Passing by

According to Science Fiction Weekly Nebula and Hugo award winning author Octavia Butler has died, aged 58.

The number three comes into play here, because the same magazine has also reported the deaths of Kolchak: The Nightstalker star, Darren McGavin, 83, and Don Notts, 81.

I've never read Ms Butler, but I'm familiar with the name. As for Darren McGavin and Don Notts, I watched Nightstalker and some of the episodes scared the tripe out of me. It was scary stuff, compelling, and I often found myself leaning towards the television set just before the creature was unveiled. The shocks were real; my heart would pound and I'd get that instant hot/cold feeling. I have no idea why I continued to watch Nightstalker, I just did. Perhaps it was the slow build up of tension, followed by the creepy bit - it wasn't a bloodfest, or gratuitous, it just was. At least, that's my memory of it.

Don Notts I remember from The Incredible Mr Limpet and the Disney movies he was in. A cowardly, facially mobile, bug-eyed man of enormous talent and humour.

It's sad that all three have gone, but their work will go on.

Overly Sensitive

Also in Science Fiction Weekly is an interesting story on British author Michael Moorcock and the fact that his latest book, The Vengeance of Rome "has no American publisher and probably won't until 'the current political climate changes'." The gist of the problem is that Moorcock's protagonist is considered unacceptable to the American public at large. I don't agree and for the publishers to fear a 'backlash' is to deny the readers there the opportunity to form their own opinions. Moorcock has argued that "The publishers, with what strikes me as a typical contempt for their readership, feel they know best." You can read more at the above link.

This kind of thing is becoming more prevalent, with overseas authors rejecting US publishing offers because of publishers demanding changes to suit what they see as the current political climate in America. Contempt is right. American readers are perfectly capable of not buying a book if they're unhappy with the reviews or word of mouth about it, or even the blurb. They are perfectly capable of making their unhappiness or enjoyment of a book known. We do not need a book police, thank you very much; no democratic country does, nor do the reading public need publishers to tell us what we should and should not be reading. We can make up our own minds; it's why we've got them.