William F. Temple
William F. Temple was a notable British science fiction writer and an influential figure in the early space exploration community. As a member of the British Interplanetary Society, he contributed significantly to the genre and served as editor of its Bulletin, showcasing his expertise in interplanetary flight. Temple began his writing career with a horror story in 1935 but is best known for his science fiction works, particularly "Four-Sided Triangle," which explores themes of love and identity through the concept of duplication. This story reflects a blend of romance with speculative technology, raising questions about individuality and memory. Published initially in 1939 and later expanded, it was also adapted into a film in 1953. Throughout his career, which spanned several decades, Temple published numerous stories in both British and American magazines and wrote young adult novels featuring a character named Martin Magnus. His contributions to the science fiction genre continue to be recognized, highlighting his role as a pioneer in exploring complex themes within speculative narratives.
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William F. Temple
Writer
- Born: March 9, 1914
- Birthplace: Woolwich, London, England
- Died: July 15, 1989
Biography
William Frederick Temple was described, on the book jacket of one of his stories in 1954, as “well known in England as an authoritative writer on interplanetary flight. At one time Editor of the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, he was one of the earliest members of the Society. His science-fiction stories have been appearing regularly in both British and American magazines.”
Temple became interested in science fiction (SF) before World War II and before becoming a writer. He was not only active as an SF fan but, like the better-known Arthur C. Clarke, his one-time housemate, Temple was a member of the British Interplanetary Society and even became editor of its Bulletin.
His first published fiction was a horror story, “The Kosso,” in Thrills, a 1935 anthology. His first SF story was “Lunar Lilliput” (1938), which appeared in Tales of Wonder.
His writing was interrupted by World War II, but his most famous story spans the war years. “Four-Sided Triangle” was originally published in 1939, in Amazing (the first all-SF magazine). Temple expanded it in 1949. The longer version appeared again in 1951, as number nine in a series of Galaxy novels in magazine format, chosen by the editors of Galaxy magazine. The series included many classics of the genre, such as Clarke’s own Prelude to Space; Isaac Asimov’s first novel, Pebble in the Sky; Jack Williamson’s classic Legion of Space; and many others.
The plot of Four-Sided Triangle centers on a young woman who is loved by two men, one of whom is working on a device which can duplicate anything, including a living person, as an exact replica. The woman chooses the other man, and the losing suitor decides to duplicate her so that he, too, can have the same woman. Unfortunately, the duplication process works too well; the duplicated woman’s memories are the same as the original, and she loves the same man as the original woman. While combining elements of a love story with some rather wild SF, the novel manages to ask if there would really be any difference between what we might now call a clone and the duplicated person. The novel was made into a movie in England as Four-Sided Triangle in 1953.
Temple also wrote a trio of young adult novels involving a hero named Martin Magnus. He continued publishing, having his stories published through 1996, seven years after his death.