Gordon R. Dickson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gordon Rupert Dickson
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Dickson lecturing at Minicon in 1974
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| Born | November 1, 1923 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | January 31, 2001 (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Period | 1950–2001 |
| Genre | Science fiction, fantasy |
| Notable works | Childe Cycle |
Gordon Rupert Dickson (born November 1, 1923 – died January 31, 2001) was an American writer. He was famous for writing science fiction and fantasy stories. In 2000, he was honored by being added to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
Contents
Gordon Dickson's Life Story
Gordon Dickson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1923. When he was 14, he moved to Minneapolis with his mother. This happened after his father passed away.
He served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946. After his military service, he went to the University of Minnesota. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree there in 1948.
Gordon Dickson started his writing career in 1950. His first published short story was "Trespass!", which he wrote with Poul Anderson. It appeared in a magazine called Fantastic Stories Quarterly. Soon after, more of his stories were published.
He wrote many popular book series. These include the Childe Cycle and the Dragon Knight series. He won several important awards for his writing.
For much of his life, Gordon Dickson suffered from asthma. He passed away in 2001 due to problems caused by his severe asthma.
Gordon Dickson's Writing Style
Gordon Dickson often wrote about brave characters. Many of his stories featured mercenaries, who are soldiers who fight for money. He also created interesting alien characters. These aliens were often described as being more kind and lovable than humans.
His stories sometimes felt like old sagas or epic tales. He even included poetry in some of his works. He often set his stories in places that felt like the American Midwest, but with a touch of a serious, Nordic feel.
Amazing Books by Gordon Dickson
Gordon Dickson wrote many books. Here are some of his most famous series and other novels.
The Childe Cycle Series
This is one of Gordon Dickson's most well-known series. It is sometimes called the Dorsai series.
- Dorsai! (1959)
- Necromancer (1962)
- Soldier, Ask Not (1967)
- Tactics of Mistake (1971)
- The Spirit of Dorsai (1979)
- Lost Dorsai (1980)
- The Final Encyclopedia (1984)
- The Dorsai Companion (1986)
- The Chantry Guild (1988)
- Young Bleys (1991)
- Other (1994)
- Antagonist (with David W. Wixon) (2007)
The Dragon Knight Series
This fantasy series is about a character who becomes a dragon knight.
- The Dragon and the George (1976)
- The Dragon Knight (1990)
- The Dragon on the Border (1992)
- The Dragon at War (1992)
- The Dragon, the Earl, and the Troll (1994)
- The Dragon and the Djinn (1996)
- The Dragon and the Gnarly King (1997)
- The Dragon in Lyonesse (1998)
- The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent (2000)
The Hoka Series
This series was written with Poul Anderson. It features a fun alien race called the Hoka.
- Earthman's Burden (1957) (with Poul Anderson)
- Hoka! (1983) (with Poul Anderson)
- Star Prince Charlie (1983) (with Poul Anderson)
- Hokas Pokas! (2000) (with Poul Anderson)
Other Novels
Gordon Dickson wrote many other standalone novels.
- Alien from Arcturus (1956)
- Mankind on the Run (1956)
- Time to Teleport (1960)
- Naked to the Stars (1961)
- Spacial Delivery (1961)
- Delusion World (1961)
- The Alien Way (1965)
- Space Winners (1965)
- Mission to Universe (1965)
- The Space Swimmers (1967)
- Planet Run (1967) (with Keith Laumer)
- Spacepaw (1969)
- Wolfling (1969)
- None But Man (1969)
- Hour of the Horde (1970)
- Sleepwalkers’ World (1971)
- The Outposter (1972)
- The Pritcher Mass (1972)
- Alien Art (1973)
- The R-Master (1973)
- Gremlins, Go Home (1974) (with Ben Bova)
- The Lifeship (1977) (with Harry Harrison)
- Time Storm (1977)
- The Far Call (1978)
- Home from the Shore (1978)
- Pro (1978)
- Masters of Everon (1980)
- The Last Master (1984)
- Jamie the Red (1984) (with Roland Green)
- The Forever Man (1986)
- Way of the Pilgrim (1987)
- The Earth Lords (1989)
- Wolf and Iron (1990)
- The Magnificent Wilf (1995)
- The Right to Arm Bears (2000)
Short Story Collections
Gordon Dickson also published many collections of his short stories.
- Danger—Human (1970)
- Mutants (1970)
- The Star Road (1973)
- Ancient, My Enemy (1974)
- Gordon R. Dickson's SF Best (1978)
- In Iron Years (1980)
- Love Not Human (1981)
- The Man from Earth (1983)
- Dickson! (1984)
- Survival! (1984)
- Forward! (1985)
- Beyond the Dar Al-Harb (1985)
- Invaders! (1985)
- Steel Brother (1985)
- The Man the Worlds Rejected (1986)
- Mindspan (1986)
- The Last Dream (1986)
- The Stranger (1987)
- Guided Tour (1988)
- Beginnings (1988)
- Ends (1988)
- The Human Edge (2003)
Books for Kids
Gordon Dickson also wrote some adventure books specifically for younger readers.
- Secret under the Sea (1960)
- Secret under Antarctica (1963)
- Secret under the Caribbean (1964)
- Secrets of the Deep (1985) (This book combines the three stories above.)
Awards and Honors
Gordon Dickson received many awards for his amazing writing.
- In 1977, he won the Skylark Award. This award honors writers who have made a big contribution to science fiction.
- In 2000, he was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
He also won specific awards for his individual stories and novels:
- "Soldier, Ask Not" won for best short story in 1965.
- "Lost Dorsai" won for best novella (a short novel) in 1981.
- "The Cloak and the Staff" won for best novelette (a story longer than a short story but shorter than a novella) in 1981.
- "Call Him Lord" won for best novelette in 1966.
- August Derleth Award (from the British Fantasy Society)
- The Dragon and the George won for best novel in 1977.
See also
In Spanish: Gordon R. Dickson para niños
