I was waiting on confirmation of this, because there’s nothing worse than people ranting on about a dead author when s/he isn’t. But it appears that Robert Asprin is dead.

Asprin wrote the Myth (comedy fantasy) series of books, as well as the Phule (comedy military space opera, if you can believe it) series, and began the Myth books well before Terry Pratchett burst onto the scene. I think I’ve got them all. Asprin also wrote the shiniest, best EVER parody of EE ‘Doc’ Smith. I get a smile on my face even when thinking about it, and I last read that piece over a decade ago.

With his wife, he started up the Thieves’ World universe, in which various writers concoct stories within the universe. I’ll admit, I wasn’t a huge fan and much preferred his comedy work, but it was a new idea for its time and deserves recognition as such.

RIP Robert Asprin. You’ll be sorely missed.