Editing Jack McDevitt

{{Short description|American science fiction author}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name        = Jack McDevitt
| image       = Jack-McDevitt1.JPG
| imagesize   = 200px
| caption     = McDevitt at the Festive Bookweek in Budapest, 2010
| pseudonym   = 
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1935|4|14}}
| birth_place = 
| death_date  = 
| death_place = 
| occupation  = Novelist, short story writer
| nationality = American
| period      = 1981–present
| genre       = [[Science fiction]]
| alma_mater  = [[La Salle University]]
| subject     = 
| movement    = 
| signature   = 
| website     = {{URL|jackmcdevitt.com}}
}}

'''Jack McDevitt''' (born April 14, 1935)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/jackmcdevittbooks/posts/10152815946895662  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/34574565661/10152815946895662 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=I've been having a great birthday,... - Jack McDevitt (Fan Club) |publisher=Facebook |date=2015-04-14 |access-date=2016-02-16}}{{cbignore}}</ref> is an American [[science fiction authors|science fiction author]] whose novels frequently deal with attempts to make [[First contact (science fiction)|contact]] with [[Extraterrestrial life|alien]] races, and with [[archaeology]] or [[xenoarchaeology]]. Most of his books follow either [[Faster-than-light|superluminal]] pilot Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins or galactic relic hunters Alex Benedict and Chase Kolpath. McDevitt has received numerous nominations for [[Hugo Award|Hugo]], [[Nebula Award|Nebula]], and [[John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel|John W. Campbell]] awards. ''[[Seeker (McDevitt novel)|Seeker]]'' won the 2006 [[Nebula Award for Best Novel]].

McDevitt's first published story was "The Emerson Effect" in ''[[Twilight Zone literature|The Twilight Zone Magazine]]'' in 1981.

==Biography==
McDevitt went to [[La Salle University]], where a short story of his won the annual Freshman Short Story Contest and was published in the school's literary magazine, ''Four Quarters''. As McDevitt explained in an interview:

{{quote|I was on my way. Then I read ''[[David Copperfield (novel)|David Copperfield]]'' and realized I could never write at that level, and therefore I should find something else to do. I joined the [[United States Navy|Navy]], drove a cab, became an English teacher, took a [[customs]] inspector's job on the [[Canada–United States border|northern border]], and didn't write another word for a quarter-century.}}

McDevitt received a master's degree in literature from [[Wesleyan University]] in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.locusmag.com/2005/Issues/10McDevitt.html |title=Locus Online: Jack McDevitt interview excerpts |website=Locusmag.com |date=2005-09-29 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref> He returned to writing when his wife, Maureen, encouraged him to try his hand at it in 1980. {{As of|2007}}, McDevitt lives near [[Brunswick, Georgia|Brunswick]], Georgia. In 2005, he donated his archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections at [[Northern Illinois University]]. The novel ''Seeker'' won the 2006 [[Nebula Award for Best Novel]], given by the [[Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association|Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America]].  He has been nominated for the [[Nebula Award]] sixteen times; ''Seeker'' is his only win.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jack McDevitt's News|url=http://www.sfwa.org/members/McDevitt/JMinfo.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050909231948/http://www.sfwa.org/members/McDevitt/JMInfo.html|archive-date=September 9, 2005|access-date=August 6, 2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Jack McDevitt|url=http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit89.html#3479|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308120606/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit89.html#3479|archive-date=2008-03-08|access-date=2008-04-05|work=Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards|publisher=Locus}}</ref>

== Themes ==
With ''[[The Engines of God]]'' (1994), McDevitt introduced the idea of a universe that was once teeming with intelligent life, but contains only their abandoned [[Cultural artifact|artifact]]s by the time humans arrive on the scene. The main character of ''The Engines of God'', pilot Priscilla Hutchins, has since appeared in seven more books, ''Deepsix'' (2001), ''Chindi'' (2002), ''Omega'' (2003), ''Odyssey'' (2006), ''Cauldron'' (2007), ''StarHawk'' (2013), and ''The Long Sunset'' (2018). The mystery surrounding the destructive "Omega Clouds" (which are introduced in ''The Engines of God'') is left unexplored until ''Omega''.<ref name="omega_comments">{{cite web|title=The Author Comments: Omega|url=http://www.sfwa.org/members/McDevitt/Omega-Comment.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927184103/http://www.sfwa.org/members/McDevitt/Omega-Comment.html|archive-date=September 27, 2007|access-date=May 2, 2007}}</ref>

McDevitt's novels frequently raise questions which he does not attempt to answer. He prefers to leave ambiguities to puzzle and intrigue his readers: "Some things are best left to the reader's very able imagination."<ref name="omega_comments" />  The [[SF Site]]'s [[Steven H Silver]] has written about this:

{{quote|McDevitt has a (probably unintentional) tendency to give the impression that his novels will go in one direction and then take them in a different direction.  Or possibly his background is so well thought out, that throw away lines, or subplots, or minor characters, have enough information behind them to make the reader want to see their story as much as the main plot of the book.  While slightly annoying, this is, I've decided, a strength of McDevitt's writing since it shows the depth of his created worlds.<ref>{{cite web|author=Silver, Steven H.|date=1989|title=''A Talent for War'' by Jack McDevitt|url=http://www.stevenhsilver.com/talent.html|access-date=July 19, 2013|publisher=[[SF Site]]}}</ref>}}

==Bibliography==
===Novels===
*''[[The Hercules Text]]'' (1986), a revised version was also published as part of ''Hello Out There''
*''[[Eternity Road (novel)|Eternity Road]]'' (1998)
*''[[Moonfall (novel)|Moonfall]]'' (1998)
*''[[Infinity Beach]]'' (2000), UK title ''Slow Lightning''
*''[[Time Travelers Never Die]]'' (2009)
*''[[The Cassandra Project]]'' (2012) with [[Mike Resnick]] 

==== Academy Series - Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins ====
*''[[Starhawk (McDevitt novel)|StarHawk]]'' (2013), prequel {{ISBN|0-425-26085-2}}
*''[[The Engines of God]]'' (1994), book 1 {{ISBN|0-441-00077-0}}
*''[[Deepsix]]'' (2001), book 2 {{ISBN|0-06-105124-1}}
*''[[Chindi (novel)|Chindi]]'' (2002), book 3 {{ISBN|0-441-00938-7}}
*''[[Omega (McDevitt novel)|Omega]]'' (2003), book 4 {{ISBN|0-441-01046-6}}
*''[[Odyssey (novel)|Odyssey]]'' (2006), book 5 {{ISBN|0-441-01433-X}}
*''[[Cauldron (McDevitt novel)|Cauldron]]'' (2007), book 6 {{ISBN|0-441-01525-5}}
*''[[The Long Sunset (novel)|The Long Sunset]]'' (2018), book 7 {{ISBN|1-481-49793-6}}

The short stories "Melville on Iapetus" (1983), "Promises to Keep" (1984), "Oculus" (2002), "The Big Downtown" (2005),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jackmcdevitt.com/connectednarratives.aspx |access-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |title=Connected Narratives|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919142016/http://jackmcdevitt.com/connectednarratives.aspx |archive-date=September 19, 2010 }}</ref> "Kaminsky at War" (2006), "Maiden Voyage" (2012), "Waiting at the Altar" (2012), and "The Cat's Pajamas" (2012) are also set in the Academy universe.

==== Alex Benedict ====
*''[[A Talent for War]]'' (1989), also published as part of ''Hello Out There''
*''[[Polaris (novel)|Polaris]]'' (2004) {{ISBN|0-441-01202-7}}
*''[[Seeker (McDevitt novel)|Seeker]]'' (2005), winner of [[Nebula Award for Best Novel]], {{ISBN|0-441-01329-5}}
*''[[The Devil's Eye (McDevitt novel)|The Devil's Eye]]'' (2008) {{ISBN|0-441-01635-9}}
*''[[Echo (McDevitt novel)|Echo]]'' (2010) {{ISBN|0-441-01924-2}}
*''[[Firebird (McDevitt novel)|Firebird]]'' (November 1, 2011) {{ISBN|0-441-02073-9}}
* {{cite book <!--|author=McDevitt, Jack |author-mask=1--> |title=[[Coming Home (McDevitt novel)|Coming Home]] |location=New York |publisher=Ace |date=2014 <!--|isbn=9780425260876-->}}<ref>Briefly reviewed in the July 2015 issue of ''[[Asimov's Science Fiction]]'', pp.107–111</ref>
*''[[Octavia Gone]]'' (May 7, 2019) {{ISBN|0-481-49797-8}}
*''[[Village in the Sky]]'' ([[Gallery Publishing Group]]/Saga Press, January 31, 2023) {{ISBN|978-1-66800-429-6}}

The short stories "In the Tower" (1987) and "A Voice in the Night" (2013) are also set in the Alex Benedict universe.

==== Ancient Shores ====
*''[[Ancient Shores]]'' (1996)
*''[[Thunderbird (novel)|Thunderbird]]'' (2015)
*''[[Doorway to the Stars]]'' (2024)

===Short fiction===
====Collections====
*''[[Standard Candles]]'' ([[Tachyon Publications]], 1996)
*''Hello Out There'' ([[Meisha Merlin]], 2000), omnibus edition of ''A Talent for War'' and a revised ''The Hercules Text''
*''Ships in the Night'' ([[AAB Press|AAB]], 2005)
*''Outbound'' ([[ISFiC Press]], 2006) {{ISBN|0-9759156-4-9}}
*''Cryptic: The Best Short Fiction of Jack McDevitt'' ([[Subterranean Press]], February 2009) {{ISBN|978-1-59606-195-8}}
*''A Voice in the Night'' ([[Subterranean Press]], August 2018) {{ISBN|978-1-59606-880-3}}
*''Return to Glory'' ([[Subterranean Press]], October 2022)

