posted
Wild Seed is the book that OSC used as an example time and time again in his book How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy. I think that either Noemon or Slash said that he thinks it's the most perfect novel he's ever read.
The Xenogenesis trilogy is what got me into her when OSC mentioned it as an excellent example of a depiction of aliens that are truly alien.
I think my personal favorite of all her books is Kindred.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh man and i started another thread about her, I loved her books. Apparently she wasn't in the best health before she passed away.
Posts: 17 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just a couple months ago I read Wild Seed and was really impressed with it. What a terrible sad surprise that there won't be any more such works from her brilliant imagination.
Posts: 120 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wild Seed took a very difficult style of writing, with some really interesting and difficult topics, and made a great story from them. Most writers would never have even tried to be that ambitious, and those that did try it would have failed.
I wish she had written more. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
This is tragic. Octavia was my first week instructor at Clarion West. She was an amazing, serene, and dignified woman with this great dry sense of humor. Her first lesson (a novel needs to be about one thing - then she went around the room asking us to come up with one line novel plots; to some she said yes, others no) made no sense to me at the time, but as the years roll on, I understand it more and more. Nowadays sometimes I'll put down a book and the light will go on and I'll think, "Octavia would have said no to this plot!"
And yes, she didn't write anywhere near enough books. I can't help but wonder what new frontiers she would have rolled back in the coming years. She should have lived to be made a SFWA Grand Master. This is just so sad!
Posts: 700 | Registered: Feb 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I just saw this news and my first though was to come here.
It's nice to find that a thread had already been posted and much of what I thought upon hearing of Butler's passing has already been said. Thank you.
And, of course, Octavia already was a Grand Master. I too am said about the work that she will not write, but am gratified that what she did write was of such quality -- even perfection.
Let's hope that the mainstream media gives this news the attention it deserves.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
