Future Revisitations
@futurerevisited.bsky.social
Revisiting a love of classic SF last enjoyed several decades ago… and so now in the process of discovering many fine page-turners for the very first time. 📚
Embarked on ‘Inverted World’ over the last few days & it had me hooked from the opening chapters. I’ve still some way to go of course, but I’m already thinking that it’s likely to end up as one of my top 5 reads of the year.
My first novel by this fine author - & I’ll certainly be seeking out more…
My first novel by this fine author - & I’ll certainly be seeking out more…
November 10, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Embarked on ‘Inverted World’ over the last few days & it had me hooked from the opening chapters. I’ve still some way to go of course, but I’m already thinking that it’s likely to end up as one of my top 5 reads of the year.
My first novel by this fine author - & I’ll certainly be seeking out more…
My first novel by this fine author - & I’ll certainly be seeking out more…
8. OTD 1966. Deborah Watling & Mark Eden star in the Out of the Unknown play 'The World in Silence'. Now sadly lost, this tale of wayward teaching machines was adapted from John Rankine's story 'Six Cubed Plus One', published just a few years previously in the anthology series 'New Writings in SF'.
November 10, 2025 at 8:24 AM
8. OTD 1966. Deborah Watling & Mark Eden star in the Out of the Unknown play 'The World in Silence'. Now sadly lost, this tale of wayward teaching machines was adapted from John Rankine's story 'Six Cubed Plus One', published just a few years previously in the anthology series 'New Writings in SF'.
9. In 1998, I corresponded with Paddy Russell to ask about her memories of working on this episode.
Amongst her recollections was this wonderful anecdote about filming a key SFX sequence, in which the character of Anne Lovejoy (Patsy Rowlands) was attacked by one of the alien plants.
Amongst her recollections was this wonderful anecdote about filming a key SFX sequence, in which the character of Anne Lovejoy (Patsy Rowlands) was attacked by one of the alien plants.
November 8, 2025 at 11:21 AM
9. In 1998, I corresponded with Paddy Russell to ask about her memories of working on this episode.
Amongst her recollections was this wonderful anecdote about filming a key SFX sequence, in which the character of Anne Lovejoy (Patsy Rowlands) was attacked by one of the alien plants.
Amongst her recollections was this wonderful anecdote about filming a key SFX sequence, in which the character of Anne Lovejoy (Patsy Rowlands) was attacked by one of the alien plants.
8. OTD 1965. The next episode was Mike Watt’s black comedy ‘Come Buttercup, Come Daisy, Come…?’
Milo O’Shea stars as Henry Wilkes, who is unwittingly growing a very carnivorous variety of plant in his back garden.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ meets ‘Day of the Triffids’… 🙂
Directed by Paddy Russell.
Milo O’Shea stars as Henry Wilkes, who is unwittingly growing a very carnivorous variety of plant in his back garden.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ meets ‘Day of the Triffids’… 🙂
Directed by Paddy Russell.
November 8, 2025 at 11:15 AM
8. OTD 1965. The next episode was Mike Watt’s black comedy ‘Come Buttercup, Come Daisy, Come…?’
Milo O’Shea stars as Henry Wilkes, who is unwittingly growing a very carnivorous variety of plant in his back garden.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ meets ‘Day of the Triffids’… 🙂
Directed by Paddy Russell.
Milo O’Shea stars as Henry Wilkes, who is unwittingly growing a very carnivorous variety of plant in his back garden.
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ meets ‘Day of the Triffids’… 🙂
Directed by Paddy Russell.
Ending a week of fine short stories with Samuel R. Delany’s ‘Driftglass’, a tale concerning humans who have been biologically modified to live & work in the ocean depths.
A fine character study & all rather beautifully written - amazing to think that this story ranks amongst his earliest work.
A fine character study & all rather beautifully written - amazing to think that this story ranks amongst his earliest work.
November 7, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Ending a week of fine short stories with Samuel R. Delany’s ‘Driftglass’, a tale concerning humans who have been biologically modified to live & work in the ocean depths.
