This month's blog tour is a bit shady, though maybe not as shady as That Shady Bookstore Further Down the Street where Snuffles and I do most of our more questionable shopping. This month's tour is devoted to the novel Shade by John B. "Jimmy" Olson.*Take a look-see at Olson's official website here. How did the dude manage to score a website address like "litany.com"?This novel, which I haven't re
I spent the afternoon at the Mall of America ahead of my plane back to the Netherlands, buying clothes, a little melatonin, browsing for Christmas presents, getting a haircut, enjoying a plate of beef brisket at Famous Dave’s BBQ restaurant. I browsed the bookstore for some reads for the long-cold Dutch nights to come: Daniel Silva’s Secret Servant, David Wallace’s A Supposedly Fun Thing I
SCI-FI author Ian McDonald has been nominated for the £50,000 Warwick Prize for Writing for his novel Brasyl which explores alternative reality past, future and present versions of Brazil. McDonald was born in Manchester in 1960 to a Scots father...
“Droppin’ Science Fiction” is the album from hip hop “supergroup” The Mighty Underdogs, made up of emcees Gift of Gab from Blackalicious and Lateef from Latryx; and producer Headnodic. All three bring underground Hip Hop together for a mixture of mainly groovy or comical flavors, themed around sci-fi, rather than overly hard themes that can be found in their individual works.
Second Se
Not long ago, at least by this blog’s glacial standards, SF Signal and its weekly mind meld feature featured the question of whether or not science fiction has held back the real-life exploration of space, as recently claimed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. The idea is that science fiction and unrealistic portrayals of space travel make [...]
I must admit, I am quite ashamed to say that until now I had never even heard of The Mighty Underdogs, one of hip hop's few active supergroups consisting of rappers Gift Of Gab (Of Blackalicious), and Lateef (Of Latryx), along with producer Headnodic (Of The Crown City Rockers). Here is my review of their October 2008 release, Droppin' Science Fiction...***This review will be the first of most lik
This list is going to be based entirely upon my personal tastes. I'm not basing it on the top ten most influential shows or the top ten shows that spawned the most spin-offs. This list is about the shows I like the most and still do to this day. So, if you get mad at me for not including Star Trek or some old show that you think is one of the greatest shows ever, consider this a disclaimer.Here
This month, the tour is featuring Marcher Lord Press, a new publishing house for Christian sf, founded by the energetic and innovative Jeff Gerke (a.k.a. Jefferson Scott). Sadly, Marcher Lord doesn't launch until October, so there isn't a great deal to say yet.Gerke is also the proprietor of the Christian sf resource clearinghouse, Where the Map Ends. Readers here may also remember that I attempte
Lou Anders has an interesting post (found via SF Signal) on people’s enjoyment of books being affected by the religious or political views expressed in the book. I can’t think of a book that I otherwise would have liked that I disliked because of its political, ideological, or religious content, though maybe that has more [...]
And now for the dissenting view.Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer. Waterbrook Press (Colorado Springs): 2008. 243 pages. $19.99. ISBN: 978-1-4000-7032-9.See Sigmund Brouwer's website, CoolReading.com.Sometime in the near future, America's religious right has implausibly gathered together in the Appalachians to follow a fascist dictator who calls himself Bar Elohim. Seceding from the rest of the coun
This meme apparently was on SF Signal at some point, but I found it here.Consider yourself tagged!Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?Science fiction and fantasy, rarely horror. It's hard for me to choose. I love science fiction very much, but I also happen to enjoy fantasy quite a bit too. I've read some amazing fantasy novels in my life and I did start with fantasy when I started reading more,
We have TEN Region 1 copies of this exciting title to give away! On August 5th, the critically acclaimed Masters of Science Fiction anthology series will be released on DVD as a 2-disc set. The Masters of Science Fiction DVD contains the entire series – including the world premiere of two episodes never-before-aired! Originally broadcast last year on ABC, Masters of Science Fiction adapted s
Based on years of sci fi viewing experience and through a variety of online sources, we've come up with our picks for the Top 50 science fiction shows of all time.
DragonsAreAwesome!Snuffles the Dragon here. Deej over there, apparently on "request" from a reader, wants me to talk about some novel or other for some Blog Tour or other, and I was right at a cliffhanger (will Miaka and Tamahome ever get back together?), so I'm a little grumpy.The book on tour is none other than Donita K. Paul's DragonLight, volume 5 of the Compound Nouns that Start with Dragon S
This post is a follow-up to my first post about the issue of the gender disparity in science fiction, which you may want to read first for context.
One important thing to keep in mind, if you’re going to argue that some or all of the disparity in science fiction is due to discrimination by publishers [...]
My unfortunate habit of taking a week to finish chewing over something I’ve read before commenting on it strikes again. (I’m one of those people who always think of devastatingly witty comebacks two days after the conversation is over.) Last week over at SF Signal, they asked the following question for their Mind [...]
