Lucius Shepard
Encyclopedia
Lucius Shepard is an American writer. Classified as a science fiction
and fantasy
writer, he often leans into other genres, such as magical realism. His work is infused with a political and historical sensibility and an awareness of literary antecedents. Shepard's first short stories appeared in 1983, and his first novel, Green Eyes, appeared in 1984. At the time, he was considered part of the cyberpunk
movement. Shepard came to writing late, having first enjoyed a varied career, including a stint playing rock and roll in the Midwest and extensive travel throughout Europe and Asia. Algis Budrys
, reviewing Green Eyes, praised Shepard's "ease of narrative style that comes only from a profound love and respect for the language and the literatures that have graced it."
Lucius Shepard has won several awards for his science fiction: in 1985 he won John W. Campbell Award for best new writer, followed in 1986 with a best novella Nebula Award
for his story "R&R", which later became part of his 1987 novel Life During Wartime
. His novella "Barnacle Bill the Spacer" won a Hugo
in 1993. His poem "White Trains" won the Rhysling Award in 1988. Two early collections of short stories won the World Fantasy Award
for best collection: The Jaguar Hunter in 1988 and The Ends of the Earth Collection in 1992. His novella "Vacancy" won a Shirley Jackson Award
in 2008.
Lucius Shepard currently resides in Portland, Oregon
.
. This included clearly science-fictional stories about near future high-tech jungle war (such as "R&R" and "Salvador
"), as well as stories that seemed more in line with magic realism
. Many of these, such as "Black Coral" (which concerns an American living on an island off of Honduras) and "The Jaguar Hunter
" (the story of a man whose wife's debt forces him to hunt a mythical black jaguar which his people consider sacred), explore cultural clashes. Shepard has traveled extensively in Central America and lived there for a time; in multiple interviews, he has stated his belief that the Bush Administration
will launch an attack against that region.
Shepard stopped writing fiction for much of the 1990s. He returned near the end of that decade, producing such works as the novella Radiant Green Star, which won a Locus Award
for Best Novella in 2001. Though he still writes Central American fiction, Shepard's interest seems to be moving north: he has recently published two short novels, "A Handbook of American Prayer" and "Viator", both set in North America. On that same note, he has recently published many works where culture and geography are secondary (his novella "Jailwise" is a prime example), preferring to focus on wider questions such as the role of justice in society.
Much of Shepard's recent work has been non-fiction. He researched the Freight Train Riders of America
and spent time riding the rails, writing both fiction and non-fiction based on those experiences. He is also a regular movie reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
and electricstory.com. His reviews are marked by general contempt for the current state of American film.
According to fellow author James Patrick Kelly
, Shepard is an avid sports fan who has often used dramatic sports moments as inspiration to write.
Shepard is deeply dissatisfied with the current sociopolitical situation in the United States, and pessimistic about any prospects of change. In the summer of 2008, he moved to Neuchatel, Switzerland in order to work on several screenplays. He served on the jury of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) with the American director Joe Dante
.
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...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
writer, he often leans into other genres, such as magical realism. His work is infused with a political and historical sensibility and an awareness of literary antecedents. Shepard's first short stories appeared in 1983, and his first novel, Green Eyes, appeared in 1984. At the time, he was considered part of the cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
movement. Shepard came to writing late, having first enjoyed a varied career, including a stint playing rock and roll in the Midwest and extensive travel throughout Europe and Asia. Algis Budrys
Algis Budrys
Algis Budrys was a Lithuanian-American science fiction author, editor, and critic. He was also known under the pen names "Frank Mason", "Alger Rome", "John A. Sentry", "William Scarff", and "Paul Janvier."-Biography:...
, reviewing Green Eyes, praised Shepard's "ease of narrative style that comes only from a profound love and respect for the language and the literatures that have graced it."
Lucius Shepard has won several awards for his science fiction: in 1985 he won John W. Campbell Award for best new writer, followed in 1986 with a best novella Nebula Award
Nebula Award
The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...
for his story "R&R", which later became part of his 1987 novel Life During Wartime
Life During Wartime (novel)
Life during Wartime is a science fantasy novel written by American author Lucius Shepard. His second novel, it was published by Bantam Books in 1987, in which year it was nominated for the Philip K Dick Award.-Plot summary:...
. His novella "Barnacle Bill the Spacer" won a Hugo
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
in 1993. His poem "White Trains" won the Rhysling Award in 1988. Two early collections of short stories won the World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
for best collection: The Jaguar Hunter in 1988 and The Ends of the Earth Collection in 1992. His novella "Vacancy" won a Shirley Jackson Award
Shirley Jackson Award
The Shirley Jackson Awards are literary awards named after Shirley Jackson in recognition of her legacy in writing. These awards for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror and the dark fantastic are presented at Readercon, an annual conference on imaginative...
in 2008.
Lucius Shepard currently resides in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Themes and evolution
Shepard has embraced many different themes throughout his career. In his early work, he wrote extensively about Central AmericaCentral America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. This included clearly science-fictional stories about near future high-tech jungle war (such as "R&R" and "Salvador
Salvador (story)
"Salvador" is a science fiction short story published in 1984 by Lucius Shepard. In 1985 it won the Locus Poll award for Best Short Story, the SF Chronicle award for Short Story and was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards for Best Short Story....
