(1931-1979) UK psychologist and computer scientist perhaps best known for his nonfiction books Cults of Unreason (1973) – a witty and surprisingly sympathetic study of various aspects of Pseudoscience, in particular UFO cults and Scientology – and The Mighty Micro: The Impact of the Computer Revolution (1979; rev vt The Mighty Micro: The Impact of the Micro-Chip Revolution 1980). His enthusiasm for sf brought him into contact with the field at several points; he was billed as science editor of New Worlds 1967-1969 and gave talks at some 1970s UK Conventions. "The Dreams of the Computer" (May 1969 New Worlds) suggested a highly speculative model for human dreaming in terms of Computer program overload. He was a technical consultant for The Tomorrow People and a contributing editor of Omni. His anthologies Mind at Bay (anth 1969) and Mind in Chains (anth 1970) interestingly explore the borderlands between sf and psychological Horror: J G Ballard and John Sladek appear in both. [DRL]

[Dr] Christopher Riche Evans

born Aberdovey, Wales: 29 May 1931

died 10 October 1979

works

nonfiction (selected)

• Cults of Unreason (London: Harrap, 1973) [hb/]
• The Mighty Micro: The Impact of the Computer Revolution (London: Victor Gollancz, 1979) [hb/]
  • The Mighty Micro: The Impact of the Micro-Chip Revolution (London: Hodder and Stoughton/Coronet Books, 1980) [rev vt of the above: pb/nonpictorial]
• Science Fiction as Religion (Frome, Somerset: Bran's Head Books, 1981) with Stan Gooch (1932-    ) [chap: pb/]

works as editor

• Mind at Bay: eleven horror stories (London: Panther Books, 1969) [anth: pb/]
• Mind in Chains: fourteen horror stories (London: Panther Books, 1970) [anth: pb/]

links

Previous versions of this entry

• 25/10/2006