DATE ARCHIVE: August 2008
[Sunday Cinema] Journeyman: 'Game Three'

In this week's installment, Dan travels back in time to Oct. 17th, 1989. If this date sounds familiar, it's because that is the day the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred, causing major destruction in and around San Francisco and Oakland, and halting the World Series for a few days. The earthquake plays a semi-major role here, and not in the way you might think. Good stuff.

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Posted by JP Frantz at Sunday August 31, 2008 at 1:07 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/31/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Sunday August 31, 2008 at 1:03 AM
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[Trailer] Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II

[via Murphy's Pondering Tree]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Sunday August 31, 2008 at 12:54 AM
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VIDEO: An Examination of A Clockwork Orange

I saw A Clockwork Orange, Stanley Kubrick's vision of the Anthony Burgess book, many years ago...but there are still scenes that refuse to leave my head. Get out of my head!

Here's an examination of the film...

[via MilkandCookies]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday August 30, 2008 at 12:15 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/30/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday August 30, 2008 at 12:07 AM
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Friday YouTube: Weird Science Trailer

I'm amazed at how this movie's rigorous treatment of science still holds up today.
(Translation: Schwing!)

Related bonus video after the jump...

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 29, 2008 at 1:06 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

IDW Announces New Science Fiction Line

IDW Publishing has announced a new science fiction line called: New Classics of the Fantastic. The series aims to reprint classics award-winning science fiction that has fallen out of print.

First up in the series is Robert Silverberg's outstanding book, Nightwings. (See SF Signal review.)

From the press release:

Series editor Clifford Meth says, "New Classics of the Fantastic will be an essential science fiction library. It will bring back Hugo and Nebula Award winning books that have fallen out of print. Sadly, most award-winning genre titles don't last long on the shelves--that's a function of space, not quality. So IDW has assembled a list of extraordinary books--titles that represent the very best selections of the very best authors in science fiction. Robert Silverberg's Nightwings is a genuine must-read for science-fiction fans."
We've talked before about how classics sadly fall out of print, so this is cool news. Now readers who are sadly under-read in the classics [looks at self] can catch up -- assuming they don't already own the books in multiple versions that are stored away in boxes for the coming apocalypse [looks at self again].

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 29, 2008 at 12:49 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/29/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 29, 2008 at 12:45 AM
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Tube Bits for 08/29/2008

  • On September 7th, one of the most anticipated PC games in years will be released, Will Wright's Spore. You get to design your own creature, then guide their evolution from primitives to star system spanning high-tech culture. On September 9th, the National Geographic Channel will air a documentary about the game entitled: How To Build A Better Being. The show, which is also included in the limited run of the collectible Spore Galactic Edition, joins Wright and leading scientists in exploring the genetic information we share with all animals -- even creatures we could never have envisioned. How To Build A Better Being follows Will Wright as he meets with geneticists, paleontologists, and other scientists as they strive to design the "ultimate animal" by using extensive knowledge of animal diversity. This one is on my 'must buy' list, I hope it turns out as cool as it looks.

  • Buzzine ponders the differences between Mad Men and Battlestar Galactica and how those differences mean Emmy nods for MM and not BG. Hmm, possibly. Maybe it's because Galactica is SF?

  • Pigs in spaaaaaace! may soon be returning to the airwaves, via a motion picture. It seems there is a new Muppet movie in the works and, if it's successful, that may pave the way for a new Muppet Show. Anything with more Gonzo and Animal is okay with me!

  • BuddyTV lets us know about the new guest stars for this season's Eli Stone. Despite a tendency toward pushy, agenda driven episodes, I like Eli Stone, probably because Johnny Lee Miller is a very sympathetic lead.

  • Fans of Pushing Daisies, and who doesn't like a show where the main restaurant is called The Pie Hole?, should really like this. The show is going on the road, dispensing pie (mmm, pie) and new footage from the show. For tour dates, see PopCrunch.. And if I may: Frakkin' Dallas. Just because J.R. was shot there, doesn't mean they like pie.

  • Did you know that HBO was working on an adaptation of the comic Preacher? Well, now it doesn't matter if you didn't, because they have canned the idea, saying it's "too dark and too violent and too controversial." For HBO? Really?

  • Stargate Atlantis is a hit! Well, with the pirates (Arrrr!) anyway.

  • SF Universe has the new Life on Mars ad from ABC. Mmmmm, 70's kitsch. I really hope they don't camp it up.

  • A LEGO Batman short? You bet! And yes, there is a LEGO Batman game for every system known to man. If it's even close to LEGO Star Wars it should be a lot of fun.

  • Sci Fi Wire has an exclusive 'behind the scenes' look at Fringe. SF Universe has an interesting video of some of the 'fringe' science in the show.

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Posted by JP Frantz at Friday August 29, 2008 at 12:10 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

MIND MELD: The Future of Star Wars

With the release of the new Clone Wars movie, we here at SF Signal have looked at the box office results and pondered where the Star Wars franchise goes from here. For this week's Mind Meld, we turned the future of Star Wars over to our panel of respondents.

Q: Is it time for Star Wars to go on hiatus for a long while, or is there hope the new, live-action TV series will breathe new life into the series?
Keith R.A. DeCandido
Keith has published over thirty novels, most of them in the realm of media tie-ins. The majority of his work has appeared in the worlds of Star Trek. Keith has written novels, novellas, comic books, short stories, and eBooks, and also edited several anthologies that cover all five TV shows as well as several prose-only series -- one of which, the Corps of Engineers eBook series, he co-developed. Several of his Trek novels have hit the USA Today best-seller list, and received critical acclaim from all over the map, both online and in print, and Keith also continues to edit the monthly Star Trek eBook line.
Star Wars' place in popular culture is doing just fine, thanks. It's still one of the most popular franchises on the planet, and that's not likely to change any time soon, and the 1977 release of Star Wars will always be a benchmark in American film history regardless.

This same question came up repeatedly around the turn of the century regarding Star Trek. The notion that people were tired of Trek when there was only one show on the air and the occasional movie is silly when, from 1987-1999, there were one or two shows on the air and a movie every 2-3 years -- and the franchise was at its most popular and nobody was sick of it. What hurt Star Trek wasn't too much Star Trek, but too much Star Trek that wasn't appealing to people.

Star Wars is hitting the same problem. It's not that people are tired of Star Wars, it's that they're tired of Star Wars that ain't so hot. The problem The Clone Wars is having is that it's not something that the world at large is dying to know about. Whatever the flaws of the prequel trilogy -- and they were legion -- they were also chronicling the background of Darth Vader, one of the greatest menaces of 20th-century fiction. There's no similar hook in The Clone Wars -- not aided by the fact that this conflict has already been covered in novel, comic book, and animated form previously (Genndy Tartovsky's collection of five-minute shorts was a magnificent piece of work) -- and people are also fatigued from the giant black hole of dreadful that was the prequel trilogy.