A fine character study & all rather beautifully written - amazing to think that this story ranks amongst his earliest work.
A fine character study & all rather beautifully written - amazing to think that this story ranks amongst his earliest work.
Absolutely - wonderful editions. I have the same feelings about these fabulous M.R. James collections from the late 50s.
November 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Absolutely - wonderful editions. I have the same feelings about these fabulous M.R. James collections from the late 50s.
Remembering author & curator/librarian David I. Masson, born OTD 1915.
A frequent contributor to New Worlds magazine, Masson’s stories were later assembled in the 1968 volume ‘The Caltraps of Time’. His 1965 debut ‘Travellers Rest’ was a huge influence on a young & aspiring Christopher Priest.
A frequent contributor to New Worlds magazine, Masson’s stories were later assembled in the 1968 volume ‘The Caltraps of Time’. His 1965 debut ‘Travellers Rest’ was a huge influence on a young & aspiring Christopher Priest.
November 6, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Remembering author & curator/librarian David I. Masson, born OTD 1915.
A frequent contributor to New Worlds magazine, Masson’s stories were later assembled in the 1968 volume ‘The Caltraps of Time’. His 1965 debut ‘Travellers Rest’ was a huge influence on a young & aspiring Christopher Priest.
A frequent contributor to New Worlds magazine, Masson’s stories were later assembled in the 1968 volume ‘The Caltraps of Time’. His 1965 debut ‘Travellers Rest’ was a huge influence on a young & aspiring Christopher Priest.
Next up in ‘The Illustrated Man‘ was the enigmatic & unsettling ‘The Last Night of the World’.
It’s a finely crafted mood piece, as a couple consider their final actions before the world is extinguished, an event mysteriously foreshadowed in a dream that they had both experienced the night before…
It’s a finely crafted mood piece, as a couple consider their final actions before the world is extinguished, an event mysteriously foreshadowed in a dream that they had both experienced the night before…
November 5, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Next up in ‘The Illustrated Man‘ was the enigmatic & unsettling ‘The Last Night of the World’.
It’s a finely crafted mood piece, as a couple consider their final actions before the world is extinguished, an event mysteriously foreshadowed in a dream that they had both experienced the night before…
It’s a finely crafted mood piece, as a couple consider their final actions before the world is extinguished, an event mysteriously foreshadowed in a dream that they had both experienced the night before…
7. OTD 1966. The next entry was Hugh Leonard’s ‘Second Childhood’, starring Nigel Stock as Charles Dennistoun, the recipient of a new rejuvenation process. Although the episode is now lost, here’s a rare audio clip of the process being explained to Charles by its creator Dr Keppler (Hugo Shuster).
November 3, 2025 at 11:28 AM
7. OTD 1966. The next entry was Hugh Leonard’s ‘Second Childhood’, starring Nigel Stock as Charles Dennistoun, the recipient of a new rejuvenation process. Although the episode is now lost, here’s a rare audio clip of the process being explained to Charles by its creator Dr Keppler (Hugo Shuster).
David Masson’s ’A Two-Timer’, one of this year’s best reading surprises.
First published in New Worlds, it’s an engaging first-person account of a man accidentally brought forward in time from 1678 to 1964. Told entirely in 17th century English dialect, it’s a fantastic conceit, brilliantly told.
First published in New Worlds, it’s an engaging first-person account of a man accidentally brought forward in time from 1678 to 1964. Told entirely in 17th century English dialect, it’s a fantastic conceit, brilliantly told.
November 2, 2025 at 9:46 AM
David Masson’s ’A Two-Timer’, one of this year’s best reading surprises.
First published in New Worlds, it’s an engaging first-person account of a man accidentally brought forward in time from 1678 to 1964. Told entirely in 17th century English dialect, it’s a fantastic conceit, brilliantly told.
First published in New Worlds, it’s an engaging first-person account of a man accidentally brought forward in time from 1678 to 1964. Told entirely in 17th century English dialect, it’s a fantastic conceit, brilliantly told.
