George Alec Effinger

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George Alec Effinger (born January 10, 1947 in Cleveland , Ohio , † April 27, 2002 in New Orleans , Louisiana ) was an American science fiction writer. He became known for his partly surreal and partly humorous stories.

Life

Effinger was the son of George Paul Effinger and Ruth, nee Uray. He studied at Yale University in 1965 and 1969, and New York University in 1968 , but never graduated. In 1970 he took part in the Clarion Science Fiction Writers' Workshop founded by Robin Scott Wilson and was represented in the first Clarion anthology with three short stories the following year . In the same year he published four more stories.

His first novel What Entropy Means to Me was nominated for the Nebula Award in 1972 . Nevertheless, for many years he was primarily considered to be a short story writer. The following year, The City of the Sands was nominated for the Hugo Award . In 1988 he won the Nebula Award, the Hugo Award and the Japanese Seiun Prize with the short story Schrödinger's Kitten . In addition to his literary works he wrote from the early 1970s and scripts for a number of Marvel - Comics .

The fact that his novels were considered comparatively little inspired may have something to do with the circumstances in which they were written. Effinger was already burdened with considerable health problems at a relatively young age. The costs arising from these made him write his second novel, Relatives , to pay hospital bills. Similar reasons made him the author of a number of novel versions of the television series Planet of the Apes , as novel versions and tie-ins leave little creative freedom, but are relatively well paid for.

The financial consequences of an operation eventually led to an economic blockade that lasted for many years, as the hospital's lawyers seized the rights to his work, which is only possible in the state of Louisiana . Eventually Effinger managed to regain ownership of the rights to his work. But due to the direct and indirect consequences of his health problems, his ability to work was severely restricted at times and especially in the last years of his life. These consequences included an addiction to pain medication, depression and alcohol problems.

The story Schrödinger's Kitten belongs to the cycle of the fantastic world of Budayeen , a kind of French Quarter transformed into the Arab-Islamic world , oscillating between the Arabian Nights and cyberpunk . The first story from the Budayeen world was The City on the Sand , published in 1973. Budayeen finally gave Effinger recognition and supporters as a novelist, with his Budayeen trilogy around the protagonist Marîd Audran, whose first volume When Gravity Fails (1987) was also nominated for Hugo and Nebula Awards. Other groups of short stories that should be mentioned are the cycles about the swordsman Maureen Birnbaum , collected in Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordperson: The Complete Stories (1993), and the dystopian world of Sandor Courane , which also includes the novel The Wolves of Memory (1981 ) heard.

Effinger married Diana Smith in 1969. In his second marriage, he was married to the artist Beverly Kandrac from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. In 1998 he married the well-known science fiction and fantasy writer Barbara Hambly and lived with her in Los Angeles, where he wrote for the website of the television soap As the World Turns . The marriage was divorced after 2 years after the two discovered that living together was not working. In 2000 Effinger returned to New Orleans, where he died in 2002.

He and Hambly had remained close friends after the divorce, and Hambly became the administrator of his literary estate. Together with Marty Halpern, the editor and editor of the Gryphon Press publishing house , she endeavored to get a new edition of Effinger's stories, some of which were no longer available in print. The result was three collections, the first of which with stories from the Buyadeen world, Buyadeen Nights (2003), Halpern had put together with Effinger. It was followed by George Alec Effinger Live! From Planet Earth (2005), an introductory selection of his best stories compiled by his friends and colleagues, and finally in 2007 A Thousand Deaths , a collection of the short stories about Sandor Courane .

Author Laura Joh Rowland called George Alec Effinger her late mentor.

