Tag Archives: Science Fiction and Fantasy

The only lasting truth is change.

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

When she was nine years old, Octavia Butler saw a sci-fi film called “Devil Girl From Mars” and thought to herself: “I can write a better story than that.” She went on to become the first widely recognized Black female … Continue reading →

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One ring to rule them all

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Who am I to disagree with George R.R. Martin’s assessment that “The Lord of the Rings is the mountain that leans over every other fantasy written since.” A book of that magnitude deserves a stunning new edition for every generation … Continue reading →

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Sci-Fi Sundays

Posted on November 7, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

The winner of the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for the Best Short Science Fiction of 2020 was recently announced. It turned out to be a very timely selection. Rebecca Campbell’s novella “An Important Failure” explores creation in the face of … Continue reading →

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And the Moon Be Still as Bright

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

Regular visitors to TBTP may recall my many posts about the novels and short stories by the great American writer Ray Bradbury. One of the first sci-fi gems of his that I remember reading as a young child is the … Continue reading →

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An Almost Complete Collection

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve been a fan of the always original science fiction works written by Philip K. Dick since I was a child. So I found the recently release Folio Society limited edition complete collection of 118 short stories intriguing. As usual, … Continue reading →

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Don’t Panic : The Answer Is Still 42

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

The indie publisher Unbound is preparing to release the crowdfunded book  42: The Wildly Improbably Ideas of Douglas Adams, featuring unseen notes, scripts and ideas from the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy author. The book consists of excerpts from 67 boxes full of notebooks, letters, … Continue reading →

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A Specter is Haunting Texas

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

The constant news stories this past week about the pitiful state of the State of Texas reminded me of the little known post-apocalyptic science fiction satire by the way under appreciated author Fritz Leiber. In the very dark, but humorous … Continue reading →

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Predicting The Future

Posted on December 29, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

The late American author Octavia Butler died nearly 15 years ago, but the disturbing plague year that is coming to a close has resulted in a renewed interest in her books. Her Parable books were especially popular in 2020, with … Continue reading →

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Dune, Now and Then

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

Science Fiction fans around the world—myself included—were excited to see the first trailer for the new Dune film last week. (see below)Although I enjoyed the first cinematic interpretation of Frank Herbert’s interstellar saga, like many I found David Lynch’s version lacking in … Continue reading →

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The Parable of the Author

Posted on September 7, 2020 by Brian D. Butler

I am not a big re-reader of books, but at the start of the pandemic I picked-up a copy of Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower. If you are not familiar with the novel, it was published in 1993, but was … Continue reading →

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