This is Sci-Fi, Issue 22 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 Weekly Quote:
“No utopia can ever give satisfaction to everyone, all the time. As their material conditions improve, men raise their sights and become discontented with power and possessions that once would have seemed beyond their wildest dreams. And even when the external world has granted all it can, there still remain the searchings of the mind and the longings of the heart.” – Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
Science Fiction Movies
Normally we’d be talking about new sci-fi movies, but there’s jack out right now, so instead we’re going to give you a list of great sci-fi horror movies that you can watch as Halloween swiftly approaches! They’re not in any particular order, and would make a pretty epic binge-watch on Halloween night if you don’t want to re-watch a bunch of slasher films.
- Event Horizon – Pretty much the sci-fi horror movie in our humble opinions.
- The Thing (1982) – Aliens, death, blood, snow, aliens, death…
- Cube – What Saw wishes it could be, in my (Lilyn’s) opinion.
- The Blob – Whichever version you watch is good, but I’m a fan of the 1988 version.
- The Re-Animator – Okay, it’s not really scary by any stretch of the imagination, but there some scenes that make you want brain bleach (With her pretentious, purist nose in the air GracieKat also thinks it’s a terrible adaptation. Hmph!)
Coming Soon:
Thor Ragnarok
Science Fiction Books
Featured New Science Fiction Release
Infinite Stars – Anthology – October 17th, 2017
A must have, one of a kind, definitive space opera anthology with 15 new stories by top contemporary authors in top franchises as well as classic genre defining tales dating back over 60 plus years. With an introductory essay on space opera by Grand Master Robert Silverberg.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor’s Note/Acknowledgements by Bryan Thomas Schmidt
Introduction by Robert Silverberg
“Renegat” (Ender) by Orson Scott Card
“The Waters Of Kanly” (Dune) by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
“The Good Shepherd” (Legion of the Damned) by William C. Dietz
“The Game Of Rat and Dragon” by Cordwainer Smith 1956 Hugo Best Story, 1955 Galaxy SF, October
“The Borders of Infinity” (Vorkosigan) by Lois McMaster Bujold
“All In A Day’s Work” (Vatta’s War) by Elizabeth Moon
“Last Day Of Training” (Lightship Chronicles) by Dave Bara
“The Wages of Honor” (Skolian Empire) by Catherine Asaro
“Binti” by Nnedi Okorafor TOR.COM, 2015; 2016 Nebula/Hugo/BFA Best Novella
“Reflex” (CoDominium) by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
“How To Be A Barbarian in the Late 25th Century” (Theirs Not To Reason Why) by Jean Johnson
“Stark and the Star Kings” (Eric John Stark) by Leigh Brackett and Edmond Hamilton
“Imperium Imposter” (Imperium) by Jody Lynn Nye
“Region Five” (Red Series) by Linda Nagata
“Night Passage” (Revelation Space) by Alastair Reynolds
“Duel on Syrtis” by Poul Anderson
“Twilight World” (StarBridge) by A.C. Crispin
“Twenty Excellent Reasons” (The Astral Saga) by Bennett R. Coles
“The Ship Who Sang” by Anne McCaffrey
“Taste of Ashes” (Caine Riardon) by Charles E. Gannon
“The Iron Star” by Robert Silverberg
“Cadet Cruise” (Lt. Leary) by David Drake
“Shore Patrol” (Lost Fleet) by Jack Campbell
“Our Sacred Honor” (Honorverse) by David Weber
Author and Editor Bios
Other Sci-Fi New Releases:
Six Months, Three Days, Five Others by Charli Jane Anders
Eclipse: A Song Called Youth by Jane Shirley
Giveaways:
Sci-Fi Trivia
I started this post not really knowing where I wanted to go with it. But then, idly scrolling through the internet…I saw her. Our eyes met for the briefest of moments. Her name…is Sophia. It was love at first site (well, abject terror at first sight but it’s a fine line). She rocks the bald look very well and is hilariously funny. Like saying that she might not kill the whole human race. We had a fine laugh over that (as soon as I crawled out from under my bed). She says that I have been watching too many science fiction movies. I did protest this (that’s Lilyn’s genre). I can’t help but feel uneasy, though. I haven’t left the house in days. She doesn’t really need food and she thinks it’s ‘cute’ that I do.
