Snodgrass, Melinda M

Entry updated 13 February 2024. Tagged: Author.

(1951- ) US lawyer, television screenwriter and author who was strongly associated with Star Trek in her early career, her first novel being Star Trek: The Tears of the Singers (1984); she also served as Executive Script Consultant for the first two seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Of greater sf interest is the Circuit Trilogy – Circuit (1986), Circuit Breaker (1987) and Final Circuit (1988) – which takes a handsome Federal Court judge and his extremely clever female sidekick into space, where they become involved in defending a batch of individualistic Space Stations and settlements against the hidebound bureaucracies of Earth (see Libertarian SF). This point of view is not, of course, newly minted in Genre SF terms, and a sense that Snodgrass was not perhaps concentrating fully on the richer implications of her setting is strengthened by a plot structure which eventually relegates the tough female sidekick to the sidelines – in strict accordance with the Robert A Heinlein guidelines on such matters – as soon as she becomes pregnant. Runespear (1987) with Victor Milán is fantasy, as is Queen's Gambit Declined (1989). The Edge, comprising The Edge of Reason (2008), The Edge of Ruin (2010) and The Edge of Dawn (2015), is an Equipoisal sequence in which a police officer, after rescuing a sorceress from a bad fate, becomes involved in the long war between the forces of reason and (crudely) the forces of Religion (as created to imprison Homo sapiens by the Old Ones, who are Alien Secret Masters); in the second volume, a Dimensional gate gives the Old Ones a chance to plunge twenty-first century earth ever deeper into suicidal fanaticism, which intensifies in the third volume. The Linnet Ellery sequence beginning with This Case Is Gonna Kill Me (2012) as by Phillipa Bornikova is an Urban Fantasy [see The Encyclopedia of Fantasy under links below] set in a New York governed, both as regards the world above and the world below, by Vampires, Werewolves; the protagonist is a kick-ass attorney.

Snodgrass contributed stories to the Wild Cards Shared World series of Braids, sometimes closely woven, from volume one, Wild Cards (anth 1987); her editorial involvement with the series began early, and she has served as designated assistant editor to the series creator and main editor, George R R Martin, on later volumes, her first credited stint beginning with Wild Cards #6: Ace in the Hole: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (anth 1990), and ending with Wild Cards #9: Jokertown Shuffle: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (anth 1991). The next title in the sequence, the next title, Wild Cards #10: Double Solitaire: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (1992), was by Snodgrass solo, with Martin as editor.

A Very Large Array: New Mexico Science Fiction and Fantasy (anth 1987) embodies Snodgrass's theory that the urgent New Mexico landscape might serve to unify in some sense the work of writers there resident; in the event, though the theory still proves difficult to assess, the stories assembled are of admirable quality. [JC]

see also: Skylark Award; Trapped in Space.

Melinda Marilyn Snodgrass

born Los Angeles, California: 27 November 1951

works

series

Star Trek

Star Trek: The Tears of the Singers (New York: Pocket Books, 1984) [tie to Star Trek: Star Trek: pb/Boris Vallejo]

Circuit Trilogy

Circuit (New York: Berkley Books, 1986) [Circuit Trilogy: pb/Don Dixon]
Circuit Breaker (New York: Berkley Books, 1987) [Circuit Trilogy: pb/Don Dixon]
Final Circuit (New York: Berkley Books, 1988) [Circuit Trilogy: pb/Don Dixon]

The Edge

The Edge of Reason (New York: Tor, 2008) [The Edge: hb/from Gustave Doré]
The Edge of Ruin (New York: Tor, 2010) [The Edge: hb/from Gustave Doré]
The Edge of Dawn (New York: Tor, 2015) [The Edge: hb/Chris McGrath]

Linnet Ellery

This Case Is Gonna Kill Me (New York: Tor, 2012) as by Phillipa Bornikova [Linnet Ellery: hb/]
Box Office Poison (New York: Tor, 2013) as by Phillipa Bornikova [Linnet Ellery: hb/]
Publish and Perish (New York: Tor, 2018) as by Phillipa Bornikova [Linnet Ellery: hb/]

The Imperials

The High Ground (New York: Titan, 2016) [The Imperials: pb/Alex Ronald]
In Evil Times (New York: Titan, 2017) [The Imperials: pb/Alex Ronald]
The Hidden World (New York: Titan, 2018) [The Imperials: pb/Alex Ronald]

individual titles

Magic to Do: Paul's Story (New York: New American Library/Signet Books, 1985) as Melinda McKenzie [pb/]
Of Earth and High Heaven (New York: New American Library/Signet Books, 1985) as Melinda McKenzie [pb/]
Runespear (New York: Popular Library/Questar, 1987) with Victor Milán [pb/Jim Warren]
Queen's Gambit Declined (New York: Popular Library/Questar, 1989) [pb/Robert Gould]

works as editor

series

Wild Cards

We list the entire sequence created and edited or co-edited throughout by George R R Martin, as Snodgrass has had some involvement from the beginning. Those titles in which she is acknowledged are so clocked below. Retroactive divisions of individual titles into subseries are so indicated. As subtitles may or may not exist, they are indicated only when confirmed.