People are more than happy to keep coming back if they enjoy what they see. The Stargate franchise is an excellent example of that. Stargate SG1 lasted ten years, and now is being continued in very successful direct-to-DVD movies, Stargate Atlantis is now in its fifth season, and a third TV show is in development. Nobody's talking about franchise fatigue for Stargate, because they're still producing material that people want to see.

If the new live-action Star Wars series is good and appealing to a large audience, then it will breathe new life. If it continues the downward trend of the live-action films that really goes back to the moment the Ewoks first showed up in Return of the Jedi, then they've got problems.

Read more...

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Posted by JP Frantz at Thursday August 28, 2008 at 12:28 AM
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Can You Name This Story? (Part 10)

Another reader writes in with a story description looking for a title. Do any of our readers out there know the title of this story?

I am looking for an old SF spy book, which is likely out of publication. I can't remember the title, though.

The story, however, is about a "sleeper agent" sent to infiltrate organizations on other planets. He is put through a kind of brainwashing and his body is heavily modified, so he will fit the role of whoever he is . . . impostering. His own consciousness kind of takes a back seat while he carries out the programmed mission. When a life threatening situation occurs, his mental conditioning is allowed to go "offline", causing his own consciousness to resurface.

I think the story goes through something like 3 missions, each on different planets. Between each mission, we get a look into the main character's true thoughts. There is an invented religious faith in the story, something like "catholic zen buddhist", and the main character is a member of this faith. I think they are pacifists, which raises some internal conflict with the character and his chosen career. The first mission, he replaces an overweight research scientist. The third mission, I believe he replaces some well trained guy on a planet where fencing is common. In that mission, the long-haired love interest is captured and tortured. I seem to remember the hero was captured as well, causing his own consciousness to resurface "too early". This compromised his ability to copy the behavior of the person he replaced.

Anyway, I think the story ends with him being disposed of by the organization he works for, as they see his thoughts between missions becoming too conflicting. I recall one amusing line in the story, where the hero is getting seriously pounded, and he recalls that the tooth he just lost was his last actual tooth.

Recently reading about the upcoming Eliza Dushku series, Dollhouse, reminded me of the story.

Mike
Can you name this story?

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Posted by John DeNardo at Thursday August 28, 2008 at 12:15 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/28/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Thursday August 28, 2008 at 12:06 AM
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The Monster Self-Defense Test

Speaking of The Blob, Kevin Maher weighs in with another great installment of The Sci Fi Department...this one testing your knowledge of SciFi movie monsters.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 27, 2008 at 2:12 PM
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The Top 10 Most Sought-After Out-of-Print SF/F Books (Oh Really?)


The BookFinder has posted The Top 10 Most Sought-After Out-of-Print Books. Check out these titles from the sf/f list:

  1. Rage by Stephen King (as Richard Bachman)
  2. Halloween by Curtis Richards
  3. Turnabout by Andy Mangels
  4. Second Sight by David Williams
  5. Masques by Patricia Briggs
  6. Dark Carnival by Ray Bradbury
  7. She Is the Darkness by Glen Cook
  8. Codex Seraphinianus by Luigi Serafini
  9. Nightworld by F. Paul Wilson
  10. The Return by E.C. Tubb
These are the most sought after? Strange...many of these I've never even heard of.

Halloween is a novelization of the movie and features "elaborates on aspects not featured in the film". Does that make it sought after? She Is the Darkness is the 2nd 7th novel of Cook's Black Company series. Wouldn't the first six books be more valuable? Turnabout is a Roswell media tie-in. Am I missing something? Clueless, I am...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 27, 2008 at 12:22 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/27/2008

bh.jpg

  • Hero come lately, Kristin Bell, will be lending her 'dulcet' tones to the new animated feature by Warner Bros., Astro Boy. Check out that link to see that star-studded cast for this remake of the Japanese original. I mean, Eugene Levy, come on!

  • Ed Quinn, who plays Nathan Stark on Eureka, shares his thoughts about season 3, hinting at some big revel midway through. Like John, I'm really liking this season, even with all the technobabble. Is it wrong that I didn't remember Ed's name as the actor behind Stark?

  • If you ever needed proof that animation need not be just for kids, look no further than this Fall 2008 Preview of Japanese anime. That's a lot of shows, including a spin-off of the venerable Speed Racer. And all coming soon to a torrent network near you.

  • Buddy TV has an exclusive audio interview with Garret Dillahut and Leven Rambin from The Sarah Connor Chronicles. A typo that occurred while typing prompts this question: Is it just me or would the name Teh Sarah Connor Chronicles be cool? Probably just me.

  • (Possible Galactica spoilers ahead) Edward Olmos reinforces, yet again, the brutal nature of Galactica's ending, cautioning fans to have the tissues handy. You have at least 5 months to stock up till episodes return.

  • Sci Fi Wire has posted an interview with Fringe writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. One of the inspirations? Real Genius. Awesome!

  • Pajiba.com gives the 20 best (TV) seasons of the last 20 years. There are several genre show here and yes, they're what you'd expect (Whedon).

  • In case you missed out on our recent giveaway, you may have a second chance. SF Scope still has a few more copies of the Masters of Science Fiction DVDs to give away.

  • Tragic Elegance asks: What are the science fiction staples that I need to read/watch? Go forth, our minions, and fill that page with suggestions!

  • If you're a big Mythbusters fan, like my kids, don't forget that tonight Adam and Jamie take on the Moon Landing Hoaxers. Much fun will be had by all. No word on whether Buzz Aldrin will be on hand to punch lucky hoaxers...

  • BBC Three's new series, The Wrong Door has an interesting Monty Python meets Robot Chicken vibe going on. There are plenty of videos on YouTube. Here's one:

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Posted by JP Frantz at Wednesday August 27, 2008 at 12:11 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/27/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 27, 2008 at 12:05 AM
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REVIEW: Mini-Masterpieces of Science Fiction edited by Allan Kaster


REVIEW SUMMARY: A short fiction reader experiences his first audio anthology.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: 9 audio versions of short stories.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: All the stories are good; 4 of them are superb.
CONS: Narration sometimes took me out of the story.
BOTTOM LINE: An enjoyable experience...and the audio format meant squeezing in some fiction when I was otherwise unable to.

Mini-Masterpieces of SF, edited by Allan Kaster, is an audio collection of short science fiction that occupies 228 minutes on 3 audio CDs. This was my first experience with audiobooks, and I wasn't sure what to expect, but overall I was very pleased.

First, a word about the content which is, after all, what it's all about. The stories chosen were quite good. I had already read many of them before (and liked them). If these stories were in another written anthology or collection, I would have skipped them entirely, but seeing as how I was looking for the audiobook experience, I gave these stories another go. There's not one bad story to be found here, though some fared better than others. Out of nine stories, four of them were outstanding. That's a pretty high hit rate, almost as if the editor's tastes are keenly in tune with my own; a rarity in any kind of publishing.

