SFandFantasy.co.uk
   An SF and Fantasy Bibliography

Alan Dean Foster
Search the Site
 Advanced Search

Follow Us / Contact Us

Links to Bibliographies

Alan Dean Foster
--- Introduction
--- Alien
--- Humanx Commonwealth
--- Pip and Flinx
--- Spellsinger
--- Star Trek
--- Star Wars
--- Collections and Omnibuses
--- Other Series
--- Other Novels and Chapbooks
--- Other Novelizations
--- Miscellanea
--- Short Fiction

Eddie Jones

The Big Three
--- Isaac Asimov
--- Arthur C. Clarke
--- Robert A. Heinlein

J.R.R. Tolkien

Lin Carter

Patrick Moore

Philip E. High

Richard C. Meredith

Robert Silverberg

Robert E. Vardeman

Fighting Fantasy

Science Fiction Magazines

Science Fiction and Fantasy Series

SF Universes and Fantasy Worlds

 
A Brief Biography of Alan Dean Foster

Alan Dean Foster
Photograph © Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an author, primarily of fantasy and science fiction, with several well-known series to his credit in addition to a large number of standalone novels and film screenplay novelizations.

Born on 18 November 1946 in New York City, Foster was raised in Los Angeles. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a Master of Fine Arts in Cinema from UCLA before beginning work in advertising and public relations, and then embarking on a career as an author, in addition to teaching and lecturing.

Foster is perhaps best known for his science fiction novels set in the Humanx Commonwealth, an interstellar union of species including humankind and the insectoid Thranx. Many of these novels feature Philip Lynx ("Flinx"), an empath, and his companion, a minidragon named Pip.

Foster's best-known fantasy 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 cast spells 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 ecological element to them, often with an environmental twist. Often the villains in his stories experience their downfall because of a lack of respect for other alien species or seemingly innocuous elements of their surroundings. This can be seen in such works as Midworld, a semi-sentient planet that is essentially one large rainforest, and Cachalot, set on an ocean world populated by sentient cetaceans.

Both George Lucas and Alan Dean Foster have acknowledged that, although Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker is credited solely to George Lucas, Foster in fact ghost-wrote the novelization of the first Star Wars film - now known as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. 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 idea. 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."

Foster also penned the novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye, a Star Wars sequel written before the first film was released and was intended to be the basis of a low budget sequel if circumstances demanded such. Published prior to the release of The Empire Strikes Back, Foster's story relied heavily on abandoned concepts that appeared in Lucas's early treatments for the first film. Foster was stunned when Return of the Jedi revealed the characters of Luke and Leia as brother and sister because, in Splinter, the characters exhibit both romantic and sexual energy.

Foster has the story credit for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. He also wrote ten books based on episodes of Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first six books each consisting of three linked novella-length episode adaptations, and the last four being full-length novelizations of single episodes. He later wrote the novelizations of the 2009 film Star Trek, and its 2013 sequel Into Darkness, his first Star Trek novels in over thirty years.

Foster's other novelization credits include the first three Alien films, Clash of the Titans, Krull, The Chronicles of Riddick, Transformers and Terminator: Salvation. In addition to science fiction and fantasy, Foster has also written horror, detective, western, historical and contemporary fiction, as well as occasional excursions into non-fiction. His novel Shadowkeep was the first ever book adapation of an original computer game. Foster's books have been translated into more than fifty languages.

Foster currently lives in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife JoAnn. In addtion to travelling, his other interests include surfing and scuba diving, basketball, music (both classical and heavy metal), karate and powerlifting. The Fosters reside in a house built of brick salvaged from a turn-of-the-century miners' brothel, along with assorted dogs, cats, fish, several hundred houseplants, visiting javelina, porcupines, eagles, red-tailed hawks, skunks, coyotes, bobcats, and the ensorceled chair of the nefarious Dr. John Dee.

 

References
- Wikipedia - Alan Dean Foster - retrieved 25 Nov. 2012 - the text above is largely a revised version of the Wikipedia article
- The Internet Speculative Fiction Database - Alan Dean Foster - Summary Bibliography - retrieved 25 November 2012
- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction - Alan Dean Foster - retrieved 25 November 2012
- AlanDeanFoster.com - Biographical Information - retrieved 25 November 2012

 

Lists of the first publications of Alan Dean Foster's non-magazine published fiction appear below along with a selection of non-fiction and autobiographical writings.

