Bill Crider pointed me to the sad news that the novelist known as Trevanian (aka Rodney Whitaker) has died.
The author used at least five different writing names but was best known as
Trevanian, The New York Times said. He died Wednesday of chronic heart disease,
his agent told Saturday`s newspaper.In addition to the ‘Eiger Sanction,’ Trevanian`s international best sellers
included 1979`s ‘Shibumi’ and ‘The Loo Sanction’ in 1973. His 10 known published
books sold more than 5 million copies and were translated into at least 14
languages.
I remember when I was a kid reading SHIBUMI and thinking the sex scenes were really hot, particularly the one where the hero made love to a woman by stroking her with razor blades (which included an author’s note not to try this technique at home unless you were well trained in the erotic arts. Sadly, I dropped out without getting my diploma).
Awww, man…I’m sorry to hear this. As a yoot, I must have read SHIBUMI five or six times. Not only were the sex scenes as hot as reported, I was in love with the author’s pop culture version of Japanese philososphy. Nicolai Hel is a great character. And in THE EIGER SANCTION and THE LOO SANCTION, Trevanian came up with one of the greatest character names ever: the hero’s boss was an albino named Yurassis Dragon. Great stuff.
“I remember when I was a kid reading SHIBUMI and thinking the sex scenes were really hot, particularly the one where the hero made love to a woman by stroking her with razor blades”
Amazingly I don’t remember that part of the book, but I do remember the novel as being the gateway to Basque culture and thus, Basque food. Sounds like he lived a long and wonderful life from the wikipedia link.
Well that is a shame. A remarkable number of people have SHIBUMI as a visceral part of their adolescent literary memories. I was always surprised how many people read it when I mentioned I was reviewing it for work.
Tonight, I drink scotch and watch Eiger Sanction in his memory.
Gives whole new meaning to the term G.E.D.
BEST DAMN WRITER OF MY TIME, BAR NONE, THIS GUY GOT HIS FACTS STREGHT !
And his spelling write!