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Dawn

By: Octavia E. Butler
Narrated by: Julienne Irons
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Publisher's summary

One woman is called upon to rebuild the future of humankind after a nuclear war, in this revelatory post-apocalyptic tale from the award-winning author of Parable of the Sower.

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.

Hopeful and thought-provoking, this post-apocalyptic narrative deftly explores gender and race through the eyes of characters struggling to adapt during a pivotal time of crisis and change.

©1987 Octavia E. Butler (P)2023 Grand Central Publishing

What listeners say about Dawn

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Reader’s voice grates on my ears

The story is interesting however the reader’s weird whispery voice is hard to listen to in big doses. Her inflections are almost like AI to me. Like there’s no personality. This should’ve been a quick listen but took me several days to finish. Maybe she was trying to be soothing but it was not, at least not for me.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant tale..

Brilliantly written and performed. Ms. Butler has created a beautiful alien story. The voice talent was superb.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking, Disturbing,

I decided on this book after a raving review from my fav author. I tried out the preview as I commonly do and found I immediately liked the narrators voice.
The story is a wierd ride that was and is thought provoking and disturbing. I love how the protagonist is up against seemingly unsurmountable odds, and is manipulated and moved like chess board pieces by her captors/saviors.
Learning about this strange new world challenged all preconceived notions I tried to have.
I do wish the narrator added a bit more variety to character voices.
Over all this is a great read and I have enjoyed it. I think it will haunt my dreams.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Right on Time

The legend, Octavia E. Butler, originally published this book the year I was born, yet it reads like plausible prophecy. This post-apocalyptic sci-fi will have you obsessed with the cycle of attraction and repulsion.

Narrator was easy to listen to even with multiple characters. Only took 2 days to finish-Can't wait to devour the next two!

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Great book

Loved this book so imaginative! Such a great imagining great sci fi, and great narration!

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Great read! Hard to believe Dawn was written/published in 1987

Great Sci-Fi. Apart from a fleeting reference to the ISSR it is hard to believe Dawn was written/published in 1987. Not at all dated after 35 years and disturbing as Octavia Butler forces us to mull over the implications of genetic manipulation and what it means to be human.

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Aged Well

This book took me on a intergalactic adventure, it was amazing! Character development was phenomenal.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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I’m conflicted 😆

For the first 4 hrs of the book I was completely confused about what was going on. But after hour 4, things started to click into place and I was able to understand more of what is going on.

I’m conflicted because alien sex felt WEIRD to hear about and the relationship between the humans and aliens I still can’t comprehend. IT DEFINITELY makes you feel uncomfortable but also you relate to the need of human survival.

This book is just WEIRD. 😅 but now I’m invested in the story and this one ended on a cliff hangar and epiphany for the main character so I will read the second book.

This is a post-apocalyptic earth/alien invasion story. Humans have all but destroyed themselves and Earth with nuclear war when some alien life form swooped in to save whom they could and brought the surviving humans aboard their ship that hovers near Earth’s moon.

The aliens have placed the humans in suspended animation as they study their biology in their “claimed” attempt to save humanity. The suspended animation significantly slows the aging process and so far has lasted over 200 years. But why? Apparently these alien life forms have lost their galaxy and are looking for a way to save themselves too. In that process they have found themselves compatible with humans.

The rest of the book is exploring this conundrum of humans and aliens repopulating earth to save both species…Human morality and fear vs survival.

The narrator is awful, too much whisper talking, odd pauses and breathing. It felt overly dramatic in the first few hours of the book and I almost quit. It felt like the narration leveled out or maybe I just became accustomed to it. LOL the storyline saved the narration of this book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A brilliant sci-fi story

Butler’s way of contrasting human nature to that of an alien species is insightful and imaginative. The characters are deep and complex and the pacing is wonderful. The only part I could do without is the alien “sex”, but it’s not terribly graphic or erotic, just weird.
The narration is satisfactory. Some of the narration choices were peculiar, but I could hear all the parts and tell the characters apart without issue.

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Brilliant sci fi

A completely original take on post-apocalyptic survival and rescue by an alien race of superior intellect 

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