The True Frontier - Alfred Bester - Extra Sci Fi

[@extrahistory]

We're moving on from the golden age of science fiction writings! In the meantime, we've been reading and talking about Dune on our weekly book club. www.twitch.tv/extracredits See you in a few months for season 3!

[@communistdoggo2929]

Extra Credits good job

[@mcpics4448]

Extra Credits awesome

[@andrewlopez9697]

Wow now that is how you hook someone !!!!!! Great job can't wait for Tolkien

[@edwardhockey4732]

Can't wait

[@teddyboragina6437]

MONTHS!? WHAT?

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

“Why is life? Don't ask about it. Live it.” - Alfred Bester, The Stars My Destination

[@sertaki]

One wurm to rule them all, one wurm to find them all, One wurm to bring them all, and in the spice to bind them.

[@jonjohns8145]

Must Drink the Precious Water of life! WE NEEDS THE WATER OF LIFE!

[@weldonwin]

"GANDALF! THE SLEEPER HAS AWAKENED!!!"

[@vaiyt]

That's actually a good description of the plot of the Dune series.

[@JamesJesseGTA]

"You have my Weirding Module." - Muad'Dib

[@Noxine]

Praise Sauron Hulud, Little Destroyer of Middle Earkis. May his passing mar the world.

[@bobbluered8984]

No Extra-Scifi for a few MONTHS? Aw geez, what am I going to do with my Tuesdays? FULFILL RESPONSIBILITIES? I think NOT!

[@productivediscord5624]

Catch up with Issac Arthur's channel for some science and futurism. Just remember to bring a drink and some snacks for long form videos of the possible.

[@craigmiller4199]

I’m glad you decided to take a look at Bester. His novel, The Stars My Destination, is still a good read today. In fact, in many ways, it is a more thoroughly modern story than most of his golden age peers. I love Asimov, but his works have a certain ‘quaintness’ about them, particularly in characters and dialogue. But Gulley Foyle is a modern antihero. The tone and the characters feel pulled from the 80’s, not the 50’s. It’s also a short read, so anyone who wants to read an origin of cyberpunk, but also a book that stands on its own today, I can’t recommend The Stars My Destination more highly.

[@UGOTNUKED]

Gully Foyle is my name And Terra is my nation. Deep space is my dwelling place, The stars my destination!

[@TheSodiumazide]

And deaths my destination

[@siryba]

Many thanks for this episode ladies and gents. It’s been my favorite thus far. Alfred Bester and particularly, The Stars My Destination (I read it as a teenager in the UK under the title Tiger, Tiger) exerted a huge influence upon me and you can trace the line of irreverence in writers like Harry Harrison, Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett and the like directly back to him. The one difference that sets Bester apart from many Sci-Fi writers is that his characters often change as a result of their journey, rather than remaining static personalities, created to serve the idea or plot. Fascinating stuff. Thank you again.

[@buddhull]

You really nailed what makes Bester worth a reader’s time, siryba. At the onset of the TSMD/Tiger Tiger, Foyle is hardly a heroic protagonist by any story’s standards and somehow makes himself even less of one not too much further in. However as one keeps reading they’ll find that the world’s cruelty, his scarring personal tragedies and a startlingly new, literally engulfing outlook on what he simply *has* to accomplish in his life all have their way with him and they leave us with a different person who can see what he simply could not before. I know The Count Of Monte Cristo and TSMD get compared, but this story deserves more recognition than just pointing out their similarities. Tainted individuals undergoing drastic changes to find their callings and their answers make for compelling reading and these two books are among the best to do it.

[@esbhering]

When I put down The Demolished Man I was greatly impressed by its quality. Then I saw for the first time its publication date. 195 3(actually it started in serialized form in 1952) and my mind was blown. The book's ending along with the realization that I had been reading a novel far older than what I could have imagined it to be is one of my fondest literary experiences. Not only was I impressed by all the book's merits described in the video but I realized that I had just read the the very likely grandfather of cyberpunk, writing about themes almost imaginable for a writer of the time in a style that in no way informed me of when it was written.

[@barrybend7189]

Can't wait for Dune.

[@medleyshift1325]

The Spice Must Flow just read that book because i wanted to get ahead of extra scifi!

[@quintu5]

Hej thats my sentence ;)

[@petervilla5221]

It'll be interesting to see what it was they liked about it. Maybe they can change my mind about it.

[@RonanLeroyLK]

How can they announce "Next: Dune" and "After a few months break" in the same sentence? My heart isn’t ready for that!

