Bestselling author Wilbur Smith died “suddenly” Saturday at home in Cape Town, South Africa.
He was 88.
‘Wilbur Smith was an icon, larger than life, beloved by his fans who collected his books in hardbacks and passed his work down through generations, fathers to sons and mothers to daughters. His knowledge of Africa, and his imagination knew no limitations,” his literary agent, Kevin Conroy Scott, said in a statement.
“His work ethic and his powerful, elegant writing style made him known to millions. I cherish the role of working side by side with his wife Niso and the Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation to keep the flame of his fictional universe alive for many years to come.”
No cause of death was announced.
Across a five-decade career, Smith penned 49 novels, jumping from gold mines in South Africa to pirates in the Indian Ocean to World War II Germany.
But it was “River God,” the story of a eunuch slave named Taita in ancient Egypt, that brought him the most acclaim.
His most recent novel, “The New Kingdom,” was published in August.
“Wilbur never lost his appetite for writing and remained working every day of his life,” Kate Parkin, part of his management team at publisher Bonnier Books UK, said in a statement.
“He leaves behind him a treasure-trove of novels, as well as completed and yet to be published co-authored books and outlines for future stories. It has been a privilege and an honor to work closely with him on this remarkable publishing legacy and we look forward to sharing them with his millions of fans worldwide in years to come.”
Smith’s fourth wife, Mokhiniso Rakhimova, was at his side when he died.
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