Articles written by W Thomas Payne in Arts & Humanities

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About me - W Thomas Payne

Freelance writer, photographer, and general handyman with words, I roam the back roads of America looking for the slightly different, the bizarre, and the fun that can be found in those 'off the highway' locales.

Over the last 25 years, I have been a landlord

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Arts & Humanities > Literature (Other) The best fiction books about the future: 2 of 11
Two authors come to mind when thinking of great novels of the future, Isaac Asmiov and Larry Niven. While many novels exploring the concepts of a dystopian future are hailed by literary critics, these two authors refused to believe that the worst potentials of mankind would overtake us, and instead, we would reach out to the... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Book reviews: White Night by Jim Butcher: 1 of 3
Every once in a great while, a writer comes along who creates such a fully realized fantasy universe that your suspension of disbelief is automatic. Today, that would be Jim Butcher with his popular "Dresden Files" series of novels about a detective who is also the only listing under "Wizards" in the Chicago Yellow Pages. Bu... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction The most famous science fiction characters: 8 of 19
Ah, to be famous. Fame seems to be one of the driving forces in American society today. But for a science fiction character to be famous not the actor portraying the role, nor the writer creating them and for that character to remain famous, is perhaps one of the most amazing bits of change to come from the 20th century and ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction Book reviews: Blood Music, by Greg Bear: 1 of 1
Greg Bear was either seeing a potential future, writing a cautionary tale, or having visions when he wrote the novel, based on his same-named short story, "Blood Music." Like many of his novels that followed, Bear's central theme of human genetics gone amok fills the backdrop for "Blood Music,", a classic "what if" story of ... More..
Arts & Humanities > American Literature Readers share their favorite Terry Pratchett books: 4 of 4
Ankh-Morpork, the jewel... well... the city... umm... the twin cities sitting like a rank bit of flotsam on the flatulent banks of the twin rivers Ankh and Morpork. Where only a tyrant can rule. "Mr. Lipwig, how would you like to make some real money?" is the line that sets this latest installment of Terry Pratchett's Discwo... More..