RIP Fred Saberhagen

Just got this off SF Signal. Sadly, Fred Saberhagen just passed away.

I wasn't as familiar with Saberhagen's work as I am with some others. I liked A Century of Progress and the Lost Swords books always really fired up my imagination.

He was quite famous for the "Beserker" series, as well. I think I read one or two of these; Brother Assasin sticks in my mind for some reason, and Beserker Wars. But I really should give them another look. Saberhagen's Beserkers seem like a possible inspiration for Alastair Reynolds' Inhibitors, among other ideas.

In any case, my sympathies to his friends and family. As always when an important writer passes away, I wished I could have met him.

Update: reading the Wiki on the Beserker series, I saw the term "goodlife," the name for humans who cooperate with Beserkers to stay alive for awhile. That really rung a bell; it must have been Brother Assassin.