Lucius Shepard

Lucius Shepard (August 21, 1943 – March 18, 2014) was an American writer. Classified as a science fiction and fantasy writer, he often leaned into other genres, such as magical realism.

Lucius Shepard
Lucius Shepard, Utopiales 2011
Born(1943-08-21)August 21, 1943
Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S.
DiedMarch 18, 2014(2014-03-18) (aged 70)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Career

Shepard was a native of Lynchburg, Virginia where he was born in 1943.[1] His 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,[2] 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."[3]

Lucius Shepard 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. This novel won the Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis in 1990. 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.[4] His novella "Vacancy" won a Shirley Jackson Award in 2008.

Lucius Shepard resided in Portland, Oregon.

Themes and evolution

Shepard embraced many different themes throughout his career. In his early work, he wrote extensively about Central America. 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 traveled extensively in Central America and lived there for a time.

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.[5] Though he still wrote Central American fiction, Shepard's interest seemed to be moving north: he published two short novels, "A Handbook of American Prayer" and "Viator", both set in North America. On that same note, he published many works where culture and geography were 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 later work was nonfiction. He researched the Freight Train Riders of America and spent time riding the rails, writing both fiction and nonfiction based on those experiences. He was also a regular movie reviewer for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and electricstory.com.[6] His reviews are marked by general contempt for the current state of American film.

According to fellow author James Patrick Kelly, Shepard was an avid sports fan who often used dramatic sports moments as inspiration to write.[7]

In the summer of 2008, Shepard 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.

He died in March 2014 at the age of 70 of complications from a stroke.[1][8]

Bibliography

Novels
  • Shepard, Lucius (1984). Green eyes. New York: Ace.
  • — (1987). Life during wartime. New York: Bantam.
  • — (1993). The Golden. Shingletown, Calif.: Mark V. Ziesing.
  • — (2003). Colonel Rutherford's colt. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
  • — (2003). Floater. Hornsea, England: PS Publishing.
  • — (2004). Viator. San Francisco: Night Shade Books.
  • — (2005). Trujillo. San Francisco: Night Shade Books.
  • — (2006). A handbook of American prayer : a novel. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press.
  • — (2007). Softspoken. San Francisco: Night Shade Books.
  • — (2014). Beautiful blood : a novel of the Dragon Griaule. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.

