Scholes, Ken
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.
(1968- ) US author, primarily of fantasy with apocalyptic and sf elements; self-identified as Trailer Boy, a reference to his upbringing in a small US logging town. His first genre story sale was "The Taking Night" in Talebones for Winter 2000; he has written over 50 short stories since collected in three volumes by Fairwood Press [see Checklist below]. He is a winner of the Writers of the Future Contest, the French Prix Imaginales, the Endeavour Award and others; he cites his major influence and support in writing as the late Jay Lake, with whom he collaborated on both stories and Anthologies.
Scholes is perhaps best known for his Psalms of Isaak series, comprising Lamentation (2009), Canticle (2009), Antiphon (2010), Requiem (2013) and Hymn (2017). This sequence is an eclectic mixture of Fantasy, Steampunk and Post-Holocaust elements, with steam-powered mechoservitors (see Robots), the Religious order of Androfrancines led by a reluctant Pope, the dashing hero Rudolfo, a devious family led by Vlad Li Tam, and Magic using prophecy and powders. Although the main Psalms of Isaak series concludes with the 2017 Hymn, further stories set in this universe may yet follow. [CL/DRL]
Ken Scholes
born Oregon: 13 January 1968
works
series
Psalms of Isaak
- Lamentation (New York: Tor, 2009) [Psalms of Isaak: hb/Gregory Manchess]
- Canticle (New York: Tor, 2009) [Psalms of Isaak: hb/Gregory Manchess]
- Antiphon (New York: Tor, 2010) [Psalms of Isaak: hb/Chris McGrath]
- Requiem (New York: Tor, 2013) [Psalms of Isaak: hb/Chris McGrath]
- Hymn (New York: Tor, 2017) [Psalms of Isaak: hb/Chris McGrath]
collections and stories
- Last Flight of the Goddess (Kent, Washington: Fairwood Press, 2006) [novella: hb/Patrick Swenson]
- Long Walks, Last Flights, and Other Strange Journeys (Kent, Washington: Fairwood Press, 2008) [coll: hb/Paul Swenson]
- Diving Mimes, Weeping Czars and Other Unusual Suspects (Kent, Washington: Fairwood Press, 2010) [coll: hb/Paul Swenson]
- The Starship Mechanic (New York: Tor, 2010) with Jay Lake [story: ebook: first appeared January 2010 Tor.com: na/Stephan Martinière and Gregory Manchess]
- A Weeping Czar Beholds the Fallen Moon (New York: Tor.com, 2010) [story: ebook: na/Gregory Manchess]
- Chapter 15.5: Intersections and Interlopers (New York: Tor.com, 2010) with Lisa Desrochers [story: ebook: na/Gregory Manchess]
- Making My Entrance Again With My Usual Flair (New York: Tor.com, 2011) [story: ebook: na/Ellen Weinstein]
- Two Stories (New York: Tor.com, 2011) with Jay Lake [coll: ebook: two collaborative stories: na/Stephan Martinière and Gregory Manchess]
- If Dragon's Mass Eve Be Cold and Clear (New York: Tor.com, 2012) [story: ebook: na/Gregory Manchess]
- Blue Yonders, Grateful Pies and Other Fanciful Feasts (Kent, Washington: Fairwood Press, 2015) [coll: hb/Paul Swenson]
works as editor
An earlier Lake/Scholes anthology in the METAtropolis series appears to have been released only in audiobook form.
- METAtropolis: The Wings We Dare Aspire (Monument, Colorado: WordFire Press, 2014) with Jay Lake [anth: METAtropolis: pb/Jess Sturgeon]
links
previous versions of this entry