Albin O. Kuhn Library & Gallery

Brian C. Daley papers - Biographical Note

Brian Charles Daley was born in Englewood, New Jersey on December 22, 1947. An avid reader from an early age and a lover of science fiction, Daley became a New York Times bestselling author for his contributions to the science fiction genre. After graduating from Northern Valley Regional High School in 1965, he joined the army. He served a year long tour of duty in Vietnam and served the rest of his service in Berlin, Germany. Upon his return to the United States, Daley went to Jersey City State College, majoring in media. While completing his studies he wrote his first novel, The Doomfarers of Coramonde (1977). Like many of his generation, Brian Daley was elated when the first Star Wars movie came out. Fundamentally changed by the experience, Daley would go on to write the first Star Wars spin-off novels, and adapt the original Star Wars film trilogy into a series of radio dramas for NPR. Throughout his professional writing career, Daley wrote a number of novels, radio broadcasts, short stories, and contributed to a group of animated series. Daley also wrote under the pseudonym "Jack McKinney" with his friend, James Luceno. Together they would write the Robotech novels and the Black Hole Travel Agency series. Daley died of pancreatic cancer in his Maryland home on February 11, 1996, the same night that the cast of the NPR radio drama, Return of the Jedi, toasted him at their wrap party. He was survived by his partner of 14 years, historical fiction author Lucia St. Clair Robson.

Timetable of Works:

Coramonde Duology:

The Doomfarers of Coramonde (1977)
The Starfollowers of Coramonde (1979)

The Han Solo Adventures:

Han Solo at Stars' End (1979)
Han Solo's Revenge (1979)
Han Solo and the Lost Legacy (1980)

NPR Star Wars Dramatizations:

Episode IV: A New Hope (1981)
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1983)
Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (1997)

Tron (novelization of the movie, 1982)

A Tapestry of Magic (1983)

The Adventures of Hobart Floyt and Alacrity Fitzhugh:

Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds (1985)
Jinx on a Terran Inheritance (1985)
Fall of the White Ship Avatar (1986)

Robotech Series (written as Jack McKinney):

Robotech
   No. 1 Genesis (1987)
   No. 2 Battle Cry (1987)
   No. 3 Homecoming (1987)
   No.4 Battle hymn (1987)
   No.5 Force of Arms (1987)
   No.6 Doomsday (1987)
   No.7 Southern Cross (1987)
   No.8 Metal Fire (1987)
   No.9 The Final Nightmare (1987)
   No.10 Invid Invasion (1987)
   No.11 Metamorphosis (1987)
   No.12 Symphony of Light (1987)
   No.18 The End of the Circle (1990)
   No.19 The Zentraedi Rebellionv (1994)
   No.20 The Masters' Gambit (1995)
   No.21 Before the Invid Storm (1996)
The Sentinels
  No. 1 The Devil's Hand (1988)
   No. 2 Dark Powers (1988)
   No. 3 Death Dance (1988)
   No. 4 World Killers (1988)
   No. 5 Rubicon (1988)

Kaduna Memories (written as Jack McKinney, 1990)

The Black Hole Travel Agency (written as Jack McKinney):

Event Horizon (1991)
Artifact of the System (1991)
Free Radicals (1992)
Hostile Takeover (1994)

Gamma L.A.W. (published posthumously):

Smoke on the Water (1997)
Screaming Across the Sky (1998)
The Broken Country (1998)
To Water's End (1999)