Miles Franklin Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (1962) Winner
George Turner
ジョージ・レジナルド・ターナー
George Reginald Turner
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1916-10-08 （Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia）
- Died
- 1997-06-08 age 80
- Nationality
- Australian
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Kalgoorlie (birthplace) → Melbourne (education / residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Critic
- Active Years
- 1959-1997
- Influenced By
- John Bangsund, Bruce Gillespie, Vonda McIntyre, Christopher Priest
- Influenced
- Australian science fiction writers and subsequent SF authors
- Nominations
- Nebula Award (shortlisted)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Miles Franklin Award | The Cupboard Under the Stairs | — | Miles Franklin Award | 受賞（共同受賞） |
| 1979 | Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award (Ditmar Award) | Beloved Son | — | Ditmar Award | 受賞 |
| 1988 | Arthur C. Clarke Award | The Sea and Summer (published in USA as Drowning Towers) | — | Arthur C. Clarke Award | 受賞 |
| 1988 | Commonwealth Writers' Prize (South-East Asia and South Pacific, Best Book) | The Sea and Summer | Regional Best Book | Commonwealth Writers' Prize | 受賞 |
| 1994 | Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award (Ditmar Award) | The Destiny Makers | — | Ditmar Award | 受賞 |
Miles Franklin Award
1962
Work:
The Cupboard Under the Stairs
Organization:
Miles Franklin Award
Result:
受賞（共同受賞）
Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award (Ditmar Award)
1979
Work:
Beloved Son
Organization:
Ditmar Award
Result:
受賞
Arthur C. Clarke Award
1988
Work:
The Sea and Summer (published in USA as Drowning Towers)
Organization:
Arthur C. Clarke Award
Result:
受賞
Commonwealth Writers' Prize (South-East Asia and South Pacific, Best Book)
1988
Work:
The Sea and Summer
Category:
Regional Best Book
Organization:
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Result:
受賞
Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award (Ditmar Award)
1994
Work:
The Destiny Makers
Organization:
Ditmar Award
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Commonwealth Writers' Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (1988) Winner
Arthur C. Clarke Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 2 (1988) Winner
Chandler Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 3 (1994) Winner
Works
Major Works
Young Man of Talent (US: Scobie)
1959 Mainstream novel (later turned to SF)One of Turner's early novels exploring a young man's talent and social conflicts.
individual vs societycoming of age
The Cupboard Under the Stairs
1962 Literary fictionA novel sharply portraying domestic and personal problems. Winner of the Miles Franklin Award.
familysocial isolation
The Lame Dog Man
1967 Literary fictionOne of Turner's significant works of the 1960s. Recipient of a Commonwealth Literary Fund fellowship.
human relationshipsindividual suffering
Beloved Son
1978 Science fictionTurner's first science fiction novel. A realist SF dealing with ethical and social issues.
ethical issuessocial debate
Vaneglory
1981 Science fictionIntroduces the 'Children of Time', near-immortal mutants. Part of the Ethical Culture series.
mutationsocial isolation
Yesterday's Men
1983 Science fictionA related work in the Ethical Culture series exploring nuclear holocaust and genetic experimentation.
nuclear threatgenetic engineering
The Sea and Summer (published in USA as Drowning Towers)
1987 Dystopia / Climate fictionA major work depicting near-future Melbourne affected by climate change, inequality and economic collapse. Nebula shortlisted; won the 1988 Arthur C. Clarke Award.
climate changesocial inequalitysocietal collapse
Brain Child
1991 Political thriller / Science fictionA near-future political thriller about investigations into genetic experiments producing superior intelligence.
genetic manipulationmedia and politics
The Destiny Makers
1992 Political thriller / Science fictionA politically charged SF novel sharing a timeline with Brain Child.
political manipulationsocial engineering
Genetic Soldier
1994 Science fictionDepicts genetically specialized humans in conflict with a more ecologically harmonious Earth society.
genetic specializationclash of civilizations
Down There in Darkness
1999 Science fictionPublished posthumously; a late work compiling themes of Turner's later science fiction.
late-period SF themes
Bibliography
- Young Man of Talent (Scobie)
- A Stranger and Afraid
- The Cupboard Under the Stairs
- A Waste of Shame
- The Lame Dog Man
- Beloved Son
- Transit of Cassidy
- Vaneglory
- Yesterday's Men
- The Sea and Summer (Drowning Towers)
- Brain Child
- The Destiny Makers
- Genetic Soldier
- Down There in Darkness
- The View from the Edge (editor)
- In the Heart or in the Head: An Essay in Time Travel
- A Pursuit of Miracles: Eight Stories
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- realist and ethically minded prosecalm, analytical treatment of social issues
- Recurring Motifs
- climate change and environmental degradationgenetic manipulation and ethicssocial stratification and inequalityAustralian settings and cultural references
Legacy
Turner turned to science fiction later in life and was acclaimed for realist SF that tackled social and ethical issues. The Sea and Summer achieved international recognition, winning the Arthur C. Clarke Award and later being included in the SF Masterworks series.
In Popular Culture
- The Sea and Summer was chosen for Gollancz's SF Masterworks in 2013
Trivia
- Turner began publishing science fiction seriously only in his 60s.
- The Sea and Summer became the first Australian novel included in Gollancz's SF Masterworks (2013).
- He was named Guest of Honor for Aussiecon Three (1999) but died before the event.