Dear Blog Tour members and visitors,Thanks for stopping by. This blog is currently in the hiatus position while the proprietor is job-hunting and his co-bloggers are too lazy to do anything without his constant nagging. For that reason, we have not prepared appropriate content for this month's tour. Again. Yeah.I am unable to discuss this month's novel (though this time, at least, I have a good ex
The book review I have almost finished is taking a little longer to fact-check than I expected, so to tide you over for just a little longer, I recommend this thought-provoking little video, which will tie in nicely with a post Snuffles and I have planned for the near future.
Science Fiction Bookstores - hidden jewels
Do you love visiting science fiction bookstores?
I wish there was on in my town. In fact I don’t know if there is are any science fiction bookstores in my whole province. I used to remember going to a great one when I was a kid but that closed down [...]
Science Fiction Review Spring 1990 Vol. 1 No. 1 (Paperback)By Elton (editor) Elliott
2 used and new from $18.00 First tagged “magazine” by Used2BNew “Barbi Claridge” Customer tags: robert heinlein, richard e [...]
This month's tour goes out to the webzine MindFlights.Blog Tour:Brandon BarrJustin BoyerJackie CastleCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonJeff DraperApril ErwinKarina FabianKameron M. FranklinBeth Goddard Andrea GrahamTodd Michael GreeneKatie HartMichael HealdChristopher HopperJoleen HowellJason JoynerKaitCarol KeenMike LynchTerri MainMargaretRebecca LuElla MillerPamela MorrissonJohn W. OtteJ
Over at my other site, which has been gobbling a lot of my time lately, I've got some thoughts on Utopianism and politics in science fiction that may be of interest.
The Stilleto is a weapon featured in Clarkes science fiction novel Earthlight. In the 1955 Clarke novel, the weapon is said to emit a beam of light that was able to pierce a spacecraft. The writer afterwards explains that the weapon he mentioned in his novel was actually a stream of liquefied metal that gets shot through space with very high speed and force.The research and development arm of the Department of Defense (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency or DARPA) is developing a weapon called MAHEM. This is patterned after Clarkes fictional weapon. MAHEM stands for Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition. The weapon will be using magnetism to propel either liquid or solid metal. It will be similar to other currently existing weapons since it will use explosions and electromagnetism t
When you spend the day swinging a pickax, digging a pit, throwing large chunks of concrete, and hauling 240-pound* segments of rail--by yourself--the last thing you want to do is post to your blog. Fortunately, that's why God created blog tours.This month's Christian sf tour goes out to The Begotten, book 1 of The Gifted, by Lisa T. Bergren, whose official website is here. Once again, I regret not having read the book for the tour, and I feel it especially deeply this time: the book is set in Medieval Italy and involves the surfacing of some previously unknown writings by a biblical author as well as the appearance of people with superpowers. Appears to be getting excellent reviews. I especially regret having not read it as some reviews indicate it takes a decidedly anti-Catholic stance (a
The blog is reborn! Or, more accurately, the name of the blog is reborn. The name only just occurred to me recently, and I was never intensely attached to the old one. It’s not as if I’m losing a huge amount of accumulated name recognition here. When I’m seventy, I don’t want to look back wistfully and wonder what might have been, if only my blog had a cooler name.
What’s the state of science fiction on television? I’d have to say overall, just amazing.
Consider some of the shows we have available right now. Battlestar Galactica. Lost. Heroes. So many great shows that have captured the imaginations of people who once may have claimed to have no interest in science fiction.
Okay, so probably some of [...]
ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION - Volume 15, number 7 - June 1991: The Man Who Invented Lawyers; Consequences; Lichen and Rock; Celilo; Living Will; Standing in Line with Mister Jimmy; Candle; Baby It’s Cold Outside (Paperback)By Gardner (editor) (Alexis A. Gilliland; Lawrence Person; Eileen Gunn; Mary Rosenblum; Alexander Jablokov; James Patrick Kelly; [...]
Out of all the genres of books that have been written, science fiction seems to be one that is a class apart from all the others. The feeling towards the genre is either one of fanatic following and great enjoyment or extreme hatred. Those who have a natural penchant for unearthly objects and unsolved mysteries [...]
So you amputate your hand or your arm in an accident. You are shattered and without even one limb there is a significantly reduced quality of life. You need to replace said hand or arm with a prosthetic in order to gain function and improve the general outlook. It is not the same but at least it’s not a pirate hook. But that might soon [...]
On the Edge of the Redundant Sea of Redundancy?This month's Christain Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour goes out to On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson, a work of young adult (YA) lit that appears to be getting quite positive reviews. After a long dry spell without fiction, it's nice to sit down with a book about children with mystical powers who go on an adventurous quest.The author's official website is here.The author's blog is here.The blog tour is here:Sally ApokedakBrandon BarrJim BlackJustin BoyerJackie CastleValerie ComerCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonJaney DeMeoJeff DraperApril ErwinBeth Goddard Marcus GoodyearTodd GreenJill HartKatie HartMichael HealdTimothy HicksChristopher HopperJason JoynerKaitCarol KeenMike LynchMargaretRachel MarksShannon Mc
Visionary science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke, who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died on the morning of Wednesday March 19, 2008. The author who was ninety years old died at his adopted home in Sri Lanka.
