BUNCH, Chris 1943-2005

(Christopher R. Bunch)

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born 1943 in Fresno, CA; died of lung disease July 4, 2005, in Ilwaco, WA. Writer. Bunch, well known for the science-fiction "Sten" series, was an author of fantasy and science-fiction novels, as well as a television series script writer and author of nonfiction. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he was educated at the University of California at Los Angeles. During his early years, he mostly wrote for magazines such as Popular Science and Life, and during the 1960s was the managing editor of the underground magazine Open City, notable for being one of the first publications to print the work of Charles Bukowski. Bunch drew critical attention early on with his debut book, A Reckoning for Kings (1968), a nonfiction work drawing on his experiences in Vietnam. The book was a collaborative effort with Allan Cole, with whom Bunch would go on to produce many of his other writings. In addition to his Vietnam book, Bunch found great success writing for such television series as The Incredible Hulk, The A-Team, The Rockford Files, and Hunter during the late 1970s and early 1980s. With 1982's Sten Bunch began an eight-volume series of science-fiction novels with Cole that has been considered a landmark work by many critics and has sold millions of copies worldwide. He also collaborated with Cole on the "Dragon Master" trilogy (1993–95) and produced such solo works as The Seer King (1997) and The Warrior King (1999).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Los Angeles Times, July 11, 2005, p. B9.

Variety, July 25, 2005, p. 56.

ONLINE

SFCrowsnest.com, http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/ (August 14, 2005).