FACT SF Reading Group

December 2000

December 5: The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Twelve people, 66.66% of whom were female, showed up to discuss The Parable of the Sower. This is a near-future novel set in Southern California after the USA has taken a turn for the worst. The main plot is the coming of age of a Lauren, a young woman who becomes a leader in this society.

We liked a lot about this book: the "brain-driven" female protagonist, the beautiful prose, and the realistic depiction of societal crumbling. We wondered how much of the story is autobiographical, because the author is also a tall black woman who grew up in Southern California. Several people were impressed by the philosophies explored in the book, and they felt the religious discussions were a highlight.

If anything about this book disappointed us, it was that this book has hardly any SF or fantasy elements. It's primarily a mainstream story, and some people in our group like a larger speculative component in what they read.

Overall we found this was a well-written, thoughtful book about an interesting heroine struggling through difficult times.

December 19: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

The discussion of J. K. Rowling's second novel drew twelve participants. Unlike our discussion of the first book in the series, no one under fifteen was in attendance. This book follows the adventures of Harry and his friends during their second year at wizard school, in which they encounter a ghost who haunts a girls' restroom.

We liked seeing Harry again and learning more about his supporting cast and the world they inhabit. It was impressive how Rowling told a story that works on multiple levels for readers of different ages. The book is filled with several striking images, including a house elf and a feral car. (Yes, I did mean C-A-R.) We were amused by the new teacher who is such a blowhard. We delighted in all the wizardly slang terms: squib, mudblood, etc.

This book's main drawback is that it has much the same structure as the other books in the series, and it tells a similar story. Many people in the group who’d read all the books in the series had trouble keeping the events of any particular volume straight.

This delightfully enjoyable book was the perfect way to end the year and head into the Christmas season.

-- A. T. Campbell, III