About the readings themselves: Both narrators (Vanessa Hart and Tom Dheere) did wonderful jobs overall reading the stories. All deliveries were clear and easy to understand. However, there were some inconsistencies. Each reading seemed to alternate between a normal reading of the material and a dramatization of it. In some stories, a natural reading voice was used for dialogue, and sometimes accents and inflections were used. Speed of delivery within single stories seemed to vary as well. Understandably, there is a limited amount of time that can be devoted to each story, but the pacing could have been more even. Occurring less often, some elements of the readings were somewhat over-dramatized with long pauses that somehow felt too dramatic. But again, I'm new to the form, and overall this was an enjoyable experience.

About the format itself: As life seems to get more and more busy, it was nice to be able to listed to some fiction on the way to/from work. The stories happened to fit nicely between one round trip, allowing for a new story each day. Although I didn't really have the need to, there is also a certain convenience in having the ability to move them to an MP3 player and take with you. I'm not saying I'm a convert, by any means, but I did like the experience of listening of listening to short science fiction.

Individual story reviews follow:

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 26, 2008 at 12:29 AM
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Tuesday Tune: The Theme From 1958's The Blob (+Trailer)

Ahhh...the sweet, toe-tapping sounds of surf music...

And just so you you don't feel cheated...here's something less musical and more blobbish...

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 26, 2008 at 12:16 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/26/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 26, 2008 at 12:05 AM
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Star Wars Must Die

greedo1.jpgWay back in 1977, George Lucas unleashed on an unsuspecting world a movie unlike any ever seen before. For the next year, Star Wars could be seen in just about any theater in America, and the world, on its way to being the #2 movie of all time, when adjusted for inflation. Of course, with success came the temptation to ride that wave. At first, everything seemed to be going well. The Empire Strikes Back is considered by many to be the best of the original movies, even if it wasn't quite as successful at the box office as the first movie. Then along came Return of the Jedi, and first inklings that all was not well in Lucas-land.

Then a funny thing happened. Before starting work on the prequel movies, Lucas decided to re-release the original trilogy in theaters, with 'tweaks and edits', ostensibly to make them more like his vision for them. But every time a major re-release occurred, more 'tweaks and edits' happened, so there are now several different versions of the films floating around, arousing fan ire and suspicion.

A suspicion that was confirmed with the prequel movies release: Lucas can't write a decent plot or bit of dialogue, he was about flash and spectacle over characters and story. Even Natalie Portman couldn't rescue the new trilogy from terrible dialogue, poor stories and wooden acting. Only Lucas could get Samuel L. Jackson to channel his inner Keanu Reeves. Legions of fans were let down, expecting more. And now with the critical savaging and box office bomb of the new Clone Wars movie, I think we can come to only one conclusion:

To save its future, Star Wars must die.

Read more...

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Posted by JP Frantz at Monday August 25, 2008 at 12:25 AM
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Books Received: August 24, 2008
Here are the books we received this past week.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 25, 2008 at 12:18 AM
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GIVEAWAY RESULTS: Masters of Science Fiction

Our Masters of Science Fiction giveaway contest is over, and here are the lucky SF Signal readers who have won their very own copy of the DVD set!


  • Cynthia C. of British Columbia, Canada

  • Al B. of Oklahoma City, OK.

  • Oliver T. of New York, NY.

  • Jason C. of Cedar Rapids, IA.

  • Philip K. of Olathe, KS.

  • Eric K. of Coppell, TX.

  • Gerry M. A. of Medford, OR.

  • Bill H. of Knoxville, TN.

  • Stephanie K. of Boston, MA.

  • Robert S. of Budd Lake, NJ.
Congratulations to you all, the DVDs will be in the mail shortly.

I'd like to thank everyone who participated and everyone who reads SF Signal. We're sure to have more contests in the future, so stay tuned!

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Posted by JP Frantz at Monday August 25, 2008 at 12:11 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/25/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 25, 2008 at 12:09 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/25/2008
  • From our Geek Toys division, we have the following:
    • An RC Enterprise, whose controller is a vintage communicator. Awesome!
    • And this really cool blue LED lightsabre flashlight, complete with 'real life' whooshing noise! Sometimes it's hard to be a SF geek.

  • Show Me SciFi asks: Joseph Mallozzi, why did you kill Stargate Atlantis? Basically taking Joe to task for not 'fighting for the fans' of the show. Here's a tip: Atlantis was on Sci Fi, which is going to do what it wants, regardless of anything else.

  • Dollhouse isn't the only show that will be changing its pilot episode. Eleventh Hour will be doing the same thing, although, in this case, it's probably not a sign of studio meddling.

  • Dave Itzkoff takes a look at J.J. Abrams' new series, Fringe and contrasts it with Abrams' previous series Alias and LOST. (Warning, registration required. You may want to visit BugMeNot.) I'm looking forward to this, despite the serial elements. And despite what Itzkoff may say, Abrams did not 'pioneer' the serial storytelling style. All you have to do is look back to a certain little show called Babylon 5, written by J. Michael Straczynski for that. Minus geek points for you Dave.

  • Kevin Smith gives a psuedo-review of the new Trek movie, which he isn't supposed to talk about. Funny stuff, but I'm still not convinced.

  • For those of you dying to know what the K.I.T.T. Cave will look like in the new Knight Rider show, Sci Fi Wire has you covered.

  • We've mentioned the Heroes parody, Zeroes before. It appears they are still going strong, with this, their third video:

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Posted by JP Frantz at Monday August 25, 2008 at 12:07 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Why Kubrick used 'Daisy' for HAL's death

This scene is one of the most dramatic and poignant scenes in the history of movies: HAL, singing "Daisy", as Dave Bowman deactivates him. But why "Daisy"? Let Arthur C. Clarke explain:

From a 1963 documentary.

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Posted by JP Frantz at Sunday August 24, 2008 at 2:00 PM
© 2008 SF Signal

Sunday Cinema: Journeyman, 'Friendly Skies'

Today we have episode #2 of Journeyman for you. In this one, Dan disappears from a fully booked flight, which cause no end of concern, as you might imagine. We also get an inkling that the writers know what they are doing, as some of the things that happen to Dan will cause problems for him later.

With foresight like that, is it any wonder the show was canceled and that Sci Fi didn't pick it up?

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Posted by JP Frantz at Sunday August 24, 2008 at 12:29 AM
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REVIEW: The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made by David Hughes

MY RATING:

It's almost an axiom that any movie, based on a book, will be inferior to the written version. After reading The Greatest Sc-Fi Movies Never Made, not only do we get glimpse into why this is so, we also realize it's a minor miracle that any adaptation ever gets made. SF fans can also feel vindicated in their feeling that Hollywood, especially the suits, just doesn't 'get' SF. It doesn't, even if there are those who do understand.

However, this book isn't about the development hell that movies go through, though that plays a central role in many of them. No, instead the focus is on the SF movies that have never been made, and the reasons behind these failures. Well, actually, Hughes plays a bit loose with the 'never made' part, choosing to focus on the 'not shot' drafts of movies that eventually saw the light of day. These make up almost 2/3 of the book.

Read more...

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Posted by JP Frantz at Sunday August 24, 2008 at 12:28 AM
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Cybercrime and Science Fiction

File under: Interesting read for the day...