Clarke, who had battled post-polio syndrome since the 1960's and sometimes used a wheelchair, died after suffering breathing problems.
Many groups and societies award works of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Whether you’re looking for a good read, or looking to get some recognition for your own work, these awards are worth checking out!
More: continued here
Regular readers know I'm off fiction for now, so I can do little besides introduce this month's blog tour, which is the novel The Shadow and Night by Chris Walley.The book's website is here.The author's blog is here.Your blog tour is here:Brandon BarrJim BlackJustin BoyerGrace BridgesJackie CastleCarol Bruce Collett Valerie ComerCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonChris DeanneJaney DeMeoJeff DraperApril ErwinMarcus GoodyearRebecca Grabill Jill HartKatie HartMichael HealdTimothy HicksChristopher HopperHeather R. HuntJason JoynerKaitCarol KeenMike LynchMargaretRachel MarksShannon McNearMelissa MeeksRebecca LuElla MillerMirtika or Mir's HerePamela MorrissonEve NielsenJohn W. OtteJohn OttingerDeena PetersonRachelleSteve RiceAshley RutherfordChawna SchroederJames SomersRachelle SperlingDo
This is very neat - via Geoffrey Plauche comes news of the Libertarian SF Forum. It’s always nice when two of my nerdly interests combine. If, like me, you always find yourself finishing a new science fiction book and thinking, “You know, that was cool, but there weren’t enough privately owned arbitration firms,” check it out. This could be great if it takes off.
Cross-posted at In Darkest
This month, we're featuring the e-zine, Wayfarer's Journal. Today, I'm criticizing an essay in the journal, Tom Hohstadt's "Are You Ready for Science Fiction Clergy?"Upon seeing the title of his essay, I hoped Hohstadt would discuss gun-toting cyborg priests. Alas, nothing so intellectual is on his mind. What he calls "science fiction clergy" appears to be a version of the Emerging Church Movement. Personally, The Sci Fi Catholic is offended to see the venerable term "science fiction" applied to something as half baked as the Emerging Church.Hohstadt gets off to a good start by telling us that "new realities are emerging." Well, that's news to me; I suppose if new realities are emerging, we really will need science fiction clergy to cope. I don't know about Hohstadt, but I'm in the same reality I was in last year. If he's really skipping from one parallel universe to another, I suggest he see a doctor.Be wary of any writer, especially a religious one, who tells you reality is c
This month, we are featuring the e-zine, Wayfarer's Journal. Below is the press release and tour list, and we'll be back tomorrow with a review!Science Fiction with a Spiritual Dimension featured in new E-ZineWayfarer's Journal (http://www.wayfarersjournal.com/), a new science fiction e-zine, was launched in February. The publication focuses on publishing science fiction stories with a "spiritual dimension.â€"By spiritual we don't mean preachy,†comments Wayfarers editor Terri Main. "We mean stories which not only project the reader into the future technologically, but see how those changes impact the morality, ethics and spirituality of believable characters.â€Main notes that spiritual issues are often not addressed by secular science fiction publications, and that many religious publications are reticent about publishing science fiction or fantasy."This shying away from the spiritual aspect of humanity in science fiction is foolish. A look at any newscast will show
Yeah, it's Snuffles again. Deej calls me up again and we have the following bizarre conversation:D.G.D.: Man, this project's really takin' it outta me. I feel like I've been dancin' with Mr. Brownstone.Snuffles: Knowing you, you're probably unaware that that phrase refers to shooting up heroine.D.G.D.: I've always liked stories with strong heroines. Maybe you can blog something about that.Snuffles: You want me to blog something about what you like?D.G.D.: Would you? I'd really appreciate it. Catch ya later.And then he hangs up on me. So I'm sitting here with vague instructions and no new content. All I can say is, don't use strong heroine or you'll end up like Deej.Anyway, I figure we might as well take a mosy around this so-called "blog tour." That way, instead of coming up with my own content, I'll just borrow other people's. In case you forgot, the tour has to do with this book called Scarlet by this guy named Stephen R. Lawhead.To start out, we have Mirtika, who I assu
Snuffles the Dragon here. Deej calls me up from some motel room, tells me he's real tired and doesn't want to post today, and then asks me if I'll say something nice about some book called Scarlet by some guy named Stephen R. Lawhead. So anyway, here's the second day of the blog tour--Snuffles Style.Now, I'm pretty sure Lawhead doesn't draw comics and doesn't hail from Japan, so I don't know why anyone thinks I'd know anything about his book. Though I think I once saw Deej with a copy of Search for Fierra, I haven't read any of Lawhead's work. My first thought was of course that Scarlet must be a sequel to Gone with the Wind, but it turns out it's actually a sequel to Hood, the first volume of the Raven King trilogy, which draws on the legends of Robin Hood, among other things.Though I don't know very much about Lawhead, I do know that Michael O'Brien in his A Landscape With Dragons considers Lawhead's writing morally questionable because Lawhead's characters sometimes
