John M. Ford, 1957-2006
John M. Ford, who wrote the magnificent fantasy novel The Dragon Waiting: A Masque of History and the funniest Star Trek novel ever written, has passed away.
I don’t remember what age I was exactly when I encountered The Dragon Waiting, but it was my introduction to the world of Richard III, the murdered princelings, Doctor Dee, and that style of rich, redolent fantasy ornately encrusted with historical detail and Middle Ages mysticism. It won the World Fantasy Award in 1984, so I estimate I was perhaps thirteen. If you are a fantasy fan, you owe it to yourself to have read this book.
The Star Trek novel, How Much For Just The Planet?, must be read if only to understand that mash-ups are not a recent invention. In this case, the source material is classic Hollywood musicals, Grand Hotel-style, and of course, Klingons. No, I am not kidding. Besides, like all the old Trek novels, you can probably pick it up for a dime in a used bookstore.
There are other books, and countless short stories and poems. Perhaps most fitting is this one, to the tune of a Muppets song:
THE FINAL CONNECTION
Why are there so many songs about hearses?
The way to the uttermost side,
Hearses go fast, and traffic parts for them,
But who’s in a hurry to ride?
Wagons and roads are an eloquent metaphor,
Gentling and straightening the way,
Everyone takes that last exit to Brooklyn,
Home at the end of the dayRemember the start of Magnificent Seven?
Steve and Yul drove to Boot Hill,
Just a small fable of folks being equal,
And going to sleep where you will.
Tickets and transfers and waiting for answers
At something so common yet strange,
Someday you’ll ride it, the last train to Clarksville,
All classes, all stations . . . all change.Look out the window and wave to the strangers
What do they see in the glass?
Up ahead, can you see, we’ve stopped for Emily,
There will be more as we pass.
Savor the journey, however you’re going,
It’s been your whole life to get there,
Someday I’ll travel, without reservations,
I hope I’ve two coins for my fare.
Ford was working on typing up a final novel manuscript. Hopefully someone will take over this task and there will be one more book forthcoming.
4 Responses to “John M. Ford, 1957-2006”
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No. I understand the impulse, but there’s no one else who could finish one of Mike’s books and get it right.
Based on the email he sent to Neil Gaiman, I had the impression it was done, or at least in some sort of draft form. If it wasn’t finished, that’s a real shame. 🙁
The first thing I ever read by John M. Ford was a short story set in the Car wars universe about a band of travelling autoduellests who were hired to fight a gang of what appeared to be supers that were terrorizing a small town. It was a fantastic story with a great twist ending and I started reading everything I could by Ford, including tracking down copies of Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues, Final Reflection and How Much for Just the Planet. I also recall him posting on the Pyramid message boards; it was always great to talk to him. He is almost certainly the most intelligent person I have ever directly interacted with.
I had no idea he was in ill health, and I’m very, very sorry he’s gone. My condolences to his friends and family.