Dan Simmons facts for kids

Dan Simmons, born on April 4, 1948, is an American writer. He is famous for his exciting stories in science fiction and horror. He also writes fantasy and thriller books.

Dan Simmons is known for his Hyperion Cantos and Ilium/Olympos book series. Sometimes, his books mix different types of stories, like science fiction and horror, all in one novel! His book Song of Kali won a special award called the World Fantasy Award in 1985.

About Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons was born in Peoria, Illinois. He started writing stories when he was a kid. He wanted to amaze people with his tales.

He went to Wabash College and earned a degree in English in 1970. Then, in 1971, he got a Master's degree in Education from Washington University in St. Louis.

Dan Simmons worked as an elementary school teacher until 1989. He began writing short stories, but his writing career really took off in 1982. A famous writer named Harlan Ellison helped him get into a special writing workshop. Dan Simmons thought of Ellison as a great friend and mentor.

His short story "The River Styx Runs Upstream" won first prize in a contest. His first novel, Song of Kali, came out in 1985.

As of 2007, he lives in Longmont, Colorado.

Scary Stories (Horror Fiction)

Dan Simmons has written many scary stories. One of his well-known horror novels is Summer of Night, published in 1991. This book is about a group of kids in the 1960s. They team up to fight an old evil that scares their hometown in Illinois.

Another famous horror writer, Stephen King, praised Summer of Night. The book is similar to King's novel It. Both stories focus on small-town life and kids growing up while facing ancient evil.

A Winter Haunting, released in 2002, is a follow-up to Summer of Night. In this book, one of the main characters from the first story, Dale Stewart, is now an adult. He goes back to his childhood home to understand old mysteries.

Other books that feature characters from Summer of Night include Children of the Night (1992) and Fires of Eden (1994).

After Summer of Night, Dan Simmons mostly wrote science fiction. But in 2007, he wrote The Terror, which mixes history with horror. His 2009 book Drood is about the last years of writer Charles Dickens' life.

History and Adventure Stories

The Terror (2007) is a great example of Dan Simmons mixing horror with historical fiction. It tells a made-up story about Sir John Franklin's real-life journey. Franklin's expedition tried to find the Northwest Passage in the Arctic.

In the story, two ships get stuck in the ice. The captains and crew try to survive. But they are also hunted by a monster in the cold Arctic land. This novel was later made into a TV show.

Another historical adventure is The Abominable (2013). This book is about five climbers in the 1920s. They try to climb Mount Everest to find the body of a lost cousin.

Books Made into Movies and TV Shows

Many of Dan Simmons's books have been considered for movies or TV shows.

In 2004, it was announced that his books Ilium and Olympos would become a film. These books tell a huge story that spans 5,000 years and covers the whole solar system. They include ideas and characters from Homer's Iliad and Shakespeare's The Tempest.

In 2008, a director named Guillermo del Toro was planning to make a movie of Drood.

The Hyperion Cantos series was also planned for a movie by Warner Bros. in 2009. Later, in 2015, the TV channel Syfy announced they would make a miniseries based on the Hyperion Cantos. Actor Bradley Cooper was involved in this project. In 2021, Cooper and Warner Bros. started working on a movie version again.

The Terror (2007) was made into a 10-episode TV miniseries in 2018 by AMC. It received very good reviews when it came out.

Awards and Honors

Dan Simmons has won many awards for his writing. Here are some of the main ones:

Awards Won

Dan Simmons has also been nominated for many other awards, including the Hugo Award and the World Fantasy Award.

See also

In Spanish: Dan Simmons para niños