Info collected by Larry W. Virden from a variety of sources Copyright 1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007 by Larry W. Virden (lvirden@cas.org) Version: 1.11 Date: September 20, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GORDON R[upert] DICKSON, Nov 01 1923-2001 The Childe (sometimes called Chylde) Cycle of books 1. In order of writing; Novels _Dorsai!_ - Appeared in Astounding as "Dorsai!", parts one through three in May, June, and July 1959. A shorter revised version of _Dorsai_ was published in 1960 under the title _The Genetic General_ , according to the DAW 1976 edition of _Dorsai_. This was one half of the Ace Double book D-449, along with his _Time to Teleport_. Tor has reissued _Dorsai!_. _Necromancer_ - first appeared in 1960/1962 as "No Room for Man". Appeared as _Necromancer_ in 1962 from Doubleday. Appeared in paperback as _No Room for Man_ published by Macfadden (MB50-179) in 1963. Original novella won a Hugo (??). _Soldier, Ask Not_ - first appeared as a novella in Galaxy magazine in October, 1964. Won a Hugo in this form. The novella was added to the remaining 2/3rds of the novel and printed in paperback by Dell (8090) in 1967(?). DAW sf Books published it as a paperback in 1967 as number 172. Tor has reissued this paperback. Some readers feel the extra material added to the novella distracts from the original material. The novella itself appears in Dickson's _Beginnings_, published in Baen Books, 1988. _Tactics of Mistake_ - 1971, first appeared in Analog/Astounding Printed in paperback by DAW (UQ1009) in 1974 (?). _Three to Dorsai!_ - 1975, collection, renaming "The Genetic General" to "Dorsai!", renaming "No Room for Man" to "Necromancer" and including "Tactics of Mistake". _The Spirit of Dorsai_ - 1979, a collection containing the short stories "Amanda Morgan" and "Brothers", as well as some interludes. Tor reissued this paperback. _Lost Dorsai_ - 1980, Ace published this collection, containing the short novel "Lost Dorsai" (first published in _Destinies_, Vol II, no. 1; February-March 1980), short story "Warrior" (first published in _Analog_, 1965), "Plume and Sword", an analytical look at Dickson's works by Sandra Miesel, and an excerpt from The Final Encyclopedia. Tor reissued this paperback in 1993. When they did, they replaced Miesel's work and the excerpt of TFE with "A Childe Cycle Concordance (Excerpts)" by David W. Wixon. _The Final Encyclopedia_ - 1984. Hardback by Tor. Paperback by Ace. _The Dorsai Companion_ - 1986, a collection containing the short stories "Amanda Morgan", "Brothers", "Warrior" and the "Introduction: See a Thousand Years" by G. R. Dickson and "When Your Contract Takes You to the Dorsai World", by Sandra Miesel, 1986. Note that the original bridging text from the _Lost Dorsai_ and _The Spirit of Dorsai_ collections is not present. This collection also has some lineage charts, list of worlds and star charts by Miesel and a time line, uncredited. _The Chantry Guild_ - 1988, Hardback by Ace (with Luis Royo). _Young Bleys_ - 1991, Hardback and paperback by Tor. _Other_ - 1994, Hardback and paperback by Tor. _Antagonist (Bleys)_ - 2007, Posthumously published, with David W. Wixon and Volkan Baga Illuminations "Amanda Morgan", 1979 "Brothers", 1979 , portions first appeared in ASTOUNDING: John W. Campbell Memorial Anthology, 1973. "Warrior", 1965, in Analog (December). "Lost Dorsai", 1980, first appeared in Destinies, Vol 11, no 1, February/March, 1980. Other sized fiction "Lulungomeena", 1981, first appeared in Galaxy, 1953. This short story, published in Galaxy Magazine and later dramatized on the X Minus One radio program, doesn't really have a date where it would fit into the chronology. It's connection to the Dorsai universe is minimal - the narrator is Dorsai, but that plays no part in the purpose of the story itself. "Perfectly Adjusted", 1955, first appeared in Science Fiction Stories (July). Said by Sandra Miesel to be "the satyr play of the Childe Cycle's SF installment." _Guided Tour_, 1988, a Dickson collection. Contains "Lulungomeena". _Steel Brother_ 1985, Tor SF, a paperback collection of Dickson short stories. According to a review I read in Otherrealms, this has two stories which are interesting "lead-ins" to the series. Contains the essays "The Childe Cycle Status Report" by Dickson and "A Conversation with Gordon R. Dickson" by Sandra Miesel. Said by Sandra Miesel, "Strands first visible here in _Steel Brother_ have since thickened and spread into the pattern of the Childe Cycle. Thomas Jordan and his memory bank are the earliest prototypes of Hal Mayne and his Final Encyclopedia." _Delusion World_ ??, expansion of "Perfectly Adjusted". "Too Many Dorsai", ??, mentioned on usenet as involving an Exotic detective and his Earth-born assistant investigating a murder at the Dorwai War College. Can anyone provide me with more information? _Dorsai's Command_, a volume of the Combat Command series of role playing novels. Credited to Dickson, Troy Denning, and Cory Glaberson, and published in 1989, the book is a cross between one of the What Happens Next style novels and an Role Playing Game. There are events which occur, one rolls dice, consults combat charts, and determines outcomes, which then routes you to the next page to read. Essays Sandra Miesel "A Conversation with Gordon R. Dickson", 1978 "Plume and Sword", 1980 "When Your Contract Takes You to the Dorsai World", 1986 Gordon R. Dickson "The Childe Cycle Status Report", 1979 "Introduction: See a Thousand Years", 1986 David W. Wixon "A Childe Cycle Concordance (Excerpts)", 1993 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. In chronological order, based on the info in "The Dorsai Companion" and my own guesses for the two latest books. 2093-2094 "Necromancer" 2184 "Tactics of Mistake" 2185 "Amanda Morgan" 2269 "Warrior" 2270-2289 "Soldier, Ask Not" 2273 "Lost Dorsai" 2276-2289 "Dorsai!" 2280 "Brothers" 2244? "Young Bleys" 2259-2363? "Other" 2359-2366 "The Final Encyclopedia" 2366-2373? "Chantry Guild" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. Future books which have been discussed by Dickson: ??? - the 3 historical novels which take place in the 14th century ??? - the 3 contemporary novels taking place in the 19th/20th century. ??? - sequel to _Other_. Childe - volume which was to take place after The Chantry Guild ---- 4. Volumes which were reprints of the previous books Dorsai Spirit: Two Classic Novels of the Dorsai: 'Sorsai!' and 'The Spirit of Dorsai' - 2003 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. The source of the above information has been from libraries, USENET posters, research in the online Library of Congress, etc. Please send corrections, additions, clarifications, and comments to Larry Virden .