Harlan Ellison (1934– ) is an iconic US writer of speculative fiction who has won multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Edgar Awards. His published works include more than 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, comic book scripts, teleplays, and essays, and a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media. Ellison edited two iconic, groundbreaking science fiction anthologies, Dangerous Visions (1967) and Again, Dangerous Visions (1972)—several stories from which have been reprinted in this volume. He was considered one of the leading American members of the New Wave movement. He received the 1993 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement. In 2006, Ellison was awarded the prestigious title of grand master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. A documentary chronicling his life and works, Dreams with Sharp Teeth, was released in May 2008. In 2011 Ellison was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.
Ellison also produced the original script for “The City on the Edge of Forever,” often regarded as one of the best episodes of the Star Trek series, though Ellison remains displeased with the revisions made to his script for filming. Ellison also wrote two notable episodes of the original run of The Outer Limits, “Soldier” and “Demon with a Glass Hand.” His stories have been adapted for film, television, and video games numerous times. In the 1960s Ellison traveled with rock groups such as the Rolling Stones, and his novel of the 1950s rockabilly scene, Spider Kiss (1961), was much admired by music critic Greil Marcus.
Notable short fiction by Ellison includes “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” (1968 Hugo Award winner), “The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World” (1969 Hugo Award winner), “The Deathbird” (1974 Hugo Award winner), “A Boy and His Dog” (1969 Nebula Award winner), “The Whimper of Whipped Dogs” (1974 Edgar Award winner), and “Paladin of the Lost Hour” (1986 Hugo Award winner).
Ellison’s short story “ ‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman,” originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction in 1965, received a Hugo and a Nebula Award. Ellison wrote it in six hours in order to present it the next day at the Milford Writer’s Workshop, run by Damon Knight. The story is often regarded as among his finest and is one of the most reprinted stories in the English language.