This is Sci-Fi, Issue 14 is a sampling of science fiction news across the mediums. From movies to books, to real life, and any bits in between that I can think of to list. This is by no means a comprehensive list of what’s happening, but it should whet your appetite!
Your Weekly Science Fiction Inspired Quote:
“I was attracted to science fiction because it was so wide open. I was able to do anything and there were no walls to hem you in and there was no human condition that you were stopped from examining.”
― Octavia E. Butler
Science Fiction Movies
Your Science Fiction Movie Suggestions of the Week:
- This week I asked for suggestions on Twitter, and got a few good ones!
- Jason Danger recommends Predestination (based on a Heinlein short).
- Jared Williams recommends Sunshine, Moon, and Europa Report (sensing a theme there!)
- Kilgore Trout recommends Silent Running
New Science Fiction Releases This Week (July 7th):
Spiderman: Homecoming
Spiderman: Homecoming Synopsis: Several months after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker, with the help of his mentor Tony Stark, tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City while fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture, emerges.
Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr.
Oh, lookit, another Spiderman movie. This makes how many in the last ten years? It’s like a scratched disk in an old cd player. It just keeps rest—restar—-restarting.
Science Fiction Movies In Theatres Now:
Science Fiction Books
3 New Releases
An Oath of Dogs – Wendy W. Wagner – Release Date: July 4th, 2017
Kate Standish has been on Huginn less than a week and she s already pretty sure her new company murdered her boss. But extractions corporations dominate the communities of the forest world, and few are willing to threaten their meal tickets to look too closely at corporate misbehaviour. The little town of mill workers and farmers is more worried about the threat of eco-terrorism and a series of attacks by the bizarre, sentient dogs of this planet, than a death most people would like to believe is an accident. When Standish connects a secret chemical test site to a nearly forgotten disaster in Huginn s history, she reveals a conspiracy that threatens Standish and everyone she s come to care about.”
The Silence – The Six #3 – Mark Alpert – July 1, 2017
Transformers meets The Terminator in the epic conclusion to this action-packed trilogy
When Adam acquires a mysterious new power that connects his electronic mind with the complexity of atomic physics, he quickly learns how hard it is to control. Desperate for someone to talk to, Adam strikes up a friendship with the newest Pioneer, Amber. Except Amber’s software has been warped, and Adam can’t figure out exactly what she’s become. But he—and the world—is in danger, unless he can unravel the mystery.
Generation One – Pittacus Lore – Release Date: June 27th, 2017
The first book in a pulse-pounding new series that’s set in the world of the #1 New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series. The war may be over—but for the next generation, the battle has just begun!
It has been over a year since the invasion of Earth was thwarted in Pittacus Lore’s United as One. But in order to win, our alien allies known as the Garde unleashed their Loric energy that spread throughout the globe. Now human teenagers have begun to develop incredible powers of their own, known as Legacies.
To help these incredible and potentially dangerous individuals—and put the world at ease—the Garde have created an academy where they can train this new generation to control their powers and hopefully one day help mankind. But not everyone thinks that’s the best use of their talents. And the teens may need to use their Legacies sooner than they ever imagined.
3 Sci-Fi Book Giveaways on Goodreads: (covers go to Goodreads pages)
The Sci-Fi Zone
Since there are only five seasons of the Twilight Zone this will be the last list of Best of Twilight Zone. However, since no show is perfect there were a few clunky ones so on the next issue of This is Sci-Fi I will be starting a Worst Episodes of the Twilight Zone. Without further ado, let’s cross the sign-post up ahead and journey into the Twilight Zone.
1. The Encounter: A very psychologically intense episode and well-acted.
2. Mr. Garrity and the Graves: I read a version of this once in one of Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and once in an urban legend book. And I still love it.
3. The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross: A great story with an interesting moral in it.
4. What’s in the Box? : Ok, if you can read that without hearing Brad Pitt say, “What’s in the box?!” you have more self-control than I. A very interesting story. Is it guilt or the supernatural?
5. Night Call: A cool little story by Richard Matheson and well-adapted to television.
6. The Masks – This one creeped me the heck out.
7. Stopover in a Quiet Town: After a late night party two people find themselves in a deserted town with a car that won’t run. It’s mentioned in Rush’s ‘Twilight Zone’ song. You can find others in this issue of This is Sci-Fi
8. The Bewitchin’ Pool: Two children, unloved by their parents find an escape through their pool.
9. Number 12 Looks Just Like You: A creepy foreshadowing of the future of plastic surgery. It is possible that it’s the basis for Scott Westerfield’s ‘The Uglies‘.
10. Living Doll: dolls are creepy. Dolls that walk and talk? Creepier still. Dolls that say charming little phrases like, “I’m going to kill you”? Those should be burned in a fire. Or melted in a microwave.
Bonus Episode: I wanted to list this one but it’s not an ‘official’ Twilight Zone episode. It is an adaptation of Ambrose Bierce’s ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge‘ and the short was shown at Cannes where it had won the Palm D’or in 1962.
Science Fiction Poll Time!
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- Bleeding Cool posted a summary with lots of photos from the 43rd Saturn Awards
- Barnes & Noble says these are the best science fiction and fantasy books of July 2017
- Here’s a very interesting look at the mechanics of Cixin Liu’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy from Advers.io
- Unbound Worlds interviewed Cityborn author Edward Willett
- Planning on seeing Valerian in theatres? Read this piece from Popularmechanics on the comic
- Boing Boing has a collection of short stories about a plane jumping years into the future from Xprize and ANA
Join us in discussing Ender’s Game on July 19th!
Date: July 19th
Time: 8 PM EST
Location: The Sci-Fi & Scary Forums
Book: Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
If you want to participate, and need a reminder, click the green tabby at the top of the page, and sign up for Sci-Fi & Scary’s Newsletter.