Science Fiction Writer
ROBERT J. SAWYER
Hugo and Nebula Winner

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“At every opportunity, Sawyer forces his readers to think while holding their attention with ingenious premises and superlative craftsmanship.” —Booklist

“If there is one thing Sawyer’s books have in common, in addition to their overall excellence, it is his concern for morality and determining the right thing to do.” —SFRevu

“Sawyer combines the sheer fun and big ideas of the Golden Age of Science Fiction with modern, literate, flesh-and-blood characterization.” —The Ottawa Citizen

Just released! Rob's 25th novel!

In 2059 two very different groups have their minds uploaded into a quantum computer in Waterloo, Ontario. One group consists of astronauts preparing for Earth’s first interstellar voyage. The other? Convicted murderers, serving their sentences in a virtual-reality prison. But when disaster strikes, the astronauts and the prisoners must download back into physical reality and find a way to work together to save Earth from destruction ...

“The Downloaded absolutely sizzles with fascinating ideas.”
—Robert Charles Wilson, Hugo Award-winning author of Spin

“A wicked-smart thrill ride from start to finish. I loved it.”
—Sylvain Neuvel, bestselling author of A History of What Comes Next

“One of the best SF novels I’ve read in years.”
—Allen Steele, Hugo Award-winning author of Coyote

Or get signed copies:

“My favorite Sawyer book of all; a solid award contender!” —Amazing Stories

“You can call this alternate history or alternate astrophysics (or both). Whatever term you choose, it’s a terrific story.” —Eric Flint, author of 1632

“Science fiction fans will devour this smart speculative tale.” —Publishers Weekly

“An imaginative restructuring of a phantasmagoric life into an alternative phantasmagorical story. Oppenheimer fans will be intrigued.” —Martin J. Sherwin, co-author of American Prometheus, the basis for Christopher Nolan’s movie Oppenheimer

My Very Occasional Newsletter

“Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Sawyer’s latest work is a fast-moving, mind-stretching exploration of the nature of personality and consciousness; it balances esoteric speculation with action and character.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Science Fiction Thrillers

“Some thriller writers get you worried about the future. Sawyer makes the present perilous.”
—Linwood Barclay

• Red Planet Blues: Murder on the mean streets of Mars! • “A cause for celebration; a tour de force.” —Analog • Globe and Mail and Maclean’s Bestseller!

• Triggers: Someone is reading the president’s memories! • “A turbo-charged technothriller.” —Publishers Weekly • Globe and Mail and #1 Locus Bestseller!

• FlashForward: Basis for the ABC TV series! • “A thoroughly entertaining novel.” —CNN • Aurora Award winner!

Team Sawyer

You can now support me directly via my Patreon page — and receive exclusive perks, including lots of behind-the-scenes goodies such as my FlashForward script, sneak peeks at works in progress, and more. My most-generous patrons are the members of Team Sawyer, and I’m very, very grateful for their support:

Christopher Bair • Keith Ballinger • Kelly Barratt • Judith Bemis • Jennifer Blanchard • James Bow • Rhonda Bradley • Dr. Michael K. Brett-Surman • Bill Brooks • Wayne Brown • Matt Campbell • Matt Ceccato • Rev. Dr. James Christie • Phillip Clark • Christine V. Connell • Nancy T. Curriden • Robert M. David • Genevieve Doucette • Allison Dubarry • Hugh Gamble • Mike Geogiopolis • Gordon Getgood • Cynthia Haines • James Kerwin • Gregory Koch • Archie Kubacki • Matthew LeDrew • Adam Leon • Joel Lee Liberski • Kathe Lopez • Gillian Martin • Catharine McKeever • Cary Meriwether • Lisa Mishchenko • Christina Dawn Monroe • Arioch Morningstar • Kel N. • Anna Nelson • Shane P. Newton • The Nolan Family • Andrew Olsen • Ian Pedoe • Carolyn Collins Petersen • Bo Prince • Ken Ray • Carol Richards • Saul Rhymes • Fiona Reid Roma • Rahadyan Timoteo Sastrowardoyo • Robin Schumacher • Timothy W. Spencer • Andrew Tennant • Douglas Tindal • Miss R-Laurraine Tutihasi • Scott Wilson • Joshua Paul Wolff • Brian Wright • Len Zaifman

The WWW Trilogy

“Lately, I’ve been inspired by ideas from Robert J. Sawyer.”
—Artificial-intelligence pioneer Marvin Minsky

• WWW: Wake: Hugo finalist! • Starred Publishers Weekly review!

• WWW: Watch: Hal Clement Award winner! • Audie Award finalist!

• WWW: Wonder: #1 Canadian bestseller! • “This is Robert J. Sawyer at his very best.” —Analog

Hard Science Fiction Classics

“Cracking open a Robert J. Sawyer book is like getting a gift from a friend who visits all the strange and undiscovered places in the world. You can’t wait to see what he’s going to amaze you with this time.”
—John Scalzi

• The Terminal Experiment: A scientist discovers proof for the existence of the soul. • “A great story; a crackerjack novel.” —The Globe and Mail • Nebula Award winner!

