Robert Asprin

"Asprin" redirects here. Not to be confused withAspirin.

Robert Lynn Asprin
Asprin in 1993
Born	(1946-06-28)June 28, 1946 St. Johns, Michigan,U.S.
Died	May 22, 2008(2008-05-22)(aged 61) New Orleans,Louisiana,U.S.
Pen name	Bob Asprin
Occupation	Fiction writer
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Period	1977–2008
Genre	Science fiction, fantasy
Notable awards	Inkpot Award(1988)

Robert Lynn Asprin(June 28, 1946 – May 22, 2008)was an American science fiction andfantasy authorandactive fan,known best for his humorous seriesMythAdventuresandPhule's Company.

Background

Robert Asprin was born inSt. Johns, Michigan,and attended theUniversity of MichiganatAnn Arbor, Michiganfrom 1964 through 1965. From 1965 through 1966 he served in theUnited States Army.He was married, twice, and had two children. He was active inscience fiction fandomand in the early years of theSociety for Creative Anachronismusing the name "Yang the Nauseating", and co-initiated the societyGreat Dark Hordeduring 1971. He was also the initiator and an influential member of theDorsai Irregulars.In 1976, he was nominated for theHugo AwardforBest Dramatic PresentationforThe Capture,acartoonslide showwritten by Asprin and drawn byPhil Foglio.

Early writing

Asprin's first novel,The Cold Cash War,an expansion of an earlier short story of the same title, was published in 1977.

During the next few years, he created and edited (with his then-wife,Lynn Abbey) theThieves' Worldseries ofshared worldanthologies, credited as the first project of its type. Many of the authors later produced novels and stories of the theme which were not included in the anthologies, beginning withBeyond SanctuarybyJanet Morris,the first "authorized" Thieves World novel, published in 1985. Janet Morris andChris Morrislater produced two more authorized Thieves' World novels and a series of related novels about their character Tempus andthe Sacred Band of Stepsons.A series ofgraphic novelsfollowed during the mid-1980s, and several other authors, includingAndrew J. OffuttandDavid Drake,published novels about their characters. In 2002, Lynn Abbey revived the series with the novelSanctuary.

During 1978, Asprin began the "MythAdventures"series, chronicling the comic adventures of Skeeve and Aahz, with the bookAnother Fine Myth.Illustrated originally byFrank Kelly Freas,and later byPhil Foglio,thepun-rich books concern a "demon" magician who has lost his powers and his inexperienced human apprentice as they travel through a variety of worlds. Some of the early "Myth" novels were adapted later as comic books byFoglioand others. The Myth books have been published by three publishing companies over the years:Donning Starblaze,Meisha Merlinand, as of 2008,Wildside Press.

During the 1990s, Asprin's "Phule" novels concerned the humorous science-fiction exploits of a rag-tag "Space Legion" and its wealthy and iconoclastic commander, Willard Phule.

Hiatus in writing career

Due to a series of personal and financial problems, Asprin published little during the 1990s, although he had two books onThe New York TimesBest Seller list,which piqued the interest of fans and theInternal Revenue Service.He eventually negotiated an agreement with the IRSthat encouraged him to resume writing, and during the early 2000s he published several novels, mostly in collaboration with authorsPeter Heck,Jody Lynn Nye,andLinda Evans.These novels included continuations of the series "Myth Adventures" and "Phule's Company" as well as works of new series.

Later work

One of Asprin's last projects wasNO Quarter,originally co-authored with Eric Del Carlo, and later edited by Teresa Patterson. It is a dark fantasy/suspense/murder mystery novel set in the author's beloved New Orleans French Quarter. Although the novel's fantasy elements (voodoo and black magic, tarot readings and precognition, ghosts and mysticism) are secondary to the brutal murder that is the emphasis of the plot, it is set in the same milieu as Asprin's Griffen McCandles novels (Dragonsseries),Dragons LuckandDragons Wild.The two protagonists ofNO Quarter,Maestro and Bone, also appear as minor characters of theDragonsnovels. Maestro, the mysterious professional pool player and fencing master inNO Quarter,is fictionalized but based recognizably on the author.NO Quarterwas published November 2009 by DarkStar Books.

Asprin's ofttimes co-author,Jody Lynn Nye,has completed one further Griffen McCandles novel,Dragons Deal,and continued theMyth Adventuresseries.Dragons Dealwas published by Ace in December 2010.

Death and aftermath

Asprin died on May 22, 2008, of heart failure at his home in New Orleans.He was found lying on a sofa with aTerry Pratchettnovel still open in his hands.He was to have been the Guest of Honor atMarconthat weekend.

During 2008, his heirs donatedhis archive to the department of Rare Books and Special Collections atNorthern Illinois University.

