This page is for site visitors to post remembrances and thoughts at the time of Dr. Pournelle’s passing (8 Sep 2017). Your thoughts can be added using the form at the bottom of this page. Comments that are not related to words of encouragement or condolences will be removed.
Dr. Pournelle’s family appreciates those that have taken the time to send condolences and well wishes.
For those that are interested in Dr. Pournelle’s books, please see the e-books page or the Amazon page . Here’s a list of all of Jerry’s books: All The Books.
Jerry’s last post is here. The text of the eulogy given at the memorial is here. Site news is here. – Editor
I have started reading an advance copy of Best of Jerry Pournelle by John F. Carr published by Baen Books. Provides some insights to Jerry’s life and some excellent articles. Highly recommended for those that loved Jerry’s Books. Available from the Baen website. Hopefully monies received go to Jerry’s family.
My first exposure to this awesome talent was when “Mote” came out. It was, and is a favorite. But that only opened the door to the wonderful multiverse of the legacy of great stories that poured forth. He will be missed. My thoughts and prayers for your family.
It’s been coming on two years since your passing Jerry, but I still miss you and my daily checking of your site.
I wonder what you’d make of the world today. You supported Trump, but mainly as an anti-Hillary move I recall. You hoped he was ‘crazy like a fox’, rather than just plain old crazy. Would you still support him, after his alienation of allies, profligacy with the budget, crimes against humanity on the border and creating deep division in the fabric of American society? I doubt you would, but it pains me badly that I can’t ask you.
Rest in peace my friend.
I just dusted off my Janissarires collection, with the intent of passing them on to one of my grandchildren. I couldn’t help but read them again, and I’m just into “Clan and Crown.” I remembered checking in on Jerry occasionally to see when the fourth volume would be published, so I stopped in again today. How disappointing; I hadn’t heard that he had died.
I’m reminded of some of his other works: the Falkenberg stories, the Mote in God’s Eye (good grief, it’s been more than forty years!), Lucifer’s Hammer, Footfall, and more. Looks like I’ll have to return to the basement library and dust off some more books! (And of course, his work with Byte, and Chaos Manor. )
One by one, the authors who wrote so much of my favorite sci-fi have gone; Heinlein, Asimov, Norton, Herbert, Dick, Sturgeon, Simak, Van Vogt, Le Guin, Bradbury, and more. I wish I had been able to meet them. I’d like to return to sci-fi, but I’m not sure where to start. It was a lot easier when I could simply look for my favorite authors!
I never made the connection between Jerry’s Byte column, and the Janissaries books which I loved. Thanks for leading me by the hand into the world of chaos Jerry, and one day I’ll see you one the other side.
I fell in love with the Janissaries series. It was the first scifi series or even books that started me to love scifi. I abhorred scifi before reading Janissaries (first book). I only wish I could have read his last book he began (Mamelukes). He will always be praised by me for his series.
I just recommended Jerry’s novels to somebody who didn’t yet know about him and his novels, especially “Starswarm”.
He and his column in BYTE Magazine was the reason I subscribed to BYTE in the 90s, I think I paid around 15 USD per issue to get it sent to Germany back then.
I just realized how much I’m missing his writing style, and to find some new pages of “Mail” or “View” on his site.
He left a void that’s impossible to fill
I have always enjoyed Jerry’s work. For my money the book he wrote with Larry Niven, “ The Mote in God’s Eye” is one of the very best night novels ever written. I still enjoy reading it, even 40 + years later.
I hadn’t heard till yesterday that he had died, had my head in a sack I guess. My deep condolences to his family. I like that Jannisaries 4 is coming. I hope it will be a fitting epitaph.
I have always enjoyed Jerry’s work. For my money he book he wrote with Larry Niven, “ The Mote in God’s Eye” is one of the very best night velds ever written. I still enjoy reading it, even 40 + years later.
I hadn’t heard till yesterday that he had died, had my head in a sack I guess. My deep condolences to his family. I like that Jannisaries 4 is coming. I hope it will be a fitting epitaph.
Jannisaries 4 is coming! That’s amazing, and a very unexpected blessing. Thanks so much for carrying through on this.
Along the way, we sat on panel discussions together. He was always thoughtful and perceptive, and we had substantive discussions, always, ranging from governments through military and political affairs, from ancient history to science fiction and speculative literature. We hope he will continue to be widely read and appreciated for the the quality of his thought and the generosity of his spirit. Thank you, Jerry, for all you did for us and for so many others through the quality of your thoughts and deeds. A true polymath, the world is smaller without you in it.
It´s hard to know that Jerry has gone. Thanks to him and his column in the old Byte Magazine I’ve became what I am today.
An old friend once told me that a person made an impact when somebody was inspired by that person.
I am completely sure that Jerry inspired a great deal of people like he did to me.
My sincerely condolences, but I am sure that he will be always alive through his legacy and that magic that touched everyone who met him or read his works.
I am sorry to say that I have only discovered his books within the last year. During that year I have read several of his series’ through a couple of times each. I wish your family well, he will be greatly missed.
Still following some of Jerry’s advice (stretching) and working through the reading list he provided through this site and his old columns. Still miss reading his work on the site, and trying to not reread his books too often.
David Macho – That is what I meant. Real Soon Now really meant ‘When We get Around To It’.
His words and stories are remembered. Well told and thought upon as we enter the future he is not here for.
I also thought real soon now was to clarify government timelines that promised quick results, but were never quite ready and were pushed back. In other words, don’t hold your breath….
Mitch – I always interpreted “Real Soon Now” to be the opposite of that.
My late condolences to the Pournelle family. Your father’s work was a staple of my science fiction diet as a young man in the 80s. “A Step Farther Out” inspired me with great optimism for the future.
I am an aging boomer and was a big fan of Jerry’s column from the old Byte magazine. One of my favorite phrases that Jerry used often was “Real Soon Now” in describing how the latest hot button of the day was about to break big imminently. I thoroughly enjoyed his commentary from the early days of personal computing when it was mostly in the hands of hobbyists and visionaries. I am sure he is missed by many. Sincere condolences to his family.