James White (author)

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For other persons named James White, see James White (disambiguation).

James White (April 7, 1928 - August 23, 1999) was a prolific Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories, and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending early years in Canada.

He is probably best-known as the author of the Sector General series of novels. The first novels were assembled from strung-together short stories, but later Sector General adventures were written as full-length novels. The first Sector General novel was published in 1962, and the last published posthumously in 1999. The short-story collection The Aliens Among Us (1969) is also related to the Sector General series, since it includes the Sector General story "Countercharm" and the quasi-Sector General story "Occupation: Warrior".

His novel The Watch Below is considered by some aficionados to be his finest work - a claustrophobic book describing the travails of parallel survivors of war (human) and accident (alien).

"The Silent Stars Go By" is an excellent example of alternative history. A Gaelic visitor to Alexandria, Egypt, realizes the industrial potential of a primitive steam engine constructed by Hero. The resulting society launches a starship in the year 1492.

Contents

[edit] Published works

[edit] Sector General

Note that there is also a novel named Star Surgeon by Alan E. Nourse.

Omnibus editions:

  • Beginning Operations (2001) contains Hospital Station, Star Surgeon and Major Operation.
  • Alien Emergencies (2002) contains Ambulance Ship, Sector General and Star Healer.
  • General Practice (2003) contains Code Blue - Emergency and The Genocidal Healer.

[edit] Other novels

  • The Secret Visitors (1957)
  • Second Ending (1962)
  • The Escape Orbit (1965) (alternate title: Open Prison)
  • The Watch Below (1966)
  • All Judgment Fled (1968)
  • Tomorrow is Too Far (1971)
  • Dark Inferno (1972) (alternate title: Lifeboat)
  • The Dream Millennium (1974)
  • Underkill (1979)
  • Federation World (1988)
  • The Silent Stars Go By (1991)
  • Earth:Final Conflict:First Protector (1999)

[edit] Collections

  • Deadly Litter (1964)
  • The Aliens Among Us (1969)
  • Monsters and Medics (1977) (includes Second Ending)
  • Futures Past (1982) (includes the Sector General story "Spacebird")
  • The White Papers (1996)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links