Gregory Benford
Gregory Benford (born
January 30,
1941) is a
science fiction author and
physicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the
University of California, Irvine.
*
30 January 1941 - born in
Mobile, Alabama*
1963 - received
Bachelor of Science in
physics from
University of Oklahoma in
Norman, Oklahoma*
1965 - received
Master of Science from
University of California, San Diego*
1967 - received
doctorate from University of California, San Diego
*
1967 - married Joan Abbe
Benford has an identical twin brother, Jim Benford, with whom he has collaborated on
science fiction stories and projects. Both got their start in science fiction fandom. Benford was the co-editor of the fanzine
Void.His first professional sale was the story "Stand-In", which appeared in the June
1965 issue of the
Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. In
1969, he began writing a regular science column for
Amazing Stories.
Benford tends to write
hard science fiction which incorporates the research he is doing as a practical scientist. He has worked on several collaborations with authors including
William Rotsler,
David Brin and
Gordon Eklund, but has really made a name for himself with the
Galactic Center Saga beginning with
In the Ocean of Night (
1977). This series postulates a
galaxy in which sentient organic life is in constant warfare with sentient mechanical life.
His breakthrough novel may have been the time-travel classic
Timescape (
1980), which won the
Nebula Award and the
John W. Campbell Memorial Award. A scientific procedural, the novel eventually loaned its title to a line of science fiction published by Pocket Books.
Benford has also served as an editor of numerous
alternate history anthologies as well as collections of the Hugo Winners. In the late
1990s, he wrote
Foundation's Fear, one of an authorized sequel trilogy to
Isaac Asimov's
Foundation series. The other two books in the series were written by
David Brin and
Greg Bear. Other novels published in that period include several near-future science thrillers:
Cosm (1998),
The Martian Race (1999) and
Eater (2000).Benford has been nominated for four
Hugo Awards (for two short stories & two novellas) and 12
Nebula Awards (in all categories). He won the Nebula for his novel
Timescape and the novelette "If the Stars Are Gods" (with
Gordon Eklund).
In addition to establishing
Benford's Law of Controversy, Benford has proposed a corollary to
Clarke's third law: "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced," and claims to have created and written about the first
computer virus in the late 1960s.
In
2004, Benford proposed that the harmful effects of
global warming could be reduced by the construction of a rotating
Fresnel lens 1000
kilometres across, floating in space at the
Lagrangian point L1. According to Benford, this lens would diffuse the light from the
Sun and reduce the solar energy reaching the Earth by approximately 0.5% to 1%. He estimated that this would cost around
$10
billion.
Benford serves on the board of directors and the steering committee of the Mars Society.
The Galactic Center Saga is a series of books detailing a galactic war between mechanical and biological life.
*
In the Ocean of Night (1976)
*
Across the Sea of Suns (1984)
*
Great Sky River (1987)
*
Tides of Light (1989)
*
Furious Gulf (1994)
*
Sailing Bright Eternity (1995)
Jupiter Project
*
Jupiter Project (1975)
*
Against Infinity (1983)
*
Man-Kzin Wars VI (1994)
*
Foundation's Fear (1997)
Anthologies edited
*
Hitler Victorious: Eleven Stories of the German Victory in World War II (1986), with
Martin H. Greenberg*
Nuclear War (1988), with Martin H Greenberg
*
Far Futures (1995)
*
The New Hugo Winners Volume IV (1997), with Martin H Greenberg
*
Nebula Awards Showcase 2000 (2000)
*
Microcosms (2004)
What Might Have Been?
