Michael Diamond Resnick is known in the world of publishing as Mike Resnick. He was one of the prolific science fiction authors of America and winner of several major awards. Among them are the five Hugo awards and one Nebula award. During his lifetime, he wrote more than 250 stories, 68 novels, and 2 screenplays.
His works have been translated into 25 different languages and he had also edited 41 anthologies. In 2012, he was one of the Guests of Honor at the World Science Fiction Convention, also called ‘Worldcon’. Here are some of the best works of Mike Resnick:
1. The Outpost
First published in May 2001, this novel is a satirical anthology. It initially came out as a hardcover book and its paperback edition released in 2002. The story is all about a tavern on the planet Henry II, which is called ‘The Outpost’. It is located at the edge of the galaxy in a territory known as the ‘Inner Frontier’. This is a neutral territory, where fighting is forbidden. You’ll come across three sections while reading the novel.
2. Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge
This science fiction novella was first published in 1994. It is about an archaeological expedition. The archaeologists on the expedition go to planet Earth after humanity’s extinction. All the archaeologists in this expedition are aliens. On Earth, they study the rise and fall of humanity in East Africa.
During the course of this story, these alien archaeologists learn about the glory and cruelty of humans. In this process, they also come across a surprise. This book had won the 1994 Nebula Award and the 1995 Hugo Award.
3. Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future
After reviewing this novel, author Orson Scott Card rated it as one of the best science fiction books of 1986. Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future had a reprint in 2004. The story of this book involves lonely heroes, faithless companions, and shootouts. It describes the Inner Frontier of the interstellar Democracy, which is the creation of humans. Santiago is the region’s most sought-after outlaw.
A bounty hunter called Sebastian Nightingale Cain comes to know about the whereabouts of Santiago. He is also the protagonist of the novel. While he goes on a hunt for Santiago, he crosses the paths of many. This novel also had a 2003 sequel titled The Return of Santiago.
4. The 43 Antarean Dynasties
Hermes is an inhabitant of the planet Antares and a cynical insectoid tour guide. Once he shows a family of three visiting humans around the planet’s capital. While doing so, the insensitive actions of the humans annoy him. They don’t feel sorry for the destruction and violence that the Antareans have suffered from the previous invasions of humans.
The degradation of his own culture also hurts him deeply. This science fiction short story from Mike Resnick was out in 1997. It appeared in an issue of the magazine Asimov’s Science Fiction.
5. Sideshow
While reviewing this novel in Ares Magazine, Greg Costikyan praised Resnick. He commented that the author was successful in pulling off a tricky task. Published in 1982, this novel tells the story of a carnival owner. The owner of the carnival compels a company into playing on the interstellar circuit through blackmail.
