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The Oldest Footprints And Other Stories: Science Fiction Short Story Collection
Available for the first time in one book, a selection of short stories and novellas.
Nine stories on a range of diverse humour, first contact, robots, time travel, and post-apocalyptic.
From badly behaved angels, the truth of human origins, post-apocalyptic mysteries and a robot's head lost in time.
Please enjoy this collection of thought-provoking stories.
The book contains the following
The Oldest Footprints…
Footprints are found on Jupiter’s moon Callisto. Who left them, when and why?
‘To Have And To Hold.’
What has happened to Mr Jenkins & will Mrs Jenkins grasp this opportunity for happiness with both hands?
Terminal Vision.
A poignant story about friendship and sacrifice. What would you be prepared to sacrifice for a friend?
Ahead In Time.
A robot’s head is lost in time, but there’s no reason to cry over spilt milk.
An Archaeological Twist.
An archaeological expedition makes a surprising discovery, a short story with a twist or two.
Beneath The City Of The Ancients.
Two teenagers make a discovery about their own past.
The Words Of The Sole.
What’s replaced the Lord’s Prayer in a post-apocalyptic Britain?
I'm An Angel, Not An Astrophysicist!
Heaven’s three most dysfunctional angels, on their first assignment, how do you make the sun stand still?
‘Never Mess With The Cleaner ’
A short story about alien contact, with a surprising hero.
Nine stories on a range of diverse humour, first contact, robots, time travel, and post-apocalyptic.
From badly behaved angels, the truth of human origins, post-apocalyptic mysteries and a robot's head lost in time.
Please enjoy this collection of thought-provoking stories.
The book contains the following
The Oldest Footprints…
Footprints are found on Jupiter’s moon Callisto. Who left them, when and why?
‘To Have And To Hold.’
What has happened to Mr Jenkins & will Mrs Jenkins grasp this opportunity for happiness with both hands?
Terminal Vision.
A poignant story about friendship and sacrifice. What would you be prepared to sacrifice for a friend?
Ahead In Time.
A robot’s head is lost in time, but there’s no reason to cry over spilt milk.
An Archaeological Twist.
An archaeological expedition makes a surprising discovery, a short story with a twist or two.
Beneath The City Of The Ancients.
Two teenagers make a discovery about their own past.
The Words Of The Sole.
What’s replaced the Lord’s Prayer in a post-apocalyptic Britain?
I'm An Angel, Not An Astrophysicist!
Heaven’s three most dysfunctional angels, on their first assignment, how do you make the sun stand still?
‘Never Mess With The Cleaner ’
A short story about alien contact, with a surprising hero.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2025
4 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Brian Terence
16 books52 followersScience Fiction Author. 🪐🚀📚
I write a wide range of science fiction stories, both full novels and short stories. Covering subjects such as Humour; Post-apocalyptic; Space Adventures; Mysteries; Paranormal; Alien Invasion; Time Travel; & Robots. Some are humorous, and others are more poignant and thought-provoking.
When asked where I get my ideas from, I can only explain that my mind is like a septic tank; weird bits of, well, you know what, float to the surface from time to time and become the kernel of my stories.
As a middle-class, middle-aged, white bloke – If you need anything ‘mansplaining’, I’m here to help!
I’m a husband and a father, living in East Anglia, UK, and share my home with various animals, including dogs, cats, chickens, a duck and a goose.
Member of Writers Anonymous. - https://www.writersanonymous.co.uk/
Member of The British Science Fiction Association.
No AI was used in the preparation of any of my manuscripts. My work has been reviewed by my editing consultants - Claire @ Cherry Edits / https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-ant... prior to publication.
My books are available at the following;
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brian-T...
Waterstones - https://www.waterstones.com/author/br...
B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22B...
Bookshop.org (US only) - https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keyw...
Connect with me;
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/brianteren...
BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/brianterence...
Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/brian...
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrianTerence42
I write a wide range of science fiction stories, both full novels and short stories. Covering subjects such as Humour; Post-apocalyptic; Space Adventures; Mysteries; Paranormal; Alien Invasion; Time Travel; & Robots. Some are humorous, and others are more poignant and thought-provoking.
