We are saddened to report the passing of science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer Tanith Lee. Lee had a long and prolific writing career, publishing over 90 books and 300 short stories, as well as several poems, four BBC Radio plays, and two episodes of the BBC’s sci-fi television series Blake’s 7.
Born in 1947 to two professional dancers, Lee grew up with a love of weird fiction, sci-fi, and Shakespeare. Struggling with then-undiagnosed dyslexia, Lee was unable to read until the age of 8, when her father taught her. Thereafter, she made up for lost time, publishing her first vignette at the age of 21. She worked various jobs as file clerk and assistant librarian as she sent out her work. Her first published novels were children’s fantasies The Dragon Hoard and Animal Castle, published by Macmillan in 1971 and 1972.
In 1975, DAW published Lee’s first adult fantasy The Birthgrave; DAW would go on to publish more than 20 of her other SFF and horror works in the 1970s and ’80s.
Lee received the British Fantasy Society’s August Derleth Award in 1980 for her book Death’s Master, as well as the World Fantasy Awards for Best Short Story in 1983 and 1984. She was also the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the World Fantasy Convention in 2013 and the Horror Writers Association (HWA) in 2015.
In an April 1998 interview with Locus Magazine, Lee explained how she regarded herself as a storyteller:
Writers tell stories better, because they’ve had more practice, but everyone has a book in them. Yes, that old cliché. If you gave the most interesting (to the person who’s living it) life to a great writer, they could turn it into something wonderful. But all lives are important, all people are important, because everyone is a book. Some people just have easier access to it. We need the expressive arts, the ancient scribes, the storytellers, the priests. And that’s where I put myself: as a storyteller. Not necessarily a high priestess, but certainly the storyteller. And I would love to be the storyteller of the tribe!
Lee was an important part of the SFF community and will be missed.
“Born in 1967 to two professional dancers”
You have a typo: that should be 1947.
I extend my condolences to her family and her fans.
And now I really need to reread the Flat Earth books. And the Paradys books. And the Venus books. And all the rest …
This is sad. Condolences to family and fans.
It is for me a great loss, as she is my favorite author. She was rightly admired and had a unique gift. Hopefully, more her work would be republished, so she can be known to a broader audience and her old fans can keep her memory and work alive. All of my thoughts go to her husband John Kaiine and her family.
(considers possibility of following my Fifty Nortons in Fifty Weeks with something similar for Lee)
I’m very torn about this. Her work Don’t Bite the Sun (two books previously re-published into one volume) was one of my cornerstone pieces in my thesis (undergrad) on androgyny in speculative fiction. I hope her family finds peace and comfort during this difficult time.
James at 6: please let me know if you do (Twitter: ninja_CE). I’ll read them with you. Drinking Sapphire Wine — The Silver Metal Lover — Cyrion — The Birthgrave — the Flat Earth books… so much of my heart!
Her stories in Amazon! and Amazon II, her giant collection of short fiction, it goes on and on.
God, anything Tan wrote was worth reading.
I’m awful at reading blogs regularly, but… Tan. Dear Tan.
I got to proofread a story of hers for Mike Allen’s Clockwork Phoenix 3. She and Roger Zelazny were two of my lodestars growing up.
I knew there was some reason something kept trying to wake me early. It was the soul-cry of weeping fandom. 8(
=hugs everyone and proffers tissues=
That stinks to see. I’ve always loved her “Red as Blood” compilation of re-done fairy tales. She had a knack for writing in this very subtle, haunting style that really worked amazingly with that sort of story.
She spoke to me as no other author does. The first time I read her prose I got that prickly neck thing that I’d thought was made up. I adored her writing, both prose and her ‘catterel’ (which is much better than she seemed to know). I’m devastated. Can’t bear it. I always meant to meet her, when my health and her appearances made it possible, but I never did. My heart goes out to John and the rest of the family.
And this reminds me: Man, DAW was really kicking it back in the 1970s/80s, weren’t they? Tanith Lee, C.J. Cherryh, Michael Moorcock, Jack Vance, Andre Norton, Jo Clayton — I have so many of those yellow-spined books on my shelf (and many more from after they dropped the yellow, including Mercedes Lackey).
