I first met Hal last year at a convention; we signed books side by side this summer, and I found him to be witty and gracious, always eager to know what the next day would bring. The world will surely miss his intelligence and optimism.

Hal's most famous novel is, of course, Mission of Gravity. The planet Mesklin is a gigantic, fast-spinning world with gravity varying hugely from poles to equator. The story is told from the viewpoint of a native adventurer and a human companion trekking across its surface. It was after chatting with Hal this summer that I finally got to read this fascinating book.

Hal wrote two more Mesklin novels, Close to Critical and Star Light. Other novels included Iceworld, Cycle of Fire, The Nitrogen Fix, Still River, and Half Life.

Hal's most recent novel, Noise, was published earlier this year by Tor Books. He was reportedly working on something new at the time of his death.

Harry Clement Stubbs is survived by his wife of over fifty years, Mary, and his children George and Richard Stubbs and Christine Heusel.

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