==Awards and nominations==
* [[Nebula Award|Nebula]] Best Short Story nominee (1983) : ''Cryptic''
* [[Philip K. Dick Award]] (special citation) (1986) : ''The Hercules Text''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1987 |title=1987 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Short Story nominee (1988) : "The Fort Moxie Branch"
* [[Hugo Award|Hugo]] Best Short Story nominee (1989) : "The Fort Moxie Branch"
* International [[UPC Science Fiction Award]] winner (1993) : "Ships in the Night" (first English language winner)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/interviews/sfw14482.html |title=Syfy - Watch Full Episodes &#124; Imagine Greater |website=Scifi.com |access-date=2016-02-16 |archive-date=2008-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616042613/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/interviews/sfw14482.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novella nominee (1996) : "Time Travelers Never Die"
* Arthur C. Clarke Best Novel nominee (1997) : ''Engines of God''<ref name="worldswithoutend1997">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1997 |title=1997 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Hugo Best Novella nominee (1997) : "Time Travelers Never Die"
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (1997) : ''Ancient Shores''<ref name="worldswithoutend1997"/>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (1998) : ''Moonfall''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1998 |title=1998 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novelette nominee (1999) : "Good Intentions" (co-writer [[Stanley Schmidt]])
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2000) : ''Infinity Beach''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2000 |title=2000 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nominee (2001) : ''Infinity Beach''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2001 |title=2001 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nominee (2002) : ''[[Deepsix]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2002 |title=2002 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Short Story nominee (2002) : "Nothing Ever Happens in Rock City"
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2003) : ''Chindi''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2003 |title=2003 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* [[Campbell award (best novel)|Campbell Award]] winner (2004) : ''[[Omega (McDevitt novel)|Omega]]''<ref name="worldswithoutend2004">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2004 |title=2004 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2004) : ''[[Omega (McDevitt novel)|Omega]]''<ref name="worldswithoutend2004"/>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2005) : ''[[Polaris (novel)|Polaris]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2005 |title=2005 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novel winner (2006) : ''[[Seeker (McDevitt novel)|Seeker]]''<ref name="worldswithoutend2006">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2006 |title=2006 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nominee (2006) : ''Seeker''<ref name="worldswithoutend2006"/>
* John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nominee (2007) : ''[[Odyssey (novel)|Odyssey]]''<ref name="worldswithoutend2007">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2007 |title=2007 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2007) : ''[[Odyssey (novel)|Odyssey]]'' <ref name="worldswithoutend2007"/>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2008) : ''Cauldron''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2008 |title=2008 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2010) : ''Echo''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfwa.org/2011/02/2010-nebula-nominees/ |title=announces the 2010 Nebula Award Nominees |publisher=SFWA.org |date=2011-02-22 |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2011) : ''Firebird''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?Year=2011 |title=2011 Award Winners & Nominees &#124; WWEnd |website=Worldswithoutend.com |access-date=2016-02-16}}</ref>
* Nebula Best Novel nominee (2014) : ''[[Coming Home (McDevitt novel)|Coming Home]]''<ref>{{cite web |title=Announcing the 2014 Nebula Awards Winners! |url=https://www.tor.com/2015/06/06/announcing-the-2014-nebula-awards-winners/ |website=Tor.com |date=Jun 6, 2015}}</ref>
* Robert A. Heinlein Award winner (2015)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bsfs.org/bsfsheinlein.htm|title=BSFS's Robert A. Heinlein Award Page &#91;Version DA-16&#93;}}</ref>

==See also==

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{Official website|http://jackmcdevitt.com/}}
*[http://www.michaelswanwick.com/nonfic/mcdevitt.html Profile of Jack McDevitt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514201008/http://www.michaelswanwick.com/nonfic/mcdevitt.html |date=2017-05-14 }} by [[Michael Swanwick]]
*[http://www.ibdof.com/viewforum.php?f=1802 Official forum] at [http://www.ibdof.com/ The Internet Book Database of Fiction]
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201105717/http://www.sfwa.org/members/mcdevitt/Biblio-ShortFiction.html |date=December 1, 2008 |title=Jack McDevitt's Short Story Bibliography }}
*{{isfdb name|name=Jack McDevitt}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080706052107/http://www.ulib.niu.edu/rarebooks/mcdevitt.cfm The Jack McDevitt Papers at Northern Illinois University]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131212165903/http://upcoming4.me/news/book-news/story-behind-starhawk-by-jack-mcdevitt Story Behind Starhawk - Online Essay by Jack McDevitt]

{{Jack McDevitt novels}}{{Nebula Award Best Novel}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McDevitt, Jack}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century American novelists]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American science fiction writers]]
[[Category:American male short story writers]]
[[Category:Analog Science Fiction and Fact people]]
[[Category:Nebula Award winners]]
[[Category:Wesleyan University alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male writers]]
[[Category:Novelists from Philadelphia]]