The Flock (Five Star Science Fiction and Fantasy Series) (Hardcover)By James parliamentarian Smith
Buy new: $25.9533 utilised and new from $25.69 Customer Rating: First tagged “dinosaurs” by James parliamentarian Smith Customer tags: thriller suspense science_fiction sci-fi(2), cryptozoology, prehistoric, eco-thriller, phorusrhacos, ecology and nature, cryptid, cryptofiction, dinosaur, dinosaurs, titanis walleri, terror bird
Technorati Tags: thriller suspense science_fiction sci-fi, cryptozoology, prehistoric, eco-thriller, phorusrhacos, ecology and nature, cryptid, cryptofiction, dinosaur, dinosaurs, titanis walleri, terror bird
"Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today -- but the core of science fiction, its essence has become crucial to our salvation if we are to be saved at all." - Isaac Asimov
Ghost Written Sci FiAuthor: C. O. IIIMajor Ghost Writer: Karen Cole PeraltaWord Count: 4,300PROLOGUEMany world cultures are based on a cycle of birth, destruction and rebirth. The symbol of the Ouroboros, a serpent or dragon swallowing its own tail, has existed since the dawn of civilization. Yet no one is completely sure where it comes from. We only know that it signifies eternity. The ancient Mayan Sacred Calendar places Earth in a last cycle of life that will end near the winter solstice of 2012 AD. Many other civilizations and faiths maintain a belief in reincarnation, continuous birth and return. Only three world religions use the concept of linear time instead of cyclical time: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.What if we have all lived the same life, and done the same things countles
Beyond All Time - Beyond Even SpaceA 1950s style tongue in cheek sci fi parodyAuthor: Tom ParisGhost Writer: Karen Cole PeraltaWord Count: 12,500Surely, this was the bravest possible thing to do. I saw an attractively shiny and elegant black surface, the only one of its kind. It drew me closer, pulling me straight forwards with its seductively sweet blasphemy. I stroked the smooth, polished machine, pleasuring myself, as if anticipating something wonderful. What could I say to it? It knew me, but I didn’t know it... Then my memory said it was a hyper-dimensional resonator, easily connectible to a space-time modulator for the necessary power boosting, which uses a tesia coil to generate the zero vector. The HDR, both invented and built by the legendary genius Steven L. Gibbs, of cour
Call For Papers: Models of Identity in Science FictionInternational Association for the Fantastic in the ArtsOrlando, FL March 19-23, 2008We live in a world where identity is an increasingly complex issue. As our awareness of ethnic, gendered, and class-based identity (among others) increases, our understanding of how these fit together must also change. Whenever we encounter those different from ourselves, we are forced to come to terms with this difference and incorporate it into our world view in some way.Characters in science fiction, however, encounter the ultimate versions of “the other” in alien creatures and species. As a result, issues of identity construction and difference are of particular importance in these texts, and they must present ever more intricate schemes for making sense of an existence that is both increasingly multicultural and multispecies.Encountering these “ultimate others” requires not just a greater degree of acceptance but a revision of identity a
And this month's blog tour goes out to The Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers, a retelling of the story of David and Goliath as a fantasy for children. It's the first volume in the Wilderking Trilogy.You can see Rogers's website here. The interactive map on the website is kind of cool, and according to Rogers's bio, the swamps in the novel are based on real swamps in Georgia, sort of like in Pogo, and being like Pogo is sweet, right?Elsewhere on this tour de blog, as they say in the French, you'll find a brief, snappy review on QuestWriter.Tour it like you blog it! ...rrr, something. Brandon Barr Jim Black Justin Boyer Grace Bridges Amy Browning Jackie Castle Valerie Comer CSFF Blog Tour D. G. D. Davidson Chris Deanne Janey DeMeo Merrie Destefano or Alien Dream Jeff Draper April Erwin Linda Gilmore Marcus Goodyear Andrea Graham Jill Hart Katie Hart Sherrie Hibbs Christopher Hopper Becca Johnson Jason Joyner Karen Dawn King Mike Lynch Rachel Marks Karen McSpadden Melissa Me
And the blog tour continues.This month's tour features The Return, book 3 of the Mars Hill Classified series by Austin Boyd. I, um, haven't read it. I'm hearing good things, though.Blog on:Trish AndersonBrandon BarrJim BlackJustin BoyerGrace BridgesAmy BrowningJackie CastleValerie ComerKarri ComptonLisa CromwellCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonJaney DeMeoMerrie Destefano or Alien DreamJeff DraperApril ErwinBeth GoddardMarcus GoodyearJill HartKatie HartSherrie HibbsChristopher HopperBecca JohnsonJason JoynerKaitKarenDawn KingTina KulesaRachel MarksKaren McSpaddenRebecca LuElla MillerEve NielsenJohn W. OtteLyn PerryDeena PetersonRachelleCheryl RusselChawna SchroederMirtika SchultzJames SomersSteve TrowerSpeculative FaithLaura WilliamsTimothy Wise
