Terry Dowling

Terry Dowling is a prominent Australian writer, celebrated for his work in the realm of speculative fiction. Born in Sydney in 1947, Dowling has established himself as one of Australia's most acclaimed authors, with a substantial body of work that spans science fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror genres. His series, the Tom Rynosseros saga, which includes the novels Rynosseros, Blue Tyson, Twilight Beach, and Rynemonn, is a particular point of pride, having been recognized by US Professor Brian Attebery as "important as well" in addition to being intricate, engaging, and award-winning.

Dowling's work has garnered significant attention and accolades over the years. He has been featured in numerous prestigious anthologies, including The Year’s Best Science Fiction, The Year’s Best SF, The Mammoth Book of Best New SF, The Year’s Best Fantasy, The Best New Horror, and The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror. His stories have been translated into various languages and have even been used in a course in forensic psychology in the US. Renowned author Harlan Ellison has praised Dowling's work, stating, "Here is Jack Vance, Cordwainer Smith and Tiptree/Sheldon come again, reborn in one wonderful talent…you’ll purr and growl with delight."

In addition to his work as an author, Dowling has also made significant contributions to the field through his work as a journalist and reviewer. He has written for publications such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, and The Weekend Australian, where he served as the science fiction, fantasy, and horror reviewer for nineteen years under four different literary editors. Dowling's academic achievements are also noteworthy, having earned a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Western Australia, an MA (Hons) in English Literature, and a BA (Hons) in English Literature, Archaeology, and Ancient History from the University of Sydney. He has been recognized with multiple Ditmar and Aurealis Awards for his fiction, as well as the William Atheling Jr Award for his critical work. Dowling's first computer adventure also won the Grand Prix at Utopiales in France in 2001, and he has been nominated for the World Fantasy Award twice.