While big tech companies and startups make up a big part of the list, there are also several important critics in the great big AI debate.
Still thinking about Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 sci-fi film Arrival? Us too, and a new book dives deep.
io9 has the first look at The Art and Science of Arrival , a detailed behind-the-scenes exploration of Denis Villeneuve's 2016 sci-fi epic.
Arrival is the kind of science fiction film we dream of. It’s got big stars, a bigger concept, and the longer it goes, the more it demands of its audience. The pacing is methodical, the story captivating, and filmmaking beautiful. You rarely have a clue where it’s going—but once it gets there, you won’t be…
The first trailer from Arrival, Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the Ted Chiang short story Story Of Your Life is finally here. It looks like an Oscar contender wrapped in a high-concept blockbuster package, which is a way to say it looks great. Paramount Pictures is releasing the film, which stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, and…
A linguist and a theoretical physicist are the stars of the latest movie from the director of Sicario and the upcoming Blade Runner 2. The movie is Story Of Your Life, based on the short story by Ted Chiang, and this Amy Adams/Jeremy Renner movie looks awesome. Paramount Pictures screened an extended look at the…
HOLD UP. Is Hollywood actually planning a genre movie that’s not a sequel or reboot? Signs point to yes, since Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams are set to star in scifi drama Story of Your Life, an adaptation of a Nebula Award-winning Ted Chiang short story. Denis Villeneuve will direct. The Hollywood Reporter has the…
Ted Chiang explains everything to you! If you’re in Washington State, you ought to make a beeline to the University of Puget Sound, where Ted Chiang will give a talk on “Technology and the Narrative of the Self” on Tuesday. Top image: Christian Pearce, Contact the author at [email protected]. Or follow her on Twitter.
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]
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…
Unless you’ve commanded a starship, fought off an alien invasion or survived a global disaster, your life experiences probably aren’t too science-fictional. But still, the most powerful stories are often rooted in things that actually happened. Here are 10 tricks for turning your personal true stories into science fiction. People often say that you should…
Science fiction and fantasy readers are in a constant dialogue with their favorite stories. At conventions, workshops, and online, people geek out about their favorite books. But sometimes, authors get a little tired of the same old memes. Ten authors told io9 about the writing terms they’d like to see retired. https://gizmodo.com/10-writing-rules-we-wish-more-science-fiction-and-fan-5879434 Top image: Blue…
You’ve probably never heard of Alfred Korzybski, but he was famous in the mid-20th century. He didn’t just invent a whole new science, he also had a huge influence on Robert A. Heinlein and a ton of other important science fiction authors. Author Lee Konstantinou brings us the strange tale of Count Korzybski. L. Ron…
Many of the world’s greatest scientists were inspired to go into their fields by reading science fiction books. And it’s easy to see why. A lot of the best science fiction features scientists who solve problems and make breakthroughs. Here are 10 great novels that will inspire you with a new love of science. Top…
Over at The Economist, there’s a great essay about one of our most essential writers, Ted Chiang. And it has a great explanation of what makes Chiang’s fiction just so compelling. The Economist writes: His stories mirror the process of scientific discovery: complex ideas emerge from the measured, methodical accumulation of information until epiphany strikes.…
The arrival of a new piece of short fiction by Ted Chiang is always cause for celebration and parades and wild dancing. Especially his latest story, “The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling,” which recently went up at Subterranean Magazine. It feels almost like an episode of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. In “The Truth…
Hollywood’s addiction to remakes and reboots continues unabated, with dozens of films in development. And meanwhile, bookshelves are straining with hundreds of original, thrilling novels that have never been adapted to the screen. Here’s a second dose of our list of books that should be adapted instead of yet another remake. Missed our first list…
Nowadays, everybody says that science fiction has stopped talking about Big Ideas. Science fiction used to be the genre that asked the huge questions, about who we are and where we’re going. But somehow, people say, the genre lost its appetite for deep thoughts. But if you’ve been keeping up with recent science fiction books,…
The 2011 Hugo Award winners were just announced, and it’s a good year for time-travel stories, including Connie Willis’ Blackout/All Clear and Doctor Who’s fifth season finale. Plus it’s an excellent night for Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. So, the winners: Best novel: Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis. She gave a really lovely speech about how…
Ted Chiang’s novella The Life Cycle of Software Objects takes a breathtakingly fresh approach to the development of artificial intelligence, and keeps you guessing with its constantly evolving plot. And now you can read the whole thing online. We reviewed this novella last summer, and here’s what we said: https://gizmodo.com/ted-chiang-redefines-how-everybody-will-write-about-art-5597704 Ted Chiang’s new novella, The…
