Editing Keith Roberts

{{Short description|English science fiction author (1935–2000)}}
{{for-multi|the American dancer|Keith Roberts (dancer)|the New Zealand rugby league player|Keith Roberts (rugby league)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name        = Keith Roberts
| image       = 
| caption     = 
| pseudonym   = Alistair Bevan, John Kingston, David Stringer 
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|df=yes|1935|9|20}}
| birth_place  = [[Kettering]], Northamptonshire
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2000|10|5|1935|9|20}}
| death_place  = [[Salisbury]], Wiltshire, England
| nationality = British
| occupation  = Writer, artist, [[graphic design]]er
| genre       = Science fiction, [[fantasy]], historical fiction, [[Thriller (genre)|thriller]]
| movement    = 
| notableworks = ''[[Pavane (novel)|Pavane]]''
| website     = 
}}

'''Keith John Kingston Roberts''' (20 September 1935 – 5 October 2000) was an English [[science fiction author]]. He began publishing with two stories in the September 1964 issue of ''[[Science Fantasy (magazine)|Science Fantasy]]'' magazine, "Anita" (the first of a series of stories featuring a teenage modern [[witch]] and her eccentric granny) and "Escapism".<ref name=Encyclopedia /><ref name=Twentieth />

Several of his early stories were written using the pseudonyms Alistair Bevan and David Stringer. His second novel ''[[Pavane (novel)|Pavane]]'', first published in 1968, which is a collection of linked stories, may be his most famous work: an [[alternate history (fiction)|alternate history]] novel in which the [[Catholic Church]] takes control of England following the assassination of Queen [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]].<ref name="fbc">Cox, F. Brett. "Keith Roberts". 
''British fantasy and science-fiction writers since 1960''. 261 (2002): 336.</ref>

Roberts wrote numerous novels and short stories and worked as an illustrator. His artistic contributions include covers and interior artwork for ''[[New Worlds (magazine)|New Worlds]]'' and ''Science Fantasy'', later renamed ''Impulse''. He also edited the last few issues of ''Impulse'' although the nominal editor was [[Harry Harrison (writer)|Harry Harrison]].<ref name="fbc" />

Roberts' first novel, ''[[The Furies (1966 novel)|The Furies]]'', makes an appearance in the American TV series ''[[Bones (TV series)|Bones]]'' in the third season's third episode "Death in the Saddle" (9 October 2007).

Roberts described himself as a political conservative and 
an [[anti-communist]].<ref name="fbc" />

In later life, Roberts lived in [[Salisbury]]. He was diagnosed with [[multiple sclerosis]] in 1990, and died of its complications in October 2000. Obituaries recalled him as a talented but personally "difficult" author, with a history of disputes with publishers, editors and colleagues.<ref>{{cite news| title=Obituary: Keith Roberts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2000/oct/16/guardianobituaries.books| last=Holland| first=Steve| newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=16 October 2000| access-date=31 August 2009}}</ref><ref name="ansible">[http://news.ansible.co.uk/a160.html David Langford – Keith Roberts, 1935–2000], [[David Langford|Ansible #160]] (November 2000)</ref><ref name="epitaphs">[http://www.ansible.co.uk/sfx/sfx073.html David Langford – A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs], ''[[SFX magazine|SFX magazine #73]]'' (January 2001)</ref>

==Partial bibliography==

===Novels===
*''[[The Furies (1966 novel)|The Furies]]'' (1966) – a traditional UK disaster tale. Adapted into a six-part thriller on BBC Radio 4 in May 1970.<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ee139ca7ea8e4bafaafb9e7b0f6d53c0 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk |access-date=9 November 2023 |date=20 May 1970}}</ref>
*''[[Pavane (novel)|Pavane]]'' (1968) – a collection of linked short stories
*''Anita'' (1970) – a collection of linked short stories
*''The Inner Wheel'' (1970) – a collection of linked short stories
*''The Boat of Fate'' (1971) – a historical novel set in Britain at the end of the Roman Empire's power
*''The Chalk Giants'' (1974) – a collection of linked short stories
*''[[Molly Zero]]'' (1980) – a novel set in a [[dystopian]] future
*''[[Kiteworld]]'' (1985) – originally published as linked short stories
*''[[Kaeti & Company]]'' (1986) – linked short fiction
*''[[Gráinne (novel)|Gráinne]]'' (1987) – [[Slipstream genre|slipstream fiction]]
*''The Road to Paradise'' (1989) – a thriller, without fantastic elements
*''Kaeti on Tour'' (1992) – linked short fiction
*''Drek Yarman'' (2000) - a novel set in ''Kiteworld'', serialized in [[Spectrum SF]]<ref name=drek /><ref>{{cite web |title=Drek Yarman by Keith Roberts (Spectrum SF #1, February 2000 through #3, June 2000) |url=http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/drek.htm |website=InfinityPlus.co.uk |publisher=InfinityPlus |access-date=6 August 2019}}</ref>

===Collections===
*''Machines and Men'' (1973)
** "Escapism" (1964)
** "Therapy 2000" (1969) 
** "Manscarer" (1966) 
** "Boulter's Canaries" (1965) 
** "Sub-Lim" (1965) 
** "Synth" (1966) 
** "The Deeps" (1966) 
** "Breakdown" (1966)
** "The Pace That Kills" (1966)
** "Manipulation" (1965)
*''The Grain Kings'' (1976)
** "Weihnachtsabend" (1972)
** "The White Boat" (1966)
** "The Passing of the Dragons" (1972)  
** "The Trustie Tree" (1973)  
** "The Lake of Tuonela" (1973)  
** "The Grain Kings" (1972)  
** "I Lose Medea" (1972)
*''The Passing of the Dragons'' (1977) - selected stories from ''Machines and Men'' and ''The Grain Kings''
*''Ladies from Hell'' (1979)
** "Our Lady of Desperation" (1979) 
** "The Shack at Great Cross Halt" (1977)  
** "The Ministry of Children" (1975)  
** "The Big Fans" (1977)  
** "Missa Privata" (1976)
*''[[The Lordly Ones]]'' (1986)
** "The Lordly Ones" (1980) 
** "Ariadne Potts" (1978)  
** "Sphairistike" (1984)  
** "The Checkout" (1981)  
** "The Comfort Station" (1980)  
** "The Castle on the Hoop" (1986)
** "Diva" (1986)
*''A Heron Caught in Weeds'' (1987) – poetry collection, edited by Jim Goddard
*''Winterwood and Other Hauntings'' (1989) – ghost story collection, with an introduction by [[Robert Holdstock]]
** "Susan" (1965) 
** "The Scarlet Lady" (1966) 
** "The Eastern Windows" (1967) 
** "Winterwood" (1974)
** "Mrs. Cibber" (1989)
** "The Snake Princess" (1973) 
** "Everything in the Garden" (1973)

===Other===
*''The Natural History of the P.H.'' (1988) – short essay about the "Primitive Heroine"
*''Irish Encounters: A Short Travel'' (1989) – essays about a trip to Ireland in 1978
*''Lemady: Episodes of a Writer's Life'' (1997) – autobiography, with fictional elements

== Awards and nominations ==

=== Awards ===
* [[BSFA Award|British Science Fiction Association Award]] 1982 – Short fiction: "Kitemaster" ([[Interzone (magazine)|''Interzone'']], Spring 1982)<ref name=BSFA />
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1986 – Short fiction: "Kaeti and the Hangman" (''Kaeti & Company'')<ref name=BSFA />
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1986 – Artist: Keith Roberts<ref name=BSFA />
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1987 – Novel: ''Gráinne''<ref name=BSFA />

=== Nominations ===
* [[Nebula Award]] 1971 – [[Nebula Award for Best Novella|Best Novella]]: "The God House" ([[New Worlds (magazine)|''New Worlds Quarterly'']] No. 1, 1971)<ref name=literary />
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1980 – Novel: ''[[Molly Zero]]''<ref name=worlds80 />
* [[Hugo Award]] 1981 – [[Hugo Award for Best Novelette|Best Novelette]]: "The Lordly Ones" ([[The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction|''Fantasy & Science Fiction'']], March 1980)<ref name=hugo />
* British Science Fiction Association Award 1985 – Novel: ''[[Kiteworld]]''<ref name=worlds85 />
* [[John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel|John W. Campbell Memorial Award]] 1986 (Joint 3rd place): ''[[Kiteworld]]''<ref name=campbell />
* Nebula Award 1987 – Best Novella: "The Tiger Sweater" (''Fantasy & Science Fiction'', October 1987)<ref name=literary />
* [[Arthur C. Clarke Award]] 1988: ''Gráinne''<ref name=clarke />

==References==
{{Reflist |25em |refs=
<ref name=Encyclopedia>{{cite book |last= Clute |first= John | author-link=John Clute |author2=Nicholls, Peter |title= [[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]] |publisher= [[Orbit Books]] |year= 1993 |isbn= 1-85723-124-4 | pages= 1012–1013 }}</ref>
<ref name=Twentieth>{{cite book |last= Smith |first= Curtis C. |title=[[Twentieth-Century Science-Fiction Writers]]|publisher= [[Macmillan Publishers]] |year= 1981 |isbn= 0-312-82420-3 }}</ref>
<ref name=BSFA>{{cite web|url=http://www.bsfa.co.uk/Awards/BSFAAwardsPastAwards.aspx |title=British Science Fiction Association Awards – Past Awards |publisher=[[British Science Fiction Association]] |access-date=27 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519040516/http://www.bsfa.co.uk/Awards/BSFAAwardsPastAwards.aspx |archive-date=19 May 2011 }}</ref>
<ref name=literary>{{cite web |url= http://www.literaryawards.co.uk/american/nebula.html |title= The Nebula Awards |publisher= www.literaryawards.co.uk |access-date= 28 November 2010 |archive-date= 7 October 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111007185155/http://www.literaryawards.co.uk/american/nebula.html |url-status= dead }}</ref>
<ref name=clarke>{{cite web |url= https://www.sfadb.com/Arthur_C_Clarke_Award_1988 |title= The Arthur C. Clarke Award 1988 |publisher= Science Fiction Awards Database |access-date= 22 October 2023 }}</ref>
<ref name=hugo>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1981-hugo-awards/ |title=1981 Hugo Awards |publisher=World Science Fiction Society |access-date=28 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507164647/http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1981-hugo-awards/ |archive-date=7 May 2011 }}</ref>
<ref name=campbell>{{cite web |url= http://www2.ku.edu/~sfcenter/campbell.htm |title= The John W. Campbell Memorial Award |publisher= Center for the Study of Science Fiction, Department of English, University of Kansas |access-date= 28 November 2010 |archive-date= 5 February 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120205171422/http://www.sfcenter.ku.edu/campbell.htm |url-status= dead }}</ref>
<ref name=worlds85>{{cite web |url= http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?Year=1985 |title= 1985 Award Winners & Nominees |publisher= icow.com, LLC |access-date= 28 November 2010 }}</ref>
<ref name=worlds80>{{cite web |url= http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1980 |title= 1980 Award Winners & Nominees |publisher= icow.com, LLC |access-date= 28 November 2010 }}</ref>
<ref name=drek>{{cite web |url=http://www.solaris-books.co.uk/Roberts/krmain.htm |title= The Worlds of Keith Roberts |publisher= Solaris Books |access-date= 28 January 2015 }}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.solaris-books.co.uk/Roberts/ The Worlds of Keith Roberts] by Jim Goddard, Solaris Books (updated 9 October 2000)
*{{ISFDB name|1037}}
* {{LCAuth|n50048899|Keith Roberts|13|ue}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Keith}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:English science fiction writers]]
[[Category:English fantasy writers]]
[[Category:English illustrators]]
[[Category:English graphic designers]]
[[Category:Deaths from multiple sclerosis]]
[[Category:People with multiple sclerosis]]
[[Category:Neurological disease deaths in England]]
[[Category:People from Kettering]]
[[Category:20th-century English novelists]]
[[Category:BSFA Award for Best Artwork winner]]
[[Category:20th-century English short story writers]]
[[Category:English male novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:English writers with disabilities]]