Welcome back to What’s Up in Sci-Fi #7. 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. I have no doubt the format will change as I figure out what works and what doesn’t. This is by no means a comprehensive list of what’s happening, but it should whet your appetite!
Movies Tidbits
Arrival wreleased on November 11th. It’s still doing great. Has an 8.4 rating on IMDB.
Synopsis: A linguist is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.
But here’s the thing: If you go by the trailers and the IMDB synopsis, you’re may be disappointed by the movie. While it has great visuals, and there is a good deal of linguistics involved in it, this is not a movie that’s really about making first contact with aliens, nor does it have much action in it at all.
It’s a great movie, just don’t expect your typical sci-fi flick when you go in to see it.
Featured Vimeo Sci-Fi Short
Because of the owner’s permission settings, I can’t embed the video like I normally do. So, here’s the link.
Iscariot by Kirill Proskura
Featured Sci-Fi Art
An artist’s rendering of shifting coronas around a black hole ©NASA / Public Domain
Sci-Fi Books
Interesting Looking New Releases
A Closed and Common Orbit: Lovelace was once merely a ship’s artificial intelligence. When she wakes up in a new body, following a total system shut-down and reboot, she has no memory of what came before. As Lovelace learns to negotiate the universe and discover who she is, she makes friends with Pepper, an excitable engineer, who’s determined to help her learn and grow.
Together, Pepper and Lovey will discover that no matter how vast space is, two people can fill it together.
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet introduced readers to the incredible world of Rosemary Harper, a young woman with a restless soul and secrets to keep. When she joined the crew of the Wayfarer, an intergalactic ship, she got more than she bargained for – and learned to live with, and love, her rag-tag collection of crewmates.
A Closed and Common Orbit is the stand-alone sequel to Becky Chambers’ beloved debut novel The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and is perfect for fans of Firefly, Joss Whedon, Mass Effect and Star Wars. – Goodreads
The Machine Society: Mike Brooks debut novel is an adventure story set in a dystopian future in which our taste for branding, consumerism and artificial reality is boundless. In /The Machine Society/, he weaves together psychological insight, philosophical reflection and spiritual inquiry to give us a novel that is both a deep satire on modern life and a rich metaphor for our longing to find inner peace. Dean Rogers lives in the Perimeter of New London, holding down a soul-destroying job, surrounded by people who have lost the will to communicate. He is afraid his debts will spiral out of control, resulting in him being cast out of the city, outside of the Security Wall. Meanwhile, in the Better Life Complex, New London s rich elite live in plastic luxury, unaware of the sinister secrets that underpin their world. /The Machine Society/ is an original and intelligent sci-fi thriller, and a heartfelt rally cry for the soul’s liberation.”-Goodreads
New-To-You (and with a 3.75+ rating on Goodreads)
Timeswept Productions
Goodreads: 3.97
Ace Books
Goodreads: 3.93
Hypernova Publishing
Goodreads: 3.91
Miscellaneous
- It looks like fans of Ridley Scott’s Alien and its various bits and bobs, including Prometheus, will be happy. DailyMail is reporting a release date for Alien: Convenant in May of 2017.
- Sci-fi ideas shaping the future of the Army! “Army Training and Doctrine Command is hosting its inaugural Mad Scientist Science Fiction Writing Contest, according to a TRADOC press release. The topic for the competition is “Warfare in 2030 to 2050.”
- Barnes & Noble has a list of trippy metaphysical science fiction. Not for me, but here you go!
- Pella Bergquist at Reconsidering did a great review of Binti by Nnedi Okorafor.
- Yet another round of debate happening over cryonics and it’s possibilities in The Guardian. Will this sci-fi become real life?
- Epic Space Adventure is a new “hard science fiction picture book” for kids, from aerospace engineer Andrew Rader, that will make your kids fall in love with the idea of being an astronaut. Check out the details on Gizmodo, including how to get your own copy!
- The Washington Post declares the Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2016.
- Farah Rishi, writing for Vice, did a great piece on “Why Sci-Fi Gives Me Hope for the Future as a Muslim“.
- Here’s a solid review of House of Suns by Alistair Reynolds over at Space & Sorcery.