And the blog tour begins.This month's tour goes out to The Return, book 3 of the Mars Hill Classified series by Austin Boyd.In other news, the Spirit of Vatican 2 "Catholic" Faith Community has weighed The Sci Fi Catholic in the scales and found it wanting. As a result, it has officially and unceremoniously banned this blog forever, for the following reasons:Phariseeism, Funny Languages, Intolerance, Republicanism, and Offensiveness. I was hoping for a Neocatholic (NC) rating and a Bells and Smells (BS), but apparently I didn't quite squeak by. Not sure what the "Republicanism" thing is about.You will find me caught beneath the landslide of a Blog Tour Supernova (I'm running out of these things!):Trish AndersonBrandon BarrJim BlackJustin BoyerGrace BridgesAmy BrowningJackie CastleValerie ComerKarri ComptonLisa CromwellCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonJaney DeMeoMerrie Destefano or Alien DreamJeff DraperApril ErwinBeth GoddardMarcus GoodyearJill HartKatie HartSherrie HibbsCh
Science Fiction Theatre aired from April 8, 1955 to February 8, 1957 for two seasons and 78 episodes. The show is one of the first science fiction series produced by Ivan Tors, creator of Flipper, Sea Hunt, Daktari and Gentle Ben, with the input of real scientific experts to assure the shows credibility.Science fiction Theatre was an American Science Fiction television series hosted by Truman Bradley. In each episode, the show focused on one scientific fact dealing with topics such as the alien lifeforms, space flight, UFOs, miracle drugs, robots, telepathy, and psychokinesis among others. Science Fiction Theatre is widely considered as the forerunner of similar shows such as The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and The Outer Limits.
This story came out late yesterday, too late for the weekly round up here in Sci Fi Friday. Boing Boing reports on possible abuse of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Boing Boing charges them with abusing the act to remove numerous text files from works from Scribd, which they describe as “a site that allows the general public to share text files with one another in much the same way that Flickr allows its users to share pictures.” Cory Doctorow writes that some of the works affected do not infringe upon legitimate copyrights:
Included in the takedown were: a junior high teacher’s bibliography of works that will excite children about reading sf, the back-catalog of a magazine called Ray Gun Revival, books by other authors who have never authorized SFWA to act on their behalf, such as Bruce Sterling, and my own Creative Commons-licensed novel, “Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom.”
The way they descr
The swashing and buckling just won’t stop!This month's Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour is featuring The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka. You can read Polivika's blog here.Today, in honor of Polika’s high seas pirate adventure novel, we have a pirate short story!The Ballad of Ichabod the Scourgeby Ichabod the ScourgeThis is the sorriest bunch o’ land-lubbers I e’er laid eyes on in me life! But we’ll make real piratey pirates out o’ ye yet! I’m here to tell ya a story that’ll put real hair on yer chests! It’s called “The Ballad o’ Ichabod the Sailor and how he became the nastiest meanest, low-downest, dirtiest sailor ever to ply the seven and a half seas.”Arrgh, once upon a time, the nastiest, meanest, low-downest, dirtiest sailor e’er to ply the seven an’ a half seas was Rupert the Scum. And Rupert had a snivelly, wet-nosed young lubber of a cabin boy by the name o’ Billy.Now, one o’ the pirates’ favoritest past-times is a-r
Buckle your swash and get ready for adventure!This month's Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour is featuring The Legend of the Firefish by George Bryan Polivka. The descriptions I've encountered make me wish I'd read this one. Ah well, maybe next tour.The novel appears to be of the nostalgic swashbuckler variety. The combination of high seas excitement and a quest for a legendary animal put me in mind of Kenneth Oppel's Airborn, though that of course features blimps, not ships.You can read Polivika's blog here.To enter the "Talk Like a Pirate Contest" associated with this book, see this press release.In honor of the novel, tomorrow morning I'll post a piratey swashbuckling short story!And don't forget the rest of the blog tour:Trish AndersonBrandon BarrWayne Thomas BatsonJim BlackJustin BoyerGrace BridgesAmy BrowningJackie CastleValerie ComerKarri ComptonFrank CreedLisa CromwellCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonMerrie DestefanoJeff DraperApril ErwinBeth GoddardMar
Heroes is a popular tv series by Tim Kring. It is about people with extra-ordinary powers all over the world discovering that they have superpowers and trying to deal with how powers change and affects their lives. The superheroes who is introduced to the viewing audience includes Peter Petrelli, an almost 30-year-old male nurse who thinks he is capable of flying, Isaac Mendez, a 28-year-old junkie who has the ability to paint images of the future when he takes is high in heroin drugs, Niki Sanders, a 33-year-old Las Vegas showgirl who has alter-ego that are mysteriously connected with mirrors, Hiro Nakamura, a 24-year-old Japanese comic-book geek who makes time stand still, D.L. Hawkins, a 31-year-old inmate who can walk through walls, Matt Parkman, a beat cop who can hear other people's thoughts, and Claire Bennet, a 17-year-old cheerleader who has superhuman healing defying death at every turn. The audience is discovering the nature of each hero's powers, the HEROES, themselves, a
