René Barjavel was born on January 24, 1911, in Nyons, France. His father was a baker, his grandparents were peasants and his origins influenced his work.

Barjavel is still a relatively unknown writer outside France: just a few of his novels have been translated into other languages, making it impossible to give a complete opinion on his work. Inevitably a pessimistic novel such as “Ravage” may discourage readers from seeking more of his stories that could provide a deeper insight into René Barjavel’s ideas and how they evolved out of the dark time of the war.

Algirdas Jonas Budrys was born on January 9, 1931 in Königsberg, East Prussia. His father was consul general of the exiled Lithuanian government and in 1936 his family found sanctuary in the U.S.A., where he lived for the rest of his life.

Algis Budrys died from cancer on June 9, 2008.

Psychological development is very important in Algis Budrys’ stories: action is generally limited and it just leads to consequences on the characters’ minds. His attention to the characters’ development brought him the critics’ favor, not always the general public appreciation yet his stories are interesting to read for that very reason.