Bob Buckley

I've been thinking about Mars stories that I've enjoyed, such as Ben Bova's Mars or Kim Stanley Robinson's trilogy.

I recall reading several by an author named Bob Buckley in Analog in the 70's, e.g., "Encounter Below Tharsis" (1974) and "The Hunters of Tharsis" (1975). According to a website where I found biographical data, it appears he hasn't written anything for several years.

Anybody ever hear of him? Know what happened to him? Know if he's still around?

Addendum: May 16, 2007: Since I first wrote that entry, it appears that Mr. Buckley has put up a website. That's the good news. The bad news is that there doesn't appear to be any way of contacting him through the website, nor does there appear to be a contact address listed anywhere. Some of his stories are available in electronic format (but via an e-publisher who seems more interested in making things difficult than helping the customer!).

Addendum: April 18, 2008: I was contacted by Mr. Buckley! He says... "Hi Fred, glad you enjoyed my stories about Mars. I'm writing for a broadband satellite communications company and they have been keeping me too busy to write fiction. When I retire I'll have time to get back to the ol' word processor. I'm still active in the SFWA, however."

Runaway Star

Jack Williamson's classic Legion of Space novel features Barnard's Runaway Star and the evil Medusae who inhabit that system invading Earth. John W. Campbell Jr.'s The Black Star Passes also features a invading star. E.E. "Doc" Smith did both one better and had the planets in two galaxies form when those two galaxies "collided".

Here's a star (for real) that's being flung from our galaxy at over 1.5 million miles per hour.