(1962- ) US technical author and author, married to Rebecca Moesta; he began publishing sf with "Luck of the Draw" in Space and Time (Winter 1982/1983 #63), and gradually became a prolific contributor of short fiction and articles to various sf journals, over 100 items having been published by 1992. His first novel, Resurrection, Inc. (1988; vt Resurrection, Inc: Tenth Anniversary Edition 1999), combines elements of the usual sf near-future Dystopia with elements of the horror novel, reanimated bodies serving a corrupt society as a worker-class. There followed the Gamearth trilogy – Gamearth (1989), Gameplay (1989) and Game's End (1990) – which treats with some verve a Game-World crisis involved the coming to life of game-bound personas who (or which) refuse to be cancelled. More interestingly, Lifeline (1990) with Doug Beason sets up and solves a technically complex sequence of problems in space after a nuclear Holocaust (the result of a USSR-US Cold War contretemps of the sort which, unluckily for the authors, had in the months before publication abruptly become much less likely) has stripped four habitats of all Earth support; the Filipino station boasts a Genetic-Engineering genius who can feed everyone, a US station has the eponymous monofilament, and so on. Some of the protagonists carrying on the quadripartite storyline are of interest in their own right. If one puts aside the whiplashes of Earth's realtime history, the book stands as a fine example of Hard SF and a gripping portrayal of the complexities of near space. The Trinity Paradox (1991), also with Beason, treats the now-standard sf Time-Paradox tale with overdue seriousness, suggesting that untoward moral consequences attend the sudden capacity of its protagonist – who has undergone an accidental Timeslip back to Los Alamos in 1943 – to stop nuclear testing in its tracks.
After the beginning of the 1990s, Anderson's career bifurcated. While continuing to generate standalone novels, solo or with others, he began as well to participate in Shared-World enterprises, notably Star Wars, contributing at least 30 titles [see Checklist below] to its various sub-universes, but also Star Trek and X-Files and others. Though it is sometimes difficult to detect a personal note in such enterprises, Anderson's contributions are marked by vigour and good sense. Some of his non-tie collaborations are of interest: for the Dune sequels and prequels, see Brian Herbert; Slan Hunter (December 2006-April 2007 Jim Baen's Universe; 2007) completes A E van Vogt's partial draft of a sequel to his Slan (September-December 1940 Astounding; 1946; rev 1951). In 2012 he received the Grandmaster Scribe Award for career achievement in media Ties.
His own work remains various. Climbing Olympus (1994) is an adventure set on a Mars whose surgically-altered inhabitants are estranged by the Terraforming of the planet. A tale like Blindfold (1995) may depend too heavily on its conspiracy thriller roots to convey much of a coherent grasp of the structure of the Telepathy-dominated colony planet which serves as its venue, but the stories assembled in Dogged Persistence (coll 2001), which mix Ties and autonomous works, demonstrate the clean force of his writing at its best. Anderson's clearly long-held interest in The War of the Worlds (April-December 1897 Pearson's; 1898) by H G Wells has generated a theme anthology, War of the Worlds: Global Dispatches (anth 1996), assembling a set of stories directly derived from Wells's narrative; and, with Rebecca Moesta under the joint pseudonym Gabriel Mesta, The Martian War: A Thrilling Eyewitness Account of the Recent Invasion As Reported by Mr. H.G. Wells (2005; vt The Martian War 2012 as by Anderson solo), which continues in the same vein. On a vaster, more broad-gauge scale, the Saga of Seven Suns – a Space Opera sequence comprising The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 1: Hidden Empire (2002), The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 2: A Forest of Stars (2003), The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 3: Horizon Storms (2004), The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 4: Scattered Suns (2005), The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 5: Of Fire and Night (2006), The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 6: Metal Swarm (2007) and The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 7: Ashes of Worlds (2007) – pits human civilizations and their allies against enemies whose motives are initially obscure; the venue is a Spiral Arm of our galaxy; the action is unfailingly constant. A spin-off series, Saga of Shadows set in the Saga of Seven Suns universe starts with The Dark Between the Stars (2015). The Hellhole sequence, comprising Hellhole (2011), Hellhole: Awakening (2013) and Hellhole Inferno (2014), all with Brian Herbert, is also broad-gauge space opera. Anderson may be an author whose ambitions seem more extensive than intensive; but the glad energy of many of his enterprises is quite possibly reward enough. [JC]
see also: Grey Goo; Medicine; Nuclear Energy; Reincarnation; Telekinesis.
