Books

Why We Love “Big Dumb Object” Science Fiction Stories

Science fiction critic Peter Nicholls, speaking in 1997, explained the enduring love for novels about a “Big Dumb Object” in space, how this helps us to achieve a Sense of Wonder, and why we would want to. Novelist Gregory Benford just posted the text of Nicholls’ speech on his own blog, and economist Robin Hanson…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

R. A. Salvatore Battles Bullies in Episode 49 of The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

R. A. Salvatore, creator of the popular Dungeons & Dragons character Drizzt Do’Urden, joins us to discuss breaking into novel writing, bullying, and why a city of evil elves is a lot like Middle School. Art by Todd Lockwood. Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy is hosted by John Joseph Adams and David Barr Kirtley. You…

Books & Comics Johnjosephadams

10 Themes Shared By Historical Fiction and Science Fiction

You love spaceship fights and zooming through futuristic cities like Coruscant. But you also love gladiator fights and seeing 1920s Atlantic City recreated for Boardwalk Empire. Why is that? Though historical fiction is supposedly based in facts about the past, the genre has a surprising amount in common with the speculative tales of science fiction.…

Movies Annalee Newitz

Finally, the Lord Of The Rings/Muppet Crossover You’ve Been Dreaming Of!

Behold Fozzie Bear carrying Kermit up the Mountain of Mordor, witness the Animal/Gimly mashup, and watch as Sweetums stalks a pack of muppetized hobbits. It’s a glorious Jim Henson and J.R.R. Tolkien art mashup! This “worlds collide” spectacle is brought to you by the excellent folks over at Draw2d2 (whose great art mashups we’ve featured…

Movies Meredith Woerner

When Time is a Battlefield: The Most Brutal Time Wars!

You know that as soon as we invent a time machine, the first thing we’re going to use it for is to destroy our enemies retroactively. (Well, maybe the second thing.) https://gizmodo.com/time-travel-means-having-orgies-with-your-past-selves-329388 Time wars are a huge part of time travel stories. As soon as two opposing sides both have time machines, they’re going to…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

The Victorian Hugos: 1887

The Hugo Awards are given to the best science fiction or fantasy works of the previous year. Unfortunately, they’ve only been awarded since 1953. That’s where this column comes in — Jess Nevins will be awarding honorary Hugo Awards to the best novels of the Victorian era… and beyond. Before listing the novels and stories,…

Books & Comics Jess Nevins

io9 Book Club reminder: Meeting 11/29 to discuss Ekaterina Sedia’s Heart of Iron

The io9 Book Club meets once per month to discuss a book, and then the author usually joins us for a chat. In November, we’re meeting on the 29th to discuss Ekaterina Sedia’s Heart of Iron. Watch for a post that day announcing the book club, and jump into comments for discussion! There’s still time…

Books & Comics Annalee Newitz

The 25 Most Disturbing Twilight Products of 2011

Many new moons ago, we gave you the 30 Most Disturbing Twilight Products. It’s been two years since then — and tons more ridiculous Twilight merchandise has been shilled to the legions of Twihards across the globe. Here is our second collection of the most ridiculous Twilight shwag ever created. https://gizmodo.com/the-30-most-disturbing-twilight-products-5407713 Breaking Dawn Baking Dish…

Movies Meredith Woerner

Why Science Fiction Writers Love Meeting the Other

Why do so many of science fiction’s greatest stories have to do with meeting — and possibly falling in love with — strangers and strange beings? Author Pat Cadigan, whose story “Angel” is in the new anthology Alien Contact, muses about the allure of Meeting the Other. Do you find it awkward to meet new…

Books & Comics Pat Cadigan

New literary journal aims to blur the lines between literary fiction and science fiction

If you love both literary fiction and “genre” fiction, and want to be able to read inventive new takes on both things, then you’ll welcome a new literary annual called Unstuck that aims to blur the lines. Austin-based writer Matt Williamson started Unstuck with an editorial staff of people he knew from the Iowa Writers…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Everything You Missed in the Hunger Games Trailer: 40 Awesome Images!

You’ve seen the brand new trailer for The Hunger Games — now let’s dissect each frame, and uncover everything we can about the post-apocalyptic wasteland where the movie’s children are fighting to the death. https://gizmodo.com/new-hunger-games-trailer-takes-you-inside-the-teenage-t-5859221 What’s different? Prim is now the owner of the mockingjay pin. And what’s exactly what we pictured while reading Suzanne…

io9 Meredith Woerner

New Hunger Games trailer takes you inside the teenage Thunderdome

The Hunger Games movie is being called the next Twilight (and even the next Harry Potter), but will Suzanne Collins’ post-apocalyptic movie adaptation live up to the teen juggernaut series before it? Check out the first-ever trailer with footage from the film, including scenes inside the games, at the Capitol, and a look at the…

io9 Meredith Woerner

Charles Yu’s acclaimed How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is now a stage play

This weekend sees the first performances of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, a one-man show based on Charles Yu’s acclaimed novel. Last night was the opening night, and according to the Columbus Dispatch it was a huge hit. Jennifer Fawcett and Matt Slaybaugh adapted Yu’s novel into a stage play, keeping…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Christopher Paolini’s next book project will be science fiction

The Inheritance, the final book in Christopher Paolini’s book series that began with Eragon, has sold half a million copies on its first day. So what’s Paolini going to do next? A science fiction novel, he tells the Bookseller: “I want to move into a longer term career where each book may be not as…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Awesome Hunger Games fan recreates the post apocalyptic recipes for you!

If you’ve read Hunger Games you know how important food is to the tributes (whether they’re dining in the Capitol, or fighting for their lives in the wilderness). One amazing fan has recreated some of our favorite recipes from the Suzanne Collins books, including lunch with Cinna (with the flower shaped rolls), District 11’s crescent…

io9 Meredith Woerner

You’re about 25 percent of the way through your novel. Time for an Act One Break?