*
Alternate Empires (1989) (with Martin H Greenberg)
*
Alternate Heroes (1989)
*
Alternate Wars (1991)
*
Alternate Americas (1992) (with Martin H Greenberg)
Non-fiction
*
Habitats in Space (1998)
*
Deep Time: How Humanity Communicates Across Millennia (1999)
*
Skylife: Visions of Our Homes in Space (2000), with
George Zebrowsk*
Skylife: Space Habitats in Story and Science (2000), with George Zebrowski
*
Beyond Human: The New World of Cyborgs and Androids (2001)
Non-series Novels
*
Deeper Than the Darkness (aka
The Stars in Shroud) (1970)
*
If the Stars Are Gods (1977), with
Gordon Eklund*
Timescape (1980)
*
Find the Changeling (1980), with Gordon Eklund
*
Shiva Descending (1980), with
William Rotsler*
Time's Rub (1984)
*
Artifact (1985)
*
The Heart of the Comet (1986), with
David Brin*
Under the Wheel (1987)
*
Iceborn (1989), with
Paul A. Carter*
Beyond the Fall of Night (1990), with
Arthur C. Clarke*
Chiller (1993), as
Sterling Blake*
A Darker Geometry (1996), with
Mark O. Martin*
Cosm (1998)
*
The Martian Race (1999)
*
Eater (2000)
*
Beyond Infinity (2003)
*
Human Being (2003)
*
The Sunborn (2005)
Short Story Collections
*
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Matter's End (1990)
*
Amazing Stories No 7 (1992), with
J. R. Dunn and
James Alan Gardner and
Kim Mohan*
Worlds Vast and various' (1999)
* Immersion and other Short Novels
(2002)
* Merlin'' (2004)
Short Stories
List of short stories and the publications they appear in.
*
Stand-In:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (June 1965)
*
Representative From Earth:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (January 1966)
*
Flattop:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (May 1966)
*
Deeper Than the Darkness:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (April 1969):
Sociology Through Science Fiction (1974)
*
Sons of Man:
Amazing Stories (November 1969)
*
Nobody Lives on Burton Street:
Amazing Science Fiction (May 1970):
World's Best Science Fiction (1971):
Sociology Through Science Fiction (1974):
Inside Information (1977)
*
The Prince of New York:
Fantastic (June 1970)
*
3:02 p.m., Oxford:
If (September/October 1970)
*
The Movement:
Fantastic (October 1970)
*
Inalienable Rite:
Quark 1 (1970)
*
But the Secret Sits:
Galaxy Science Fiction (March 1971)
*
Star Crossing, with Donald Franson:
If (March/April 1971)
*
Battleground, with Jim Benford:
If (May/June 1971):
Guns of Darkness (1987)
*
West Wind, Falling, with Gordon Eklund:
Universe 1 (1971)
*
And the Sea Like Mirrors:
Again, Dangerous Visions (1972):
Again, Dangerous Visions, Book 2 (1977):
Masterpieces of Science Fiction (1978)
*
In the Ocean of Night:
Worlds of If Science Fiction (May/Jun 1972):
In the Ocean of Night (1977)
*
Jupiter Project:
Amazing Stories (September 1972)
*
Icarus Descending:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (April 1973):
In the Ocean of Night (1977)
*
Man in a Vice:
Amazing Science Fiction (February 1974)
*
Nobody Lives Around Here:
Vertex: The Magazine of Science Fiction (February 1974))
*
If the Stars Are Gods, with Gordon Eklund:
Universe 4 (1974):
Best SF of the Year 4 (1975):
Nebula Award Stories 10 (1975):
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume IV (1986):
The Science Fiction Century (1997)
*
Threads of Time:
Threads of Time (1974):
In the Ocean of Night (1977)
*
Doing Lennon:
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact (April 1975):
Best SF of the Year 5 (1976):
The Arbor House Treasury of Science Fiction Masterpieces (1983):
Light Years and Dark (1984):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Beyond Grayworld:
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact (September 1975)
*
Cambridge, 1:58 A.M:
Epoch (1975)
*
John of the Apocalypse:
Tomorrow Today (1975)
*
White Creatures:
New Dimensions 5 (1975):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
How It All Went:
Amazing Stories (March 1976):
100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories (1978)
*
The Anvil of Jove, with Gordon Eklund:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (July 1976)
