Hey, friends! This is the fourth book of Butler’s Patternist series, but chronologically, this is the beginning of the story.
17th century Africa. Anyanwu is a shapeshifter who can heal herself and change her body’s chemistry with just a thought. Doro can link with another being telepathically and step into their body like a suit, killing that person. These two don’t fear anyone until they meet each other, but they must learn to accept the events that unfold on their path to The New World.
Anyanwu is both drawn to and replused by Doro. She’s lived 300 years by the time she meets him. She’s buried so many children. So, when he tells her he’s working on breeding offspring that can live forever, she eagerly joins him. There’s this part of her that yearns for excitement. But over the next 150 years, she realizes that leaving her people to follow Doro has cost her the freedom she took for granted.
Doro’s lost track of the number of people he’s killed in his enslavement and breeding of all races of people on his quest to create immortals. His power is infinite, and he loves flexing it to keep people in their place. He’s lived for thousands of years and knows things no other human does, so he’s good at manipulating others to get what he wants. He owns towns of people he’s brought together to breed and treat like experiments.
Anyajwu has a weakness for Doro, especially when he takes the form of attractive young men. She’s nubile and has needs. She’s bedded many men and women herself. But she’s “wild seed” and won’t be subjugated like the others. She’s tired of Doro controlling their lives with fear. Anyanwu cherishes community and loves healing others while Doro is obsessed with breeding and treats the people in their community as a means to an end. But there is something about Anyanwu that keeps him coming back. Is she special enough for him to abandon his hubris, or will it take something drastic for him to regain some of his humanity?
Robin Miles’ magnetic narration is perfect for this story about two people who can’t help but me pulled toward each other.
TW: racism, racial slurs, slavery, violence, murder, suicidal ideation, suicide
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