Acclaimed author and creator of the long-running show ER passed away Tuesday, his family said, after a long, private battle with cancer.

Most famous for his novel Jurassic Park, he authored another two dozen, including The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Sphere, Disclosure, The Lost World, Timeline, Prey, State of Fear, and Next. He was a strong voice in the scientific community, even going so far as to testify in front of a Congressional hearing on climate change, after the release of State of Fear, in which he questioned global warming.

On a personal note, Michael Crichton was easily my favorite author. Jurassic Park was the first “big” novel that I read (I still remember that it was 399 pages), and I read through it at least 10 times. He was likely the primary, major contributor to my love for fiction and storytelling. My prayers are with the Crichton family.