Scalzi, John 1969–

(John Michael Scalzi, II)

PERSONAL:

Born May 10, 1969, in CA; married; wife's name Kristine, 1995; children: Athena. Education: University of Chicago, A.B., 1991. Religion: Agnostic.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Bradford, OH. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Freelance writer. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine, chief entertainment media critic, 2000-06. Worked previously as a film critic for the Fresno Bee.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Hugo Award nomination, 2006, for Old Man's War; Joseph W. Campbell Award for best new science fiction author, 2006, for Old Man's War; SCI FI Essential book, from SciFi.com, 2006, for The Ghost Brigades.

WRITINGS:

FICTION

Agent to the Stars, Subterranean Press (Burton, MI), 2005.

Old Man's War, Tom Doherty Associates (New York, NY), 2005.

Questions for a Soldier, Subterranean Press (Burton, MI), 2005.

The Ghost Brigades, Tor (New York, NY), 2006.

The Android's Dream, Tor (New York, NY), 2006.

The Last Colony, Tor (New York, NY), 2007.

The Sagan Diary, illustrated by Bob Eggleton, Subterranean Press (Burton, MI), 2007.

Zoe's Tale, Tor (New York, NY), 2008.

NONFICTION

The Rough Guide to Money Online, Rough Guides (New York, NY), 2000.

The Rough Guide to the Universe, Rough Guides (New York, NY), 2003.

Uncle John's Presents Book of the Dumb, Portable Press (San Diego, CA), 2003.

Uncle John's Presents Book of the Dumb 2, Portable Press (San Diego, CA), 2004.

The Rough Guide to Sci-Fi Movies, Rough Guides (New York, NY), 2005.

You're Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop: Scalzi on Writing, Subterranean Press (Burton, MI), 2007.

The Rough Guide to the Universe II, Rough Guides (New York, NY), 2008.

Contributor to the "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" series, Portable Press (San Diego, CA). Regular contributor to Dayton Daily News. Author of the blogs Whatever and By the Way.

SIDELIGHTS:

A prolific nonfiction author, John Scalzi has published magazine articles, newspaper columns, Web logs, corporate brochures, and books. He began his writing career as a film critic for the Fresno Bee in his native California. In the late 1990s, Scalzi transitioned to full-time freelance writing and started a daily blog titled Whatever that gained a wide readership. He also began work on his first novel, Agent to the Stars, with no real intention of ever professionally publishing it. Instead he posted the story on his Web site and welcomed readers to send him a dollar if they enjoyed it.

Scalzi subsequently debuted a second novel online with an unexpected result: He was contacted by an editor who wished to see the military science fiction story published. Old Man's War earned Scalzi a 2006 Hugo Award nomination, critical acclaim, and a solid fan base. In a review for the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Michelle West shared her opinion of the novel: "There's definitely Scalzi humor laced throughout it, which is to be expected; less expected, a genuine sense of regret, loss, and almost veneration for things that are taken for granted in our daily lives." Another Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction reviewer, Robert K.J. Killheffer, remarked: "Scalzi's straightforward, muscular prose and tightly focused pacing yield an undeniable page-turner." Noting similarities in prose to the works of science fiction great Robert A. Heinlein, a Publishers Weekly contributor described Old Man's War as a "virtuoso debut [that] pays tribute to SF's past while showing that well-worn tropes still can have real zip when they're approached with ingenuity."

The sequel to Old Man's War, titled The Ghost Brigades, is set in the same universe but picks up the story of a secondary character. The novel was selected by SciFi.com as a SCI FI Essential book for 2006. "Scalzi skillfully weaves together action, memorable characterizations, and a touch of philosophy," remarked Carl Hays in a Booklist review. Bookslut reviewer Stephen Granade noted that the book "delivers on its promise of solid science fiction entertainment with a leavening of serious issues." The Android's Dream is Scalzi's third novel of military science fiction that also incorporates political suspense and social commentary. Granade also reviewed the book and called it "a galloping caper that is very funny and very satisfying." He further commented: "By combining a tight ending with sympathetic characters and sharp, funny writing, The Android's Dream delivers top-notch entertainment."

