Godwin is known for his novels of legendary figures placed in realistic historical settings, written in a lyrical yet precise prose style and sardonic humor. His retelling of parts of the
Arthur legend,
Firelord in 1980,
Beloved Exile in 1984, and
The Lovers: The Legend of Tristan and Yseult in 1999 (under the pseudonym Kate Hawks) is set in the 5th century during the collapse of the
Roman Empire, and his reinterpretation of
Robin Hood (
Sherwood, 1991, and
Robin and the King, 1993) takes place during the
Norman Conquest and features kings
William the Conqueror and
William Rufus as major characters. His other well-known works include
Waiting for the Galactic Bus (1988) and its sequel,
The Snake Oil Wars, which is also known as
The Snake Oil Variations, in 1989. These were humorous critiques of American
pop culture and religion. His short fiction has appeared in several anthologies. His short story "Influencing the Hell out of Time and Teresa Golowitz" was the
basis of an episode of the television series
The Twilight Zone. Godwin was also at various times a radio operator, a research technician, a professional actor, an advertising man, a dishwasher and a maitre d' hotel. In 2011, he was the Guest of Honor at the World Fantasy Con. He was placed in a close care facility in 2012 due to a decline in his long- and short-term memory. He died in 2013. ==Reception==