Quick Dip: John Varley
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John Varley is a prominent science fiction author known for his unique narrative style and imaginative storytelling. His work is celebrated for its groundbreaking concepts, as well as his deep exploration of futuristic themes: space travel, human evolution, and gender. The "Eight Worlds" series' popularity centers around "The Ophiuchi Hotline", a book that explores the expulsion of humans from Earth as aliens take over, investigating how humanity could survive. Another great book from the series is "Steel Beach", where the moon is populated by humans after the alien invasion. Varley's expert confluence of hard fiction and engaging characters has afforded him a loyal following. Perhaps his best work of art, the "Gaea Trilogy", is praised for its worldbuilding and complex themes of authority, gender, and consciousness.
Did you know that the main character in the Gaean Trilogy, Cirocco, was named after one of John Varley's sheltie dogs?
Image Credit: Cirocco – John Varley
John Varley has always been fond of Shetland Sheepdogs, and this particular sheltie lived to be 19 years old!
John Varley was born on August 9, 1947, in Austin, Texas. He grew up during the "space race" era, and he was intrigued by science and technology. A time in which the genre was entering a new era of innovation, counterculture themes, and exploration. What a time to be alive! It surely shows that this formidable time influenced Varley's writing.
Varley attended Michigan State University with plans to study engineering or science, but he eventually shifted his focus, experimenting with different ideas. Ultimately, he didn't finish his degree, leaving college in the late 1960s. During this time, he embraced the countercultural movement, briefly living in Haight-Ashbury in San Fransico during its peak as a center of alternative culture. He was exposed to diverse ideas, philosophies, and alternative lifestyles - many of which would later influence his work, particularly his themes of social and personal freedom, autonomy, and gender fluidity. It was also during the late 60s and early 70s that Varley became serious about writing science fiction.
His early work was influenced by the genre's New Wave movement, which emphasized literary experimentation and bold, progressive themes. Robert A. Heinlein, Philip K. Dick, and Harlan Ellison shaped his early perspective. He admired how they used science fiction to investigate complex, often controversial ideas. Varley's first story, "Picnic on Nearside," was published in 1974 and he soon gained recognition for his imagination and boundary-pushing style. By 1976 he was awarded the Hugo Award for his short story "Air Raid", which was later fleshed out into a full novel "Millennium" (1983). This early success catapulted into the sci-fi community as a new, daring voice. The 70's proved to be a breakout era for Varley, during which he created his well-known "Eight Worlds" universe, and set the stage for his influential Gaean Trilogy and other works.
One of his most controversial themes for his time included gender and social norms. He pushed boundaries not yet fully explored in the 70s and 80s. His work is particularly notable for envisioning futures where gender is fluid, sexuality is diverse, and traditional social structures are fundamentally altered by technology, and cultural shifts. In the "Eight Worlds" series, set in a distant future where humanity has been scattered across the solar system, and have embraced a new society where one has the ability to change gender, appearance, and even biological functions at will. Characters in the universe frequently change gender and appearance, viewing these choices as natural extension of personal identity. They often switch genders multiple times throughout their lives, without societal sigma.
Beyond that, Varley's work also embraces a wide variety of sexual orientations and relationship structures, depicting poly, pan, and open relationships. His characters move beyond conventional monogamy, forming relationships based on choice, mutual benefit, and emotional compatibility rather than tradition. In Varley's future societies, gender and sexuality are not seen as fixed but as mutable parts of the human experience, allowing his characters to pursue deeper, more varied connections. The "Gaean Triology" features a level of sexual freedom and exploration that was rare in the sci-fi of the 70s and 80s. Gaea's inhabitants engage in a wide variety of sexual practices, often without the social taboos and restrictions present in contemporary human society. Varley’s approach to gender in the Gaean Trilogy goes beyond the typical male-female binary, offering characters and species that embody and experience gender in unique ways. Gaea’s ecosystem is populated with sentient beings who, because of Gaea’s influence, exist outside of human notions of fixed gender. For example, some species and characters can alter their physical forms to embody different genders or even merge traits from various genders. This fluidity extends to Gaea herself, who embodies a blend of maternal and paternal traits and shifts between motherly nurturer, manipulative creator, and an egotistical goddess, defying traditional expectations of a singular “female” or “male” authority figure.
Varley's work remains relevant in today's conversations about gender, sexuality, and identity - his visions of futuristic societies challenge readers to question their assumptions about what is "natural" or "necessary" in human relationships and self-concepts. He presents a future where humans have embraced individuality in a profound way, fostering a society that values innovation, diversity, and adaptability. By doing so, he manifests questions about our own society's limitations, encouraging readers to imagine a world that embraces rather than suppress human complexity.
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Also, please check out John Varley - Science Fiction Writer - the best place for updates and news about John Varley!