Robert J. Sawyer

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Robert J. Sawyer

Born April 29, 1960 (1960-04-29) (age 48)
Ottawa, Ontario
Occupation novelist
Nationality Flag of Canada Canadian
Genres science fiction, mystery
Official website

Robert J. Sawyer is a Canadian hard science fiction writer, born in Ottawa in 1960 and now resident in Mississauga. He has published 17 novels,[1] and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and numerous anthologies.[2][3]

Contents

[edit] Awards and Honors

Robert James Sawyer has won forty-one national and international awards for his fiction,[1][4] most prominently the 1995 Nebula Award[5] for his novel The Terminal Experiment; the 2003 Hugo Award[6] for his novel Hominids, first volume of his Neanderthal Parallax trilogy; and the 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award[7] for his novel Mindscan. He has had two additional Nebula nominations, ten additional Hugo nominations, and two additional Campbell Memorial Award nominations.[4]

His books have appeared on the major top-ten national mainstream bestsellers' lists in Canada, as published by The Globe and Mail newspaper[8] and Maclean's magazine,[9] and they have reached number one on the bestsellers' list published by Locus,[10] the trade-journal of the SF field. Translated editions have appeared in Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, and Spanish,[1] and he has won major SF awards in Canada, China, France, Japan, Spain, and the United States.[1]

In 2002, Sawyer received Ryerson University's Alumni Award of Distinction in honor of his international success as a science fiction writer[11] (Sawyer graduated from Ryerson in 1982 with a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Radio and Television Arts).[1] On June 2, 2007, Sawyer received an honorary doctorate (Doctor of Letters, honoris causa) from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.[12]

[edit] Critical Studies

Critical studies and scholarly reviews of Sawyer's work have appeared in The Gospel According to Science Fiction by Gabriel McKee; in Worlds of Wonder: Readings in Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature edited by Jean-Francois Leroux and Camille R. La Bossiere; in The Everyday Fantasic: Essays on Science Fiction and Human Being edited by Michael Berman;[13] in The New York Review of Science Fiction; in the SFRA Review;[14][15][16][17][18] in a scholarly afterword by Valerie Broege in Sawyer's own essay collection Relativity; and even in such publications as Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice.[19]

His fiction has received starred reviews (denoting "books of exceptional merit") in Publishers Weekly,[20] Library Journal,[21] Booklist,[20] Quill & Quire,[20] Kliatt, and Anatomy of Wonder: A Critical Guide to Science Fiction, Fifth Edition, by Neil Barron.

Conference papers about Sawyer's work include "The Intimately Human and the Grandly Cosmic: Humor and the Sublime in the Works of Robert J. Sawyer," by Fiona Kelleghan, presented at the 29th annual International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts in Orlando, Florida, March 2008,[22] and "The Science and Religion Dialogue in the Science Fiction of Robert J. Sawyer," by Valerie Broege, presented at The Uses of the Science Fiction Genre: An Interdisciplinary Symposium, Brock University, October 2005.[23]

Sawyer is profiled in The Canadian Encyclopedia,[24] Canadian Who's Who,[25] Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada,[26] The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature, Contemporary Authors volume 212,[27] Something About the Author volume 81,[28] St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers, and The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. The hour-long documentary In the Mind of Robert J. Sawyer premiered on Canadian television on January 8, 2003,[29] and has been shown numerous times since on various channels, including Space: The Imagination Station, for which Sawyer is a frequent commentator.

[edit] Style and Themes

Sawyer's style is simple, with clear prose, near the mode of Isaac Asimov.[30][24] He also has a tendency to include pop-culture references in his novels (his fondness for the original Star Trek and Planet of the Apes is impossible to miss), and he is unusual even among Canadian SF writers for the blatantly Canadian settings and concerns addressed in his novels, all of which are issued by New York houses.

Sawyer's politics are often described as liberal, even by Canadian standards (although he contributed a Hugo Award-nominated story called "The Hand You're Dealt"[31] to the Libertarian SF anthology Free Space, and another called "The Right's Tough"[32] to the Prometheus Award-winning Libertarian SF anthology Visions of Liberty). He holds citizenship in both Canada and the United States, and has been known to criticize the politics of both countries. He often has American characters visiting Canada (such as Karen Bessarian in Mindscan) or Canadian characters visiting the U.S. (such as Pierre Tardivel in Frameshift and Mary Vaughan in Humans and Hybrids) as a way of comparing and contrasting the perceived values of the two countries.

