Results 1 to 9 of 9
-
15th Feb 2010, 11:32 AM #1
Dick Francis has died at the age of 89
Originally Posted by BBC
-
15th Feb 2010, 11:47 AM #2horse racing-based crime novelsPity. I have no understanding of the word. It is not registered in my vocabulary bank. EXTERMINATE!
-
15th Feb 2010, 12:12 PM #3
Well, actually you say that, there are lots of other pretenders to his throne of racing- based crime novels.
This isn't unexpected. Rumour has it much of his later work was written by his late wife and then, as Phil noted in conjunction with his son, but I'm sure this news will make his fans (of which there are many, believe me) very sad indeed.
Si xx
I've just got my handcuffs and my truncheon and that's enough.
-
15th Feb 2010, 12:45 PM #4
Sorry, I didn't mean that to come across in a derogatory way.
Pity. I have no understanding of the word. It is not registered in my vocabulary bank. EXTERMINATE!
-
15th Feb 2010, 12:48 PM #5
Was it always a horse that was murdered?
Si.
-
15th Feb 2010, 12:52 PM #6
I've only read 2 of his books (or the same book twice) , so the running joke in our house when Mrs M reads one is 'Is that the one with the crooked vet in it ? '
Mr Francis clearly had an issue with crooked vets (or I've been very selective in the ones I read )Bazinga !
-
15th Feb 2010, 2:14 PM #7
There might be a few crooked vets, but there's also a few cute ones - that's based on reading the story rather than seeing it , and multiple times that the hero has ended up in bed with them!
-
15th Feb 2010, 6:38 PM #8
Sad news indeed, although he had a good innings at his 89 years. I've always been a big fan of Dick Francis work, and will miss new works from a man who surely was a master of his craft. Steve may have been right enough with his observation that Francis was a one-man genre...while others have added to the genre, none even manage to come close to Francis in terms of quality.
And while it's also easy to pigeon-hole Francis as a writer of thrillers based around the world of horse-racing, it's not strictly true either. Admittedly that's the case with many of his novels, but he's better described as a writer of thrillers connected with horses; and at times it's a very tenuous connection - such as an artist who likes painting horses, for example, being the horsey connection in In The Frame - but the plots more often than not revolve around other things such as hurricane-chasing, transport, catering, journalism, glass-blowing(!), banking and restraunts to name but a few...sure, some sound more interesting than others but Francis had the knack of bringing even the most mundane of subjects to life in an entertaining and exciting fashion. Even a typical by-the-numbers whodunnit set on a train trip across Canada, the type of subject covered by practically every thriller/mystery writer in the world, stands out.
I thought it was a nice touch, in that article linked above, where his family simply said that he died of old age. It's a phrase you hardly ever hear these days, when every minute detail of someone's illness/death is commonplace news on a daily basis.
Dick Francis, RIP. You will truly be missed by your many fans the world over.
-
15th Feb 2010, 7:06 PM #9
One more thing, regarding Phil's comment about rumours of Francis' wife Mary writing some of his novels...while this statement isn't strictly true, there is more than an element of truth in it. It was one of the writing industry's worst-kept secrets, and in fact Francis didn't try to hide the fact. I remember reading in an interview a long time ago that Francis regarded himself as part of a writing partnership with his wife, who he wished to receive a co-writing credit on the novels she was involved with. But she repeatedly declined...it's notable that there was a gap of around 6 years or so between Francis novels after his wife died; and once he returned to writing, the new novels were to be co-written with his son Felix (who does get a co-writing credit on the cover).
Similar Threads
-
Lis Sladen has died.
By SiHart in forum Adventures In Time and SpaceReplies: 86Last Post: 20th Apr 2012, 10:45 AM -
Sneak Peek at Upcoming Philip K. Dick Movie
By Philipnet in forum Film and TelevisionReplies: 1Last Post: 29th Jan 2010, 3:54 PM -
Ali Bongo has died
By Milky Tears in forum Film and TelevisionReplies: 9Last Post: 18th Mar 2009, 9:17 PM -
Stu Francis Catchphrases
By Paul Monk in forum General ForumReplies: 18Last Post: 2nd Mar 2009, 5:19 PM -
Whatever happened to Julian, Anne, Dick and George?
By MacNimon in forum Film and TelevisionReplies: 0Last Post: 20th Mar 2008, 9:39 PM
PSAudios 6.1. Bless You Doctor Who
[/URL] (Click for large version) Doctor Who A thrilling two-part adventure starring Brendan Jones & Paul Monk & Paul Monk Bless You,...
23rd Nov 2020, 3:02 PM