Books

Man Plus Has The Kookiest And Therefore Greatest Plan To Colonize Mars

Between Mars One sounding fishy and Curiosity finding nitrogen, Mars is back in the news (if it ever really left). There’s still an interest in colonizing “The Angry Red Planet,” but that’s still a long way off from happening. I can only presume that’s because the folks at NASA and the other space exploration organizations…

What Do You Do With Your Old Books?

Whether your books are electronic or paper, it’s a problem every reader runs into at some point: What do you do with a book after you’ve read it? There are a lot of options. Maybe you hold onto it for re-reads until your shelf-space runs out, maybe you pass it along (or return it) for…

Which “Lovable” Villain Is Actually Terrifying When You Think About It?

Science fiction and fantasy are full of straight-up scary villains. But then there are the lovable ones, who are too quirky and goofy to seem really threatening. They start to become part of the gang, even. But they’re still horrible people. Which “lovable” villain is actually horrifying if you think about him or her? Please…

Home Is The Cutest Vision Of Colonial Domination You’ll Ever See 

In the new kids’ animated movie Home, some unbearably cute aliens come to Earth and take our planet away from us, imprisoning the humans in, basically, reservations. And in the process, the movie manages to use cuteness to tell kind of a thoughtful story about imperialists who think of themselves as victims. Spoilers ho… So…

In the World of Fantasy Literature, David Eddings Is Truly Magic

No one would ever accuse fantasy author David Eddings of being too complicated. Although he’s known for several trilogies and five-part epics, Eddings creates fantasy worlds that seem like Middle-Earth for second graders. So, then, why are they so much damn fun to visit? I found Pawn of Prophecy, the first book in Edding’s first…

Why I Revisit My Childhood Favorites All the Time

I watch a lot of television and read a lot of books. I don’t think that’s going to shock a lot of people. It’s literally part of my job. I’m at the point where no one really questions how much I watch or read. But the secret is: I spend way more time revisiting old…

Could This Be The Most Radiant Collection Of Dune Art Ever Assembled?

The Folio Society is doing a gorgeous new edition of Frank Herbert’s Dune, and we were excited to show you the front cover a while back. But just wait until you get a load of the interior art, also created by artist extraordinaire Sam Weber. [Warning: One picture might be NSFW.] The 50th anniversary deluxe…

Horror-Comedy Harrison Squared Proves Daryl Gregory Is A Writer To Watch

Daryl Gregory’s novels inspire reflection and conversation, but above all else they are just different and so much fun. His new book, Harrison Squared is fresh and enjoyable, and proves that he’s a writer to be reckoned with. You may have heard the term “writers’ writer” before. This refers to the sort of author who,…

Economists Who Study Science Fiction Will See Science More Realistically

There are definitely plenty of economists who love science fiction — Paul Krugman comes to mind immediately. But economics could still benefit from more attention to the genre, argues economist Ha-Joon Chang from Cambridge University. But Chang’s reasons for recommending SF might be a bit surprising. Rather than promote SF as a way to make…

Which Sequel Threw Out The Best Part Of The Previous Story’s Ending?

The most powerful ending is often the one that closes the story with a resounding bang. An ending that lets you know that things have changed. But those are also the hardest to continue, and some people don’t even try. Which sequel completely abandoned the best part of the previous installment’s ending? Please include a…

A Classic Novel By The Strugatsky Brothers Is Out In English At Last

Most of us know Boris and Arkady Strugatsky from their novel Roadside Picnic — but their fantastic output was much greater than that. And now at last, there’s an English-language edition of their trippy book The Dead Mountaineer’s Inn, translated by Josh Billings with an introduction by Jeff VanderMeer. As NPR’s Juan Vidal explains: First…

Wow, Game Of Thrones Season 5 Is Even Darker Than We Expected

We kind of assumed this year on Game of Thrones was going to be as bitter and dark as graveyard-shift coffee. After all, it’s based on the two ugliest books, A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons. But we saw the season premiere last night, and it’s even nastier. Here are our spoiler-free…

1908’s Best Party Invite and More Forgotten California Design

From psychedelic rock posters to modernist film titles, it might seem like the graphic output from California means anything and everything goes. But there’s a particular California spirit when it comes to design. That’s what Louise Sandhaus argues in her new book Earthquakes, Mudslides, Fires & Riots: California and Graphic Design, 1936-1986, an ongoing examination…

What Was Your Favorite Book When You Were Growing Up?

Sometimes when you read a book can be as important to what you think of it as the story itself — and one of the best times to really get into a book is when you’re a kid. Maybe your favorite book then and your favorite book now are one and the same. Maybe you’ve…

One less reason to be excited about upcoming movies: The Moon and the Sun, the movie version of Vonda McIntyre’s beloved historical fantasy novel, has had its release date pushed back from April 12, 2015, to “TBA.” Dammit. Contact the author at [email protected].

A Skyscraper Shelf Turns Your Books Into a Picturesque Skyline

If you haven’t yet embraced e-reading and donated all of your printed books to your local library, you’re probably also the type who likes to put your various tomes on display. So to guarantee that your carefully-curated collection gets noticed by visitors, store them on this Skyline shelf that makes them look like buildings in…

The No-Stilettos Rule: My Approach As A Woman Creating Scifi Book Covers

How do you create a book cover that really sells the story to its audience? How do you package a book with a badass woman protagonist without relying on bare midriffs and spiky heels? Muddy Colors columnist Lauren Panepinto explains how she approaches cover art in her role as Orbit Books’ Creative Director. A few…

Insurgent Is Like Two Hours Of Someone Else’s Terrible Therapy Session

There was always something ugly at the heart of the wish-fulfillment in the Divergent series — everybody except me is one dimensional, because I’m special! But where the first movie managed to turn this into a weirdly sweet adventure about trying fit in, the sequel just goes full-on narcissistic. And dreary. Spoilers ahead… Divergent and…

The Worst Taboo In Urban Fantasy

Urban fantasy often seems more open-minded than other fantasy subgenres. You can have more sex, more swearing, loads of blasphemy, and tons of gonzo violence. So what can’t you have in urban fantasy books? Apparently, an older female protagonist, as author Harry Connolly found out. Writing in Black Gate, Connolly describes why he wanted to…

Pride And Prejudice And Dragons? Naomi Novik won’t ever have Jane Austen show up as a character in the Temeraire books — but she is working on a story about “the adventures of Captain Elizabeth Bennet and her dragon Wollstonecraft.” HECK YEAH. Contact the author at [email protected].