Short fiction
Collections
  • Shepard, Lucius (1987). The jaguar hunter. Sauk City, Wisc.: Arkham House.
  • Shepard, Lucius & Robert Frazier (1989). Nantucket Slayrides: Three Short Novels. Nantucket, Mass.: Eel Grass Press.
  • Shepard, Lucius (1991). The ends of the Earth. Sauk City, Wisc.: Arkham House.
  • — (1994). Sports & Music. Shingletown, Calif.: Mark V. Ziesing.
  • — (1997). Barnacle Bill the Spacer and Other Stories. London: Orion.[lower-alpha 1]
  • — (1999). Beast of the Heartland and Other Stories. New York: Four Walls Eight Windows.[lower-alpha 2]
  • — (2001). The Jaguar Hunter (2nd, revised ed.). New York: Four Walls Eight Windows.
  • — (2004). Trujillo and Other Stories. Hornsea, England: PS Publishing.
  • — (2004). Two trains running. Urbana, Ill.: Golden Griffin Press.
  • — (2005). Eternity and Other Stories. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press.
  • — (2007). Dagger Key and other stories. Hornsea, England: PS Publishing.
  • — (2008). The Best of Lucius Shepard. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
  • — (2008). Skull City and Other Lost Tales. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
  • — (2009). Vacancy & Ariel. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
  • — (2009). Viator Plus. Hornsea, England: PS Publishing.
  • — (2012). The Dragon Griaule. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
  • — (2013). Five Autobiographies and a Fiction. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
  • — (2021). Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press.
Stories[lower-alpha 3]
Title Year First published Reprinted/collected Notes
All the perfumes of Araby 1992 Shepard, Lucius (1992). "All the perfumes of Araby". In Datlow, Ellen (ed.). Omni best science fiction two. OMNI Books. Novelette
The All-Consuming 1990 Frazier, Robert & Lucius Shepard (July 1990). "The All-Consuming". Playboy.
The Arcevoalo 1986 Shepard, Lucius (October 1986). "The Arcevoalo". F&SF. 71 (4). Novelette
Ariel 2003 Shepard, Lucius (October–November 2003). "Ariel". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Ariel". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 551–624. Novella
Aymara 1986 Shepard, Lucius (August 1986). "Aymara". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. 10 (8). Novelette
AZTECHS 2001 Shepard, Lucius (September 5, 2001). "AZTECHS". Sci Fiction. Syfy. Archived from the original on 2001-11-25.
  • Shepard, Lucius (2003). AZTECHS. Subterranean Press.
  • Shepard, Lucius (2021). "AZTECHS". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 369–445.
 Novella/chapbook
Barnacle Bill the Spacer 1992 Shepard, Lucius (July 1992). "Barnacle Bill the Spacer". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Barnacle Bill the Spacer". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 87–170. Novella
Beast of the heartland 1992 Shepard,Lucius (September 1992). "Beast of the heartland". Playboy.
The black clay boy 1987 Shepard, Lucius (1987). "The black clay boy". In Schiff, Stuart David (ed.). Whispers VI. Doubleday.
Black coral 1984 Shepard, Lucius (1984). "Black coral". In Carr, Terry (ed.). Universe 14. Doubleday.
Bound for glory 1989 Shepard, Lucius (October 1989). "Bound for glory". F&SF.
Chango 1989 Shepard, Lucius (June 1989). "Chango". Ice River. 4.
Crocodile rock 1999 Shepard, Lucius (October 1999). "Crocodile rock". F&SF. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Crocodile rock". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 319–367. Novella
Dagger Key 2007 Shepard, Lucius (2007). "Dagger Key". Dagger Key and other stories. Hornsea, England: PS Publishing. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Dagger Key". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 701–758. Novella
Dancing it all away at Nadoka 1986 Shepard, Lucius (December 1986). "Dancing it all away at Nadoka". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction.[lower-alpha 4]
Delta Sly Honey 1987 Shepard, Lucius (1987). "Delta Sly Honey". In Dann, Jeanne Van Buren & Jack M. Dann (eds.). In the field of fire. Tor. Shepard, Lucius (October 1987). "Delta Sly Honey". Rod Serling's the Twilight Zone Magazine.
Dog-eared paperback of my life 2009 Shepard, Lucius (2009). "Dog-eared paperback of my life". In Gevers, Nick & Jay Lake (eds.). Other Earths. DAW Books. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Dog-eared paperback of my life". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 759–844. Novella
The drive-in Puerto Rico 2002 Shepard, Lucius (October–November 2002). "The drive-in Puerto Rico". F&SF. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "The drive-in Puerto Rico". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 447–505. Novella
The end of life as we know it 1985 Shepard, Lucius (January 1985). "The end of life as we know it". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
The ends of the Earth 1989 Shepard, Lucius (March 1989). "The ends of the Earth". F&SF.
Eternity and afterward 2001 "Eternity and afterward". F&SF. 100 (3): 11–84. March 2001. Novella
The etheric transmitter 1984 Shepard, Lucius (1984). "The etheric transmitter". In Knight, Damon (ed.). The Clarion Awards. Doubleday.
The exercise of faith 1987 Shepard, Lucius (June 1987). "The exercise of faith". Rod Serling's the Twilight Zone Magazine.
The Father of Stones 1989 Shepard, Lucius (1989). The Father of Stones. Baltimore: WSFA Press. Shepard, Lucius (September 1989). "The Father of Stones". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Novella/Chapbook
Fire Zone Emerald 1986 Shepard,Lucius (February 1986). "Fire Zone Emerald". Playboy.
The fundamental things 1985 Shepard, Lucius (July 1985). "The fundamental things". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
The glassblower's dragon 1987 Shepard, Lucius (April 1987). "The glassblower's dragon". F&SF.
Halloween Town 2009 Shepard, Lucius (October 2009). "Halloween Town". F&SF. Novella
... How my heart breaks when I sing this song ... 1985 Shepard, Lucius (December 1985). "... How my heart breaks when I sing this song ...". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
How the wind spoke at Madaket 1985 Shepard, Lucius (April 1985). "How the wind spoke at Madaket". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
Human history 1995 Shepard, Lucius (1995). "Human history". In Brown, Stephen P. (ed.). 21st Annual World Fantasy Convention program book. Baltimore Gun Club. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Human history". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 229–318. Novella
Jack's decline 1988 Shepard, Lucius (1988). "Jack's decline". In Casper, Susan & Gardner Dozois (eds.). Ripper!. Tor.
The jaguar hunter 1985 Shepard, Lucius (May 1985). "The jaguar hunter". F&SF.
Jail bait 2004 Shepard, Lucius (2004). "Jail bait". Two trains running. Urbana, Ill.: Golden Griffin Press. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Jailbait". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 673–699. Novelette
Kalimantan 1990 Shepard, Lucius (1990). Kalimantan. Legend/Century. Novella/Chapbook
The last time 1994 Datlow, Ellen, ed. (1994). Little deaths : 24 tales of sex and horror. Millennium.
  • Shepard, Lucius (1995). The last time. Mission Viejo, Calif.: A.S.A.P.
  • Shepard, Lucius (2021). "The last time". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 171–227.
 Novella/Chapbook
Liar's house 2003 [9]