bibliography

Novels

  • What Entropy Means to Me (1972)
  • Relatives (1973)
  • Nightmare Blue (1975, with Gardner Dozois )
  • Felicia (1976)
  • Those Gentle Voices: A Promethean Romance of the Spaceways (1976)
  • Death in Florence (1978, later reissued under the title Utopia 3 )
  • Heroics (1979)
  • Utopia 3 (1980, reissue of Death in Florence )
  • The Wolves of Memory (1981)
    • English: The wolves of memory. 1986, 3-453-31322-4.
  • The Nick of Time (1985)
    • German: Zeitknick. 1990, 3-453-04305-7.
  • Shadow Money (1988)
  • Look Away (1990)
  • The Red Tape War (1990, with Mike Resnick and Jack L. Chalker )
  • The Zork Chronicles (1990)
Planet of the Apes ( tie-ins to the TV series )
  • 1 Man the Fugitive (1974)
    • English: Hunting on the planet of the apes. Pabel (Terra Paperback # 287), 1977.
  • 2 Escape to Tomorrow (1975)
    • English: Terror on the planet of the apes. Pabel (Terra Paperback # 290), 1977.
  • 3 Journey into Terror (1975)
    • English: Caught on the planet of the apes. Pabel (Terra Paperback # 293), 1977.
  • 4 Lord of the Apes (1976)
Nick of Time
  • The Nick of Time (1985)
  • The Bird of Time (1986)
Marîd Audran (trilogy from the Budayeen world)
  • When Gravity Fails (1987)
    • German: The end of gravity. 1991, 3-453-05367-2.
  • A Fire in the Sun (1989)
    • English: A fire in the sun. 1991, 3-453-05368-0.
  • The Exile Kiss (1991)
    • English: The kiss of exile. 1993, 3-453-06626-X.

The titles of the first two volumes come from texts by Bob Dylan : “When Gravity Fails” from the song “Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues” and “A Fire in the Sun” from “It's All Over Now, Baby Blue”.

Effinger had started work on the fourth volume Word of Night in the series. However, he only finished the first two chapters. These were 2003 u. a. published with further material under the title Budayeen Nights .

