I received this news today concerning the great champion of William Hope Hodgson’s masterpiece, Andy Robertson:
It is with deep regret and much sadness that I must inform you that although we expected Andy to return home from hospital today, he suffered a heart attack and stroke last night and suffered extensive bleeding on the brain. We are told that he would have felt nothing. He remains on life support but has been declared brain-dead.
I did not know Andy well, but I very much enjoyed working with him over the last month as we prepared AWAKE IN THE NIGHT LAND for publication. He was delighted when he discovered John C. Wright had dedicated the book to him, and I’m pleased that he was able to see the book meet with both commercial and critical success. He had mentioned to me that his Parkinson’s Disease was acting up and warned me that he might need to go to the hospital soon to deal with it, but was eagerly anticipating future fictional expeditions into the Night Lands.
He was amusing, high-spirited, and iconoclastic. In the very first email he sent to me, he wrote: “What are these links in the sidebar? Alpha Game? iSteve?(crikeyblimey, you are openly linking to the king of the HBDbloggers!!??!!) my, you are a naughty, naughty lot. I think we will get on just fine. Please now to direct humble self to links where I may read all about your fall into badthink and your justified banishment from the society of all decent folk.”
We did, indeed, get on just fine.
The Night Land was very close to his heart, and although I believe he already has a good team in place who will be able to carry on without him, in the event that assistance is needed to maintain its continuation, Castalia House will be pleased to provide it in Andy Robertson’s memory.
UPDATE:
It is with great sadness that I must inform you that Andy Robertson has died after a stroke.