Agent to the Stars, the first title that Scalzi posted online, asking for donations from satisfied readers, ultimately made him a solid return before it, too, was requested by an editor. And so Scalzi took the novel off of his Web site and it became a published novel. The book kicks off as a typical Hollywood novel, following agent Thomas Stein as he attempts to build his career and find work for his star clients until he finds himself saddled with a new client, one he anticipates having trouble with no matter how good his acting is. Joshua is a Yjerajk, hailing from another planet, and his lack of basic humanity has Thomas despairing of ever finding his new client any work. However, slowly but surely he begins to warm to Joshua and his persistent efforts, and as a result finds himself more successful in his efforts to avoid Joshua getting typecast as an alien from outer space. Regina Schroeder, reviewing for Booklist, opined: "A remarkably intelligent first-contact yarn, this book is absurd, funny, and satirically perceptive." A reviewer for Publishers Weekly commented that "several entertaining trips to the aliens' spaceship enliven the predictable plot."

With The Last Colony, Scalzi offers his readers a third book that follows now-retired, planet-hopping soldier John Perry, following Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades. Perry has settled down on a distant world, part of the Colonial Union, where he is content living with his wife and their adopted daughter. But when a former commander of Perry's comes to visit, he tells Perry that they are organizing to colonize a new planet, combining individuals from ten existing worlds in order to guarantee a diverse population. According to the commander, Perry and his wife would make perfect candidates for the new program. However, once the Colonial Union has relocated them to the new planet, it becomes obvious that they have an entirely different motivation than the one originally claimed. A coalition of aliens is determined to cease the human colonization process across the universe, and they have been blocking attempts in any way they can. Carl Hays, in a review for Booklist, remarked that "Scalzi's captivating blend of off-world adventure and political intrigue remains consistently engaging." In a contribution for Publishers Weekly, one reviewer opined that the book "lacks the galactic intensity of its two related predecessors, but makes up for it with entertaining storytelling on a very human scale."

Scalzi has written or contributed to a number of nonfiction books, including several in the "Rough Guide" and "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" series. In 2007 selections from his popular blog were compiled into You're Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop: Scalzi on Writing. In this title, Scalzi takes a different approach to the writing guide. Whereas most other books about writing focus on craft or on the writing life itself, Scalzi takes a good hard look at the act of writing as a career. He does not address it as a hobby or something one does simply to feel artistically fulfilled while all the time forced to work another job. Instead he looks at writers who get paid for their work, and all of the different types of writing jobs that are available to someone willing to work to improve their skills and to spend some time tracking down the opportunities. He splits the book into several sections, the first of which does address the craft of writing, stressing the need to acquire all the tools of the trade, a skill set that includes a solid knowledge of grammar and spelling. The second section of the book addresses writing as a business. From there he addresses the subject of writers in general, and then science fiction or speculative fiction, given that this is the genre in which he primarily writes and where he has begun to receive a measure of success and acclaim. Robert M. Tilendis, in a contribution for Green Man Review, remarked that "if you can get past Scalzi's fairly confrontational style (which can sometimes be annoying simply because he's playing at being a smartass—or maybe he really is a smartass), there is a lot of good information in here, particularly on working as a freelancer."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 15, 2005, Regina Schroeder, review of Agent to the Stars, p. 1644; March 1, 2006, Carl Hays, review of The Ghost Brigades, p. 77; May 1, 2007, Carl Hays, review of The Last Colony, p. 78.

Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, June, 2005, Michelle West, review of Old Man's War, p. 33; September, 2005, Robert K.J. Killheffer, review of Old Man's War, p. 25.

Publishers Weekly, December 6, 2004, review of Old Man's War, p. 47; June 20, 2005, review of Agent to the Stars, p. 63; March 19, 2007, review of The Last Colony, p. 48.

ONLINE

Bookslut,http://www.bookslut.com/ (January 18, 2007), Stephen Granade, reviews of The Ghost Brigades and The Android's Dream.

Green Man Review,http://www.greenmanreview.com/ (June 15, 2008), Robert M. Tilendis, review of You're Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop: Scalzi on Writing.

John Scalzi Home Page,http://www.johnscalzi.com (January 11, 2007).