She was one of the shining stars of science fiction, a woman who rose from the humblest of origins to become one of the leading ladies of her genre.

Octavia Butler has died in a tragic, senseless accident, at the age of 58.

Octavia E. Butler, considered the first black woman to gain national prominence as a science fiction writer, died after falling and striking her head on the cobbled walkway outside her home, a close friend said. She was 58.

Butler was found outside her home in the north Seattle suburb of Lake Forest Park after the accident Friday, and died the same day. She had suffered from high blood pressure and heart trouble and could only take a few steps without stopping for breath, said Leslie Howle, who knew Butler for two decades and works at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle.

Butler's work wasn't preoccupied with robots and ray guns, Howle said, but used the genre's artistic freedom to explore race, poverty, politics, religion and human nature.

"She stands alone for what she did," Howle said. "She was such a beacon and a light in that way."

Fellow Seattle-based science fiction authors Greg Bear and Vonda McIntyre said they were stunned by the news and called it a tremendous loss, and science-fiction Internet sites quickly filled with posts dedicated to her.

"We've lost the most intelligent and capable voice in the genre," one fan wrote. "Octavia was the SciFi I picked up when I realized that there could be more to SciFi/fantasy than simple escapism."

She was, and remains, the only science fiction writer to receive a genius grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

I was not a devotee of Ms. Butler’s work, but I held her in high esteem. She is one of those authors who my students introduced me to during my years teaching English. There was something in her style, and her personal story, that spoke to my students, especially my black girls who found a role model in Ms. Butler. And I believe it is that, most of all, that leaves me with a sense of loss – she inspired my children to read, and to think.

Posted by: Greg at 06:46 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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