Sawyer's work frequently explores the intersection between science and religion, with rationalism always winning out over mysticism[28] (see especially Far-Seer, The Terminal Experiment, Calculating God, and the three volumes of the Neanderthal Parallax [Hominids, Humans, and Hybrids], plus the short story "The Abdication of Pope Mary III," originally published in Nature, July 6, 2000). He also has a great fondness for paleontology, as evidenced in his Quintaglio Ascension trilogy (Far-Seer, Fossil Hunter, and Foreigner), about an alien world to which dinosaurs from Earth were transplanted, and his time-travel novel End of an Era. In addition, the main character of Calculating God is a paleontologist, and the Neanderthal Parallax novels deal with an alternate version of Earth where Neanderthals did not become extinct.

He often explores the notion of copied or uploaded human consciousness, most fully in his novel Mindscan, but also in Golden Fleece and The Terminal Experiment, plus the Hugo-, Nebula-, and Aurora-award-nominated novella "Identity Theft," its sequel the Aurora-winning short story "Biding Time," and the Hugo- and Aurora-award-nominated short story "Shed Skin." His interest in quantum physics, and especially quantum computing, inform the short stories "You See But You Do Not Observe"[33] (a Sherlock Holmes pastiche) and "Iterations,"[34] and the novels Factoring Humanity and Hominids. SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, plays a role in the plots of Golden Fleece, Factoring Humanity, Mindscan, Rollback, the novelette "Ineluctable," and the short stories "You See But You Do Not Observe" and "Flashes."

Sawyer gives cosmology a thorough workout in his far-future Starplex.[35] Real-life science institutions are often used as settings by Sawyer, including TRIUMF in End of an Era, CERN in Flashforward, the Royal Ontario Museum in Calculating God, the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory in Hominids and its sequels, and the Arecibo Observatory in Rollback.

Another Sawyer hallmark is the mortally ill main character. Pierre Tardivel in Frameshift suffers from Huntington's disease, Thomas Jericho in Calculating God has lung cancer, and Jacob Sullivan in Mindscan has an arteriovenous malformation in his brain; one of the main characters in Rollback vividly suffers from that most fatal illness of all, old age. Sawyer nonetheless is known for tales that end on an upbeat, and even transcendent, note.[36]

[edit] SF/Mystery Crossovers

Sawyer's work often crosses over from science fiction to mystery; he won both Canada's top SF award (the Aurora Award) and its top mystery-fiction award (the Arthur Ellis Award) for his 1993 short story "Just Like Old Times."[37] Illegal Alien is a courtroom drama with an extraterrestrial defendant; Hominids puts one Neanderthal on trial by his peers for the apparent murder of another Neanderthal; Mindscan has the rights of uploaded consciousnesses explored in a Michigan probate court; and Golden Fleece, Fossil Hunter, The Terminal Experiment, Frameshift, and Flashforward are all, in part, murder mysteries. Of Sawyer's shorter SF works, the novella "Identity Theft" and the short stories "Biding Time," "Flashes," "Iterations," "Shed Skin," "The Stanley Cup Caper," "You See But You Do Not Observe," and the aforementioned "Just Like Old Times" are all also crime or mystery fiction.

[edit] Other Activities

In addition to his own writing, Sawyer edits the Robert J. Sawyer Books[38] science-fiction imprint for Red Deer Press, part of Canadian publisher Fitzhenry & Whiteside; contributes to The New York Review of Science Fiction;[39] is The Canadian Encyclopedia's authority on science fiction;[40] and is a judge for L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future[41] contest.

Sawyer wrote the original series bible for Charlie Jade, an hour-long science-fiction TV series that first aired in 2005-2006, and he did conceptual work in 2003 for reviving Robotech. He has also written and narrated documentaries about science fiction for CBC Radio's Ideas series. He provided analysis of the British science fiction series Doctor Who for the CBC's online documentary The Planet of the Doctor,[42] frequently comments on science fiction movies for TVOntario's Saturday Night at the Movies, and co-edited an essay collection in honor of the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek with David Gerrold, entitled Boarding the Enterprise.

