R.I.P., Kage Baker (1952-2010)

[eldritchhobbit]

Kage Baker

Happy birthday to time_shark, and happy early birthday to alitalf. May you both have terrific days and wonderful years to come!


I'm a bit behind in my correspondence - we're sitting under about 9" of snow here, and my DSL's been down for the last two days (thanks to an unfortunate encounter between our phone line and a monster snow plow) - but I wanted to be certain to post with a few links.

First and foremost, I am very deeply saddened to mark the passing of one of my favorite contemporary authors. Rest in peace, Kage Baker. I first discovered her through her wonderful Company series, and I have read, loved, and taught her work for many years now. I know I am not alone in being grieved by her loss.


I also have a few other links to share:

* From io9: "Welcome to the Soft Apocalypse."

* Also from io9: "Is the Golden Age of Young Adult Science Fiction Already Over?"

* From The Spectacle, a discussion inspired in part by the above article and in part by my list of young adult dystopian fiction: "Pinning Down Dystopias."

* And here's a reading challenge from ParaJunkee's View: "The Dystopian Reading Challenge."



"Funny thing about those Middle Ages," said Joseph. "They just keep coming back. Mortals keep thinking they're in Modern Times, you know, they get all this neat technology and pass all these humanitarian laws, and then something happens: there's an economic crisis, or science makes some discovery people can't deal with. And boom, people go right back to burning Jews and selling pieces of the true Cross. Don't you ever make the mistake of thinking that mortals want to live in a golden age. They hate thinking."
— Kage Baker, In the Garden of Iden

Comments

[peadarog.livejournal.com]

It's funny, but I never actually saw a picture of her before. RIP :-(

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

:-( indeed.

[ankh-hpl.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I've never read Kage Baker -- yet! -- but your final quote convinces me that I must. Truer words were seldom spoken.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Isn't it a great quote? She had a way of cutting right to the heart of the matter. In the Garden of Iden was my first introduction to her work, and I think it's a great place to start if you're interested in reading her fiction.

[elmwood.livejournal.com]

In the Garden of Iden was where I started, too. I picked it up at random from a display of new books because the title amused me. I was hooked immediately and Kage Baker's books have given me so much pleasure over the years since then. I would love to have met her; her writing was incisive, challenging, and led me to suspect that she would have been so interesting to talk to.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

You described her writing perfectly! What you said.