Slater, Ian
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.
(1941- ) Australian-born political scientist and author, in Canada from the 1970s; most of his singletons, beginning with Firespill (1977), are Technothrillers, sometimes involving Disasters beyond the yet-experienced, and Technology-driven solutions. Of more direct sf interest is the World War III sequence beginning with WW III: World War III (1990), in which World War Three between (mainly) America and the USSR begins in a not exactly specified Near Future. Various battle fronts are visited in great depth as the series advances, with long sections exhibiting the close focus typical of Military SF. The series protagonist, General Douglas Freeman (later retired), is specifically likened to General George Patton (1885-1945), and similarly plunges into theatres of War significantly in advance of his more cautious colleagues. As the war advances, and China becomes a third force, Freeman is first sidelined then resuscitated as terrorists with access to a secret Weapon threaten to modernize the long conflict. Slater's second series, the USA vs Militia sequence beginning with USA vs Militia: Showdown (1990) again features Freeman, this time in a Near Future civil war in which Libertarian militia are pitched against the government. [JC]
Ian Slater
born Toowoomba, Queensland: 1 December 1941
works
series
World War III
- WW III: World War III (New York: Ballantine Books, 1990) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Rage of Battle (New York: Ballantine Books, 1991) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: World in Flames (New York: Ballantine Books, 1991) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Arctic Front (New York: Ballantine Books, 1992) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Warshot (New York: Ballantine Books, 1992) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Asian Front (New York: Ballantine Books, 1993) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Force of Arms (New York: Ballantine Books, 1994) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: South China Sea (New York: Ballantine Books, 1996) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Choke Point (New York: Ballantine Books, 2003) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Payback (New York: Ballantine Books, 2005) [World War III: pb/]
- WW III: Darpa Alpha (New York: Ballantine Books, 2007) [World War III: pb/]
USA vs Militia
- USA vs Militia: Showdown (New York: Ballantine Books, 1990) [USA vs Militia: pb/]
- USA vs Militia: Battle Front (New York: Ballantine Books, 1998) [USA vs Militia: pb/]
- USA vs Militia: Manhunt (New York: Ballantine Books, 1999) [USA vs Militia: pb/]
- USA vs Militia: Force 10 (New York: Ballantine Books, 2000) [USA vs Militia: pb/]
- USA vs Militia: Knockout (New York: Ballantine Books, 2001) [USA vs Militia: pb/]
individual titles
- Firespill (Toronto, Ontario: Seal Books, 1977) [pb/]
- Sea Gold (New York: Bantam Books, 1979) [pb/]
- Air Glow Red (Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1982) [hb/]
- Deep Chill (Don Mills, Ontario: Worldwide Library, 1989) [pb/]
- Storm (Don Mills, Ontario: Worldwide Library, 1989) [pb/]
- Forbidden Zone (New York: Ballantine Books, 1990) [pb/]
- MacArthur Must Die (New York: Penguin Books, 1994) [pb/]
nonfiction
- Orwell: The Road to Airstrip One (New York: W W Norton and Company, 1985) [nonfiction: George Orwell: hb/]
- Orwell: The Road to Airstrip One (Montreal, Quebec: McGill-Queens University Press, 2003) [nonfiction: rev of the above: pb/]
links
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