Alastair Reynolds Biography

(Writer)

Birthday: March 13, 1966 (Pisces)

Born In: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan Barry, Wales

Alastair Reynolds is a British novelist who specializes in hard sci-fi and space opera. He has published several popular novel series and is also known for his standalone work, ‘Chasm City.’ Reynolds was born in Barry, Wales, in the United Kingdom. He studied physics and astronomy at Newcastle University. Later, he attended the University of St Andrews, from where he earned his PhD. For several years, he worked for the European Space Research and Technology Centre, which is a part of the European Space Agency. In 2004, he left his job to pursue a full-time writing career. He is known for creating the ‘Revelation Space Universe’, a fictional universe in which many of his novels such as ‘Revelation Space’ and ‘Absolution Gap’ are set. He has also published several short fiction pieces, such as ‘The Big Hello’, ‘Lune and the Red Empress’, and ‘Sleepover’. Reynolds’ works have won him multiple awards, including the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel in 2001 for his novel ‘Chasm City.’ He is also a recipient of the Seiun Award from the Japanese National Science Fiction Convention for his short story ‘Weather’.
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Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In March

Also Known As: Alastair Preston Reynolds

Age: 58 Years, 58 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Josette Sanchez-Reynolds

Born Country: Wales

Novelists Science Fiction Writers

More Facts

education: Newcastle University, University Of St Andrews

awards: BSFA award for best novel

  • 1

    What are some popular Alastair Reynolds books?

    Some popular Alastair Reynolds books include "Revelation Space," "Chasm City," "House of Suns," "Pushing Ice," and "Revenger."
  • 2

    Is Alastair Reynolds still writing books?

    Yes, Alastair Reynolds is still actively writing and publishing books in the science fiction genre.
  • 3

    What is the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds about?

    The Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds is a space opera series that explores themes of advanced technology, artificial intelligence, alien civilizations, and humanity's future among the stars.
  • 4

    Are there any movie adaptations of Alastair Reynolds' books?

    As of now, there are no movie adaptations of Alastair Reynolds' books, but some of his works have been optioned for potential film adaptations in the future.
  • 5

    What are some common themes in Alastair Reynolds' writing?

    Common themes in Alastair Reynolds' writing include hard science fiction, space exploration, post-humanism, time dilation, and the implications of advanced technology on society.
Childhood & Early Life
Alastair Preston Reynolds was born in Barry, South Wales, on 13 March 1966. His father was a civil engineer, and because of his work, Reynolds’ family lived in Truro till 1973. The family later returned to Wales. He lived in Bridgend till he started his higher education.
From the age of five, he suffered from asthma. It resulted in him missing school a lot. Though he could not play sports because of his condition, he was good at drawing and writing. As he grew up, he made up his mind to become a scientist.
He studied astronomy and astrophysics at Newcastle University and graduated in 1988.
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Career As A Scientist
Alastair Reynolds moved to Noordwijk in the Netherlands in 1991. There, he worked for the European Space Research and Technology Centre, which is a part of the European Space Agency.
It was during this time that he met his future wife, Josette, who is originally from France. He worked there till 2004. He then left his job to pursue a full-time writing career.
Writing Career
Alastair Reynolds began writing stories while he was still at the university. He started publishing his novels and short stories alongside working as a scientist.
In 2000, his first science fiction novel, ‘Revelation Space,’ was published. The novel has three seemingly-unrelated narratives, which merge as the story moves forward. The book became the first novel of his ‘The Inhibitor Trilogy’ that is set in ‘Revelation Space Universe’.
His second novel, which was titled ‘Chasm City,’ was published in 2001. Though it is part of the ‘Revelation Space Universe’, it is a standalone novel. The novel won a British Science Fiction Association Award.
His third novel, ‘Redemption Ark’, was published in 2002. It takes place in the ‘Revelation Space Universe’ and is the second part of The Inhibitor Trilogy. In 2003, he published ‘Absolution Gap’, which is the direct sequel to ‘Redemption Ark,’ and third part of the trilogy.
In 2004, he published the sci-fi mystery novel ‘Century Rain’, which is a standalone novel, not connected to any universe. His next novel was published in 2005; it was named ‘Pushing Ice’. It was also a standalone novel.
In 2007, he published ‘The Prefect/Aurora Rising’, which was also a part of the ‘Revelation Space Universe’. The following year, he published ‘House of Suns’, a standalone novel. It received mostly positive reviews. In 2010, he published his next work ‘Terminal World’, another standalone novel.
He continued to publish several other novels like ‘Blue Remembered Earth’ (2012), ‘On the Steel Breeze’ (2013), and ‘Poseidon’s Wake’ (2015). All three were part of the ‘Poseidon’s Children Universe’.
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In 2016, he published ‘The Medusa Chronicles’. The same year, he also published the novel ‘Revenger’, which is the first novel in the ‘Revenger Universe’.
In 2018, he published ‘Elysium Fire’, which is again a part of the ‘Revelation Space Universe’. His most recent work is ‘Shadow Captain,’ his second novel in the Revenger Universe, and a direct sequel to ‘Revenger’.
Major Works
One of Alastair Reynolds’ early works is the science fiction novel ‘Chasm City’. The novel deals with subjects such as identity, memory, and immortality. It won the British Science Fiction Association Award in 2001. The story takes place in the ‘Revelation Space Universe’.
Another one of his important works is ‘The Medusa Chronicles’, which is a 2016 sci-fi novel. It was co-written by Stephen Baxter. It was a sequel to ‘A Meeting with Medusa’, by Arthur C. Clarke, which was published in 1970.
Reynolds published the novel ‘Revenger’ in 2016. Unrelated to any of his previous novels, this novel is the first installment of the ‘Revenge Universe’ series. It won the Locus Award in 2017 for Best Young Adult Book.
Family & Personal Life
Alastair Reynolds lives in Wales with his wife Josette.
Facts About Alastair Reynolds
Alastair Reynolds holds a PhD in astronomy and worked for the European Space Agency before becoming a full-time writer.
He is known for his intricate world-building and complex characters in his science fiction novels, often exploring themes of future technology and humanity's place in the universe.
In addition to writing novels, Reynolds has also penned numerous short stories and novellas, showcasing his versatility as a writer.
Outside of writing, Reynolds is an avid scuba diver and has drawn inspiration from his underwater adventures for some of his stories.

See the events in life of Alastair Reynolds in Chronological Order

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