Keith John Kingston Roberts (20 September 1935 – 5 October 2000) was an English
science fiction author
This is a list of noted science-fiction authors (in alphabetical order):
A
*Dafydd ab Hugh (born 1960)
*Alexander Abasheli (1884–1954)
*Edwin Abbott Abbott (1838–1926)
*Kōbō Abe (1924–1993)
* Robert Abernathy (1924–1990)
*Dan Abn ...
. He began publishing with two stories in the September 1964 issue of ''
Science Fantasy
Science fantasy is a hybrid genre within speculative fiction that simultaneously draws upon or combines tropes and elements from both science fiction and fantasy. In a conventional science fiction story, the world is presented as being scientif ...
'' magazine, "Anita" (the first of a series of stories featuring a teenage modern
witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
and her eccentric granny) and "Escapism".
Several of his early stories were written using the pseudonym Alistair Bevan. His second novel, ''
Pavane
The ''pavane'' ( ; it, pavana, ''padovana''; german: Paduana) is a slow processional dance common in Europe during the 16th century (Renaissance).
The pavane, the earliest-known music for which was published in Venice by Ottaviano Petrucci, ...
'', which is a collection of linked stories, may be his most famous work: an
alternate history
Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
novel in which the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
takes control of England following the assassination of Queen
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".
El ...
.
[Cox, F. Brett. "Keith Roberts".
''British fantasy and science-fiction writers since 1960''. 261 (2002): 336.]
Roberts wrote numerous novels and short stories and worked as an illustrator. His artistic contributions include covers and interior artwork for ''
New Worlds
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartn ...
'' and ''Science Fantasy'', later renamed ''Impulse''. He also edited the last few issues of ''Impulse'' although the nominal editor was
Harry Harrison.
Roberts' first novel, ''
The Furies
The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes ...
'', makes an appearance in the American TV series ''
Bones
A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...
'' in the third season's third episode "Death in the Saddle" (9 October 2007).
Roberts described himself as a political conservative and
an
anti-communist
Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, w ...
.
In later life, Roberts lived in
Salisbury
Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath.
Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...
. He was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
in 1990, and died of its complications in October 2000. Obituaries recalled him as a talented but personally "difficult" author, with a history of disputes with publishers, editors and colleagues.
[Ansible #160">David Langford – Keith Roberts, 1935–2000 David Langford, Ansible #160](_blank)
(November 2000)/ref>[David Langford – A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs SFX magazine, SFX magazine #73](_blank)
(January 2001)]
Partial bibliography
Novels
*''The Furies
The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes ...
'' (1966) – a traditional UK disaster tale. Adapted into a six-part thriller on BBC Radio 4 in May 1970.
*''Pavane
The ''pavane'' ( ; it, pavana, ''padovana''; german: Paduana) is a slow processional dance common in Europe during the 16th century (Renaissance).
The pavane, the earliest-known music for which was published in Venice by Ottaviano Petrucci, ...
'' (1968) – a collection of linked short stories
*''Anita'' (1970) – a collection of linked short stories
*''The Inner Wheel'' (1970) – a collection of linked short stories
*''The Boat of Fate'' (1971) – a historical novel set in Britain at the end of the Roman Empire's power
*''The Chalk Giants'' (1974) – a collection of linked short stories
*'' Molly Zero'' (1980) – a novel set in a dystopian
A dystopia (from Ancient Greek δυσ- "bad, hard" and τόπος "place"; alternatively cacotopiaCacotopia (from κακός ''kakos'' "bad") was the term used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1818 Plan of Parliamentary Reform (Works, vol. 3, p. 493). ...
future
*''Kiteworld
''Kiteworld'' is a novel by Keith Roberts published in 1985.
Plot summary
''Kiteworld'' is a novel in which men fly in kites at the borders of their land to defend against demons of legend.
Reception
Dave Langford reviewed ''Kiteworld'' for ''Wh ...
'' (1985) – originally published as linked short stories
*'' Kaeti & Company'' (1986) – linked short fiction
*''Gráinne
Gráinne (), sometimes anglicised Grania, is the daughter of king Cormac mac Airt in the Fianna Cycle of Irish mythology. She is one of the central figures in the Middle Irish text ''Finn and Gráinne'', as well as the 17th-century tale '' The ...
'' (1987) – slipstream fiction
*''The Road to Paradise'' (1989) – a thriller, without fantastic elements
*''Kaeti on Tour'' (1992) – linked short fiction
*''Drek Yarman'' (2000) - a novel set in ''Kiteworld'', serialized in Spectrum SF
Spectrum SF was a paperback format magazine that published short and serial length works of science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative an ...
