The Butterfly Kid

infobox Book |
name = The Butterfly Kid
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Cover of first edition (paperback)
author = Chester Anderson
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series = Greenwich Village Trilogy
genre = Science Fiction novel
publisher = Pyramid Books
release_date = 1967
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
pages = 190 pp
isbn = NA
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Unicorn Girl
by Michael Kurland

"The Butterfly Kid" is a science fiction novel by Chester Anderson originally released in 1967. It was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1968. [ [http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/HugoNomList.html List of Hugo Award nominees] in "Locus" magazine] The novel is the first part of the Greenwich Village Trilogy, with Michael Kurland writing the second book ("The Unicorn Girl") and the third volume ("The Probability Pad") written by T.A. Waters.

Plot introduction

The novel is primarily set in Greenwich Village, and is thoroughly saturated with psychedelic and 1960s counterculture elements. The time is an undefined near future, indicated by SF elements such as video phones and personal hovercraft; the Bicentennial is also mentioned. The use of psychoactive drugs and their effects are a central element of the story; much of the action revolves around an alien-introduced drug (referred to as "Reality Pills") that cause LSD-like hallucinations to manifest physically, generally causing chaos. The book's protagonist shares a name with the author, and another character shares the name of Michael Kurland, a friend and roommate of the author's at that time. [cite book | title=The Butterfly Kid | last=Anderson | first=Chester | authorlink=Chester Anderson | publisher=Pyramid Books | year=1967 | pages=? ]

The book's title refers to a character, Sean, who is able to spontaneously produce butterflies of all shapes, sizes, and colors after taking a "Reality Pill." Although Sean is introduced very early in the story, he is not the novel's central character.

Literary significance & criticism

The book's counterculture subject matter and lighthearted tone have led to it being associated with the New Wave movement in science fiction.Fact|date=February 2007 Although some reviews state that the novel is "written with wit and elegance," [cite book | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction | last=Nicholls | first=Peter (editor) | authorline=Peter Nicholls | publisher=Roxby Press | year=1979 | edition=1st | pages=30 ] and "an engaging expression of countercultural exuberance," [Barron, Neil (editor): "Anatomy of Wonder: A Critical Guide to Science Fiction"," page 223. R.R. Bowker Company, 1987] another points to it being "already dated" as of 1984. [Wingrove, David (editor): "The Science Fiction Sourcebook"," page 91. Van Norstrand Reinhold Company, Inc., 1984]

Release details

*First edition published by Pyramid Books, 1967, 190 pp
*First hardcover edition published by Gregg Press, 1977, ISBN 0-839-82374-6
*Paperback re-release published by Pocket Books, 1980, 204 pp, ISBN 0-671-83296-4

Footnotes

References

*cite book | title=The Butterfly Kid | last=Anderson | first=Chester | authorlink=Chester Anderson | publisher=Pyramid Books | year=1967