Author Iain Banks dead, 59.

[Madame Adequate]

Just a couple months after announcing that he had been diagnosed with cancer and had probably less than a year to live, Iain Banks died this morning.

BBC News - Iain Banks dies of cancer aged 59 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22835047)

This is some serious bullshit right here. I've been reading his stuff since high school when my teacher recommended The Wasp Factory to me, and whilst I always liked his 'mainstream' stuff it was his science fiction novels, especially the Culture setting, that really captured my imagination like few other things I've read. In fact I'd say he's a bigger influence on my writing than almost anyone else, and the sheer unbounded scale of imagination and incredible vision of the Culture has made a huge impact on me both personally and as an author.

This is some bullshit right here.

[Pike]

Ugh I hate it when we lose brilliant creative minds like this. Fuck cancer :(

[Shauna]

I haven't read anything he's written, but many people I know have sung his praises. :( Sad times. :(

[Jinx]

I don't even know who this is or what he's written.

[Pike]

I don't even know who this is or what he's written.

Let Me DuckDuckGo That For You (http://lmddgtfy.net/?q=Iain+Banks)

And he's one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time. (He also wrote some highly acclaimed literary fiction as well.)

[charliepanayi]

I don't even know who this is or what he's written.

Well you could have clicked the link in the original post and that would have told you. Is there really a point in coming on a 'Person X is dead' thread to say 'never heard of them'?

[The Man]

Damn it. R.I.P.