David S. Wall of the University of Leeds has published an article that may be of interest to science fiction fans: Cybercrime and the Culture of Fear: Social Science Fiction(s) and the Production of Knowledge about Cybercrime. here's the abstract:

This article builds upon my previous work...to map out the conceptual origins of cybercrime in social science fiction and other faction genres to explore the relationship between rhetoric and reality in the production of knowledge about it. The article goes on to illustrate how the reporting of dystopic narratives about life in networked worlds shapes public reactions to technological change. Reactions which heighten the culture of fear about cybercrime, which in turn, shapes public expectations of online risk, the formation of law and the subsequent interpretation of justice. Finally, the article identifies and responds to the various mythologies that are currently circulating about cybercrime, before identifying the various tensions in the production of criminological knowledge about it that contribute to sustaining those mythologies.

And here's a snippet:

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Sunday August 24, 2008 at 12:11 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/24/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Sunday August 24, 2008 at 12:04 AM
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What Media Tie-In Book Would You Recommend to Naysayers?

Author Jim Hines confesses a prejudice against media tie-in novels:

One of the things I realized at GenCon last week is that on some level, I'm prejudiced. That there's a part of me that thinks of gaming fiction (Forgotten Realms, etc.) and other media tie-ins as somehow lesser than original fiction like my own.

I'm not happy with that realization. I'm not sure where that prejudice came from, but I'd like to finish eradicating it now, please. In part because I have a number of friends who write gaming tie-ins, such as ...Ed Greenwood and Peter David and so on... And in part because, like so many prejudices, it's stupid.
...
So I'm trying to break down the roots of this prejudice. A part of it, I believe, comes from the idea that if I'm making up my own original world, I'm being more creative than someone who works in a pre-defined world. Maybe that's true, maybe it's not.

Kudos to Jim for the honesty.

A while back, we asked "Are Media Tie-In Novels Trash?" There are good and bad media tie-in novels just like there are in any subset of books. The trick is finding the good ones. I know that Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn series comes highly recommended...

Do you know of any others? What media tie-in books would you recommend to people who dismiss them out of hand?

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Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday August 23, 2008 at 1:15 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/23/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday August 23, 2008 at 12:44 AM
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Game Bits: Dead Space, The Force Unleashed, Stargate Worlds, Tomb, Starcraft, Battlestar Galactica. Knights of the Old Republic

Dead Space is the new horror/survival/SF shooter from EA. Destructoid has a rather interesting post up looking at the art of Dead Space. While cover art for SF books plays a role in persuading a person to pick up a book and, hopefully, buy it, art plays an even bigger role in a game. Drab and uninspired art direction can suck a lot of the enjoyment out of a game. Survival/horror games require creepy/claustrophobic atmosphere to work, and Dead Space looks to have that in spades.

For more background, you can watch the 4 animated prequel videos.

Read more...

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Posted by JP Frantz at Saturday August 23, 2008 at 12:27 AM
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M.J. Engh Named 2009 Author Emerita

From SFWA:

Mary Jane Engh, author of Arslan and Wheel of the Winds among other works, will be honored as Author Emerita by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America for the 2009 Nebula Awards® Weekend in Los Angeles, California.

The honor was announced by SFWA® President Russell Davis. The Nebula Awards Weekend will be held April 24-26 [2009] in Los Angeles, California, at the Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard, with the awards presentation banquet to be held on the UCLA campus to tie in with the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

"Well, I hope 'emerita' doesn't mean 'over the hill,' but I'm truly honored -- blown away, in fact," Engh said. "It's nice to know that somebody has noticed me."

Under the pseudonym Jane Beauclerk, Engh published her first science fiction story, "We Serve the Star of Freedom," in the July 1964 issue of the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Over the next four decades, her short fiction appeared in a wide range of markets including Universe 1, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine and Arabesques.

In 1976 Engh published her first novel, Arslan, about a future United States conquered by a third-world power, to widespread critical acclaim. She followed that with Wheel of the Winds in 1988 and Rainbow Man in 1993.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday August 23, 2008 at 12:12 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Trek Fan Trumps Studio, Makes Better Poster

TrekRebootAlternate.jpgYou gotta hand it this Deviant Art user...he's created a Star Trek poster that captures all the crunchy sf goodness of past Trek films. This looks way better than the official posters that came from boring ol' Hollywood. Yay Internets!

[via Cinema Blend]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 22, 2008 at 11:29 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Anathem Neologisms

BoingBoing has a sneak peak of "an abridged glossary of neologisms and language-bending goodies" from Neal Stephenson's upcoming book, Anathem. Here's a snippet from the PDF doc:

Anathem: (1) In Proto- Orth, a poetic or musical invocation of Our
Mother Hylaea, which since the time of Adrakhones has been the
climax of the daily liturgy (hence the Fluccish word Anthem mean-
ing a song of great emotional resonance, esp. one that inspires lis-
teners to sing along). Note: this sense is archaic, and used only in a
ritual context where it is unlikely to be confused with the much
more commonly used sense 2. (2) In New Orth, an aut by which an
incorrigible fraa or suur is ejected from the math and his or her
work sequestered (hence the Fluccish word Anathema meaning in-
tolerable statements or ideas). See Throwback.
-- the dictionary, 4th edition, A.R. 3000

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 22, 2008 at 11:29 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

What's Your Favorite Ray Bradbury Story?

Today is Ray Bradbury's 88th birthday. Throughout his long and distinguished career, he's written numerous books and short stories. So, what's your favorite Ray Bradbury story?

While you're thinking about that, enjoy this vintage Bradbury endorsement.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 22, 2008 at 8:13 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Friday YouTube: Three Year Old Recites Return of the Jedi Crawl

Now the question is: Who had the original idea, George Lucas or this three year-old girl? Ewoks. That's all I'm sayin'...

[via Poe TV]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 22, 2008 at 12:27 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Happy Birthday Science Fiction Awards Watch!

Science Fiction Awards Watch is one year old today!

If you've never been there, they cover everything...everything...related to science fiction and fantasy awards. Cheryl Morgan and Kevin Standlee are the main proprietors, but many other folks have also contributed. All have done a wonderful job and deserve your attention. So, go!

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 22, 2008 at 12:18 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/22/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 22, 2008 at 12:10 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/22/2008
  • Joseph Mallozzi shares his thoughts on the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis and the 2-hour movie for the show that they'll be doing. I've never really watched Atlantis, but it's always a shame when a real SF show gets the boot, especially off of Sci Fi. I wonder if more wrestling will be on the way...

  • Did you know: Dave Filoni, writer/director on Avatar the Last Airbender, directed both the new Clone Wars movie and is a supervising director for the Clone Wars TV show? Apparently, "He and his team did so well in using computer animation to create the Star Wars cartoon series that he was chosen to do the movie, too." I'm trying to reconcile that with the critical savaging the movie has taken. What does that say about Lucas?

  • Once again, someone from Fringe, this time actor Joshua Jackson is strenuously objecting to comparisons between his show and The X-Files and LOST. I'd have to say Fringe has elements of both in its structure. How much it mimics those two shows remains to be seen.

