Gillian Rubinstein
Gillian Rubinstein (born 29 August 1942) is an English-born children's author and playwright. Her award-winning and hugely popular 1986 debut Space Demons introduced the themes of growing up and fantasy worlds which emerge often in her other writings. Books such as At Ardilla, Foxspell and Galax-Arena all received critical acclaim and multiple awards.
Also recorded as Lian Hearn · Gillian Margaret Hanson
Gillian Rubinstein
- Born
- 1942. · Potten End.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom.
- Occupation
- writer, novelist, film critic, journalist and editing staff.
- Education
- University of Oxford.
- Honours
- Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel, Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis and Peter Pan prize.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Gillian Rubinstein (born 29 August 1942) is an English-born children's author and playwright. Her award-winning and hugely popular 1986 debut Space Demons introduced the themes of growing up and fantasy worlds which emerge often in her other writings. Books such as At Ardilla, Foxspell and Galax-Arena all received critical acclaim and multiple awards.
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Gillian Rubinstein (born 1942) is a British children's writer, editing staff and film critic, among other activities. The children's writer was born in Potten End. Gillian Rubinstein is also known as Lian Hearn.
Gillian Rubinstein studied at University of Oxford. The children's writer lived in Goolwa.
Languages used include English. Gillian Rubinstein received Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel, Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis and Peter Pan prize.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q263599 · wikipedia · Gillian Rubinstein
In this article
Writing as Gillian Rubinstein
Writing as Gillian Rubinstein
In 2001, Rubinstein published Across the Nightingale Floor, the first of the best-selling three-book series Tales of the Otori series under the pseudonym Lian Hearn. The series is set in a fictional island nation resembling feudal Japan. The name 'Lian', comes from a childhood nickname and 'Hearn' apparently refers to herons which are a prominent theme in the series. It has also been suggested that the surname is most likely borrowed from Lafcadio Hearn; one of the first Western writers to tackle Japanese mythology. Rubinstein currently resides in Mullumbimby, New South Wales.
Space Demons (1987) Beyond the Labyrinth (1988) Skymaze (1989) At Ardilla (Omnibus Books, 1991) Answers to Brut (Omnibus Books, 1991) Galax-Arena (Hyland House, 1992) (2nd edition 2001) Mr Plunkett's pool (Random House Australia, 1992), illustrated by Terry Denton Keep Me Company (Viking, 1992), illustrated by Lorraine Hannay Dog in, Cat Out (Ticknor & Fields, 1993), illustrated by Ann James Foxspell (Hyland House, 1994) Jake and Pete (Random House Australia, 1995), illustrated by Terry Denton The Giant's Tooth (Puffin, 1995), illustrated by Craig Smith Peanut the ponyrat (Heinemann, 1995) Annie's Brother's Suit (Hyland House, 1996) Witch Music and other stories (Hyland House, 1996) Shinkei (Omnibus Books, 1996) Sharon, keep your hair on (Random House Australia, 1996), illustrated by David Mackintosh Under the Cat's Eye (Hodder Headline, 1997) Jake and Pete and the stray dogs Random House Australia, 1997), illustrated by Terry Denton Each beach (Box Press, 1998) illustrations by Mark Sofilas Hooray for the Kafe Karaoke (Random House Australia, 1998), pictures by David Mackintosh The Pirates' Ship (Puffin Books, 1998), illustrated by Craig Smith The Fairy's Wings (Puffin Books, 1998), illustrated by Craig Smith Pure Chance (Walker Books, 1998), illustrations by Caroline Binch Ducky's nest (Random House Australia, 1999), illustrated by Terry Denton The Mermaid of Bondi Beach (Hodder Children's Books, 1999), illustrated by Anna Pignataro Jake & Pete and the Catcrowbats (Random House Australia, 1999), illustrated by Terry Denton Jake and Pete and the magpie's wedding (Random House Australia, 2000), with Terry Denton Terra-Farma (Viking, 2001) Prue Theroux: the cool librarian (Random House Australia, 2001), illustrated by David Mackintosh The Whale's Child (Hodder Headline Australia, 2002)
Main sequence
Main sequence
Across the Nightingale Floor (2002) Grass for His Pillow (2003) Brilliance of the Moon (2004) The Harsh Cry of the Heron (2006)
Prequel
Prequel
Heaven's Net is Wide (2007)
Other works
Other works
"His Kikuta Hands" (2016) is a short story expanding on a scene in Brilliance of the Moon
Children of the Otori
Children of the Otori
Orphan Warriors (2020) Sibling Assassins (2020) "Wine, Knife, Sword - A Tale from the Eight Islands" (2018, free ebook), short story, background to Orphan Warriors
The Tale of Shikanoko
The Tale of Shikanoko
Emperor of the Eight Islands (April 2016) Autumn Princess, Dragon Child (June 2016) Lord of the Darkwood (August 2016) The Tengu's Game of Go (September 2016) The Tale of Shikanoko series is set in the Otori universe, several centuries prior to the Tales of the Otori.
Stand-alone novels
Stand-alone novels
The Storyteller and His Three Daughters (2013) Blossoms and Shadows (2014)
Writing as G.M. Hanson
Writing as G.M. Hanson
"See Nikko and Die", story in Love Lies Bleeding: A Crimes for Summer Anthology, edited by Jennifer Rowe
Anthologies edited by Gillian Rubinstein
Anthologies edited by Gillian Rubinstein
After Dark: Seven Tales to Read at Night (Omnibus/Puffin, 1988) Before Dawn: More Tales to Read at Night (Omnibus/Puffin, 1988)
Contributions
Contributions
New introduction as Lian Hearn for Japan and Her People, by Anna Hartshorne, Jetlag Press, 2007. Edited by Brent Massey and Christopher E. West.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1942
Gillian Rubinstein born at Potten End.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Goolwa.
Residences
Potten End.
Birth place
Awards
Children's Peace Literature Award 1987 Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis 2004
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.hertfordshire-genealogy. Potten End (A Guide to Old Hertfordshire).
- 2.Austlit. Rubenstein, Gillian.
- 3.Gillian Rubinstein. Gillian Rubinstein: About Me - Personal Biography.
- 4.BookBrowse. "Lian Hearn".
- 5.AustralianAuthors. "Lian Hearn".
- 6.William G. Contento. Mystery Short Fiction: 1990-2006.
- 7.Children's Peace Literature Award. AustLit.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,078 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Gillian AllnuttAuthor
- Gillian ConoleyAuthor
- Gillian FlynnAuthor
- Gillian McCainAuthor
- Gillian VigmanAuthor
- Gillian WigmoreAuthor
- Gim YujeongAuthor
- Gina Athena UlysseAuthor
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