Bischoff, David F
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.
(1951-2018) US author who began publishing sf with "The Sky's an Oyster; The Stars are Pearls" for Perry Rhodan #66 in March 1975, and who quickly established himself as a versatile and adaptable novelist, though his practice of working in collaboration tended unfairly to muffle any sense that he had, in his own right, either a distinctive style or concerns which could be thought of as personal. His first novel, The Seeker (1976) with Chris Lampton, is in this sense typical, for there is nothing in particular to remember about this competent sf adventure featuring a fugitive Alien on Earth and a chase. Forbidden World (fixup 1978) with Ted White is, in the same way, efficiently anonymous; and the Dragonstar sequence – Day of the Dragonstar (1983), Night of the Dragonstar (1985) and Dragonstar Destiny (1989), all with Thomas F Monteleone – explores with impersonal ingenuity a giant artificial-world-cum-Zoo in space full of escaped menaces and a hidden agenda or two. More memorable, however, are Tin Woodman (1979) with Dennis R Bailey, which is a complex adventure involving a Telepathic human (one of the Mutants described by normals as Tin Woodmen), a sentient Starship, and a convincingly psychopathic villain; The Selkie (1982) with Charles Sheffield, a fantasy; and The Judas Cross (1994) with Charles Sheffield, a World War Two horror/fantasy (see Horror in SF).
Much the same impression of a slightly impersonal but in fact genial competence with the SF Megatext is likewise generated by some of Bischoff's solo fiction, although Nightworld (1979) interestingly combines elements of Recursive SF and Science Fantasy as an ancient Android called Wells – who replicates the physique and personality of H G Wells – must combine forces with a girl (who for her own part must grow up) in order successfully to confront the Computer-generated Vampires of the forgotten colony planet of Styx; but the sequel, The Vampires of Nightworld (1981), merely exploits the already-established venue. The protagonist of Philip K Dick High (2000) awakens into the knowledge that he is enclosed in a coercive Keep, and that he may be a Computer simulation in a laboratory whose research goals he must attempt to discover. The Diplomatic Touch (2001) is an engaging Space Opera spoof with Sex in it. With Ted White he edited the last four issues of Stardate magazine, 1985-1986.
Set on a Starship with a cosmic troubleshooting mission, the Star Fall books – Star Fall: A Space Fantasy (1980) and Star Spring: A Space Operetta (1982) – show an uneasy lightness of tone, though the Virtual-Reality-like shuffling of pulp venues at its heart is enjoyable. The Star Hounds sequence – beginning with The Infinite Battle (1985), Galactic Warriors (1985) and The Macrocosmic Conflict (1986) [see also Checklist below] – drifts dangerously close to the routine. On the other hand the UFO Conspiracy sequence – Abduction: The UFO Conspiracy (1990), Deception (1991) and Revelation (1991) – is a gripping excursion into camp Paranoia. Companionable and chameleon, Bischoff was a jack-of-all-trades who was entirely capable, when the occasion took him, of speaking in his own voice. [JC]
see also: Monsters; Stardate; UFOs.
David Frederick Bischoff
born Washington, District of Columbia: 15 December 1951
died Eugene, Oregon: 19 March 2018
works
The Checklist below is broken into independent works and Ties.
