Ian McDonald (British author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian McDonald
|
|
|---|---|
Ian McDonald at SFeraKon 2010 in Zagreb
|
|
| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Science fiction |
Ian McDonald (born in 1960) is a British science fiction writer. He lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland. His stories often explore new technologies like nanotechnology. They also look at how fast social and technological changes affect different cultures around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Influences
Ian McDonald was born in 1960 in Manchester, England. His father was Scottish, and his mother was Irish. When he was five years old, he moved to Belfast, where he still lives today. He grew up during a difficult time in Northern Ireland called the Troubles (1968–1999). This experience helped him understand how older cultures are affected when new societies are formed over them.
Becoming a Writer
McDonald sold his first story when he was 22 years old to a local magazine in Belfast. By 1987, he became a full-time writer. He also worked as a TV consultant in Northern Ireland. He even helped write scripts for Sesame Tree, a show like Sesame Street made for Northern Ireland.
Early Novels and Martian Adventures
McDonald's first novel was Desolation Road, published in 1988. This book takes place far in the future on Mars. It tells the story of a town that grows around an oasis in the Martian desert, which has been changed to be more like Earth. He wrote a follow-up book called Ares Express in 2001.
The Chaga Saga: Earth and Alien Life
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 explore what happens when a strange alien plant life comes to Earth. They also look at the AIDS crisis in Africa.
The main character is Gaby McAslin, a journalist from Northern Ireland. 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 view of a young Kenyan girl who goes to the UK but is sent back to Kenya.
McDonald once said that the idea of an unstoppable wave of change in his books came from the movie The Wrath of Khan. He saw it as a way to talk about colonialism, new technology, and how the world changes.
Stories from Around the World
McDonald's book River of Gods (2004) is set in India in the middle of the 21st century. It won the BSFA Award and was nominated for a Hugo Award. His novel Brasyl (2007) takes place in Brazil in both the 18th and 21st centuries. This book also won the BSFA award and was nominated for a Hugo Award.
Young Adult and Lunar Adventures
In 2011, McDonald started his Everness series, which is for young adult readers. The first book was Planesrunner. He explained that he wanted to write different kinds of science fiction books. He didn't want to keep writing only about developing economies like India or Brazil. He has written two more Everness books: Be My Enemy (2012) and Empress of the Sun (2014).
In 2015, McDonald published Luna: New Moon. This was the first book in a science fiction series about the Moon. It explores the dangerous secrets of five powerful families who control businesses on the Moon. McDonald described it as "Game of Thrones in space." Before the book was even released, there were plans to turn Luna into a TV show. The next book, Luna: Wolf Moon, came out in March 2017. The third novel, Luna: Moon Rising, was released in March 2019. He also wrote a shorter story called "The Fifth Dragon," which is a prequel to Luna.
In April 2018, McDonald released Time Was. This is a novella about time travel and a romance between two men.
Awards and Recognition
Ian McDonald has won many awards for his science fiction writing.
- 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
He has also been nominated for many other important awards, including:
- Nebula Award for Best Novelette (1989): Unfinished Portrait of the King of Pain by Van Gogh
- Arthur C. Clarke Award (1990): Desolation Road
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2005): River of Gods
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2008): Brasyl
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2011): The Dervish House
See also
- List of science-fiction authors
External resources
- Ian McDonald at Fantastic Fiction