[@snaketooth0943]

Is dune really that great? I only read the first few pages and didn't really enjoy it. Does it get better later on?

[@asalways1504]

Pretty cool that Bester worked with DC Comics along with being a pivotal role in sci-fi.

[@ilejovcevski79]

I can't describe the sensation of having my mind blown during the second half of "The Stars, my destination", especially the ending crescendo..... on of the finest pieces of science fiction ever made!

[@JohnnyElRed]

He created Vandal Savage and Solomon Grundy? Man, doesn't only he has a vein for terrifying character concepts, but also for imposing names.

[@malcomalexander9437]

The name Soloman Grundy comes from a Nursery Rhyme.

[@wafflesthewookiee4716]

Hey, this might just be me, but if you could discuss the sub-genre of alternate history, like Harry Turtledove, that would be cool.

[@esotericmissionary]

Yeah, that would be better than doing an episode about a fantasy author.

[@btrammel7304]

i have a feeling that we're heading toward spec. fiction later on

[@UFBMusic]

I follow Harry Turtledove on twitter. He's a cool guy.

[@Morgan_Sandoval]

@Cancerous Curtis: Love him or hate him, most of what we consider fantasy today wouldn't exist if it weren't for Tolkien. And because of how intertwined the generes are, that means a lot of the greatest authors in Sci-fi would have never been inspired enough to write. Like it or not, he's incredibly important, and give the crew some credit, they're probably going to go at him from an angle he's usually not viewed from, through a lens seldom dusted off.

[@ParasaurolophusEwan]

Yes!

[@KylerTheodori]

Lord of the Rings meets Dune? My fanfictions are finally coming true

[@Psychol-Snooper]

You mean the one where Beorn does unspeakable things to Baron Harkonnen's backside?

[@SonnyBynum]

Dune of the Rings.

[@SlackwareNVM]

Lord of the Dunes

[@NanuNanu14]

It's not what Spice you put on second breakfast, it's how much Spice you put on second breakfast.

[@AlbertoPrado]

Quite. There's no such thing as 'what' spice. Only THE spice.

[@NanuNanu14]

The only proper answer is ALL! THE! SPICE!

[@weldonwin]

The Nutmeg Must Flow

[@Erinya558]

Jeez, imagine Smèagol hopped up on geriatric spice 😂

[@philippak7726]

I was thinking it's probably just pepper, salt if you're being fancy XD

[@Qardo]

You know. I shall admit. I had ignored the Extra Sci Fi episodes for a while. Right up to seeing Alfred Bester. By far one of my favorite writers. As it is stated. He created some of the best villains and I personally love The Shadow. As "Only The Shadow knows. MAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" *Coughs* sorry.

[@milby83]

Be seeing you Mister Garibaldi.

[@wingracer1614]

God I hated that prick. Thumbs up for a great show though. Hope they do an episode on one of the shows consultants/writers: Harlan Ellison.

[@jonjohns8145]

Zathras approves.

[@Turlingdromes]

The corps is mother, the corps is father

[@Easy-Eight]

@wing, "I hated that prick". That's a great complement. The actor did his job.

[@heroloray]

I love Bester. Stars my Destination and Demolished Man are great books. Thanks for this!

[@georgefourmouzis8409]

The art in these is seriously good. Great content, as always

[@TheCreepypro]

this series was already so good but I am so stoked for what comes next!

[@DanGrab]

Thank you for this series. My reading list continues to grow because of it!

[@dbnx1701]

REALLY!?!, THIS IS WHERE YOU STOP AT, Dune and Lord of the Rings!?! That's just cold, lol.

[@DavidChipman]

I wonder if they've got lots of reading to do. I suspect they might. Last pause was only 6 weeks though.

[@aristrozyk9587]

This channel is incredible. Thank you.

[@LpEchnaton]

Keep on the good work. You guys pushed me to read more. I love it.

[@nacine7670]

This series really broadened my horizons as far as sci fi goes. I knew about Clarke and Lovecraft and even PKD but I didnt know half of what was out there thanks Extra Credits.

[@a.summers9180]

Hearing "Sic itur ad astra" said in classical Latin just made my day!

[@danpettersson4671]

"He was one hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead..."

[@comik300]

Everytime I see one of these videos uploaded I always think "eh, i'll skip this one." Then I inevitably end up watching it and I'm always fascinated with it. The art is always so helpful in assisting the writing

[@SlowlyLazily]

Man, I really enjoy this channel these days. I'll miss you guys!