*
Marauder!:
Alien Worlds (1976)
*
Seascape (aka
Pebble Among the Stars):
Faster Than Light (1976):
The Crash of Empire (1989)
*
What Did You Do Last Year?, with Gordon Eklund:
Universe 6 (1976)
*
Hellas is Florida, with Gordon Eklund:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (January 1977)
*
Homemaker:
Cosmos Science Fiction And Fantasy Magazine (May 1977)
*
A Snark in the Night:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (August 1977)
*
Knowing Her:
New Dimensions 7 (1977):
Time of Passage (1978)
*
Starswarmer:
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact (June 1978):
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact (September 1978)
*
In Alien Flesh:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (September 1978):
Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year (1979):
1979 Annual World's Best SF (1979):
Best SF Stories of the Year: Eighth Annual Collection (1979):
The 1979 Annual World's Best SF (1979):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Old Woman By the Road:
Destinies (November/December 1978):
Thor's Hammer (1979):
The Best of Destinies (1980)
*
A Hiss of Dragon, with Marc Laidlaw:
Omni, (December 1978):
Best SF of the Year 8 (1979):
Dragon Tales (1982):
The Best of Omni Science Fiction, No. 3 (1982)
*
Nooncoming:
Universe 8 (1978):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Time Guide:
Destinies (January/February 1979)
*
Dark Sanctuary:
Omni (May 1979):
The Endless Frontier (1979):
The Best of Omni Science Fiction, No. 4 (1982)
*
Redeemer:
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact (April 1979):
Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year (1979):
Best SF Stories of the Year: Ninth Annual Collection (1980):
The Endless Frontier Vol. II (1982):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Calibrations and Exercises:
New Dimensions 9 (1979):
The Best of New Dimensions (1979)
*
Time Shards:
Universe 9 (1979):
Best SF of the Year 9 (1980):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Titan Falling:
Amazing Stories (August 1980)
*
Pick an Orifice:
Destinies (Fall 1980)
*
Slices:
Destinies (Spring 1981)
*
Exposures:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (July 1981):
The Road to Science Fiction #4 (1982):
Isaac Asimov's Wonders of the World (Anthology #6) (1982):
Creations: The Quest for Origins in Story and Science (1983):
In Alien Flesh (1986):
Norton Book of SF (1993):
The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF (1994)
*
Shall We Take a Little Walk?:
Destinies (Winter 1981)
*
Cadenza:
New Dimensions 12 (1981)
*
Valhalla:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (April 1982)
*
Lazarus Rising:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (July 1982)
*
Relativistic Effects:
Perpetual Light (1982):
Best SF of the Year 12 (1983):
In Alien Flesh (1986):
The Ascent of Wonder: The Evolution of Hard SF (1994)
*
Sandy Lust:
The Berkley Showcase Volume 5 (1982)
*
Swarmer, Skimmer:
Best SF of the Year 11 (1982)
*
The Touch:
The Best of Omni Science Fiction, No. 5 (1983):
R-A-M Random Access Messages of the Computer Age (1984)
*
Me/Days:
Universe 14 (1984):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Time's Rub:
Time's Rub (1984):
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (April 1985):
In Alien Flesh (1986):
Mathenauts: Tales of Mathematical Wonder (1987):
Future on Ice (1998)
*
To the Storming Gulf:
Afterwar (1985):
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (April 1985):
In Alien Flesh (1986):
Armageddon! (1989)
*
Newton Sleep:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (January 1986):
Heroes in Hell (1986):
Nebula Awards 22 (1988)
*
Of Space-Time and the River:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (February 1986):
Best SF of the Year 15 (1986):
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Freezeframe:
Interzone (Autumn 1986):
Amazing Stories (May 1987):
Nebula Awards 23 (1989)
*
As Big as the Ritz:
Interzone, Winter 1986 (1986):
Alien Stars III: Under The Wheel (1987)
