Xenogenesis/Lilith's Brood series
- Dawn (1987) - After the near-extinction of humanity, a woman is resurrected by the alien Oankali as part of a plan to colonize the earth with alien-human hybrids.
- Adulthood Rites (1988) - An alien-human hybrid child is abducted by sterile human resisters.
- Imago (1989) - An androgynous being comes of age and integrates human and alien societies.
The three volumes of this series are also collected into two omnibus editions, Xenogenesis (out of print) and Lilith's Brood.
Parable series
- Parable of the Sower (1993) - a girl develops a philosophical system during her childhood in a walled town. When her home is destroyed, she travels with companions to try to start a community where her religion can grow.
- Parable of the Talents (1998)
Other
- Kindred (1979) - often shelved in Literature or African-American Literature, rather than with science fiction. Story of a modern African-American woman who keeps falling back through time to rescue her white, slave-owning ancestor.
- Bloodchild and Other Stories (1995) - title story, "Bloodchild" (1984), won Hugo and Nebula Awards.