Science Fiction Theatre is a fantastic TV series that ran from 1955-67 Hosted by Truman Bradley .. Each story combined the world of fiction and science with great results. Nothing on TV today beats MR. Brabley in his excellent 50's science laboratory. Moreover, the show focused on one scientific fact dealing with topics such as the alien lifeforms, space flight, UFOs, miracle drugs, robots, telepathy, and psychokinesis among others. Science Fiction Theatre is widely considered as the forerunner of similar shows such as The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and The Outer Limits. The show is one of the first science fiction series produced by Ivan Tors, creator of Flipper, Sea Hunt, Daktari and Gentle Ben, with the input of real scientific experts to assure the shows credibility
There is a hot-new series you may not have heard about. It is called "The 4400." This mix of Science Fiction and Fantasy is becoming very popular so you may want to check it out Sundays on USA.http://theclevercynic.blogspot.com/
Robin Parrish's novel, Fearless, book 2 of The Dominion Trilogy, is the featured novel this month.There's a brief description of the book and a short review available at Fiction Fanatics Only! See another fine review at Spoiled for the Ordinary.Robin Parrish's website is here.Robin Parrish's blog is here.Your blog tour is here:Trish AndersonBrandon BarrWayne Thomas BatsonJim BlackJustin BoyerGrace BridgesAmy BrowningJackie CastleValerie ComerKarri ComptonFrank CreedLisa CromwellCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonMerrie DestefanoJeff DraperApril ErwinBeth GoddardMarcus GoodyearAndrea GrahamRussell GriffithJill HartKatie HartSherrie HibbsChristopher HopperJason JoynerKarenDawn KingTina KulesaLost Genre GuildRachel MarksRebecca LuElla MillerEve NielsenJohn W. OtteJohn OttingerLyn PerryRachelleCheryl RusselHanna SandvigChawna SchroederMirtika SchultzJames SomersSteve TrowerSpeculative FaithJason WaguespacDaniel I. Weaver
Thus ends another month's Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour. Thanks to everyone who came to the blog, read the posts, and commented. Thanks also to all my fellow tour participants.This blog is sort of the black sheep of the tour, as you may have been able to tell. I can't exactly claim that I cultivate that image intentionally. This is a fan site, not an author site, and generally speaking it's geared toward publications in what might be called the "mainstream" of sf and fantasy, but I'm much interested in seeing more Christian voices in the science fiction and fantasy market, and have an interest in the work being published in Christian sf/fantasy, which is independent of the "mainstream."When I opted to review The Restorer, I made a decision to review it in the same way I review other novels, though I planned to give it a little extra care and attention. Some of the responses to my review have led me to reconsider the way I write negative reviews.Reviewers are not the s
If you blog tour it, they will come.Post is early today because I’ll be in the field all day tomorrow. By the time I have a chance to post again, the blog tour will be pretty much over.This month’s Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour features Sharon Hinck’s novel, The Restorer. See Sharon Hinck’s blog here.Yesterday, I discussed Hinck’s use of the female warrior motif. Today, I indulge myself by hanging a brief essay from a few sentences in the novel. I promise it will be very brief.At the end of The Restorer, on page 447, the protagonist, Susan, looks back on an earlier worship experience in Lyric’s temple (called a “tower”) and wonders, “Would I ever again feel the presence of the One in such a tangible way as I had on the Feast day?” (p. 447).The society of Lyric is meant to be similar to that of Israel before Christ. Hinck is writing this as an Evangelical. Here she seems to be indicating that the tangible presence of God, “God with us,” is something
The blog tour of (female) champions.This month’s Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour features Sharon Hinck’s novel, The Restorer. See Sharon Hinck’s blog here.Yesterday, I reviewed Hinck’s novel. Today we’ll discuss its central conceit, the Woman Warrior.The Restorer, as previously discussed, is loosely based on the story of the judge, prophetess, and warrior Deborah from Judges 4 and 5. In Hinck’s alternate universe, the soldiers, forming something like a looseknit formal militia, are known as “guardians.” Female guardians are common in Hinck’s world, which tends to mask the uniqueness of Deborah’s role and that of Hinck’s protagonist.Though women riding into battle were not a mainstay of ancient oriental warfare, the story of Deborah and her counterpart Jael have a thematic relationship with the stories of other women in the Old Testament:After Barak and Deborah ride to war and rout the forces of Hazor, the Hazorite captain Sisera flees to the tent of Ja
