Greg Egan
Greg Egan is an Australian science fiction writer and mathematician, best known for his works of hard science fiction. Egan has won multiple awards including the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best [Science Fiction Novel|John W. Campbell Memorial Award], the Hugo Award, and the Locus Award.
Life and work
Egan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Western Australia.He published his first work in 1983. He specialises in hard science fiction stories with mathematical and quantum ontology themes, including the nature of consciousness. Other themes include genetics, simulated reality, posthumanism, mind uploading, sexuality, artificial intelligence, and the superiority of rational naturalism to religion. He often deals with complex technical material, like new physics and epistemology. He is a Hugo Award winner and has also won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. His early stories feature strong elements of supernatural horror.
Egan's short stories have been published in a variety of genre magazines, including regular appearances in Interzone and Asimov's Science Fiction.
Mathematics
In 2002, Egan co-authored two papers about Riemannian 10j symbols, spin networks appearing in Riemannian quantum gravity, together with John Baez and Dan Christensen. Spin networks also play a central role in his novel Schild's Ladder released the same year.In 2014, Egan conjectured a generalization of the Grace–Danielsson inequality about the relation of the radii of two spheres and the distance of their respective centres to fit a simplex between them to also hold in higher dimensions, which later became known as the Egan conjecture. A proof of the inequality being sufficient was published by him in 2014 under a blog post of John Baez. They were lost due to a rearrangement of the website, but the central parts were copied into the original blog post. Further comments by Greg Egan on 16 April 2018 concern the search for a generalized conjecture involving ellipsoids. A proof of the inequality also being necessary was published by Sergei Drozdov on 16 October 2023 on ArXiv.
In 2018, Egan described a construction of superpermutations, thus giving an upper bound to their minimum length. On 27 February 2019, using ideas developed by Robin Houston and others, Egan produced a superpermutation of seven symbols of length 5906, breaking previous records.
Personal life
As of 2015, Egan lives in Perth. He is a vegetarian and an atheist.Egan does not attend science fiction conventions, does not sign books, and has stated that he appears in no photographs on the web, though both SF fan sites and Google Search have at times mistakenly identified him as the subject of photos of other people with the same name.
Awards
Egan's work has won the Japanese Seiun Award for best translated fiction eight times.Teranesia was named the winner of the 2000 Ditmar Award for best novel, but Egan declined the award.
| Work | Year & Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
| "Scatter My Ashes" | 1989 Ditmar Award | Australian Short Fiction | ||
| "Scatter My Ashes" | 1989 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "The Cutie" | 1990 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Learning to Be Me" | 1991 BSFA Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Learning to Be Me" | 1991 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | Won | |
| "Learning to Be Me" | 1991 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Learning to Be Me" | 1995 Hayakawa's S-F Magazine Reader's Award | Foreign Short Story | Won | |
| "Learning to Be Me" | 2007 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Short Story | Won | |
| "Axiomatic" | 1991 BFSA | Short Fiction | ||
| "Axiomatic" | 1991 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Axiomatic" | 1991 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Axiomatic" | 1997 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "Eugene" | 1991 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "The Safe-Deposit Box" | 1991 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "The Safe-Deposit Box" | 1991 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Appropriate Love" | 1992 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Appropriate Love" | 1999 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "The Caress" | 1991 Ditmar Award | Australian Short Fiction | ||
| "The Caress" | 1991 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "The Caress" | 1991 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Fidelity" | 1992 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Reification Highway" | 1992 BFSA | Short Fiction | ||
| "The Infinite Assassin" | 1992 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | Won | |
| "The Infinite Assassin" | 2002 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "Blood Sisters" | 1992 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Blood Sisters" | 1992 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Unstable Orbits in the Space of Lies" | 1993 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Unstable Orbits in the Space of Lies" | 1993 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Closer" | 1993 Ditmar Award | Short Fiction | Won | |
| Quarantine | 1993 Ditmar Award | Long Fiction | Won | |
| Quarantine | 1994 Kurd Laßwitz Award | Foreign Work | ||
| Quarantine | 2000 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Novel | ||
| Quarantine | 2000 Seiun Award | Translated Long Work | ||
