Strange matings Science fiction, feminism, African American voices, and Octavia E. Butler

Butler is a writer of major importance in science fiction, as well as one of the only African American women writers in the field. Her works are complex and thought provoking, exploring topics ranging from slavery to humanism. The editors deliberately set out to create an anthology that is not just scholarly but addresses Butler's many levels of impact. While that impulse is a sound one, this reviewer was disappointed with the nonscholarly choices. Too often, the personal essays simply reiterate that Butler was a towering figure, both shy and warm, who died too soon. While true, these points do not help a reader, general or scholarly, better understand her work. One entry is mainly a series of e-mails, another a description of a ten-person group that bases its philosophy on Butler's work. These are not helpful to anyone but a fan. The scholarly articles that are included are solid work, but not so outstanding as to overcome the frustration of reading personal reminisces. Butler deserves an anthology in which all the pieces are challenging and insightful. Summing Up: Optional. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers. A. Castaldo Widener University

This noteworthy anthology-published by a feminist small press in memory of Butler, an African-American science-fiction author-consists of a wide-ranging selection of sometimes-dense scholarly essays, highly readable reminiscences and personal essays, poems, correspondence, photographs, and interviews. Though she wasn't prolific, Butler (1947-2006) produced several important novels (Kindred, Lilith's Brood, Parable of the Sower) and short stories ("Blood Child," "Speech Sounds") that changed the genre of science fiction and helped empower many new SF writers of color. Highlights of this anthology include "Gambling Against History," Susan Knabe and Wendy Gay Pearson's queer reading of Kindred, Butler's seemingly heterosexual time-travel/slave narrative; "The Spirit in the Seed," writer, performer, and Ifa/Orisha priestess Luisah Teish's heartfelt recollection of her discovery of Butler's early novel Wild Seed; reminiscences by genre writers Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, editor Shawl, and Nnedi Okorafor about what Butler and her work meant for their careers; and scholar Shari Evans's "From ‰Hierarchical Behavior' to Strategic Amnesia," undoubtedly the most perceptive essay yet written on Fledgling, Butler's final novel. Readers unfamiliar with the author's fiction should start with her novels, but her many devoted fans will find this volume highly satisfying. Photos. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.