[@matthewryan7775]

You guys just keep throwing my favorite things in videos love you 😘

[@hases2772]

Tenser, said the Tensor. Tenser, said the Tensor. Tension, apprehension, And dissension have begun.

[@alexcarter8807]

I love the art in these.

[@Delphink]

When ten years after reading the Demolished Man, you have forgotten both the author and title of the tale, but could not forget "Tenser said the tensor. Tension apprehension and dissension have begun."

[@rupertg3765]

Apologies to anyone who's mentioned this before, and I'm not a great geek, questions that irk me hardly ever motivate me to such a strenuous activity as research but... Walter Koenig's character of Mr. Bester on Babylon 5 always seemed like a reference and I know J.M.S loves his Easter eggs but I never could place it. Thank you for answering a 30+ year question I had!

[@taylorhancock5834]

How haven't I heard of Bester!? His work sounds amazing and he won a Hugo...I do find it interesting that he goes against the other golden age titans, like Hienlien and Campbell. Great video guys! Also I can't wait for Tolkien and Herbert....I'm so excited...

[@katylar]

He didn't just win a Hugo. He won the first Hugo.

[@BlueDog241]

Can't wait. I love discussions on Tolkien.

[@paullenoue8173]

Still hoping you do an episode on Douglas Adams, who showed the world that science fiction could be fun and silly while still being philosophical and good.

[@Treviisolion]

It’s interesting how fantasy and scifi have been distinct concepts for decades and yet the boundaries between them have never been distinct despite the two having vast differences in many cases and have influenced each other time and time again.

[@irememberlarry]

Sees the nod for The Shadow, asks no questions and watches.

[@megarural3000]

The spice it is precious. Looking forward to it.

[@angry-pacifist7216]

adding my comment so this video gets more attention by the youtube algorithm, love the content, and am loving the new extra mythology series as well.

[@jaqqu7]

I love Tolkien - he's my personal No. 1 author. Can't wait to see your video on his work!

[@reddir]

Oh no! Will miss you till you return. But the teaser of Herbert and Tolkien is something to look forward to.

[@aionval2734]

Lord of the Rings AND Dune!! In one video? My God you people are ambitious.

[@ednotari1345]

And now I'm curious about how an alternate history series from you all would be like. Especially if the 1930's attempt at making an animated adaptation of John Carter of Mars actually succeeded at coming out right around the same time as Snow White.(I can easily see such a series being called Extra Timelines.)

[@ReleeSquirrel]

Awwwe season break! I want more! Well, make the most of it folks, and remember we're all waiting!

[@moosetwin]

Love your vids!

[@ktakatheo]

Cant wait for #Season2!

[@tzisorey]

Ahh, Tolkien. I dunno - there's just something about his writing that seems so timeless, so foundational, that it's difficult to believe he was alive during my lifetime.

[@whimsicalhamster88]

I loved The Stars my Destination as a kid! It also imagines a super diverse world which was spot on and way ahead of its time. I NEED it to be made into a movie already. The special effects would totally work now and The Rock would be a perfect Gully Foyle.

[@nelwoltz7]

The Rock couldn’t pass as an aristo. I see someone more along the lines of a Jason Stathem. He can go hard in the gutter, but he has enough polish to later charm and bewilder. That and his physicality would totally work.

[@losalfajoresok]

So I've been waiting for the word "Dune" to appear for years....and now they say "after a break"!!! can't wait!!

[@edwardhockey4732]

I love Bester's work

[@andylordy177]

You guys make me want to and read more so thanks

[@johngaete2413]

"i wonder what spice you put on second breakfast" oh matthew, you have no idea how often i'm going to quote this to confuse my friends

[@CBSmith-js9yl]

Tolkien really was deep in the workings of genre fiction even if he didn’t want it. Sci-fi Magazine editor Donald Wollheim (not as influential as your other authors in terms of writing BUT definitely in the editing department) asked Tolkien about publishing rings in paperback. Tolkien said no saying paperbacks were a degenerate form. There was a loophole in US copyright laws (at this point Rings weren’t being reprinted in the US by their original publisher) and Wollheim published rings anyway in paperback editions. They were selling like gangbusters on college campuses and convinced Tolkien to authorize official paperback editions. There’s way too much to cover for just Tolkien I figure just to dump that little history lesson for everyone.

[@dune-101]

I have been hyped for Dune since the beginning of extra scifi!

[@nightrunnerxm393]

Wait...this isn't about a PsiCop played by Walter Koenig trying to make a telepath ruled utopia? Dang....