White American suburbia + swordfighting = really bad science fantasy.This month’s Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour features Sharon Hinck’s novel, The Restorer. See Sharon Hinck’s blog here. My review of her novel follows:The Restorer by Sharon Hinck. The Sword of Lyric, book 1. Navpress (Colorado Springs): 2007. 477 pages. $14.99. ISBN-13: 978-1-60006-131-8, ISBN-10: 1-60006-131-1.According to Alberto Manguel in A History of Reading, Henry Miller claimed that James Joyce’s Ulysses is best read in the toilet. If so, then Sharon Hinck’s The Restorer is best read in the bubble bath. And with a total of 477 sluggish pages to get through, I burned the midnight aromatherapy candles to ensure you had this review on time.The story begins with the innocuously named narrator, Susan Mitchell, who has developed a serious case of homemaker ennui, not because her family is dysfunctional or her life is in tatters, but because her family is perfect and her life is mind-numbingly d
There's no new info today because I'm spending my free time working on my novel. It's a fantasy involving all the things I love about fantasy, so it's got talking dinosaurs, virgin warrior princesses, beefy men in loincloths, and all kinds of other fun things.If you haven't already, check out yesterday's movie review.Note that the shameless sidebar has a new widget offering you the once-in-a-lifetime chance to vote for this blog on Fuelmyblog. I think you can vote repeatedly, possibly bringing new readers to the blog, if you happen to care.Also, don't forget that Monday, June 18 to Wednesday, June 20 is the Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour. Because of circumstances beyond our control, we've been able to do little during past tours besides post links, but this month, I have a lengthy book review and a few short essays based on Sharon Hinck's novel, The Restorer, which is the featured book this month. I'll post the review on Monday morning so it will be up early for
This month's blog tour is set for this Monday to Wednesday, and this month's feature novel is Sharon Hinck's The Restorer. I have a review of the novel all ready to go, and I'm hard at work at some other supplementary materials including an essay exploring the book's themes and a more self-indulgent essay hanging a discussion on a couple of sentences from the novel. I hope you will all come for the blog tour, and I hope you will find the discussion interesting.
Because of the move, I can't give it the attention it deserves, but the feature site for this month's blog tour is The Sword Review, an e-zine dedicated to sf and fantasy stories and articles. They also appear to have really good cover art.Okay, okay, I'll take time out of my busy schedule of washing windows, packing boxes, and steam-cleaning corn chip fragments (Snuffles's fault, not mine) out of the carpet in order to tell you a little bit about what I've seen at The Sword Review. Specifically, I read "Tiama--a Story of Hope" by David R. Downing. And, in fact, that's about all I read.To be honest, it underwhelmed me. I found it "deficient in action," to steal a phrase from Ebenezer Elliott's assessment of Montgomery's World Before the Flood. "Tiama" has a kernel of a good idea, following the (miraculous?) rescue of a town being slowly buried by encroaching desert. Downing writes in the story's discussion forum that "Tiama" is loosely based on a real town fighting off sand fr
I've been writing a lot about science fiction lately. It occurred to me that one of our three readers might actually have never read a sf story or novel. If that's the case, and if you're interested in not only reading some good stories but also learning something about the genre, I cannot recommend Robert Silverberg's Science Fiction 101 too highly.There's not one bad story in this book. But what really makes it special is Silverberg's 50-page "Introduction" as well as his "Afterwards" to every story, explaining what makes each one good science fiction.If there's a drawback to the anthology, it's that every story is pre-1966. Silverberg, who was born in 1935, used the stories for this anthology that helped shape his own understanding of science fiction both when he was an apprentice and when he was just breaking into the field. Considering that some of the best sf was written between 1950 and 1966, that's not much of shortcoming.
The newest honourees will be inducted into The Science Fiction Museum’s Hall of Fame at a gala on June 16th at 8pm, the gala will be held in the museums Sky Church. The evening will be hosted by Awards winning science fiction author Neal Stephenson.
Those who will be honoured will include Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, SF author Gene Wolfe, Blade Runner director Ridley Scott, and artist Ed Emshwiller.
At the event the museum will also open its latest exhibition, the “Out of This World: Extraordinary Costumes from TV and Film, and is to run through September. This exhibition is to feature in excess to 30 costumes and related paraphernalia from the world of science fiction in TV and film including Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Blade Runner, Batman, and The Terminator.
