Christopher Anvil
Encyclopedia
Christopher Anvil is a pseudonym used by American author Harry C. Crosby. He began publishing science fiction with the story "Cinderella, Inc." in the December 1952 issue of the science fiction magazine Imagination. By 1956, he had adopted his pseudonym and was being published in Astounding Magazine.
Anvil's repeated appearances in Astounding/Analog were due in part to his ability to write to one of Campbell
's preferred plots: alien opponents with superior firepower losing out to the superior intelligence or indomitable will of humans. A second factor is his stories are nearly always humorous throughout. Another was his characterization and manner of story crafting, where his protagonists slid from disaster to disaster with the best of intentions, and through exercise of fast thinking, managed to snatch victory somehow from the jaws of defeat.
According to David Weber
, who acknowledges being influenced by Anvil in the introduction to the anthology Interstellar Patrol:
Anvil's short story is "Pandora's Planet", which appeared first in Astounding Magazine in September 1956, has since been reprinted several times, including in the first volume of Anvil's works published in hardcover by Baen's Books, Pandora's Legions, and was also expanded into a full-length novel.
Anvil also published a collection of stories taking place within the Federation of Humanity (The term originates in the sub-title of the third anthology title released by Baen: Interstellar Patrol II, "The Federation of Humanity"). Anvil himself, as well as John Campbell
, referred to these stories as the Colonization Series prior to them being released as collections.
The bulk of Anvil's published writing consists of short stories, many of which have not yet been collected. Many of them are almost purely idea-driven science fiction. Some of the most striking, for example "Gadget vs. Trend", entirely lack dialogue and almost entirely lack characters; these stories consist of a series of newspaper reports or other similar materials. In these and other stories, Anvil's technique is to put forth a gadget, invention, or social trend and logically develop the consequences.
Anvil's repeated appearances in Astounding/Analog were due in part to his ability to write to one of Campbell
John W. Campbell
John Wood Campbell, Jr. was an influential figure in American science fiction. As editor of Astounding Science Fiction , from late 1937 until his death, he is generally credited with shaping the so-called Golden Age of Science Fiction.Isaac Asimov called Campbell "the most powerful force in...
's preferred plots: alien opponents with superior firepower losing out to the superior intelligence or indomitable will of humans. A second factor is his stories are nearly always humorous throughout. Another was his characterization and manner of story crafting, where his protagonists slid from disaster to disaster with the best of intentions, and through exercise of fast thinking, managed to snatch victory somehow from the jaws of defeat.
According to David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
, who acknowledges being influenced by Anvil in the introduction to the anthology Interstellar Patrol:
Anvil's short story is "Pandora's Planet", which appeared first in Astounding Magazine in September 1956, has since been reprinted several times, including in the first volume of Anvil's works published in hardcover by Baen's Books, Pandora's Legions, and was also expanded into a full-length novel.
Anvil also published a collection of stories taking place within the Federation of Humanity (The term originates in the sub-title of the third anthology title released by Baen: Interstellar Patrol II, "The Federation of Humanity"). Anvil himself, as well as John Campbell
John W. Campbell
John Wood Campbell, Jr. was an influential figure in American science fiction. As editor of Astounding Science Fiction , from late 1937 until his death, he is generally credited with shaping the so-called Golden Age of Science Fiction.Isaac Asimov called Campbell "the most powerful force in...
, referred to these stories as the Colonization Series prior to them being released as collections.
The bulk of Anvil's published writing consists of short stories, many of which have not yet been collected. Many of them are almost purely idea-driven science fiction. Some of the most striking, for example "Gadget vs. Trend", entirely lack dialogue and almost entirely lack characters; these stories consist of a series of newspaper reports or other similar materials. In these and other stories, Anvil's technique is to put forth a gadget, invention, or social trend and logically develop the consequences.
External links
- Bibliography at SciFanSciFanSciFan is an online database for fans of science fiction and fantasy books.The site provides detailed bibliographies, linking books together into series' where appropriate and, in turn, grouping series by universe...
- Baen Books by Anvil and Books by Anvil in the Baen Free LibraryBaen Free LibraryThe Baen Free Library is a digital library of the science fiction and fantasy publishing house Baen Books where 112 full books can be downloaded free in a number of formats, without copy protection...
. - Bibliography including short fiction at scifi-fantasy-info.com