So sad to hear of Tanith Lee’s passing. She was always a favorite. I met her years ago and we all had great talks and times. Sorry I wasn’t able to keep in touch or keep up with her writing as I would have liked. She will be greatly missed by everyone.
aszanoni @@@@@ 8: I am shocking underread in Lee. I doubt I have more than 20 of her books… so for me it would a journey of discovery.
Her Red as Blood was one of my favourites in 1982-1984, because it combined amazing writing with a mmpb edition that fit into the inside breast pocket of my uniform without leaving a betraying bulge.
Loved Silver Metal Lover as a young adult. I still reread it when I’m down in the dumps.
Oh my God. What a loss. Her writing has meant so much to me over the years. So many of her books are comfort reads I turn to again and again.
Condolences to her family and friends.
A wonderful writer and a loss to us all. Rest In Peace.
RIP, Ms. Lee, and thanx for all the great, often thought-provoking stories.
Ms. Lee’s website has posted this: “Though we come and go, and pass into the shadows, where we leave
behind us stories told – on paper, on the wings of butterflies, on the
wind, on the hearts of others – there we are remembered, there we work
magic and great change – passing on the fire like a torch – forever
and forever. Till the sky falls, and all things are flawless and need…
no words at all.” Tanith Lee
Does anyone know what this is from?? It is just beautiful!! I’d love to know what work of hers it is part of.
Of all of her wondrous sf and fantasy, I sometimes like to recommend one of her lesser renowned works, Volkhavaar, a slender 1977 fantasy that would likely come out as “paranormal romance” these days. But it captures her amazing ability to work with the foundations of Myth and faith, and it includes a captivating piece of post-modern sorcery, wherein a sword is deconstructed magically and a killing undone.
So sorry to hear this. She was a wonderful writer in every genre she tried her hand at. Guess I’ll dig out my favorites and re-read now. Condolences to her family and friends.
Such sad news.
She was an author hero of mine and her writing is part of what inspired me to make my own worlds.
Thank you for the stories; for the dark and shimmer. Sleep well and dream.
Distraught to hear this. She was a role model for me growing up.
She was a legend, a goddess; her work was incredible and I cannot believe she has gone. So glad I got to meet her, the first time in Brighton ’87. RIP sweet lady.
Sigh…
This saddens me deeply, though I am touched to see others commenting about how much her writing mattered to them. Her writing was such an important part of my life through my late teens/early twenties, a joy and a solace during years that were generally pretty crappy. I’ll never forget the very first thing I read by her – “The Dry Season,” in a Science Fiction Book Club edition of Flashing Swords #5. (I date myself with that one.) It was a revelation. I will dig out my old DAW copy of Sung in Shadow, and read it again, in her honor. May her journey thrive.
Oh my god, I just learned about this. So, so sad! The Silver Metal Lover is one of my favorite books! And Night’s Master…oh my. A little of Azhrarn found its way into my own writing. RIP Ms. Lee! And thank you.
As a teenager, the flat earth series was the first genuine blend of fantasy and mythology that I read. Decades later, I still haven’t seen the better. Her writing style was captivating, and it sparked in me a life passion for reading. Most great books of fiction still spark that memory. I am saddened to hear of her passing. A true and classic storyteller.
OMG! I just learned about her death. She’s my favorite author. How did I not know she was gone from the planet? I was looking for one of her books on eBay and I saw her obituary posted for sale. What a shock, I feel ill. I’m devastated and shaken. I knew she hadn’t been very well but had no idea her health was so poor.
The idea that we wont have any more of her books and stories fills me with sadness. She was a goddess of storytelling. Tanith Lee, we hardly knew ye. You left us far too soon.
Loved your books when I was younger and had more free time. Apparently I’ve only touched on your 90(!) books. So sad that you have passed dear Tanith Lee. Thank you for the “butterfly wings” you have left with my heart. Perhaps I will be able to read more of your works in this lifetime.
Because in a kinder world this would have been Tanith Lee’s 68th birthday, I’m going to read The Birthgrave.
The Blood Opera Sequence and Elephantasm will always be my favorites. :)