David Weber, M.A.

David Weber, M.A. was born in Cleveland, Ohio on October 24, 1952. He is an American science fiction and fantasy author and has written several science fiction and fantasy books series, the best known of which is the Honor Harrington science fiction series.

David began writing while in fifth grade. Some of his first jobs within the writing/advertising world began after high school when he worked as copywriter, typesetter, proofreader, and paste-up artist. He later earned an undergraduate degree and M.A. in history from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

David’s first published novels grew out of his work as a wargame designer for the Task Force game Starfire. He wrote short stories set in the Starfire universe for Task Force Games’ Nexus magazine, and wrote the Starfire novel Insurrection (1990) with Steve White after Nexus was canceled. This book was the first in a tetralogy that continued through their last collaboration, The Shiva Option (2002), which made The New York Times Best Seller List.

David was influenced by C. S. Forester, Patrick O’Brian, Keith Laumer, H. Beam Piper, Robert A. Heinlein, Roger Zelazny, Christopher Anvil, and Anne McCaffrey. He has in turn influenced such writers as Steve White, John Ringo, Eric Flint, and Walter Jon Williams.

David’s novels range from epic fantasy (Oath of Swords, The War God’s Own) to space opera (Path of the Fury, The Armageddon Inheritance) to alternate history (1632 series with Eric Flint) and military science fiction with in-depth characterization.

A lifetime military history buff, David has carried his interest of history into his fiction. He is said to be interested in most periods of history, with a strong emphasis on the military and diplomatic aspects.

David prefers to write about strong characters. He develops a character’s background story in advance in considerable detail because he wants to achieve that degree of comfort level with the character. David has said he writes primarily in the evenings and at night.

David says he makes an effort to accept as many invitations to science fiction conferences and conventions as he can, because he finds the direct feedback from readers that he gets at conventions extremely useful. He makes a habit of Tuckerizing people from fandom, particularly in the Honor Harrington books (see, e.g., Jordin Kare).

In 2008, David donated his archive to the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University.

David and his wife, Sharon, live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and “a passel of dogs”.

In a video interview, David said he is a United Methodist lay preacher, and that he tries to explore in his writing how religions (both real-life and fictional) can be forces for good on the one hand, and misused to defend evil causes on the other.

David belongs to the American Small Business Association, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (“SFWA”), and the NRA.

You can read David’s Free Stories at Baen Free Library.

His most important book series among others are Assiti Shards/Ring of Fire (1633: Ring of Fire and 1634: The Baltic War), Dahak, Empire of Man, Honorverse, Honor Harrington, Manticore Ascendant, Multiverse, Safehold, Starfire, War God, and many others. For a more detailed view of his work visit his Bibliography page.

Follow him on Twitter, view his personal Facebook page, and join his Facebook group. Visit his homepage.