  • Good news for anime fans: Full Metal Alchemist will be getting a new series. There's certainly some interesting story threads left open at the end of the first that can be followed up. Hopefully it will be as good as the first.

  • Sci Fi Wire brings us the characters of Ron Moore's Virtuality.

  • Is Eureka's Nathan Stark really dead? Since this is SF, even if we had seen a dead body, there's no reason why he can't come back, is there?

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Posted by JP Frantz at Friday August 22, 2008 at 12:05 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

A War of Robots

Here's a a short CGI film featuring two transforming robots fighting in Hiroshima, Japan, 100 years after the end of World War II.

Much coolness...


World War - 3D Animation @ University Of Hertfordshire 2008
from Digital Animation Herts Uni UK on Vimeo.

[via Geeks are Sexy]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Thursday August 21, 2008 at 12:25 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/21/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Thursday August 21, 2008 at 12:10 AM
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Thoughts on Eureka Season 3 (So Far)


Eureka, for those that don't watch it, is a light SciFi show about a secluded brain trust town populated by eccentric geniuses and the "Average Joe" Sherriff Carter. The show won't necessarily win points for scientific accuracy or believability (points that are waxed over with TecnoBabble) but you will find a lighthearted comedy-drama that fun to watch.

We're about 4 shows into Season 3 of Eureka, and I have to say that the latest episode, "I Do Over" (Watch the full episode free!), was one of the best ones yet. Sure, it's the old Time Loop trope seen in ST:TNG and Groundhoug Day, but the Eureka flavor made it fun again.

Here are some quick thoughts on Season 3 so far:

[**** WARNING: Spoilers ahead! *****]

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 11:34 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

MIND MELD: If You Could Change Any Aspect of The Science Fiction Field, What Would it Be?

I recently read Seeds of Change, an anthology edited by John Joseph Adams centered on the theme of technological, scientific, political and/or cultural change. For this week's Mind Meld, we turned to the anthology's editor and authors, as well as a host of others, to answer the following question about changing the science fiction field itself:

Q: Science fiction, some say, is all about fostering change. But if you could change any aspect of the science fiction field itself - publishing, mainstream acceptance, fans, or whatever - what would it be and why?

The answers will shock and amaze! And tickle.

Kathleen Ann Goonan
Kathleen Ann Goonan is a science fiction writer with several Nebula Award nominated books. Her debut novel, Queen City Jazz was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Her most recent novel, In War Times, is the winner of the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel of 2007 and was chosen by the American Library Association as Best Science Fiction Novel for their 2008 reading list.
Naturally, as a writer, I would like the audience for sf to be much broader, but for, perhaps, unusual reasons.

In 1959, C.P. Snow gave a famous talk in which he said that science and literature had become two distinct cultures, neither of which spoke to the other. It seems to me that this split has intensified and solidified over the years. The result of this is that science is not well understood by much of the public.

As a society, we need to think about problems and controversies that face us, from the very large problem of war, which never seems to end, to the equally important problem of distribution of medical care, education, and goods. Science, and the technologies which depend on science, are crucial in understanding and dealing with these issues.

I find it ironic that the phrase "like science fiction" is used to describe ideas that seem harebrained, when, in fact, fiction rooted in science is quite the opposite. However, in the public mind, at least in the United States, science fiction seems to have gone from being regarded as an intellectually demanding literature to a literature of the ridiculous and the impossible. This is not, by the way, true in Europe.

Good science fiction unites the two cultures. That doesn't mean that science fiction has any responsibility to do so, any more than it has to be didactic or dull. Instead, like any other kind of fiction, it must have an emotional impact on the reader, and it should, can, and does entertain with all of the wit, elegance, and depth of any literature.

As for marketing, I don't mind that science fiction is shelved separately in bookstores, because that helps fans find it, or that the covers scream "science fiction--readers of general fiction, beware!," but I think it should also be shelved with other literature, clad in covers that bespeak "mainstream," (you know what I'm talking about, marketing directors), so that it can be discovered by new readers. These new readers might begin to understand that they are immersed in a sea of science, and be encouraged to find out more about what is really going on in the world around them. Science education might thereby gain more respect and more funding in the United States.

And if not, at least many more readers would be able to appreciate and enjoy science fiction.

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 12:29 AM
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Cool Site: Sci Fi Songs


Here's a good idea...

Read a science fiction book and write a song based on it. That's what John Anealio has done at his blog, Sci Fi Songs.

Check out some of these SF-inspired tunes:


Stop by and give a listen...

[via Fantasy Cafe]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 12:22 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

John Picacio Art Show

The Pyr blog has recently become a group blog, with Pyr authors contributing to the already cool content by Pyr editor Lou Anders. Chris Roberson, for example, has just posted this video from WorldCon (courtesy of Cheryl Morgan) that shows a glimpse of the fantastic artwork of John Picacio.

About halfway thorugh, you'll see the Well Built City triptych, which graces the cover of Jeffrey Ford's trilogy of the same name. I was fortunate enough to see this piece at ArmadilloCon last weekend and it is absolutely amazing. Check it out:

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 12:20 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/20/2008
  • Doc Arzt has some early speculation on the LOST season 5 premier episode, "Because You Left". After watching the LOST Comic Con panel, I'm impatient for 2009 to get here.

  • TrekMovie clues us in on a plethora of Star Trek related item coming down the (Christopher) pike (ha!), including a 20Q game and a replica of Kirk's captain's chair. Sweet.

  • Speaking of toy envy, check out this cool Zapp Brannigan ray gun. Awesome!

  • I don't watch The Soup on E! or Keith Olbermann, but Cynthia over at SF Universe has invoked those names in challenging us to link to her, linking to us. Consider yourself tagged, Cynthia. Tagged.

  • The NBC web series Gemini Division has gone live. You can view the first two episodes below:



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    Posted by JP Frantz at Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 12:08 AM
    © 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/20/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 12:04 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

REVIEW: Galactic North by Alastair Reynolds


REVIEW SUMMARY: A welcome return to the author's Revelation Space universe for this reader.

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A collection of 8 stories set in the Revelation Space universe.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Not a bad batch in the bunch.
CONS: Some stories stronger than others.
BOTTOM LINE: This is a must-read collection for fans of Reynolds' Revelation Space novels.

I've been reading the work of Alastair Reynolds for the past few years, ever since he made a splash with his debut novel Revelation Space. The sequels Redemption Ark, and Absolution Gap soon followed, as well as an excellent standalone novel set in the same universe, Chasm City.

Along the way, Reynolds has also written several pieces of short fiction set in that milieu. (Yes, I said "milieu".) These are mostly collected in Galactic North. (The remaining two stories are first-rate novellas which are bound together as Diamond Dogs & Turquoise Days).

I've read some of the stories in Galactic North before, as noted below, but the others I was eager to try out. (Yes, I said "eager". Sure, it's not as pretentious as "milieu", but I used it anyway.) As usual, the author does not disappoint. His ideas are big and scientifically plausible, the mood of his stories is consistent (dark space opera with a hint of the bizarre), and he writes stories that are unsuspecting in their impact and thoroughly entertaining.

