Remembering Greg Bear

 

 

Science Fiction author Greg Bear died last Saturday, after complications from surgery.

I met Greg Bear once, at the World Fantasy Convention held in San Diego in 2011. While I had not read many of his books, I would list his novel Dinosaur Summer as a favorite. The story forms a worthy successor to Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World. 

While attending a presentation given by production designers of Disney theme park attractions based on science fiction and fantasy stories, I noticed Greg Bear and his wife Astrid sit in the row ahead of me. If my mind always worked in a straightforward manner, I would have taken the opportunity to compliment him on Dinosaur Summer, as well as tell his wife Astrid how much I had enjoyed the novels of Poul Anderson, her father. Instead, I approached them with a...well, something completely different.

While reading Dreamer of Dune, Brian Herbert's biography of his father, a story had stuck in my mind. It concerned a mutual project involving three of the authors I grew up with: Frank Herbert, Jack Vance, and Poul Anderson. The three science fiction authors worked on a houseboat together. Even young Brian lent a hand. But then, Brian records that the houseboat sank, and Frank lost his investment in it.

The story left me curious. It seemed like there ought to be more to it than that. After all, all three men had written visionary fiction that I've continued to read and reread throughout my life. So, with the opportunity to ask two people who knew Poul Anderson well, I wondered if, perhaps, they could share Poul's remembrance of the project with me.

While Greg and Astrid had nothing to add to it, Greg told me how much he had enjoyed Dune, and that he admired Frank Herbert's stories. Although he was an award-winning, bestselling author, he took the time to make me comfortable, and to assure me that, at heart, he identified with me. He shared my love of Herbert's monumental novel, and the sequels it spawned. I think, in the end, I was the one to break off the conversation, mainly because I appreciated his kindness, and didn't want to intrude unduly on his time.

Farewell, Greg Bear. Thank you for your great stories, and for your even greater kindness.

Dragon Dave

 

P.S. I wrote an earlier piece about this meeting, which you can read by clicking the link below (or searching my blog for Greg Bear). I also found a link to the houseboat story written by Jack Vance. If you're interested in that story, I've provided a link for that too.

Obituary in Locus Magazine 

More on my Conversation with Greg Bear

Jack Vance remembers building his houseboat