Short stories

  • The Eight Thirty to Nine Slot (1971)
  • "The Westfield Heights Mall Monster" (1971)
  • All the Last Wars at Once (1971)
  • The Awesome Menace of the Polarizer (1971)
  • Wednesday November 15, 1967 (1971)
  • A Free Pass to the Carnival (1971)
  • Trouble Follows (1971)
  • f (x) = (11/15/67) x = her, f (x)! = 0 (1972)
  • Things Go Better (1972)
  • Timmy Was Eight (1972, as Susan Doenim)
  • Live, from Berchtesgaden (1972)
  • Early to Bed (1972)
  • Sand and Stones (1972)
  • Lights Out (1973)
  • New New York New Orleans (1973)
  • Rod Marquand's Jungle Adventure (1973)
  • The Ghost Writer (1973)
  • Hard Times (1973)
    • German: Hard times. In: End times. 1978.
  • Relatives (1973)
  • The City on the Sand (1973)
  • Two Sadnesses (1973)
  • Naked to the Invisible Eye (1973)
  • The First Step (1973, as John K. Diomede)
  • The Jewel in the Ash (1973, as John K. Diomede)
  • And Us, Too, I Guess (1973)
    • German: Endzeit. In: End times. 1978.
  • Dem Bones (1973, as John K. Diomede)
  • At the Bran Foundry (1973)
    • German: In the bran foundry. In: End times. 1978.
  • World War Two (1973)
  • Ashes All My Lust (1974)
  • Biting Down Hard on Truth (1974)
    • German: The hard core of the truth. In: End times. 1978.
  • Heartburn in Heaven (1974, as Susan Doenim)
  • Poets and Humans (1974)
  • Steve Weinraub and the Secret Empire (1974)
  • This Writing "Game" (1974)
  • Paradise Last (1974)
  • Heartstop (1974)
  • Curtains (1974)
  • How It Felt (1974)
    • German: feelings. In: End times. 1978.
  • The Horse with One Leg (1974)
  • 25 Crunch Split Right on Two (1975)
    • German: flashback. In: End times. 1978.
  • The Mothers' March on Ecstasy (1975)
  • Lydectes: On the Nature of Sport (1975)
  • Contentment, Satisfaction, Cheer, Well-Being, Gladness, Joy, Comfort, and Not Having to Get Up Early Any More (1976)
  • Chase Our Blues Away (1976)
  • Target: Berlin! (1976)
  • BKA The Master (1976)
  • The Stuff of Legend (1977, as Susan Doenim)
  • Ibid. (1977)
  • Mom's Differentials (1977)
  • From Downtown at the Buzzer (1977)
  • The Exempt (1977)
  • Strange Ragged Saintliness (1978)
  • The Last Full Measure (1978)
  • The Pinch Hitters (1979)
  • The Depression of 1980 (1979)
  • Breakaway (1981)
  • Terrific Park (1981)
  • Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson (1982)
  • My Old Man (1982)
  • The Thing from the Slush (1982)
  • In the Wings (1982)
  • Opening Night (1982)
  • The Royal Annie (1982)
  • The Wooing of Slowboat Sadie (1982)
    • English: The advertisement for Schlepper-Sadie. In: Terry Carr (ed.): The most beautiful science fiction stories of the year: Volume 3. Heyne SF&F # 4165, 1985, ISBN 3-453-31123-X .
  • Born Yesterday (1982)
  • The Man Outside (1983)
  • The World of Pez Pavilion: Preliminary to the Groundbreaking Ceremony (1983)
  • Afternoon Under Glass (1983)
  • Mars Needs Beatniks (1984)
  • White Hats (1984)
  • Two Bits (1984)
  • How F. Scott Fitzgerald Became Beloved in Springfield (1984)
  • The Artist Passes It By (1984)
  • The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything (1984)
  • The Man Who Decided the Truth About Todd and Adriana's Baby (1984)
    • English: The man who determined the truth about Todd and Adriana's baby. In: Ronald M. Hahn (Ed.): The shadow of starlight. Heyne SF&F # 4315, 1986, ISBN 3-453-31311-9 .
  • The Day the Invaders Came (1984)
  • The Beast from One-Quarter Fathom (1985)
  • Unferno (1985)
  • Babes on Bawd Way (1985)
  • The Bird of Time Bears Bitter Fruit (1985)
  • From the Desk Of (1986)
  • The Funny Trick They Played on Old McBundy's Son (1986) with Jack C. Haldeman, II
  • Maureen Birnbaum at the Earth's Core (1986)
    • German: Maureen pear tree in the center of the earth. In: Ronald M. Hahn: The wilderness of a large city. Heyne SF&F # 4438, 1987, ISBN 3-453-00468-X .
  • The Wisdom of Having Money (1986)
  • Yesterday's Gone (1986)
  • Skylab Done It (1987)
  • The Man Who Devoured Literature (1987)
  • Maureen Birnbaum on the Art of War (1987)
  • Maureen Birnbaum on the Art of War (as told to Bitsy Spiegelman Fein) (1987)
  • So Shall Ye Reap (1987)
  • Glimmer, Glimmer (1987)
  • Another Dead Grandfather (1987)
  • King of the Cyber ​​Rifles (1987)
    • German: King of the Cyberschützen. In: Michael Nagula (ed.): Atomic Avenue. Heyne SF&F # 4704, 1990, ISBN 3-453-04287-5 .
  • Put Your Hands Together (1988)
  • Slow, Slow Burn (1988)
  • Schrödinger's Kitten (1988)
  • The Nolacon Visitation (1988, with numerous other authors)
  • Posterity (1988)
  • Talking Heads (1988)
  • CHESS.BAT: A New Wave Story (1989)
  • Everything But Honor (1989)
  • Terminal (1989)
  • Marîd Changes His Mind (1989)
  • The Origin of the Polarizer (1989)
  • Irresistible (1989)
  • Maureen Birnbaum After Dark (1989)
  • Chopped Liver (1989)
  • Shrunk (1990)
  • The Exile Kiss (Preview) (1990)
  • No Prisoners (1990)
  • Double Dribble (1990)
  • Look Away (1990)
  • Fatal Disk Error (1990)
  • The Riddle of the Czars (1990)
  • Maureen Birnbaum Goes Shopynge (1991)
  • Who Dat (1991)
  • The Reinvention of War (1991)
  • The Last Supper and a Falafel to Go (1991)
  • Prince Pat (1992)
  • The World as We Know It (1992)
  • Water of Life (1992)
  • Mango Red Goes to War (1992)
  • Albert Schweitzer and the Treasures of Atlantis (1993)
  • Beast (1993)
  • The Ugly Earthling Murder Case (1993)
  • Maureen Birnbaum and the Saint Graal (1993)
  • Maureen Birnbaum at the Looming Awfulness (1993)
  • Maureen Birnbaum's Lunar Adventure (1993)
  • The Wicked Old Witch (1993)
  • Good Night, Duane Allman (1994)
  • Housebound (1994)
  • The Fifteen-Minute Falcon (1994)
  • Martian Memorial to Elvis Sighted (1994)
  • Maureen Birnbaum on a Hot Tin Roof (1994)
  • Shootout at Gower Gulch (1994)
  • The Musgrave Version (1995)
  • One (1995)
  • Maureen Birnbaum in the MUD (1995)
  • Marîd and the Trail of Blood (1995)
  • Seven Nights in Slumberland (1996)
  • The Great God Quay: The Tale of Barada and the Weequays (1996)
  • Mars: The Home Front (1996)
  • Maureen Birnbaum Pokes an Eye Out (1996)
  • Solo in the Spotlight (1997)
  • Marîd Throws a Party (2003)
  • The Plastic Pasha (2003)
  • Walking Gods (2004)
Collections
  • Mixed Feelings (1974)
  • Irrational Numbers (1976)
  • Dirty tricks (1978)
  • Idle Pleasures (1983)
  • The Old Funny Stuff (1989)
  • Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordperson: The Complete Stories (1993)
  • Budayeen Nights (2003)
  • George Alec Effinger Live! From Planet Earth (2005)
  • A Thousand Deaths (2007)

