Octavia Butler
"Maybe we'll be butterflies." - Erykah Badu, Next Lifetime*
Afro-Netizen™: Octavia Butler, brilliant master of sci-fi, dies at 58
For more than 30 years, Seattle science-fiction novelist Octavia Butler dreamed up fantastic worlds and religions, made-up creatures and futuristic plots. Then, in her stylistic prose, she used them to tackle the social issues she was most passionate about.I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read a lick of prose by Octavia Butler. Emily Hefter is recommending Parable of the Talents but what say you?
I've already got a huge back-logged reading list but it has been a minute since I've read some good science fiction. Give me Octavia Butler recommendations please.
*I go back and forth about which Erykah Badu song is my favorite but I think Next Lifetime is it. Thinking about this video right now, I want to play it and follow it up with Andre 3000's Prototype and then try to figure out why those two aren't still together.
What a terrible loss. She was an intensely loved author.
Posted by: ladydaynyc | February 27, 2006 at 02:13 PM
I respect Octavia Butler 's contributions so I hate to admit that I have never successfully finished one of her novels. I made it 3/4 of the way through Parable of the Sower and lost interest or got distracted, not sure which. Always meant to finish that.
As for Erykah and Andre, she's a Pisces and he's a Gemini. I've tried it nearly a half dozen times; strong attraction; but it just doesn't work.
Posted by: j. brotherlove | February 27, 2006 at 04:22 PM
Being a bit of a sci-fi geek, I learned of Octavia Butler years ago, but I have never read any of her books. That said, I was quite sad when I learned of her death. I will have to add her to my To Read list, too.
Posted by: Catherine | February 27, 2006 at 05:12 PM
I am in complete shock. I came across Octavia Butler a few years back when I was introduced to her novel, Kindred. Since then I have read all of her books. She will be dearly missed.
Posted by: Sherri | February 27, 2006 at 08:51 PM
Parable of the Sower, Kindred, Wild Seed. Many of her short stories were published in a gang of various literary mags.
She was truly a visionary. RIP Octavia.
Posted by: Supa Sister | February 27, 2006 at 09:27 PM
"Kindred" is the only book of Ms. Butler's that I've read so far, and I thought it was awesome. The circumstances of her death really shook me.
Badu and Andre? Eh - I have a tendency to think she's probably tough to deal with. Just a thought. Bag Lady is my personal fave.
Posted by: Nerd Girl | February 28, 2006 at 06:41 AM
Octavia Butler is one of my favorite authors. I've read nearly everything of hers. I usually recommend that people who haven't read much of hers start with Kindred, but my favorites are Mind of My Mind, Wild Seed, Fledging and Lilith's Brood (a collection of three novels).
Posted by: Anitra | February 28, 2006 at 12:25 PM
Parable of the Sower, hands down. Her books are really thought-provoking fiction. I'm still sleeping with a "just-in-case" knapsack by the bed, thanks to her.
Posted by: Gina | March 02, 2006 at 05:06 AM
Kindred was her first... Brilliant! Read it before Parable of the Sower
Posted by: joy in L.A | March 03, 2006 at 10:48 PM