Partial bibliography

Myth Adventures series

Main article:MythAdventures

• Another Fine Myth(1978)
• Myth Conceptions(1980)
• Myth Directions(1982)
• Hit or Myth(1983)
• Myth-ing Persons(1984)
• Little Myth Marker(1985)
• M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link(1986)
• Myth-Nomers and Im-Pervections(1987)
• M.Y.T.H. Inc. in Action(1990)
• Sweet Myth-tery of Life(1993)
• Myth-Ion Improbable(2001) set chronologically betweenMyth DirectionsandHit or Myth
• Something M.Y.T.H. Inc.(2002)
• Myth-Told Tales(2003) withJody Lynn Nye.The book is a collection of short stories including both new and previously written works.
• Myth Alliances(2003) with Jody Lynn Nye
• Myth-taken Identity(2004) with Jody Lynn Nye
• Class Dis-Mythed(2005) with Jody Lynn Nye
• Myth-Gotten Gains(2006) with Jody Lynn Nye
• Myth-Chief(2008) with Jody Lynn Nye
• Myth-Fortunes(2008) with Jody Lynn Nye
• Myth-Interpretations(2011) short fiction collection - contains all the Myth stories of less-than-novel length, as well as other short works by Asprin
• Myth-Fits(stylised asRobert Asprin's Myth-Fits) (2016) by Jody Lynn Nye

Omnibus editions

• MYTH Adventures(1984)
• Myth Adventures One (Another Fine Myth, Myth Conceptions)(1985)
• Myth Alliances (Myth-ing Persons, Little Myth Marker, M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link)(1986)
• The MYTH-ing Omnibus (Another Fine Myth, Myth Conceptions, Myth Directions)(1992)
• The Second MYTH-ing Omnibus(1992)
• M.Y.T.H. Inc. in Action / Sweet Myth-Tery of Life(2002)
• M.Y.T.H. Inc. Link / Myth-Nomers and Im-Pervections(2002)
• Myth Adventures Three(2002)
• Myth-ing Persons / Little Myth Marker(2002)
• Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures Volume One(Books 1–6) (July 2006)
• Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures Volume Two(Books 7–12) (January 2007)

Duncan and Mallory series

A series of three graphic novels published byStarblaze Graphics.

• Duncan and Mallory(1986) withMel White
• The Bar None Ranch(1987) with Mel White
• The Raiders(1988) with Mel White

Phule's Company series

Main article:Phule's Company (series)

• Phule's Company(1990)
• Phule's Paradise(1992)
• A Phule and His Money(1999) withPeter J. Heck
• Phule Me Twice(2000) with Peter J. Heck
• No Phule Like an Old Phule(2004) with Peter J. Heck
• Phule's Errand(2006) with Peter J. Heck

Time Scout series

• Time Scout(1995) withLinda Evans
• Wagers of Sin(1996) with Linda Evans
• Ripping Time(2000) with Linda Evans
• The House that Jack Built(2001) with Linda Evans

Cold Cash series

• The Cold Cash War(1977)
• Cold Cash Warrior(1989) withBill Fawcett

Wartorn series

• Resurrection(2004) with Eric Del Carlo
• Obliteration(2006) with Eric Del Carlo

Griffen McCandles (Dragons) series

• Dragons Wild(April 2008),ISBN0-441-01470-4
• Dragons Luck(April 2009),ISBN0-441-01680-4
• Dragons Deal(December 2010) with Jody Lynn Nye,ISBN978-0-441-01926-7
• Robert Asprin's Dragons Run(October 2013) sole author: Jody Lyn Nye,ISBN978-0-425-25697-8

Other novels

• Tambu(1979)
• The Bug Wars(1979)
• Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe(1979) withGeorge Takei
• Catwoman: Tiger Hunt(1992) withLynn Abbey
• For King and Country(July 2002) withLinda Evans,ISBN0-7434-3539-7
• E.Godz(March 2005) withEsther M Friesner,ISBN0-7434-9888-7
• NO Quarter(October 2009) with Eric Del Carlo and Teresa Patterson,ISBN978-0-9819866-0-9
• License Invoked(February 2001) withJody Lynn Nye,ISBN0-671-31978-7

Selected short fiction

• "The Ex-Khan" inAngels in Hell(1987), part of theHeroes in Hellseries
• "Two Gentlemen of the Trade" inFestival Moon(1987), part of theMerovingen Nightsseries
• "A Harmless Excursion" inSmugglers Gold(1988), also fromMerovingen Nights
• "Mything in Dreamland" with Jody Lynn Nye inMasters of Fantasy(2004), part of theMythseries

Editor

Thieves' World series

Main article:Thieves' World

• Thieves' World(1979)
• Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn(1980)
• Shadows of Sanctuary(1981)
• Storm Season(1982)
• The Face of Chaos(1983)
• Wings of Omen(1984)
• The Dead of Winter(1985)
• Soul of the City(1986)
• Blood Ties(1986)
• Aftermath(1987)
• Uneasy Alliances(1988)
• Stealers' Sky(1989)

Other writing

• The Capture,cartoonslide showwritten by Asprin and illustrated byPhil Foglio;nominated for a 1976Hugo Award

External links

• Robert Asprinat theInternet Speculative Fiction Database
• Bibliography at Fantastic Fiction
• Myth Adventurer passes quietly in French Quarter homeobituary at Everything New Orleans
• Robert AsprinatLibrary of Congress,with 55 library catalog records