Books

George R.R. Martin explains why Forbidden Planet is his favorite movie

George R.R. Martin first saw Forbidden Planet as a child in 1956, and he’s seen it 100 times sinc then. Yes, you read that right. A hundred. Here’s why. Talking to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Martin reminisces about seeing Forbidden Planet at the DeWitt Theater in Bayonne, NJ as an eight-year-old: It was amazing……

Those classic Star Wars comics really did fill the gaps between movies

People sometimes look down on Marvel Comics’ line of Star Wars comics from the late 1970s and early 1980s, because of the random green rabbit character and other stuff. But LucasFilm’s Jennifer Heddle has a great article on the official Star Wars blog, explaining why they were essential. In fact, not only were they the…

Vampire Academy trailer feels like maybe this movie could be good?

WAIT! Before you blow off this trailer as part of the teen vampire glu,t know this: Vampire Academy was made by Mean Girls director Mark Waters and adapted by Heathers writer Daniel Waters. Plus the book was pretty great. Set in a VAMPIRE ACADEMY where vampire royals attend classes with the vampire half-breeds who are…

One Science Fiction Author Who Does Everything You Want from the Genre

James Tiptree Jr., aka Alice Sheldon, is justly revered as a science fiction pioneer. And writing for NPR, Harvard professor and poet Stephen Burt makes a strong case that she represents the perfect fusion of some of science fiction’s most essential strands. Burt’s must-read essay on Tiptree begins: We can go to science fiction for…

What’s the most game-changing discovery that got swept under the rug?

Nobody expects total realism from science fiction or fantasy. But it’s a big problem when a fantastic new device or ability is introduced — one that could change everything — and then it’s never seen again. What’s the most ridiculous potential game-changer that got totally ignored afterwards? Please include a picture or clip of this…

An 18th century frigate does battle… in orbit around Mercury!

Michael J. Martinez’s The Daedalus Incident has an irresistible premise: 18th century sailing ships flying around space, thanks to strange alchemical inventions. And here’s an exclusive excerpt where two of those ships do battle while sailing the solar winds. Daedalus Incident is the first book to be released by Nightshade under its new ownership with…

This year’s World Fantasy Award finalists are an especially strong list, including N.K. Jemisin, Graham Joyce, G. Willow Wilson, Caitlín R. Kiernan and Kij Johnson. Seriously excited to see who wins this one.

Discover the grade level of your current beach read

Ever wanted to find out how people determine what grade level a book is? With the Fry Readability Graph and a little counting, you can! Grab the book you’re reading and figure out how much you’re taxing your mind. I was the kind of kid who would read whatever came to hand. If the cover…

io9 Book Club reminder: On 8/27 we discuss The Shambling Guide to NYC

In August, the io9 Book Club is reading Mur Lafferty’s goofy-smart urban fantasy novel, The Shambling Guide to New York City. We’ll meet August 27 to discuss it, and we hope Lafferty will join us later that week for a chat! Still not decided? You can read io9’s review of the book here. https://gizmodo.com/now-this-is-the-urban-fantasy-heroine-we-want-513271146 What…

9 Questions We Have About the Wool Trilogy’s Epic Finale, Dust

If you know Wool, then you’re already counting the days until Saturday. Hugh Howey’s epic about the last remnants of humanity living in massive underground silos — and the horrifying truth of why they’re there — has sold over half million copies online alone. The trilogy finally comes to a close this August 17th, with…

What’s the most epic friendship in all of science fiction and fantasy?

Friendship is the most powerful force in the universe. Where magic wands and warp drives fail, friends will always come through. But what’s the most powerful or amazing friendship in all of science fiction and fantasy? Please include a picture of these amazing friends. Or maybe a clip. Thanks!

Weird Facts You Never Knew About H.G. Wells’ Movie, Things to Come

Did you know the Criterion Collection had recently come out with a deluxe DVD/Blu-ray release of Things to Come, H.G. Wells’ 1936 movie? It includes a restored print that’s way better than any previous release, plus unused special effects footage. And the Criterion site includes some astonishing facts about Things to Come. Top image: H.G.…

7 Dystopian Technologies That Would Never Exist in Real Life

Everybody loves dystopias nowadays — especially dystopias where the evil overlords have crazy unstoppable gear. But a shockingly high number of dystopian futures feature technology that makes no sense, that no engineer would ever design that way. Here are 7 dystopian technologies that could never actually happen. 7. Replicants that look exactly like humans I…

Some of the Nicest Vintage Science Fiction Covers We’ve Seen in Ages

Holy cow, these are some really stunning science fiction book and magazine covers. Flickr user Pelz just scanned in some classic magazine art, plus some book art, and it’s really lovely to behold. Check out more nifty artwork over at Pelz’s Flickr stream — here are a few more of our favorites:

What’s the most obviously fake bluff or ruse of all time?

Science fiction and fantasy are full of heroes (and villains) who come up with bluffs that any five-year-old child could see through. Yes, we’re looking at you, Captain Kirk. But what’s the most obviously untrue bluff in science fiction or fantasy? Please include a picture of your chosen bluffer, so we can appreciate his or…

The Most Overused Animal Stereotypes in Pop Culture

When it comes to fiction, an animal is never just animal. Animals always symbolize things — and they usually symbolize the same thing over and over. For example, a crow isn’t just a common bird who happens to be nearby, it’s a dark portent of bad things to come. Here are the most overused animal…

At long last, we’ll finally get to read some of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo author Stieg Larsson’s early science fiction. One story he wrote at age 17 will be in an anthology of Swedish crime stories called A Darker Shade of Sweden.

The Mothership: Tales from Afrofuturism & Beyond anthology project has an amazing roster of writers, and is just $635 short of its $15,000 fundraising goal, with 12 hours left. Can you help?

Actor didn’t love Percy Jackson 2‘s “Some Like it Cyclops” scenes

The new Percy Jackson movie, Sea of Monsters, is in theaters tomorrow. And returning in the role of Grover the Satyr is Brandon T. Jackson, who once again supplies a lot of the comedy moments. But there was one comedy sequence in the film that he wasn’t crazy about doing. Spoilers ahead… We spoke to…

What’s the most pointless rivalry or schism in all of fandom?

The great thing about science fiction and fantasy is that there’s a nearly limitless amount of books, movies, TV shows and comics to celebrate. But sometimes, people decide that you can only be a fan of one thing or another. You have to choose. What’s the most pointless rivalry in all of fandom? Please include…