Brian Stableford

[Connavar]

Anyone here read this author ?

I read a short story i liked called Mortimer Gray's History of Death.

Was wondering about his work.

 

[j d worthington]

At this point I've only read a handful of things by him, but based on that (a few scattered stories in anthologies and one of his novels) I'd suggest giving more of his work a try. Nesa sent me some more of his books some time ago, which I hope to get around to reasonably early next year (all things permitting).

 

[iansales]

Stableford's been writing since the early 1970s and has written a lot of sf novels. Those I've read have been good. Here's his bibliography... Brian Stableford

 

[Connavar]

I read his story in my 20 Years of Year's Best SF cause i was interested finding more Hard sf authors and he was exactly what i was looking for.

Alot of science mixed with human emotions,issues and smooth prose compared to other modern Hard SF authors i have read.

I was interested in collections or books with his far future,posthuman,genetic,emortality. Just like the short story i mentioned.

Fantasticfiction page which i always check out when i read new authors didnt say anything about his rated stories of the type im looking for.

I know he wrote a vampire book,has Stoker Award noms but i want another good SF author to read not a fantasy,horror one.

 

[j d worthington]

Well, I wouldn't call that one strictly horror. He gives the entire thing a very hard science basis, and deals realistically with his characters given such a setting. That may make it sound like I Am Legend, but the only connection is these very general trends; otherwise they are vastly different books, and Empire of Fear is, in its own way, very much on a par with Matheson's novel in quality....

 

[Ian Whates]

Anyone who loves old-style space opera but wants to see it done differently should get hold of Brian's Hooded Swan (or Star Pilot Grainger) novels.

He takes the tropes of space opera and has fun with them, turning them on their heads and gives us a wonderfully laconic anti-hero as a central character in the process.

I've been fortunate enough to publish original stories twice from Brian in recent years, in the anthologies disLOCATIONS (2007) and Celebration (2008), and it was a real thrill to do so.

 

[Connavar]

Anyone who loves old-style space opera but wants to see it done differently should get hold of Brian's Hooded Swan (or Star Pilot Grainger) novels.

He takes the tropes of space opera and has fun with them, turning them on their heads and gives us a wonderfully laconic anti-hero as a central character in the process.

I've been fortunate enough to publish original stories twice from Brian in recent years, in the anthologies disLOCATIONS (2007) and Celebration (2008), and it was a real thrill to do so.

Sounds good but im not looking for Space Opera.

I will read the novels,stories of him that are more Hard SF to start with.

Im looking for a writer a bit heavy on science and who can tell a good story around it right now. Im looking for modern versions of my favorit classic Hard SF writers.

Not really fan of space opera and i have had to read it thanks Cherryh,Reynolds not so long ago.

 

[Omphalos]

I dont think Ive ever read any of Stableford's novels, but I love his shorter works, and Mortimer Gray's History of Death is one of my favorite by him. Stableford also does a lot of encyclopedic work. He was a major contributer to Nichols (and then Clute's) Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. I also have a book called The Dictionary of SF Places by him that I enjoyed. I remember reading some essays by him in Monad a long time ago too.

 

[Pyan]

I've got his Daedalus Mission series...not bad, but nothing worth shouting about, IMHO.

One of those authors whose name ring a bell, but I'd be hard-pushed to name a book by him...

 

[Ian Whates]

One of those authors whose name ring a bell, but I'd be hard-pushed to name a book by him...

That's a shame, Pyan, because the six Hooded Swan novels are minor classics. They were collected by the short-lived Big Engine imprint in an omnibus edition a few years ago: Swan Songs: The Complete Hooded Swan Collection: Brian Stableford: Amazon.co.uk: Books Although, in my opinion, the Amazon reviewer understates their quality here.

Empire of Fear is also well worth reading -- a world dominated by a Vampiric aristocracy (drawing on many genuine historical figures) and the story of one man's quest to discover how and where vampirism first blighted humanity.

