Widely-respected Chinese science fiction translator Haiyan Xu (pen name: denovo), has died in a diving accident reports Ruhan Zhao on Facebook:
She and her diver partner disappeared on September 6 in a deep water exploration in Hebei province in China, and their bodies were found yesterday more than 60 meters deep underwater. Haiyan’s translated work include William Gibson’s Neuromancer, Charles Stross’ Singularity Sky, Robert A. Heinlein’s The Man Who Sold the Moon, Methuselah’s Children, and quite a few novellas/short stories including Nancy Kress’ End Game, Safeguard, The Fountain of Age, The Flowers of Aulit Prison, etc.
Zhao included the cover of the Chinese edition of Neuromancer, showing her translation credit (denovo) on the cover.
[Thanks to Andrew Porter for the story.]
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That is so terribly sad.
Thanks for posting here. Haiyan Xu is indeed widely-respected and beloved by many Chinese science fiction fans. A few more words about Haiyan: She is a genetic scientist, got her PhD from Columbia University. In her self introduction as a translator for Charles Stross’ Singularity Sky, she said that she liked many things including reading, writing, climbing, diving, ice skating and skiing, but the only thing she persisted for so many years was science fiction translation, because that’s her true love. She is only 39 this year.
Zhao added a follow-up comment in the comments.
39 is much too young.
Condolences to her family and friends. She sounds like she was a wonderful, talented person.