Paul J. McAuley explained

Paul J. McAuley (born 23 April 1955) is a British botanist and science fiction author. A biologist by training, McAuley writes mostly hard science fiction. His novels dealing with themes such as biotechnology, alternative history/alternative reality, and space travel.

McAuley began with far-future space opera Four Hundred Billion Stars, its sequel Eternal Light, and the planetary-colony adventure Of the Fall. Red Dust, set on a far-future Mars colonized by the Chinese, is a planetary romance featuring many emerging technologies and SF motifs: nanotechnology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, personality downloads, virtual reality. The Confluence series, set in an even more distant future (about ten million years from now), is one of a number of novels to use Frank J. Tipler's Omega Point Theory (that the universe seems to be evolving toward a maximum degree of complexity and consciousness) as one of its themes.^[1] About the same time, he published Pasquale's Angel, set in an alternative Italian Renaissance and featuring Niccolò Machiavegli (Machiavelli) and Leonardo da Vinci as major characters.

McAuley has also used biotechnology and nanotechnology themes in near-future settings: Fairyland describes a dystopian, war-torn Europe where genetically engineered "dolls" are used as disposable slaves. Since 2001 he has produced several SF-based techno-thrillers such as The Secret of Life, Whole Wide World, and White Devils.

Four Hundred Billion Stars, his first novel, won the Philip K. Dick Award in 1988.^[2] Fairyland won the 1996 Arthur C. Clarke Award^[3] and the 1997 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best SF Novel.^[4] "The Temptation of Dr. Stein", won the British Fantasy Award. Pasquale's Angel won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History (Long Form).

Bibliography

Novels

• Red Dust. London: Gollancz, 1993.
• Pasquale's Angel. London: Gollancz, 1994. — Clarke and British Fantasy Awards nominee, 1995,^[5] Sidewise Award winner
• Fairyland. London: Gollancz, 1995. — BSFA Award nominee, 1995;^[5] Clarke Award winner, 1996;^[3] Campbell Award winner, 1997^[4]
• The Secret of Life. London: Voyager, 2001. — BSFA Award nominee, 2001;^[6] Clarke Award nominee, 2002^[7]
• Whole Wide World. London: Voyager, 2002.
• White Devils. London: Simon & Schuster, 2004. — Campbell Award nominee, 2005^[8]
• Mind's Eye. London: Simon & Schuster, 2005. — Campbell Award nominee, 2006^[9]
• Players. London: Simon & Schuster, 2007.
• Cowboy Angels. London: Gollancz, 2007.
• Austral: London: Gollancz, 2017.
• War of the Maps. London: Gollancz, 2020.
• Beyond the Burn Line. London: Gollancz, 2022.

Four Hundred Billion Stars series

• Book: Four hundred billion stars. London. Gollancz. 1988 . 0-575-04260-5-->. [Philip K. Dick Award winner, 1988]^[2]
• Secret Harmonies. London: Gollancz, 1989. . (Published in the United States as Of the Fall)
• Eternal Light. London: Gollancz, 1991. — BSFA Award nominee, 1991^[10] and Clarke Award nominee, 1992^[11]

The Confluence series

• Child of the River. London: Gollancz, 1997.
• Ancients of Days. London: Gollancz, 1998.
• Shrine of Stars. London: Gollancz, 1999.
• Confluence - The Trilogy. London: Gollancz, 2014. ^[12]

The Quiet War series

• The Quiet War: London, Gollancz, 2008. — Clarke Award nominee, 2009^[13]
• Gardens of the Sun. London: Gollancz, 2009.
• In the Mouth of the Whale. London: Gollancz, 2012.
• Evening's Empires: London, Gollancz, 2013. ^[14]
• Stories from the Quiet War (2011), a collection of five stories:
  • "Making History", first published in 2000
  • "Incomers", first published in 2008
  • "Second Skin", first published in 1997 in Asimov's
  • "Reef", first published in 2000
  • "Karyl's War", first published in this collection
• Blade and Bone (2023) (novella)

The Jackaroo series

• Something Coming Through: London, Gollancz, 2015.^[15]

• Into Everywhere. London: Gollancz, 2016.^[15]
• Dust (short story) (2006)
• Winning Peace (short story) (2007)
• City of the Dead (short story) (2008)
• Adventure (short story) (2008)
• Crimes and Glory (short story) (2009)
• Bruce Springsteen (short story) (2012)
• The Man (short story) (2012)
• Something Happened Here, But We're Not Quite Sure What It Was (short story) (2016)
• Maryon's Gift (short story) (2022)

Short fiction

Collections

• The King of the Hill. London: Gollancz, 1991.

1. The King of the Hill
2. Karl and the Ogre
3. Transcendence
4. The Temporary King
5. Exiles
6. Little Ilya and Spider and Box
7. The Airs of Earth
8. The Heirs of Earth

• The Invisible Country. London: Gollancz, 1996. — Philip K. Dick Award nominee, 1998^[16]

1. Gene Wars (1991)
2. Prison Dreams
3. Recording Angel (1995)
4. Dr. Luther's Assistant
5. The Temptation of Dr Stein (1996)^[17]
6. Children of the Revolution
7. The True History of Doctor Pretorius
8. Slaves

• Little Machines. Harrogate: PS Publishing, 2005.