Sawyer has taught science-fiction writing at the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, Humber College, and the Banff Centre. In 2000, he served as Writer-in-Residence at the Richmond Hill, Ontario, Public Library. In 2003, he was Writer-in-Residence at the Toronto Public Library's Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy (the first person to hold this post since Judith Merril herself in 1987).[43] In 2006, he was Writer-in-Residence at the Odyssey Writing Workshop. Also in 2006, he was the Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence at the Kitchener Public Library in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario,[44] following on the Region of Waterloo's choice of Sawyer's Hominids as the "One Book, One Community"[45] title that all 490,000 residents were encouraged to read in 2005.

Sawyer is a frequent keynote speaker about technology topics,[46][47] and has served as a consultant to Canada's Federal Department of Justice on the shape future genetics laws should take.[48]

He has long been an advocate of Canadian science fiction. He lobbied hard for the creation of the Canadian Region of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. The Canadian Region was established in 1992, and Sawyer served for three years on SFWA's Board of Directors as the first Canadian Regional Director (1992-1995). He also edited the newsletter of the Canadian Region, called Alouette in honor of Canada's first satellite; the newsletter was nominated for an Aurora Award for best fanzine.

In 1998, Sawyer was elected president of SFWA on a platform that promised a referendum on various contentious issues, including periodic membership requalification and the creation of a Nebula Award for best script; he won, defeating the next-closest candidate, past-SFWA-president Norman Spinrad, by a 3:2 margin. However, Sawyer's actual time in office was marked by considerable opposition to membership requalification and negative reaction to his dismissing, with the majority support of the Board of Directors, one paid SFWA worker and one volunteer. He resigned after completing half of his one-year term, and was automatically succeeded by then-incumbent vice-president Paul Levinson. Prior to resigning, Sawyer's promised referendum was held, resulting in significant changes to SFWA's bylaws and procedures, most notably allowing appropriate non-North American sales to count as membership credentials, allowing appropriate electronic sales to count as membership credentials, and creating a Nebula Award for best script.

Sawyer has been active in other writers' organizations, including the Crime Writers of Canada and The Writers' Union of Canada[49] (for which he has served on the membership committee), and he is a member of the Writers Guild of Canada and the Horror Writers Association.

[edit] Current Project

Sawyer's current project, under contract to Penguin USA's Ace Science Fiction imprint and Penguin Canada, is a trio of novels dealing with the notion of a self-aware World Wide Web; the individual volumes have the working titles of Wake, Watch, and Wonder, making this the WWW trilogy.[50]

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Awards Details

Awards for Sawyer's work include:

  • 1991 Aurora Award for Best Long Work in English, for Golden Fleece
  • 1992 Homer Award for Best Novel, for Far-Seer
  • 1993 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story, for Just Like Old Times
  • 1993 Homer Award for Best Novel, for Fossil Hunter
  • 1995 Le Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Best Foreign Short Story, "You See But You Do Not Observe"
  • 1995 Nebula Award for Best Novel, for The Terminal Experiment
  • 1995 Aurora Award for Best Long Work in English, for The Terminal Experiment
  • 1996 Seiun Award for Best Foreign Novel, for End of an Era
  • 1996 Aurora Award for Best Long Work in English, for Starplex
  • 1997 Science Fiction Chronicle Reader Award for Best Short Story, for "The Hand You're Dealt"
  • 1999 Aurora Award for Best Long Work in English, for Flashforward
  • 2000 Seiun Award for Best Foreign Novel, for Frameshift
  • 2002 Seiun Award for Best Foreign Novel, for Illegal Alien
  • 2003 Hugo Award for Best Novel, for Hominids
  • 2005 Analog Analytical Laboratory Award for Best Short Story, for "Shed Skin"
  • 2005 Aurora Award for Best Work in English (Other) for Relativity
  • 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, for Mindscan
  • 2007 Toronto Public Library Celebrates Reading Award
  • 2007 Galaxy Award (China) for "Most Popular Foreign Author"
  • 2007 Aurora Award for Best Short Work in English, for "Biding Time"

