What crappy, crappy news. Apparently Michael Crichton has died of cancer.

Crichton has always been one of my favourite authors; he has a special significance for me because Sphere was actually the first "grown up" book that I ever read. I loved it, and soon after that I quickly read all of the other books he had written up to that point. I think in many ways Michael Crichton really kick-started my love of reading.

I'm not sure if he wrote any new books before he died -- based on his recent pattern of releasing a new book every couple of years, he should have had a book out this December -- but it'll be weird not to have any new Michael Crichton books to look forward to. Sad.