Locus is reporting that Andrew J. Offutt passed away earlier today. No cause of death was listed. He wrote a number of erotic novels, many of them science fiction, as well as fantasy. Included in his fantasy works are pastiches of the Robert E. Howard characters Conan and Cormac Mac Art.
As Charles Rutledge points out in his tribute, his greatest contribution to the field was as an editor rather than an author. He was the editor of the 5 volume Swords Against Darkness series of original sword and sorcery anthologies. I've got all but volume 3 (with duplicates of 2 and 5). I was considering doing a series of posts looking at each one when I track down volume 3. That plan hasn't changed with Mr. Offutt's passing. I've also got one or two of his novels around here somewhere I intend to read at some point.
Even though he hasn't been active in sword and sorcery circles for a number of years (at least not that I know of), we've lost one of the major players from the sword and sorcery boom from the 70s.
As Charles Rutledge points out in his tribute, his greatest contribution to the field was as an editor rather than an author. He was the editor of the 5 volume Swords Against Darkness series of original sword and sorcery anthologies. I've got all but volume 3 (with duplicates of 2 and 5). I was considering doing a series of posts looking at each one when I track down volume 3. That plan hasn't changed with Mr. Offutt's passing. I've also got one or two of his novels around here somewhere I intend to read at some point.
Even though he hasn't been active in sword and sorcery circles for a number of years (at least not that I know of), we've lost one of the major players from the sword and sorcery boom from the 70s.
I think he had a story out in a small anthology a couple of years ago but it might have been a reprint. I credit his Swords Against Darkness series (edited) as a big influence on my own work. I like his Andor works too. I've still got a good half dozen of his books around here to read. Sorry to hear of his passing.
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