→Biography and work: added source for book printed date
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/* Novels by Christopher Anvil{{Cite web |last=ThriftBooks |title=Christopher Anvil Books {{!}} List of books by author Christopher Anvil |url=https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/christopher-anvil/305371/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=ThriftBooks |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Christopher Anvil Books in Order (10 Book Series) |url=https://www.mostrecommendedbooks.com/series/christopher-anvil-books-in-order |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Most Re move refs out of heading
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| pseudonym = Christopher Anvil |
| pseudonym = Christopher Anvil |
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| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1925|3|11}} |
| birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1925|3|11}} |
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| birth_place = [[Norwich, Connecticut]], |
| birth_place = [[Norwich, Connecticut]], U.S. |
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| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2009|11|30|1925|3|11}} |
| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2009|11|30|1925|3|11}} |
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| death_place = [[Cayuta, New York]], |
| death_place = [[Cayuta, New York]], U.S. |
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| occupation = Novelist, short story author |
| occupation = Novelist, short story author |
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| genre = [[Science fiction]] |
| genre = [[Science fiction]] |
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Crosby was born in Norwich, Connecticut, the only child of Harry Clifton Crosby and Rose Glasbrenner. After serving as a pilot with the U.S. military,<ref name="Transformations 2005, page 286">''Transformations : The Story of the Science Fiction Magazines from 1950 to 1970'', Liverpool University Press, 2005, page 286.</ref> he began publishing science fiction with the story "Cinderella, Inc." in the December 1952 issue of the magazine ''Imagination''. By 1956, he had adopted his pseudonym Christopher Anvil and his science-fiction work was being published in ''[[Astounding Magazine|Astounding]]''. He went on to a long and successful career in the field. |
Crosby was born in Norwich, Connecticut, the only child of Harry Clifton Crosby and Rose Glasbrenner. After serving as a pilot with the U.S. military,<ref name="Transformations 2005, page 286">''Transformations : The Story of the Science Fiction Magazines from 1950 to 1970'', Liverpool University Press, 2005, page 286.</ref> he began publishing science fiction with the story "Cinderella, Inc." in the December 1952 issue of the magazine ''Imagination''. By 1956, he had adopted his pseudonym Christopher Anvil and his science-fiction work was being published in ''[[Astounding Magazine|Astounding]]''. He went on to a long and successful career in the field. |
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His stories usually |
His stories usually about characters in different human government organizations, gadgetry, and subterfuge both internal and external while on an adventure. His military background enabled him to bring a certain realism to his portrayal of action and intrigue, which counterpointed the more fantastical elements of his stories.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} |
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⚫ | Anvil appeared in ''Astounding''/''Analog'' throughout the 1950s and '60s. This was due his ability to write stories aimed at one of ''Astounding'' editor [[John W. Campbell]]'s preferred concepts: alien opponents with superior firepower losing out to the superior intelligence or indomitable will of humans. Anvil also used humor in his characterization of story crafting, where his protagonists slid from disaster to disaster with the best of intentions, and through exercise of fast thinking, managed to snatch victory somehow from the jaws of defeat.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} |
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⚫ |
One of Anvil's best-known short stories is "Pandora's Planet", which appeared first in ''Astounding'' in September 1956 |
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According to [[David Weber]], who acknowledges being influenced by Anvil: |
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⚫ |
Anvil |
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⚫ | {{blockquote|text=An Anvil character triumphs by shooting the rapids, by caroming from one obstacle to another, adapting and overcoming as he goes. In many ways, his characters are science-fiction descendants of Odysseus, the scheming fast thinker who dazzles his opponents with his footwork. Of course, sometimes it's a little difficult to tell whether they're dazzling an opponent with their footwork, or skittering across a floor covered in ball bearings. But Anvil has the technique and the skill to bring them out triumphant in the end, and watching them dance is such a delightful pleasure.<ref Name="BaenIntPat">David Weber, introduction to Christopher Anvil's ''[https://archive.org/details/interstellarpatr00anvi Interstellar Patrol]'' collection (2003)</ref>}} |
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His stories became a perennial favorite with readers, and then |
His stories became a perennial favorite with readers, and then ... "he hit a winning streak in the late 1960s in a series which seemed straight out of ''[[Star Trek]]'' ... The Interstellar Patrol".<ref name="Transformations 2005, page 286"/> |
