring
What a beautiful story! Love the contradicting point of views and the different obsessions, all the while with acute observations on society’s faults!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-03-08
Uneven
This story is paced fairly consistently, until the last few chapters, which seem greatly rushed by comparison. The narration is fine but the editing is choppy. Butler is prophetic in her storytelling, and she takes great care to build ip her characters.
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