William Sleator | Fantasy writer, 66

William Sleator, 66, a writer for young people whose books pitted their heroes against aliens, ghouls, and slimy things, not to mention the most malevolent rivals of all - siblings - died Wednesday in Bua Chet, Thailand.

The cause had not been determined, his brother Daniel said Friday. He added that Mr. Sleator, who had struggled with alcoholism for many years, had been having seizures recently.

Working in a genre that straddled fantasy, science fiction, horror, and suspense, Mr. Sleator (pronounced "Slater") wrote more than 30 books. Most were for young adults, though some were aimed at middle-grade readers. Critics praised his spare, stylish, often darkly comic prose; hurtling plots; and deliciously strange characters.

His best-known novels include Interstellar Pig (1984), involving a youth who is drawn into an all-too-real role-playing game, and House of Stairs (1974), about teenagers trapped in a malign behavioral experiment.

He was also known for The Green Futures of Tycho (1981), in which a boy travels forward in time and meets his adult self. The protagonist was named for Mr. Sleator's youngest brother, Tycho; early on, he often co-opted family and friends as characters until, he later said, he had run out of friends in every sense.

His writing prowess was manifest early. At 6, he wrote a novel - a novella, really - that showed a noteworthy command of rhythm, pacing, irony, and above all rhetorical repetition. Titled "The Fat Cat," it is published here in its entirety: "Once there was a fat cat. boy was she fat. Well, not that fat. But pretty fat."

- N.Y. Times News Service