James Clancy Phelan
Encyclopedia
James Clancy Phelan is an Australian author, published as James Phelan. His first fiction novel, Fox Hunt, went into reprint in its first month.
, Australia
. He was introduced to the world of books at an early age, with such works as The Hobbit
, Treasure Island
and The Jungle Book
helping to inspire his overactive imagination. As a teenager, he read many thriller novels, like the work of Michael Crichton
and Tom Clancy
. In 1995, at the age of fifteen, he began his first novel and the character of the protagonist of Fox Hunt was born. After attending Eltham High School
, he went on to study architecture and English literature and graduated with a Master of Arts in Writing from RMIT
while working for The Age newspaper. As of 2009 he teaches writing at Swinburne University in Melbourne and is a PhD candidate there.1
In 2006 he was one of the Cleo (magazine)
50 Most Eligible Bachelors in Australia.http://www.swin.edu.au/corporate/marketing/alumninews/2006/November/student_news.html
As an architecture student he worked for two years on the Federation Square
design team. http://www.archmedia.com.au/aa/aaissue.php?article=7&issueid=200303&typeon=2
Literati: Australian Contemporary Literary Figures Discuss Fear, Frustrations and Fame was Phelan's first book publication, released by John Wiley & Sons in 2005. In a series of interviews, Phelan asked questions of a broad range of literary figures in Australia, including Matthew Reilly
, Tara Moss
, John Marsden
, John Birmingham
and Peter Craven
.
Fox Hunt, Phelan's first fiction release, was released in August 2006, published by Hachette. Through the protagonist, investigative reporter Lachlan Fox, Phelan evokes the qualities typical of most action heroes; charisma, strength, intelligence and rugged good looks. For the main character it is a story of friendship and redemption. The story is set as a bridge between the aftermath of the Cold War
and the perilous age of the War on Terrorism
, with Lachlan and his best friend thrown unwittingly into a war that crosses time. The book exists as both a homage to trials past and contemporary issues of today, emphasising the role of politics in issues as far reaching as political instability in Chechnya to the Star Wars Missile Defence system.
Patriot Act, the second instalment in the adventures of Lachlan Fox, was released in August 2007.2. Set mainly in New York city, Washington, and France, it tells the story of Lachlan Fox investigating a series of murders in Europe that are linked to a pending hack on the NSA's computers. For the main characters, it is a story of love and betrayal, on personal and patriotic levels. The USA Patriot Act
is referenced throughout, as is the NSA program, ECHELON
, and the Bilderberg Group
. While Fox's character shows growth from the previous book, and there is hope in the form of a love interest in Kate Matthews, by the end of Patriot Act Fox is left dark and angry - hinting at the tone of the next book ina the series.
James Phelan has stated in media interviews and on his website that the personal journey of Lachlan Fox has many parallels to that of Siddhartha, the protagonist of Hermann Hesse
's novel Siddhartha
. Fox's quest for enlightenment is set to span the first five books of the series. Gammaldi has similarities to Govinda, particularly as each character, as friends to the protagonists, follow them anywhere out of great respect for the potential in Fox and Siddhartha respectively.
The third Lachlan Fox novel, Blood Oil, was published 2008, and is set in Nigeria, US, and the UK. Blood Oil is a story of trust and revenge, and it depicts the chaos around Fox and Gammaldi, as well as that of Africa and a running theme throughout the book: Disaster capitalism.
A fourth book "Liquid Gold" was published in 2009. This book is set in the US, Pakistan, and India, and has a macro theme of water scarcity and religions.
James is a favourite author of many other novelists, including Vince Flynn
who stated: 'James Phelan is one of the hottest thriller writers to arrive on the scene in years. His hero, Lachlan Fox, is just the kind of gritty man the world needs in a time of crisis.'http://www.jamesphelan.com.au/about
The author has also written a trilogy of Post Apocalyptic Young Adult novels called the ALONE
trilogy which have been very successful worldwide. They consist of the three novels Chasers, Survivor and Quarantine and are about a 16 year old teenager, Jesse, and a group of close friends who escape from a crashed Subway train to find New York City
in ruins after an attack. They contain many twists and surprise plot turns that make them unputdownable. In Australia, Chasers is in its 7th reprint as of 2011.
This September (2011) he released a free Lachlan Fox short story titled "Trust". It was released through Get Reading and is in an collected of short stories entitled "10 Must Read Short Stories for 2011". James has had two books selected on the Get Reading list of "50 books you can't put down": Fox Hunt, and Alone: Chasers, for which he has done national tours.
