Tom Purdom (1936– ) is an American science fiction writer about whom limited public information is available; two of his works are held in this collection. Since the 1960s he has published short stories and novellas in science fiction magazines, with representative works including The Green Beret and Sordman the Protector. His writing often draws on military, adventure, and future-society settings, and he is skilled at exploring, within tight narratives, the choices individuals make under organizational and institutional pressure, with brisk pacing and capable, active characters. Purdom is not a prolific bestselling author, and the reach of his work is limited, yet he retains a following among science fiction fans and genre readers, and some of his short stories are regarded as representative adventure science fiction from 1960s magazines. His style leans toward traditional storytelling, emphasizing readability and action scenes, and has offered some inspiration to later writers of military and adventure science fiction.
