Books

The Third Hobbit Movie Takes Two Minutes To Film One Page Of The Book

We have all been made aware of how incredibly long Peter Jackson’s three Hobbit movies are, especially as compared to J.R.R. Tolkien’s original book. But 538’s Walt Hickeyactually broke down the ratio of film to page, and discovered an amazing fact: there are two minutes of TBotFA for every book page it covers. You can…

io9 Book Club Is in Session! Let’s Talk About The Three Body Problem

Welcome to the monthly meeting of the io9 Book Club. In December, we read Cixin Liu’s The Three Body Problem, translated by Ken Liu. Jump into comments to get started talking about it! For those unfamiliar with the io9 book club, here’s how it works: You read the book. We create a special book club…

You Can Watch A Live Reading Of Orwell’s 1984 Via Your Computer

Now that we’re living in a world of pervasive surveillance, and Big Brother really is watching you, the D.C. Public Library is hosting a live reading of George Orwell’s 1984 in its entirety. “Special guest readers” will take part, but you can also sign up to read — or watch the whole thing streaming on…

The Doubt Factory Is Paolo Bacigalupi’s Most Political Novel Yet

In today’s mediascape, right and wrong don’t matter: It’s how you spin your story. In The Doubt Factory, Paolo Bacigalupi takes aim at the spin used by major companies and turns it into a compelling tale of a young woman who confronts the truth about her life. Spoilers ahead… In this young-adult novel, Alix is…

Science Fiction And Fantasy Books You Can’t Afford To Miss In January!

We’re still recovering from our 2014 book binge, but already there are a ton of new books that we’re dying to read. Including a long-awaited new Michael Moorcock novel, and new books by Jo Walton, Karen Lord and Brian Staveley. Here are our picks for January’s most interesting science fiction and fantasy books. Note: Our…

How Two 18th Century Women Fell in Love and Invented Modern Romance

Romance hasn’t always been the stuff of bodice rippers and bad vampire movies. Back in the 18th century, the word “romantic” meant something akin to “foolish” or “fanciful.” But then a bunch of hipster sentimentalists changed everything — and invented the idea of love as we know it today. Saucy illustration “Archers,” by Adam Buck…

Why It’s Absurd To Tell Ted Chiang He’s Not Writing Science Fiction

People are often keen to impose a restrictive definition on science fiction, usually to rule something out of the genre. And even some of the genre’s best authors have been on the receiving end of this. Like multiple award-winning writer Ted Chiang, who’s regularly told his work is “not really science fiction.” Top image: The…

What’s The Best Retelling Of A Story From The Villain’s Point Of View?

We all know that a villain is just a hero who needs to get a better PR department. The “bad guy” seldom believes that he or she is actually bad, and usually has reasons for his or her actions. But what’s your favorite story that shows the villain’s point of view on a set of…

Eddie Redmayne Shows The World His Adorable Audition For Bilbo Baggins

Eddie Redmayne stopped by the The Graham Norton and revealed this interesting little tidbit about his audition for the role of Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. It’s just downright adorable. There’s actually a whole heap of adorable in this clip — from Redmayne confessing his desire to get into the Harry Potter movies, “There was…

Prepare For Book Two! Brian Staveley’s The Emperor’s Blades was one of our favorite books in 2014, and now you can read the first seven chapters of the sequel,The Providence of Fire, over at Tor.com. [via SFSignal]

The Best Science Books of 2014

There’s no better way to learn about science than by reading a book that makes it relevant to your everyday life. That’s why 2014’s best science books show us how science and culture are interconnected, two threads in the same story, braided together in ways that can be funny, engrossing, and often deeply moving. Here…

Brandon Sanderson Explains Why Superhero Books Are So Hard To Get Right

As the proud father of three boys ages seven and under, our household is a goldmine of improvised superhero costumes. Along with the quintessential blanket as a cape, I regularly encounter oven mitts as Hulk fists, boxes (sometimes with eyeholes, sometimes not) as helmets, and cardboard tubes over the hands to imitate stretchy arms. (Or…

Why The Best Fantasy Stories Include Mundane Everyday Life

Anne Leonard’s fantasy novel Moth and Spark comes out in paperback today. To celebrate, Leonard’s written us an essay about how the “mundane” and everyday things are even more important to include in a book about dragons and heroic quests — because without them, you’ll never understand the scale of magic. When Ursula K. Le…

Why Science Fiction Is An Essential Tool For The Post-Ferguson World

Science fiction provides a unique toolkit for imagining how societies could be constructed differently — and for seeing how the structures that seem natural and inevitable to us are actually unnatural, says Walidah Imarisha, co-editor of a new anthology of radical science fiction called Octavia’s Brood. Talking to OpenDemocracy/Yes Magazine, Imarisha explains why she prefers…

The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Books Of 2014

This was a crazy good year for books. There was mind-expanding science fiction —including William Gibson’s return to the future! — along with thrilling fantasy, and a number of brilliant category-defying books. Here are the 22 best science fiction and fantasy books of 2014. Top image: Grimm Tales: Thousandfurs, by Shaun Tan, from Spectrum 21,…

The “Rule of 50” Helps You Know When To Give Up On A Book

Life is just too short to keep reading a book that’s not compelling or rewarding to you. But how can you know when to quit? Austin Kleon (Steal Like an Artist) recommends the Rule of 50, lifted from Nancy Pearl’s book Book Lust. Here’s how Pearl describes the Rule of 50: I live by what…

What’s The Most Dysfunctional Family In  Science Fiction Or Fantasy?

Families are rough. Sometimes the people who raised you or grew up with you are the hardest ones to be around. And the holidays are a time to think about families, and togetherness… and realize you could have it worse. Which family in science fiction or fantasy is the absolute most messed-up and tragic? Please…

10 Flashbacks That Totally Changed Our Favorite Stories

A great story has lots of layers, and a rich backstory. When you only see part of the picture, you might reach a snap judgment about what’s going on — but then you see events from years ago, that make you rethink everything. Here are 10 flashbacks that turn your understanding of a story upside-down.…

Which Classic Science Fiction Do You Not Understand The Nostalgia For?

Science fiction looks to the future, but its past is also full of riches and wonders. There are so many movies, books, TV shows, games and comics to love. And then there are some things that it’s hard to believe anyone remembers fondly. Which SF or fantasy story do you not understand the nostalgia for?…

Who’s The Cutest Character In The Annals Of Science Fiction Or Fantasy?

Science fiction and fantasy have always been bursting with cuteness, from cute robots to cute creatures to cute sidekicks. But who’s the cutest character who’s ever appeared in books, movies, television shows, games or comics? Please include a picture, clip, book cover, screenshot, piece of artwork, poster or other representation of your cute character. And…