• Illegal Alien: A courtroom drama with an extraterrestrial defendant. • “The best Canadian mystery of the year.” —The Globe and Mail • Winner of Japan’s top SF award!

• Starplex: The wormholes are open; discovery awaits. • “An epic hard-science adventure tempered by human concerns; highly recommended.” —Library Journal • Hugo and Nebula finalist!

Book Club Favorites

“Rob Sawyer has carried the banner of Asimovian science fiction into the twenty-first century.”
—Robert Charles Wilson

• Mindscan: A doomed man uploads his consciousness into an artificial body. • “In Sawyer’s capable grasp the story positively sings with humor, insight, and depth.” —SF Site • John W. Campbell Memorial Award winner!

• Calculating God: An alien lands in Toronto claiming to have proof for God’s existence. • “The best science-fiction novel of the year.” —Denver Rocky Mountain News • Hugo finalist and Audie winner!

• Rollback: An elderly couple undergoes a rejuvenation treatment — but it fails for one of them. • “A novel to be savoured by SF and mainstream readers alike.” —The Globe and Mail • Hugo Award finalist!

The Neanderthal Parallax Trilogy

The Hugo Award-winning HOMINIDS and its sequels

“Charming and provocative — some of the most outrageous, stimulating speculation since Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land questioned our tired, timid conventions.” —Publishers Weekly

The bestselling Neanderthal Parallax trilogy explores a version of Earth where Neanderthals survived to the present and we did not — and a portal that opens up between our world and theirs.

The Quintaglio Ascension Trilogy

Science battles religion with alien counterparts of Galileo, Darwin, and Freud

“In The Quintaglio Ascension Trilogy, Sawyer examines the sociological impacts of Galileo, Darwin, and Freud by following their equivalent breakthroughs in the evolution of an alien civilization. It is a thought experiment of extraordinary subtlety that that allows us to acknowledge the role of great thinkers and key paradigm shifts within our own culture. I highly recommend it.” —The Ottawa Review of Books

“Fresh, exhilarating. A dynamic and inspiring trilogy. Highly recommended.” —The Toronto Star

“An uncanny allegory of the human condition.” —Books in Canada

More Near-Future Thrillers

“Sawyer is a brilliant stylist who depicts daily-life events with a shattered worldview.”
—The Gainesville (Florida) Sun

• Factoring Humanity: Surf the collective unconscious. • “Sawyer’s finest novel to date. Scientifically plausible, fictionally intriguing and ethically important.” —New Scientist • Hugo Award finalist!

• Frameshift: A genetics thriller. • “Highly recommended.” —Library Journal • Hugo Award finalist!

The Novels That Launched Rob’s Career

“Sawyer has won himself an international readership by reinvigorating the traditions of hard science fiction.”
—National Post

• Golden Fleece: A murder mystery aboard a starship. • “Sawyer’s JASON is the deepest computer character in all of science fiction.” —Orson Scott Card • Aurora Award winner!

• End of an Era: Discover what really killed the dinosaurs. • “It’s not too much to say that this is one of the most accomplished SF novels of the last 10 years.” —Quill & Quire • Seiun Award winner!

Short-Story Collections

The Complete Short Fiction of Robert J. Sawyer

“Gobsmacking!” —Publishers Weekly

“Extraordinarily fresh!” —Analog

“Superlative craftsmanship!” —Booklist

Free Science Fiction!

Canada’s Highest Honours

Robert J. Sawyer, C.M., O.Ont., is a member of both The Order of Canada and the The Order of Ontario — respectively, the highest honours given by his country and by his province — and he is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

As such, he is entitled to display the honour bars shown above and to wear the medals shown below, and he is also entitled to use the Order of Canada postnominal initials C.M. (standing for “Courage and Merit”) and the Order of Ontario postnominal initials O.Ont. Rob was the first person admitted to either order specifically for work in the science-fiction field.

Selected Additional Honours

• According to the Locus Index to Science Fiction Awards, Robert J. Sawyer is the #1 all-time worldwide leader in number of award wins as a science-fiction or fantasy novelist (second place goes to China Miéville; Stephen King, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Connie Willis are tied for third place).

• Rob is also the #1 all-time leader in number of award nominations as a science-fiction or fantasy novelist (second place goes to Stephen King).

• Rob has won the top science fiction awards in the United States, China, France, Japan (three times), Spain (three times), and Canada (a record-setting fifteen times).

• Rob was a Guest of Honour at the 81st World Science Fiction Convention (the 2023 Worldcon).

