John Boland (author)
Bertram John Boland (12 February 1913 – 9 November 1976) was a British novelist and science fiction author.
Boland was born in Birmingham, but later lived in East Sussex, on the edge of Ashdown Forest with his wife, Philippa.[1]
His most well known book was The League of Gentlemen (1958) which was released as a film. However, characters' names and the ending were changed.[2] He wrote two sequels:
- The Gentlemen Reform (1961)
- The Gentlemen at Large (1962)
They continued with the characterisations developed in the film.
His first novel "White August" (1955) was a science fiction weather control disaster story. His second, "No Refuge" (1956) begins as a bank robbery crime story but them changes into science fiction, depicting a futuristic lost world.[3] In this world children get much of their education from computers and adults walk around with a small device on their chest, listing to music through earpieces.[4]
As well as novels, he published short stories in science fiction magazines, including Galaxy Science Fiction and New Worlds.[3]
Boland was closely involved with Swanwick writers' summer school becoming its chairman in 1958 [5]
Bibliography[1]
Fiction
- White August (Michael Joseph: 1955)
- No Refuge (Michael Joseph: 1956)
- Queer Fish (Boardman: 1958)
- The League of Gentlemen (Boardman: 1958)
- 'Mysterious Way (Boardman: 1959)
- Operation Red Carpet (Boardman: 1959)
- Bitter Fortune (Boardman: 1959)
- The Midas Touch (Boardman: 1960)
- Negative Value (Boardman: 1960)
- The Gentlemen Reform (Boardman: 1961)
- Inside Job (Boardman: 1961)
- The Golden Fleece (Boardman: 1961)
- Vendetta (Boardman: 1961)
- The Gentlemen at Large (Boardman: 1962)
- Fatal Error (Boardman: 1962)
- Counterpol (Harrap: 1963)
- The Catch (Harrap: 1964)
- Counterpol in Paris (Harrap: 1964)
- The Good Citizens (Harrap: 1965)
- The Disposal Unit (Harrap: 1966)
- The Gusher (Harrap: 1967)
- Painted Lady (Cassell: 1967)
- Breakdown (Cassell: 1968)
- The Fourth Grave (Cassell: 1969)
- The Shakespeare Curse (Cassell: 1969)
- Kidnap (Cassell: 1970)
- The Big Job (Cassell: 1970)
- The Trade of Kings (Forest House: 1972)
- Holocaust (Futura: 1974)
Nonfiction
- Free-Lance Journalism
- Short Story Writing
Notes
- 1 2 Biography and bibliography taken from the dust jacket of The Gentlemen at Large. Published by Forest House Books.
- ↑ The book ends with the main character shooting himself. In the film, he gives himself up to the police.
- 1 2 SF Encyclopedia John Boland
- ↑ John Boland (1956) "No Refuge" (Michael Joseph, London) pages 107 and 66 respectively
- ↑ Martin, Nancy (1983). Venture of Faith - A History of Swanwick. Worthing: H.E. Walter Ltd. ISBN 0 85479 066 7.
References
- Tuck, Donald H. (1974). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Chicago: Advent. p. 55. ISBN 0-911682-20-1.