Alan Dean Foster 205022 225979049 2008-07-16T08:42:02Z Chris Capoccia 286058 +{{Morefootnotes}} {{Morefootnotes}} {{Infobox Writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox Writer/doc]] --> | name = Alan Dean Foster | image = AlanDeanFoster2007-05-26.jpg | caption = Alan Dean Foster, 2007 | pseudonym = | birthdate = {{birth date and age|1946|11|18}} | birthplace = [[New York City|New York]], [[New York]] | deathdate = | deathplace = | occupation = novelist | genre = [[science fiction]], [[fantasy]] | movement = | notableworks = ''[[For Love of Mother-Not]]'' | influences = | influenced = | website = http://www.alandeanfoster.com}} __NOTOC__ '''Alan Dean Foster''' (born [[November 18]] [[1946]]) is a prolific [[United States|American]] writer of [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy]] [[novel]]s and movie [[novelization]]s. He was born in [[New York City]], and currently resides in [[Prescott, Arizona]], with his wife. He is best known for his science fiction novels set in the [[Humanx Commonwealth]], an interstellar ethical/political union of species including humankind and the [[insect]]oid [[Thranx]]. Many of these novels feature [[Flinx|Philip Lynx ("Flinx")]], an empathic young man who has found himself involved in something which threatens the survival of the Galaxy. Flinx's constant companion since childhood is a [[minidrag]] named Pip, a flying, empathic snake capable of spitting a highly corrosive and violently [[neurotoxin|neurotoxic]] [[venom (poison)|venom]]. In the area of fantasy, his best-known work is the [[Spellsinger]] series, in which a young musician is summoned into a world populated by talking creatures where his music allows him to do real magic whose effects depends on the lyrics of the popular songs he sings (although with somewhat unpredictable results). Many of Foster's works have a strong [[Ecology|ecological]] element to them, often with an [[Environmentalism|environmental]] twist. Often the villains in his stories experience their downfall because of a lack of respect for other alien species or seemingly innocuous bits of their surroundings. This can be seen in such works as ''[[Midworld]]'', about a semi-[[Sentience|sentient]] planet that is essentially one large [[rainforest]], and ''[[Cachalot (novel)|Cachalot]]'', set on an ocean world populated by sentient [[cetacea]]ns. Foster usually devotes a large part of his novels to descriptions of the strange environments of alien worlds and the coexistence of their [[flora]] and [[fauna]]. Perhaps the most extreme example of this is ''[[Sentenced to Prism]]'', in which the protagonist finds himself trapped on a world where life is based on [[silicon]] rather than [[carbon]], as on Earth. Foster has been so prolific that he is often rumored to have been the [[ghostwriter]] on novels with which he had little direct involvement, such as the novelization of ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', which was credited to (and actually written by) [[Gene Roddenberry]]. However, it has recently become known that he was responsible for the original story treatment for ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture''. Foster also authored 10 volumes of novelizations based upon ''[[Star Trek: The Animated Series]]'', several of which involving taking the script for a half-hour episode and expanding it into a full-length novel. It has long been known that Foster co-wrote the original novelization of ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars]]'' (later retitled ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'') which had been credited solely to [[George Lucas]]. When asked if it was difficult for him to see Lucas get all the credit for [[Star Wars]], Foster said "Not at all. It was George's story. I was merely expanding upon it. Not having my name on the cover didn't bother me in the least. It would be akin to a contractor demanding to have his name on a [[Frank Lloyd Wright]] house."