View source for Geoff Ryman

{{Short description|Canadian writer of science fiction, fantasy, slipstream and historical fiction}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = Geoff Ryman
| image = Geoff Ryman at Åcon.jpg
| caption = Ryman at [[Åcon]] 2010.
| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Geoffrey Charles Ryman
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1951}}
| birth_place = Canada
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Author, actor, teacher 
| spouse =
| period =
| genre = [[Science fiction]], [[fantasy]], [[historical fiction]], [[LGBT literature]]
| subject =
| movement = [[Mundane science fiction]]
| notableworks = ''[[The Child Garden]]''<br/>''[[Was (novel)|Was]]''<br/>''[[Air (novel)|Air]]''
| influences =
| influenced =
| website =
}}
'''Geoffrey Charles Ryman''' (born 1951) is a Canadian writer of [[science fiction]], [[fantasy]], [[Slipstream genre|slipstream]] and [[historical fiction]]. Ryman has written and published seven novels, including an early example of a [[Hypertext fiction|hypertext novel]], ''[[253 (novel)|253]]''. He has won multiple awards, including the [[World Fantasy Award]].

==Biography==
Ryman was born in Canada and moved to the United States at age 11. He earned degrees in History and English at [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]], then moved to England in 1973, where he has lived most of his life.<ref name="locus">{{Cite news |url=http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Issues/01Ryman.html |title=Geoff Ryman: The Mundane Fantastic |date=January 2006 |periodical=[[Locus (magazine)|Locus]] }}</ref><ref name=encycfantryman/> He is gay.<ref name="locus" />

In addition to being an author, Ryman started a web design team for the [[Government of the United Kingdom|UK government]] at the [[Central Office of Information]] in 1994.<ref name=CfNWbio/> He also led the teams that designed the first official [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British Monarchy]] and [[10 Downing Street]] websites, and worked on the UK government's flagship website, www.direct.gov.uk.<ref name=CfNWbio/>

== Works ==
Ryman says he knew he was a writer "before [he] could talk", with his first work published in his mother's newspaper column at six years of age.<ref name=infitiyplusryman2>{{cite web|first=Kit |last=Reed |url=http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/intgr.htm |title=Geoff Ryman interviewed - infinity plus non-fiction |publisher=Infinityplus.co.uk |date=2004-08-07 |access-date=2013-07-20}}</ref>
He is best known for his science fiction; however, his first novel was the fantasy ''[[The Warrior Who Carried Life]]'' (1985), and his revisionist fantasy of ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz|The Wizard of Oz]]'', ''[[Was (novel)|Was...]]'' (1992), has been called "his most accomplished work".<ref name=encycfantryman>Ency fantasy</ref>

In 1996, Ryman began publishing instalments of ''253: A Novel for the Internet in Seven Cars and a Crash'' on the web. The work deals with the interconnected lives of 253 people on a Bakerloo line train in London, hurtling towards death, and is an early example of a hypertext novel. It was deeply personal to Ryman. '253 happens on January 11th, 1995,' he writes, 'which is the day I learned my best friend was dying of Aids.' The project was intricate and lengthy, and took up a great deal of time, but in the 2000s, when Ryman was suffering from cancer, he accidentally failed to renew the URL, which was sold on, resulting in the loss of the project. In 2023, however, Ryman was able to restore it, and it became available online again.<ref>{{Cite news |title=253 people, 253 stories, 253 words each: The re-creation of an internet novel |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/2023/01/25/253-people-253-stories-253-words-each-the-re-creation-of-an-internet-novel/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>

Much of Ryman's work is based on travels to [[Cambodia]]. The first of these, ''[[The Unconquered Country: A Life History|The Unconquered Country]]'' (1986), was winner of the [[World Fantasy Award]]<ref>{{cite web|author=World Fantasy Convention |title=Award Winners and Nominees |url=http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html/ |access-date=4 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201074405/http://worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html |archive-date=1 December 2010}}</ref> and [[BSFA Award]]. His novel ''[[The King's Last Song]]'' (2006) was set both in the [[Angkor Wat]] era and the time after [[Pol Pot]] and the [[Khmer Rouge]].<ref name=CfNWbio>{{cite web |url=http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/newwriting/about/geoffryman/ |title=Geoff Ryman (Centre for New Writing, The University of Manchester) |publisher=Arts.manchester.ac.uk |access-date=2013-07-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831141203/http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/newwriting/about/geoffryman/ |archive-date=31 August 2013}}</ref>

