Octavia E Butler - Patternmaster

The Patternist is a telepathic race, commanded by the Patternmaster, whose thoughts can destroy, heal, rule. Coransee, son of the ruling Patternmaster, wants the throne and will stop at nothing to get it, including venture into the wild mutant-infested hills to destroy a young apprentice - his equal and his brother.

Originally written in 1976 and year of my birth so memories are I’m afraid not available

Ok never trust Goodreads but actually I’m glad I’ve read the four still in print Patternist stories in sequential order. In reality as an early novel Patternmaster is memorable but trying to do a lot with some questionable choices/takes.

In the far future the world is split into those who are Patternists with vast mental powers; Mutes those humans without psychic abilities and Clayarks strange sphinx-like alien/human hybrids who want to destroy their human brethren. The current ruler of the Pattern (a strange matrix link of telepaths) is dying and the ambitious Coransee is planning to take power soon for himself. He is aware of a younger familial rival Teray whose capabilities may match his own fierce powers. These two learn about each’s other skills and then Teray breaks out of Coransee’s House and tries to secure power first while Cornasee pursues quickly.

It’s a strange tale and feels a little like a far future western with two relations battling out for power and a trek through a wilderness with preying tribes of Clayarks awaiting attack. Like a western it can be problematic. The Clayarks here are wild beats with very little examination of what they are or their society. We are just told to be amazed that eventually Teray can kill thousands just by thinking of their deaths. I can see why in Clay’s Ark Butler tried to address the balance as here they are just weird alien bad guys. There is little examination of morality. The end fight between the two men is impressive, brutal but I wasn’t invested

More interesting is for such an early book we have an examination of slavery and power dynamics yet again. Linking all the ay back to the first novel Wild Seed. Teray gets owned by Coransee in a nefarious purchase and then gets his own slaves in the forms of Mutes to manage. Butler has a theme that humanity will always want to have someone to dominate and empower ad in the future its not skin colour but lack of mental powers that drives the differences. Teray gets to experience being owned ad having no rights of his own. We see Mutes abused by people for petty reasons and no consequences for those who perpetrate this. Its an interesting parallel but there isn’t much made of it – Teray isn’t shown as much better than Coransee and this isn’t a story of liberation annoyingly just who is the next guy to get power.

I did like the character of Amber who becomes Teray’s lower/confidant. Intriguingly Butler makes it clear she is bisexual and also that she doesn’t expect to be Teray’s loyal wife she wants her own future. For late seventies a character I wished we had more to do but she has a presence and a fascinating backstory I wished we had seen.

So a slight first novel but Butler’s early prose and ideas I think lift this into a good SF read I’ve enjoyed the journey more than the final destination in this re-read but now very interested to see what Butler takes with her in future works.

Next time the Xenogenesis trilogy!