John T. Phillifent
A British engineer who built reliably entertaining space operas — most of them under another name.
John T. Phillifent was a British electrical engineer and science-fiction author who published much of his work under the pen name John Rackham. A steady professional of the Ace Doubles era, he turned out the kind of unpretentious, readable space opera that filled the genre's paperback heyday.
Many of his novels appeared as Ace Doubles, paired back-to-back with another author's work, including titles like We, the Venusians and Danger from Vega. Under his own name he wrote some of his most ambitious books, such as Hierarchies and the planetary adventure King of Argent. He even contributed three novels to the Man from U.N.C.L.E. tie-in line, and his thinking about the genre prompted Frederik Pohl to coin a "Rackham's Law" about the science-fiction method itself.
Expect brisk, competent, classically constructed adventure from a dependable craftsman. Phillifent is a solid pick for readers who enjoy the workhorse space opera of mid-century SF — and the individual book pages are the best guide to each particular outing.
- For fans of classic Ace Doubles-era space opera
- Brisk, competent adventure
- A dependable mid-century craftsman
