Alfred Coppel
Encyclopedia
Alfred Coppel, Alfredo Jose de Arana-Marini Coppel (November 9, 1921–May 30, 2004) was an American
author. Born in Oakland
, California
, he served as a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
. After his discharge, he started his career as a writer. He became one of the most prolific pulp
authors of the 1950s and 1960s, adopting the pseudonym
s Robert Cham Gilman and A.C. Marin and writing for a variety of pulp magazines and later "slick" publishers. Though writing in a variety of genres, including action thrillers, he is of some note for his science fiction
stories which comprise both short stories and novels.
. Other short stories include "The Dreamer" (1952) about a man called Denby, who wants to be the first to orbit the moon, published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and reprinted in the anthology Best Short Shorts, (1958) edited by Eric Berger. His 1960 post-holocaust novel Dark December describes the aftermath of nuclear war
.
As Robert Cham Gilman, he wrote the Rhada sequence of science fiction
novels aimed at the young adult market. These space operas set within a galactic empire
comprise: The Rebel of Rhada (1968), The Navigator of Rhada (1969), The Starkahn of Rhada (1970) and a prequel called The Warlock of Rhada (1985). Another story in the same genre can be found under his own name in Brian Aldiss
's collection Galactic Empires.
The Burning Mountain
: A Novel of the Invasion of Japan, (1983), is an alternate history depicting what could have happened if the United States and its allies had been forced to invade Japan in 1946, had the Trinity test of the Fat Man
nuclear design tested on July 16, 1945 failed. This is based on the Operation Coronet and Operation Olympic United States battle plans for the invasion of Japan, which were rendered moot by Japan's surrender after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
with the suspense thriller Thirty-Four East about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Another political thriller was The Apocalypse Brigade, 1981, about the United States at war with global terrorism.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author. Born in Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, he served as a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After his discharge, he started his career as a writer. He became one of the most prolific pulp
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
authors of the 1950s and 1960s, adopting the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s Robert Cham Gilman and A.C. Marin and writing for a variety of pulp magazines and later "slick" publishers. Though writing in a variety of genres, including action thrillers, he is of some note for his science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
stories which comprise both short stories and novels.
Science fiction
Coppel's first science fiction story was "Age of Unreason" (1947) in Amazing StoriesAmazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
. Other short stories include "The Dreamer" (1952) about a man called Denby, who wants to be the first to orbit the moon, published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction and reprinted in the anthology Best Short Shorts, (1958) edited by Eric Berger. His 1960 post-holocaust novel Dark December describes the aftermath of nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
.
As Robert Cham Gilman, he wrote the Rhada sequence of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels aimed at the young adult market. These space operas set within a galactic empire
Galactic empire
Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fiction and science fantasy, particularly in space opera. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background, or written about the growth or decline of such an empire...
comprise: The Rebel of Rhada (1968), The Navigator of Rhada (1969), The Starkahn of Rhada (1970) and a prequel called The Warlock of Rhada (1985). Another story in the same genre can be found under his own name in Brian Aldiss
Brian Aldiss
Brian Wilson Aldiss, OBE is an English author of both general fiction and science fiction. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss. Greatly influenced by science fiction pioneer H. G. Wells, Aldiss is a vice-president of the international H. G. Wells Society...
's collection Galactic Empires.
The Burning Mountain
The Burning Mountain
The Burning Mountain is an alternate history novel by Alfred Coppel. They key change in history in the novel is that the Trinity nuclear test of July 16, 1945 fails. Then the novel goes on to depict the outcome of Operation Downfall--the 1946 invasion of Japan--by American forces....
: A Novel of the Invasion of Japan, (1983), is an alternate history depicting what could have happened if the United States and its allies had been forced to invade Japan in 1946, had the Trinity test of the Fat Man
Fat Man
"Fat Man" is the codename for the atomic bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, by the United States on August 9, 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons to be used in warfare to date , and its detonation caused the third man-made nuclear explosion. The name also refers more...
nuclear design tested on July 16, 1945 failed. This is based on the Operation Coronet and Operation Olympic United States battle plans for the invasion of Japan, which were rendered moot by Japan's surrender after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Other Books
In 1974 he had a bestsellerBestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
with the suspense thriller Thirty-Four East about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Another political thriller was The Apocalypse Brigade, 1981, about the United States at war with global terrorism.