RIP Diana Wynne Jones

[ffutures]

News from several directions that Diana Wynne Jones has died. Author of (amongst other things) the Chrestomanci books, The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, Howl's Moving Castle, Archer's Goon, etc. etc.

She never achieved anything like the success she deserved, and will be badly missed by her fans.

Later Neil Gaiman visited her just before her death:
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2011/03/being-alive.html

Comments

[feygan.livejournal.com]

I saw this and it kind of threw me for a loop. It's always just so unexpected when one of your favorite authors dies, especially when you don't know they've had a pre-existing illness (Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Robert Asprin...) It just seems like this is the month for icons passing away. It's so sad.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I believe I'm right to say it was smoking-related cancer, unfortunately she's been intermittently ill for some time.

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

This is sad news. I've enjoyed her quirky and off-beat (and gentle) fantasy works.

BTW, if you are unaware of it, there are now two sequels to Howl's Moving Castle; Castle in the Air & House of Many Ways.

::B::

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've read them both. I mentioned Howl because it's one people might know of via the film.

[pauldormer.livejournal.com]

And, of course, there was the TV series of Archer's Goon about twenty years ago. (That was also the first of her books I'd read, about two years before the TV series.)

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I never saw that, unfortunately. Wonder if it was ever released on video or DVD?

[pauldormer.livejournal.com]

Never saw one. My parents, I recall, found it too complicated to follow - it was a fairly faithful adaptation. Think I'll reread the book this week.

Fine obit from Chris Priest in today's Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/mar/27/diana-wynne-jones-obituary