non-ties
series
Nightworld
- Nightworld (New York: Ballantine Books, 1979) [Nightworld: pb/Carl Lundgren]
- The Vampires of Nightworld (New York: Ballantine Books, 1981) [Nightworld: pb/William Schmidt]
Star Fall
- Star Fall: A Space Fantasy (New York: Berkley Books, 1980) [Star Fall: pb/Carl Lundgren]
- Star Spring: A Space Operetta (New York: Berkley Books, 1982) [Star Fall: pb/Artifact]
Dragonstar
- Day of the Dragonstar (New York: Berkley Books, 1983) with Thomas F Monteleone [first appeared in much different form September-December 1981 Analog: Dragonstar: pb/Attila Hejja]
- Night of the Dragonstar (New York: Berkley Books, 1985) with Thomas F Monteleone [Dragonstar: pb/Alan Gutierrez]
- Dragonstar Destiny (New York: Ace Books, 1989) with Thomas F Monteleone [Dragonstar: pb/Joe de Vito]
Star Hounds
- The Infinite Battle (New York: Ace Books, 1985) [Star Hounds: pb/John Harris]
- Galactic Warriors (New York: Ace Books, 1985) [Star Hounds: pb/John Harris]
- The Macrocosmic Conflict (New York: Ace Books, 1986) [Star Hounds: pb/John Harris]
- Star Hounds: The Classic Space Adventure Series (Scotts Valley, California: CreateSpace, 2012) with Saul Garnell [omni of the above three, rev with Garnell, plus further novel The Planet Killer with Garnell: Star Hounds: pb/]
- Reincarnation War (Holyoke, Massachusetts: Crossroad Press, 2014) [novella: ebook: Star Hounds: na/]
UFO Conspiracy
- Abduction: The UFO Conspiracy (New York: Warner Books, 1990) [UFO Conspiracy: pb/Don Puckey]
- Deception (New York: Warner Books, 1991) [UFO Conspiracy: pb/uncredited]
- Revelation (New York: Warner Books, 1991) [UFO Conspiracy: pb/uncredited]
individual titles
- The Seeker (Toronto, Ontario: Laser Books, 1976) with Chris Lampton [pb/Kelly Freas]
- The Phantom of the Opera: A New Version (New York: Scholastic, 1976) [pb/Eric Blumrich]
- Forbidden World (New York: Popular Library, 1978) with Ted White [pb/Carlos Ochagavia]
- Tin Woodman (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1979) with Dennis R Bailey [hb/Gary Monteferante]
- The Selkie (New York: Macmillan, 1982) with Charles Sheffield [hb/Sonja Lamut and Nenad Jakesevi]
- Mandala (New York: Berkley Books, 1983) [exp of "The Warmth of Stars" from Chrysalis 10 (anth 1983) edited by Roy Torgeson: pb/Attila Hejja]
- The Crunch Bunch (New York: Avon Books, 1985) [pb/Victoria Poyser]
- A Personal Demon (New York: New American Library/Signet Books, 1985) with rich brown (1942-2006) and Linda Richardson (1944- ) [fixup of collaborations published in Fantastic February 1976-April 1978 as by Michael F X Milhaus: pb/Tom Hallman]
- Some Kind of Wonderful (New York: Bantam Books, 1987) [pb/]
- The Judas Cross (New York: Warner Aspect, 1994) with Charles Sheffield [pb/Don Brautigam]
- Philip K Dick High (Holicong, Pennsylvania: Wildside Press, 2000) [pb/]
- J R R Tolkien University (Holicong, Pennsylvania: Wildside Press, 2000) [pb/]
- The Diplomatic Touch (Scarborough, Maine: Foggy Windows Books, 2001) [pb/Pelaez]
- The H P Lovecraft Institute (Holicong, Pennsylvania: Wildside Press, 2002) [hb/]
- Jack London, Star Warrior (Holicong, Pennsylvania: Wildside Press, 2003) [pb/]
- The Tawdry Yellow Brick Road (Waterville, Maine: Five Star, 2004) [hb/]
collections and stories
- Tripping the Dark Fantastic (Holicong, Pennsylvania: Wildside Press, 2000) [coll: pb/]
- Young Sun Ra and the Strange Celestial Roads (Eugene, Oregon: Hotspur Publishing, 2012) [novella: ebook: Sun Ra: na/Amy Gilbert Design]
ties
series
Single contributions to Shared Worlds or other extended Ties are not listed under series.
