adulthood

Pocket Guide to Adulthood: 29 Things to Know Before You Hit 30
$9.99
I have been buying books to give to my son who is turning 25. I thought this book had really great advice. Even if you are not a religious person, the topics, the information, the organization of the material is excellent and comprehensive. Very thought provoking and useful ideas and directions. I wish I had read a book like this when I was this age. I personally had a hard time thinking about turning 30 and didn't have anyone or anything to help me sort out my thoughts or understand what I was going through. The ideas and information in this book are very re-asssuring and and hopeful.

Adulthood [Blu-ray]
$38.68
As the follow-up to Kidulthood, Adulthood continues the saga of drug, violence and sex-crazed London youth. Directed and starring Noel Clarke (of Dr. Who fame), Adulthood takes a graphic look at the London the BBC does not want the rest of the world to know exists. Loads of profane language, overt sexual scenes, and violence.

Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis, Book Two)
$18.99
The second installation in the Xenogenesis series introduces Akin, Lilith's son and a human-born male construct (Oankali-Human mix). In this book Butler takes readers back to the new Earth and shows the changes made, and provides a glimpse into how the Oankali-Human union fares. There are now three groups on Earth: Oankali (consisting of the aliens and their human mates), Constructs (the Oankali-Human children), and Resisters (sterile humans that have refused the Oankali gene trade). Butler takes the time to reveal more information about the Human-Oankali bond and the readers are shown what happens to humans that refuse the trade. Gabe and Tate reappear in this novel and we get a peek into the lives of resister humans.

Through the eyes of Akin, Butler shares the emotional upheaval experienced by the resisters as a result of their circumstances. Being a sympathetic construct (the reasons for Akin's sympathetic viewpoint cannot be revealed without spoilers), Akin tries to give humans another option besides sterility and Oankali mates even though they are continuing to self-destruct.

Butler still gives a lot of attention to sexuality in this novel and many unanswered questions about Lilith are finally answered. This is an excellent sequel, but the few issues I had were:

1. Many of the resisters were too simple-minded. Humans are complex creatures, but many characters, such as Neci and her crew, Akin's abductors, etc., were so simple that they often ignored the obvious. This is particularly evident in Neci's dealins with the two Oankali girls.
2. Typos and editing issues.
3. I felt that this book left a lot of questions about Akin unanswered. Did he find mates? Who went with him to help with the solution he found for mankind? How does it work out? What happened when everyone returned to Lo?
4. The Oankali are thorough but not infallible, it seems like they could/should have missed sterilizing a couple of humans somewhere.

These and many other questions were not answered, but overall it is a good book. Akin is a wonderful character and I hope to learn more about him within this series.

Adulthood [Explicit]
$8.99