[10][11]

 Novella/Chapbook; The Dragon Griaule
Life of Buddha 1988 Shepard, Lucius (May 1988). "Life of Buddha". Omni.
A little night music 1992 Shepard, Lucius (March 1992). "A little night music". Omni.
Louisiana breakdown 2003 Novella
The man who painted the Dragon Griaule 1984 F&SF, December 1984 The Dragon Griaule
Mengele 1985 Shepard, Lucius (1985). "Mengele". In Carr, Terry (ed.). Universe 15. Doubleday.
The night of White Bhairab 1984 F&SF, October 1984
Noman's land 1988 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Oct 1988
On the border 1987 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, August 1987
A personal matter 1993 Amazing Stories, July 1993 Excerpt from The Golden
Pizza man 1996 Shepard,Lucius (September 1996). "Pizza man". Playboy.
R & R 1986 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, April 1986
Radiant green star 2000 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, August 2000
Reaper 1984 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, December 1984
Romance of the Century 2000 Shepard, Lucius (2000). "Romance of the Century". Activities. Visionary Adventures. GORP. The Away Network. Archived from the original on 2003-10-21.
Salvador 1984 F&SF, April 1984
The scalehunter's beautiful daughter 1988 Shepard, Lucius (1988). The scalehunter's beautiful daughter. Willimantic, CT: Mark V. Ziesing. Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, September 1988 Novella/Chapbook
Shades 1987 Shepard, Lucius (1987). "Shades". In Dann, Jeanne Van Buren & Jack M. Dann (eds.). In the field of fire. Tor. Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, December 1987
The skull 2012 Subterranean Press Novella
Skull City 1990 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, July 1990
Solitario's eyes 1983 F&SF, September 1983
A Spanish lesson 1985 F&SF, December 1985
Sparring partner 2001 Playboy, March 2001
Sports in America 1991 Playboy, July 1991
Stars seen through stone 2007 F&SF, July 2007 Novella
The storming of Annie Kinsdale 1984 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, September 1984
The sun spider 1987 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, April 1987
Surrender 1989 Shepard, Lucius (August 1989). "Surrender". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Surrender". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 63–86. Novelette
The Taborin Scale 2010 Subterranean Press Novella
The Taylorsville reconstruction 1983 Shepard, Lucius (1983). "The Taylorsville reconstruction". In Carr, Terry (ed.). Universe 13. Doubleday.
A traveler's tale 1984 Shepard, Lucius (July 1984). "A traveler's tale". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "A traveler's tale". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 7–62. Novella
Valentine 2002 Four Walls Eight Windows Novella
Victory 1992 Omni, May 1992
Voyage south from Thousand Willows 1986 Shepard, Lucius (1986). "Voyage south from Thousand Willows". In Carr, Terry (ed.). Universe 16. Doubleday.
A walk in the garden 2003 Shepard, Lucius (August 2003). "A walk in the garden". Sci Fiction. Archived from the original on 2008-02-20. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "A walk in the garden". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 507–549. Novelette
The way it sometimes happens 1988 Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, December 1988
A wooden tiger 1988 F&SF, October 1988
Youthful folly 1988 Omni, November 1988

Poetry
Chapbooks
  • Shepard, Lucius (1967). Cantata of death, weakmind & generation. Chapel Hill, N. C.: Lillabulero Press.
List of poems
Title Year First published Reprinted/collected
Cantata of death, weakmind & generation 1967 Shepard, Lucius (1967). Cantata of death, weakmind & generation. Chapel Hill, N. C.: Lillabulero Press.
Challenger as viewed from the Westerbrook Bar 1986 Shepard, Lucius (October 1986). "Challenger as viewed from the Westerbrook Bar". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.
Pictures made of stones 1987 Shepard,Lucius (September 1987). "Pictures made of stones". Omni. 9 (12).
White trains 1987 Shepard, Lucius (Spring 1987). "White trains". Night Cry.

