Books

You Can Help Save One Of The Great Science Fiction Bookstores

We were incredibly upset when we heard that Borderlands Books was going to close, due to low bookstore margins combined with a rise in the local minimum wage. This would not only make San Francisco a way less cool place to live, but do great damage to the science fiction book world. So thank goodness…

Read The Lost Sherlock Holmes Short Story Someone Found In An Attic

A Sherlock Holmes short story, penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was recently discovered in an attic. And has now the 111-year-old lost short has been transcribed for you to read. So put on your deerstalker, and enjoy. This pamphlet (published in 1904) was discovered in the home of Scottish historian and poet Walter Elliot…

The Nebula Awards Shortlist Is Full Of New Names

Proof that recognition in science fiction and fantasy is open to newcomers: the latest raft of Nebula nominees includes a ton of new names. And at least one of them, Alaya Dawn Johnson, is on the ballot in a couple of categories. I checked a bunch of the names on this year’s Nebula ballot against…

This Book Of Countless Cameras Is An Ode to Analog Photo Nerds

If you have that obsession with camera gear that so many of us behold, you’ll want to check out the new book Tokyo Camera Style. It’s based on the website of the same name, which gathers snapshots of everyday folks and their coveted shooter of choice. Published earlier this year by Thames & Hudson, Tokyo…

An incredible deal. The latest Humble Book Bundle, focusing on Subterranean Press, is just chock full of greatness. Including Connie Willis, Dan Simmons, Harlan Ellison, Cherie Priest, Jack Vance, Ted Chiang, and tons more. [h/t Reddit]

If You Love Computers, This Novel Should Be on Your Must-Read List

Liu Cixin’s science fiction novel The Three Body Problem was a smash hit bestseller in China, and has finally been translated into English by Ken Liu. It’s a mind-bending tale of politics, aliens and gaming — and it also contains the most awe-inspiring description of computers I’ve ever read. What’s immediately fascinating about The Three…

Kelly Link’s New Book Is The Funniest And Darkest She’s Ever Been

It’s been an eternity since we had a book of Kelly Link stories for adults. And Get in Trouble is somewhat different than I was expecting. Less dreamlike and strange than I remember her work being, more snarky and comedic, with lots of pop culture humor. But it’s also some of her darkest, most indelible…

A Previously Unpublished Dr. Seuss Book Is Coming Out This Summer

When Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, passed away in 1991, he left behind a few manuscripts that were nearly finished. One of those manuscripts, What Pet Should I Get? is currently being colored and will be posthumously published this coming July. Image from Random House Children’s Books, via The New York Times.…

The Bizarre True-Life Tale Of The Hoax Behind The Book I, Libertine

Have you ever read I, Libertine? The book itself may be less interesting than how the book came to be. Hear the story of the book that started as a hoax. Jean Shepherd, a 1950s radio DJ, was very slightly embittered. He had reasons. He was given the 1:00 to 5:30 slot at his radio…

10 Time Travel Books That Need To Be Movies Right Now (If Not Sooner)

Time travel is huge at the movies right now. This Friday sees Hot Tub Time Machine 2, and Terminator 5 is coming soon. But as Predestination recently proved, the smartest movies about time warps are often based on literary sources. So here are 10 time-travel books that would make bloody amazing movies. Top image: End…

​The Man In The High Castle Gets Series Order From Amazon

Amazon has placed an order for a full series adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel The Man In the High Castle. Last month the pilot was released, and we really liked what we saw. So this is good news! Let’s celebrate by watching the creepy titles once again! In a press release Amazon announced that,…

Game Of Thrones Season 4 Storyboards Include A Dragon Attack

Here’s a privileged look inside the making of Game of Thrones season four. The Making Game of Thrones blog posted a video about the process of making storyboards for the show — plus some actual storyboards from season four. Including a dragon attack, a battle against wights, and Ghost in action! First, here’s the video,…

“He Said, She Said”: Is There Any Cooler Way To Show Dialog In Fiction?

So you’ve written some sparkling dialogue, and even made sure your characters don’t all have the same “voice.” But there’s still a problem with your dialogue — you feel weird writing “he said” and “she said” over and over again. Is there any way around this? What can you do to avoid this repetition? https://gizmodo.com/all-your-characters-talk-the-same-and-theyre-not-a-hi-5379280…

Images From Famous Books Hide In The Secret Compartments Of These Rings

There is more to jewelry designer Theo Fennell‘s rings than meets the eye. Many of his piece contain secret compartments and hidden paintings, paying tribute to books like The Wind in the Willows, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and The Wizard of Oz. Up top, you can see Fennell’s Wizard of Oz ring,…

Everything You Never Knew About The Making of Conan The Barbarian

What is best in life? Seeing a classic sword-and-sorcery hero brought to the big screen, with an iconic bodybuilder in the lead role. But how did Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian become such a classic film? The path to glory was long and twisted. Here’s everything you never knew about the making of Conan.…

This Twitter Rant Might Change How You Think About Female Characters

At this point, the debate over “strong female characters” has gotten a bit stale. Movies and TV keep serving up tough women, but they mostly still don’t come across as actually “strong characters” in any meaningful sense. So this Twitter mini-rant by science fiction writer Ada Hoffman is incredibly useful. Hoffman’s tweets speak for themselves…

Author Lauren Oliver Is Here To Talk To You About Rooms

In February, the io9 book club read Lauren Oliver’s Rooms. Today, from 11 – noon (Pacific time), she’ll be here to answer your questions about writing ghost stories, multi-generational fiction, and anything else you want to know. https://gizmodo.com/io9-book-club-is-in-session-lets-talk-about-rooms-by-l-1683570761 Start asking Oliver your questions in the comments section right now and she’ll answer as many as…

What Are You Reading?

Whether you’re re-reading you way through your childhood favorites, searching out some brand new stories, or if you’re just trying to figure out what you might want to read next, we want to take a look at your recent reading list. Tell us in the comments what you’re reading right now, what you just finished,…

Another Reason To Worry About The Measles

We’re in the middle of a scary measles outbreak, and reminding ourselves just how deadly this disease can be. But in case you needed another reason to be alarmed by the measles, here’s one: It was brought to Earth by Doctor Who’s cybernetic war machines, the Daleks. That’s just one of the fascinating Dalek facts…

Acceptance Proves Weird Stories Are The Best Way To Understand Our World

Closing out an acclaimed trilogy is always a difficult task: tying up plot threads, character arcs and all the lingering questions, but with Acceptance, Jeff Vandermeer has closed out his Southern Reach Trilogy in grand style. This novel brings to an end the story begun in Annihilation and Authority, and like its predecessors, it’s difficult…