Ansible reports the death of Michael de Larrabeiti. The English novelist and travel writer, born on 18 August 1934, died 18 April 2008 after a long illness. He is best known for writing The Borrible Trilogy, which is frequently cited as an influence by writers in the New Weird movement.
The trilogy of young adult novels—The Borribles (1976), The Borribles Go for Broke (1981), and The Borribles: Across the Dark Metropolis (1986)—are set in London, and may be considered a subversion of the genre. Their graphic violence and strong language are symptoms of a strong anti-authoritarian flair. The Borribles—runaway children whose ears become pointed as a sign of their independence and cunning—are anti-materialistic. They cease to age unless caught by the “Woolies,” the police who think the Borribles are a threat to the social order. Wikipedia has a fuller discussion of the books.