Previous honourees in the Hall of Fame, with was founded in 1996 include George Lucas, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Sir Arthur C Clarke, Robert A Heinlein, H G Wells, and Ed
King. Guardian. Return. What's not to love?Return of the Guardian King by Karen Hancock is still the Blog Tour's feature novel this month.But before we can get to that, we have a desperate situation on our hands. Keith Strohm From the Shattered Drum has memed me. It's my first meme. I'm so excited.So here we go. *Ahem.* Testing, testing, one two three. Me-me-me-me-me! Me-me! Meme! Okay, I'm ready.The meme is entitled Booked by 3--In Character. I don't understand it either.Name up to three characters...1). You wish were real so you could meet them. This is tough since my favorite characters are ones I neither want to be or meet, especially in a dark alley. Let's see...a. The first is obvious. Thorn and Bone from Bone, of course. I know that's two characters, but they're a unit.b. Probably Indiana Jones. You think I'm cheating because he's a movie and not a book character, but you forget the paperback series by Max McCoy. The great thing about Indy is that he, unlike James Bon
Any king can return, but it takes a Guardian King to return in style.I'm not going to be posting much today because I'm still recovering from yesterday's gargantuan essay, which I should have split up into more readable segments. Come to think of it, I might do that.Return of the Guardian King by Karen Hancock is the Blog Tour's feature novel this month. I haven't read this one either (but that situation should change in June!). This is fourth and final in the series. From the looks of things, it's a rather dense high fantasy with some Christian allegory.Hancock's official website is here. Her blog is here.And here's the rest of your Blog Tour, so move along, now:Nissa AnnakindtWayne Thomas BatsonJim BlackJackie CastleValerie ComerKarri ComptonFrank CreedCSFF Blog TourGene CurtisD. G. D. DavidsonChris DeanneJaney DeMeoApril ErwinKameron M. FranklinBeth GoddardMarcus GoodyearAndrea GrahamKatie HartSherrie HibbsSharon HinckChristopher HopperHeather R. HuntBecca JohnsonJason Joyne
Don't forget the book of the month for this month's Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour is Double Vision by Randy Ingermanson, which features the story of an autistic savant computer programmer and the women who love him. Our feature blog is that of the author, Randy Ingermanson, physicist and Christian sf novelist.So what else will you find on Ingermanson's site? Well, if you're interested in writing a novel of your own, Ingermanson offers advice. Right on his main page is a place to sign up for his newsletter about how to write fiction. Hey, I'm getting one.He also has a page on writing that gives advice right there on the website, so check it out.Get your blog tour on:Nissa AnnakindtJim BlackGrace BridgesJackie CastleValerie ComerKarri ComptonFrank CreedCSFF Blog TourD. G. D. DavidsonJaney DeMeoTessa EdwardsApril ErwinBeth GoddardMarcus GoodyearAndrea GrahamLeathel Grody Katie HartSherrie HibbsSharon HinckChristopher HopperJason JoynerKarenTina KulesaLost Genre GuildKev
Women want him, nanoprobes fear him.The book of the month for this month's Christian Science Fiction/Fantasy Blog Tour is Double Vision by Randy Ingermanson, which features the story of an autistic savant computer programmer...and the women who love him. Our feature blog is that of the author, Randy Ingermanson, physicist and Christian sf novelist.I got a little scared when I went looking at his blog and found he had a section on the so-called Bible Code. I was gearing up to write an article flaming him, but after going through his information, I figured I'd better hold back. Everyone relax: Ingermanson is not a supporter of the Bible Code. In fact, he has some good summaries of why you shouldn't believe in it. His article on prophecies in the alleged codes is quite good. The article on proximity has more meat to it. The one on bias is excellent.I'll admit, looking at his stuff on the Bible Code makes me want to read Ingermanson's books. He is succeeding here at making statistical
Xenite.Org celebrates 10 years of online science fiction and fantasy fandom by sharing a little history, a brief article about actor Michael Sinelnikoff, and two previously unpublished interviews with TV show writers Ethlie Vare and Ashley Edward Miller from Andromeda.Blog Search Links: Blogdigger Bloglines Blogpulse Feedster Icerocket Technorati
Fans of Grace Park, the actress from Battlestar Galactica, will love this selection of 8 videos featuring Grace herself doing interviews and in special scenes from the show.Blog Search Links: Blogdigger Bloglines Blogpulse Feedster Icerocket Technorati
The Catholic Wiki Project has an impressive list of references to Catholicism in science fiction, courtesy of the extensive research of Speculative Catholic. Check out this list. It's rather breathtaking.For example, there's a reference to Stephen Baxter's "Inherit the Earth," with a robotic pope, and Lester Del Rey's "The Eleventh Commandment," which is about contraception. And many, many more.
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the SithStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes BackStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the JediBlade Runner: The Director's CutAlienTime Machine (Orinal 1960 Version)Minority ReportStarship TroopersI, RobotPitch BlackIndependence DayWar of the Worlds
The BBC is running a special feature on Science Fiction on its website. You can submit your favourite book, comic, film, TV series... The highlight is a science fiction Flash timeline from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to "Children of Men". You are invited to contribute and send your recollections/comments on science fiction classics. I cannot get the Flash version to work in Firefox or Explorer so here is a link to the static timeline, organised by decades.Tags: bbc, scifi
Out of all the genres of books that have been written, science fiction seems to be one that is a class apart from all the others. The feeling towards the genre is either one of fanatic following and great enjoyment or extreme hatred. Those who have a natural penchant for unearthly objects and unsolved mysteries [...]
Two Xlibris releases are reportedly on the short list for Yellow30 Sci-Fi’s Charon Award for science fiction novels published since 1999.
Yellow30 Sci-Fi, an independent online forum for science fiction and fantasy books, has just announced the four finalists for the Charon Award, which is an exclusive one-time recognition for the best book published in the [...]