James is currently writing a Psychological Thriller
for adults and a series of Young Adult novels about a series of adventurous teenagers. He claims it to be mix of The Famous Five
and Indiana Jones
and they are under contract with Scholastic Publishers.
Phelan is represented in Hollywood by United Talent Agency, and by the literary agencies Writers House and Curtis Brown.
Biography
Phelan was born in VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He was introduced to the world of books at an early age, with such works as The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
, Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
and The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book is a collection of stories by British Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling. The stories were first published in magazines in 1893–4. The original publications contain illustrations, some by Rudyard's father, John Lockwood Kipling. Kipling was born in India and spent the first six...
helping to inspire his overactive imagination. As a teenager, he read many thriller novels, like the work of Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton
John Michael Crichton , best known as Michael Crichton, was an American best-selling author, producer, director, and screenwriter, best known for his work in the science fiction, medical fiction, and thriller genres. His books have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, and many have been adapted...
and Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
. In 1995, at the age of fifteen, he began his first novel and the character of the protagonist of Fox Hunt was born. After attending Eltham High School
Eltham High School
Eltham High School is a secondary school in Victoria, Australia. It is located in Eltham, a suburb which is north east from Melbourne. It is mainly known for the creativity of its students, in areas such as art, drama, and music....
, he went on to study architecture and English literature and graduated with a Master of Arts in Writing from RMIT
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
while working for The Age newspaper. As of 2009 he teaches writing at Swinburne University in Melbourne and is a PhD candidate there.1
In 2006 he was one of the Cleo (magazine)
Cleo (magazine)
CLEO is an Australian, New Zealand, South African, Malaysian, Singaporean, Thailand and Indonesian women's magazine.Aimed at an older audience than the teenage-focused Dolly, the magazine is known for its CLEO Bachelor of the Year award....
50 Most Eligible Bachelors in Australia.http://www.swin.edu.au/corporate/marketing/alumninews/2006/November/student_news.html
As an architecture student he worked for two years on the Federation Square
Federation Square
Federation Square is a civic centre and cultural precinct in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
design team. http://www.archmedia.com.au/aa/aaissue.php?article=7&issueid=200303&typeon=2
Writing
Phelan's writing covers a broad range, from newspaper work to books of fiction and non-fiction. With his first published book being the non-fiction author interview book, Literati, and his short story, "Soliloquy for One Dead", appearing in Griffith Review's 2006 edition, "The Next Big Thing", many believed he would embark on a career at the "literary" end of the writing spectrum. His first published novel, Fox Hunt, surprised many by being a blatant commercial thriller, highlighting the diversity of his writing skills. He has also written for The Age newspaper and Cosmopolitan magazine, and several short story anthologies and a serialized novel. 1Literati: Australian Contemporary Literary Figures Discuss Fear, Frustrations and Fame was Phelan's first book publication, released by John Wiley & Sons in 2005. In a series of interviews, Phelan asked questions of a broad range of literary figures in Australia, including Matthew Reilly
Matthew Reilly
Matthew John Reilly is an Australian action thriller writer. His novels are noted for their fast pace, twisting plots and intense action.- Biography :...
, Tara Moss
Tara Moss
Tara Moss is a bestselling Canadian-Australian author, television presenter, journalist and former model....
, John Marsden
John Marsden (writer)
John Marsden is an Australian writer, teacher and school principal. Marsden has had his books translated into nine languages including Swedish, Norwegian, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Italian and Spanish....
, John Birmingham
John Birmingham
John Birmingham is an Australian author. Birmingham was born in Liverpool, England and migrated to Australia with his parents in 1970.-Early life and career:...
and Peter Craven
Peter Craven
Peter Theodore Craven was an English motorcycle racer. He was a finalist in each FIM Speedway World Championship from 1954 to 1963 and he won the title twice . He was British Champion in 1962-63....
.
Fox Hunt, Phelan's first fiction release, was released in August 2006, published by Hachette. Through the protagonist, investigative reporter Lachlan Fox, Phelan evokes the qualities typical of most action heroes; charisma, strength, intelligence and rugged good looks. For the main character it is a story of friendship and redemption. The story is set as a bridge between the aftermath of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and the perilous age of the War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
, with Lachlan and his best friend thrown unwittingly into a war that crosses time. The book exists as both a homage to trials past and contemporary issues of today, emphasising the role of politics in issues as far reaching as political instability in Chechnya to the Star Wars Missile Defence system.
