A Gift from the Culture
"A Gift from the Culture", published in 1987, is a short work of space opera, by the Scottish science fiction author Iain M. Banks. The story is an early venture into the "complex and unusual and very distant" setting of the Culture, which Banks would further develop through various of full length novels, stories, and his essay "A Few Notes on the Culture".
Rockne S. O'Bannon
O'Bannon originally wrote "Cult" in the aftermath of "Farscape" and watching the legions of fans mobilize to save the show. ""I saw this phenomenon with fans rallying around the show. Okay, what if there wasn't this wonderfully warm sci-fi adventure show, but it was something a little bit darker and edgier? What kind of fans would that bring in? That's what started me down the path of creating Cult."" When asked about leaving "Defiance" for "Cult," Rockne responded: ""It was a difficult transition for me because I really did and do love “Defiance,” but “Cult” is really my baby.""