I notice a post up today by Brian Murphy, announcing that fans raised funds for a grave marker and memorial for the unmarked resting place of Sword-and-Sorcery writer Charles R. Saunders.
Since I stumbled into some oblique coverage of Saunders recently, I redirect those interested to the news.
I do wonder how Saunders will fare, long-term, in the posthumous fame department. Will he be forgotten like the majority of writers? Will he eventually gain enough readers he escapes the inner circle of fans that keep his name going today?
In that same boat, in that same era, Karl Edward Wagner got much more play in the fantasy marketplace than Saunders. He wasn’t a top bestseller, but he was without question a Big Name. And those of us interested have seen his rep fade steadily away. A documentary film titled The Last Wolf: Karl Edward Wagner is coming up. Might spark a revival. Might be just another blip before the flatline.
Even if the grave is marked, do people seek it out to leave totemic offerings?
