Wells, Angus
Entry updated 9 January 2023. Tagged: Author.

(1943-2006) UK author, previously a paperbacks editor, most of whose novels were seventy-five Westerns as by William S Brady, Matthew Kirk, Charles L Pike, James A Muir and J D Sandon, all published from 1975 to 1985; most of his remaining production was fantasy. Under the House Name Richard Kirk, which he shared with Robert P Holdstock, he contributed to the Raven fantasy series Swordsmistress of Chaos (1978) with Holdstock and, solo, The Frozen Gods (1978) and A Time of Dying (1979). Under his own name he wrote the Book of the Kingdoms sequence beginning with Wrath of Ashar (1988), the Godwars sequence beginning with Forbidden Magic (1991) and the Exiles sequence beginning with Exile's Children (1995), all of which are fantasy, as is the strong standalone novel Lords of the Sky (1994). As Ian Evans, he wrote Star Maidens (1977), an sf television Tie.
Wells is of sf interest primarily for his anonymous editing of a series of Best of collections presenting various sf authors to UK readers; titles included The Best of Isaac Asimov (coll 1973), The Best of Arthur C. Clarke 1937-1971 (coll 1973), The Best of Robert Heinlein (coll 1973), The Best of John Wyndham (coll 1973), The Best of Fritz Leiber (coll 1974), The Best of A.E. van Vogt (coll 1974), The Best of Frank Herbert (coll 1975) and The Best of Clifford D. Simak (coll 1975). [JC]
Angus Ian Wells
born Bromley, Kent: 26 March 1943
died Nottingham, Nottinghamshire: 11 April 2006
works
series
Raven
For further titles in this series, see Robert Holdstock.
- Swordsmistress of Chaos (London: Corgi Books, 1978) with Robert Holdstock, writing together as by Richard Kirk [Raven: pb/Chris Achilleos]
- The Frozen Gods (London: Corgi Books, 1978) as by Richard Kirk [Raven: pb/Chris Achilleos]
- A Time of Dying (London: Corgi Books, 1979) as by Richard Kirk [Raven: pb/Chris Achilleos]
Book of the Kingdoms
- Wrath of Ashar (London: Michael Joseph, 1988) [Book of the Kingdoms: hb/]
- The Usurper (London: Sphere Books, 1989) [Book of the Kingdoms: pb/uncredited]
- The Way Beneath (London: Orbit, 1990) [Book of the Kingdoms: pb/Geoff Taylor]
Godwars
- Forbidden Magic (London: Orbit, 1991) [Godwars: pb/Geoff Taylor]
- Dark Magic (New York: Bantam Books, 1992) [Godwars: pb/Kevin Tweddell]
- Wild Magic (New York: Bantam Books, 1993) [Godwars: pb/Kevin Tweddell]
Exiles
- Exile's Children (London: Millennium, 1995) [Exiles: pb/Mick Posen]
- Exile's Challenge (London: Millennium, 1996) [Exiles: pb/uncredited]
individual titles
- Star Maidens (London: Corgi Books, 1977) as by Ian Evans [tie to the television series: Star Maidens: pb/]
- Lords of the Sky (London: Millennium, 1994) [pb/Mick Posen]
- The Guardian (New York: Bantam Spectra, 1998) [pb/Boris Vallejo]
- Yesterday's Kings (New York: Bantam Books, 2001) [pb/David Bowers]
works as editor
series
Best Of
- Isaac Asimov. The Best of Isaac Asimov (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1973) with Martin H Greenberg, both anonymous [coll: Best Of: hb/uncredited]
- The Best of Isaac Asimov 1939-1952 (London: Sphere Books, 1973) [coll: cut version of the above: containing the first half: pb/Peter Elson]
- The Best of Isaac Asimov 1954-1972 (London: Sphere Books, 1973) [coll: cut version of the above: containing the second half: pb/Patrick Woodroffe]
- Arthur C Clarke. The Best of Arthur C. Clarke 1937-1971 (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1973) anonymous [coll: Best Of: hb/Chris Foss]
- Arthur C Clarke. The Best of Arthur C. Clarke: 1932-1955 (London: Sphere Books, 1976) [coll: vt of the above: first half of the above: "1932" should read "1937": pb/Chris Foss]
- Arthur C Clarke. The Best of Arthur C. Clarke: 1956-1971 (London: Sphere Books, 1977) [coll: vt of the above: second half of the above: pb/Chris Foss]
- Robert A Heinlein. The Best of Robert Heinlein (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1973) anonymous [coll: Best Of: hb/uncredited]
- Robert A Heinlein. The Best of Robert Heinlein: 1939-1942 (London: Sphere Books, 1977) [coll: vt of the above: first half of the above: pb/Patrick Woodroffe]
- Robert A Heinlein. The Best of Robert Heinlein: 1947-1959 (London: Sphere Books, 1977) [coll: vt of the above: second half of the above: pb/Patrick Woodroffe]
- John Wyndham. The Best of John Wyndham (London: Sphere Books, 1973) anonymous [coll: pb/Patrick Woodroffe]
- Fritz Leiber. The Best of Fritz Leiber (London: Sphere Books, 1974) anonymous [coll: pb/A Roberts]
- A E van Vogt. The Best of A.E. van Vogt (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1974) anonymous [coll: pb/Tony Roberts]
- Frank Herbert. The Best of Frank Herbert (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1975) [coll: hb/David Hardy]
- Clifford D Simak. The Best of Clifford D. Simak (London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1975) [coll: hb/David Hardy]
links
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