Parable of the Talents

In Parable of the Talents, Octavia Butler continues her portrayal of a broken America under the control of religious extremism and authoritarian rule. Lauren Olamina struggles to grow her Earthseed community while facing political violence, personal grief, and social rejection. Narrated in part by her daughter, Larkin, who was taken from her at birth, the novel explores the cost of leadership, motherhood, and belief in a hostile world. As Earthseed’s vision of humanity’s destiny in space meets fierce resistance, Butler examines themes of faith, power, and legacy. The novel asks what progress means and what must be sacrificed to achieve it, in times of fear.