Hugh Cook (science fiction author) facts for kids

Hugh Cook was an author who wrote exciting stories that mixed fantasy and science fiction. He was born on August 9, 1956, and passed away on November 8, 2008. Many people really loved his books, especially his famous series called The Chronicles of an Age of Darkness.

About Hugh Cook

Early Life and Travels

Hugh Walter Gilbert Cook was born in Essex, England, in 1956. When he was a young child, he moved to Ocean Island. This island is now known as Banaba Island in Kiribati. His time living near English castles and on an island close to the equator later gave him ideas for his stories.

He then moved to New Zealand, where he went to school.

Writing Career

Hugh Cook published his first novel, Plague Summer, in 1980. He was 24 years old at the time.

From 1986 to 1992, he wrote a big series of ten novels. This series was called The Chronicles of an Age of Darkness. He had planned to write many more books in this series, maybe up to 60! However, not enough copies were sold, so the other books were not published.

Life in Japan and Online Works

In 1997, Hugh Cook moved to Japan. He lived in Yokohama with his wife and daughter. While there, he taught English.

Later, he started publishing most of his new writings online. He shared his work on his website, Zen Virus. His online writings included poems, short stories, and even more novels. He also wrote very short stories called "flash fiction."

Later Years

In 2005, Hugh Cook had treatment for cancer. He wrote a book about his experience called Cancer Patient.

Sadly, Hugh Cook passed away on November 8, 2008. He died in a hospice in Auckland, New Zealand.