CLAYTON, Jo (Patricia)

(1939-)

   US writer, most of whose work consists of a long series of science-fantasy SPACE OPERAS of extended quests in highly coloured venues. The sequence divides into the Diadem books - Diadem from the Stars (1977), which romantically sets out the epic adventures of a young girl electronically attached to the power-bestowing diadem of the title, as she searches for the planet which is the home of her mother's super-race,Lamarchos (1978), Irsud (1978), Maeve (1979), Star Hunters (1980), The Nowhere Hunt (1981), Ghosthunt (1983), The Snares of Ibex (1984) and Quester's Endgame (1986) - and the volumes dedicated to Shadith's Quest: Shadowplay (1990), Shadowspeer (1990 and Shadowkill (1991). The speculative element in these titles does not significantly figure; but the differing venues, reminiscent of the worlds of Leigh BRACKETT, are depicted with some richness. Shadow of the Warmaster (1988) is an sf novel with thriller elements.

   JC

   Other works: The Duel of Sorcery books, comprising Moongather (1982), Moonscatter (1983) and Changer's Moon (1985), followed by the connected Dancer's sequence, comprising Dancer's Rise (1993), Serpent Waltz (1994) and Dance Down the Stars (1994); A Bait of Dreams: a Five-Summer Quest (fixup 1985); the Skeen sequence, comprising Skeen's Leap (1986), Skeen's Return (1987) and Skeen's Search (1987); Drinker of Souls (1986), Blue Magic (1988) and A Gathering of Stones (1989), these three assembled as The Soul Drinker (omni 1989), followed by the Wild Magic trilogy, comprising Wild Magic (1991), Wildfire (1992) and The Magic Wars (1993).