Today’s selected story was archetypal PKD. ‘The Electric Ant’ concerns an android who only realises it’s non-human status when being treated after a traffic accident. It’s sense of identity lost, it then sets about establishing whether anything else is truly ‘real‘. The ending is suitably unnerving!
November 1, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Today’s selected story was archetypal PKD. ‘The Electric Ant’ concerns an android who only realises it’s non-human status when being treated after a traffic accident. It’s sense of identity lost, it then sets about establishing whether anything else is truly ‘real‘. The ending is suitably unnerving!
7. OTD 1965. A sombre reworking of William Tenn‘s satirical ‘Time in Advance’, concerning a future justice system in which criminals earn a licence to commit crime by serving their prison time first! Directed by Peter Sasdy, who would go on to direct the likes of Nigel Kneale’s ‘The Stone Tape’.
November 1, 2025 at 9:23 AM
7. OTD 1965. A sombre reworking of William Tenn‘s satirical ‘Time in Advance’, concerning a future justice system in which criminals earn a licence to commit crime by serving their prison time first! Directed by Peter Sasdy, who would go on to direct the likes of Nigel Kneale’s ‘The Stone Tape’.
Today‘s All Hallows' Eve reading pleasure will be a choice M. R. James story.
There’s something particularly fitting about reading James from a faded & dusty Penguin Paperback from the late 50s - they now seem to mirror the antiquarian books whose discovery bodes ill in many of his best loved tales!
There’s something particularly fitting about reading James from a faded & dusty Penguin Paperback from the late 50s - they now seem to mirror the antiquarian books whose discovery bodes ill in many of his best loved tales!
October 31, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Today‘s All Hallows' Eve reading pleasure will be a choice M. R. James story.
There’s something particularly fitting about reading James from a faded & dusty Penguin Paperback from the late 50s - they now seem to mirror the antiquarian books whose discovery bodes ill in many of his best loved tales!
There’s something particularly fitting about reading James from a faded & dusty Penguin Paperback from the late 50s - they now seem to mirror the antiquarian books whose discovery bodes ill in many of his best loved tales!
Today’s SF Hall of Fame selection, part of Blish’s ’pantropy’ series, in which humans are adapted in order to survive diverse planetary environments.
Here our microscopic protagonists, who have only known life underwater, undertake a journey that involves a life-changing conceptual breakthrough…
Here our microscopic protagonists, who have only known life underwater, undertake a journey that involves a life-changing conceptual breakthrough…
October 30, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Today’s SF Hall of Fame selection, part of Blish’s ’pantropy’ series, in which humans are adapted in order to survive diverse planetary environments.
Here our microscopic protagonists, who have only known life underwater, undertake a journey that involves a life-changing conceptual breakthrough…
Here our microscopic protagonists, who have only known life underwater, undertake a journey that involves a life-changing conceptual breakthrough…
Remembering author and scriptwriter Nigel Kneale, who we lost on this day in 2006.
Such an enduring legacy, as frequently revisited and admired as these cherished Penguin paperbacks.
Timeless works.
Such an enduring legacy, as frequently revisited and admired as these cherished Penguin paperbacks.
Timeless works.
October 29, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Remembering author and scriptwriter Nigel Kneale, who we lost on this day in 2006.
Such an enduring legacy, as frequently revisited and admired as these cherished Penguin paperbacks.
Timeless works.
Such an enduring legacy, as frequently revisited and admired as these cherished Penguin paperbacks.
Timeless works.
Today’s pick from the ’Platinum Pohl’ tome was ‘The Meeting’ from 1972, a Hugo award-winning collaboration with C.M. Kornbluth.
A decidedly bleak tale, involving a couple beset with some particularly problematic decision making regarding the future of their only child...
No satirical edges here!
A decidedly bleak tale, involving a couple beset with some particularly problematic decision making regarding the future of their only child...
No satirical edges here!
October 28, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Today’s pick from the ’Platinum Pohl’ tome was ‘The Meeting’ from 1972, a Hugo award-winning collaboration with C.M. Kornbluth.