Kevin James Anderson
born Oregon, Wisconsin: 27 March 1962
died
works
series
Gamearth Trilogy
- Gamearth (New York: New American Library, 1989) [Gamearth Trilogy: pb/Dean W Morrissey]
- Gameplay (New York: New American Library, 1989) [Gamearth Trilogy: pb/Dean W Morrissey]
- Game's End (New York: New American Library, 1990) [Gamearth Trilogy: pb/Dean W Morrissey]
Afterimage
- Afterimage (New York: Penguin Books, 1992) with Kristine Kathryn Rusch [pb/Richard Hescox]
- Afterimage/Aftershock (Stone Mountain, Georgia: Meisha Merlin Publishing, 1998) with Kristine Kathryn Rusch [expansion of above plus the book-length "Aftershock": pb/Kevin Murphy]
Craig Kreident, Special Agent
Dune series
Dune: Prelude to Dune
Dune: Legends of Dune
Dune: Frank Herbert's Original Dune Chronicles
Dune: Origins Trilogy
Dune: Caladan Trilogy
Saga of Seven Suns
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 1: Hidden Empire (New York: Aspect, 2002) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 2: A Forest of Stars (New York: Aspect, 2003) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns: Veiled Alliances (New York: Wildstorm/DC Comics, 2004) [graph: Saga of Seven Suns: illus/Robert Teranishi and Wendy Fouts-Broome (uncredited): hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 3: Horizon Storms (New York: Aspect, 2004) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 4: Scattered Suns (New York: Aspect, 2005) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 5: Of Fire and Night (New York: Aspect, 2006) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 6: Metal Swarm (New York: Orbit US, 2007) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
- The Saga of Seven Suns, Book 7: Ashes of Worlds (New York: Orbit US, 2007) [Saga of Seven Suns: hb/Stephen Youll]
Saga of Seven Suns: Saga of Shadows
Crystal Doors
Terra Incognita
Hellhole Trilogy
Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I.
- Death Warmed Over (New York: Kensington Books, 2012) [Dan Shamble: pb/Mark Fredrickson]
- Unnatural Acts (New York: Kensington Books, 2012) [Dan Shamble: pb/]
- Hair Raising (New York: Kensington Books, 2013) [Dan Shamble: pb/]
- Slimy Underbelly (New York: Kensington Books, 2013) [Dan Shamble: pb/Mark Frederickson]
- Working Stiff: The Cases of Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2015) [coll: Dan Shamble: pb/Jeff Herndon]
- Zomnibus (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2015) [omni of the above coll with the novel Death Warmed Over: hb/Jeff Herndon]
- Services Rendered (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2018) [coll: hb/Jeff Herndon]
Arcane America
- Uncharted (New York: Baen Books, 2012) with Sarah A Hoyt [Arcane America: pb/Dave Seeley]
Wake the Dragon
- Spine of the Dragon (New York: Tor, 2019) [Wake of the Dragon: hb/Lars Grant-West]
- Vengewar (New York: Tor, 2021) [Wake the Dragon: hb/Lars Grant-West]
individual titles
- Resurrection, Inc (New York: New American Library, 1988) [pb/Alex Ebel]
- Lifeline (New York: Bantam, 1990) with Doug Beason [pb/Bob Eggleton]
- The Trinity Paradox (New York: Bantam, 1991) with Doug Beason [pb/Chris Hopkins]
- Assemblers of Infinity (New York: Bantam, 1993) with Doug Beason [expansion of September-December 1992 Analog serial: hb/Pamela Lee]
- Climbing Olympus (New York: Warner, 1994) [pb/Mark Harrison]
- Ill Wind (New York: Tor/Forge, 1995) with Doug Beason [hb/Tim Jacobus]
- Born of Elven Blood (New York: Byron Preiss Visual Publications, 1995) with John Betancourt [hb/John Howe]
- Blindfold (New York: Warner, 1995) [pb/Stephen Youll]
- Mirage (London: Headline Feature, 1996) with F Paul Wilson [hb/]
- Masque (New York: Warner Books/Aspect, 1998) with F Paul Wilson [hb/Fred Gambino]
- Ai Pedrito! When Intelligence Goes Wrong (Los Angeles, California: Bridge Publications, 1998) [novel version of an L Ron Hubbard story: pb/Peter Green and Mike Manoogian]
- Captain Nemo (New York: Pocket Books, 2001) as K J Anderson [pb/Keith Birdsong]
- Hopscotch (New York: Bantam Books, 2002) [pb/Bruce Jensen]
- Artifact: A Daredevils Club Adventure (New York: Tor/Forge, 2003) with Janet Berliner (1933- ), Matthew J Costello and F Paul Wilson [hb/Tony Greco]
- The Martian War: A Thrilling Eyewitness Account of the Recent Invasion As Reported by Mr. H.G. Wells (New York: Pocket Books, 2005) with Rebecca Moesta, writing together as Gabriel Mesta [hb/Bob Eggleton]
- The Martian War (London: Titan Books, 2012) as Kevin J Anderson [vt of the above: pb/]
- Rough Draft (no place given: Fictionwise, 2006) with Rebecca Moesta [story: ebook: first appeared January 2005 Analog: na/]
- Slan Hunter (New York: Tor, 2007) with A E van Vogt [completion by Anderson of portion drafted in 1984 by Van Vogt, first appeared December 2006-April 2007 Jim Baen's Universe: Slan: hb/Bruce Jensen]