[@grayscribe1342]

Alfred Bester came up with the concept of a Psi Cop and Straszinsky named Walter Koenig's character after the author.

[@weldonwin]

JMS borrow a lot of stuff from Bester in fact, such as in the future, they no longer practice capitol punishment, but instead have "Death of Personality", where a convicted criminal's memories and personality are erased and a new personality constructed in their place. This was taken directly from the Demolished Man and appeared prominently in at least two episodes of B5

[@nightrunnerxm393]

_sigh and facepalm_ I'm not sure if I should be amused or depressed that you guys feel compelled to explain the joke...

[@シロダサンダー]

@@nightrunnerxm393 always go for the most positive. Leaves one with fewer headaches

[@Belbecat]

B5 fans are a practical ppl 😆

[@BJ-sd7qv]

I love this channel

[@scottgray4602]

The Corp is Mother the Corp is Father...

[@TheDecatonkeil]

In reality, that isn't the Green Lantern Bester wrote for, but he did write the oath that would be carried over to it. I adore the Stars my Destination.

[@DarkYamiYugi]

Saw the image of the Shadow, stayed for hearing about a scifi writer. I love scifi :3

[@reidwallace4258]

You don't just... TELL somebody your gonna take a deep dive into dune... IN A FEW MONTHS. Super excited to see what you have to say about Herbert's masterpiece, for a novel that has changed so much about how stories are told in modern sci fi, I feel like Dune is far too often writen off as 'that one with giant worms and knife fights'... AS IF THAT IS A BAD THING ANYWAY!

[@laststorm7726]

Can't wait for the next season

[@ndf2719]

Big respect for Buster for walking from Campbell after he became a Scientologist. I wouldn’t want my earnings going towards something so horrid either.

[@JackFr0st5]

Nooooo, I can't wait months for the next episode. I can barely wait a week as it is.

[@SableAradia1]

Great episode! So pleased you covered Bester. He's so important to the genre and nobody who isn't an aficionado seems to know about him. Every plot Philip K. Dick ever wrote is essentially a rejumbling of The Demolished Man or The Stars My Destination (although some are probably best viewed as anti-The Stars My Destination, when you consider transhumanism and how PKD's "heroes" were always still pathetically-flawed and all-too human). And I'm pleased you've recognized him as the grandfather of cyberpunk. When I first read Bester, I had not seen that connection yet made anywhere, and I remember saying something similar to my partners. I wasn't aware that he was pretty much the first sci-fi writer who crossed over into comics, though. That link remains: Nnedi Okorafor is currently writing for Black Panther and she worked on a recent Storm comic too. I always learn something from these. Thanks!

[@gerardtrigo380]

Excellent, "the Stars My Destination," I read when very young and I still have my issues of a "Treasury of Science Fiction," edited by Anthony Boucher, Volumes one and two, in which I read it. Published in 1959.

[@gospideygo6061]

Ahhhhhh another break???? Come on y’all are killing me!!!! I’m trying to be one of the greatest creators ever over here!

[@Madmadrox]

The term 'begs the question' is a specific term from Philosophy. It means, to create a circular argument. Example: How do you know the Bible is right? Because it says so in the Bible. Commonly, people use it to mean 'raises the question' but, this is, strictly speaking, a misuse. Persnickity examiners reduce marks for that sort of thing. Also, I love everything Extra Credits does, and thank you to all who work there and ever have.

[@rakatika]

Yes! Dune at last! Thank you for the continued lessons!

[@jezrelcarvellida9572]

IN A FEW MONTHS!?? WHYYYY!? anyway, great video guys!Entertaining as always :)

[@noneofyourconcern3276]

Yeah! Really liking this.

[@emmettg7490]

Gully Foyle is one of my most favorite characters. His force of will and determination are unyielding. He refuses to be culled or manipulated by anyone or anything. A truly unstoppable man. This world could use a Gully Foyle.

[@galruchin6463]

Great episode as always! will you continue talking about Sci-Fi in comics in future episodes? and if you will, do you plan on making an episode about Jack Kirby? Because i feel like his illustrations and stories had some of the biggest influence on the way Sci-Fi looks.

[@pnutz_2]

I'm going to have to start eating spice myself to live long enough for this

[@thecountofmontecristo2796]

The Stars my Destination is underrated. I'm surprised there hasn't been an adaption of it.

[@alexbrown1930]

Interesting...there was also a recurring character in Babylon 5 who was likely named after him...lots of subtle references in that show to pulps and golden age stories and authors.

