L. Neil Smith also known to readers and fans as
El Neil, is a
libertarianLibertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
science fictionScience 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...
authorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and political activist. He was born on May 12, 1946 in Denver. His father was an
Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
officer, so he grew up all over North America in places like
WacoWaco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, McQueenie, and
LaporteLa Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
, Texas;
SalinaSalina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47,707. Located in one of the world's largest wheat-producing areas, Salina is a regional trade center for north-central Kansas...
, Kansas;
SacramentoSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, California; and
GiffordGifford is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 975 at the 2010 census.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 815 people, 301 households, and 222 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,288.2 people per square mile...
, Illinois — all before he was in
5th gradeFifth grade is a year of education in the United States and many other nations. The fifth grade is the fifth school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 10 – 11 years old, and are preteens...
— and then
St. John’sSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland and
Ft. Walton BeachFort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, Florida where he graduated from
high schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
.
His works include the trilogy of
Lando CalrissianLando Calrissian is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
novels:
Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of SharuLando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu is a science fiction novel set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. It was written by L. Neil Smith and originally published in 1983 by Del Rey, a division of Ballantine Books...
(1983),
Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of OseonLando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon is a science fiction novel set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. It was written by L. Neil Smith and originally published in 1983 by Del Rey, a division of Ballantine Books...
(1983),
Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBokaLando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka is a science fiction novel set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. It was written by L. Neil Smith and originally published in 1983 by Del Rey, a division of Ballantine Books...
(1983), and the Omnibus edition
The Lando Calrissian AdventuresThe Adventures of Lando Calrissian is a trilogy of science fiction novels set in the Star Wars galaxy 5–2 years BBY. The series serves as a prequel to the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The trilogy follows the smuggling days of Lando Calrissian before the movies and helps further...
.