In 2023, after a significant hiatus between novels, Ryman published ''Him'', an alternative history of Jesus Christ, in which Jesus is born biologically female, but identifies as male.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=Ian Mond Reviews Him by Geoff Ryman |url=https://locusmag.com/2024/02/ian-mond-reviews-him-by-geoff-ryman/ |access-date=2024-08-12 |website=Locus Online |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[New Scientist]]'' called it 'provocative,'<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134740-700-him-review-a-provocative-retelling-of-the-story-of-jesus/ |last=Wilson |first=Emily |title=Him review: A provocative retelling of the story of Jesus |date=January 17, 2024 |access-date=August 15, 2024 |website=New Scientist |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117224300/https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134740-700-him-review-a-provocative-retelling-of-the-story-of-jesus/ |archive-date=January 17, 2024}}</ref> while [[Lisa Tuttle]] commented in ''[[The Guardian]]'': 'It will offend those determined to be offended, but it is a serious, heartfelt exploration of profound human questions by one of our best writers.'<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tuttle |first=Lisa |date=2023-12-15 |title=The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – reviews roundup |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/dec/15/the-best-recent-science-fiction-fantasy-and-horror-reviews-roundup |access-date=2024-08-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Ryman has written, directed and performed in several plays based on works by other writers.

He was guest of honour at [[Novacon]] in 1989 and has twice been a guest speaker at [[Microcon]], in 1994 and in 2004.<ref>[http://news.ansible.co.uk/a199.html ''Ansible #199'', February 2004]</ref><ref>[http://news.ansible.co.uk/a79.html ''Ansible #79'', February 1994]</ref><ref>[http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/gulliver.htm John Grant: Gulliver Unravels: Generic Fantasy and the Loss of Subversion – infinity plus non-fiction]</ref> He was also the guest of honour at the national Swedish science fiction convention [[Swecon]] in 2006,<ref>{{cite web |author=Johan Anglemark |url=http://www.imagicon.se/eng/nytt.html |title=Recent news |publisher=Imagicon |access-date=2013-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811190554/http://www.imagicon.se/eng/nytt.html |archive-date=11 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> at [[Gaylaxicon]] 2008,<ref>[http://www.gaylaxicon2008.org/author.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080915170409/http://www.gaylaxicon2008.org/author.html|date=15 September 2008}}</ref> at [[Wiscon]] 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wiscon.info/guests.php |title=WisCon - The World's Leading Feminist Science Fiction Convention |publisher=Wiscon.info |access-date=2013-07-20}}</ref> and at [[Åcon]] 2010.<ref name="acon4goh">{{cite web
|url=http://acon4.wordpress.com/goh/
|title=GoH
|date=7 August 2009
|access-date=20 March 2010
|publisher=Åcon
}}</ref> An article by Wendy Gay Pearson on Ryman's novel ''The Child Garden'' won the British Science Fiction Foundation's graduate essay award and was published in a special issue of ''Foundation'' on LGBT science fiction edited by Andrew M. Butler in 2002.<ref>Pearson, Wendy Gay. "Science Fiction as Pharmacy: Plato, Derrida, Ryman." ''Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction'' 85 (2002): 66-75.</ref> Ryman's works were also the subject of a special issue of ''Extrapolation'' in 2008, with articles dealing with ''Air, The Child Garden, Lust,'' and ''Was,'' in particular. Neil Easterbrook's article in this special issue, "'Giving An Account of Oneself': Ethics, Alterity, Air"<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Easterbrook|first=Neil|date=2008|title=""Giving an Account of Oneself": Ethics, Alterity, Air."|journal=Extrapolation|volume=49|issue=2|pages=240–26–|doi=10.3828/extr.2008.49.2.6}}</ref> won the 2009 [[SFRA Pioneer Award|Science Fiction Research Association Pioneer Award]] for best published article on science fiction (this award has since been renamed the SFRA Innovative Research Award). The issue includes an interview with Geoff Ryman by Canadian speculative fiction writer [[Hiromi Goto]].<ref>Goto, Hiromi. "An email conversation with Geoff Ryman." ''Extrapolation'' 49.2 (2008): 195-205.</ref> The introduction to the special issue, by Susan Knabe and Wendy Gay Pearson, also responds to Ryman's call for [[Mundane science fiction]].<ref>Knabe, Susan, and Wendy Gay Pearson. "Introduction: Mundane Science Fiction, Harm and Healing the World." ''Extrapolation (pre-2012)'' 49.2 (2008): 181-195.</ref>

The Mundane SF movement was founded in 2002 during the [[Clarion Workshop]] by Ryman and other Clarion West Workshop instructors.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Geoff Ryman: The Mundane Fantastic: Interview excerpts
  | work = [[Locus (magazine)|Locus]]
  | date = January 2006
  | url = http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Issues/01Ryman.html
  | access-date =23 September 2007}}</ref> In a 2004 manifesto on the subject, Ryman writes of the Mundane science fiction movement: 'This movement proposes "mundane science fiction" as its own subgenre science fiction, typically characterized by its setting on Earth and a believable use of technology and science as it exists at the time the story is written or a plausible extension of existing technology.'<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mundane Science Fiction |url=https://www.hppr.org/2024-03-04/mundane-science-fiction |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=HPPR |language=en}}</ref>

