Iain M. Banks, 1954-2013

Iain Menzies Banks

I remember during the 1987 Worldcon hearing the rumour that Iain M. Banks had climbed up the outside of the Brighton Metropole hotel the previous night, to get to his room.  He told the story himself at the 1990 Eastercon in Liverpool, during his Guest of Honour talk.  At the 1998 Eastercon, Iain M Banks and his alter ego Iain Banks took to the stage to discuss SF versus mainstream writing.  He told wonderful stories, both in person and in print.

In early April this year, he announced he had terminal cancer, and was unlikely to live beyond a year.  Just two months later, he has died.

Dammit.