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Science fiction writer John Christopher passes away

Science fiction writer John Christopher passes away

THE science-fiction writer John Christopher has passed away at the age of 89.

Born Christopher Samuel Youd, he used the John Christoper name for most of his science-fiction output, while other literary works were published under his own name, although he did use several other noms de plume at various times during his writing career.

He will be best known for the Tripods trilogy which was aimed at young adults. The books, which were published in 1968-69, remain popular with readers both in the UK and in the United States.

A television series based on the trilogy was screened by the BBC in the 1980s.

Mr. Christopher was a prolific writer, at times producing as many as four novels a year. 

His novel The Death Of Grass, which was published in 1956, was really his first success and enabled him to become a full-time writer. The book, which deals with a world-wide failure of crops, was then turned into a film, No Blade Of Grass (1970), by Cornel Wilde. 

Among his books for adults were The World In Winter and Wrinkle In The Skin.

Mr. Christopher also produced many short stories which have appeared in numerous anthologies.

 

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