Holt, Tom
Entry updated 11 December 2023. Tagged: Author.
(1961- ) UK author – a solicitor before he turned to full-time writing in 1995 – whose debut was the precocious "Poems by Tom Holt" (coll 1973 chap). He is best known for his numerous comic fantasies, beginning with the genially myth-based Expecting Someone Taller (1987) and Who's Afraid of Beowulf? (1988) [see The Encyclopedia of Fantasy under links below]. Later examples, which beneath rapid-fire quips tend increasingly to convey despair at the human condition, sometimes verge on sf with notions like sending oneself by fax (see Matter Transmission). Here Comes the Sun (1993), perhaps the most science-fictional of Holt's fantasies, postulates an Alternate Cosmos in which constant intervention is required to keep the Sun lumbering on its daily course, using Steampunk-like Technology operating with the inefficiency of British industry and civil servants at their caricatured worst.
Of direct sf interest is the atypical and far from humorous Someone Like Me (2006 chap), a short thriller set in a post-technological Ruined Earth where humanity has become prey for creatures with fur, fangs, claws and also tool-using Intelligence; the Monster-hunting hero duels one of these inimical beings Underground. Blonde Bombshell (2010) is comic sf with a tone similar to the fantasies: doglike Aliens wish to destroy the Near-Future Earth for implausible reasons, only for their Faster-than-Light, AI-minded bomb to go native while investigating our planet's weaknesses; there is much Matter Transmission, which here facilitates Shapeshifting and allows the alien "dogs" to switch to and from human form like Werewolves. Incidental Satire is chiefly directed at Computers and Microsoft Windows, also a frequent target in the humorous fantasies.
Some of Holt's historical novels are published as by Thomas Holt. Rumours that his pseudonyms include the non-comic fantasy author K J Parker (whose debut was in 1998), widespread since the early 2000s, were at last confirmed by Holt in April 2015; some of his stories under this name – an example being The Last Witness (2015), whose protagonist performs Memory Edits for a living – edge into sf territory. [DRL]
see also: Elements; Orbit Books; Secret Masters.
Thomas Charles Louis Holt
born London: 13 September 1961
works
series
Lucia
- Lucia in Wartime (London: Macmillan, 1985) [Sequel by Other Hands based on characters created by E F Benson: Lucia: hb/Lynda Riess]
- Lucia Triumphant (London: Macmillan, 1986) [Sequel by Other Hands based on characters created by E F Benson: Lucia: hb/Lynda Riess]
The Walled Orchard (ancient historical)
- Goatsong (London: Macmillan, 1989) [The Walled Orchard: hb/Gillian Andrews]
- The Walled Orchard (London: Macmillan, 1990) [The Walled Orchard: hb/Nigel Owen]
- The Walled Orchard (London: Time Warner Paperbacks, 1997) [omni of the above two titles: The Walled Orchard: pb/Colin Hadley]
J Wellington Wells (comic fantasy)
- The Portable Door (London: Orbit, 2003) [J Wellington Wells: hb/Paul Cemmick]
- In Your Dreams (London: Orbit, 2004) [J Wellington Wells: hb/Tansyn Berryman]
- Earth, Air, Fire and Custard (London: Orbit, 2005) [J Wellington Wells: hb/Darren Nash]
- You Don't Have to Be Evil to Work Here, But It Helps (London: Orbit, 2006) [J Wellington Wells: hb/James Nicol]
- The Better Mousetrap (London: Orbit, 2008) [J Wellington Wells: hb/Bella Pagan]
- May Contain Traces of Magic (London: Orbit, 2009) [J Wellington Wells: hb/Darren Nash & Simon Sheffield]
- Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sausages (New York: Orbit, 2011) [J Wellington Wells: pb/Lauren Panepinto]
- The Eight Reindeer of the Apocalypse (New York: Orbit, 2023) [J Wellington Wells: pb/]
YouSpace
- Doughnut (New York: Orbit, 2013) [YouSpace: hb/Lauren Panepinto]
- When It's a Jar (London: Orbit, 2013) [YouSpace: pb/Lauren Panepinto]
- The Outsorcerer's Apprentice (London: Orbit, 2014) [YouSpace: pb/Lauren Panepinto]
- The Good, the Bad and the Smug (London: Orbit, 2015) [YouSpace: pb/]
individual titles