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Many of his nonseries stories are almost purely idea-driven science fiction. Some of the most striking of these, for example "Gadget vs. Trend", entirely lack dialogue and almost entirely lack characters; these stories consist of a series of newspaper reports or other similar materials. In these and other stories, Anvil's technique is to put forth a gadget, invention, or social trend and logically develop the consequences.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} |
Many of his nonseries stories are almost purely idea-driven science fiction. Some of the most striking of these, for example "Gadget vs. Trend", entirely lack dialogue and almost entirely lack characters; these stories consist of a series of newspaper reports or other similar materials. In these and other stories, Anvil's technique is to put forth a gadget, invention, or social trend and logically develop the consequences.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} |
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=== Novels by Christopher Anvil === |
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Sources:<ref>{{Cite web |last=ThriftBooks |title=Christopher Anvil Books {{!}} List of books by author Christopher Anvil |url=https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/christopher-anvil/305371/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=ThriftBooks |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Christopher Anvil Books in Order (10 Book Series) |url=https://www.mostrecommendedbooks.com/series/christopher-anvil-books-in-order |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=Most Recommended Books |language=en}}</ref><ref>[http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=canvil Baen Books by Anvil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021210618/http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=canvil |date=2007-10-21 }}, retrieved: 11-30-2007</ref> |
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* The Day the Machines Stopped (1964) |
* The Day the Machines Stopped (1964) |
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* Pandora's Legions (2002) |
* Pandora's Legions (2002) |
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* Interstellar Patrol (2003) |
* Interstellar Patrol (2003) |
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* Interstellar Patrol II: The Federation (2005) |
* Interstellar Patrol II: The Federation of Humanity (2005) |
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* The Trouble with Aliens (2006) |
* The Trouble with Aliens (2006) |
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* The Federation of Humanity (2006) |
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* The Trouble with Humans (2007) |
* The Trouble with Humans (2007) |
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* |
* War Games (2008) |
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* RX for Chaos(2009) |
* RX for Chaos (2009) |
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* The Power of Illusion ( |
* The Power of Illusion (2010) |
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* The World Turned Upside Down |
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* Issa Asimov Presents Great Science Fiction |
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* Guns of Darkness: There will be War |
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* Spacefighters |
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* War Games |
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* Strange Orbits |
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==Modern reprints== |
==Modern reprints== |
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As other 20th century science fiction writers, Anvil's work became available through [[Print on demand|print-on-demand]] and [[Ebook|ebooks]]. |
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|origyear=dated variously, mainly 1960's in ''[[Astounding Magazine|Analog Science Fiction and Fact]]'' (Science Fiction) Magazine |
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|date=April 2003 |
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|edition=First |
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|title=Interstellar Patrol |
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|last=Anvil |
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|first=Christopher |
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|publisher=[[Baen Books|Baen Publishing Enterprises]] |
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|location=Riverdale, NY 10471 |
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|isbn=0-7434-3600-8 |
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|others=edited by [[Eric Flint]], Cover art by Mark Hennessey-Barratt |
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|quote=I'm delighted that someone is making Christopher Anvil's work available once again. Especially the Interstellar Patrol stories. Vaughan Roberts, Morrissey, and Hammell have always been three of my very favorite characters, and I've always loved Anvil's . . . peculiar sense of humor. I suppose, if I'm going to be honest, that Roberts' J-class ship is another of my favorite characters. In fact, although I hadn't realized it until I sat down to write this introduction, I suspect that there was a lot of the Patrol boat's computer hiding somewhere in the depths of my memory when I created Dahak for the [[Mutineers' Moon]] series. After all, Dahak is simply another self-aware ship kidnapping itself a captain on a somewhat larger scale. They even have a few personality traits in common. |