Titles in black are novels and chapterbooks, while those in blue are collections and omnibuses.
An illustrated bibliography can be found here.

Chronological Reading Lists for the Pip & Flinx and Humanx Commonwealth novels and short stories can be found here.

The Founding of the Commonwealth
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1999 Phylogenesis Del Rey-Ballantine 034541862X First part of the Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy
2000 Dirge Del Rey-Ballantine 0345418646 Second part of the Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy
2002 Diuturnity's Dawn Del Rey-Ballantine 0345418654 Third and final part of the Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy
2002 The Founding of the Commonwealth SF Book Club 0739426168 Omnibus edition
 
Humanx Commonwealth
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1975 Midworld Nelson Doubleday-
SF Book Club
None Part 3 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
1980 Cachalot Del Rey-Ballantine 0345280660 Part 8 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
1982 Nor Crystal Tears Del Rey-Ballantine 0345291417 Part 1of the Humanx Commonwealth series
1984 Voyage to the City of the Dead Del Rey-Ballantine 0345312155 Part 2 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
1985 Sentenced to Prism Del Rey-Ballantine 034531980X Part 7 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
1997 The Howling Stones Del Rey-Ballantine 0345383753 Part 6 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
2003 Drowning World Del Rey-Ballantine 0345450353 Part 4 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
2008 Quofum Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345496058 Part 5 of the Humanx Commonwealth series
 
Icerigger
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1974 Icerigger Ballantine 0345238362 First part of the Icerigger trilogy
1979 Mission to Moulokin Nelson Doubleday-
SF Book Club
None Second part of the Icerigger trilogy
1987 The Deluge Drivers Del Rey-Ballantine 0345333306 Third and final part of the Icerigger trilogy
2012 The Icerigger Trilogy Open Road Media 9781453274088 Omnibus edition. E-book only
 
Pip and Flinx
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1972 The Tar-Aiym Krang Ballantine 0345025474 Part 2 of the Pip & Flinx series
1973 Bloodhype Ballantine 0345031636 Part 11 of the Pip & Flinx series
1977 Orphan Star Del Rey-Ballantine 0345255070 Part 3 of the Pip & Flinx series
1977 The End of the Matter Del Rey-Ballantine 0345258614 Part 4 of the Pip & Flinx series
1980 Flinx of the
Commonwealth
Del Rey-Ballantine 0345262603 Omnibus edition including Pip & Flinx parts 2, 3 & 4
1983 For Love of Mother-Not Del Rey-Ballantine 0345305116 Part 1 of the Pip & Flinx series
1988 Flinx in Flux Del Rey-Ballantine 0345343638 Part 5 of the Pip & Flinx series
1995 Mid-Flinx Del Rey-Ballantine 0345383745 Part 6 of the Pip & Flinx series
2001 Reunion Del Rey-Ballantine 0345418670 Part 7 of the Pip & Flinx series
2003 Flinx's Folly Del Rey-Ballantine 0345450388 Part 8 of the Pip & Flinx series
2004 Sliding Scales Del Rey-Ballantine 0345461568 Part 9 of the Pip & Flinx series
2005 Running from the Deity Del Rey-Ballantine 0345461592 Part 10 of the Pip & Flinx series
2006 Trouble Magnet Del Rey-Ballantine 0345485041 Part 12 of the Pip & Flinx series
2007 Flinx of the
Commonwealth
SF Book Club 9780739485972 Omnibus edition including Pip & Flinx parts 1 ,2 & 3
2007 Patrimony Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345485076 Part 13 of the Pip & Flinx series
2009 Flinx Transcendent Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345496072 Part 14 of the Pip & Flinx series
 
Alien
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1979 Alien Warner 0446829773 First part of the Alien series. Film novelization
1986 Aliens Warner 0446301396 Second part of the Alien series. Film novelization
1992 Alien 3 Warner 0446362166 Third and final part of the Alien series. Film novelization
1993 The Complete Alien Omnibus Warner 0751506672 Omnibus edition. Film novelizations
2017 Alien: Covenant Titan Books 9781785654787 Second part of the Alien prequel trilogy. Film novelization
2017 Alien: Covenant -
Origins
Titan Books 9781785654763 Original prequel novel based on the Alien: Covenant film novelization
 