If you’ve been doing National Novel Writing Month, and you’re being diligent and sticking to your schedule, then chances are you’re about a quarter of the way through your novel. And that means just one thing: It’s time for Act One to end, and Act Two to begin. Cross the threshold to adventure! Commit your…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Ask Joe Hill anything you want about Horns

In October, the io9 Book Club read Joe Hill’s Horns. Now Hill is coming to answer your questions about the book tomorrow, Thursday, November 10. https://gizmodo.com/the-io9-book-club-is-in-session-lets-talk-about-joe-hi-5853201 He’ll be popping into the comment thread on this very post on Nov. 10 between 10:00-11:00 AM Pacific Time. Start posting your questions for him now, and he’ll answer…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Astonishingly Lovely Illustrations from the 1949 Alice in Wonderland Edition

Most of us have probably seen the mind-blowing Tenniel illustrations of Alice in Wonderland — but have you seen these lush, brilliantly colored illustrations by Leonard Weisgard, from the 1949 edition? This was only the second ever illustrated edition of Alice, and it carves out an identity all its own. As Maria Popova writes over…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Lightspeed Magazine’s captain is now also its engineer

John Joseph Adams launched Lightspeed Magazine just a couple years ago, and so far it’s gotten some great buzz as well as plenty of award nominations. https://gizmodo.com/john-joseph-adams-sees-your-dystopian-future-starts-a-5385210 Top image: Elena Bespalova, via Lightspeed Magazine Now the magazine’s owner, Prime Books, is spinning it off, and Adams is taking over ownership. He’s also going to be…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Brian K. Vaughan Adapting Stephen King’s Under The Dome for Showtime. Can it compete with HBO’s Dark Tower?

HBO might be getting Stephen King’s Dark Tower but Showtime just landed Lost writer and Y: The Last Man creator Brian K. Vaughan to help them adapt his novel Under The Dome into an ongoing series. Deadline is reporting that Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man) has been tapped by Showtime to pen the…

io9 Meredith Woerner

Why We Love “Big Dumb Object” Science Fiction Stories

R. A. Salvatore Battles Bullies in Episode 49 of The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

10 Themes Shared By Historical Fiction and Science Fiction

Finally, the Lord Of The Rings/Muppet Crossover You’ve Been Dreaming Of!

When Time is a Battlefield: The Most Brutal Time Wars!

The Victorian Hugos: 1887

io9 Book Club reminder: Meeting 11/29 to discuss Ekaterina Sedia’s Heart of Iron

The 25 Most Disturbing Twilight Products of 2011

Why Science Fiction Writers Love Meeting the Other

New literary journal aims to blur the lines between literary fiction and science fiction

Everything You Missed in the Hunger Games Trailer: 40 Awesome Images!

New Hunger Games trailer takes you inside the teenage Thunderdome

Charles Yu’s acclaimed How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is now a stage play

Christopher Paolini’s next book project will be science fiction

Awesome Hunger Games fan recreates the post apocalyptic recipes for you!

You’re about 25 percent of the way through your novel. Time for an Act One Break?

Ask Joe Hill anything you want about Horns

Astonishingly Lovely Illustrations from the 1949 Alice in Wonderland Edition

Lightspeed Magazine’s captain is now also its engineer

Brian K. Vaughan Adapting Stephen King’s Under The Dome for Showtime. Can it compete with HBO’s Dark Tower?

Even the ‘Avatar’ Fighting Game Is Disrespecting ‘Legend of Korra’

Bluesky Has a New App, and It’s All About AI

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor And an Action Figure!

Whatever Just Happened with ‘Fruit Love Island,’ Nobody Won

AMC Puts a Stake in ‘Talamasca’ After One Season

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Great Year for Big Sci-Fi RPGs

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...

Books

Why We Love “Big Dumb Object” Science Fiction Stories

R. A. Salvatore Battles Bullies in Episode 49 of The Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy

10 Themes Shared By Historical Fiction and Science Fiction

Finally, the Lord Of The Rings/Muppet Crossover You’ve Been Dreaming Of!

When Time is a Battlefield: The Most Brutal Time Wars!

The Victorian Hugos: 1887

io9 Book Club reminder: Meeting 11/29 to discuss Ekaterina Sedia’s Heart of Iron

The 25 Most Disturbing Twilight Products of 2011

Why Science Fiction Writers Love Meeting the Other

New literary journal aims to blur the lines between literary fiction and science fiction

Everything You Missed in the Hunger Games Trailer: 40 Awesome Images!

New Hunger Games trailer takes you inside the teenage Thunderdome

Charles Yu’s acclaimed How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is now a stage play

Christopher Paolini’s next book project will be science fiction

Awesome Hunger Games fan recreates the post apocalyptic recipes for you!

You’re about 25 percent of the way through your novel. Time for an Act One Break?

Ask Joe Hill anything you want about Horns

Astonishingly Lovely Illustrations from the 1949 Alice in Wonderland Edition

Lightspeed Magazine’s captain is now also its engineer

Brian K. Vaughan Adapting Stephen King’s Under The Dome for Showtime. Can it compete with HBO’s Dark Tower?

Even the ‘Avatar’ Fighting Game Is Disrespecting ‘Legend of Korra’

Bluesky Has a New App, and It’s All About AI

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor *And* an Action Figure!

Whatever Just Happened with ‘Fruit Love Island,’ Nobody Won

AMC Puts a Stake in ‘Talamasca’ After One Season

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

2027 Is Shaping Up to Be a Great Year for Big Sci-Fi RPGs

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...

Dammit, Jim, He’s a Doctor And an Action Figure!