Individual story reviews follow...

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 19, 2008 at 11:28 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Is This the End of George Lucas's Reign of Terror?

There was a time when George Lucas' name meant automatic box office gold.

Even during the release of the Star Wars prequels, rabid fans (me included) lined up ready to eat George's CGI eye candy. In the Lucas universe, critical opinion seemed to be inversely proportional to box office receipts.

But the Gods of Common Sense are finally looking down on Hollywood, and they are not smiling -- at least when they are watching the latest LucasFilm release, The Clone Wars. Audiences aren't smiling either. The first weekend of Clone Wars netted only $14,611,273, Sure, that's enough to feed many small countries, but in Hollywood terms, especially in LucasSpeak, that's a measly opening. Perhaps modern audiences are expecting something more than being force-fed cool visuals?

Consider these weekend totals (also noted: the 1990's Special Edition re-release numbers of the original trilogy to make these unadjusted dollars more comparable):

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 19, 2008 at 12:29 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/19/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 19, 2008 at 12:11 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/19/2008
  • BuddyTV has a 'behind the scenes' video for NBC's Knight Rider series. You can smell the cheese from here, but can it be cheesy good fun?

  • Do you remember 'Badger' from Firefly? How about the lawyer Romo Lampkin on Galactica? Both characters were played by actor Mark Sheppard. Sheppard will be making a 3 episode appearance on Joss Whedon's new series, Dollhouse. Not a bad list of SF shows.

  • Sci Fi Wire lays the odds for success for the new, Fall SF TV shows. I think Knight Rider is probably getting too favorable odds. Nostalgia won't save the show if it blows.

  • The WB will cranking up its very own Video On Demand channel August 27th. Among the shows available will be Firefly and Babylon 5. If they have all 5 seasons of B5, that would be awesome. Hulu only has the first two available.

  • Cinema Blend blames the failure of Babylon 5 to continue beyond its five year original run on Star Wars. I'm not sure Star Wars should shoulder all the blame. Certainly a bit, as many SF fans think Star Wars is they way SF should be. Mostly, though, the studios should take the blame for not 'getting' Babylon 5.

  • And now for a bit of fun. How long could you survive in a vacuum? Me? Glad you asked:

    How long could you survive in the vacuum of space?

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Posted by JP Frantz at Tuesday August 19, 2008 at 12:05 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Apex Publications' Annual Halloween Short Story Contest

Apex Publications has announced this year's Annual Halloween Short Story Contest:

In honor of the presidential election, Apex Publications is offering its Annual Halloween Short Fiction Contest, titled "Election Horror" to be guest judged by Jay Lake.

Write a flash fiction story (under 1000 words) based on this year's theme, "Election Horror." and submit online to Apex Digest by 12 midnight, October 15, 2008

Prizes:

  • First--Publication (10 cents a word)
  • Second--Publication (5 cents a word)
  • Third--Choice of Apex Book Company Hardcover
  • Fourth--Choice of Apex Book Company Paperback

Visit http://www.apexbookcompany.com/ for the official guidelines and updates.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 18, 2008 at 12:28 PM
© 2008 SF Signal

Books Received: August 18, 2008 (+ Book Meme)
Here are the books we received this past week.

And the usual meme: When considering the books above:

  1. Which books have the coolest covers?
  2. Which books have the worst covers?
  3. Which books do you most want to read and why?

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 18, 2008 at 12:25 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Game Bits: Champions Online, Star Wars: The Force Unleased, Knights of the Old Republic, Cosmic Encounter

gamebits.jpgIt's one of those things you don't realize until something smacks you upside the head. We cover a lot of SF material here at SF Signal, almost all of it either of the written, TV or movie form. But there's a whole other medium out there that is filled with SF goodness: video games. I occasionally add the odd gaming bit to the Tube Bits posts if it touches on a TV property, but there is so much more cool stuff than just properties that are tied someway into TV. So, the introduction of 'Game Bits'.

I know, I know. "Yet another 'Bits' post?", I hear you say. Yes, and no. My goal isn't to have a post on a (mostly) daily basis. Instead, I'll post some stuff that I think is cool and/or interesting to SF fans in general, especially those who don't game much, if at all. I'm also going to post in the title the games I'll be talking about so you'll know right away if something interests you. I'll also have more to say about game bit I cover, so it will be a bit more than just 'bits', though 'Game Bits' fits in with our current naming schemes. But before I dive in here, a quick question: How many of you, our readers, are gamers? Would you consider yourself 'hardcore', 'casual' or 'in between'?

Read more...

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Posted by JP Frantz at Monday August 18, 2008 at 12:15 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/18/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 18, 2008 at 12:10 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/18/2008
  • Wales Online interviews George Lucas on the occasion of the release of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Thrill when Lucas says, "This feature film came by accident." Basically because he felt the the first animated drafts would look good on the silver screen. He wants, he gets. Shudder when George opines, "There might be a funny character who appears on screen for eight seconds, but I can't tell his story. Television gives me a chance to do that." Suddenly, the TV series seems like it could become a Jar-Jar-apalooza.

  • Robert Picardo explains why he joined the cast of Stargate Atlantis.

  • SF Universe has posted some art that Fox has released in support of season 2 of The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Not bad.

  • During the OIympics, NBC has been showing the following promo for their new Fall season.

    I dunno, anyone getting excited for any of these shows? Aside from Chuck of course...

  • If you're like me, you know there is a veritable cornucopia of really cool programming on channels like Discovery, National Geographic and The History Channel. Stuff that science fiction geeks like me can really sink their teeth into. Discovery has a new program starting tonight, called Into the Unknown, which stars Josh Bernstein, who you may have seen from The History Channel's Digging for Truth. Below is the 'trailer':

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Posted by JP Frantz at Monday August 18, 2008 at 12:05 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Sunday Cinema: Journeyman

It's shaping up to be a slow Sunday around here, so we thought we'd return to one of our favorite SF video websites, Hulu, to bring you something for today. We chose to bring you Journeyman. Mostly because not many people saw it when it first aired on NBC last fall, but also because it is, in my opinion, underrated and deserved a better fate.

Yes, it has echoes of Quantum Leap, but Journeyman is a much more serious take on time travel and, best of all, Dan's actions in the past actually have consequences for his present. The series really cranks up toward the end and it's a shame it had to end with 13 episodes. See for yourself (apologies to our non-US readers. Blame copyright restrictions):

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Posted by JP Frantz at Sunday August 17, 2008 at 12:55 PM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/17/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Sunday August 17, 2008 at 12:42 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Asteroid!

Now this is some damn fine acting.

From Google Video: "Corporate claim-jumpers in 2049 try to steal Zac's asteroid. Super 8. 16 minutes. 1981. CineMagic/SVA award receipient. Titles and computer screens made with a pimped-out Apple //e. Read the magazine articles at the flickr site. Bloopers at the very end."

[via PoeTV]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Saturday August 16, 2008 at 2:29 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/16/2008
  • Apparently, and I haven't checked this out yet, Toon Disney is showing the classic '80s cartoon, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (caution, annoying web site alert!). So if you miss the old Spidey, now's your chance to catch up.