Non-fiction
  • Shepard, Lucius (February 1985). "How I spent my summer vacation : a student perspective on Clarion". Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction.
  • — (1989). "Introduction". In Garnett, David (ed.). Orbit science fiction yearbook two. Orbit.
  • — (Winter 1989). "Waiting for the barbarians". Journal Wired.
  • — (Spring 1990). "Remedial reading for the generation of swine". Journal Wired.
  • — (Summer–Fall 1990). "Stark raving : George Bush and the Pineapple of Doom". Journal Wired.
  • — (February 1991). "Read this". The New York Review of Science Fiction.
  • — (1992). "Incident in the Petén". In Boston, Bruce & Robert Frazier (eds.). Chronicles of the mutant rain forest. Horror's Head Press.
  • — (1995). "Avram Davidson 1923-1993". In Sargent, Pamela (ed.). Nebula Awards 29. Harcourt Brace.
  • — (1996). "God is in the details". In Wilson, Robin (ed.). Paragons. St. Martin's Press.
  • — (Fall 1996). "An appreciation of Avram Davidson". Eidolon.
  • — (1997). "Introduction". In Waldrop, Howard (ed.). Going home again. Eidolon Publications.
  • — (1998). "The year in science fiction and fantasy : a symposium". In Dann, Jack (ed.). Nebula Awards 32. Harvest.
  • — (1998). "Afterword". In Davis, Grania (ed.). The Avram Davidson treasury. Tor.
  • — (October 14, 1998). "This space for advertising". Event Horizon.
  • — (January 14, 1999). "The millenium cucaracha". Event Horizon.
  • — (May 18, 1999). "The Littleton Follies". Event Horizon.
  • — (2005). Weapons of mass seduction.

Film reviews
Film title Director Reviewed in
X-Men Bryan Singer Shepard, Lucius (Dec 2000). "eXcreMENt". Films. F&SF. 99 (6): 104–108.
Lost Souls Janusz Kaminski Shepard, Lucius (March 2001). "The exorcist's children and Rosemary's yuppie". Films. F&SF. 100 (3): 125–131.
Iron Man Jon Favreau Shepard, Lucius (October–November 2008). "Things that go clank in the night". Films. F&SF. 115 (4&5): 149–154.
District 9 Neill Blomkamp Shepard, Lucius (January–February 2010). "A pair of nines". Films. F&SF. 118 (1&2): 187–192.
9 Shane Acker Shepard, Lucius (January–February 2010). "A pair of nines". Films. F&SF. 118 (1&2): 187–192.
Jennifer's Body Karyn Kusama Shepard, Lucius (January–February 2010). "A pair of nines". Films. F&SF. 118 (1&2): 187–192.
Pandorum Christian Alvart Shepard, Lucius (January–February 2010). "A pair of nines". Films. F&SF. 118 (1&2): 187–192.
The Adjustment Bureau George Nolfi Shepard, Lucius (July–August 2011). "Free will hunting". Films. F&SF. 121 (1&2): 147–152.
Paul Greg Mottola Shepard, Lucius (July–August 2011). "Free will hunting". Films. F&SF. 121 (1&2): 147–152.
Battle: Los Angeles Jonathan Liebesman Shepard, Lucius (July–August 2011). "Free will hunting". Films. F&SF. 121 (1&2): 147–152.

Comics
  • Shepard, Lucius (w). Vermillion (1996–1997).
  • Shepard, Lucius (w), James Romberger, Marguerite Van Cook (a). "Platinum nights" Gangland, no. 2 (1998). Vertigo.

Critical studies and reviews of Shepard's work
Beautiful blood
  • Di Filippo, Paul (January 2015). "On Books". Asimov's Science Fiction. 39 (1): 102–106.
Five autobiographies and a fiction
  • Di Filippo, Paul (January 2014). "On Books". Asimov's Science Fiction. 38 (1): 101–105.

———————

Notes
  1. Later published in the United States as Beast of the heartland and other stories.
  2. Originally published in the United Kingdom as Barnacle Bill the Spacer and other stories.
  3. Short stories unless otherwise noted.
  4. Issue is dated "Mid-December".

Work available online

References
  1. Clute, John. "Shepard, Lucius". In Clute, John; Langford, David; Nicholls, Peter (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (3rd ed.). Retrieved 2014-08-04.
  2. "Banging Nails". Locus: 6. November 2001. While stories under his name were published in the 1950s, Shepard reports those were actually written by his father.
  3. "Books". F&SF: 24. July 1984.
  4. World Fantasy Convention. "Award Winners and Nominees". Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  5. Locus Publications. "2001 Locus Awards". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  6. Electric Story. "Exclusive Movie Reviews by Lucius Shepard". Archived from the original on 19 December 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  7. James Patrick Kelly. "How to Talk to Lucius Shepard". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  8. Gillossen (20 March 2014). "Décès de Lucius Shepard" [Death of Lucius Shepard]. Elbakin.net (in French). Retrieved 2014-08-04.
  9. Shepard, Lucius (December 3, 2003). "Liar's house". Sci Fiction. Archived from the original on 2004-02-13.
  10. Shepard, Lucius (2004). Liar's house. Subterranean Press.
  11. Shepard, Lucius (2021). "Liar's house". In Sheehan, Bill (ed.). The best of Lucius Shepard : volume two. Burton, Mich.: Subterranean Press. pp. 625–672.
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