News

The two-time winner of the World Fantasy Award, four-time winner of the British Science Fiction Award and one of the best fantasy writers of his generation has died aged 61, following complications from an E. coli infection.

Robert Holdstock died on Sunday (29 November).

He was born in Hythe in 1948 and his early childhood was spent around the bleak expanse of the Romney Marsh, near where he was born.

The oldest of five children his father Robert, was a police officer and his mother, Kathleen a nurse.

As an adult he obtained a Bachelor of Science with honours in applied Zoology from University College of North Wales, Bangor.

He continued his education, earning a Master of Science in Medical Zoology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 1971 and conducted research at the Medical Research Council in London from 1971 to 1974 while also doing part-time writing.

He became a full-time writer during 1976 and lived in North London until his death.

Robert has written a variety of Celtic, Nordic, Gothic and Pictish fantasy, a series of occult thrillers including the "Night Hunter" and the novel of John Boorman's film "The Emerald Forest."

His most famous work is "Mythago Wood," for which he won the World Fantasy Award in 1985.

Michael Moorcock said "Mythago Wood" was "the outstanding fantasy book of the 80s", and the following novel in the cycle, "Lavondyss" won the British Science Fiction Association's award.