When asked where I get my ideas from, I can only explain that my mind is like a septic tank; weird bits of, well, you know what, float to the surface from time to time and become the kernel of my stories.
As a middle-class, middle-aged, white bloke – If you need anything ‘mansplaining’, I’m here to help!
I’m a husband and a father, living in East Anglia, UK, and share my home with various animals, including dogs, cats, chickens, a duck and a goose.
Member of Writers Anonymous. - https://www.writersanonymous.co.uk/
Member of The British Science Fiction Association.
No AI was used in the preparation of any of my manuscripts. My work has been reviewed by my editing consultants - Claire @ Cherry Edits / https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-ant... prior to publication.
My books are available at the following;
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Brian-T...
Waterstones - https://www.waterstones.com/author/br...
B&N - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22B...
Bookshop.org (US only) - https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keyw...
Connect with me;
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/brianteren...
BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/brianterence...
Bookbub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/brian...
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BrianTerence42
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 16, 2025
In The Oldest Footprints, the headline story for this short story collection by Brian Terence, astronauts undertake a dangerous, lengthy trip to the asteroid belt to determine the source of mysterious footprints photographed on one of Jupiter’s moons by a satellite. As well as setting a suspenseful situation, the story features interesting interaction between well-developed characters. I recommend this collection to all hard science fiction fans.
June 25, 2025
Some good original ideas but overall could have been better constructed.
A number of spelling mistakes were distracting.
A number of spelling mistakes were distracting.
June 23, 2025
The Oldest Footsteps was good in the first few chapters, then it started to feel rushed. The other stories were not what I expected.
July 20, 2025
A thoroughly entertaining selection of speculative and fantasy science fiction, ranging from when a discovery of obviously human footprints on the Jovian moon Callisto inspires scientists to undertake a one way journey to Callisto to find – what or who, exactly? Most of the other stories are of mankind in its various stages of development, in the distant past or the distant future, when man makes contact with himself; when Anubis walks the earth, only to walk out again in ignominy; or when three incompetent (or inexperienced) angels study Stephen Hawking in an effort to make the sun stop in its tracks over a battlefield.
All the stories are told with tongue-in-cheek humour belying the serious science behind the stories, and the serious questions they pose, which at present must remain unanswerable.
All the stories are told with tongue-in-cheek humour belying the serious science behind the stories, and the serious questions they pose, which at present must remain unanswerable.
June 18, 2025
The Oldest Footprints by Brian Terence is a delightful collection of short sci fi stories. Most are humorous, and some with a more serious undertone, but all are fun to read. Terence's tongue is firmly planted in his cheek with these stories, which will keep the reader chuckling and wanting to turn the page and discover what happens next. The longer story, The Oldest Footprints, is a more serious tale about ancient footprints found on one of Jupiter's moons. The characters are well drawn, and the atmosphere engaging. If you are in the mood for a fun read with sci fi shenanigans and humorous situations, you will want to read this collection.
November 24, 2025
A collection of science fiction short stories that ranges from deep space exploration to time travel and from hilariously funny to deeply moving. All draw the reader in from the first few sentences, with the author beginning in the middle of a situation and trusting the reader to keep up as details and twists are slowly revealed.
A number of the stories ask the reader to consider how they would react in a given situation, adding to their immersion in the stories. The different settings of the stories from Callisto to rural Canada and characters from humans to angels are deftly drawn and very believable.
I would highly recommend this book.
A number of the stories ask the reader to consider how they would react in a given situation, adding to their immersion in the stories. The different settings of the stories from Callisto to rural Canada and characters from humans to angels are deftly drawn and very believable.
I would highly recommend this book.
June 12, 2025
I don't normally read Sci-Fi but I was compelled by this collection through the main novella. The Oldest Footprints. It poses a plausible scenario where the discovery of footprints on Mars are found to predate mankind. It's an interesting concept where Terence blends a range of scientific language with a character led narrative to produce.
Not all the stories have a serious tone here, but this one does, despite the comedy from a certain character with robotic legs. The crew sent on the scientific mission find more signs of life, or past life which may or may not pose a threat to humanity, or may unlock secrets of where mankind came from in the first place. It doesn't overegg the reality of possibility with a wealth of technology either, but instead places strands of possibility and even leads the reader into wrongfully blaming a sabotage act.