A decidedly bleak tale, involving a couple beset with some particularly problematic decision making regarding the future of their only child...
No satirical edges here!
A decidedly bleak tale, involving a couple beset with some particularly problematic decision making regarding the future of their only child...
No satirical edges here!
6. OTD 1966. This week’s celebrated entry was J.B. Priestley‘s adaptation of Mordecai Roshwald’s ‘Level 7’.
Roshwald’s 1959 novel remains an exemplary piece of work, detailing the plight of personnel in a nuclear fall-out shelter, before & after the bombs have fallen. An absolute masterpiece.
Roshwald’s 1959 novel remains an exemplary piece of work, detailing the plight of personnel in a nuclear fall-out shelter, before & after the bombs have fallen. An absolute masterpiece.
October 27, 2025 at 10:01 AM
6. OTD 1966. This week’s celebrated entry was J.B. Priestley‘s adaptation of Mordecai Roshwald’s ‘Level 7’.
Roshwald’s 1959 novel remains an exemplary piece of work, detailing the plight of personnel in a nuclear fall-out shelter, before & after the bombs have fallen. An absolute masterpiece.
Roshwald’s 1959 novel remains an exemplary piece of work, detailing the plight of personnel in a nuclear fall-out shelter, before & after the bombs have fallen. An absolute masterpiece.
Another recent acquisition, keen to sample Asimov’s later work. Having vastly enjoyed his earlier robot novels, my first pick from the collection was ’Mirror Image’ (1972), which reunites the characters of Detective Lije Baley & his robot partner R. Daneel Olivaw. A neat ‘mini-episode’ of a tale 🙂
October 26, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Another recent acquisition, keen to sample Asimov’s later work. Having vastly enjoyed his earlier robot novels, my first pick from the collection was ’Mirror Image’ (1972), which reunites the characters of Detective Lije Baley & his robot partner R. Daneel Olivaw. A neat ‘mini-episode’ of a tale 🙂
A trio of welcome acquisitions today whilst perusing the secondhand bookshops.
Shaw, Bayley & Cowper are three authors whom I’ve heard many good things about (particularly these three titles). Very nostalgic to pick up a Fontana, Pan & Corgi paperback too - all in very decent condition 👍
Shaw, Bayley & Cowper are three authors whom I’ve heard many good things about (particularly these three titles). Very nostalgic to pick up a Fontana, Pan & Corgi paperback too - all in very decent condition 👍
October 25, 2025 at 6:58 PM
A trio of welcome acquisitions today whilst perusing the secondhand bookshops.
Shaw, Bayley & Cowper are three authors whom I’ve heard many good things about (particularly these three titles). Very nostalgic to pick up a Fontana, Pan & Corgi paperback too - all in very decent condition 👍
Shaw, Bayley & Cowper are three authors whom I’ve heard many good things about (particularly these three titles). Very nostalgic to pick up a Fontana, Pan & Corgi paperback too - all in very decent condition 👍
6. OTD 1965. Arguably the strongest adaptation of the series to date. Asimov’s 1956 story is faithfully reworked by scriptwriter Jeremy Paul & the human drama (revolving around the implications of a device that can visualise any past event) is well realised thanks to some fine performances.
October 25, 2025 at 10:52 AM
6. OTD 1965. Arguably the strongest adaptation of the series to date. Asimov’s 1956 story is faithfully reworked by scriptwriter Jeremy Paul & the human drama (revolving around the implications of a device that can visualise any past event) is well realised thanks to some fine performances.
Continuing with J.G. Ballard this week & currently halfway through this gem of a book.
Enthralling evocation of a submerged London, the rise of landscapes that echo the primordial jungles of the Triassic era, & global temperatures threatening to expand beyond human tolerance.
A captivating novel.
Enthralling evocation of a submerged London, the rise of landscapes that echo the primordial jungles of the Triassic era, & global temperatures threatening to expand beyond human tolerance.
A captivating novel.
October 22, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Continuing with J.G. Ballard this week & currently halfway through this gem of a book.