{{Fact|date=May 2008}} ==Bibliography== ===Commonwealth novels=== *''[[Midworld]]'' ([[1975 in literature|1975]]), ISBN 0-345-35011-1 *''[[Cachalot (novel)|Cachalot]]'' ([[1980 in literature|1980]]), ISBN 0-345-28066-0 *''[[Nor Crystal Tears]]'' ([[1982 in literature|1982]]), ISBN 0-345-29141-7 *''[[Voyage to the City of the Dead]]'' ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-345-31215-5 *''[[Sentenced to Prism]]'' ([[1985 in literature|1985]]), ISBN 0-345-31980-X *''[[The Howling Stones]]'' ([[1997 in literature|1997]]), ISBN 0-345-38375-3 *''[[Drowning World]]'' ([[2003 in literature|2003]]), ISBN 0-345-45035-3 ====Novels featuring Pip and Flinx==== <!--Books in chronological order, do not put into publication order --> *''[[For Love of Mother-Not]]'' ([[1983 in literature|1983]]), ISBN 0-345-30511-6 *''[[The Tar-Aiym Krang]]'' ([[1972 in literature|1972]]), ISBN 0-345-29232-4 *''[[Orphan Star]]'' ([[1977 in literature|1977]]), ISBN 0-345-25507-0 *''[[The End of the Matter]]'' ([[1977 in literature|1977]]), ISBN 0-345-25861-4 *''[[Flinx in Flux]]'' ([[1988 in literature|1988]]), ISBN 0-345-34363-8 *''[[Mid-Flinx]]'' ([[1995 in literature|1995]]), ISBN 0-345-38374-5 *''[[Reunion (novel)|Reunion]]'' ([[2001 in literature|2001]]), ISBN 0-345-41867-0 *''[[Flinx's Folly]]'' ([[2003 in literature|2003]]), ISBN 0-345-45038-8 *''[[Sliding Scales]]'' ([[2004 in literature|2004]]), ISBN 0-345-46156-8 *''[[Running from the Deity]]'' ([[2005 in literature|2005]]), ISBN 0-345-46159-2 *''[[Bloodhype]]'' ([[1973 in literature|1973]]), ISBN 0-345-25845-2 *''[[Trouble Magnet]]'' ([[2006 in literature|2006]]), ISBN 0-345-48504-1 *''[[Patrimony (novel)|Patrimony]]'' (2007), ISBN 978-0-345-48507-6 *''[[Flinx Transcendent]]'' (forthcoming 2009) ====Icerigger trilogy==== *''[[Icerigger]]'' ([[1974 in literature|1974]]), ISBN 0-345-23836-2 *''[[Mission to Moulokin]]'' ([[1979 in literature|1979]]), ISBN 0-345-27676-0 *''[[The Deluge Drivers]]'' ([[1987 in literature|1987]]), ISBN 0-345-33330-6 ====Founding of the Commonwealth==== *''[[Phylogenesis (novel)|Phylogenesis]]'' ([[1999 in literature|1999]]), ISBN 0-345-41862-X *''[[Dirge (novel)|Dirge]]'' ([[2000 in literature|2000]]), ISBN 0-345-41864-6 *''[[Diuturnity's Dawn]]'' ([[2002 in literature|2002]]), ISBN 0-345-41865-4 ===Media novelizations=== *''Luana'' (Italian film) ([[1974 in literature|1974]]), ISBN 0-345-23793-5 *''[[Dark Star (film)|Dark Star]]'' ([[1974 in literature|1974]]), ISBN 0-345-24267-X *''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' ([[1979 in literature|1979]]), ISBN 0-446-82977-3 **''[[Aliens (1986 film)|Aliens]]'' ([[1986 in literature|1986]]), ISBN 0-446-30139-6 **''[[Alien³]]'' ([[1992 in literature|1992]]), ISBN 0-446-36216-6 *''[[The Black Hole]]'' ([[1979 in literature|1979]]), ISBN 0-345-28538-7 *''[[Clash of the Titans]]'' ([[1981 in literature|1981]]), ISBN 0-446-93675-8 *''[[Outland (film)|Outland]]'' ([[1981 in literature|1981]]), ISBN 0-446-95829-8 *''[[The Thing (film)|The Thing]]'' ([[1981 in literature|1981]]), ISBN 0-553-20477-7 *''[[Krull]]'' ([[1983 in literature|1983]]), ISBN 0-446-30642-8 *''[[The Last Starfighter]]'' ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-425-07255-X *''[[Starman (film)|Starman]]'' ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-446-32598-8 *''[[Shadowkeep (1984 game)|Shadowkeep]]'' (computer game) (also a novel) ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-446-32553-8 *''[[Pale Rider]]'' ([[1985 in literature|1985]]), ISBN 0-446-32767-0 *''[[Alien Nation (film)|Alien Nation]]'' ([[1988 in literature|1988]]), ISBN 0-446-35264-0 *''[[The Dig]]'' (computer game) (also a novel) ([[1995 in literature|1995]]), ISBN 0-446-51853-0 *''[[The Chronicles of Riddick]]'' ([[2004 in literature|2004]]), ISBN 0-345-46839-2 *''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' ([[2007 in literature|2007]]) **''[[Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday]]'' ([[2007 in literature|2007]]), ISBN 0-3454-9798-8 ====''Star Trek: The Animated Series''==== *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_1 Star Trek Log 1]'' ([[1974]]), ISBN 0-345-24014-6 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_2 Star Trek Log 2]'' ([[1974]]), ISBN 0-345-25812-6 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_3 Star Trek Log 3]'' ([[1975]]), ISBN 0-345-24260-2 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_4 Star Trek Log 4]'' ([[1975]]), ISBN 0-345-24435-4 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_5 Star Trek Log 5]'' ([[1975]]), ISBN 0-345-33351-9 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_6 Star Trek Log 6]'' ([[1976]]), ISBN 0-345-24655-1 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_7 Star Trek Log 7]'' ([[1976]]), ISBN 0-345-24965-8 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_8 Star Trek Log 8]'' ([[1976]]), ISBN 0-345-25141-5 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_9 Star Trek Log 9]'' ([[1977]]), ISBN 0-345-25557-7 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Log_10 Star Trek Log 10]'' ([[1978]]), ISBN 0-345-27212-9 *''[http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek_Photostories_%28Pocket%29 Star Trek: The Motion Picture Photostory]'' (novelization of ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'') ([[1980]]), ISBN 0-671-83089-9 ===''Star Wars'' stories=== *''[[Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker]]'' (novelization of ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]''; as [[George Lucas]]) ([[1976]]), ISBN 0-345-26079-1 *''[[Splinter of the Mind's Eye]]'' ([[1978]]), ISBN 0-345-27566-7 *''[[The Approaching Storm]]'' ([[2002]]), ISBN 0-345-44300-4 ===[[The Damned Trilogy]]=== *''A Call to Arms'' ([[1991]]), ISBN 0-345-35855-4 *''The False Mirror'' ([[1992]]), ISBN 0-345-35856-2 *''The Spoils of War'' ([[1993]]), ISBN 0-345-35857-0 ===[[Spellsinger]]=== *''[[Spellsinger (novel)|Spellsinger]]'' ([[1981 in literature|1981]]), ISBN 0-446-97352-1 *''[[The Hour of the Gate]]'' ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-446-90354-X *''[[The Day of the Dissonance]]'' ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-446-32133-8 *''[[The Moment of the Magician]]'' ([[1984 in literature|1984]]), ISBN 0-446-32326-8 *''[[The Paths of the Perambulator]]'' ([[1985 in literature|1985]]), ISBN 0-446-32679-8 *''[[The Time of the Transference]]'' ([[1987 in literature|1987]]), ISBN 0-446-30009-8 *''[[Son of Spellsinger]]'' ([[1993 in literature|1993]]), ISBN 0-446-36257-3 *''[[Chorus Skating]]'' ([[1994 in literature|1994]]), ISBN 0-446-36237-9 ===[[Dinotopia]]=== *''Dinotopia Lost'' ([[1996]]), ISBN 1-57036-279-3 *''The Hand of Dinotopia'' ([[1997]]), ISBN 1-57036-396-X ===Journeys of the Catechist=== *''Carnivores of Light and Darkness'' ([[1998]]), ISBN 0-446-52132-9 *''Into the Thinking