Characterisation is strong and the crew develop different relationships on their journey where a long period of stasis, and its phycological effect on them.
Other stories take on very different personas, for instance, 'To Have & To Hold' tells a comical story about a space colony worker with an affliction of an embarrassing nature caused by a transporter. The whole thing may stem from a lurid joke, but placed into a narrative of pure Sci-Fi.
'Terminal Vision' has a darker tone where a woman holds the power to see the aura of a person who is soon to expire. Despite this gift, it creates an ambiguous question for the reader as to whether it is a curse. When strange things start happening to her, she finds some secrets about it that leads her to others with the same ability.
In 'Ahead in Time' a literal head of a sentient robot is sent back in time and inadvertently changes history.
'An Archaeological Twist' does exactly what it says where an extinct race is studied in a burial ground which not only raises questions about them, but also the discoverers.
'Beneath the City of the Ancients' is a coming of age tale of two gatherers who discover the city of they were descended from and learn about their troubles of warfare and how they came to their way of life. This story is particularly well written with careful descriptions of a cave dwelling where mural replaced (todays) more modern ways of recordings once again. The twist being that post apocalyptic and the aftermath of nuclear fallout had led them to where they were. The character development here is brief, but effective upon the realisation by the children.
'Never Mess with the Cleaner' is an example of earlier work. It has flaws narrative wise but ends as a note for how far the author has come regarding ideas and presentation, and it is stated honestly within the notes. A cleaner notices an issue in the empty offices of a tech lab where strange canine based beings start to intrude. The reason they intrude being very sci-fi valid, clashes with the comedic element of this story for me, but nonetheless its an interesting tale.
Overall this is an enjoyable collection which sates the serious thinking Sci-Fi fan as well as throwing some unexpected curveballs of comedy and heartfelt moments. A selection for most ages to enjoy.
Not all the stories have a serious tone here, but this one does, despite the comedy from a certain character with robotic legs. The crew sent on the scientific mission find more signs of life, or past life which may or may not pose a threat to humanity, or may unlock secrets of where mankind came from in the first place. It doesn't overegg the reality of possibility with a wealth of technology either, but instead places strands of possibility and even leads the reader into wrongfully blaming a sabotage act.
Characterisation is strong and the crew develop different relationships on their journey where a long period of stasis, and its phycological effect on them.
Other stories take on very different personas, for instance, 'To Have & To Hold' tells a comical story about a space colony worker with an affliction of an embarrassing nature caused by a transporter. The whole thing may stem from a lurid joke, but placed into a narrative of pure Sci-Fi.
'Terminal Vision' has a darker tone where a woman holds the power to see the aura of a person who is soon to expire. Despite this gift, it creates an ambiguous question for the reader as to whether it is a curse. When strange things start happening to her, she finds some secrets about it that leads her to others with the same ability.
In 'Ahead in Time' a literal head of a sentient robot is sent back in time and inadvertently changes history.
'An Archaeological Twist' does exactly what it says where an extinct race is studied in a burial ground which not only raises questions about them, but also the discoverers.
'Beneath the City of the Ancients' is a coming of age tale of two gatherers who discover the city of they were descended from and learn about their troubles of warfare and how they came to their way of life. This story is particularly well written with careful descriptions of a cave dwelling where mural replaced (todays) more modern ways of recordings once again. The twist being that post apocalyptic and the aftermath of nuclear fallout had led them to where they were. The character development here is brief, but effective upon the realisation by the children.
'Never Mess with the Cleaner' is an example of earlier work. It has flaws narrative wise but ends as a note for how far the author has come regarding ideas and presentation, and it is stated honestly within the notes. A cleaner notices an issue in the empty offices of a tech lab where strange canine based beings start to intrude. The reason they intrude being very sci-fi valid, clashes with the comedic element of this story for me, but nonetheless its an interesting tale.
Overall this is an enjoyable collection which sates the serious thinking Sci-Fi fan as well as throwing some unexpected curveballs of comedy and heartfelt moments. A selection for most ages to enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews