ADAMS, Robert (Franklin Robert)

(1932-1990)

   US soldier and writer who was best known for the post-HOLOCAUST Horseclans sequence of adventures set after AD2500 in a series of states occupying what was once the USA and dominated from behind the scenes by a strain of immortal MUTANTS, while an unsavoury group of human scientists opposes them from a secret base. Occasionally the reader gains sight of repulsive sects who decayedly parody 20th-century movements - ECOLOGY, for instance - that were betes-noires of the author, who was not averse to polemical intrusions. The sequence comprises The Coming of the Horseclans (1975; exp 1982), Swords of the Horseclans (1977) and Revenge of the Horseclans (1977) - all three being assembled as Tales of the Horseclans (omni 1985) - A Cat of Silvery Hue (1979), The Savage Mountains (1980), The Patrimony (1980), Horseclans Odyssey (1981), The Death of a Legend (1981), The Witch Goddess (1982), Bili the Axe (1982) - which contained a background summary - Champion of the Last Battle (1983), A Woman of the Horseclans (1983), Horses of the North (1985), A Man Called Milo Morai (1986), The Memories of Milo Morai (1986), Trumpets of War (1987), Madman's Army (1987) and The Clan of the Cats (1988). Two SHARED-WORLD anthologies - Friends of the Horseclans (anth 1987) and Friends of the Horseclans II (anth 1989) - also appeared, both edited with his wife, Pamela Crippen Adams (1961-). A second series, the Castaways in Time alternate-history TIME-TRAVEL sequence, comprises Castaways in Time (1980), The Seven Magical Jewels of Ireland (1985), Of Kings and Quests (1986), Of Chiefs and Champions (1987), Of Myths and Monsters (1988) and Of Beginnings and Endings (1989). Most of his remaining work, including another, unfinished series, was fantasy; some of his anthologies, however - including Robert Adams' Book of Alternate Worlds (anth 1987) with Pamela Crippen Adams and Martin H.GREENBERG, Robert Adams' Book of Soldiers (anth 1988) with P.C.Adams and Greenberg, and Alternatives (anth 1989) with P.C. Adams - were of sf interest. Other works: The Stairway to Forever sequence, comprising The Stairway to Forever (1988) and Monsters and Magicians (1988). As Editor: Barbarians (anth 1985) with Martin H.Greenberg and Charles G.WAUGH and Barbarians II (anth 1988) with P.C.Adams and Greenberg; the Magic in Ithkar sequence, with Andre NORTON, comprising Magic in Ithkar (anth 1985), 2 (anth 1985), 3 (anth 1986) and 4 (anth 1987); Hunger for Horror (anth 1988) with P.C.Adams and Greenberg; Phantom Regiments (anth 1990) with P.C.Adams and Greenberg.

   See also: ALTERNATE WORLDS; SWORD AND SORCERY.