Patriot Act, the second instalment in the adventures of Lachlan Fox, was released in August 2007.2. Set mainly in New York city, Washington, and France, it tells the story of Lachlan Fox investigating a series of murders in Europe that are linked to a pending hack on the NSA's computers. For the main characters, it is a story of love and betrayal, on personal and patriotic levels. The USA Patriot Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
is referenced throughout, as is the NSA program, ECHELON
ECHELON
ECHELON is a name used in global media and in popular culture to describe a signals intelligence collection and analysis network operated on behalf of the five signatory states to the UK–USA Security Agreement...
, and the Bilderberg Group
Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group, Bilderberg conference, or Bilderberg Club is an annual, unofficial, invitation-only conference of approximately 120 to 140 guests from North America and Western Europe, most of whom are people of influence. About one-third are from government and politics, and two-thirds from...
. While Fox's character shows growth from the previous book, and there is hope in the form of a love interest in Kate Matthews, by the end of Patriot Act Fox is left dark and angry - hinting at the tone of the next book ina the series.
James Phelan has stated in media interviews and on his website that the personal journey of Lachlan Fox has many parallels to that of Siddhartha, the protagonist of Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature...
's novel Siddhartha
Siddhartha (novel)
Siddhartha is a novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of an Indian man named Siddhartha during the time of the Buddha.The book, Hesse's ninth novel , was written in German, in a simple, powerful, and lyrical style. It was published in the U.S. in 1951 and became influential...
. Fox's quest for enlightenment is set to span the first five books of the series. Gammaldi has similarities to Govinda, particularly as each character, as friends to the protagonists, follow them anywhere out of great respect for the potential in Fox and Siddhartha respectively.
The third Lachlan Fox novel, Blood Oil, was published 2008, and is set in Nigeria, US, and the UK. Blood Oil is a story of trust and revenge, and it depicts the chaos around Fox and Gammaldi, as well as that of Africa and a running theme throughout the book: Disaster capitalism.
A fourth book "Liquid Gold" was published in 2009. This book is set in the US, Pakistan, and India, and has a macro theme of water scarcity and religions.
James is a favourite author of many other novelists, including Vince Flynn
Vince Flynn
Vince Flynn is a best-selling American author of political thriller novels. He lives with his wife and three children in the Twin Cities. He was a frequent guest on the Glenn Beck program on the Fox News Channel...
who stated: 'James Phelan is one of the hottest thriller writers to arrive on the scene in years. His hero, Lachlan Fox, is just the kind of gritty man the world needs in a time of crisis.'http://www.jamesphelan.com.au/about
The author has also written a trilogy of Post Apocalyptic Young Adult novels called the ALONE
Alone
Alone usually refers to the condition of solitudeAlone may also refer to:-Albums:*Alone , a 1957 album by Judy Garland*Alone , a 1973 album by Chet Atkins...
trilogy which have been very successful worldwide. They consist of the three novels Chasers, Survivor and Quarantine and are about a 16 year old teenager, Jesse, and a group of close friends who escape from a crashed Subway train to find New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in ruins after an attack. They contain many twists and surprise plot turns that make them unputdownable. In Australia, Chasers is in its 7th reprint as of 2011.
This September (2011) he released a free Lachlan Fox short story titled "Trust". It was released through Get Reading and is in an collected of short stories entitled "10 Must Read Short Stories for 2011". James has had two books selected on the Get Reading list of "50 books you can't put down": Fox Hunt, and Alone: Chasers, for which he has done national tours.
James is currently writing a Psychological Thriller
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
for adults and a series of Young Adult novels about a series of adventurous teenagers. He claims it to be mix of The Famous Five
The Famous Five
The Famous Five may refer to:*The Famous Five , also known as "The Valiant Five," a group of Canadian women who were proponents in a landmark women's rights case....
and Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones
Colonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
and they are under contract with Scholastic Publishers.
Phelan is represented in Hollywood by United Talent Agency, and by the literary agencies Writers House and Curtis Brown.
Lachlan Fox novels
- Fox HuntFox Hunt (novel)Fox Hunt is an Australian thriller author James Phelan's first novel, released in 2006.- Plot summary :Lachlan Fox is a former Royal Australian Navy Special Forces Clearance Diver who is living on Christmas Island after being Dishonorably discharged after a mission gone wrong in East Timor...
(2006) - Patriot ActPatriot Act (novel)Patriot Act is Australian thriller author James Phelan second book, and the second book in the Lachlan Fox series.- Plot Summary :Lachlan Fox, former Royal Australian Navy Special Forces Clearance Diver, now investigative journalist for GSR grows suspicious when several high-profile businessmen...
(2007) - Blood Oil (2008)
- Liquid Gold (2009)
- Red Ice (2010)
ALONE Trilogy
- Chasers (2010)
- Survivor (2011)
- Quarantine (2011)