Octavia E. Butler's "A Few Rules for Predicting the Future" is a powerful essay. It's a must-read for lovers of Butler's work, for readers of speculative fiction, and for those concerned with the future of our world. Butler's essay outlines several rules that individuals can follow if they want to predict what will likely happen in the future and what horrors we can expect in the future. Butler, an expert in speculative and science fiction, remains practical and optimistic when discussing the future. This hopeful attitude is so refreshing, especially from someone who had such a profound impact on the SFF community.

However, this edition of the essay from Chronicle Books is far more than just Butler's essay. The beautiful artwork in the book, the colorful pages blank pages, and the perfectly selected fonts used make this book a superb coffee table book or graduation gift. The cover is gorgeous, as are the absolutely breathtaking full-page Afrofuturist art prints by Manzel Bowman that fill this book. I highly recommend this book for the Octavia E. Butler lover in your life, especially if that's you.

Full blog review to come closer to the review date.

A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay is a short essay and new book by Octavia E. Butler accompanied with beautiful artwork by Manzel Bowman. This is an older essay by Octavia Butler that was republished in this book and it's about how and why we as people predict the future. Butler uses references to her books "Parable of the Sower" and "Parable of the Talents" when discussing examples of how to predict the future. She also uses real world examples like The Space Race and The Cold War.

Overall this was a really pleasant reading experience and this essay seems very relevant when viewing today's world issues. I'm giving this 4 out of 5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc (advanced readers copy).

Octavia Butler's nonfiction writing always stop and make me think as I read. She's known for her fiction, but the thought and meaning she intentionally weaves into all her reading is stunning. Her essay here remains timely as she lays out why we attempt to predict the future and reminds us of hope even when it is hard to do so.

This specific printing of the essay is accompanied by gorgeous artwork. This would make a beautiful gift to any Butler fan or a wonderful introduction to Butler's nonfiction writing for any reader. I highly recommend any science fiction fan diving more into Butler's words.

Really loved the design of the book and the images included in it. One thing on that aspect is that the font is quite hard to read especially on a screen. The font would be a deal breaker for me. Otherwise I really enjoyed the essay and the message of hope it gives on understanding our past and predicting our future. I really enjoy Octavia E. Butler’s writing. I will definitely read more of her work. This book will be a great gift to someone who loves speculative fiction and science fiction or just a fan of Octavia E. Butler.

One of my favorite things about Netgalley is that sometimes you unexpectedly stumble across gems by authors you admire. While scrolling through newly added books, I came across this essay from Ms. Butler being republished and accompanied by absolutely stunning artwork. If you are on Netgalley, it's so worth hitting the request button! If you aren't, that's okay, this little book of art and wisdom comes out this spring - April 16, 2024.

The essay itself is so on point for what our world faces today, despite being published over 20 years ago. Of course it is - we are talking about one of the most visionary writers in the modern era. It succinctly provides realistic advice for thinking about the future, demanding that we look to the past and reckon with the consequences of our society's decisions. There is hope too - the unpredictable forces colliding with our consequences. Maybe we, too, can become the change that's needed.

This is definitely meant to be experienced as a hardcopy. Reading the e-book was great, but I can't wait to see how the illustrations look on a page I can hold and touch.

Thank you, Chronicle Books and Netgalley, for the DRC in exchange for my honest review.

All that you touch
You Change

All that you Change
Changes you

The only lasting truth
Is Change

God
Is Change
______________________________________________

As a former history major who would spend every waking minute reading if she could, I knew this essay was for me! I’m fascinated by the cross-section of history and story; how the two intersect, and how the truth of the past might infiltrate our fiction and remain truthful still.

I must admit that I haven’t read any Octavia Butler, though Kindred has been on my TBR for a while now. This tiny volume ensured that I will pick up more of her work sooner rather than later.

A Few Rules for Predicting the Future, a topical essay in 2000 and now, tackles the pervading sentiment of the times: why even try to predict (and shape) the future if, as Butler puts it: “... there are always surprises. The only safe prediction is that there always will be”? Butler says that there is no one answer to the problems that lie ahead. Instead “there are thousands of answers - at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.”

Another of Butler’s insights comes when she offers us the double-edged sword that the way things are now are not what they always have been, and most certainly are not what they always will be. We cannot allow the mood of the times to impact our hope (or lack of) in the future.

I knocked off one star on this review because, though Butler’s words were soothing, I only appreciated the essay because I’d already come to all the same conclusions of my own accord some time ago. I’m not sure that this handful of pages has quite the power to persuade somebody of the importance of (history) education, or to motivate someone to keep the faith in the fight for humanity. Regardless, I appreciated the essay for the comfort it provided.

A Few Rules for Predicting the Future is a very short collection of essays by the most amazing Octavia E. Butler. As I quickly read through each of the essays, they are not meant to tell a full blown lavish story, but a small, mind stimulating piece of information. In a time like this, it’s amazing this is going to be published. It discusses the manipulation of words, the forgetting of history, and the ignorance of people. I think all readers should read this or something similar. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC!

This is a tiny, beautiful book not just about how to predict the future but why. The ideas are succinct and inspiring. Maybe it's too late to save the world, but this is the kind of thinking that would help us make the changes we need. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

A very nice little book for gifting. There is no reason whatsoever to purchase this as an ebook or even as a book to actually read, but as a present for a recent graduate, or as a coffee-table book, or as a gift for the Octavia Butler stan in your life (that could be me!), it's perfect.

The essay is smart, prescient, empathetic, and thought-provoking, as is everything Butler writes, but you can read it online for free. The real benefit of this book is in the packaging and the illustrations.

I always love more attention being paid to Octavia Butler, though! Everyone go read Parable of the Sower! It's about a far-right demagogue who’s just been elected President in 2024, under the slogan MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

A beautiful edition of Butler’s 2000 essay, complete with vivid artwork and reflection by the author on her work and history throughout the years. A good reminder to reread Sower and Talents again.

It's a thoughtful essay by the inimitable Octavia Butler, and illustrations are beautiful, but I am not sure it needs to be a book on its own? I found the font really hard on the eyes, and the chosen format of framing a paragraph in the middle of the page a little too close to "live love laugh" kind of pamphlets... I would have dearly loved for this to be a collection of her essays instead.

This is a single essay, turned into a book with art.
I love the art in here, it's gorgeous and colorful. However, I'm slightly disappointed by the lack of content in this book. It's a essay that is pretty short, stretched into many pages through large font. It feels more pamphlet-size than book-size.
If you're buying this, you're buying it for the art. To have this beautiful volume in your hands. However, it's not an art book either. It's has a handful of beautiful spreads, but it isn't full of art.
The words are beautiful. The art is beautiful. I'm just not sure that it justifies its price tag.

Such a gorgeous book for the Octavia Butler fan! The artwork is gorgeous and vibrant and I loved reading Butler's words. She was such a genius and icon. This would make a fantastic gift for the sci-fi enthusiast.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was a thought provoking essay that is a very fast read but with ideas best left to simmer.

The essay is broken into a few parts with 4 different messages all relating to “A Few Rules for Predicting the Future”, they are to: learn from the past, respect the law or consequences, be aware of your perspective, and count on the surprises. Octavia then goes on to elaborate more about each of these. The major takeaway from the essay is that predicting the future helps us best determine how to guide our future and that predicting the future, as Octavia did, is best done as an act of hope.

There are also a couple of pieces of beautiful artwork throughout the essay.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc that I read.