- Expecting Someone Taller (London: Macmillan, 1987) [hb/Graham Thompson]
- Who's Afraid of Beowulf? (London: Macmillan, 1988) [hb/]
- Expecting Beowulf (Framingham, Massachusetts: The NESFA Press, 2002) [omni of the above two: pb/Omar Rayyan]
- I, Margaret: The Unauthorised Autobiography of Mrs Thatcher (London: Pan Macmillan/Papermac, 1989) with Steve Nallon [pb/]
- Flying Dutch (London: Orbit, 1991) [hb/Josh Kirby]
- Ye Gods! (London: Orbit, 1992) [hb/Josh Kirby]
- Tall Stories (London: Orbit, 2004) [omni of Expecting Someone Taller and Ye Gods!: "Omnibus 5": pb/Bella Pagan]
- Overtime (London: Orbit, 1993) [hb/Josh Kirby]
- Here Comes the Sun (London: Orbit, 1993) [hb/Steve Lee]
- Grailblazers (London: Orbit, 1994) [hb/Steve Lee]
- For Two Nights Only (London: Orbit, 2003) [omni of Overtime and Grailblazers: "Omnibus 4": pb/Bella Pagan]
- Faust Among Equals (London: Orbit, 1994) [hb/Steve Lee]
- The First Tom Holt Omnibus (London: Orbit, 2000) [omni of Flying Dutch and Faust Among Equals: pb/Steve Lee]
- Dead Funny (London: Orbit, 2004) [omni: vt of the above: "Omnibus 1": pb/Steve Lee]
- The First Tom Holt Omnibus (London: Orbit, 2000) [omni of Flying Dutch and Faust Among Equals: pb/Steve Lee]
- Odds and Gods (London: Orbit, 1995) [hb/Steve Lee]
- The Divine Comedies (London: Orbit, 2002) [omni of Here Comes the Sun and Odds and Gods: "Omnibus 3": pb/Steve Lee]
- Djinn Rummy (London: Orbit, 1995) (London: Orbit, 2007) [hb/Steve Lee]
- My Hero (London: Orbit, 1996) [hb/Steve Lee]
- The Second Tom Holt Omnibus (London: Orbit, 2002) [omni of Who's Afraid of Beowulf and My Hero: pb/Steve Lee]
- Mightier than the Sword (London: Orbit, 2004) [omni: vt of the above: "Omnibus 2": pb/Steve Lee]
- The Second Tom Holt Omnibus (London: Orbit, 2002) [omni of Who's Afraid of Beowulf and My Hero: pb/Steve Lee]
- Paint Your Dragon (London: Orbit, 1996) [hb/Steve Lee]
- Open Sesame (London: Orbit, 1997) [hb/Steve Lee]
- Saints and Sinners (London: Orbit, 2004) [omni of Paint Your Dragon and Open Sesame: "Omnibus 6": pb/Steve Lee]
- Wish You Were Here (London: Orbit, 1998) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- Fishy Wishes (London: Orbit, 2004) [omni of Djinn Rummy and Wish You Were Here: "Omnibus 7": pb/Steve Lee]
- Only Human (London: Orbit, 1999) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- Snow White and the Seven Samurai (London: Orbit, 1999) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- Alexander at the World's End (London: Little, Brown, 1999) [hb/Colin Hadley]
- Olympiad: An Historical Novel (London: Little, Brown, 2000) [hb/Colin Hadley]
- Valhalla (London: Orbit, 2000) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- Nothing But Blue Skies (London: Orbit, 2001) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- Falling Sideways (London: Orbit, 2002) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- Little People (London: Orbit, 2003) [hb/Paul Cemmick]
- A Song for Nero (London: Little, Brown, 2003) as by Thomas Holt [hb/Larry Rostant]
- Meadowland (London: Little, Brown, 2005) as by Thomas Holt [hb/Tim Byrne]
- Someone Like Me (London: Orbit, 2006) [novella: chap: "Quick Read" series: pb/uncredited]
- Barking (London: Orbit, 2007) [hb/Parin Shah]
- Blonde Bombshell (London: Orbit, 2010) [pb/Lauren Panepinto]
- The Management Style of the Supreme Beings (London: Orbit, 2017) [pb/Lauren Panepinto]
- An Orc on the Wild Side (London: Orbit, 2019) [pb/Geoff Spear]
collections and stories
- "Poems by Tom Holt" (Walton-in-Thames, Surrey: M and J Hobbs/Michael Joseph, 1973) [poetry: coll: chap: hb/photographic]
- Bitter Lemmings: Several Good Songs Spoilt by Tom Holt (Harold Wood, Essex: Beccon Publications, 1997) [chap: filksongs (see Filk): pb/Tom Abba]
- The Lemming has Landed (Whitby, Ontario: From C to C Publications, 2001) [chap: exp vt of the above: pb/Sally-Jane Headford]
- Holt! Who Goes There? (Stockport, Cheshire: British Fantasy Society, 1998) [nonfiction: coll: chap: pb/Anne Russell]
as by K J Parker
series
Fencer