  • Total SciFi interviews Joshua Jackson about all things Fringe, and a bunch of other stuff.

  • Keeping with the comic and Fringe theme, DC Comics' imprint, Wildstorm, will be releasing a Fringe comic on August 27th. Are these the new adult version of 'happy meal' toys?

  • Joss Whedon tells the MTV Movies Blog that a Serenity 2 movie is not happening. All you browncoats can commence crying.

  • Sci Fi Wire has an exclusive sneak peek at Ron Moore's new Virtuality series. I'm not sure about this one. Could be good, or not.

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Posted by JP Frantz at Saturday August 16, 2008 at 12:53 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Going to ArmadilloCon

John will be attending AramdilloCon 30 this weekend (Friday and Saturday). They've got a great lineup of guests and programming. Should be a whole lotta fun.

I may be fiddling with Twitter while I'm there, so keep an eye on SF Signal's Twitter page for juicy updates. ("That's the eleventh person to ask Scalzi about bacon!")

In the meantime, enjoy this related list of Things You Will Not See at a Sci-Fi Convention.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 15, 2008 at 1:25 PM
© 2008 SF Signal

Friday YouTube: Richard Pryor at the Star Wars Bar

From The Richard Pryor Show.


[via MilkandCookies]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 15, 2008 at 9:45 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Miles and Lois and Joe - Oh My!

Here's an enthusiastic SF Signal hat tip to Stargate Executive Producer Joseph Mallozzi for driving teeming masses of television viewers towards books with his way-popular blog.

Not only does Joe talk at length about books and make recommendation, not only does he host an online book club for science fiction, fantasy and horror...but he also lets the limelight shine on people of a literary persuasion.

This week, for instance, Joe turns over the blogging keyboard to Lois McMaster Bujold, who talks about the next book in her wildly popular Miles Vorkosigan series, her Chalion books and writing in general.

Check it out.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 15, 2008 at 12:55 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/15/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Friday August 15, 2008 at 12:39 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

MIND MELD: Art in a Digital World

The digital revolution has affected all areas of out lives, with some sort of computing device present in just about every gadget imaginable. The world of artistic endeavor has not been immune to the advance of technology, but most people may not realize how technology can affect the production of an artistic work.

We asked the following question of this week's panel:

Q: How have digital tools affected the way in which you create your artistic pieces? Will a 100% digitally created work of art ever be considered a 'masterpiece', able to take its place alongside the current masterpieces?


Alan M. Clark

Alan M. Clark is an author and artist, best known for his works in the horror genre. He is a 2008 Chesley Award Nominee and he also run his own publishing company, IFD Publishing.

Although I almost always produce my artwork in a traditional manner (pencils, paints, brushes, etc.), I create digital files of each piece to archive the work and facilitates its use by publishers. When creating these files, I have no problem manipulating them digitally to improve them. Occasionally, when I have altered a piece digitally and really like the results, I'll use paint or pencil to alter the painting or drawing to match the file.

Yes, I consider some fully digital pieces of art to be masterpieces, but I'm not concerned with what others of the present and future might think about digital work.

There is something to be said for artwork that is so obviously hand-made that it offers the viewer a sense of the artistic process involved in its creation. This is not common among pieces of digitally produced artwork, but there are many other ways in which a piece of art can be successful.

Read more...

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Posted by JP Frantz at Thursday August 14, 2008 at 12:20 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Thursday YouTube: Batman Does the Batusi

Adam West May be on Dancing with the Stars. Insert Batusi joke here.

What's that? You don't know what the Batusi is? Allow Adam West himself to demonstrate.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Thursday August 14, 2008 at 12:15 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/14/2008
  • Louis Bayard over at Salon re-views The Wild, Wild West and calls it the 1960's gayest show. Well, I don't know about that, but I can understand how he could reach that conclusion after reading the article. Still, it has a kick-@$$ theme song.

  • Doc Artz ponders LOST's top 9 unanswered questions. All your favorites are here, including Mr. Four Toe Statue. Makes me sad that we have to wait till next year for season 5.

  • If you're just dying to see what NBC's Primetime Preview has to say about Ali Larter and Heroes (looks at John), then click on through!

  • Galactica.TV interviews Michael Rymer, the producer and director of the 2003 Battlestar Galactica mini-series. Plus season 4 finale thoughts.

  • Sci Fi Wire gives us 7 reasons why Fringe will rule. We'll see if it can stand up to the 'sure-to-be-constant' nitpicking.

  • Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson of Stargate SG-1 is joining fellow Sci Fi Channel alum Tricia Helfer on Burn Notice. Sweet.

  • IO9 has a ton of video clips for upcoming NBC series, including Chuck and Knight Rider, where K.I.T.T. acts like a Transformer.

  • Check out this crazy Toyota Prius commercial where we see an 'orbital' skydive. Cool!

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Posted by JP Frantz at Thursday August 14, 2008 at 12:14 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/14/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Thursday August 14, 2008 at 12:06 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Can You Name This Story? (Part 9)

Another reader writes in with a story description looking for a title. Do any of our readers out there know the title of this story?

The story concerned a few regulars in an Irish pub talking about evolution. The subject of camouflage comes up and one of the characters discusses his quest to find a fairy. It turns out that fairies exist but we never see them because they've evolved a natural camouflage to hide from humans (because we find them quite tasty)
- Matthew S.
Can you name this story?

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 1:19 PM
© 2008 SF Signal

Coraline: Behind the Scenes

I really enjoyed Neil Gaiman's Coraline. The film promises to be equally enjoyable.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 1:00 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

[UPDATED] A Round-Up of WorldCon Reports and Photos

[UPDATE: They keep rolling in, so I am adding them here as they do.]
For those who couldn't go to Denvention/WorldCon [looks dejectedly at the ground while kicking the dirt underneath the twin suns of Tatooine], here's a batch of fine Denvention/WorldCon reports and/or photo sets from:

I'm sure to have missed some, so don't be shy about pointing out others in the comments.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 12:58 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

TOC: Asimov's Science Fiction, September 2008


The September 2008 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction is out with the following content:

I also draw your attention to the fantastic John Picacio cover.

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 12:56 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/13/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 12:50 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/13/2008

xpod.jpg

  • So you have enough money burning a hole in your pocket that you want to buy an over priced MP3 player. Why spend a bit more and get one of these special edition X-Files: I Want to Believe iPods? Steve Jobs will love you, and your money even more.

  • In a blow to John's sanity, E Online details some Heroes spoilers, including the return of his 'favorite' character!

  • The NBC webisode series, Gemini Division, will be launching on Aug. 18th. They will be pushing this hard, debuting on "NBC.com, SCIFI.com, GeminiDivision.com and an unprecedented number of mobile, gaming and VOD platforms." The best part is the name of the Vice President of NBC Universal Digital Studio, Cameron Death. How'd you like to work for this guy? "Who's your boss again?" "Death".