| "Into Darkness" | 1993 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "Into Darkness" | 1993 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Dust" | 1993 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "Dust" | 1993 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Dust" | 1997 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "The Walk" | 1993 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Short Story | ||
| "Worthless" | 1993 Ditmar Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "The Extra" | 1994 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Chaff" | 1994 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Chaff" | 1994 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Cocoon" | 1994 Otherwise Award | |||
| "Cocoon" | 1995 Theodore Sturgeon Award | Short Science Fiction | ||
| "Cocoon" | 1995 SF Chronicle Award | Novelette | Won | |
| "Cocoon" | 1995 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Cocoon" | 1995 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | Won | |
| "Cocoon" | 1995 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| "Cocoon" | 1995 Ditmar Award | Australian Short Fiction | Won | |
| Permutation City | 1995 BSFA Award | Novel | ||
| Permutation City | 1995 John W. Campbell Memorial Award | Science Fiction Novel | Won | |
| Permutation City | 1995 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Permutation City | 1995 Ditmar Award | Australian Long Fiction | Won | |
| Permutation City | 1996 Philip K. Dick Award | |||
| Permutation City | 1996 Kurd Laßwitz Award | Foreign Work | ||
| Permutation City | 1999 Italia Awards | International Novel | ||
| Permutation City | 1999 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Novel | ||
| Permutation City | 2000 Seiun Award | Translated Long Work | ||
| "Our Lady of Chernobyl" | 1995 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Our Lady of Chernobyl" | 1995 Ditmar Award | Australian Short Fiction | ||
| "Our Lady of Chernobyl" | 1995 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Luminous" | 1995 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Short Story | Won | |
| "Luminous" | 1996 SF Chronicle Award | Novelette | ||
| "Luminous" | 1996 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Luminous" | 1996 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| "Luminous" | 2003 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | Won | |
| "Luminous" | 2011 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Short Story | Won | |
| "Wang's Carpets" | 1995 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Short Story | ||
| "Wang's Carpets" | 1996 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Wang's Carpets" | 1998 Hayakawa's S-F Magazine Reader's Award | Foreign Short Story | Won | |
| Distress | 1995 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Novel | Won | |
| Distress | 1997 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Distress | 2000 Kurd Laßwitz Award | Foreign Work | Won | |
| Distress | 2001 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Novel | ||
| Distress | 2005 Seiun Award | Translated Long Work | Won | |
| "Mister Volition" | 1995 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Short Story | ||
| "Mister Volition" | 1995 BFSA Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Mister Volition" | 1999 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "Mister Volition" | 2003 Hayakawa's S-F Magazine Reader's Award | Foreign Short Story | Won | |
| "TAP" | 1996 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| "TAP" | 1996 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "TAP" | 1996 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "Silver Fire" | 1996 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Silver Fire" | 1996 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| Axiomatic | 1996 Locus Award | Collection | ||
| Axiomatic | 2008 Grand prix de l'Imaginaire | Foreign Short story/Collection of Foreign Short Stories | ||
| Our Lady of Chernobyl | 1996 Locus Award | Collection | ||
| Our Lady of Chernobyl | 1997 Grand prix de l'Imaginaire | Foreign Short story/Collection of Foreign Short Stories | ||
| Transition Dreams | 1997 Grand prix de l'Imaginaire | Foreign Short story/Collection of Foreign Short Stories | ||
| Diaspora | 1997 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Novel | ||
| Diaspora | 1998 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Diaspora | 2001 Kurd Laßwitz Award | Foreign Work | ||
| Diaspora | 2006 Seiun Award | Translated Long Work | Won | |
| Diaspora | 2010 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Novel | Won | |
| "Reasons to Be Cheerful" | 1997 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Short Story | ||
| "Reasons to Be Cheerful" | 1998 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | Won | |
| "Reasons to Be Cheerful" | 1998 Ditmar Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Reasons to Be Cheerful" | 1998 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Reasons to Be Cheerful" | 2002 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | Won | |
| "Reasons to Be Cheerful" | 2003 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "Orphanogenesis" | 1998 Locus Award | Short Story | ||
| "Oceanic" | 1998 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Short Story | ||
| "Oceanic" | 1998 HOmer Award | Novella | ||
| "Oceanic" | 1999 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novella | Won | |
| "Oceanic" | 1999 Locus Award | Novella | Won | |
| "Oceanic" | 1999 Hugo Award | Novella | Won | |
| "Oceanic" | 2000 Hayakawa's S-F Magazine Reader's Award | Foreign Short Story | Won | |
| "Oceanic" | 2001 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | Won | |
| "Oceanic" | 2010 Grand prix de l'Imaginaire | Foreign-language Short Fiction | Won | |