*
Snatching the Bot:
In Alien Flesh (1986)
*
Effing the Ineffable:
Nebula Awards 21 (1987)
*
The Gods of the Gaps:
Crusaders in Hell (1987)
*
What Are You Going to Be When You Grow Up?:
Spaceships & Spells (1987)
*
Proselytes:
Full Spectrum (1988)
*
All the Beer on Mars:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (January 1989)
*
Alphas:
Amazing Stories (March 1989):
The 1990 Annual World's Best SF (1990):
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Seventh Annual Collection (1990)
*
We Could Do Worse:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (April 1989):
What Might Have Been? Vol I: Alternate Empires (1989):
Roads Not Taken: Tales of Alternate History (1998)
*
Mozart on Morphine:
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (October 1989)
*
Leviathan:
Omni (1989)
*
Proserpina's Daughter with Paul A. Carter:
Synergy: New Science Fiction, Vol. 3 (1989)
*
The Rose and the Scalpel:
Time Gate (1989):
Amazing Stories (January 1990)
*
Warstory:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (January 1990)
*
Latter-Day Matian Chronicles:
Omni (July 1990)
*
The Eagle and the Cross:
Dangerous Interfaces (1990)
*
Manassas, Again:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (October 1991)
*
Centigrade 233:
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (December 1991)
*
Touches:
Amazing Stories (December 1991)
*
Matter's End:
Full Spectrum 3 (1991):
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Ninth Annual Collection (1992):
Nebula Awards 28 (1994)
*
Down the River Road: ''Aboriginal Science Fiction' (Summer 1992)
*
Rumbling Earth:
Aboriginal Science Fiction (Summer 1992)
*
World Vast, World Various:
Murasaki (1992)
*
The Dark Backward:
Amazing Stories (February 1993):
More Amazing Stories (1998)
*
Doing Alien:
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (March 1994):
100 Astounding Little Alien Stories (1996)
*
The Bigger One:
Science Fiction Age (May 1994)
*
Soon Comes the Night:
Asimov's Science Fiction (August 1994)
*
Not of an Age:
Weird Tales from Shakespeare (1994)
*
Strong Instinct with Mark O. Martin:
South From Midnight (1994)
*
The Trojan Cat with Mark O. Martin:
Man-Kzin Wars VI (1994)
*
Deep Eyes:
Analog Science Fiction and Fact (April 1995)
*
Kollapse:
Interzone Science Fiction and Fantasy (April 1995):
Science Fiction Age (May 1995)
*
A Worm in the Well:
Analog Science Fiction and Fact (November 1995):
Year's Best SF (1996)
*
A Tapestry of Thought:
Amazing Stories (Winter 1995)
*
A Desperate Calculus as Sterling Blake:
New Legends (1995)
*
High Abyss:
New Legends (1995)
*
Immersion:
Science Fiction Age (March 1996):
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fourteenth Annual Collection (1997)
*
Paris Conquers All with David Brin:
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (March 1996):
War of the Worlds: Global Dispatches (1996)
*
Afterword: Retrospective with David Brin:
War of the Worlds: Global Dispatches (1996)
*
Zoomers:
Future Net (1996):
Year's Best SF 2 (1997)
*
The Voice:
Science Fiction Age (May 1997):
Year's Best SF 3 (1998)
*
Galaxia:
Science Fiction Age (July 1997)
*
A Cold Dry Cradle with Elisabeth Malartrez:
Science Fiction Age (November 1997):
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fifteenth Annual Collection (1998)
*
Early Bird:
Free Space (1997)
*
A Dance to Strange Musics:
Science Fiction Age (November 1998)
*
Ordinary Aliens:
Science Fiction Age (November 1998)
*
Three Gods :
Interzone (September 2001)
*
Menage a Trois:
Interzone (November 2001)
*
Around the Curve of a Cosmos: Published at scifi.com (2001)
*
Brink: Published at scifi.com (2001)
*
The Clear Blue Seas of Luna:
Asimov's Science Fiction (October/November 2002)
*
The Hydrogen Wall:
Asimov's Science Fiction (October/November 2003)
*
Anomalies*
At the Double Solstice*
A Hunger for the Infinite*
Immortal Night*
Mammoth Dawn with Kevin J. Anderson
*
Mandikini*
Side Effect*
Shakers of the Earth*
Sleepstory*
Giant rotating space lens*
Gregory Benford official website*
Homepage at UCI*
List of works at Fantastic Fiction
