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David Brin at the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)'s CFP 2005 conference. Image by Glogger.
David Brin is an American Science Fiction writer, creator of the Uplift universe. He is also the author of a highly amusing (and packed end to end with puns and references) novel called The Practice Effect, and wrote the storyline to Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future.
Brin gained a measure of notoriety among Star Wars fans for printing a blisteringly critical series of essays regarding that universe's philosophies and messages. These were later compiled into a book with Matt Stover called Star Wars On Trial.
Works written by David Brin include:
- Uplift series
- The Postman
- Kiln People
- The Transparent Society (non-fiction, won the American Library Association's Freedom of Speech Award in 2000)
David Brin provides examples of the following tropes:
- Absent Aliens: A recurring theme; two instances are the short stories "The Crystal Spheres" and "Lungfish".
- Aesoptinum: "The Giving Plague"
- Cyberpunk and Post Cyber Punk: A recurring theme (expressly stated in his nonfiction) is that the choice between Cyberpunk and Post Cyber Punk depends on whether we try to restrict the benefits of technology to the "proper authorities" or make them available to everyone.
- Immortal Life Is Cheap: Explored in Kiln People, in which people download their personalities into short-lived clay golems which they use for work and pleasure. While these golems are regarded as totally expendable, no-one risks their real self any more, and for someone to suffer even minor injury is quite a scandal.
- Powered by a Forsaken Child:
- The key to the Big Bad's plan in Kiln People.
- In "Thor Meets Captain America", the Nazi Holocaust was an ambitious and successful attempt at industrial-scale necromancy.
- Rule of Fun: Makes it clear that his Star Wars On Trial articles are primarily for fun even if they're written as Serious Business.