- Colours in the Steel (London: Orbit, 1998) as by K J Parker [Fencer: pb/Mick Van Houten]
- The Belly of the Bow (London: Orbit, 1999) as by K J Parker [Fencer: pb/Mick Van Houten]
- The Proof House (London: Orbit, 2000) as by K J Parker [Fencer: pb/Mick Van Houten]
Scavenger
- Shadow (London: Orbit, 2001) as by K J Parker [Scavenger: pb/David Wyatt]
- Pattern (London: Orbit, 2002) as by K J Parker [Scavenger: pb/David Wyatt]
- Memory (London: Orbit, 2003) as by K J Parker [Scavenger: pb/David Wyatt]
Engineer Trilogy
- Devices and Desires (London: Orbit, 2005) as by K J Parker [Engineer Trilogy: pb/]
- Evil for Evil (London: Orbit, 2005) as by K J Parker [Engineer Trilogy: pb/]
- The Escapement (London: Orbit, 2007) as by K J Parker [Engineer Trilogy: pb/]
The Two of Swords
- The Two of Swords: Volume One (London: Orbit, 2017) [The Two of Swords: pb/Trevillion]
- The Two of Swords: Volume Two (London: Orbit, 2017) [The Two of Swords: pb/Trevillion]
- The Two of Swords: Volume Three (London: Orbit, 2017) [The Two of Swords: pb/Trevillion]
The Siege
- Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City (London: Orbit, 2019) as by K J Parker [The Siege: pb/Shutterstock]
- How to Rule an Empire and Get Away With It (London: Orbit, 2020) as by K J Parker [The Siege: pb/]
- A Practical Guide to Conquering the World (London: Orbit, 2021) as by K J Parker [The Siege: pb/]
Saevus Corax
- Saevus Corax Deals with the Dead (New York: Orbit, 2023) as K J Parker [Saevus Corax: pb/]
- Saevus Corax Captures The Castle (New York: Orbit, 2023) as K J Parker [Saevus Corax: pb/]
- Saevus Corax Gets Away with Murder (New York: Orbit, 2023) as K J Parker [Saevus Corax: pb/]
individual titles
- The Company (New York: Orbit, 2008) as by K J Parker [hb/]
- Purple and Black (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2009) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- Blue and Gold (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2010) as by K J Parker [chap: hb/Vincent Chong]
- The Folding Knife (London: Orbit, 2010) as by K J Parker [hb/]
- Sharps (London: Orbit, 2012) as by K J Parker [hb/Larry Rostant]
- Savages (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2015) as by K J Parker [hb/Bram Sels]
- The Last Witness (New York: tor.com, 2015) as by K J Parker [pb/Jon Foster]
- Downfall of the Gods (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2016) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- The Devil You Know (New York: tor.com, 2016) as by K J Parker [pb/Jon Foster]
- The Father of Lies (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2018) as by K J Parker [omni of the above three: plus further stories: hb/Vincent Chong]
- Mightier than the Sword (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2017) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- The Hammer (London: Orbit, 2011) as by K J Parker [pb/]
- Mightier than the Sword (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2017) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- My Beautiful Life (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2019) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- Prosper's Demon (New York: tor.com, 2016) as by K J Parker [pb/Jon Foster]
- The Big Score (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2021) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- Inside Man (New York: Tor.com, 2021) as by K J Parker [pb/Sam Weber]
- Under My Skin (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2023) as by K J Parker [omni of the above four: plus further stories: hb/Vincent Chong]
- The Long Game (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2022) as by K J Parker [hb/Vincent Chong]
- Pulling the Wings Off Angels (New York: Tor.com, 2022) as by K J Parker [pb/]
collections and stories
- Academic Exercises (Burton, Michigan: Subterranean Press, 2014) as by K J Parker [coll: hb/Vincent Chong]
links
- Tom Holt
- Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Encyclopedia of Fantasy: Tom Holt
- Picture Gallery
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