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Robert J. Sawyer (2007). Robert J. Sawyer Curriculum Vitae. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.
  2. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (2007). Short-Fiction Bibliography. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  3. ^ Charles N. Brown and William G. Contento (2007). The Locus Index to Science Fiction (1984-1998). Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  4. ^ a b Mark R. Kelly (2007). Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  5. ^ SFWRITER.COM Inc. (1995). Nebula Award win for The Terminal Experiment. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  6. ^ SFWRITER.COM Inc. (2003). Hugo Award win for Hominids. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  7. ^ SFWRITER.COM Inc. (2006). John W. Campbell Memorial Award win for Mindscan. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  8. ^ SFWRITER.COM Inc. (2000). Calculating God on Globe and Mail Bestseller List. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  9. ^ SFWRITER.COM Inc. (2000). Calculating God on Maclean's Bestseller List. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  10. ^ Locus (2001). Bestsellers List for October 2001. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  11. ^ Ryerson University (2002). Ryerson Alumni Achievement Awards 2002. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  12. ^ Robert J. Sawyer blog (2007). Honorary Doctorate for Robert J. Sawyer. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  13. ^ Michael Berman (2008). The Everyday Fantastic Table of Contents. Retrieved on 2008-03-22.
  14. ^ Janice M. Bogstad (2001). SFRA Review on Calculating God. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  15. ^ Warren G. Rochelle (2002). SFRA Review on Hominids. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  16. ^ Warren G. Rochelle (2003). SFRA Review on Humans. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  17. ^ Philip Snyder (2005). SFRA Review on Mindscan. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  18. ^ Geetha B (2007). SFRA Review on Rollback. Retrieved on 2008-03-11.
  19. ^ Nick W. Peterson (2006). Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice reviews Hybrids. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  20. ^ a b c Margaret Cannon, Orson Scott Card, Cori Dusmann, R. John Hayes, Roberta Johnson, Trevor Klassen, Moira L. MacKinnon, Henry Mietkiewicz, Shane Neilson, Marc Piche, Philip Snyder, Hayden Trenholm, Robert J. Wiersma, and anonymous (1990-2007). Review Tearsheets. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  21. ^ Jackie Cassada (2007). Library Journal reviews Rollback. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  22. ^ Fiona Kelleghan (2008). The Intimately Human and the Grandly Cosmic: Humor and the Sublime in the Works of Robert J. Sawyer. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  23. ^ Michael Berman (2005). The Uses of the Science Fiction Genre: An Interdisciplinary Symposium. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  24. ^ a b Historica Foundation of Canada (2007). The Canadian Encyclopedia on Robert J. Sawyer. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
  25. ^ University of Toronto Press (2007). Canadian Who's Who on Robert J. Sawyer. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  26. ^ Robert Runte (2005). Curriculum vitae. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  27. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (2003). Autobiography from Contemporary Authors. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  28. ^ a b J. Sydney Jones (2004). Something About the Author on Robert J. Sawyer (Sidelights). Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  29. ^ MSN TV (2003). In the Mind of Robert J. Sawyer. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  30. ^ Orson Scott Card (1990). Review of Golden Fleece. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
  31. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (1997). The Hand You're Dealt (short story). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  32. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (2004). The Right's Tough (short story). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  33. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (1995). You See But You Do Not Observe (short story). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  34. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (2000). Iterations (short story). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  35. ^ Andrew Fraknoi (1997). Science Fiction Stories with Good Science. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  36. ^ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2007). Sawyer says Chinese readers see freedom in sci-fi's ideas. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  37. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (1993). Just Like Old Times (short story). Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  38. ^ Red Deer Press (2007). Robert J. Sawyer Books Submission Guidelines. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  39. ^ The BRB Catalogue (2007). New York Review of Science Fiction #176 to current. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
  40. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (2007). Science Fiction in The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
  41. ^ Writers of the Future (2007). List of Judges. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  42. ^ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2005). Planet of the Doctor. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  43. ^ SFWRITER.COM Inc. (2003). Merril Collection Writer-in-Residence. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  44. ^ Robert J. Sawyer blog (2006). Edna Staebler Writer-in-Residence. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  45. ^ Region of Waterloo (2005). One Book, One Community chooses Hominids. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  46. ^ Robert J. Sawyer (2007). Keynotes and Talks. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
  47. ^ Speakers' Spotlight (2007). Robert J. Sawyer: The Challenge of Tomorrow. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
  48. ^ Steven H. Silver (2003). Genetics Future Forum Includes Author. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
  49. ^ The Writers' Union of Canada (2007). Membership Directory. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  50. ^ a b Robert J. Sawyer blog (2007). New Deal with Penguin in Canada and USA. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.

[edit] Interviews

[edit] External links

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