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|url-access=registration |
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|url=https://archive.org/details/interstellarpatr00anvi |
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}}</ref>{{rp|Introduction by David Weber, p. 3}} ''Interstellar Patrol'': |
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⚫ | One of Anvil's best-known short stories is "Pandora's Planet", which appeared first in ''Astounding'' in September 1956.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ASTOUNDING Science Fiction: September, Sept. 1956 ("Pandora's Planet") by Astounding (Christopher Anvil; Murray Leinster; Poul Anderson; Hal Clement; Robert Silverberg; Isaac Asimov): (1956) Magazine / Periodical {{!}} Books from the Crypt |url=https://www.abebooks.com/magazines-periodicals/ASTOUNDING-Science-Fiction-September-Sept-1956/30452927298/bd |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=www.abebooks.com |language=en}}</ref> It has since been reprinted several times, and also combined with the other stories in his Pandora series into a full length "fixed-up" novel, ''Pandora's Legions''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Alan |date=2021-04-29 |title=Those Pesky Earthlings: Pandora’s Legions by Christopher Anvil |url=https://www.tor.com/2021/04/29/those-pesky-earthlings-pandoras-legions-by-christopher-anvil/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=Tor.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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⚫ |
{{blockquote|text=An Anvil character triumphs by shooting the rapids, by caroming from one obstacle to another, adapting and overcoming as he goes. In many ways, his characters are science-fiction descendants of Odysseus, the scheming fast thinker who dazzles his opponents with his footwork. Of course, sometimes it's a little difficult to tell whether they're dazzling an opponent with their footwork, or skittering across a floor covered in ball bearings. But Anvil has the technique and the skill to bring them out triumphant in the end, and watching them dance is such a delightful pleasure.<ref Name="BaenIntPat" |
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Anvil also published a number of stories which he and John Campbell referred to as the ''Colonization Series'': |
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Anvil also published a number of stories taking place within the Federation of Humanity (The term originates in the sub-title of the third anthology title released by Baen: ''Interstellar Patrol II'', "The Federation of Humanity"<ref>[http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=canvil Baen Books by Anvil] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021210618/http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=canvil |date=2007-10-21 }}, retrieved: 11-30-2007</ref>). |
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{{blockquote|text=The Colonization series can accurately be characterized, I think, as Christopher Anvil's magnum opus. Taken together, counting number of titles, the stories constitute almost one third of Anvil's science fiction output, totaling something like four hundred thousand words of writing.<ref Name="BaenAftEdit">[[Eric Flint]], afterward to Christopher Anvil's ''[https://archive.org/details/interstellarpatr00anvi Interstellar Patrol]'' collection (2003)</ref>}} |
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{{blockquote|text=Without a doubt, Christopher Anvil's richest and most developed setting was what he and John Campbell—who edited Astounding/Analog magazine where most of the stories originally appeared—called "the Colonization series." Anvil wrote over thirty stories in that setting, ranging in length from short stories to the novel Warlord's World. |
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<ref Name="BaenIntPat"/>{{rp|Editor's forward}} }} Anvil himself, as well as [[John W. Campbell|John Campbell]], referred to these stories as the ''Colonization Series'' prior to their being released as collections.<ref name="BaenIntPat" />{{rp|Editor's forward}} |
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==Bibliography== |
==Bibliography== |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071021210618/http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=canvil Baen Books by Anvil] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20041124023727/http://www.baen.com/library/canvil.htm Books by Anvil] in the [[Baen Free Library]]. |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071021210618/http://www.baen.com/author_catalog.asp?author=canvil Baen Books by Anvil] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20041124023727/http://www.baen.com/library/canvil.htm Books by Anvil] in the [[Baen Free Library]]. |
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*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090523235212/http://www.scifi-fantasy-info.com/christopher-anvil-bibliography.html Bibliography including short fiction] at [https://web.archive.org/web/20080131063322/http://www.scifi-fantasy-info.com/bibliographies.html scifi-fantasy-info.com] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090523235212/http://www.scifi-fantasy-info.com/christopher-anvil-bibliography.html Bibliography including short fiction] at [https://web.archive.org/web/20080131063322/http://www.scifi-fantasy-info.com/bibliographies.html scifi-fantasy-info.com] |
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* {{Librivox author |id=17427}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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Harry Christopher Crosby, Jr.
