Photo: Larry D. Moore / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
As a science fiction reader, I am genuinely in awe of Martha Wells. The Murderbot Diaries, narrated by a misanthropic security unit that just wants to watch its shows, is one of the smartest character creations in modern SF. Sweeping the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards repeatedly between 2018 and 2021 is almost unheard of, and she did it after years of patient, lower-profile fantasy work. That late-career explosion moves me; it rewards persistence and craft over hype. Her novels reaching twelve languages proves the appeal is universal. Wells is proof that the best voices sometimes take decades to be fully heard.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Martha Wells
- Name (Japanese)
- マーサ・ウェルス
- Reading
- まーさ・うぇるす
- Born
- September 1, 1964 (age 61)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Dragon
- Origin
- Fort Worth, Texas, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- novelist / science fiction writer / author
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Texas A&M University
Awards & achievements
- 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novella
- 2018 Locus Award for Best Novella
- 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novella
- 2019 Locus Award for Best Novella
- 2019 Hugo Award for Best Novella
- 2021 Nebula Award for Best Novel
- 2021 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
- 2021 Hugo Award for Best Novel
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Murderbot Diaries | — | |
| Notable work | Books of the Raksura | — | |
| Notable work | Ile-Rien | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Martha Wells born?
Born September 1, 1964 (age 61).
Where is Martha Wells from?
Martha Wells is from Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
What does Martha Wells do?
Martha Wells works as novelist, science fiction writer, author.
What is Martha Wells known for?
Notable works include The Murderbot Diaries, Books of the Raksura, Ile-Rien.
Novelist — see all → · Science fiction writer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-18
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.