[Shaun]

Not on news sites yet but all over Twitter (reliable sources on there anyway). Passed away from cancer of the gallbladder this morning, aged 59

[Roy Mars III]

I am huge fan of his Culture sci-fi books. He announced that he was terminal a year or so ago.

[jackc1806]

RIP. Terrible news, read some of the interviews when he was diagnosed and he seemed like a down to earth, intelligent guy.

[Shaun]

actual article up now (on the BBC)

Author Iain Banks has died aged 59, two months after announcing he had terminal cancer, his family has said.

The Scottish writer revealed in April he was suffering from terminal gall bladder cancer and was unlikely to live for more than a year.

He was best known for his novels The Wasp Factory, The Crow Road and Complicity.

In a statement, his publisher said he was "an irreplaceable part of the literary world".

Little, Brown Book Group said the author was "one of the country's best-loved novelists" for both his mainstream and science fiction books.

"Iain Banks' ability to combine the most fertile of imaginations with his own highly distinctive brand of gothic humour made him unique," it said.

After announcing his illness in April, Banks asked his publishers to bring forward the release date of his latest novel, The Quarry, so he could see it on the shelves.

"Just three weeks ago he was presented with finished copies and enjoyed celebration parties with old friends and fans across the publishing world," Little, Brown said.

Banks had described being "hugely moved" by the public support for him through his website.

"Still knocked out by the love and the depth of feeling coming from so many people; thank you, all of you," he wrote on Banksophilia last month.

The Wasp Factory, Banks' first novel, was published in 1984 and was ranked as one of the best 100 books of the 20th Century in a 1997 poll conducted by book chain Waterstone's and Channel 4.

The writer also wrote sci-fi titles under the name Iain M Banks. His most recent book, The Hydrogen Sonata, was released last year.