- Slan & Slan Hunter (New York: Science Fiction Book Club, 2007) [omni of the above plus 1951 rev of Slan: Slan: hb/Vincent Di Fate]
- Mr Wells & the Martians (Colorado Press, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2020) [pb/]
- Stake (New York: Severn House, 2021) [hb/]
collections
- Dogged Persistence (Urbana, Illinois: Golden Gryphon Press, 2001) [coll: hb/Dave Dorman]
- Landscapes (Waterville, Maine: Five Star, 2006) [coll: hb/]
ties
Star Wars ties
Star Wars: Jedi Academy
Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Heirs of the Force (New York: Berkley, 1995) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy (New York: Berkley, 1995) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: The Lost Ones (New York: Berkley, 1995) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers (New York: Berkley, 1996) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Darkest Knight (New York: Berkley, 1996) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Jedi Under Siege (New York: Berkley, 1996) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Shards of Alderaan (New York: Berkley, 1997) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Diversity Alliance (New York: Berkley, 1997) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Delusions of Grandeur (New York: Berkley, 1997) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Jedi Bounty (New York: Berkley, 1997) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: The Emperor's Plague (New York: Berkley, 1997) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Return to Ord Mantell (New York: Berkley, 1998) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Trouble on Cloud City (New York: Berkley, 1998) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Crisis at Crystal Reef (New York: Berkley, 1998) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Jedi Sunrise (New York: Berkley, 2003) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Jedi Shadow (New York: Berkley, 2009) with Rebecca Moesta [tie to Star Wars: Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: pb/Dave Dorman]
Star Wars
Star Wars ties as editor
other ties
series
X-Files
Star Trek
Titan A.E.
Clockwork Angels
- Clockwork Angels (Toronto: ECW Press, 2012) [tie to the band Rush's eponymous album: Clockwork Angels: hb/]
- Clockwork Lives (Toronto: ECW Press, 2015) with Neil Peart [coll of linked stories: tie to the band Rush's album as above: hb/Nick Robles]
Arcane America
- Uncharted (New York: Baen Books, 2018) with Sarah A Hoyt [Arcane America: hb/Dave Seeley]
Selected Stories
- Selected Stories: Science Fiction, Volume 1 (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2018) [coll: Selected Stories: pb/]
- Selected Stories: Fantasy (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2018) [coll: Selected Stories: hb/]
- Selected Stories: Horror and Dark Fantasy (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2018) [coll: Selected Stories: hb/]
- Selected Stories: Science Fiction, Volume 2 (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2018) [coll: Selected Stories: hb/]
individual titles
- Endless Quest: Siege of the Tower (Geneva, Wisconsin: TSR, 1994) with Rebecca Moesta writing together as by Kem Antilles [tie to Endless Quest: pb/Jeff Easley]
- The Outer Limits: Armageddon Dreams (place not known: Quadrillion Media, 1999) with Harlan Ellison [tie: novelization of four episodes of the television series: The Outer Limits: pb/]
- Fantastic Voyage: Microcosm (New York: Onyx, 2001) [the Isaac Asimov Fantastic Voyage sequence of books and film: pb/]
- StarCraft #2: Shadow of the Xel'Naga (New York: Pocket Books, 2001) with Rebecca Moesta as by Gabriel Mesta [pb/Bill Petras]
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (New York: Pocket Books, 2003) [tie: novelization of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: pb/]
- Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (New York: Onyx Books, 2004) as K J Anderson [tie: novelization of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow: pb/]
- King Kong: The Island of the Skull (New York: Pocket Star, 2005) [tie as prequel to the film: King Kong: pb/]
- The Last Days of Krypton (New York: Harper Entertainment, 2007) [tie: Superman: hb/James Jean]
- Enemies & Allies (New York: HarperCollins/Morrow, 2009) [tie to The Batman and Superman: hb/George Brewer]
- Tau Ceti (Rockville, Maryland: Arc Manor/Phoenix Pick, 2011) [anth: through inclusion of an additional associated story by Steven Savile: in the publisher's Stellar Guild series: pb/]
- Rage (New York: Ballantine Books/Del Rey, 2011) [tie: novelization of the First Person Shooter game: Rage: pb/]
- Tucker's Grove (Rockville, Maryland: Arc Manor/Phoenix Pick, 2011) [coll: pb/]
works as editor
series
Blood Lite
individual titles
nonfiction works as editor
links
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