In 2008 a Mundane SF issue of ''[[Interzone (magazine)|Interzone]]'' magazine was published, guest-edited by Ryman, [[Julian Todd]] and Trent Walters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ttapress.com/439/interzone-216-special-mundane-sf-issue-2/|title=Interzone 216: Special Mundane-SF issue|date=3 May 2008|author=Andy Cox|publisher=TTA Press}}</ref>

Ryman has lectured at the University of Manchester since at least 2007; as of 2022 he is an Honorary Senior Lecturer in [[Creative writing|Creative Writing]] for [[University of Manchester]]'s English Department, where in 2011 he won the Faculty Students' Teaching Award for the School of Arts, History and Culture.<ref name="um">{{Cite news |periodical=[[University of Manchester]] |url=https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/centrefornewwriting/about/our-people/geoff-ryman/ |title=Geoff Ryman |access-date=7 January 2023}}</ref>

==Partial bibliography==
{{Main|Geoff Ryman bibliography}}

===Novels===
* ''[[The Unconquered Country: A Life History]]'' (1984)
* ''[[The Warrior Who Carried Life]]'' (1985)
* ''[[The Child Garden]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Was (novel)|Was]]'' (1992)
* ''[[253 (novel)|253]]'' (1996 online, 1998 print)
* ''Lust'' (2001)
* ''[[Air (novel)|Air: Or, Have Not Have]]'' (2005)
* ''[[The King's Last Song]]'' (2006 UK, 2008 US)
* ''Him'' (2023)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/80328427-him |title=Him |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=Goodreads |publisher= |access-date=2024-05-03}}</ref>
* ''Animals'' (2025)

===Collections===
* ''Unconquered Countries: Four Novellas'' (1994)
* ''[[Paradise Tales]]'' (July 2011, Small Beer Press)

== Awards ==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Geoff Ryman}}
{{col-begin|width=95%}}
|-
| valign=top |
;[[BSFA award|British Science Fiction Award]]
* ''The Unconquered Country'' for Best Short (1984)
* ''Air'' for Best Novel (2005)<ref name="WWE-2005">{{cite web
| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=2005 
| title = 2005 Award Winners & Nominees
| work = Worlds Without End
| access-date=17 May 2009
}}</ref>

;[[World Fantasy Award]]
* ''The Unconquered Country'' Best Novella (1985)

;[[Arthur C. Clarke Award]]
* ''The Child Garden'' for Best Novel (1990)<ref name="WWE-1990">{{cite web
| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1990 
| title = 1990 Award Winners & Nominees
| work = Worlds Without End
| access-date=17 May 2009
}}</ref>
* ''Air'' (2005)<ref name="WWE-2005"/>
| valign=top |
;[[Campbell award (best novel)|Campbell Award]]
* ''The Child Garden'' for Best Novel (1990)<ref name="WWE-1990"/>

; [[Philip K. Dick Award]]
* ''253: The Print Remix'', 1998<ref name="WWE-1990"/>

; [[James Tiptree, Jr. Award]]
* ''Air'' (2005)

; [[Nebula Award]] for Best Novelette
* ''[[What We Found (novel)|What We Found]]'' (2012)<ref>{{cite web | author = Mike Addelman | title = Ryman wins one of world's top science fiction prizes | url = http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=8297 | publisher = University of Manchester | year = 2012}}</ref>
{{col-end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{ISFDB name|id=Geoff_Ryman|name=Geoff Ryman}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081024130227/http://lcrw.net/ryman/ Author page at Small Beer Press]
* [https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4132482.stm Comment on the victims of the 7 July 2005 London bombings]
* [http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfiction/intgr.htm Interview with Geoff Ryman] conducted by [[Kit Reed]] at [[Infinity Plus]], discussing his novel ''Air'' and the [[Mundane SF]] movement.
* [http://andybrouwer.co.uk/ryman.html Compilation of reviews of Ryman's book ''The King's Last Song'']
* [https://archive.today/20121223054723/http://www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/cnw/about/geoffryman/ Biog page at the University of Manchester]
*[https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/journals/issue/4202 Ryman special issue of ''Extrapolation'' at Liverpool University Press]

{{Geoff Ryman}}{{Nebula Award Best Novelette}}{{Philip K. Dick Award}}{{World Fantasy Award Best Novella}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryman, Geoff}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British science fiction writers]]
[[Category:Canadian science fiction writers]]
[[Category:Canadian gay writers]]
[[Category:English LGBTQ writers]]
[[Category:The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction people]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:World Fantasy Award–winning writers]]
[[Category:Nebula Award winners]]
[[Category:British male novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people]]