Dawn (Summary)

Octavia Butler’s Dawn is the first book of the xenogenesis series. Lilith, the protagonist, is selected to lead the way in repopulating the Earth after the nuclear war. She is capture by aliens called the Oankali. All of the healthy humans who were still living before the nuclear winter set in were captured. They are not as benevolent as one would hope aliens who intend to repopulate the Earth to be. They intend on sending people down to start a new agriculture society. They will trade with them. But its genetic material they will trade with.

Like Parable of the Sower, Butler focuses on the actions of Lilith and her thoughts in a way that would belie the extraordinary situation she is in. Although many of the humans are difficult to identify with due to their seemly inherent nature, the aliens will offer die hard science fiction fans lost of enjoyment.