Kingdoms'' ([[1999]]), ISBN 0-446-52136-1 *''A Triumph of Souls'' ([[2000]]), ISBN 0-446-52218-X ===The Taken trilogy=== *''Lost and Found'' ([[2004]]), ISBN 0-345-46125-8 *''The Light-Years Beneath My Feet'' ([[2005]]), ISBN 0-345-46128-2 *''The Candle of Distant Earth'' ([[2005]]), ISBN 0-345-46131-2 ===Story collections=== *''With Friends Like These'' ([[1977]]), ISBN 0-345-25701-4 *''Who Needs Enemies?'' ([[1984]]), ISBN 0-345-31657-6 *''The Metrognome and Other Stories'' ([[1990]]), ISBN 0-345-36356-6 *''Montezuma Strip'' ([[1995]]), ISBN 0-446-60207-8 *''[[Mad Amos]]'' ([[1996]]), ISBN 0-345-39362-7 *''Impossible Places'' ([[2002]]), ISBN 0-345-45041-8 ===Other books=== *''The Man Who Used the Universe'' ([[1983]]), ISBN 0-446-90353-1 *''The I Inside'' ([[1984]]), ISBN 0-446-32027-7 *''Slipt'' ([[1984]]), ISBN 0-425-07006-9 *''Into the Out Of'' ([[1986]]), ISBN 0-446-51337-7 *''[[Glory Lane]]'' ([[1987]]), ISBN 0-441-51664-5 *''Maori'' ([[1988]]), ISBN 0-441-51925-3 *''Outer Heat'' ([[1988]]), ISBN 0-446-35265-9 *''To the Vanishing Point'' ([[1988]]), ISBN 0-446-51338-5 *''Quozl'' ([[1989]]), ISBN 0-441-69454-3 *''Cyber Way'' ([[1990]]), ISBN 0-441-13245-6 *''Cat-a-lyst'' ([[1991]]), ISBN 0-441-64661-1 *''Codgerspace'' ([[1992]]), ISBN 0-441-71851-5 *''Greenthieves'' ([[1994]]), ISBN 0-441-00104-1 *''Life Form'' ([[1995]]), ISBN 0-441-00218-8 *''Design for Great-Day'' (with [[Eric Frank Russell]]) ([[1995]]), ISBN 0-312-85501-X *''Jed the Dead'' ([[1997]]), ISBN 0-441-00399-0 *''[[Parallelities]]'' ([[1998]]), ISBN 0-345-42461-1 *''[[Interlopers]]'' ([[2001]]), ISBN 0-441-00847-X *''Kingdoms of Light'' ([[2001]]), ISBN 0-446-52667-3 *''Primal Shadows'' ([[2001]]), ISBN 0-312-87771-4 *''[[The Mocking Program]]'' ([[2002]]), ISBN 0-446-52774-2 *''Sagramanda'' ([[2006]]), ISBN 1-59102-488-9 ===Unpublished=== *''Maude'' ([[1974]]) == External links == {{wikiquote}} *[http://www.alandeanfoster.com/ Alan Dean Foster homepage] *[http://www.sffworld.com/interview/41p0.html Interview] at [http://www.sffworld.com SFFWorld.com] *[http://www.thefutureandyou.libsyn.com/?search_string=foster&Submit=Search&search=1 All of Alan Dean Foster's audio interviews on the podcast ''The Future And You''] (in which he describes his expectations of the future) *{{isfdb name|id=Alan_Dean_Foster|name=Alan Dean Foster}} *[http://dig.mixnmojo.com/museum/interview_foster.html The Dig Museum's Exclusive Interview] * [http://www.avpgalaxy.net/website.php?section=interview_alan_dean_foster AvPGalaxy Interview with Alan Dean Foster] *[http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue251/interview.html SciFi.com Interview: Alan Dean Foster invites SF readers to peer inside his Mind's Eye] {{Alan Dean Foster novels}} {{The Humanx Commonwealth}} {{Persondata |NAME=Foster, Alan Dean |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[United States|American]] writer of [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy]] [[novel]]s and movie [[novelization]]s |DATE OF BIRTH=[[November 18]], [[1946]] |PLACE OF BIRTH=[[New York City]] |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= }} {{BD|1946||Foster, Alan Dean}} [[Category:American fantasy writers]] [[Category:American science fiction writers]] [[Category:American novelists]] [[Category:New York writers]] [[Category:Arizona writers]] [[Category:People from New York City]] [[Category:People from Prescott, Arizona]] [[Category:Dinotopia]] [[de:Alan Dean Foster]] [[fr:Alan Dean Foster]] [[it:Alan Dean Foster]] [[lt:Alan Dean Foster]] [[hu:Alan Dean Foster]] [[ja:アラン・ディーン・フォスター]] [[ru:Фостер, Алан Дин]] [[fi:Alan Dean Foster]]