--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seldom does a storytelling talent come…" description: "\"Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg" --- # Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and… ![“Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fiercely credible and astonishingly imaginative. This is Science Fiction.” quote by David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg) > “Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fiercely credible and astonishingly imaginative. This is Science Fiction.” [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mike Brotherton’s storytelling blends credibility with imagination, creating powerful sci‑fi narratives. **In simple terms:** His writing mixes realistic characters with vivid imagination. Key Takeaway Read and study his works for narrative depth. Themes literature storytelling science fiction creativity Mood admiring inspired Type critical appreciative When to use this quote - writing workshops - book clubs - creative writing courses Key Concepts character development world‑building Questions to Reflect On - What makes a sci‑fi story both credible and imaginative? - How does character depth enhance speculative worlds? A Different Perspective Some may find his style overly complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astonishingly Imaginative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astonishingly-imaginative-5649798/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Complex characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complex-characters/) [Complexes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexes/) [Credible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credible/) [Credible Astonishingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credible-astonishingly-5649799/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Fiercely Credible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiercely-credible-5649800/) [Imaginative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginative/) [Mature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mature/) [Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mike/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Storytelling Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling-talent-4453711/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Voyage Fiercely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyage-fiercely-5649801/) [Voyages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyages/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I need people - theatrics and schmoozing and storytelling are part of my talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-salatin/i-need-people-theatrics-and-schmoozing-and-storytelling-are-part-of/) [Joel Salatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-salatin/) > [I was lucky enough to see the original cast of 'In the Heights.' This one blew my mind. The infusion of Latin, hip hop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-young/i-was-lucky-enough-to-see-the-original-cast-of-in-the-heights-this/) [Josh Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-young/) > [From a purely craft standpoint, a simple character has a single motivation, while complex characters have two or three or more motivations, at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-petrie/from-a-purely-craft-standpoint-a-simple-character-has-a-single/) [Nick Petrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-petrie/) > [The degree of talent, the size of the gift, is immaterial. All artists must listen, but not all hear great symphonies, see wide canvasses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/the-degree-of-talent-the-size-of-the-gift-is-immaterial-all-artists/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [ We're interested in complex characters and he's a complex character, \[J. Edgar\] Hoover. I like these types of dramas. I've made a few of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-grazer/we-re-interested-in-complex-characters-and-he-s-a-complex-character-j/) [Brian Grazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-grazer/) > [After the complex characters in 'Mayaanadhi' and 'Varathan,' my characters in 'Vijay Superum Pournamiyum' and 'Argentina Fans Kaattoorkkadavu' were bubbly ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-lekshmi/after-the-complex-characters-in-mayaanadhi-and-varathan-my-characters/) [Aishwarya Lekshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-lekshmi/) > [I totally respond to complex characters, and I'm not interested in anything too simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-fischler/i-totally-respond-to-complex-characters-and-i-m-not-interested-in/) [Patrick Fischler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-fischler/) > [My Family and Other Saints echoes Gerald Durrell's classic memoir, My Family and Other Animals, not only in its title, but in its wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-barrington/my-family-and-other-saints-echoes-gerald-durrell-s-classic-memoir-my/) [Judith Barrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-barrington/) > [I always look for interesting, complex characters. You know, interesting, well-written material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-underwood/i-always-look-for-interesting-complex-characters-you-know-interesting/) [Sam Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-underwood/) > [That is something that's been a cornerstone for me for forever. I want to play multilayered, complex characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/that-is-something-that-s-been-a-cornerstone-for-me-for-forever-i-want/) [Da'Vine Joy Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-vine-joy-randolph/) > [As for dream roles, they usually just speak to you. I just crave complex characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-prout/as-for-dream-roles-they-usually-just-speak-to-you-i-just-crave/) [Kirsten Prout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-prout/) > [I was a little hippie on a world backpacking adventure, and suddenly I became a vampire princess. I still find it hard to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-fry/i-was-a-little-hippie-on-a-world-backpacking-adventure-and-suddenly-i/) [Lucy Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-fry/) > [ I know I'm not normal in this, but \[ Severus \] Snape is absolutely my favorite character in the Harry Potter books. He is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-chance/i-know-i-m-not-normal-in-this-but-severus-snape-is-absolutely-my/) [Megan Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-chance/) > [“For the vision of a novelist is both complex and specialised; complex, because behind his characters and apart from them must stand something stable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-the-vision-of-a-novelist-is-both-complex-and-specialised-complex/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I am interested in complex characters who are difficult and have numerous sides. But I would love to do a comedy role - something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-simon/i-am-interested-in-complex-characters-who-are-difficult-and-have/) [Eugene Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-simon/) ## More by David Brin > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Anything done in secret is more likely to result in terrible errors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/anything-done-in-secret-is-more-likely-to-result-in-terrible-errors/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Men can be brilliant and strong, they whispered to one another. But men can be mad, as well. And the mad ones can ruin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/men-can-be-brilliant-and-strong-they-whispered-to-one-another-but-men/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/strutting-and-preening-is-in-fact-the-surest-sign-of-an-inferiority/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“We aren’t a curse upon the world. We are her new eyes. Her brain, testes, ovaries . . . her ambition and her heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/we-aren-t-a-curse-upon-the-world-we-are-her-new-eyes-her-brain-testes/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [If you believe you can make a living as a writer, you already have enough ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/if-you-believe-you-can-make-a-living-as-a-writer-you-already-have/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Historically, central planners have generally done a poor job of managing economic resources - this we've known since the time of the Pharaohs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/historically-central-planners-have-generally-done-a-poor-job-of/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [A neurosis defends itself by coming up with rationalizations to explain away bizarre behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/a-neurosis-defends-itself-by-coming-up-with-rationalizations-to/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Alas, criticism has always been what human beings, especially leaders, most hate to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/alas-criticism-has-always-been-what-human-beings-especially-leaders/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [It's how creativity works. Especially in humans. For every good idea, ten thousand idiotic ones must first be posed, sifted, tried out, and discarded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/it-s-how-creativity-works-especially-in-humans-for-every-good-idea/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Tragedies such as Nevil Shute's 'On the Beach' and Stanley Kubrick's 'Dr Strangelove' are so powerful because there's an underlying assumption that this did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/tragedies-such-as-nevil-shute-s-on-the-beach-and-stanley-kubrick-s-dr/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [In contrast, markets - oft mythologized as "natural" are the most unnatural things going. Libertarians will tell you "market laws are laws of nature",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/in-contrast-markets-oft-mythologized-as-natural-are-the-most/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“Snow and soot covered the ancient tree's broken branches and seared bark. It wasn't dead, not quite yet. Here and there tiny shoots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/snow-and-soot-covered-the-ancient-tree-s-broken-branches-and-seared/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [“As simple an act as reading or writing a sentence must be surrounded by perceptory nap and weave . . . an itch, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/as-simple-an-act-as-reading-or-writing-a-sentence-must-be-surrounded/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Ideologies are too seductive anyway. It does a man good to see things from a different point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/ideologies-are-too-seductive-anyway-it-does-a-man-good-to-see-things/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Explore all 142 David Brin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex characters take you on a voyage that is both fiercely credible and astonishingly imaginative. This is Science Fiction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Brin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-along-as-potent-and-fully/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-along-as-potent-and-fully/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/580/david-brin-3024_character_seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-a_3149693.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Seldom does a storytelling talent come along as potent and fully mature as Mike Brotherton. His complex…” — David Brin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Brin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Seldom does a storytelling talent come...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-along-as-potent-and-fully/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/seldom-does-a-storytelling-talent-come-along-as-potent-and-fully/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```