Gaming Magi
- The Destiny Dice (New York: New American Library/Signet Books, 1985) [tie: Gaming Magi: pb/Kinuko Y Craft]
- Wraith Board (New York: New American Library/Signet Books, 1985) [tie: Gaming Magi: pb/Kinuko Y Craft]
- The Unicorn Gambit (New York: New American Library/Signet Books, 1986) [tie: Gaming Magi: pb/Carl Lundgren]
Bill, the Galactic Hero
- Bill, the Galactic Hero on the Planet of Tasteless Pleasures (New York: Avon Books/Byron Preiss, 1991) with Harry Harrison [Bill, the Galactic Hero: pb/Michael W Kaluta and Steven Fastner]
- Bill, the Galactic Hero on the Planet of Ten Thousand Bars (New York: Avon Books/Byron Preiss, 1991) with Harry Harrison; [Bill, the Galactic Hero: pb/Mark Pacella]
- Bill, the Galactic Hero on the Planet of the Hippies from Hell (London: Victor Gollancz, 1992) with Harry Harrison [vt of the above: Bill, the Galactic Hero: hb/Mark Pacella]
Mutants Amok
- Mutants Amok (New York: Avon Books, 1991) with Tim Sullivan as by Mark Grant [tie: Mutants Amok: pb/Les Edwards]
- Mutants Amok #2: Mutant Hell (New York: Avon Books, 1991) with Tim Sullivan as by Mark Grant [tie: Mutants Amok: pb/uncredited]
- Mutants Amok #3: Rebel Attack (New York: Avon Books, 1991) with Tim Sullivan as by Mark Grant [tie: Mutants Amok: pb/uncredited]
- Mutants Amok #4: Holocaust Horror (New York: Avon Books, 1991) with Tim Sullivan as by Mark Grant [tie: Mutants Amok: pb/Les Edwards]
Dr. Dimension
- Dr. Dimension (New York: Penguin/Roc, 1993) with John DeChancie [tie: Dr. Dimension: pb/David Mattingly]
- Dr. Dimension: Masters of Spacetime (New York: Penguin/Roc, 1994) with John DeChancie [tie: Dr. Dimension: pb/David Mattingly]
Star Trek
- Star Trek, the Next Generation: Grounded (New York: Pocket Books, 1993) [tie to the Star Trek universe: Star Trek, the Next Generation: pb/]
Space Precinct
- Space Precinct #1: The Deity-Father (New York: HarperPrism, 1995) [tie to Space Precinct: Space Precinct: pb/uncredited]
- Gerry Anderson's Space Precinct: The Deity-Father (London: Voyager, 1995) [tie to Space Precinct: vt of the above: Space Precinct: pb/]
- Space Precinct #2: Demon Wing (New York: HarperPrism, 1995) [tie to Space Precinct: Space Precinct: pb/uncredited]
- Space Precinct #3: Alien Island (New York: HarperPrism, 1996) [tie to Space Precinct: Space Precinct: pb/uncredited]
individual titles
- WarGames: A Novel (New York: Dell Books, 1983) [tie to the film: WarGames: pb/]
- Time Machine #2: Search for Dinosaurs (New York: Bantam, 1984) [tie: Time Machine: pb/William Stout]
- The Manhattan Project (New York: Avon Books, 1986) [tie to the film: pb/]
- The Blob: A Novel (New York: Bantam Books, 1988) [tie to the remake of The Blob: pb/]
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch (New York: Avon Books, 1990) [tie to the film: pb/]
- Daniel M. Pinkwater's Melvinge of the Megaverse #1: Night of the Living Shark! (New York: Ace Books, 1991) [tie: see Daniel M Pinkwater: pb/Steve Fastner and Rick Larson]
- Aliens: Genocide (New York: Bantam Books, 1994) [tie to the Alien universe: pb/David Dorman]
- Aliens v. Predator #2: Hunter's Planet (New York: Bantam, 1994) [tie to the film AVP Alien vs Predator: pb/John Bolton]
- seaQuest DSV: The Ancient (New York: Ace Books, 1994) [tie to seaQuest DSV: seaQuest DSV: pb/Danilo Ducak]
- The Crow: Quoth the Crow (New York: HarperPrism, 1998) [tie: The Crow: pb/Cliff Nielsen]
- Farscape: Ship of Ghosts (London: Boxtree, 2001) with Martha Bayless [tie to Farscape: Farscape: pb/]
works as editor
- Quest (Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Raintree Editions, 1977) [anth: chap: hb/]
- Strange Encounters (Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Raintree Editions, 1977) [anth: chap: hb/]
links
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