German collection:

  • Mars needs beatniks: fantastic stories, satires and grotesques. Translated, edited and introduced by Michael Nagula . Luchterhand Collection # 794, 1988, ISBN 3-630-61794-8 .

comics

  • Wasteland - on a Weirdling World ( Creatures on the Loose # 18, Marvel, July 1972)
  • The Long Road to Nowhere ( Creatures on the Loose # 19, Marvel, September 1972)
  • Moon of Madness, Moon of Fear! ( Chamber of Chills # 1, Marvel, November 1972)
  • What Price Victory? ( Creatures on the Loose # 20, Marvel, November 1972)
  • More Than Blood! ( Journey into Mystery # 2, Marvel, December 1972)
  • Two Worlds to Win! ( Creatures on the Loose # 21, Marvel, January 1973)
  • All the Shapes of Fear! ( Chamber of Chills # 3, Marvel, March 1973)
  • Thongor! Warrior of Lost Lemuria! ( Creatures on the Loose # 22, Marvel, March 1973)
  • Where Broods the Demon! ( Creatures on the Loose # 23, Marvel, May 1973)
  • Red Swords, Black Wings! ( Creatures on the Loose # 24, Marvel, July 1973)
  • The Wizard of Lemuria! ( Creatures on the Loose # 25, Marvel, September 1973)
  • The Mouse Alone! ( Sword of Sorcery # 5, Marvel, November / December 1973)
  • Heartstop ( Haunt of Horror # 1, Marvel, May 1974)
  • More Than Blood! ( Doomsday # 17, KG Murray, July 1974)
  • All the World Wars at Once! ( Fantastic Four # 161, Marvel, August 1975)
  • Neil and Buzz in Space and Time # 1 (Fantagraphics, April 1989)

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Robin Scott Wilson (Ed.): Clarion: An Anthology of Speculative Fiction and Criticism from the Clarion Writers' Workshop . Signet / New American Library, 1971, OCLC 631012 .
  2. ↑ The story The Capitals Are Wrong is variously mentioned as Effinger's first short story published in 1970. She appears as part of False Premises in the legendary, as yet unpublished third vision anthology by Harlan Ellison . It is unclear whether the information refers to an earlier acceptance of the story for the anthology or to an otherwise unproven publication.
  3. ↑ Barbara Hambly: Introduction to Buyadeen Nights . 2003.
  4. ↑ Known today as Beverly K. Effinger. She has lived in Bayreuth since 1997 .
  5. ↑ Official website of the author Laura Joh Rowland: [1] (English)
personal data
SURNAME Effinger, George Alec
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Diomede, John K. (pseudonym); Doenim, Susan (pseudonym); Nobody, O. (pseudonym); Spiegelman, E. Taylor (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American science fiction writer
DATE OF BIRTH January 10, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Cleveland , Ohio
DATE OF DEATH April 27, 2002
Place of death New Orleans , Louisiana