"), as well as stories that seemed more in line with magic realism
Magic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
. Many of these, such as "Black Coral" (which concerns an American living on an island off of Honduras) and "The Jaguar Hunter
The Jaguar Hunter
The Jaguar Hunter is a collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror stories by American author Lucius Shepard. Illustrated by J. K. Potter, it was released in May, 1987 and was the author's first book published by Arkham House. It was originally published in an edition of 3,194 copies, with...
" (the story of a man whose wife's debt forces him to hunt a mythical black jaguar which his people consider sacred), explore cultural clashes. Shepard has traveled extensively in Central America and lived there for a time; in multiple interviews, he has stated his belief that the Bush Administration
George W. Bush administration
The presidency of George W. Bush began on January 20, 2001, when he was inaugurated as the 43rd President of the United States of America. The oldest son of former president George H. W. Bush, George W...
will launch an attack against that region.
Shepard stopped writing fiction for much of the 1990s. He returned near the end of that decade, producing such works as the novella Radiant Green Star, which won a Locus Award
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
for Best Novella in 2001. Though he still writes Central American fiction, Shepard's interest seems to be moving north: he has recently published two short novels, "A Handbook of American Prayer" and "Viator", both set in North America. On that same note, he has recently published many works where culture and geography are secondary (his novella "Jailwise" is a prime example), preferring to focus on wider questions such as the role of justice in society.
Much of Shepard's recent work has been non-fiction. He researched the Freight Train Riders of America
Freight Train Riders of America
The Freight Train Riders of America is an American gang of homeless men who move about in railroad cars, particularly in the northwestern United States.-History and background:...
and spent time riding the rails, writing both fiction and non-fiction based on those experiences. He is also a regular movie reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
and electricstory.com. His reviews are marked by general contempt for the current state of American film.
According to fellow author James Patrick Kelly
James Patrick Kelly
James Patrick Kelly is an American science fiction author who began publishing in the 1970s and remains to this day an important figure in the science fiction field....
, Shepard is an avid sports fan who has often used dramatic sports moments as inspiration to write.
Shepard is deeply dissatisfied with the current sociopolitical situation in the United States, and pessimistic about any prospects of change. In the summer of 2008, he moved to Neuchatel, Switzerland in order to work on several screenplays. He served on the jury of the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) with the American director Joe Dante
Joe Dante
Joseph "Joe" Dante, Jr. is an American film director and producer of films generally with humorous and science fiction content....
.
Novels and novellas
- Green Eyes (1984)
- Life During WartimeLife During Wartime (novel)Life during Wartime is a science fantasy novel written by American author Lucius Shepard. His second novel, it was published by Bantam Books in 1987, in which year it was nominated for the Philip K Dick Award.-Plot summary:...
(1987) - The Scalehunter’s Beautiful Daughter (1988)
- The Father of Stones (1988)
- Kalimantan (1990)
- The Golden (1993)
- The Last Time (1995)
- Valentine (2002)
- Aztechs (2003)
- Louisiana Breakdown (2003)
- Colonel Rutherford’s Colt (2003)
- Floater (2003)
- Liar’s House (2004)
- A Handbook of American Prayer (2004)
- Viator (2004)
- Trujillo (2005)
- Softspoken (2007)
- Stars Seen through Stone (2007) in F&SFThe Magazine of Fantasy & Science FictionThe Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
July 2007 - The Taborin Scale (2010)
Collections
- The Jaguar HunterThe Jaguar HunterThe Jaguar Hunter is a collection of science fiction, fantasy and horror stories by American author Lucius Shepard. Illustrated by J. K. Potter, it was released in May, 1987 and was the author's first book published by Arkham House. It was originally published in an edition of 3,194 copies, with...
(1987) - Nantucket Sleighrides (with Robert Frazier) (1988)
- The Ends of the EarthThe Ends of the EarthThe Ends of the Earth is a collection of science fiction and horror stories by author Lucius Shepard. It was released in 1991 and was the author's second book published by Arkham House . It was published in an edition of 4,655 copies...
(1990) - Sports & Music (1994)
- Barnacle Bill the Spacer and Other Stories (1997; US title Beast of the Heartland)
- Trujillo (2004)
- Two Trains Running (2004)
- Eternity and Other Stories (2005)
- Dagger Key and Other Stories (2007)
- The Best of Lucius Shepard (2008)
- Skull City and Other Lost Stories (2008)
- Vacancy & Ariel (2009)
- Viator Plus (2010)
- The Dragon Griaule (2012) (Subterranean Press, a collection of six novellas)
Non-fiction
- Weapons of Mass Seduction (2005)
- With Christmas in Honduras: Men, Myths and Miscreants in Modern Central America (forthcoming)
Film reviews
- Shepard writes a regular film review column for the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
Work available online
- Abimagique
- AZTECHS
- Emerald Street Expansions
- The Emperor
- The Jaguar Hunter
- Jailwise
- Liar's House
- The Night of White Bhairab
- Over Yonder
- Senor Volto
- A Walk in the Garden
External links
- A more complete bibliography
- Golden Gryphon Press official site - About Louisiana Breakdown
- Golden Gryphon Press official site - About Two Trains Running
- Golden Gryphon Press official site - About The Golden (trade paperback reprint)