Ian McDonald (British author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian McDonald
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Ian McDonald at SFeraKon 2010 in Zagreb
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| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Website | |
Ian McDonald (born in 1960) is a British science fiction writer. He lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His stories often explore big ideas like nanotechnology and how fast social and technological change affects different societies around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Home
Ian McDonald was born in 1960 in Manchester, England. His father was Scottish and his mother was Irish. When he was five years old, his family moved to Belfast, where he has lived ever since. He grew up during a time called the Troubles (1968–1999). This was a period of conflict in Northern Ireland. Living through this time helped shape his understanding of how older cultures change when new ways are introduced.
Starting His Writing Journey
Ian McDonald sold his very first story when he was 22 years old. It was published in a local magazine in Belfast. By 1987, he became a full-time writer, focusing completely on his books. He also worked as a TV consultant in Northern Ireland. He even helped write scripts for a children's show called Sesame Tree, which was part of the Sesame Workshop family.
Exploring New Worlds: His Novels
Ian McDonald is known for creating amazing and detailed worlds in his science fiction books.
Adventures on Mars
His first novel was Desolation Road, published in 1988. This story takes place far in the future on Mars. It's about a town that grows around an oasis in the Martian desert, after the planet has been changed to support life. He wrote a follow-up book called Ares Express in 2001.
The Chaga Saga: Earth's Transformation
Between 1995 and 2000, McDonald wrote a series of books known as the 'Chaga Saga'. This includes the novels Chaga (also called Evolution's Shore) and Kirinya, plus a shorter story called Tendeléo's Story. These books tell about a strange alien plant life that comes to Earth. They also look at how a serious health crisis affected Africa.
The main character is a journalist named Gaby McAslin from Ulster. She observes the African landscape and sees how a special "UN quarantine zone" affects Kenya and its people. Gaby's story, along with her daughter's, continues in Kirinya. Tendeléo's Story is told from the point of view of a young Kenyan girl. She escapes to the UK but is sent back to Kenya because she is not wanted there.
McDonald once said that the idea of an unstoppable wave of change came from the movie The Wrath of Khan. He saw it as a powerful way to talk about new technology, globalization, and how things change. He imagined this alien plant life as a unique kind of change. It allowed people in poorer parts of the world to use it and make it work for their own needs, giving them power.
India, Brazil, and Beyond
McDonald's novel River of Gods (2004) is set in India in the middle of the 21st century. This book won the BSFA Award and was nominated for the Hugo Award and the Arthur C. Clarke Award. His book Brasyl (2007) takes place in South America, in both the 18th and 21st centuries. It also won the BSFA award and was nominated for the Hugo Award.
Journeys for Young Readers
In 2011, McDonald started a series of books for young adults called Everness. The first book was Planesrunner. He explained in an interview that he didn't want to keep writing the same types of science fiction books over and over. He wanted to try something new. He has written two more books in the Everness series: Be My Enemy (2012) and Empress of the Sun (2014).
Life on the Moon
In 2015, McDonald published Luna: New Moon. This was the first book in a science fiction series set on the Moon. It explores the dangerous secrets and power struggles between five powerful families who control industries on the Moon. McDonald described it as "Game of Thrones in space" or "Dallas in space" because of the family rivalries. Even before it was released, Luna was considered for a TV series. The next book, Luna: Wolf Moon, came out in 2017. A third novel, Luna: Moon Rising, was released in 2019. He also wrote a shorter story called "The Fifth Dragon," which is a prequel to Luna.
In 2018, McDonald released Time Was, a time travel romance story.
Awards and Recognition
Ian McDonald has won many awards for his writing, and his books have been nominated for even more!
Awards He Won
- Locus Award – First Novel (1989): Desolation Road
- Philip K. Dick Award – Best Collection (1991): King of Morning, Queen of Day
- BSFA Award – Best Short Fiction (1992): Innocents
- Kurd Laßwitz Award (1999): Sacrifice of Fools
- Theodore Sturgeon Award (2001): Tendeléo's Story
- BSFA Award – Best Novel (2004): River of Gods
- Hugo Award for Best Novelette (2007): The Djinn's Wife
- BSFA Award – Best Novel (2007): Brasyl
- John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2011): The Dervish House
- BSFA Award – Best Novel (2011): The Dervish House
- Gaylactic Spectrum Award – Best Novel (2016): Luna: New Moon
Awards He Was Nominated For
- Nebula Award for Best Novelette (1989): Unfinished Portrait of the King of Pain by Van Gogh
- Arthur C. Clarke Award (1990): Desolation Road
- Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (1992): King of Morning, Queen of Day
- Arthur C. Clarke Award (1993): Hearts, Hands, and Voices
- BSFA Award for Best Novel (1992): Hearts, Hands, and Voices
- World Fantasy Award—Short Fiction (1994): Some Strange Desire
- Philip K. Dick Award (1994): Scissors Cut Paper Wrap Stone
- BSFA Award for Best Novel (1994): Necroville
- BSFA Award for Best Novel (1995): Chaga
- John W. Campbell Memorial Award (1996): Chaga
- Arthur C. Clarke Award (2005): River of Gods
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2005): River of Gods
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2008): Brasyl
- Warwick Prize for Writing (2008/9) and reached prize longlist announced in November 2008: Brasyl
- John W. Campbell Memorial Award (2008): Brasyl
- Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2008): Brasyl
- Nebula Award for Best Novel (2008): Brasyl
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2011): The Dervish House
- Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2011): The Dervish House
- Arthur C. Clarke Award (2011): The Dervish House
- BSFA Award for Best Novel (2015): Luna: New Moon
- Philip K. Dick Award (2018): Time Was
- Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2018): Luna: Wolf Moon
- Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel (2020): Luna: Moon Rising
More About Ian McDonald
Related Topics
- List of science-fiction authors
- List of English writers (K–Q)
Online Resources
- Ian McDonald at Fantastic Fiction
