Holdstock, Robert P
Entry updated 26 August 2024. Tagged: Author.
(1948-2009) UK author with an MSc in medical zoology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He spent 1971-1974 in medical research before becoming a full-time writer, though he had published his first story, "Pauper's Plot", for New Worlds as early as November 1968. He wrote much of his short fiction soon after. Among the more notable stories are the novelettes "Travellers" (in Andromeda 1, anth 1976, ed Peter Weston), a Time-Travel tale, and "The Time Beyond Age: A Journey" (in Supernova #1, anth 1976, ed Philip Pollock); others are collected in In the Valley of the Statues (coll 1982). After the mid-1970s his writing broke into two superficially incompatible categories. Under the House Names Ken Blake and Richard Kirk, and as Robert Black, Chris Carlsen, Steven Eisler and notably as Robert Faulcon, he published [see Checklist] at least twenty novels, novelizations and works of popular sf "nonfiction", almost all of them hasty commercial efforts but most of them infused, nevertheless, with a black intensity of action that gave even clichéd Sword-and-Sorcery plots something of a mythic intonation. At the same time, under his own name, he began to publish sf novels like Eye Among the Blind (1976) and Earthwind (1977), in both of which he uneasily attempted to accommodate the compulsive mythologizing of his dark fantasies within the frame of "normal" sf worlds. The result was a series of books whose narrative energies seem greyed down with decorum: the interplay between Aliens and alienation in Eye Among the Blind is effective but ponderously expressed; Earthwind utters slow-moving hints at the powers of a "chthonic" atavism; and Where Time Winds Blow (1981), the best of these early books, ornately but without much movement initiates the narrative plumbings of the nature of Time through the depiction of an alien world whose surface (or linear) reality suffers arbitrary transfigurations through Time Distortions (see Zone).
With the publication of Mythago Wood (September 1981 F&SF; exp 1984), however, Holdstock's two careers suddenly and thankfully converged in a tale whose elaborate proprieties of rationale are driven by narrative energies and an exuberance of language previously restricted in crude form to his Berserker novels, written as Chris Carlsen. Much expanded from his short 1981 fantasy of the same title, Mythago Wood is Fantasy rather than sf only if it is inappropriate to think of the creation of a rational model for conceiving racial archetypes as a proper subject for sf, or if it is fantasy to articulate the hard pain of desiderium so many English people feel for an Ur-land that never existed (see discussion of Sehnsucht below) but which seems still to pulse through what remains of the astonishingly dense world of Britain. The Mythago Cycle, which this tale initiates, can be understood as treating mythopoeisis in terms of Cosmology. The frame of the tale is indeed obdurately rational in tone, and the "mythagoes" discovered – and transmuted – by the contemporary protagonist are appropriate expressions of what might be called the unconscious tale of the race: they are that tale made animate, and each mythago bears a name or names – and enacts the nature – of those archetypes that embody the permutations of that tale. The wood from which they come – like the interior lands for which the protagonists of much UK fantasy long – is a classic Little Big heartwood [see The Encyclopedia of Fantasy under links below], huger inside than out, and the more ancient the further one penetrates inwards (see Time Abyss), and in describing it Holdstock engages in language of a metaphoric density rarely encountered in marketable fiction. Mythago Wood was a joint winner of the 1985 World Fantasy Award for best novel.
The next volume in the Mythago Cycle, Lavondyss: Journey to an Unknown Region (1988), only increases the intensity of the Chymical Marriage between rational discourse and desiderium or Sehnsucht (a term C S Lewis employed to describe the melancholy longing for "something that has never actually appeared in our experience", and by which he meant to designate the impulse behind certain kinds of fantasy). The longing of the protagonists of Lavondyss to enter the "unknown region" – Holdstock's term here for the wood within (and prior to) the world – is absolute, and it gives the book much of its obdurate potency. "Toward the Unknown Region" (1906) is a choral work by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), a composer whose evocations of a longed-for Britain are refreshingly muscular; Holdstock's citing of this piece of Music is therefore heavily loaded (Vaughan Williams himself appears in the novel); and the obdurate Sehnsucht of his music conveys to most listeners what Holdstock at his best conveys: a sense that the Matter of Britain is a Story that can be told.
The title novella in The Bone Forest (coll 1991), and the title novel in Merlin's Wood; Or, The Vision of Magic (coll 1994), continue the Mythago Cycle in modes closer to conventional fantasy, as do The Hollowing (1993) and Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn (1997; vt Gate of Ivory 1998); the last completed book in the sequence, Avilion (2009), returns directly to the central knot of story of Mythago Wood and Lavondyss, continuing the Huxley family tale through deaths and resurrections that amount to a grave-song for England, though the wood continues. Holdstock's further singletons (listed below) are also fantasy, including the Merlin Codex sequence beginning with Celtika: Book One of the Merlin Codex (2001). [JC]
see also: BSFA Award; Devolution; Gothic SF; Mythology; New Writings in SF.
