The Disturbing Cost of Human Survival | Bloodchild

The short story "Bloodchild" by Octavia Butler centers around a young Terran boy named Gan, who lives with his family in a Preserve on an alien world overseen by T’Gatoi, a member of the alien species known as the Tlic. The humans within the preserve live peaceful lives, and are provided for by the Tlic, but at a grotesque cost. Bloodchild was first published in 1984 in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. It later became the title story of her 1995 collection Bloodchild and Other Stories.

I’ve already covered Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis Trilogy in these video’s here. Bloodchild was written around the same time and shares some similar themes surrounding the cost humankind might be willing to pay for survival. Keep in mind this video will have spoilers for Bloodchild, so if you care about that sort of thing you might want to click away from this video.=

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[merry_morgana]

Thank you, Quinn. We lost Octavia way too soon.

[xenoization]

This is scratching that ‘body horror’ itch something fierce, Ty Quinn

[ThorGostasson]

Hey thanks for what you do. You got me re-hooked on scifi with your videos on the 3 Body Problem!

[Tristyn_Waterman]

I feel so bad every time you upload a video because I probably don't help the algorithm very much. Just about every time you are talking about a new book or series, I have to click off right away and go get the book myself so I don't get spoiled! You are a master of instantly grabbing your viewers' attention and interesting them in what you are talking about

[matthollingsworth]

I read this just a month ago. It's a great story.

[FishDinners]

Reading Bloodchild made me realize that the conditions women go through are called "slavery" when done to men

[childofthanos]

You should do audio books. I feel like you would do an amazing version of Hyperion

[olamideiledare]

I would love to see this story done in love and robots Netflix show. The idea of how love can develop out of a situation that does not appear to be equal is interesting.

[bighex]

The combination of the phrase "A powerful government official" combined with a picture of a giant terrible looking centipede monster made me laugh, not gonna lie lol

[ryanweston]

Little does Quin know that I come to his videos explicitly for spoilers. I love deep dives into stories Ill never get the time to read.

[scpamplin]

Imagine escaping slavery by fleeing your planet and travelling across space to end up in what amounts to be a human farm.

[Yutyrant]

Maybe not the best video to watch on my lunch break....

[alaskarii]

Having read the work, it's equal parts fascinating and terrifying how Gatoi is presented. She isn't a xenomorph. She isn't emotionless. Its strongly suggested that her concern and compassion for the human family is genuine. And yet all the same she must effectively use them as incubation chambers.

[chriscooper]

A favorite of mine. I even used it in a TTRPG campaign, with the PCs discovering the Tlic homeworld and its human Preserves as a "lost colony". The players were, of course, horrified and nearly started a genocidal war against the Tlic before calming down and arriving at a far less drastic solution. As ever, great analysis and discussion.

[bobafettjr]

Octavia Butler was a clue in the USA Today crossword today. Kind of weird that you're covering a story of hers on the same day.

[elricofmelnibone]

Octavia Butler is probably the most underrated sci fi author.

[Ahrimane]

A long time ago I read my dad’s copy of the 1985 Hugo Award short story collection and “Bloodchild” was in it. It was by far the creepiest story in that collection and one of my favorites. The competition was stiff, too, because that book also contained GRRM’s “Sandkings” and Greg Bear’s “Blood Music”.

[Faviomec]

"I couldnt possibly last until she was finished"
I feel that, Brother

[kallistiX]

I get very frustrated when people reduce everything a black writer does to slavery. And, it happens A LOT with Butler's work.

[patreekotime]

I love this story so much. Your previous videos about the Xenogenesis books got me to read it! Her use of body horror and body dysmorphia is so amazing. I wish Cronenburg had adapted this one!