[@maxx8362]

Thank you, I have been looking forward to you covering this author for months, but how can you not mention that Bester wrote the Green Lantern Oath?

[@Divuar]

Damn I love the floating astronaut kitty so much!

[@despaahana]

I can't wait for Tolkien and Herbert! Lord of the Rings and the Dune Saga are my two favorite stories!

[@JoeyfilmingTv]

Can we get a video on Jack Kirby and the American comic writers and artists who pushed a lot of sci-fi ideas into their work?

[@SonnyBynum]

Gah! I was on the edge of my seat.

[@AleksandrPodyachev]

by the way, there is a character in the show Babylon 5 named Alfred Bester who was a telepathic cop

[@greyareaRK1]

That ended with me wondering if a Hobbit could walk softly enough that a worm couldn't hear his/her footsteps.

[@ricardodemarco3486]

Tooooolkieeeeen, finally, at long last... But remember, in the video about Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard you said that you still have to make a deep dive into their history and stories, because you just scratched the surface. Please, I need that videos, we all need in our lives an eldritch tentacled infamous creatue of yore to make us realize how insignificant we are, and a stoic barbarian born in a land of grey skies and dark nights with a sword in his hand to face that monster.

[@nashywill]

Hello! I just wanted to say that for the past few years, I've absolutely loved all of the work you guys have done! I was just wondering if you ever considered doing an Extra Credits on Text-Based Adventure games? I feel like going through the learning curve those games have could be really interesting, as well as analysing why they just aren't very popular nowadays. Watching your old video 'Tutorials 101', the first rule for a good tutorial is "Use less text" - so, how could you make a tutorial in a game that is only text?

[@jamesh193]

YES! Bester is my favorite SF author (after Lem)

[@superpheemy]

I am looking so forward to next Season. I've been waiting to see you talk about the author who helped shape my teenage years.. Michael Moorcock! Mike's gotta come on the heels of Prof. Tolkien! He's worthy of a deep dive. Make my wishes come true guys! Blood and Souls!

[@JamesSmith-rb5lv]

C.S. Lewis please.

[@josephfurtado2306]

I'd like to see C.S. Lewis too, but his Space trilogy is virtually unknown to most readers I've talked to.

[@abramthiessen8749]

I tried reading the first one but was put off by his astounding lack of understanding of gravity.

[@corvus1374]

I've been begging for Eddison, but I've given up hope.

[@z-beeblebrox]

especially since Lewis was close friends with Tolkien!

[@VallornDeathblade]

Lewis has some very odd works under his belt, though if you want to try and understand his underlying philosophy, the work "The Dao Of Man" is probably your best bet.

[@hereticalzed1705]

Hey, big fan of your series. I was wondering if you were planning on hitting the Bolo universe at any point, maybe if you did some episodes focused on military scifi.

[@NinjaRodent]

Making us wait that long for Tolkien and Herbert is criminal.

[@FoxMoxin]

I sincerely hope that, long term, you guys intend to do an episode on Pratchett...

[@frostfirei]

"The Stars My Destination" , I know this one well, I read it in a Hugo Winners anthology, in about 1970.

[@hubris1912]

I almost choked on my kefir when I heard you were doing Dune and LOTR. Even though you effectively blue-balled me and the rest of your audience, I`m so unreasonably happy right now, I could croak. Just please don`t mention the 1984 Dune movie. I think I`ve suffered enough.

[@josephfurtado2306]

Good luck with that...

[@russellstauffer2994]

Are we going to see Ray Bradbury? He sits on the cusp between the Golden Age and the Modern Era. The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451 are classic, and often are the first Sci-Fi novels we read in school.

[@MrDDiRusso]

Wait a minute, Alfred Bester was played by Walter Koenig on BABYLON 5.

[@jonathanrussell482]

Definitely check out the work of Prof. Michael C. Drout, especially his audio lecture series Rings, Swords and Monsters. He has amazing insights about Tolkien and his continuing influence on the fantasy genre. So many great series. You guys are too good to us!

[@misomiso8228]

Yeah my favourite author ever.

[@coletakkish4389]

Alfred might be Bester... But Walpole is Bestest

[@corvus1374]

But Stephen is King.

[@alucard347]

@@corvus1374 What is a king for a God?

[@ScottZwanenbeek]

'said the tensor to the censor' ;-)

[@ggdynfytugfy6892]

Nah, heropon Riki is bestest

[@scarredchild]

Worked at 'D.C' and preferred to write about rich men fed up with The System becoming vigilantes in his spare time... Sounds about right. =)