The Damned
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1991 A Call to Arms Del Rey-Ballantine 0345358554 First part of the The Damned  series
1992 The False Mirror Del Rey-Ballantine 0345358562 Second part of the The Damned  series
1993 The Spoils of War Del Rey-Ballantine 0345358570 Third and final part of the The Damned  series
2017 The Damned Trilogy Open Road Media 9781504044523 Omnibus edition. E-book only
 
Endworlds (with Nicholas Read)
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
2011 Endworlds 1.1 ReadBooks 9780983165811 First part of the Endworlds trilogy. E-book only
2011 Endworlds 1.2 ReadBooks 9780983165828 Second part of the Endworlds trilogy. E-book only
2011 Endworlds 1.3 ReadBooks 9780983165835 Third and part of the Endworlds trilogy. E-book only
 
Journeys of the Catechist
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1998 Carnivores of Light and Darkness Warner Books 0446521329 First part of the Journeys of the Catechist trilogy
1999 Into the Thinking
Kingdoms
Warner Books 0446521361 Second part of the Journeys of the Catechist trilogy
2000 A Triumph of Souls Warner Books 044652218X Third and final part of the Journeys of the Catechist trilogy
2000 Journeys of the Catechist Omnibus SF Book Club 0739407929 Omnibus edition
 
Spellsinger
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1983 Spellsinger at the Gate Phantasia Press 0932096220 Original publication of the first two Spellsinger novels.
Split in half for paperback publication.
1983 Spellsinger Warner Books 0446903523 Part 1 of the Spellsinger series
1983 The Hour of the Gate Warner Books 044690354X Part 2 of the Spellsinger series
1984 The Day of the Dissonance Phantasia Press 0932096301 Part 3 of the Spellsinger series
1984 The Moment of the
Magician
Phantasia Press 0932096336 Part 4 of the Spellsinger series
1985 The Paths of the
Perambulator
Phantasia Press 0932096395 Part 5 of the Spellsinger series
1985 Season of the Spellsong Nelson Doubleday-
SF Book Club
None Omnibus edition - Parts 1-3 of the Spellsinger series
1986 The Time of the Transference Phantasia Press 0932096433 Part 6 of the Spellsinger series
1987 Spellsinger's Scherzo Nelson Doubleday-
SF Book Club
None Omnibus edition - Parts 4-6 of the Spellsinger series
1993 Son of Spellsinger Warner Books 0446362573 Part 7 of the Spellsinger series
1994 Chorus Skating Warner Books 0446362379 Part 8 of the Spellsinger series
 
Star Trek
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1974 Star Trek Log One Ballantine 0345240146 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1974 Star Trek Log Two Ballantine 0345241843 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1975 Star Trek Log Three Ballantine 0345242602 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1975 Star Trek Log Four Ballantine 0345244354 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1975 Star Trek Log Five Ballantine 0345245326 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1976 Star Trek Log Six Ballantine 0345246551 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1976 Star Trek Log Seven Ballantine 0345249658 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1976 Star Trek Log Eight Ballantine 0345251415 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1977 Star Trek Log Nine Ballantine 0345255577 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1978 Star Trek Log Ten Ballantine 0345272129 Novelization of episodes from the animated series
1980 Star Trek: The Motion Picture Simon & Schuster 0671253247 Film novelization by Gene Roddenberry. The original screenplay was based on a story outline by ADF
1980 Star Trek: The Motion Picture: The Photostory Pocket Books 0671830899 Photonovel edited by Richard J. Anobile. Based on the novelization by Roddenberry and a story outline by ADF
2009 Star Trek Pocket Books 9781439158869 Film novelization
2013 Star Trek: Into Darkness Pocket Books 9781471128899 Film novelization
 