Collections
*''Machines and Men'' (1973)
** "Escapism" (1964)
** "Therapy 2000" (1969)
** "Manscarer" (1966)
** "Boulter's Canaries" (1965)
** "Sub-Lim" (1965)
** "Synth" (1966)
** "The Deeps" (1966)
** "Breakdown" (1966)
** "The Pace That Kills" (1966)
** "Manipulation" (1965)
*''The Grain Kings'' (1976)
** "Weihnachtsabend" (1972)
** "The White Boat" (1966)
** "The Passing of the Dragons" (1972)
** "The Trustie Tree" (1973)
** "The Lake of Tuonela" (1973)
** "The Grain Kings" (1972)
** "I Lose Medea" (1972)
*''The Passing of the Dragons'' (1977) - selected stories from ''Machines and Men'' and ''The Grain Kings''
*''Ladies from Hell'' (1979)
** "Our Lady of Desperation" (1979)
** "The Shack at Great Cross Halt" (1977)
** "The Ministry of Children" (1975)
** "The Big Fans" (1977)
** "Missa Privata" (1976)
*'' The Lordly Ones'' (1986)
** "The Lordly Ones" (1980)
** "Ariadne Potts" (1978)
** "Sphairistike" (1984)
** "The Checkout" (1981)
** "The Comfort Station" (1980)
** "The Castle on the Hoop" (1986)
** "Diva" (1986)
*''A Heron Caught in Weeds'' (1987) – poetry collection, edited by Jim Goddard
*''Winterwood and Other Hauntings'' (1989) – ghost story collection, with an introduction by Robert Holdstock
Robert Paul Holdstock (2 August 1948 – 29 November 2009) was an English novelist and author best known for his works of Celts, Celtic, Nordic countries, Nordic, Goths, Gothic and Picts, Pictish fantasy literature, predominantly in the fanta ...
** "Susan" (1965)
** "The Scarlet Lady" (1966)
** "The Eastern Windows" (1967)
** "Winterwood" (1974)
** "Mrs. Cibber" (1989)
** "The Snake Princess" (1973)
** "Everything in the Garden" (1973)
Other
*''The Natural History of the P.H.'' (1988) – short essay about the "Primitive Heroine"
*''Irish Encounters: A Short Travel'' (1989) – essays about a trip to Ireland in 1978
*''Lemady: Episodes of a Writer's Life'' (1997) – autobiography, with fictional elements
Awards and nominations
Awards
* British Science Fiction Association Award
The BSFA Awards are literary awards presented annually since 1970 by the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) to honour works in the genre of science fiction. Nominees and winners are chosen based on a vote of BSFA members. More recently, m ...
1982 – Short fiction: "Kitemaster" ( ''Interzone'', Spring 1982)
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1986 – Short fiction: "Kaeti and the Hangman" (''Kaeti & Company'')
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1986 – Artist: Keith Roberts
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1987 – Novel: ''Gráinne''
Nominations
* Nebula Award
The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...
1971 – Best Novella: "The God House" ( ''New Worlds Quarterly'' No. 1, 1971)
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1980 – Novel: '' Molly Zero''
* Hugo Award
The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...
1981 – Best Novelette: "The Lordly Ones" ( ''Fantasy & Science Fiction'', March 1980)
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1985 – Novel: ''Kiteworld
''Kiteworld'' is a novel by Keith Roberts published in 1985.
Plot summary
''Kiteworld'' is a novel in which men fly in kites at the borders of their land to defend against demons of legend.
Reception
Dave Langford reviewed ''Kiteworld'' for ''Wh ...
''
* John W. Campbell Memorial Award
The John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, or Campbell Memorial Award, is an annual award presented by the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas to the author of the best science fiction no ...
1986 (Joint 3rd place): ''Kiteworld
''Kiteworld'' is a novel by Keith Roberts published in 1985.
Plot summary
''Kiteworld'' is a novel in which men fly in kites at the borders of their land to defend against demons of legend.
Reception
Dave Langford reviewed ''Kiteworld'' for ''Wh ...
''
* Nebula Award 1987 – Best Novella: "The Tiger Sweater" (''Fantasy & Science Fiction'', October 1987)
* Arthur C. Clarke Award
The Arthur C. Clarke Award is a British award given for the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year. It is named after British author Arthur C. Clarke, who gave a grant to establish the award i ...
1988: ''Gráinne''
References
External links
The Worlds of Keith Roberts
by Jim Goddard, Solaris Books (updated 9 October 2000)
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Keith
1935 births
2000 deaths
English science fiction writers
English fantasy writers
English illustrators
English graphic designers
Deaths from multiple sclerosis
Neurological disease deaths in England
People from Kettering
20th-century English novelists
BSFA Award for Best Artwork winner
20th-century British short story writers
English male novelists
20th-century English male writers