A very sad day for Science Fiction mavens everywhere today, as the passing of one of our most legendary authors hits us.
In a quote from the LA Times:
Bradbury’s daughter confirmed his death to the Associated Press on Wednesday morning. She said her father died Tuesday night in Southern California.
Author of more than 27 novels and story collections — most famously “The Martian Chronicles,” “Fahrenheit 451,” “Dandelion Wine” and “Something Wicked This Way Comes” — and more than 600 short stories, Bradbury has frequently been credited with elevating the often maligned reputation of science fiction. Some say he singlehandedly helped to move the genre into the realm of literature.
“The only figure comparable to mention would be [Robert A.] Heinlein and then later [Arthur C.] Clarke,” said Gregory Benford, a UC Irvine physics professor and Nebula Award-winning science fiction writer. “But Bradbury, in the ‘40s and ‘50s, became the name brand.”
Much of Bradbury’s accessibility and ultimate popularity had to do with his gift as a stylist — his ability to write lyrically and evocatively of lands an imagination away, worlds he anchored in the here and now with a sense of visual clarity and small-town familiarity.
Ray has provided the Science Fiction community with numerous books in our favorite genre, including some legendary pieces like ‘Fahrenheit 451’, ‘The Martian Chronicles’, and ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’. He will be sorely missed. The folks at ScienceFiction.com send their best to to Ray’s family and friends, and we hope that Ray will enjoy his next big adventure!
We welcome your comments, thoughts, and well wishes below. Tell us your favorite Bradbury stories and how Mr. Bradbury influenced and inspired you!