Robert Paul Holdstock
born Hythe, Kent: 2 August 1948
died London: 29 November 2009
works
under his own name
series
Mythago Cycle
- Mythago Wood (London: Victor Gollancz, 1984) [Mythago Cycle: hb/Eddi Gornall]
- Lavondyss: Journey to an Unknown Region (London: Victor Gollancz, 1988) [Mythago Cycle: hb/Alan Lee]
- The Mythago Cycle Volume 1: A Ryhope Wood Omnibus (London: Victor Gollancz, 2007) [omni of the above two: Mythago Cycle: pb/Alan Lee]
- The Bone Forest (London: Grafton Books, 1991) [coll: title novella only is Mythago Cycle: hb/Alan Lee]
- The Hollowing (London: HarperCollins, 1993) [Mythago Cycle: hb/Geoff Taylor]
- Merlin's Wood; Or, The Vision of Magic (London: HarperCollins, 1994) [coll: title novel only is Mythago Cycle: hb/Geoff Taylor]
- Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn (New York: Penguin/Roc, 1997) [Mythago Cycle: hb/Ron Walotsky]
- Gate of Ivory (London: HarperCollins, 1998) [vt of the above: Mythago Cycle: hb/John Howe]
- The Mythago Cycle Volume 2 (London: Victor Gollancz, 2007) [omni of The Hollowing and Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn: Mythago Cycle: pb/Alan Lee]
- Avilion (London: Gollancz, 2009) [Mythago Cycle: hb/]
Merlin Codex
- Celtika: Book One of the Merlin Codex (London: Simon and Schuster, 2001) [Merlin Codex: hb/Larry Rostant]
- The Iron Grail: Book Two of the Merlin Codex (London: Simon and Schuster, 2002) [Merlin Codex: hb/Larry Rostant]
- The Broken Kings: From the Merlin Codex: Book Three (London: Gollancz, 2006) [Merlin Codex: hb/www.keevildesign.co.uk]
individual titles
- Eye Among the Blind (London: Faber and Faber, 1976) [hb/Dave Griffiths]
- Earthwind (London: Faber and Faber, 1977) [hb/Dave Griffiths]
- Necromancer (London: Futura, 1978) [pb/]
- Where Time Winds Blow (London: Faber and Faber, 1981) [hb/from Caspar David Friedrich]
- Elite: The Dark Wheel (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Acornsoft, 1984) [chap: tie to the computer game Elite: pb/]
- Bulman (London: Futura, 1984) [tie to the television series: Bulman: pb/]
- Bulman 2: One of Our Pigeons is Missing (London: Futura, 1984) [tie to the television series: Bulman: pb/]
- The Emerald Forest (Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1985) [tie to the film: pb/]
- The Fetch (London: Orbit, 1991) [hb/Jim Burns]
- Ancient Echoes (London: HarperCollins, 1996) [hb/Geoff Taylor]
collections and stories
- In the Valley of the Statues (London: Faber and Faber, 1982) [coll: hb/Bush Hollyhead]
- Earthwind / Where Time Winds Blow / In the Valley of the Statues (London: Orion Gollancz, 2013) [omni of the above titles: in the publisher's SF Gateway Omnibus series: pb/]
- Thorn (Birmingham, England: The Birmingham Science Fiction Group, 1984) [story: chap: pb/nonpictorial]
- The Ragthorn (no place given: Infinity Plus, 2015) with Garry Kilworth [coll: containing title collaboration plus two independent stories: pb/Keith Brooke]
- Poems, Peoms & Other Atrocities (Hornsea, East Yorkshire: PS Publishing, 2013) with Garry Kilworth [coll: hb/Francois Thisdale]
under pseudonyms
as by Robert Black
- Legend of the Werewolf (London: Sphere Books, 1976) as by Robert Black [tie to the film: pb/Les Edwards]
- The Satanists (London: Futura, 1978) as by Robert Black [tie to the film, never in fact released: pb/]
as by Chris Carlsen
- Berserker: Shadow of the Wolf (London: Sphere Books, 1977) as by Chris Carlsen [Berserker: pb/Melvyn Grant]
- Berserker: The Bull Chief (London: Sphere Books, 1977) as by Chris Carlsen [Berserker: pb/]
- Berserker: The Horned Warrior (London: Sphere Books, 1979) as by Chris Carlsen [Berserker: pb/Melvyn Grant]
- Berserker: The Shadow of the Wolf / The Bull Chief / The Horned Warrior (London: Orion Gollancz, 2014) as by Robert Holdstock [omni of the above three: in the publisher's SF Gateway Omnibus series: pb/]
as by Richard Kirk
- Raven, Swordsmistress of Chaos (London: Corgi Books, 1978) with Angus Wells, writing together as Richard Kirk [a House Name: Raven: pb/Chris Achilleos]
- A Time of Ghosts (London: Corgi Books, 1978) as by Richard Kirk [a House Name: Raven: pb/Chris Achilleos]