1. The Two Dicks
2. Residuals
3. 17
4. All Tomorrow's Parties
5. Interstitial
6. How We Lost the Moon, a True Story by Frank W. Allen
7. Under Mars
8. Danger: Hard Hack Area
9. The Madness of Crowds
10. The Secret of My Success
11. The Proxy
12. I Spy
13. The Rift
14. Alien TV
15. Before the Flood
16. A Very British History
17. Cross Roads Blues

• A Very British History. Harrogate: PS Publishing, 2013.^{[18] [19]}

1. Little Ilya and Spider and Box
2. The Temporary King
3. Cross Roads Blues
4. Gene Wars
5. Prison Dreams
6. Children of the Revolution
7. Recording Angel
8. Second Skin
9. All Tomorrow's Parties
10. 17
11. Sea Change, With Monsters
12. How We Lost the Moon, A True Story by Frank W. Allen
13. A Very British History
14. The Two Dicks
15. Meat
16. Rocket Boy
17. The Thought War
18. City of the Dead
19. Little Lost Robot
20. Shadow Life
21. The Choice

Stories^[20]

width=25%	Title	Year	First published	Reprinted/collected	Notes
Making history	2000	Making history. Harrogate: PS Publishing, 2000.		Novella
The eye of the tyger	2003	The eye of the tyger. Tolworth, Surrey: Telos Publishing, 2003. (a Doctor Who novella)		Novella
The choice	2011	February 2011 . The choice . Asimov's Science Fiction .		The Jackaroo series
Antarctica starts here	2012	Oct–Nov 2012 . Antarctica starts here . Asimov's Science Fiction . 36 . 10&11 . 48–56.
Wild honey	2015	McAuley, Paul . August 2015 . Wild honey . Asimov's Science Fiction . 39 . 8 . 36–45.
Gravesend, or, everyday life in the Anthropocene	2023	Gravesend, or, Everyday Life in the Anthropocene (2023)		Novella

• "A Brief Guide To Other Histories"
• "Dead Men Walking". Asimov's Science Fiction. 30 (3): 80–93. March 2006.^[21]
• "Edna Sharrow"
• "Inheritance"
• "Planet of Fear" (2015) in Old Venus (anthology)^[22]
• "Rocket Boy"
• Set in the Jackaroo universe:
  • "Winning Peace" (2016), in the collection Galactic Empires by Neil Clarke.
  • "Something Happened Here, But We're Not Quite Sure What It Was" (2016), published as a freebie on Tor.com.^[23]

Non-fiction

• Book: McAuley, Paul . Brazil . London . Palgrave Macmillan . 2014 . BFI Film Classics . 9781844577941-->.

Critical studies and reviews of McAuley's work

• Spinrad, Norman . Norman Spinrad . April–May 2013 . Doors to anywhere . On Books . Asimov's Science Fiction . 37 . 4&5 . 183–191. Reviews Cowboy Angels.

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Bibliography notes

External links

• Paul J. McAuley's official site
  • Infinity Plus profile of Paul J. McAuley
• Profile of Paul McAuley by Michael Swanwick
• Review, The Secret of Life
• Review, The Book of Confluence trilogy
• Review, Whole Wide World
• Review, Confluence - trilogy omnibus
• Interview on Actusf
• Complete list of sci-fi award wins and nominations by novel
• Story Behind Quiet War (How I wrote the Quiet War novels and stories) - Online Essay at Upcoming4.me
• Story behind Confluence by Paul McAuley - Collaborating With Myself - Online Essay at Upcoming4.me

Notes and References

1. Web site: Hard Science, Radical Imagination: An Interview with Paul J McAuley . Infinity Plus. 2015-10-23.
2. Web site: 1988 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
3. Web site: 1996 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
4. Web site: 1997 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
5. Web site: 1995 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
6. Web site: 2001 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
7. Web site: 2002 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
8. Web site: 2005 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
9. Web site: 2006 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2015-10-23.
10. Web site: 1991 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
11. Web site: 1992 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
12. Web site: Paul McAuley - Confluence The Trilogy cover art and synopsis reveal . Upcoming4.me . 2013-10-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080201/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/paul-mcauley-confluence-the-trilogy-cover-art-and-synopsis-reveal . 4 March 2016.
13. Web site: 2009 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
14. Web site: Paul McAuley - Evening's Empires cover art and synopsis revealed . Upcoming4.me . 2013-04-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131006115642/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/paul-mcauley-evenings-empires-cover-art-and-synopsis-revealed . 6 October 2013.
15. Web site: Paul McAuley - Something Coming Through and into Everywhere synopsis reveal . Upcoming4.me . 2013-12-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131207053058/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/paul-mcauley-something-coming-through-and-into-everywhere-synopsis-reveal . 7 December 2013.
16. Web site: 1998 Award Winners & Nominees. Worlds Without End. 2009-05-16.
17. Set in the same timeline than Pasquale's Angel (1994).
18. Web site: Paul McAuley - A Very British History cover art unveiled . Upcoming4.me . 2013-03-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130319091814/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/paul-mcauley-a-very-british-history-cover-art-unveiled . 19 March 2013.
19. Web site: Paul McAuley announces A Very British History, table of contents unveiled . Upcoming4.me . 2013-03-11 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130303060505/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/paul-mcauley-announces-a-very-british-history-table-of-contents-unveiled . 3 March 2013.
20. Short stories unless otherwise noted.
21. Web site: Publication: Asimov's Science Fiction, March 2006 . 2023-08-23 . www.isfdb.org.
22. Web site: Not A Blog: Venus In March . 19 June 2014 . GRRM.livejournal.com . 27 September 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140821044623/http://grrm.livejournal.com/374059.html?thread=19204907 . 21 August 2014.
23. Web site: Something Happened Here, But We’re Not Quite Sure What It Was. 2017-04-06.