| "The Planck Dive" | 1998 HOmer Award | Novelette | ||
| "The Planck Dive" | 1999 Locus Award | Novelette | Won | |
| "The Planck Dive" | 1999 Theodore Sturgeon Award | Short Science Fiction | ||
| "The Planck Dive" | 1999 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| Luminous | 1999 Locus Award | Collection | ||
| Teranesia | 1999 Aurealis Award | Science Fiction Novel | Won | |
| Teranesia | 2000 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Teranesia | 2000 Ditmar Award | Novel | ||
| Teranesia | 2001 Gaylactic Spectrum Award | Novel | ||
| Teranesia | 2002 Italia Awards | International Novel | ||
| Teranesia | 2002 Kurd Laßwitz Award | Foreign Work | ||
| "Border Guards" | 2000 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| "Border Guards" | 2000 Locus Award | Novelette | Won | |
| "Border Guards" | 2000 Interzone Readers Poll | Fiction | ||
| "Oracle" | 2001 Hugo Award | Novella | ||
| "Oracle" | 2001 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novella | Won | |
| "Oracle" | 2001 Locus Award | Novella | ||
| "Oracle" | 2001 Gaylactic Spectrum Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Singleton" | 2002 BFSA Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Singleton" | 2003 Locus Award | Novella | ||
| "Singleton" | 2003 Theodore Sturgeon Award | Short Science Fiction | ||
| Schild's Ladder | 2003 Prometheus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Schild's Ladder | 2003 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| "Riding the Crocodile" | 2007 Locus Award | Novella | ||
| "The Hundred Light-Year Diary" | 2007 Premio Ignotus | Foreign Story | ||
| "Dark Integers" | 2008 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| "Dark Integers" | 2008 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | Won | |
| "Dark Integers" | 2008 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Dark Integers" | 2010 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | Won | |
| "Glory" | 2008 Hugo Award | Novelette | ||
| "Glory" | 2008 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Crystal Nights" | 2008 BFSA Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Crystal Nights" | 2009 Interzone Readers Poll | Story | ||
| "Crystal Nights" | 2009 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Crystal Nights" | 2011 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | ||
| "Lost Continent" | 2009 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| Dark Integers and Other Stories | 2009 Locus Award | Collection | ||
| Incandescence | 2009 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Incandescence | 2011 Italia Awards | International Novel | ||
| Incandescence | 2014 Seiun Award | Translated Long Work | ||
| Oceanic | 2010 Locus Award | Collection | ||
| "Hot Rock" | 2010 Locus Award | Novella | ||
| The Clockwork Rocket | 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards | Science Fiction | ||
| The Clockwork Rocket | 2012 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Zendegi | 2011 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| Zendegi | 2016 Seiun Award | Translated Long Work | ||
| The Eternal Flame | 2013 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| "Zero for Conduct" | 2014 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| The Arrows of Time | 2014 Locus Award | SF Novel | ||
| "Seventh Sight" | 2015 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Seventh Sight" | 2017 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | ||
| "Shadow Flock" | 2015 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "The Four Thousand, the Eight Hundred" | 2016 Locus Award | Novella | ||
| "The Four Thousand, the Eight Hundred" | 2016 Theodore Sturgeon Award | Short Science Fiction | ||
| "The Four Thousand, the Eight Hundred" | 2016 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novella | ||
| "The Four Thousand, the Eight Hundred" | 2017 Canopus Award | Short-Form Fiction | ||
| "Uncanny Valley" | 2017 BFSA Award | Short Fiction | ||
| "Uncanny Valley" | 2020 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | Won | |
| "The Discrete Charm of the Turing Machine" | 2018 Theodore Sturgeon Award | Short Science Fiction | ||
| "The Discrete Charm of the Turing Machine" | 2018 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "The Slipway" | 2019 Analog Readers Poll | Novelette | ||
| "3-adica" | 2019 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novella | ||
| The Best of Greg Egan | 2020 Locus Award | Collection | ||
| "Bit Players" | 2020 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | ||
| "This is Not The Way Home" | 2021 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | ||
| "Light Up the Clouds" | 2022 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novella | ||
| "Didicosm" | 2023 Analog Readers Poll | Novelette | ||
| "Solidity" | 2023 Asimov's Readers' Poll | Novelette | ||
| "Solidity" | 2023 Locus Award | Novelette | ||
| "Solidity" | 2024 Seiun Award | Translated Short Story | Won | |
| "Crisis Actors" | 2025 Seiun Awards | Translated Short Story |
Works
Novels
An Unusual Angle, Quarantine, Permutation City, Distress, Diaspora, Teranesia, Schild's Ladder, Incandescence, Zendegi, Dichronauts, Perihelion Summer, The Book of All Skies, Scale, Morphotrophic,Orthogonal trilogy
The Clockwork Rocket, The Eternal Flame, The Arrows of Time,Collections
Axiomatic,Our Lady of Chernobyl,
Luminous,
Dark Integers and Other Stories,
Crystal Nights and Other Stories,
Oceanic,
The Best of Greg Egan,
Instantiation,
Sleep and the Soul,
Phoresis and Other Journeys,
Excerpted
Diaspora:- * "Orphanogenesis" in Interzone issue 123, September 1997