Tag Archives: SciFi

A Canticle for Leibowitz: A 10 Minute Book Talk with Brenton Dickieson

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

Walter Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz is a philosophically rich and intricately gorgeous book. What makes this philosophical SciFi novel so compelling is an endearing slate of characters. I wish I could read a whole other book about Brother Francis, … Continue reading →

Posted in 10 Minute Book Talk, Reviews | Tagged A Canticle for Leibowitz, philosophical novel, Roman Catholicism, Science Fiction, SciFi, speculative fiction, theological novel, theology and literature, Walter Miller | 9 Comments

C.S. Lewis’ Out of the Silent Planet: A 10 Minute Book Talk with Brenton Dickieson

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Brenton Dickieson

Before I ever returned to Narnia as an adult, I read C.S. Lewis‘ Out of the Silent Planet. I have always loved Science Fiction, and I enjoy stumbling upon a classic SF piece that is worth my time. As part … Continue reading →

Posted in 10 Minute Book Talk, Reflections, Reviews | Tagged books, C.S. Lewis, First Men in the Moon, H.G. Wells, Narnia, Out of the Silent Planet, Reading, Science Fiction, SciFi, SF, The War of the Worlds | 11 Comments

C.S. Lewis’ 1st SciFi Fan Letters, from Evelyn Underhill and Roger Lancelyn Green

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Brenton Dickieson

As part of an occasional feature I call “Throwback Thursday,” I want to roll back the calendar almost six years, to my early days as a blogger. “Throwback Thursday” is where I find a blog post from the past–raiding either … Continue reading →

Posted in Letters, Lewis Biography | Tagged C.S. Lewis, Evelyn Underhill, fan letters, fantasy, Geez, Obama, Out of the Silent Planet, Ransom Trilogy, Roger Lancelyn Green, Science Fiction, SciFi, Sr. Penelope, theology, Utne Reader, writing | 19 Comments

Joan Slonczewski’s “A Door Into Ocean” and C.S. Lewis’ “Out of the Silent Planet”

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

On the face of it, Joan Slonczewski and C.S. Lewis make an odd pair. The first is a living American microbiologist writing highly technical science fiction in environmental, feminist, lesbian, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged A Door Into Ocean, books, C.S. Lewis, creation care, environmentalism, feminism, Joan Slonczewski, LGBTQ Issues, literature, Out of the Silent Planet, Science Fiction, SciFi, SF, Theology of Culture, Theology of Literature | 12 Comments

Literature, Film, and Technoculture Class at Signum University (Starts Tuesday)

Posted on January 13, 2018 by Brenton Dickieson

I wanted to announce this great SignumU live course starting next week. I have the pleasure of being the “Preceptor” for this lecture series by Dr. Chad Andrews. This science fiction-centred course counts toward the Imaginative Literature concentration, though many … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged 12 Monkeys, Brian Aldiss, District 9, J.G. Ballard, James Tiptree, Jr., Leslie F. Stone, literature, Margaret Atwood, Octavia E. Butler, research, RoboCop, Science Fiction, SciFi, SF, Signum University, Starship Troopers, Technoculture, WALL-E, William Gibson | 11 Comments

It’s Time Travel Night

Posted on November 4, 2017 by Brenton Dickieson

While many simply call today the end of daylight saving(s) time (or the end of summer time in weird places), we who love science fiction call it time travel night. You are welcome to get up at 2:00 am and change … Continue reading →

Posted in News & Links | Tagged Daylight Saving Time, humour, Science Fiction, SciFi, Summer Time, Time Travel Night | 13 Comments

A Final Letter from Arthur C. Clarke to C.S. Lewis

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

I am roaming the stacks at the Marion E. Wade Center in Wheaton, IL. This is the premium North American archive for C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and others in the 20th c. Christian literary movement in and around Oxford. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes | Tagged Arthur C. Clarke, C.S. Lewis, Childhood's End, J.R.R. Tolkien, Joy Davidman, letters, Science Fiction, SciFi, SF, writing | 12 Comments

A Cosmic Find in The Screwtape Letters (Preparing for Taylor)

Posted on May 26, 2016 by Brenton Dickieson

I’m exciting to be presenting a paper next week at the 10th Frances White Ewbank Colloquium on C.S. Lewis & Friends at Taylor University, in Indiana (see more here). I am talking about my “Cosmic Find” that links The Screwtape … Continue reading →

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Original Research | Tagged C.S. Lewis, fantasy, Fictional Universes, literature, Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, Ransom Trilogy, research, Science Fiction, SciFi, Screwtape, SF, The Screwtape Letters | 40 Comments

How Classic SciFi Superstars Helped C.S. Lewis Fall in Love with Science Fiction Again

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Brenton Dickieson

Without doubt, Ray Bradbury is one of the greatest 20th century genre fiction writers. His Fahrenheit 451 is one of the trinity of great dystopian novels of the generation (with Orwell’s 1984 and Huxley’s Brave New World). The mind behind … Continue reading →

Posted in Lewis Biography, News & Links, On Writing | Tagged 1984, All Summer in a Day, Anthony Boucher, Arthur C. Clarke, Fahrenheit 451, George Orwell, It Came from Outer Space, letters, Narnia, On Writing, Ransom Trilogy, Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction, SciFi | 32 Comments

Three rules for naming your fantasy world

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on Matthew Wright:
In my mis-spent early twenties, a friend and I created a fantasy world map for our RPG sessions. To build a world, start by wearing a hard hat (like mine). Yes, I played Dungeons and Dragons – and later…