Wild Cards: A Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1986) edited by George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: Original Triad: pb/Stan Watts]
- Wildcards (New York: Science Fiction Book Club, 1987) edited by George R R Martin [anth: vt of the above: Wild Cards: Original Triad: hb/Walter Velez]
- Wild Cards 1 (New York: Tor, 2010) edited by George R R Martin [anth: exp vt of the above: Wild Cards: Original Triad: pb/Michael Komarck]
Wild Cards II: Aces High (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1987) edited by George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: Original Triad: pb/Richard Kriegler]
- Wild Cards 2 (New York: Pocket/ibooks, 2001) edited by George R R Martin [anth: rev vt of the above: with new introduction: Wild Cards: Original Triad: pb/Brian Bolland]
  - Wild Cards 2: Aces High edited by George R R Martin (New York: ibooks, 2004) [anth: vt of the above: Wild Cards: Original Triad: pb/Brian Bolland]
Wild Cards III: Jokers Wild: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1987) edited by George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: Original Triad: pb/Richard Kriegler]
- Wild Cards 1-3: The Epic Beginning (London: Gollancz, 2015) edited by George R R Martin [anth: omni of the above three: ebook: Wild Cards: Original Triad: na/]
Wild Cards IV: Aces Abroad: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1988) edited by George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Richard Kriegler]
- Wild Cards Volume Four: Aces Abroad (London: Titan, 1990) edited by George R R Martin [anth: vt of the above: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Brian Bolland]
Wild Cards V: Down and Dirty: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1988) edited by George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Frank Riley]
- Wild Cards Volume Five: Down and Dirty (London: Titan, 1990) with George R R Martin [anth: vt of the above: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Brian Bolland]
Wild Cards VI: Ace in the Hole: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1988) edited by George R R Martin [novel by Snodgrass solo: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Timothy Truman]
- Wild Cards Volume Six: Ace in the Hole (London: Titan, 1990) edited by George R R Martin [anth: vt of the above: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Brian Bolland]
Wild Cards VII: Dead Man's Hand: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1990) with George R R Martin and John J Miller [anth: Wild Cards: The Puppetman Quartet: pb/Timothy Truman]
Wild Cards VIII: One-Eyed Jacks: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1991) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Rox Triad: pb/Timothy Truman]
Wild Cards IX: Jokertown Shuffle: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1991) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Rox Triad: pb/Timothy Truman]
Wild Cards X: Double Solitaire: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1992) with George R R Martin [Wild Cards: The Novels: pb/Timothy Truman]
Wild Cards XI: Dealer's Choice: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1992) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Rox Triad: pb/Timothy Truman]
Wild Cards: Turn of the Cards (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1993) by Victor Milán edited with George R R Martin [Wild Cards: The Novels: pb/Timothy Truman]
Wild Cards: Card Sharks: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Baen Books, 1993) [anth: Wild Cards: New Cycle: The Card Sharks Triad: pb/Barclay Shaw]
Wild Cards: Marked Cards: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Baen Books, 1994) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: New Cycle: The Card Sharks Triad: pb/Barclay Shaw]
Wild Cards: Black Trump: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Baen Books, 1995) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: New Cycle: The Card Sharks Triad: pb/Barclay Shaw]
Wild Cards: Deuces Down (New York: Pocket/ibooks, 2002) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: pb/Jim Steranko]
- Wild Cards: Deuces Down (New York: Tor, 2021) with George R R Martin [anth: exp of the above: Wild Cards: hb/]
Wild Cards: Inside Straight (New York: Tor, 2008) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Committee Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Wild Cards: Busted Flush (New York: Tor, 2008) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Committee Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Wild Cards: Suicide Kings (New York: Tor, 2009) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Committee Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Wild Cards: Fort Freak (New York: Tor, 2011) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Fort Freak Triad: hb/Hermes Technologies/Jupiterimages]
Wild Cards: Lowball (New York: Tor, 2014) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Fort Freak Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Wild Cards: High Stakes (New York: Tor, 2016) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The Fort Freak Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Mississippi Roll (New York: Tor, 2017) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The America Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Low Chicago: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Tor, 2018) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The America Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Texas Hold'em: A Wild Cards Mosaic Novel (New York: Tor, 2018) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: The America Triad: hb/Michael Komarck]
Knaves over Queens (New York: Tor, 2018) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: hb/Mike Topping]
Joker Moon (New York: Tor, 2021) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: hb/]
Wild Cards: Full House (New York: Tor, 2022) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: hb/]
Wild Cards: Pairing Up (New York: Tor, 2023) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: hb/]
Wild Cards: Sleeper Straddle (New York: Tor, 2024) with George R R Martin [anth: Wild Cards: hb/]

individual titles as editor

A Very Large Array: New Mexico Science Fiction and Fantasy (Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, 1987) [anth: hb/Marc Davis]

links

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