Patricia Anthony

Patricia Anthony (born 3 January 1947) is an American science fiction author. Anthony burst onto the sci fi scene in 1992 with Cold Allies, a well received novel about the arrival of extraterrestials in the midst of a 21st Century Third World War.

Using genres (alien invasion, furturistic warfare) typically associated with shallow adventures as her starting point, Anthony's tale is nuanced and sensitive, even as the suspense and action fulfill the expectations of the genre. Cold Allies was followed in quick succession by Brother Termite, Conscience of the Beagle, Happy Policeman, Cradle of Splendor, and God's Fires, each of which combined science fiction plots with other genres in unconventional ways.

Anthony's most well regarded novel is probably 1993's Brother Termite, a Le Carre like tale of political intrigue told from the perspective of the leader of extraterrestials who have occupied the United States. James Cameron acquired the movie rights and John Sayles wrote a script but the movie was never produced.

Following her initial success, Patricia Anthony taught creative writing at Southern Methodist University for three years. Her later works, the somewhat tongue in cheek Cradle of Splendor and the retreading of alien visitation in God's Fires, suggest she was tiring of the science fiction genre. Anthony departed from the genre with the 1998 World War I novel Flanders, reportedly annoying her publisher in the process. Anthony has not published further novels since then. Anthony also published a short story collection, Eating Memories.

Anthony lived in Brazil during the 1970's, an experience she drew on for Cradle of Splendor.

Selected Bibliography

• Conscience of the Beagle (1993)
• Cold Allies (1993)
• Brother Termite (1993)
• Happy Policeman (1994)
• Cradle of Splendor (1996)
• God's Fires (1997)
• Flanders (1998)
• Eating Memories (1998)

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