Stallman, Robert
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.
(1930-1980) Literary critic, professor of English at Western Michigan University, and author of the Book of the Beast trilogy, the last two books of which were published posthumously: The Orphan (1980), The Captive (1981) and The Beast (1982; vt The Book of the Beast 1982). The books are complex, sensitively written Fabulations, fitting between the generic borders of sf and Horror, and update the myth of the Werewolf with the sf premise that they are a chrysalis form of Extraterrestrial life; when two mate they will trigger a new phase in their life-cycle. The books do not, however, feel very sf-like, and they most come to life in the opposing tugs between the first beast's life as beast and as human, both phases desiring autonomy. The awkwardly structured last book of this engrossing series probably needed an auctorial revision which it could not be given. [PN]
Robert Lester Stallman
born ?Kankakee, Illinois: 6 January 1930
died Kalamazoo, Michigan: 1 August 1980
works
series
Book of the Beast
- The Orphan (New York: Pocket Books, 1980) [Book of the Beast: pb/Don Maitz]
- The Captive (New York: Pocket Books, 1981) [Book of the Beast: pb/Don Maitz]
- The Beast (New York: Pocket Books, 1982) [Book of the Beast: pb/Don Maitz]
- The Book of the Beast (London: Granada, 1982) [vt of the above: Book of the Beast: pb/Gino D'Achille]
nonfiction
- The Quest of William Morris (Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon Press, 1966) [nonfiction: William Morris: hb/]
links
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