Then there are his emortality novels, telling of a future world where science has supplanted religion and human life can be greatly prolonged (for the priveleged) by use of said science. Brian's most philosophical SF novels, while not short on the action either.

 

[iansales]

The Genesys trilogy of Serpent's Blood, Salamander's Fire and Chimera's Cradle are, IIRC, hard sf. They're quite good. Here's Brian's own thoughts on the books.

 

[Connavar]

That's a shame, Pyan, because the six Hooded Swan novels are minor classics. They were collected by the short-lived Big Engine imprint in an omnibus edition a few years ago: Swan Songs: The Complete Hooded Swan Collection: Brian Stableford: Amazon.co.uk: Books Although, in my opinion, the Amazon reviewer understates their quality here.

Empire of Fear is also well worth reading -- a world dominated by a Vampiric aristocracy (drawing on many genuine historical figures) and the story of one man's quest to discover how and where vampirism first blighted humanity.

Then there are his emortality novels, telling of a future world where science has supplanted religion and human life can be greatly prolonged (for the priveleged) by use of said science. Brian's most philosophical SF novels, while not short on the action either.

I think i will start with Emortality novels. The short story i read was about the same thing.

Have you read The Fountains of Youth ? It seems to be a novel version of Mortimer Gray's History of Death short story i read.

The Vampire book is a given if i come to like his novels.

 

[dask]

Stableford's RHAPSODY IN BLACK was an excellent read if anyone's interested.

 

[GeoffNelder]

I like Brian but I had to argue with him on a Winchester Annual Writer's Conference. He declared that apocalyptic scifi was dead, so don't write it. I couldn't let that go especially knowing Day after Tomorrow was coming, and more so, that my own Left Luggge trilogy was basically apocalyptic.

Brian's The Way to Write Science Fiction is worth a read but I wish he'd included an index.

Geoff

 

[Bick]

There's not a lot of discussion of Brian Stableford on the forums, it seems. I found this old thread, so as I'm on a mini-Stableford binge, I thought I'd post a few thoughts here. I was interested to note that Stableford is so highly appreciated over on this site here, and this caused me to reassess the author and look for some of his work. I've had to scour the used-books stores for his books, but that's no bad thing in a sense (I love the thrill of the chase and getting a good deal).

Any-road, I just read Cradle of the Sun, and I liked it a good deal. Stableford is a very literary and accomplished writer I think. 'Cradle' is a book of ideas, concerning the value of 'humanity' and how this could be considered separate to intelligence. Its also a quest novel, where the protagonists have to travel across a strange land in search of danger and their fate. Shades of 'Wizard of Oz', here I think, as well as works like 'Hothouse' and 'Hyperion' (without all the back stories). The strange far future world (ostensibly earth, but pretty much unrecognisable) also reminded me of the kind of fantastical worlds created by the likes of PJ Farmer and Jack Chalker. Its a very short novel (bless it) and I'd recommend it if you fancy a change of pace toward idea-driven snappy 60's SF.

I've also obtained a copy of Halcyon Drift, the first in the Star-Pilot Grainger/Hooded Swan novels, which I'm about to start. Also very short, I'm really looking forward to this. I've ordered the second in the series, Rhapsody in Black, too.

Finally, another one I picked up for about $4 at my favourite used book store is entitled The Walking Shadow. Anyone read this and have any thoughts on it?

And is anyone else out there a fan of Stableford? This thread wasn't commented on for about 5 years, so its quite possible some fans might have joined since then. (Though the lack of comment might mean that no-one reads him!)

 

[Ray McCarthy]

I liked some of the Grainger novels very much (Promised Land etc), I'd like more of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Stableford

BUT
I hated the "The Werewolves of London" and it was like as if written by someone else. Tedious and a far too dark and with detail description of sexual perversion. I never finished it. I was a convinced Brian Stableford Fan till then. Now I couldn't recommend him at all.

Perhaps shows advantage of different Pen Name for different Genres?

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Yes, very much a fan, especially his outstanding The Empire Of Fear which Imo is his finest work.