BURKE, Jonathan

   Working name of UK writer and editor John Frederick Burke (1922-) - who had been active in FANDOM in the 1930s (The FUTURIAN) - for much of the sf he published in UK magazines in the mid-1950s, beginning with "Chessboard" for NW in 1953, and for his earlier sf novels, which are all routine; he also wrote several thrillers as JB. His first novel, Swift Summer (1949) as by J.F. Burke, is a marginal fantasy of some slight interest, as is The Outward Walls (1951). His sf deals with a variety of themes, from PARALLEL WORLDS in The Echoing Worlds (1954) to EVOLUTION in Twilight of Reason (1954), though without excessive energy; Deep Freeze (1955) faces an all-female world with the return of the male. He has also written as Robert Miall (see listing below). In more recent years, almost always as John Burke, he has edited horror anthologies and novelized film and tv productions.

   JC

   Other works: The Dark Gateway (1953); Hotel Cosmos (1954); Pattern of Shadows (1954); Alien Landscapes (coll 1955), much of whose contents, under different titles, were also assembled as Exodus from Elysium (coll 1965 Australia); Revolt of the Humans (1955); Pursuit through Time (1956); Dr Terror's House of Horrors * (1965) as John Burke, novelizing the film; The Hammer Horror Omnibus * (coll 1966) and The Second Hammer Horror Film Omnibus * (coll 1967), both as John Burke, stories from films; Chitty Chitty Bang Bang * (1968) as John Burke, novelizing the film of Ian FLEMING's tale; Moon Zero Two * (1969) as John Burke, novelizing the film MOON ZERO TWO (1969); Expo 80 (1972) as John Burke; the Dr Caspian, psychic investigator series comprising The Devil's Footsteps (1976), The Black Charade (1977) and Ladygrove (1978); Privilege * (1967), novelizing PRIVILEGE.As Robert Miall: UFO * (1970; vt UFO-1: Flesh Hunters 1973 US) and UFO 2 * (1971; vt UFO-2: Sporting Blood 1973 US), novelizations of the tv series UFO.As Editor: Tales of Unease (anth 1966), More Tales of Unease (anth 1969) and New Tales of Unease (anth 1976), all as John Burke.