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Born | (1925-03-11)March 11, 1925 Norwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
Died | November 30, 2009(2009-11-30) (aged 84) Cayuta, New York, U.S. |
Pen name | Christopher Anvil |
Occupation | Novelist, short story author |
Genre | Science fiction |
Christopher Anvil (March 11, 1925 – November 30, 2009[1]) is a pseudonym used by American author Harry Christopher Crosby.
Crosby was born in Norwich, Connecticut, the only child of Harry Clifton Crosby and Rose Glasbrenner. After serving as a pilot with the U.S. military,[2] he began publishing science fiction with the story "Cinderella, Inc." in the December 1952 issue of the magazine Imagination. By 1956, he had adopted his pseudonym Christopher Anvil and his science-fiction work was being published in Astounding. He went on to a long and successful career in the field.
His stories usually about characters in different human government organizations, gadgetry, and subterfuge both internal and external while on an adventure. His military background enabled him to bring a certain realism to his portrayal of action and intrigue, which counterpointed the more fantastical elements of his stories.[citation needed]
Anvil appeared in Astounding/Analog throughout the 1950s and '60s. This was due his ability to write stories aimed at one of Astounding editor John W. Campbell's preferred concepts: alien opponents with superior firepower losing out to the superior intelligence or indomitable will of humans. Anvil also used humor in his characterization of story crafting, where his protagonists slid from disaster to disaster with the best of intentions, and through exercise of fast thinking, managed to snatch victory somehow from the jaws of defeat.[citation needed]
According to David Weber, who acknowledges being influenced by Anvil:
An Anvil character triumphs by shooting the rapids, by caroming from one obstacle to another, adapting and overcoming as he goes. In many ways, his characters are science-fiction descendants of Odysseus, the scheming fast thinker who dazzles his opponents with his footwork. Of course, sometimes it's a little difficult to tell whether they're dazzling an opponent with their footwork, or skittering across a floor covered in ball bearings. But Anvil has the technique and the skill to bring them out triumphant in the end, and watching them dance is such a delightful pleasure.[3]
His stories became a perennial favorite with readers, and then ... "he hit a winning streak in the late 1960s in a series which seemed straight out of Star Trek ... The Interstellar Patrol".[2]
Many of his nonseries stories are almost purely idea-driven science fiction. Some of the most striking of these, for example "Gadget vs. Trend", entirely lack dialogue and almost entirely lack characters; these stories consist of a series of newspaper reports or other similar materials. In these and other stories, Anvil's technique is to put forth a gadget, invention, or social trend and logically develop the consequences.[citation needed]
As other 20th century science fiction writers, Anvil's work became available through print-on-demand and ebooks.
One of Anvil's best-known short stories is "Pandora's Planet", which appeared first in Astounding in September 1956.[7] It has since been reprinted several times, and also combined with the other stories in his Pandora series into a full length "fixed-up" novel, Pandora's Legions.[8]
Anvil also published a number of stories which he and John Campbell referred to as the Colonization Series:
The Colonization series can accurately be characterized, I think, as Christopher Anvil's magnum opus. Taken together, counting number of titles, the stories constitute almost one third of Anvil's science fiction output, totaling something like four hundred thousand words of writing.[9]
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