Banks Has Terminal Cancer

IainBanks2009

Iain M. Banks in 2009.

Iain M. Banks revealed on April 3 that he is suffering from cancer and has only a short time to live. He shared his diagnosis in a post at Orbit Books:

The bottom line, now, I’m afraid, is that as a late stage gall bladder cancer patient, I’m expected to live for ‘several months’ and it’s extremely unlikely I’ll live beyond a year.  So it looks like my latest novel, The Quarry, will be my last.

He has cancelled all future public engagements. A website has been set up where people can check his progress and sign a guest book — friends.banksophilia.com.

Banks is a guest of honor at next year’s Worldcon, LonCon 3. The committee extended their wishes and assured he will be celebrated whatever may happen —

Loncon 3 co-chair Alice Lawson said: “We asked Iain to be one of the Guests of Honour at this Worldcon because we wanted to acknowledge the huge contribution he makes to science fiction. Our thoughts and best wishes are with Iain at this time.”

Co-chair Steve Cooper added: “Iain is part of the Worldcon family as well as one of our Guests of Honour. His award-winning work will be celebrated in Loncon 3’s programme, publication and exhibits in 2014.”

[Thanks to David Klaus for the story.]