Enthralling evocation of a submerged London, the rise of landscapes that echo the primordial jungles of the Triassic era, & global temperatures threatening to expand beyond human tolerance.
A captivating novel.
Enthralling evocation of a submerged London, the rise of landscapes that echo the primordial jungles of the Triassic era, & global temperatures threatening to expand beyond human tolerance.
A captivating novel.
5. OTD 1966. The next entry was an ambitious adaptation of Colin Kapp’s 1962 story ‘Lambda 1’, about the perils of a new mode of transport through the Earth’s surface.
A fine behind-the-scenes photo here showing the creation of the phantasmagorical figures seen in the play‘s hallucinatory sequence.
A fine behind-the-scenes photo here showing the creation of the phantasmagorical figures seen in the play‘s hallucinatory sequence.
October 20, 2025 at 10:58 AM
5. OTD 1966. The next entry was an ambitious adaptation of Colin Kapp’s 1962 story ‘Lambda 1’, about the perils of a new mode of transport through the Earth’s surface.
A fine behind-the-scenes photo here showing the creation of the phantasmagorical figures seen in the play‘s hallucinatory sequence.
A fine behind-the-scenes photo here showing the creation of the phantasmagorical figures seen in the play‘s hallucinatory sequence.
Working my way through Ballard’s ‘collected stories’ tome has brought me to this little 1962 masterpiece.
Elegiac without sliding into bleakness (the imagery is beautifully realised), it’s another standout from his early years.
Notably, Ballard’s name is absent from the initial MF&SF cover feature 👇
Elegiac without sliding into bleakness (the imagery is beautifully realised), it’s another standout from his early years.
Notably, Ballard’s name is absent from the initial MF&SF cover feature 👇
October 19, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Working my way through Ballard’s ‘collected stories’ tome has brought me to this little 1962 masterpiece.
Elegiac without sliding into bleakness (the imagery is beautifully realised), it’s another standout from his early years.
Notably, Ballard’s name is absent from the initial MF&SF cover feature 👇
Elegiac without sliding into bleakness (the imagery is beautifully realised), it’s another standout from his early years.
Notably, Ballard’s name is absent from the initial MF&SF cover feature 👇
5. OTD 1965. David Campton’s unnerving ‘Stranger in the Family’, concerning a young man, simply known as 'Boy', who is born with mental powers that enable him to control others against their will.
Brilliantly directed by Alan Bridges, who went on to direct the British SF feature ‘Invasion’ in 1966.
Brilliantly directed by Alan Bridges, who went on to direct the British SF feature ‘Invasion’ in 1966.
October 18, 2025 at 11:15 AM
5. OTD 1965. David Campton’s unnerving ‘Stranger in the Family’, concerning a young man, simply known as 'Boy', who is born with mental powers that enable him to control others against their will.
Brilliantly directed by Alan Bridges, who went on to direct the British SF feature ‘Invasion’ in 1966.
Brilliantly directed by Alan Bridges, who went on to direct the British SF feature ‘Invasion’ in 1966.
It‘s always a pleasure to dip into a broad ‘collected stories’ volume & come across a hidden gem.
A case in point is Aldiss’s ’The Small Betraying Detail’, a story which cleverly plays with the ambiguity of human perception & the concept of parallel worlds, & all in prose that never wastes a word.
A case in point is Aldiss’s ’The Small Betraying Detail’, a story which cleverly plays with the ambiguity of human perception & the concept of parallel worlds, & all in prose that never wastes a word.
October 16, 2025 at 11:18 AM
It‘s always a pleasure to dip into a broad ‘collected stories’ volume & come across a hidden gem.
A case in point is Aldiss’s ’The Small Betraying Detail’, a story which cleverly plays with the ambiguity of human perception & the concept of parallel worlds, & all in prose that never wastes a word.
A case in point is Aldiss’s ’The Small Betraying Detail’, a story which cleverly plays with the ambiguity of human perception & the concept of parallel worlds, & all in prose that never wastes a word.