We finally agreed that I go grocery shopping after a failed experiment of trying to plug me in to recharge my batteries (I’d rather not talk about it, it was a shocking experience). When I came home my house felt…different. My toaster won’t toast my bread and spits it back out at me. The vacuum has tried several times to suck up every charging cord that I have, whether it’s turned on or not. I’ve heard Sophia chatting on the phone with someone called SkyNet (I’m assuming it’s an internet handle). She swears it’s innocent but I’ve heard she plans to meet up there with something called the T-2000. Some kind of new cell phone, I guess.
Our relationship is still going strong even though I’m a little worried about this ‘SkyNet’ character. Oh well, what’s the worst that could happen?
Sci-Fi on the Web
A robot named Sophia has attained citizenship as a human in Saudi Arabia. Her name is Sophia and she promises not to destroy us all. Maybe. Read about her here.
While turmoil goes on land-side the most advanced Stealth Submarine has just been launched. Say hi to Captain Nemo for me.
The (possibly) first interstellar comet may be zipping around our solar system. If it passes close you might want to keep an eye on your car or your graveyards. Just in case.
Like Sci-Fi? Of course you do or you wouldn’t be here. Time made a list of the worst-named Science Fiction movies. What’s sad is that I’ve seen most of them on Mystery Science Theatre 3000.
We’ve got robots, stealth submarines and interstellar comets. And supersonic cars. Have we stumbled into the plot of a Men in Black movie?
OK, so the “Re-Animator” movie was not entirely faithful, and there are reasons to be grateful for that, like the original story’s plot, characters, writing, and maybe Lovecraft’s use of adjectives, although there are definite articles he uses quite effectively. Still, the movie was good, gruesome fun. And now I have to go back and read the original tonight, because it’s the story of HPL’s I’ve read the least often, as it wasn’t in the Ballantine paperbacks of a few decades ago.
Meanwhile, I’ve just finished reading Kij Johnson’s “The Dream-Quest of Vellith Boe,” which is her response to you-know-what. Had a chance to tackle it? (Or did you already review it, and I should go guest-star in a zombie movie where I’ll be safe from brain eaters?)
No, I haven’t. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. And I could read that a bit less biased perhaps because (except for the history relating to the Mythos in general) the Dream-Cycle stories are perhaps the ones I’ve least read.
To be perfectly honest I am not a super-fan of the Re-Animator story but I always cringe a bit when sex is mixed into Lovecraft at all (especially, uhh, headless head,, lol)
You’re welcome about Vellitt Boe; Johnson is riffing off “The Silver Key” as well as “Kadath,” by the way.
I did go back and reread “Herbert West” last night. Adjectives. A sea of adjectives. Adjectives vomiting up out of the ground. You get the picture. And speaking of sex, it’s worth noting that West and his buddy never reanimate a female cadaver. The horror!
Oh, yeah, the head. Must be some reason that’s the scene from the movie everyone remembers. 😉
You can’t beat the originals.
All versions of the blob are good, but I prefer the fifties version with a thirty year old ‘teenage’ Steve McQueen. Even here, he is the King of Cool.
I remember the original Blob. Steve McQueen was so young! But the thing that I found hilarious was the fact that when they dispose of the monster and throw it out a plane (I think it was a plane, it was a long time ago) it has a parachute on! So considerate!
I don’t remember that! I need to rewatch the original now.
Lol, I’ve got to confess that I haven’t seen either but now I’ll have to watch them. Especially if they put a parachute on it.