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Thurston, Robert

(1936-2021) US author and academic who attended the first Clarion Science Fiction Writers' Workshop in 1968 and began to publish work of genre interest with "Stop Me before I Tell More", in Orbit 9 (anth 1971) edited by Damon Knight, and who was for some years known only for his short work. This is notable more for its examination of individual humans caught in social or sexual extremis than for any specific extrapolative bent, so that moments of genuine insight or threat tend to be lost in weak plotting. His first novel, Alicia II (1978), exemplifies this problem, introducing an interesting existential problem involving Identity Transfer – the brain of an old man is implanted into the body of a young "retread" and the new amalgam must come to terms with the kind of society which legitimizes this obscene method of attaining longevity for a few – but foundering in the telling, which confusedly leads the protagonist into improbable Pulp-magazine adventures. Thurston's second independent novel, Set of Wheels (as "Wheels" in Clarion, anth 1971, ed Robin Scott Wilson; exp 1983), shows the same difficulty, but his third, Q Colony (as "The Oonaa Woman" in The Berkley Showcase: New Writings in Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vol. 4, anth 1981, ed Schochet and John Silbersack; exp 1985), set in a research station on an Alien planet whose inhabitants can interbreed with humans, explores his usual material – Sex and Identity – with greater aplomb. Trial of Heroes (2004) is a Space Opera.

It may be, however, that Thurston will remain best known for a series of Ties, the most significant being his contributions to the Battlestar Galactica sequence linked to the first series of Battlestar Galactica (1978-1979), all with Glen A Larson:, beginning with Battlestar Galactica (1978) and ending with Battlestar Galactica #14: Surrender the Galactica! (1987). His sequence of BattleTech game Ties (see BattleTech) begins with Legend of the Jade Phoenix #1: Way of the Clans (1991) and ends with Legend of the Jade Phoenix #3: Falcon Guard (1991). Singleton Ties include Robot Jox (1989), based on a screenplay by Joe Haldeman (see Robot Jox) and Dennis Paoli, and Isaac Asimov's Robot City: Robots and Aliens #3: Intruder (1990). [JC]

see also: Games and Sports; Reincarnation.

Robert Donald Thurston

born Lockport, New York: 28 October 1936

died Ridgefield Park, New Jersey: 20 October 2021

works

series

Battlestar Galactica

• Battlestar Galactica (New York: Berkley Books, 1978) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/]
  • Battlestar Galactica Classic: Saga of a Star World (New York: ibooks, 2003) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: vt of the above: Battlestar Galactica: pb/Frank Frazetta]
• Battlestar Galactica #2: The Cylon Death Machine (New York: Berkley Books, 1979) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/Frank Frazetta]
• Battlestar Galactica #3: The Tombs of Kobol (New York: Berkley Books, 1979) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/David Schleinkofer]
  • Battlestar Galactica Classic: The Tombs of Kobol (New York: Pocket Books/ibooks, 2003) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: vt of the above: Battlestar Galactica: pb/Bob Larkin]
• Battlestar Galactica #4: The Young Warriors (New York: Berkley Books, 1980) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/David Schleinkofer]
  • Battlestar Galactica Classic: The Young Warriors (New York: ibooks, 2003) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: vt of the above: Battlestar Galactica: pb/Bob Larkin]
• Battlestar Galactica #11: The Nightmare Machine (New York: Berkley Books, 1985) with Glen A Larson [tie Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/James Warhola]
• Battlestar Galactica #12: "Die, Chameleon!" (New York: Berkley Books, 1986) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/James Warhola]
• Battlestar Galactica #13: Apollo's War (New York: Berkley Books, 1987) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/James Warhola]
• Battlestar Galactica #14: Surrender the Galactica! (New York: Berkley Books, 1987) with Glen A Larson [tie to Battlestar Galactica: Battlestar Galactica: pb/James Warhola]

BattleTech: Legend of the Jade Phoenix

• Legend of the Jade Phoenix #1: Way of the Clans (New York: New American Library/Roc, 1991) [tie to the BattleTech Wargame universe: BattleTech: Legend of the Jade Phoenix: pb/Bruce Jensen]
• Legend of the Jade Phoenix #2: Bloodname (New York: New American Library/Roc, 1991) [tie to the BattleTech Wargame universe: BattleTech: Legend of the Jade Phoenix: pb/Bruce Jensen]
• Legend of the Jade Phoenix #3: Falcon Guard (New York: New American Library/Roc, 1991) [tie to the BattleTech Wargame universe: BattleTech: Legend of the Jade Phoenix: pb/Bruce Jensen]
  • BattleTech: The Classic Era: Legend of the Jade Phoenix (New York: New American Library/Roc, 2003) [omni of the above three: BattleTech: Legend of the Jade Phoenix: pb/Fred Gambino]

BattleTech

• BattleTech #17: I Am Jade Falcon (New York: New American Library/Roc, 1995) [tie to the BattleTech Wargame universe: BattleTech: pb/Peter Peebles]

BattleTech: Twilight of the Clans

• BattleTech #36: Twilight of the Clans: Freebirth (New York: New American Library/Roc, 1998) [tie to the BattleTech Wargame universe: Twilight of the Clans: pb/Bruce Jensen]
• BattleTech #43: Twilight of the Clans VIII: Falcon Rising (New York: New American Library/Roc, 1999) [tie to the BattleTech Wargame universe: Twilight of the Clans: pb/Doug Chaffee]

individual titles

• Alicia II (New York: Berkley Publishing Corporation: G P Putnam, 1978) [hb/Norm Walker]
• Set of Wheels (New York: Berkley Books, 1983) [first version appeared Clarion (anth 1971) edited by Robin Scott Wilson, as "Wheels": pb/Alan Daniels]
• Q Colony (New York: Ace Books, 1985) [first version appeared in The Berkley Showcase: New Writings in Science Fiction and Fantasy, Vol. 4 (anth 1981) edited by Victoria Schochet and John Silbersack, as "The Oonaa Woman": pb/John Harris]
• Robot Jox (New York: Avon Books, 1989) [tie to the film Robot Jox: based on a screenplay by Joe Haldeman and Dennis Paoli: pb/]
• Isaac Asimov's Robot City: Robots and Aliens #3: Intruder (New York: Ace Books, 1990) [tie to the Shared World: Isaac Asimov's Robot City: Robots and Aliens: pb/Paul Rivoche]
• Trial of Heroes (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Xlibris Corporation, 2004) [pb/]

links

• Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Picture Gallery

Entry from The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (2011-current) edited by John Clute and David Langford.
Accessed 09:44 am on 20 April 2024.
<https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/thurston_robert>