Star Wars
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1976 Star Wars:
From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker
Ballantine 0345260619 Film novelization. Credited to George Lucas, but ghostwritten by ADF. Also appeared as Star Wars (1980) and Star Wars: A New Hope (1994)
1978 Splinter of the Mind's Eye Del Rey-Ballantine 0345275667 A novel set in the Star Wars universe, a sequel to Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker
1985 The Star Wars Saga Del Rey-Ballantine 0345329643 Boxed edition of the three original Star Wars film novelizations
1987 The Star Wars Trilogy Del Rey-Ballantine 0345348060 Omnibus edition of the three original Star Wars film novelizations
1999 The Star Wars Omnibus Orbit 1857239415 Omnibus edition of the three original Star Wars film novelizations
2002 The Approaching Storm Del Rey-Ballantine 0345443004 A novel set in the Star Wars universe, a prequel to Attack of the Clones
2015 Star Wars:
The Force Awakens
Del Rey 9781101965498 Film novelization. First published in E-book format in December 2015 and in hardback in January 2016
 
Taken
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
2004 Lost and Found Del Rey-Ballantine 0345461258 First part of the Taken trilogy
2005 The Light-Years Beneath
My Feet
Del Rey-Ballantine 0345461282 Second part of the Taken trilogy
2006 The Candle of
Distant Earth
Del Rey-Ballantine 0345461312 Third and final part of the Taken trilogy
2006 The Taken Trilogy SF Book Club 0739470116 Omnibus edition
 
The Tipping Point
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
2010 The Human Blend Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345511973 First part of the The Tipping Point trilogy
2012 Body, Inc. Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345511997 Second part of the The Tipping Point trilogy
2012 The Sum of Her Parts Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345512024 Third and final part of the The Tipping Point trilogy
 
Transformers
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
2007 Ghosts of Yesterday Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345497987 A prequel novel to the Transformers film
2007 Transformers Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345497994 Film novelization
2009 The Veiled Threat Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345515926 A sequel novel to the Transformers film
2009 Revenge of the Fallen Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345515933 Film novelization
 
Collections
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1977 With Friends Like These... Del Rey-Ballantine 0345257014 Short story collection
1984 ...Who Needs Enemies? Del Rey-Ballantine 0345316576 Short story collection
1990 The Metrognome
and Other Stories
Del Rey-Ballantine 0345363566 Short story collection
1995 Montezuma Strip Warner Books 0446602078 Short story collection
1996 Mad Amos Del Rey-Ballantine 0345393627 Short story collection
2002 Impossible Places Del Rey-Ballantine 0345450418 Short story collection
2008 Exceptions to Reality Del Rey-Ballantine 9780345496041 Short story collection
 
Other Novels & Chapterbooks
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1974 Luana Ballantine 0345237935 Film novelization
1974 Dark Star Ballantine 034524267X Film novelization
1978 The Horror on the Beach Valcour & Krueger None Chapterbook
1979 The Black Hole New English Library 0450045692 Film novelization
1981 Outland Warner Books 0446958298 Film novelization
1981 Clash of the Titans Warner Books 0446936758 Film novelization
1982

The Thing

Bantam 0553204777 Film novelization
1983 Krull Warner Books 0446306428 Film novelization
1983 The Man Who Used the Universe Nelson Doubleday-
SF Book Club
None  
1984 Slipt Berkley Books 0425070069  
1984 The Last Starfighter Storybook Putnam 0399210784 An abridged, illustrated version of the film storyline
1984 The Last Starfighter Berkley Books 042507255X Film novelization
1984 The I Inside Warner Books 0446320277  
1984 Shadowkeep Warner Books 0446325538 Video game novelization
1984 Starman Warner Books 0446325988 Film novelization
1985 Pale Rider Warner Books 0446327670 Film novelization
1986 Into the Out Of Warner Books 0446513377  
1987 Glory Lane Ace Books 0441516645  
1988 Maori Ace Books 0441519253  
1988 To the Vanishing Point Warner Books 0446513385  
1988 Alien Nation Warner Books 0446352640 Film novelization
1989 Quozl Ace Books 0441694543  
1990 Cyber Way Ace Books 0441132456  
1991 Cat-A-Lyst Ace Books 0441646611  
1992 Codgerspace Ace Books 0441718515  
1994 Greenthieves Ace Books 0441001041  
1994 Alan Dean Foster Del Rey-Ballantine 0345392647 A boxed edition of 3 novels - contents unknown
1995 Design for Great-Day Tor 031285501X Based on the novella of the same name by Eric Frank Russell
1995 Life Form Ace Books 0441002188  
1996 The Dig Warner Books 0446518530 Video game novelization
1996 Dinotopia Lost Turner Publishing 1570362793 A novel set in James Gurney's Dinotopia universe
1996 The Voyage of the Basset Atisian 1885183585 With James C. Christensen and Renwick St. James
1997 Jed the Dead Ace Books 0441003990  
1998 Parallelities Del Rey-Ballantine 0345383737  
1999 The Hand of Dinotopia HarperCollins 0060280050 A novel set in James Gurney's Dinotopia universe
2001 Kingdoms of Light Warner Books 0446526673  
2001 Interlopers Ace Books 044100847X  
2001 Primal Shadows Forge 0312877714  
2002 The Mocking Program Warner Books 0446527742 Continuation to the short story collection Montezuma Strip
2004 The Chronicles of Riddick Del Rey-Ballantine 0345468392 Film novelization
2006 Sagramanda Pyr 1591024889  
2009 Terminator Salvation Titan Books 9781848560857 Film novelization
2011 Box of Oxen Thranx None E-book only
2015 Oshenerth Wordfire Press 9781614753803  
2016 The Deavys Open Road Media 9781504015899  
 
