Jerry Pournelle has passed away

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

It seems like too many of those I noted in earlier years are dyeing off and most of those "before my time" are already gone.

Luck;
Ken

Dyeing is the process of adding colour to textile products. Did you perhaps mean "dying"?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Dyeing is the process of adding colour to textile products. Did you perhaps mean "dying"?

Or hair.

[Ken Maltby]

Darn incompetent spellchecker! I guess I could hire a proofreader? Wait ...

Luck;
Ken

[cromag]

I'll miss him and his work.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Well, I can assure you that if I die at 84, it will be too soon.

Funny thing is I have to agree with you on that. It would be too soon for me as well though I'm not yet 47 and so have another 37 yrs before I reach 84 (in 2054).

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

While we disagreed on the Epson QX10, I liked most of what he wrote. It seems like too many of those I noted in earlier years are dying off and most of those "before my time" are already gone.

Luck;
Ken

I agree that many of the greats have alas left us. Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke and others. While no doubt others will pick up the torch and write some good books I doubt any will quite equal much less surpass those who have left us.

[darryl]

Originally Posted by crich70

I agree that many of the greats have alas left us. Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke and others. While no doubt others will pick up the torch and write some good books I doubt any will quite equal much less surpass those who have left us.

I must disagree with you here. Whilst literary merit is of course in the eye of the beholder I think each generation will have its authors who equal or even arguably surpass those of previous generations. Though personally I don't think it is even possible to accurately compare the body of work of such great authors and conclude definitively that one is better.

[Darqref]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Which series?
He had several ongoing.
He had collaborations with Niven and Barnes so they might continue some, if necessary.
And his daughter wrote a third Motie novel so she might finish any unfinished work...

Well, the one I was thinking of was the Tran ones - three books written, at least one more under contract and never finished.

[pwalker8]

Dr Pournelle was one of my favorite authors. I can honestly say that I have every book of his and liked them all. Mostly, I think he was simply a good story teller.

Most of his series had self contained stories that left room for more, rather than the series that is simply a very long story that gets chopped up into book size bits.

Personally, I liked the Falkenberg stories the most. I was pretty happy when he finally filled in the gaps with Prince of Sparta and Go Tell the Spartans (co written with S. M. Stirling).

[grumbles]

"I do these silly things so that you won't have to" was the theme of his Byte columns. His writing in Byte was a marvel of clarity.

His anthologies were superb.

He was a wonderful story teller.

[fjtorres]

From the Verge:

https://www.theverge.com/platform/am...uters-obituary

Science fiction author Jerry Pournelle passed away earlier this week after a sudden illness at the age of 84. He helped popularize the military science fiction genre with novels such as Janissaries and The Mercenary, but is also credited with a major milestone: the first author to write a novel entirely on a computer.

More at the source.

[ApK]

I knew of him primarily from Byte. I think I must have read some of his fiction at some point, but I can't recall.
I'll have to check out some of his MilSF in tribute.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ApK

I knew of him primarily from Byte. I think I must have read some of his fiction at some point, but I can't recall.
I'll have to check out some of his MilSF in tribute.

You might want to start with THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE.
Few if any regret it.
It's at BAEN.

[iarann]

I had the pleasure of getting to meet Jerry at LosCon a few years ago, and recently at a science fiction club in Van Nuys. He was always gracious to me and extremely knowledgable. This one hits a bit close to home.

[svenlind]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

You might want to start with THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE.
Few if any regret it.
It's at BAEN.

I will second that. Highly recommended.