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Kim Stanley Robinson

キム・スタンリー・ロビンソン

Kimu Sutanrī Robinson

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1952-03-23 （Waukegan, Illinois, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Southern California (raised) → California, United States → Washington, D.C., United States (lived) → Switzerland (1980s) → Davis, California, United States (current residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Novelist, Science fiction author
Active Years
1974-
Influenced By
Philip K. Dick, Ursula K. Le Guin

Education

University of California, San Diego
Faculty of Arts and Humanities / English Literature
Degree: B.A.
Period: 1970–1974
Year of Graduation: 1974
Country: United States
Boston University
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences / English Literature
Degree: M.A.
Period: 1974–1975
Year of Graduation: 1975
Country: United States
University of California, San Diego
Graduate School (PhD program) / English Literature
Degree: Ph.D.
Period: 1976–1982
Year of Graduation: 1982
Country: United States
Doctoral dissertation 'The Novels of Philip K. Dick' later published

Awards

Hugo Award for Best Novel
1994
Work: Green Mars
Category: 長編
Organization: World Science Fiction Society
Result: Winner
Hugo Award for Best Novel
1997
Work: Blue Mars
Category: 長編
Organization: World Science Fiction Society
Result: Winner
Nebula Award for Best Novel
1993
Work: Red Mars
Category: 長編
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: Winner
Nebula Award for Best Novel
2012
Work: 2312
Category: 長編
Organization: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA)
Result: Winner
John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
1991
Work: Pacific Edge
Category: 長編
Organization: John W. Campbell Memorial Award
Result: Winner
World Fantasy Award
1983
Work: Black Air
Organization: World Fantasy Convention / Award Committee
Result: Winner
Locus Award
1985
Work: The Wild Shore
Organization: Locus Magazine
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Red Mars

1992 Science fiction (hard SF, socio-political SF) 576 pages

Depicts the first colonization of Mars and the ensuing decades, exploring science, politics, and social change in detail.

TerraformingEcologyPolitical and social reformRole of scientists

Green Mars

1993 Science fiction (hard SF, socio-political SF) 592 pages

Follows the terraforming of Mars and the social and political conflicts that emerge during the process.

TerraformingEnvironmental ethicsWorker-ownershipSocial-democratic reforms

Blue Mars

1996 Science fiction (hard SF, future history) 704 pages

Concludes the Mars trilogy by tracing the long-term process of terraforming and the emergence of diverse social and political systems on Mars.

Consequences of terraformingDiversification of political systemsSustainability

Antarctica

1998 Science fiction (environmental SF) 384 pages

Set in Antarctica, follows scientists in an isolated environment and explores issues of resources and environmental stewardship.

Environmental protectionResource exploitation and corporate interestScientists' ethics

The Years of Rice and Salt

2002 Alternate history / Science fiction 672 pages

An alternate-history novel that imagines a world where the Black Death wiped out most of Europe's population, tracing centuries of history through recurring reincarnated characters.

Reimagined historyCultural interchangeReligion and philosophy

Forty Signs of Rain

2004 Science fiction (climate change / environmental SF) 384 pages

Set in Washington D.C., explores advancing global warming and the struggles of scientists and policymakers; first in the Science in the Capital series.

Global warmingScience and politicsPublic policy

2312

2012 Science fiction (space future history) 496 pages

Set in the 23rd century across the solar system, examines human expansion, social change, and technological impact.

Space colonizationTechnology and societySustainable futures

The Ministry for the Future

2020 Science fiction (climate change / policy fiction) 448 pages

A multi-perspective novel about international efforts, ethics, and policy responses to climate change.

Climate policyInternational cooperationEthics and practice

Bibliography

  • The Wild Shore - 1984
  • The Gold Coast - 1988
  • Pacific Edge - 1990
  • Red Mars - 1992
  • Green Mars - 1993
  • Blue Mars - 1996
  • Antarctica - 1998
  • The Years of Rice and Salt - 2002
  • Forty Signs of Rain - 2004
  • 2312 - 2012
  • The Ministry for the Future - 2020

Adaptations

  • TerraGenesis (mobile/tablet simulation game, inspired by the Mars trilogy)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Literary science fictionDetailed scientific and social descriptionRealistic character portrayals
Recurring Motifs
TerraformingEcology and sustainabilityScientists and citizensAlternative economic and social systems

Legacy

Robinson is a major contemporary SF author, best known for the Mars trilogy and his climate- and environment-focused novels. He is praised for combining scientific knowledge with social and political insight in literary science fiction.

Trivia

  • Best known for the Mars trilogy (Red Mars / Green Mars / Blue Mars)
  • Works frequently address ecological sustainability and alternative socio-economic systems