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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Disappointing after all the hype I have heard about the series.
This was a very satisfying end to the four-part saga. It wasn't quite as good as Wild Seed, but then I doubt much sci-fi of any kind is. There wasn't quite the depth of character here, but the imagination and world-building is absolutely sterling, and the story is exciting.
Octavia Butler you've done it again. Constantly raising the bar and doing it flawlessly.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Upgraded from 2.5 to 3 stars because the writing was good and as a book it was entertaining. That being said, I think that as both an individual book and the conclusion of a series, I think that this is one of Butler’s least successful. As an individual book, it follows too closely to the plot points of Mind of My Mind to be very satisfying and of the two I think it is the less well done. I was also less attached to these characters than I was to Mary and the others in MoMM. But it’s as the conclusion of a series that the weakness of this book really comes through. I already knew from the first couple of books that this wasn’t going to be my favorite Butler series, but honestly Clay’s Ark and this book really cemented that for me because they were completely unnecessary. Clay’s Ark introduced a new group that seemed like it was intended to be the primary antagonist to the Patternist group that this series is about, but this book barely mentions them at all and definitely not in the powerhouse villain way that Clay’s Ark sets us up to think they’ll be (they mainly serve as a way to force our main POV and the antagonist into their final confrontation). Patternmaster falls flat because instead of setting up a reckoning between these two power groups, it instead focuses on a power struggle between two people in one group. I think that if this had been longer (or if there was another book in this series), she would have had the space to set up a conflict between the Patternists and the Arkists that served as a test of Teray’s newfound power and leadership in a way that would have been a satisfying conclusion to this series, but as it is, this could have been a duology with just Wild Seed and Mind of My Mind and accomplished the same thing in fewer books.
adventurous
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Yo…in less than 200 pages, Octavia Butler created suchhhh an action-packed novel with exquisite world and creature building, and made the reader ponder the concept of doing anything by any means to get to “the top”, even if it soils your morals and ethics. Throughout the book, Butler is also begging the question: “what are you willing to do for your freedom?” in ways that challenge not only Teray, our protagonist, but also us as readers. Through the book, as “freedom” is dangled in his face, you can see how Teray’s thought process changes and stays the same.
Patternmaster also delves into the concept of the importance of community - of unifying a people toward one specific goal. With the ending of the Vietnam war, African countries fighting for liberation, and the rise (and fall) of a Black consciousness movement during the era in which this book was being written and published, I wonder whose philosophies and methods inspired the way Butler wrote this book…like who influenced her so that i could read into them as well.Because even though in the end, someone had to die, the question of whether this truly has to be the case is brought up throughout the entire book. You see, as well, ways in which opposing bodies of people view each other as less than and WHY. And how propaganda and brainwashing from schools does this to us.
The book was incredibly written and i WILL BE COMING BACK TO HER after i finish the rest of the patternist series. Only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5, is because some things that were put in there were just…very unnecessary likewhy did Rayal and Jansee have to be married instead of just in alliance like i understand and it isn’t talked about except for in the beginning of the book but it’s just unnecessary. AND AMBER EATING HER OWN HAND?! WHY ARE WE DOING THATTTTT . But yes, good book by an amazing author.
Patternmaster also delves into the concept of the importance of community - of unifying a people toward one specific goal. With the ending of the Vietnam war, African countries fighting for liberation, and the rise (and fall) of a Black consciousness movement during the era in which this book was being written and published, I wonder whose philosophies and methods inspired the way Butler wrote this book…like who influenced her so that i could read into them as well.
The book was incredibly written and i WILL BE COMING BACK TO HER after i finish the rest of the patternist series. Only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5, is because some things that were put in there were just…very unnecessary like
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Biphobia
Minor: Incest, Cannibalism
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Started with the last book in this anthology. I always prefer to read in publication order if possible. The first book published in this series is the kind of book I read for. While I love reading, only some books hit all the things I really want in a book... and this one did that. I am excited to continue reading this series and will be pleased if they are even as half as good as the Patternmaster was.
If you enjoyed this book/review, you may be interested in checking out other books I recommend: https://www.gossamerlens.com/post/black-history-month-book-recommendations
If you enjoyed this book/review, you may be interested in checking out other books I recommend: https://www.gossamerlens.com/post/black-history-month-book-recommendations
Book Review: Patternmaster (Patternist #4) by Octavia Butler - Once I realized that this is the last book in the series, but the first written (actually Butler's first ever book that she started when she was 10) the series makes a lot more sense. The rest of the book in the series are really to fill in the holes in this book more than a traditional series that progresses on a timeline. Not her best book, but still worth reading.
Click through for the full review on my blog at http://bookwi.se/patternmaster/
Click through for the full review on my blog at http://bookwi.se/patternmaster/
This was a major disappointment. The worlds she build in the first three books got smashed together in this one without the care that she took to make for interesting characters or subtly complex relationships. I would still read books 1 & 3 but let your mind wander as how they resolve the stories.
I didn't realize it was 4th in a series. But what I did realize after I started reading was that I couldn't put it down. Butler is a master at creating worlds with their own unique conflicts, cultures, and politics.