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Sci-Fi Great Frederik Pohl Passes Away At 93

Posted by timothy on from the 9th-decade-is-an-achievement dept.

damnbunni writes "Frederik Pohl, one of the last Golden Age science fiction authors, passed away on September 2nd of respiratory distress, as reported on his blog. Pohl is perhaps best known for his Heechee Saga novels, beginning with Gateway in 1977, but his work in pulp magazines in the '30s and '40s helped give rise to science fiction fandom."

5 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Farewell by meerling · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've enjoyed many of his books over the years.
    Another master will be greatly missed.

  2. Graduated with honors. by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Insightful
    "That's what life is, just one learning experience after another, and when you're through with all the learning experiences you graduate and what you get for a diploma is, you die."

    Thanks, Frederik, for learning so much in your time with us that you were able to teach, through your example, some of us how to write. Enjoy Heechee heaven, and if you ever figure out how their ships work, come back and see us sometime. (Thanks again. I just realized how the ships work. You pick up a book, you open it to page 1, and *poof*, you're there.)

  3. In another universe by aitikin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    He's alive and well and will live into his 120s. Meanwhile, in another universe, he never lived and no one lives on this planet. Ah The Coming of the Quantum Cats, such a great introduction to him. He will be missed.

    --
    "Don't meddle in the affairs of a patent dragon, for thou art tasty and good with ketchup." ~ohcrapitssteve
  4. Re:The Cool War by TWiTfan · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Outnumbering the Dead," one of the best science fiction novellas I ever read. But the guy had so many greats. He was one of the greatest modern serious science fiction writers ever, and active almost right up until the end. I don't think he ever had a slump.

    --
    The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
  5. Re:Inevitable but sad still the same by arth1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Verne was a fave as a kid, but not the first - it started with Homer, and then Zeke and Johnny's sci-fi in the bible.
    Verne, however, made it much easier for the reader to suspend disbelief, which is a good quality measure for fiction.

    Pohl will be missed. There aren't a lot of the old style masters left now. Brian Aldiss, Gene Wolfe, Ursula K. LeGuin, Silverbob, Cherryh, Joe Haldeman, and (no matter how much he protests writing SciFi) Harlan Ellison.

    The last few years have been hard:
    Robert Jordan
    Fred Saberhagen
    Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
    Robert A. Wilson
    Robert Asprin
    Arthur C. Clarke
    Michael Crichton
    P.J. Farmer
    Phyllis Gotlieb
    William Tenn
    Anne McCaffrey
    Harry Harrison
    Ray Bradbury
    Jack Vance
    Iain M. Banks
    Frederik Pohl

    The times spent as a kid reading under the blanket with a flashlight will never be forgotten. May there be more authors of the same caliber to come, for future generations, and not just parasmut and angst books.