This is Sci-Fi, Issue 15 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!
This is Sci-Fi’s Quote of the Week:
“The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.”
― George Lucas
Science Fiction Movies
Science Fiction Movies Opening This Week (July 21st):
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Synopsis: A dark force threatens Alpha, a vast metropolis and home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.
Starring: Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen
Watch the official trailer here.
Science Fiction Movies In Theatres Now:
War for the Planet of the Apes
Science Fiction Books
3 New Releases
What Goes Up – Katie Kennedy – July 18th, 2017
Action-packed and wildly funny, this near-future sci-fi features three teens on an inter-dimensional mission to save the world.
Rosa and Eddie are among hundreds of teens applying to NASA’s mysterious Multi-World Agency. After rounds of crazy-competitive testing they are appointed to Team 3, along with an alternate, just in case Eddie screws up (as everyone expects he will). What they don’t expect is that aliens will arrive from another dimension, and look just like us. And no one could even imagine that Team 3 would be the only hope of saving our world from their Earth-destroying plans. The teens steal the spacecraft (it would be great if they knew how to fly it) and head to Earth2, where the aliens’ world and people are just like ours. With a few notable exceptions.
There, the teens will find more than their alternate selves: they’ll face existential questions and high-stakes adventure, with comedy that’s out of this world. – Goodreads
Ghosts – Hell Divers II – Nicholas Sansbury Smith – July 18th, 2017
Ten years ago, Hell Diver Xavier “X” Rodriguez fell to Earth. Those he left behind went on without him aboard the airship he once called home.
Michael Everheart — the boy once known as Tin — has grown into a man and the commander of Hell Diver Raptor Team. While Michael dives to help keep the Hive in the air, Captain Leon Jordan rules with an iron fist at the helm of the ship. But unrest stirs under his strict leadership as a prophecy of hope sweeps the lower decks.
When a mysterious distress signal calls the Hell Divers to the surface, Michael and his loyal team begin to uncover long-buried truths and the secrets Captain Jordan will do anything to keep. They dive so humanity survives… but will they survive the ultimate betrayal?
Arabella and the Battle of Venus – Adventures of Arabella Ashby #2 – David Levine – July 18th, 2017
The thrilling adventures of Arabella Ashby continue in the second book in Hugo-winning author David D. Levine’s swashbuckling sci-fi, alt-history series!
The swashbuckling Arabella Ashby is back for brand new adventure in the ongoing story of her life among the stars.
Arabella’s wedding plans to marry Captain Singh of the Honorable Mars Trading Company are interrupted when her fiancé is captured by the French and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp on swampy Venus. Now, Arabella must find passage to an enemy-controlled planet in the middle of a war, bribe or fight her way past vicious guards, and rescue her Captain.
To do this she must enlist the help of the dashing privateer, Daniel Fox of the Touchstone and build her own clockwork navigational automaton in order to get to Venus before the dread French general, Joseph Fouché, the Executioner of Lyon.
Once on Venus, Arabella, Singh, and Fox soon discover that Napoleon has designed a secret weapon, one that could subjugate the entire galaxy if they can’t discover a way to stop Fouché, and the entire French army, from completing their emperor’s mandate.
3 Sci-Fi Book Giveaways on Goodreads: (covers go to Goodreads pages)
The Sci-FI Zone
Here we are at the end of the Best of Twilight Zone series. So what better way to wrap it up than with a few Twilight Zones that are not-so-good. I don’t mean extremely terrible, well a few are, but some I just find boring and/or nonsensical. They are in general order of the worst to the not-too-bad. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion so please don’t come after me with torches a pitchforks.
1. Black Leather Jackets – Season 5, Episode 18: This episode is just silly and a bit weird. A biker gang of aliens lands to invade Earth and destroy humanity. It’s kind of like Grease but without the singing and coherent plot.
2. The Mighty Casey – Season 1, Episode 35: This episode, about a baseball-playing robot struck out with me. Because I could see why the other teams were upset. It’s pretty much cheating.
3. Hocus Pocus Frisby – Season 3, Episode 30: Aliens abduct a man because they think he must be the smartest man in the world, especially with all of the tall tales he spins. Unfortunately, that’s all they are. Tales. Or, lies, as I prefer. This episode it’s just annoying and the main character looks like a fish.
4. The Dummy – Season 3, Episode 33: If there’s a ventriloquist doll in the story then it;s almost guaranteed I’m going to dislike it. Not just because they’re creepy (which they are) but also because they usually follow one or two specific formulas and it gets old. Fast.
5. Caesar and Me – Season 5, Episode 28: Another ventriloquist dummy. Go figure.
6. Uncle Simon – Season 5, Episode 8: This is such a ridiculous story that I don’t even know what to say about it. I think I’d rather be on my own, working, than put up with my psycho uncle and his freaking robot.
7. Person or Persons Unknown – Season 3, Episode 27 – An identity swapper that isn’t so much terrible as it is pretty dull.
8. Still Valley – Season 3, Episode 11 – Again, somewhat boring. I honestly can’t even give you a general idea as it lost my interest.
9. Mr. Dingle, the Strong – Season 2, Episode 19: One of the worst episodes that Burgess Meredith appear in. his performance is quite good but the plot is very weak.
10. I Shot an Arrow Into the Air – Season 1, Episode 15: i just do not like this one. They seem to be very bad at recon missions.
Sci-Fi Poll Time!
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Sci-Fi on the Web
In case you missed it: The BBC has announced the 13th Doctor for Doctor Who.
AlpacaReads reviews The Punch Escrow.
ScienceFiction.com offers up a Fan’s Perspective on George Romero following his death.
Here’s a write up of Void Star from The Verge
A review of ‘ancient’ science fiction – specifically, the Incubated Girl from Glitternight.
Variety reports Anne Hathaway will be starring in the science fiction thriller “O2”
Sci-Fi Addicts had an interesting article on Why the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Mediocre and We Love It Anyways
A review of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets from RollingStone
Coolthulu Reads September:
Book: New York 2140
Author: Kim Stanley Robinson
Date: September 20th
Time: 8 PM EST
I’ll probably go see Valerian too. That big screen should be fabulous for it. And I’m looking at Hell Divers. They sounds thrilling. Great post!
My all-time favorite Twilight Zone Episode is “It’s a Good Life.” We have to watch it at least once a year – usually around Christmas because that’s just the kind of family we are. In fact, before he passed, my dog Barkley would get the same look as Billy and we always joked that if something made Barkley mad, he would just wish it into the cornfield.
I’m curious about Valerian but not sold on it yet. I think it may be because I’m not a big fan of either of the main stars. I will probably watch it once it’s released on DVD.
I’ll probably see Valerian in theatres, but more because that’s a good outing for us than any desire to see that particular film.