Nina Allan
Nina Allan | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 27, 1966 Whitechapel, London, England |
| Occupation | Author |
| Known for | Speculative fiction |
Nina Allan (born 27 May 1966) is a British author known for her work in speculative fiction. She has released five collections of short stories, several novellas, and five novels. Her writings have been featured in publications like Interzone, Black Static, and Crimewave. Throughout her career, she has received nominations and accolades including the Grand prix de l'Imaginaire and the BSFA Award.
Early life and education
Allan was born in Whitechapel, London, but spent her formative years in the Midlands and West Sussex. She pursued studies in Russian language and literature at the University of Reading and University of Exeter, before completing an MLitt at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
Following her time at Oxford, she worked as a buyer for an independent chain of record stores based in Exeter and later as a bookseller in London. Her debut published story appeared in 2002 within the British Fantasy Society's journal Dark Horizons. Formerly living in North Devon's Taw Valley, she currently resides on the Isle of Bute.
In addition to her fiction, Allan writes the column "Nina Allan's Time Pieces" for Interzone.
Critical reception
Allan’s story Darkroom was included in the 2008 anthology Subtle Edens: An Anthology of Slipstream Fiction, edited by Allen Ashley and published by Elastic Press. Andy Hedgecock lauded Allan as "one of the finest stylists of modern genre fiction," emphasizing her skill in uncovering "the strange within the ordinary with such clarity and precision."
Paul Kincaid reviewed The Silver Wind, noting how the collection unfolds into a novel through interlinked stories featuring Martin, a character who appears across alternate realities. He concluded that the entirety surpasses the sum of its components. Conversely, Sofia Samatar expressed some reservations about whether the emotional resonance is weakened by transitions between different realities.
In 2014, Peter Tennant described The Race as "one of the finest books" he encountered that year, characterizing it as "four self-contained sections forming a greater whole," though its overall meaning remained somewhat ambiguous. Sofia Samatar portrayed it as "a distancing novel about drawing in," merging elements of science fiction with literary fiction while questioning conventional realism.
Stuart Conover’s 2017 critique of The Rift praised its inventive alien setting and suggested that its world-building could support further narratives independent from the main storyline.
Ian Sansom’s review of Conquest affirmed Allan’s reputation as a writer held in high esteem by discerning readers despite limited mainstream visibility.
Nominations and awards
Allan’s story Angelus won the Aeon Award in 2007, announced at the European Science Fiction Convention held in Copenhagen. Grand Judge Ian Watson commended it as “beautifully written and paced and enigmatic yet in an entirely lucid way.”
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Angelus" | Aeon Award | — | Template:Won |
| 2010 | Flying in the Face of God | BSFA Award | Short Fiction | Template:Sho |
| 2013 | The Gateway | Shirley Jackson Award | Novella | Template:Sho |
| Spin | BSFA Award | Short Fiction | Template:Won | |
| 2014 | British Fantasy Award | Novella | Template:Sho | |
| The Race | BSFA Award | Novel | Template:Sho | |
| Kitschies | Red Tentacle (Novel) | Template:Sho | ||
| 2015 | John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel | — | Template:Sho | |
| The Harlequin | Novella Award | — | Template:Won | |
| 2017 | "The Art of Space Travel" | Hugo Award | Novelette | Template:Sho |
| Locus Award | Novelette | Template:Sho | ||
| Theodore Sturgeon Award | — | Template:Sho | ||
| The Rift | BSFA Award | Novel | Template:Won | |
| Kitschies | Red Tentacle (Novel) | Template:Won | ||
| 2018 | John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel | — | Template:Sho | |
| Locus Award | Science Fiction Novel | Template:Nominated | ||
| The Gift of Angels | BSFA Award | Short Fiction | Template:Sho |
Translated Works
- The Silver Wind, renamed Complications in translation, received the French Grand prix de l'Imaginaire award for Foreign Short Fiction in 2014.
Novels
- The Race (2014), NewCon Press, ISBN 9781907069703
- The Rift (2017), Titan Books, ISBN 9781785650376
- The Dollmaker (2019), Riverrun, ISBN 9781787472549
- The Good Neighbours (2021), Riverrun, ISBN 9781529405170 (hardcover)
- Conquest (2023), Riverrun, ISBN 9781529420777 (hardcover)
Novellas
- Spin (2013), The Third Alternative Press, ISBN 9780955368363
- The Harlequin (2015), Sandstone Press, ISBN 9781910124383
- The Art of Space Travel (2016), Tor Books, ISBN 9780765390653 (ebook)
- Maggots (2016), Five Stories High, ISBN 9781786180582 (ebook)
Collections
- A Thread of Truth (2007), Eibonvale Press, ISBN 9780955526800
- The Silver Wind (2011), Eibonvale Press, ISBN 9781908125057
- Microcosmos (2013), NewCon Press, ISBN 9781907069475
- Stardust: The Ruby Castle Stories (2013), PS Publishing, ISBN 9781848636149
- The Art of Space Travel and Other Stories (2021), Titan, ISBN 9781789091755
Short Stories
- "A Storm in Kingstown" featured in the anthology Out of the Ruins, published by Titan Books in 2021, ISBN 9781789097399
Allan's short stories have been widely published and included in six prominent "Best of" anthologies:
- "The Lammas Worm" was published in Strange Tales 3 by Tartarus Press in 2010 and selected for inclusion in The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Two. This story also appears in the collection Stardust: The Ruby Castle Stories.
- "Flying in the Face of God" appeared in issue #227 of Interzone (2010) and was chosen for The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Eighth Annual Collection.
- "The Silver Wind" first appeared in issue #233 of Interzone (2011); it was later reprinted both in the collection bearing its name and in The Year’s Best Fantasy and Science Fiction 2012. Additionally, it was shortlisted for the BSFA Award for short fiction.
- "Wilkolak" was published in issue #11 of Crimewave (2011) and included in the anthology The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 10.
- "Sunshine" featured in issue #29 of Black Static (2012) and was selected for inclusion in The Year’s Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2013.
- "The Tiger" appeared within the collection Terror Tales of London by Gray Friar Press (2013) and was chosen for The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Six.
Allan regards her short fiction writing as foundational training for her novel-writing career. Her first novel, The Race, is set against the backdrop of Hastings, where she lived during its development.
Notes
- Contents of A Thread of Truth: includes "Amethyst", "Ryman's Suitcase", "Bird Songs at Eventide", "Queen South", "The Vicar with Seven Rigs", "Heroes", "Terminus", and the titular story "A Thread of Truth."
- Contents of The Silver Wind: comprises "Time's Chariot", "My Brother's Keeper", "The Silver Wind", "Rewind", and an afterword titled "Timelines."
- The French edition titled Complications adds an introductory story called "Darkroom" ("Chambre noire").
- The Spanish edition named Máquinas del Tiempo maintains the original selection without additions.
- Contents of Microcosmos: includes stories such as "Microcosmos", "The Phoney War", "Chaconne", "A. H.", "Orinoco", "Flying in the Face of God", and "Higher Up."
- Contents of Stardust: a series of interconnected tales including "B-Side", "The Lammas Worm", "The Gateway", "Laburnums", the title story "Stardust", as well as the poem "Red Queen". These stories feature Russian astrophysicist Valery Kushnev as a recurring character. This collection was reissued under the title Ruby by Titan Books in 2020.