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From: chenr@tilt.FUN (Ray Chen)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: YA group mind message
Message-ID: <250@tilt.FUN>
Date: Fri, 15-Mar-85 23:09:01 EST
Article-I.D.: tilt.250
Posted: Fri Mar 15 23:09:01 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 17-Mar-85 00:12:57 EST
References: <2182@usceast.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton University EECS Dept
Lines: 29

> No one has yet mentioned Octavia Butler's patternmaster books.  I think
> there are two : _Pattern Master_ and _Mind of My Mind_  (if there are
> any more I would be interested in hearing).

The people in Pattern Master don't have a group mind so much as they
have psionic links.  One individual is linked to everyone in the
community; he is the Pattern Master.  The links can be used I believe
for communication and to temporarily draw psionic power, thus the
Pattern Master has the capability to draw on the psionic strength of
the entire telepathic community.  The story itself is set in the future
where psionic humans have taken over society.  Due to their focus on
psionics, they have forgotten all but rudimentary technology and have
dropped back to an essentially feudal level.  To make things even more
fun, there are another group of people, the Clayarks, who are people
infected by the (contagious) disease brought back by the first (and
only I think) starship sent out, Clay's Ark.  The disease does nasty
things to both body and mind.  The plot, I believe (it's been at least
5 years since I read this book so...) centers around the struggle between
two brothers?/cousins? who are next in the line of succession when
the old Pattern Master's death is imminent.

It's a very good story although hard to find.

> *First in Never out

Sounds like my desk drawers...

	Ray Chen
	princeton!tilt!chenr