How to Read Dean Ing's Books
Dean Ing was a master of combining his professional experience in aerospace engineering and communications theory with gripping, high-stakes narrative action. His bibliography features two distinct series, a major contribution to a shared science fiction universe, several posthumous completions of another author's drafts, and a wide array of standalone techno-thrillers. For most readers, starting with his core series in publication order is the most satisfying path, though there are specific standalones that make excellent entry points depending on your favorite genre.
Recommended Reading Paths
Depending on what drew you to Dean Ing's work, we recommend two main starting paths:
- For Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Fans: Start with the Quantrill Series, beginning with Systemic Shock (1981). This series shows Ing's foresight into societal collapse, survivalist preparation, and the psychological effects of war on a young protagonist.
- For Techno-Thriller Fans: Start with the Kyle Corbett / Aerospace Systems Series, beginning with the New York Times bestseller The Ransom of Black Stealth One (1989). This path is perfect if you love near-future political intrigue, stealth aircraft, and high-tech military hardware.
The Quantrill Series (Ted Quantrill Trilogy)
The Quantrill series is set in a near-future, post-apocalyptic America following a devastating nuclear conflict. The story is centered on Ted Quantrill, a young man recruited and shaped by a paranoid, theocratic government to serve as an assassin and agent. Ing uses this framework to explore gritty survival tactics, the fragility of modern infrastructure, and the moral compromises of survival.
We recommend reading these in publication order, which also matches the chronological sequence of Ted's life:
- Systemic Shock (1981): Introduces a young Ted Quantrill as he learns to adapt and kill to survive in a war-torn, authoritarian landscape.
- Single Combat (1983): Focuses on Ted's rebellion against the theocratic regime that created him, turning his training against his former masters.
- Wild Country (1985): Follows Ted into the lawless regions of the American Southwest as he attempts to forge a new life amidst anarchy.
The Kyle Corbett (Aerospace Systems) Series
If you prefer military techno-thrillers akin to the works of Tom Clancy, the Kyle Corbett series is your best bet. The books follow Corbett, an aging, ailing pilot who is on the run from federal authorities but gets blackmailed or recruited into secret government operations. The series showcases Ing's aerospace engineering background, highlighting realistic aerodynamics, stealth technology, and high-stakes espionage.
The recommended reading order is the publication order:
- The Ransom of Black Stealth One (1989): A renegade engineer steals an advanced, radar-invisible stealth aircraft, forcing Corbett to track it down.
- The Nemesis Mission (1991): Corbett and his team, including Petra Leigh and Raoul "Speedy" Medina, confront a drug cartel utilizing advanced aeronautics.
- Butcher Bird (1993): The team tackles a new aerospace threat involving ultra-advanced, stealthy combat drones.
The Known Space Universe: Man-Kzin Wars
Dean Ing made a lasting contribution to Larry Niven's collaborative Known Space series. His stories focus on Carroll Locklear, a human ethologist who is captured by the warlike, felinoid Kzinti and stranded on a mysterious, artificial planet designed as a galactic zoo. Locklear must use his understanding of animal behavior to survive among primitive humans, Neanderthals, and ancient Kzinti.
You can read these stories in two ways:
- The Collected Volume: Read Cathouse (1990), which compiles both of Ing's key novellas, Cathouse (originally published in 1988's The Man-Kzin Wars) and its direct sequel Briar Patch (originally published in 1989's Man-Kzin Wars II).
- Within the Anthologies: Read The Man-Kzin Wars (1988) first, followed by Man-Kzin Wars II (1989) to see how Ing's work fits alongside stories by other authors in the same universe.
Collaborations and Mack Reynolds Completions
Following the death of science fiction writer Mack Reynolds in 1983, Dean Ing was tasked with editing and finishing several of Reynolds' uncompleted manuscripts. These books blend Reynolds' focus on utopian/dystopian socio-economics with Ing's practical action and engineering details. They are all standalone novels and can be read in any order:
- The Other Time (1984): An archaeologist is accidentally transported back in time to the Aztec Empire, attempting to alter history using modern knowledge.
- Eternity (1984): A sci-fi novel exploring themes of immortality, corporate control, and societal division.
- Home Sweet Home 2010 A.D. (1984): A satirical, speculative look at future housing, transport, and communal living under extreme ecological and economic pressure.
- Trojan Orbit (1985): Focuses on political and industrial sabotage on an early space station construction project.
- Deathwish World (1986): Set in a resource-depleted future where citizens take out lucrative "Deathwish" policies, allowing paid assassins to hunt them for public entertainment.
Essential Standalone Novels and Survivalist Guides
Beyond his series, Ing wrote many standalone thrillers that highlight self-reliance, technical ingenuity, and survival. Many of these works serve as perfect entry points if you want to sample his writing style before committing to a series.
Pulling Through (1983) / The Rackham Files (2004)
Perhaps his most famous standalone, Pulling Through is a post-nuclear strike survival story. What makes it unique is that the second half of the book is a factual, non-fiction manual detailing how to construct working radiation detectors (Kearny Fallout Meters) and air filters using household items. In 2004, this work was expanded and re-released as The Rackham Files, which contains the original story alongside other related survivalist fiction and guides.
Other Notable Standalones
- Soft Targets (1979): A suspenseful thriller exploring how global media and communications could be weaponized by international terrorist groups.
- Anasazi (1980): A science fiction tale about ancient aliens influencing Native American history.
- Blood of Eagles (1987): A contemporary thriller involving hidden gold, search-and-rescue operations, and wilderness survival in the Pacific Northwest.
- Loose Cannon (2000): A lighter, fast-paced techno-thriller about a Silicon Valley engineer on the run from corporate and federal enemies.
- It's Up to Charlie Hardin (2015): Ing's final published novel, which acts as a nostalgic, dark coming-of-age mystery set in the mid-20th century.
Dean Ing's Non-Fiction
Ing's real-world expertise in space policy and aeronautics culminated in two major collaborative non-fiction books. These books are fascinating companions for readers who want to understand the scientific theories behind his fiction:
- Mutual Assured Survival (1984): Co-authored with Jerry Pournelle, this book was based on meetings of the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy. It advocated for defensive space technologies during the Cold War.
- Future of Flight (1985): Co-authored with Leik Myrabo, this book outlines futuristic aerospace engineering concepts, detailing how human transport might evolve.