Miscellaneous   (Titles in blue are fiction. The remainder in black are non-fiction and interviews)
Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes
1978 Starlog
(#16, Sept 1978)
Publisher tbc N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Michael Cassutt
1980 Amazing Stories
(Vol.53, No.2, #491, Feb 1980)
Ultimate Publishing N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Tom Staicar
1981 Shadows of... (#4, Feb 1981) Dawn Press N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Dawn Atkins
1982 Rigel Science Fiction
(#4, Spring 1982)
Aesir Press N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Darrell Schweitzer
1987 Humanx Steve Jackson Games 1556340869 GURPS RPG Source Book, Curtis M. Scott
1989 For Love of Mother-Not Steve Jackson Games 155634144X GURPS Solo Adventure Book, W.G. Armintrout
1991 Smart Dragons, Foolish Elves Ace Books 0441184812 Anthology. Edited by Alan Dean Foster and Martin Harry Greenberg
1991 Locus (#368, Sept 1991) Locus Publications N/A Includes an interview with ADF. Interviewer unknown
1993 Sir Charles Barkley and
the Referee Murders
Hamilton Comics 0994599710 Graphic novel. Storyline by ADF
1993 Betcha Can't Read Just One Ace Books 0441248837 Anthology. Edited by Alan Dean Foster
1994 Interzone (#80, Feb 1994) David Pringle N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Randall D. Larson
2003 Lighthouse Magazine
(#2, Dec 2003)
Lighthouse Magazine N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Paul Calvin Wilson
2004 Albedo One (#24) Albedo One Productions N/A Includes an interview with ADF by Frank Ludlow
2005 Short Stories from Small Islands Secretariat of the Pacific Community 9820000998 Anthology. Edited by Alan Dean Foster
2011 Predators I Have Known Open Road Media 9781480480452 Non-Fiction
2012 The Phisher Alan Dean Foster None Non-Fiction. With Alex Sam. E-book only
 
 
Chronological Reading Order - Novels & Short Stories
Humanx Commonwealth   Pip & Flinx
1 Nor Crystal Tears      
2 Phylogenesis      
3 Dirge      
4 Diuturnity's Dawn      
5 Voyage to the City of the Dead      
6 Midworld      
7 The Emoman      
8 Surfeit      
9 Perception      
10 Icerigger      
      1 For the Love of Mother-Not
      2 The Tar-Aiym Krang
11 Mission to Moulokin      
      3 Orphan Star
12 The Deluge Drivers      
      4 The End of the Matter
      5 Snake Eyes
      6 Flinx in Flux
13 Chilling      
      7 Mid-Flinx
      8 Reunion
14 Drowning World      
      9 Sideshow
15 Quofum      
16 Mid-Death      
      10 Flinx's Folly
      11 Sliding Scales
      12 Running from the Deity
      13 Bloodhype
      14 Trouble Magnet
17 The Howling Stones      
      15 Patrimony
      16 Growth
      17 Flinx Transcendent
      18 Strange Music
17 Sentenced to Prism      
18 Cachalot      
         
unknown The Muffin Migration      
unknown Pardon Our Conquest      
 

Top

Text © Neil Holford and SFandFantasy.co.uk 2011-2024 --- Images and quoted text remain copyright of the publishers, artists and authors