• Among Rob’s honours (in order of receipt; click on links or images for more information):

  Arthur Ellis Award • Nebula Award • Alumni Award of Distinction • Hugo Award • Toronto Public Library Award • John W. Campbell Memorial Award • First Honorary Doctorate • China’s Galaxy Award • One of the CanLit 30 • Best SF&F Audiobook of the Year • Hal Clement Award • Humanism in the Arts Award • Unprecedented Aurora Award wins • RTA School of Media Wall of Fame • Academic Conference Held in Rob’s Honour • Lifetime Achievement Aurora Award • Skylark Award • Second Honorary Doctorate • Canadian SF&F Hall of Fame • Trading Card • 15 Aurora Awards — including Best of the Decade • Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississauga Arts Council • Legends Row: Mississauga's Walk of Fame • Robert A. Heinlein Award • Machine Intelligence Award • 2023 Worldcon Guest of Honour

Who is Robert J. Sawyer?

Robert J. Sawyer is one of only eight writers in history — and the only Canadian — to win all three of the world’s top Science Fiction awards for best novel of the year: the Hugo, the Nebula, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (the full list of such winners: Paolo Bacigalupi, David Brin, Arthur C. Clarke, Joe Haldeman, Frederik Pohl, Kim Stanley Robinson, Robert J. Sawyer, and Connie Willis), and he’s the first author in thirty years to receive a Lifetime Achievement Aurora Award.

Rob is also an award-winning scriptwriter and an in-demand keynote speaker.

“Robert J. Sawyer is just about the best science fiction writer out there these days.” —Denver Rocky Mountain News

“Robert J. Sawyer is by any measure one of the world’s leading (and most interesting) science-fiction writers.” —The Globe and Mail

“Robert J. Sawyer is a writer of boundless confidence and bold scientific extrapolation.” —The New York Times

“Robert J. Sawyer is one of the most inventive writers in current SF.” —Asimov's Science Fiction

“Robert J. Sawyer is the science fiction genre’s northern star — in fact, one of the hottest SF writers anywhere. By any reckoning Sawyer is among the most successful Canadian authors ever.” —Maclean’s: Canada’s Weekly Newsmagazine

“Robert J. Sawyer is on a par with giants like Asimov and Heinlein — and, perhaps more than any other science fiction writer working today, he understands that it’s a genre about ideas.” —Mystery News

“Robert J. Sawyer is one of the most popular and successful science fiction authors in the world today.” —Philosophy Now

“Robert J. Sawyer is one of the foremost science fiction writers of our generation.” —SF Site

“Robert J. Sawyer is the leader of SF’s next-generation pack.” —Barnes and Noble

“Robert J. Sawyer is one of the world’s most prominent science fiction writers.” —The Calgary Sun

“Robert J. Sawyer is arguably the world’s top science fiction writer.” —The Hamilton Spectator

“Robert J. Sawyer is the 21st century’s Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein, all in one.” —Ethical Society of Saint Louis

“Robert J. Sawyer is a highly successful and accomplished novelist, a gentle giant of a writer.” —The New York Review of Science Fiction

“Robert J. Sawyer is the dean of Canadian science fiction.” —CBC Radio

“Robert J. Sawyer is Canada’s leading SF author.” —Booklist

“Robert J. Sawyer is the current king of Canadian science fiction” —The Maine Edge (Bangor, Maine)

“Robert J. Sawyer is probably the best sci-fi writer Canada has ever produced.” —Planet S: Saskatoon’s City Magazine

“Robert J. Sawyer is Canada’s leading science fiction writer.” —Galaxy’s Edge

“Robert J. Sawyer is Canada’s premier science fiction writer.” —Quill & Quire

“Robert J. Sawyer is the dean of Canadian science fiction.” —The Ottawa Citizen

Rob’s books are #1 bestsellers in print:

• #1 on the Amazon.com Science Fiction Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Amazon.com Technothriller Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Amazon.ca Science Fiction Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Amazon.ca Alternative History Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Amazon.co.uk Science Fiction Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Ingram Spark Hard Science Fiction Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Locus Hardcover Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Locus Trade-Paperback Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Locus Mass-Market Paperback Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Calgary Herald Fiction Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix Hardcover Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix Paperback Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Winnipeg Free Press Hardcover Fiction Bestsellers’ List
• #1 on the Palm Beach Daily News Combined Fiction and Nonfiction Bestsellers’ List.

Rob’s novels are also #1 bestsellers in audio:

• #1 on the Audible.com Science Fiction Bestsellers’ List.

His novels have made numerous appearances on the two major top-ten national mainstream bestsellers’ lists in Canada, covering authors of all nationalities, reaching as high as:

• #3 on the Fiction Bestsellers’ List in Maclean’s: Canada’s Weekly Newsmagazine
• #7 on the Fiction Bestsellers’ List in The Globe and Mail: Canada’s National Newspaper.

And Sawyer titles have simultaneously been #4, #6, and #8 on the Edmonton Journal Fiction Bestsellers’ List.

At Bakka Phoenix Books, the world’s oldest extant science-fiction specialty bookstore, Rob’s books have been #1 on their lists of the bestselling books for the entire year a record-setting nine times:

• #1 seven times for hardcover
• #1 twice for paperback.

Listen: Sounds Like Canada radio interview (MP3)

There’s Lots More Here!

The first-ever science-fiction author website, established Wednesday, June 28, 1995, and most recently updated on Sunday, December 15, 2024.