author
Tom Godwin
1915–1980
Best known for the chilling classic "The Cold Equations," this American science fiction writer built stark, memorable stories around hard choices and the unforgiving logic of space. His work from the 1950s through the 1970s still stands out for its tension and moral bite.
8 Audiobooks
The Last Victory
by Tom Godwin
The Nothing Equation
by Tom Godwin
—And Devious the Line of Duty
by Tom Godwin
Cry from a Far Planet
by Tom Godwin
Brain Teaser
by Tom Godwin
The Helpful Hand of God
by Tom Godwin
The Barbarians
by Tom Godwin
Space Prison
by Tom Godwin
About the author
Tom Godwin was an American science fiction writer, born on June 6, 1915, and active mainly from the 1950s into the 1970s. He published around thirty short stories and three novels, but his reputation rests most strongly on his short fiction, especially the widely discussed 1954 story The Cold Equations.
That story became one of the best-known pieces of mid-century science fiction, remembered for its harsh premise and controversial ending. Godwin also wrote novels including The Survivors, later published as Space Prison, and its sequel The Space Barbarians.
Accounts of his life describe it as difficult and marked by illness and hardship, which may help explain the toughness and gravity often felt in his fiction. Even with a relatively small body of work, he remains a notable name in classic science fiction because his best stories are still able to provoke strong reactions from readers.