I don't know why, but American sci-fi writers seem to focus on the near-future, which has given us Brits a clear run at the most fascinating. Alastair Reynolds More Quotes by Alastair Reynolds More Quotes From Alastair Reynolds I've never had much interest in spinoffery - the idea of writing in someone else's universe generally leaves me cold - but 'Doctor Who' is different. I've grown up with it. It's been part of my life since I was tiny, watching Jon Pertwee on a grainy black and white television in Cornwall and being terrified out of my mind. Alastair Reynolds me black-and-white black life For me, the distant future and far-off galaxies is where it's at. That's where my imagination can really come out to play. Alastair Reynolds me future imagination play It's true that my stories seem to deal with the end of the world. I've often been called the high priest of gothic miserablism, which is slightly unfair. Alastair Reynolds true end unfair world I'm a wishy-washy 'Guardian' reader, but the last thing I want to do is force a political agenda down people's throats. It's not central to my work, unlike, say, China Mieville, who's very politicised. Alastair Reynolds down political work people I always like Iain Banks science fiction stuff and William Gibson's cyberpunk stuff from the 1980s. Alastair Reynolds like always science-fiction science