- Lords of the Shadows (London: Corgi Books, 1979) as by Richard Kirk [a House Name: Raven: pb/Chris Achilleos]
as by Steven Eisler
- Space Wars: Worlds and Weapons (London: Octopus Books, 1979) as by Steven Eisler [chap: graph: linking text for reprinted illustrations: hb/Chris Moore]
- The Alien World: The Complete Illustrated Guide (London: Octopus Books, 1980) as by Steven Eisler [chap: graph: linking text for reprinted illustrations: hb/Mick Brownfield]
as by Ken Blake
- Cry Wolf (London: Sphere Books, 1981) as by Ken Blake [a House Name: The Professionals: pb/]
- The Untouchables (London: Sphere Books, 1982) as by Ken Blake [a House Name: The Professionals: pb/]
- Operation Susie (London: Sphere Books, 1982) as by Ken Blake [a House Name: The Professionals: pb/]
- You'll Be All Right (London: Sphere Books, 1982) as by Ken Blake [a House Name: The Professionals: pb/]
as by Robert Faulcon
- The Stalking (London: Arrow Books, 1983) as by Robert Faulcon [Night Hunter: pb/]
- Night Hunter (New York: Charter Books, 1987) as by Robert Faulcon [vt of the above: Night Hunter: pb/]
- The Talisman (London: Arrow Books, 1983) as by Robert Faulcon [Night Hunter: pb/]
- The Stalking (London: Century, 1987) as by Robert Faulcon [omni of the above two: Night Hunter: hb/uncredited]
- The Ghost Dance (London: Arrow Books, 1984) as by Robert Faulcon [Night Hunter: pb/]
- The Shrine (London: Arrow Books, 1984) as by Robert Faulcon [Night Hunter: pb/]
- The Ghost Dance (London: Century, 1987) as by Robert Faulcon [omni of the above two: Night Hunter: hb/uncredited]
- The Hexing (London: Arrow Books, 1984) as by Robert Faulcon [Night Hunter: pb/]
- The Labyrinth (London: Arrow Books, 1987) as by Robert Faulcon [Night Hunter: pb/]
- The Hexing and the Labyrinth (London: Century, 1988) as by Robert Faulcon [omni of the above two: Night Hunter: hb/uncredited]
nonfiction
- Alien Landscapes (London: Pierrot Publishing, 1979) with Malcolm Edwards [nonfiction: pb/Les Edwards]
- Tour of the Universe: The Journey of a Lifetime – The Recorded Diaries of Leio Scott and Caroline Luranski (London: Pierrot Publishing, 1980) with Malcolm Edwards [nonfiction: quasi-fictional journal plus documentary: hb/based on painting by Jim Burns]
- Magician: The Lost Journals of the Magus Geoffrey Carlyle (Limpsfield, Surrey: Paper Tiger, 1982) with Malcolm Edwards [manuscripts and other notes of an imaginary alchemist: illus/hb/Dan Woods]
- Realms of Fantasy (Limpsfield, Surrey: Paper Tiger, 1983) with Malcolm Edwards [nonfiction: hb/Mark Harrison]
- Lost Realms (Limpsfield, Surrey: Paper Tiger, 1985) with Malcolm Edwards [nonfiction: hb/John Avon]
works as editor
series
Other Edens
- Other Edens (London: Unwin Paperbacks, 1987) with Christopher Evans [anth: Other Edens: pb/Jim Burns]
- Other Edens II (London: Unwin Paperbacks, 1988) with Christopher Evans [anth: Other Edens: pb/Jim Burns]
- Other Edens III (London: Unwin Paperbacks, 1989) with Christopher Evans [anth: Other Edens: pb/Jim Burns]
other edited works
- Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (London: Octopus Books, 1978) [encyclopedia: hb/Tony Roberts]
- Stars of Albion (London: Pan Books, 1979) with Christopher Priest [anth: pb/Bob Norrington]
about the author
- Anonymous, editor. Into the Woods: Robert Holdstock Remembered (Warton, near Tamworth, Staffordshire: British Science Fiction Association Special Editions, 2011) [anth: chap: includes Robert Holdstock poem and Interview: pb/Jill Battaglia]
- Kálmán Matolcsy and Donald E Morse, editors. The Mythic Fantasy of Robert Holdstock (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, 2011) [nonfiction: anth: hb/]
- Paul Kincaid. Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood: A Critical Companion (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) [nonfiction: hb/]
further reading
- Dan Coxon, editor. Heartwood: A Mythago Wood Anthology (Hornsea, East Yorkshire: PS Publishing, 2024) [anth: introduction by Michael Moorcock: illus/hb/Vince Haig]
links
- Robert Holdstock
- Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Encyclopedia of Fantasy: Little Big
- Picture Gallery
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