Not a good year for authors.

Anne McCaffrey dead at 85.

Oh Anne, your Pern books may have driven me batty with all the issues (so many issues) but I still devoured them like dragon crack. If only I had come across them in my teen years I know I would have genuinely loved the shit out of them, instead of the self-righteous hipster snarking of now. And while may have been ridden with questionable sexual issues, she certainly could turn a phrase.

More people dying!

John Neville passes.

Well Manicured Man, no! You were the best non-nicotine-addicted, actually competent Consortium member.

And because it can never be said enough, fuck Alzheimer's.