  • The Japanese schlock meisters at Tokyo Shock, fresh from Machine Girl, are at it again with Tokyo Gore Police. The premise sounds intriguing, with lots of low budget gore. You have been warned. No really, warned. Trailer below:

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Posted by JP Frantz at Wednesday August 13, 2008 at 12:04 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tuesday Trailer: Dance of the Dead

Dance of the Dead...A high school zombie comedy.

[via Topless Robot]

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 12, 2008 at 11:59 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

REVIEW: Stalking the Unicorn by Mike Resnick


REVIEW SUMMARY: Overcomes my normal indifference towards fantasy through Resnick's lighthearted tone and humorous dialogue

MY RATING:

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Private detective John Justin Mallory is hired by an elf to find a stolen unicorn in an alternate Manhattan.

MY REVIEW:
PROS: Mallory is a strong character; the book doesn't take itself seriously; humorous dialogue and prose.
CONS: The villain is not at villainous as he is expected to be; despite the lightheartedness, this started to approach the limit of my charity towards Elf fantasy.
BOTTOM LINE: An urban fantasy story that offers a little welcome levity.

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 12, 2008 at 12:59 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

TOC: Jim Baen's Universe (Volume 3, Number 2, August 2008)

Here's the Table of Contents of the latest issue of Jim Baen's Universe (Volume 3, Number 2, August 2008):


  • Science Fiction Stories:
    • "Discards" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
    • "Shopping Spree" by Beth Bernobich
    • "Tribute" by Todd McCaffrey
    • "The Lordly Loofah" by Bud Webster
    • "The Super" by Bud Sparhawk

  • Fantasy Stories:
    • "Dragon's Tooth" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
    • "Twinkletoes" by J. A. Howe

  • Classic Story: "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum

  • NSF Contest Winner: "Letting Go" by David Walton

  • Serials:
    • "Countdown to Armageddon, Episode Six" by Edward M. Lerner
    • "Fish Story, Episode Fourteen, Punctiphobia: An Inordinate Fear of Spots" by Andrew Dennis, Dave Freer and Eric Flint

  • Introducing Stories:
    • "Playing Nice with God's Bowling Ball" by N. K. Jemison
    • "Quality of Life" by Benjamin Crowell

  • Nonfiction:
    • Tales of the Prozines by Mike Resnick
    • Transhumanism's Universal Success is Unavoidable by Stephen Euin Cobb

  • Columns:
    • The Greatest Thinker of Them All by Mike Resnick
    • Adventures with a Search Engine by Eric Fint
    • The Science in Science Fiction by Ben Bova
    • At the O. K. Corral by Barry N. Malzberg
    • August 2008, What's New in The Future and You by Stephen Euin Cobb

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 12, 2008 at 12:45 AM
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SF Tidbits for 8/12/08

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Posted by John DeNardo at Tuesday August 12, 2008 at 12:32 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/12/2008
  • Entertainment Weekly's 'Doc' Jensen has his Comic Con wrap up posted, which includes the name of the the first episode for season 5 of LOST. Minor spoilage.

  • Ten Ton Hammer has been doing yeoman's work covering the new Star Trek MMO. They have posted 8 gameplay features for the upcoming game, which will take place 30 years after the events of Nemesis. You'll also be able to control your own starship. Expect to see many variations of the 'USS Phanboi' flying around, nitpicking the game.

  • But just how much work is it to bring an MMO to life, especially one based on Star Trek? Try about three years, which means those of us who like to try and play these games in beta will have to wait about two years for this one. They'd better be on the ball with gameplay that will be 'current' in three years.

  • The creators of Avatar, The Last Airbender, share their thoughts on the upcoming movie. Which is due in July 2010 (the year we make contact. And no, that joke never gets old).

  • SyFyPortal 'reviews' the Fringe pilot, shown at Comic Con. Their take is similar to mine: This show will have the nerdgassers, err, nerdgassing hard at all the 'science'. But then again, it is called Fringe.

  • Did anyone see the new Heroes promotion that was shown during this weekend's Olympics coverage? The one that shows Hiro's first confrontation with Daphen (lady Flash)? Good grief. Stopping time beats super speed any day. Just stop time, take what you want, then let her run off thinking she still has possession of your item. I can smell the bad writing already.

  • From anime show, to movie, then back to anime. There's a new Casshern in town, and it's called Casshern Sins, and we have a teaser trailer:

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Posted by JP Frantz at Tuesday August 12, 2008 at 12:05 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Monday Cinema: Brave New World (with Bonus Aldous Huxley Interview)

[via Poe TV]

Bonus Aldous Huxley interview after the jump...

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 11, 2008 at 11:59 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

My Favorite Short Story

This week, Rusty at BestScienceFictionStories.com starts a special series of posts in which bloggers and authors share their favorite short stories.

First up is...me!

Can you guess what my favorite short story is?

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 11, 2008 at 8:36 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

MEME: Top 48 Sci-Fi Film Adaptations


I re-stumbled across Box Office Mojo's list of Top 48 Sci-Fi Films Based on a Book (or Story) (1980- present). Some of the titles on this list look suspicious. (Was Cocoon really based on a piece of written fiction? There's a difference between an adaptation and a novelization.)

Still, in looking over the list, I was surprised by how many of the originating stories I did read. Or start - there was one book I couldn't finish. Seemed like a good subject for a meme, so, here are the rules.


  • Copy the list below.

  • Mark in bold the movie titles for which you read the book.

  • Italicize the movie titles for which you started the book but didn't finish it.

  • Tag 5 people to perpetuate the meme. (You may of course play along anyway.)

And now, the list...

Read more...

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 11, 2008 at 12:29 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Books Received: August 11, 2008 (+ Book Meme)
Here are the books we received this past week.

And the usual meme: When considering the books above:

  1. Which book has the coolest cover?
  2. Which book has the worst cover?
  3. Which book do you most want to read and why?

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Posted by John DeNardo at Monday August 11, 2008 at 12:20 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

Tube Bits for 08/11/2008
  • Many people have lamented the early demise of NBC's Journeyman series, especially considering it was really getting good around the time of it's cancellation. Well, Kevin Falls, the creator, doesn't want you to be left hanging any longer! He spoke to Ain't It Cool News and let's us know how Journeyman was going to end.

  • GrrrlTV brings us some of the script for the pilot episode of Dollhouse, called "Ghost". Anyone really pumped about this show?

  • Good news for our British friends: J.J. Abrams' new show, Fringe, has been snapped up by Sky1. It's set to air this autumn.

  • And if you haven't seen them, this week's TV Guide is featuring 4 different covers, all highlighting the new Star Wars: Clone Wars movie. I saw the C3PO cover today, and it looked pretty good, but not enough to make me shell out $4 for it . You hear that Lucas?! No more Bennies for you!

  • Star Trek has been successful in all different types of media: tv, book, movies and games. Now, Cryptic Studios will be resurrecting the Star Trek MMO from the dead. You can see a spiffy trailer for the game here:

    So, what will be better: the movie reboot or the MMO game?

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Posted by JP Frantz at Monday August 11, 2008 at 12:10 AM
© 2008 SF Signal

SF Tidbits for 8/11/08

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