back to article SciFi and fantasy titan David G. Hartwell passes, aged 74

Influential science fiction author and editor David G. Hartwell has died, aged 74. Hartwell edited thousands of books and was nominated for the Hugo Award 41 times. He spent the last 30-plus years as an editor for Tor Books, whose founder Tom Doherty wrote “no editor was more influential in the shaping of science fiction and …

  1. Tromos

    "He had a hand in some of Frank Herbert's later Dune volumes"

    But I'll forgive him.

  2. Tony S

    You know that you're getting old, when every day, you read obituaries of people you grew up with

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    SciFi headed to the graveyard

    As all the old guard start dying off we'll be left with the mind-numbingly craptastic SJW "speculative fiction" that nobody with an ounce of imagination or intelligence reads but gets Hugos heaped on it because it's so politically correct and we're supposed to feel sorry for the writers or something.

    Bitter old man? Yes I am.

    1. Murphy's Lawyer

      Re: SciFi headed to the graveyard

      Don't worry, there's still plenty of Real SF being written where men are manly, women are livestock, and differently coloured people shine your shoes or forment plans to bring the end of civilisation as we know it.

      I grew up on plenty of that sort of thing, and I've never been happier to see it accompanied by newer, better ideas from so many people who were previously ignored and who manage to show us their own, unique sense of wonder.

      You've not lost the old ideas: you now have a choice. There's a huge difference.

    2. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

      Re: SciFi headed to the graveyard

      No, it's not. (Not counting the heat death of the universe or maybe the odd Vogon construction fleet, obviously.) Nobody is forcing you to read anything. Cheer up, have a Slurm or a Soylent Cola, and pick something you like. Plenty to choose from. (Avoid certain types of fanfic, though.)

    3. Steve Taylor 3

      Re: SciFi headed to the graveyard

      Oh dear. I hear the whimpering of a Sad Puppy! Didn't you guys take a hint from this year's Hugo awards?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: SciFi headed to the graveyard

        Yeah, we did - and when the SJWs demand that anything written by a straight white male be banned from bookshelves, we'll stand around drinking beer, abusing women and enslaving the natives.

        http://www.breitbart.com/tech/2016/01/21/sjws-politically-incorrect-purge-sci-fi/

        Maybe you should acquaint yourself with how zealots work nowadays.

  4. JohnNE12

    'Passes'

    Passes by the El Reg front door? Passes wind? Maybe you were at a kart track together?

    I think you'll find that the word you were looking for is 'dies'. Passes away I might forgive if you're religious.

    David G. Hartwell RIP

  5. Petrea Mitchell
    Alert

    Thanks for mentioning him. I didn't know Hartwell personally, but I know a number of people who did. The sf world has been flooded with tributes.

    Unfortunately, I need to point out a typo: His widow's last name is Cramer, not Kramer.

    And she's asking for donations in his name to the Elizabethtown Community Hospital so that it can get a mechanical respirator. Explanation why here: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.cramer/posts/10153923650809853

    And actual donation link here: http://www.ech.org/make-a-contribution.html

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Donation

      It seems that they don't want donations from out side of the US Tried and failed Twice

    2. kenmarable

      Also, if any one is thinking of donations, they will be much more effective if they are NOT earmarked for a specific purpose. Earmarked donations, especially to a small organization, can often cause more work than help - or even cause the donation to sit in an untouchable account just going to waste. So donations are great! Earmarked donations are well intentioned, but unless you are making a massive donation to entirely cover all related expanses, could wind up causing more trouble than benefit, unfortunately.

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