Books

io9 Book Club reminder: On 9/24, we discuss Max Barry’s Lexicon

In September, the io9 Book Club is reading Max Barry’s futuristic thriller Lexicon. We’ll meet September 24 to discuss it, and we hope Barry will join us later that week for a chat! Still not decided? Here’s our review of the book! https://gizmodo.com/lexicon-could-be-max-barrys-smartest-dystopia-yet-588289850 What is this io9 Book Club all about? We meet once a…

All The Most Essential Science Fiction and Fantasy Books in September!

September’s bookshelves strain under the weight of so much awesome. There are long-awaited sequels by Stephen King and Margaret Atwood. New Alastair Reynolds and Kim Stanley Robinson! Plus much, much more. Here are all the books you absolutely should not sleep on in September! Top image: Cover art for On the Steel Breeze by Alastair…

First Look at the New Zombie Novel by the Go the F– to Sleep Author

Adam Mansbach has written some acclaimed literary novels, as well as the hit satirical children’s book Go the Fuck to Sleep. And now, he’s publishing a zombie novel called The Dead Run. We’ve got an exclusive chapter excerpt, plus a glimpse of the graphic novel prequel. Check it out! First of all, above is a…

First-ever clip of Daniel Radcliffe in Horns

We’ve only seen pictures of Daniel Radcliffe’s bizarre role based on the protagonist of Joe Hill’s novel Horns. In it, Radcliffe plays a man who wakes up one morning with a pair of growing horns in his head which grant him superpowers — superpowers he uses to get to the bottom of his girlfriend’s brutal…

These are the greatest adventure stories of the 19th century

Writer and classic book-lister extraordinaire Joshua Glenn is at it again. Now that he’s catalogued Radium Age science fiction, he’s starting to work on a definitive list of the greatest adventure stories of the 19th century. Victoriana lovers, dive in! Over at HiLoBrow, Glenn has posted his preliminary list of 50 books — in chronological…

J.J. Abrams’ mysterious viral trailer finally explained!

Last month this strange little black and white video, titled Stranger, was released from Bad Robot. But like the main character, its lips were stitched shut as to what this whole thing was actually about. Thankfully, the second trailer has finally revealed what the secret behind this mystery. https://gizmodo.com/what-could-this-baffling-new-trailer-from-j-j-abrams-p-1167172754 EW is reporting that this Stranger…

What’s the most awesomely gritty world in science fiction or fantasy?

Lots and lots of fantasy universes try to be “dark” or “gritty,” or “realistic” — but only some of them actually feel like places where you could get into amazing trouble. Places where you can actually feel the grime on every surface. What’s your favorite “gritty” world from either science fiction or fantasy? Please include…

The 4th Wizard of Oz TV adaptation, Dorothy Must Die, is the weirdest

You guys there are TOO MANY Wizard of Oz adaptations running around. Too many. This is the fourth and it’s all about how Dorothy has decided to rule over Oz like some sort of fascist dictator, who must be killed. Huh? Deadline is reporting that The CW is working on a Oz based drama from…

The Bone Season surrenders to fantasy writing’s worst instincts

21-year-old author Samantha Shannon is living the dream. Her novel The Bone Season debuted at #7 on the New York Times bestseller list, and it’s already been optioned by Andy Serkis’ production house. But what’s really behind the hype on this dystopian fantasy novel? A lot of amazing, but also a lot of problems. On…

A guide to fallacious arguments, illustrated with funny animals

The Book of Bad Arguments is a great primer for anyone looking to understand logical fallacies and become a better debater. It helps that each logical fallacy is accompanied by a comic featuring funny animals. Writer and computer programmer Ali Almossawi teamed up with illustrator Alejandro Giraldo to create The Book of Bad Arguments, which…

Why You Can’t Travel Back in Time and Kill Hitler

You’ve gotten your hands on a shiny new time machine, and you decide that your first order of business is to travel back in time and kill Hitler. But killing Hitler and preventing the Holocaust isn’t quite as simple as it sounds. Here’s why. His Life is a Fixed Event in Time “No Time Like…

RIP Ann Crispin, Who Fought for the Writers

You owe A.C. Crispin a huge debt, whether you know it or not. As an author, she helped carve a space for women writing science fiction. She helped prove media tie-in novels could be great books in their own right. And she fought for writers to get treated fairly, with the indispensible site Writer Beware.…

What’s your favorite novel that defies genre classification?

Some of the greatest books ever written are the hardest to pin down to one genre. Are they science fiction? Fantasy? Mystery? Magical realism? Sometimes the best stories are the slipperiest in terms of labels. What’s your favorite genre-defying novel of all time? Please include a picture of the book cover or something else— and…

Benedict Cumberbatch leaves Guillermo del Toro for the Lost City of Z

The reason for Benedict Cumberbatch’s departure from Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited horror movie Crimson Peak has finally been revealed. Cumberbatch is going to explore the Amazon in the film adaptation of The Lost City of Z novel by David Grann. The Guardian is reporting that everyone’s favorite actor The Batch has finally revealed that he…

We called James S.A. Corey’s Leviathan Wakes a “Hollywood blockbuster in book form” — but now instead of a movie, it looks like it’s becoming a TV series, with a pilot written by the writers of Iron Man.

What’s the most heartbreaking victory that cost too damn much?

Sometimes, our escapist fantasies take a dark turn, and the “good guys” only win at unthinkable cost. Sometimes, a heroic victory actually feels like a defeat. What’s the most heart-rending example of a heroic win that comes with too high a price tag? Please include a picture or clip, so we can share your pain!

Trailer for Brandon Sanderson’s Steelheart: Best superhero story ever?

We’re excited to bring you the exclusive first look at the book trailer for Brandon Sanderson’s new superhero novel, Steelheart. Except that Sanderson’s superpowered bruisers aren’t all that heroic — power has corrupted them, and it’s up to ordinary humans to take them down. If the dramatic 30-second teaser doesn’t win you over, with its…

Campbell Award winning writer Mur Lafferty is here today! Talk to her!

In August, the io9 book club read Mur Lafferty’s hilarious fantasy novel The Shambling Guide to New York City. Since then, she’s won the coveted Campbell Award for best new author. Now, Lafferty is here today from 12:30-1:30 PDT to chat with you! Just jump into comments and ask questions, and Lafferty will get to…

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet trailer celebrates the inventor

From the director of Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) comes a whimsical adaptation of Reif Larson’s novel The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet, a story about a little inventor and his journey to Washington D.C. to collect an award. The marriage of wonder and charm is just perfect in both of these trailers; fingers crossed for giddy…

Enjoy scifi maestro Judith Merril’s Doctor Who science lessons

In the late 70s and early 80s, scifi author Judith Merril did a series of educational spots for Canadian TV, which aired right after Doctor Who. Dubbed the UnDoctor, Merril dissected the science in each episode, offering loopy humor along the way. Merril is best-known for editing over a dozen “year’s best” science fiction anthologies…