Maurice Limat
Encyclopedia
Maurice Limat was a French
author
of science fiction
.
His œuvre, particularly abundant, was published primarily by publisher Fleuve Noir. He used a variety of pseudonym
s, notably Maurice Lionel, Maurice d'Escrignelles, and Lionel Rex.
] (1936) and Les Naufragés de la Voie Lactée [The Castaways of the Milky Way
] (1939), with a style that was reminiscent of the type of science fiction published before or just after World War I
.
During that period, the prolific Limat also authored a number of adventure novel
s with fantasy
elements such as La Montagne aux Vampires [The Mountain of Vampires] (1936), about a man who could control vampire
s, L'Araignée d'Argent [The Silver Spider] (1936), featuring a robot
ic spider
created by an Ancient civilization, Le Septième Cerveau [The Seventh Brain] (1939), Le Zodiaque de l'Himalaya [The Zodiac Of The Himalaya] (1942) and La Comète Écarlate [The Scarlet Comet
] (1948), to name but a few.
During the 1950s, Limat wrote more science fiction novels, such as Les Faiseurs de Planètes [The Planet Makers] (1951), Comète 73 [Comet 73] (1953), Courrier Interplanétaire [Interplanetary Courrier] (1953) and Le Mal des Étoiles [Star Sickness] (1954), disguising his abundant production with various pseudonyms.
During 1955, he contributed SOS Galaxie [SOS Galaxy] to the imprint Série 2000 and then wrote Monsieur Cosmos (1956) which dealt with the theme of the macrocosmic man, creator of universes. His novels began to display the influence of American "space operas".
By the time he began writing for the Anticipation imprint
of Editions Fleuve Noir, during 1959, Limat was already a veteran writer.
Les Enfants du Chaos [The Children Of Chaos] (1959), in which men use psychic
powers to create a world, but then ask themselves whether they have earned the right to play God
, is somewhat characteristic of his subsequent production.
Limat continued to be a prolific writer, authoring numerous, lyrical, sometimes even religious, space operas for Fleuve Noir—107 in total, until Atoxa-des-Abysses [Atoxa-Of-The-Abyss] (1987)—as well as some horror
novels for Fleuve Noir's Angoisse imprint, which featured as main character a detective
of the supernatural
, Teddy Verano.
Limat introduced the character of futuristic police commissioner
Robin Muscat in Les Foudroyants [The Lightning Men] (No. 164; 1960), in which a hapless young man is turned into an electromagnetic force. His most popular, long-running hero was the green-eyed, telepathic Chevalier Coqdor introduced in L'Étoile de Satan [The Star Of Satan] (No. 241; 1964). Muscat and Coqdor often teamed with each other and were featured, separately or together, in a great number of subsequent novels. The Chevalier Coqdor adventures usually celebrated the power of love and tolerance, and a genuine belief in God, the Great Architect of the Universe, something unusual in science fiction.
New stories featuring Chevalier Coqdor are now written by Jean-Michel Archaimbault & Jean-Marc Lofficier
. http://www.riviereblanche.com/coqdor.htm
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.
His œuvre, particularly abundant, was published primarily by publisher Fleuve Noir. He used a variety of pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
s, notably Maurice Lionel, Maurice d'Escrignelles, and Lionel Rex.
Overview
Maurice Limat published science fiction novels such as Les Fiancés de la Planète Mars [The Fiancés of Planet MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
] (1936) and Les Naufragés de la Voie Lactée [The Castaways of the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
] (1939), with a style that was reminiscent of the type of science fiction published before or just after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
During that period, the prolific Limat also authored a number of adventure novel
Adventure novel
The adventure novel is a genre of novels that has adventure, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger, as its main theme.-History:...
s with fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
elements such as La Montagne aux Vampires [The Mountain of Vampires] (1936), about a man who could control vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s, L'Araignée d'Argent [The Silver Spider] (1936), featuring a robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
ic spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
created by an Ancient civilization, Le Septième Cerveau [The Seventh Brain] (1939), Le Zodiaque de l'Himalaya [The Zodiac Of The Himalaya] (1942) and La Comète Écarlate [The Scarlet Comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
] (1948), to name but a few.
During the 1950s, Limat wrote more science fiction novels, such as Les Faiseurs de Planètes [The Planet Makers] (1951), Comète 73 [Comet 73] (1953), Courrier Interplanétaire [Interplanetary Courrier] (1953) and Le Mal des Étoiles [Star Sickness] (1954), disguising his abundant production with various pseudonyms.
During 1955, he contributed SOS Galaxie [SOS Galaxy] to the imprint Série 2000 and then wrote Monsieur Cosmos (1956) which dealt with the theme of the macrocosmic man, creator of universes. His novels began to display the influence of American "space operas".
By the time he began writing for the Anticipation imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
of Editions Fleuve Noir, during 1959, Limat was already a veteran writer.
Les Enfants du Chaos [The Children Of Chaos] (1959), in which men use psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
powers to create a world, but then ask themselves whether they have earned the right to play God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, is somewhat characteristic of his subsequent production.
Limat continued to be a prolific writer, authoring numerous, lyrical, sometimes even religious, space operas for Fleuve Noir—107 in total, until Atoxa-des-Abysses [Atoxa-Of-The-Abyss] (1987)—as well as some horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
novels for Fleuve Noir's Angoisse imprint, which featured as main character a detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
of the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
, Teddy Verano.
Limat introduced the character of futuristic police commissioner
Police commissioner
Commissioner is a senior rank used in many police forces and may be rendered Police Commissioner or Commissioner of Police. In some organizations, the commissioner is a political appointee, and may or may not actually be a professional police officer. In these circumstances, there is often a...
Robin Muscat in Les Foudroyants [The Lightning Men] (No. 164; 1960), in which a hapless young man is turned into an electromagnetic force. His most popular, long-running hero was the green-eyed, telepathic Chevalier Coqdor introduced in L'Étoile de Satan [The Star Of Satan] (No. 241; 1964). Muscat and Coqdor often teamed with each other and were featured, separately or together, in a great number of subsequent novels. The Chevalier Coqdor adventures usually celebrated the power of love and tolerance, and a genuine belief in God, the Great Architect of the Universe, something unusual in science fiction.
New stories featuring Chevalier Coqdor are now written by Jean-Michel Archaimbault & Jean-Marc Lofficier
Jean-Marc Lofficier
Jean-Marc Lofficier is a French author of books about films and television programs, as well as numerous comic books and translations of a number of animation screenplays. He usually collaborates with his wife, Randy Lofficier .-Biography:Jean-Marc Lofficier was born in Toulon, France in 1954...
. http://www.riviereblanche.com/coqdor.htm