I am a little late with this update but I was doing my civic duty! I was picked to be a member of a jury for a court case that lasted five days. At first, I am thinking “Oh, man, what a drag.” Then, the case started, and it was actually exciting to watch, and I feel that I did something good, righted an injustice so to speak, so it’s all good. Anyway, here we go–lot’s of news for you this time… Links in the headlines will lead you to more information when pertinent.

1.

2-22-2019

Vonda N. McIntyre Diagnosed with Inoperable Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Vonda founded the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle, WA, and won her first Nebula Award in 1973 for “Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand” a novelette later incorporated into the 1978 novel “Dreamsnake” which won both the Hugo and Nebula award. This news regarding Vonda is sad indeed.

2.

2-14-2019

Love, Death & Robots Premieres on Netflix on March 15, 2019

Buckle up! You are in for a wild ride with this series! Netflix will air “Love, Death & Robots” on March 15, 2019. They bill the show as a raunchy sci-fi wonderland for mature audiences only. The trailer shows blood-soaked robot fights, soldiers wearing power armor running across battlefields, sex scenes, full-body latex outfits, robots crushing skulls, goth girls, and oh so much more. Might want to put the little ones in bed before you push the play button.

3.

2-14-2019

Jason Momoa to Star in Legendary’s “Dune” Reboot

Aquaman star Jason Momoa will play the character Duncan Idaho, a sword master in the house of Atreides, in the 2020 reboot. Jason will join the cast that includes Timothee Chalamet (Paul Atreides), Javier Bardem (Stilgar), Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica), Stellan Skarsgard (Baron Harkonnen), Dave Bautista (Glossu ‘Beast’ Rabban), Josh Brolin (Gurney Halleck), Oscar Isaac (Duke Leto Atreides), and  Charlotte Rampling (Reverend Mother Mohiam), and David Dastmalchian (Piter De Vries).

4.

2-14-2019

The Wandering Earth

With a record opening week China’s “The Wandering Earth” has been making headlines and a flurry of articles have published on China’s smash hit. Here are a few recent items if you are following this topic:

The Ringer: How the film will impact Hollywood.

Variety: Wandering Earth makes $304 Million During Chinese New Year (Over 600 million to date).

The Sun: Streaming Service buys  Streaming Rights in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Korea.

5.

2-18-2019

7 Fantasy Romance Novels That Are Out of This World

Seven fantasy romance novel recommendations for you!

6.

2-12-2019

Lord of the Rings Tolkien Biopic Releases First Trailer

Starring Nicholas Hoult as Tolkien, the movie covers his life as he falls in love, fights in World War I, and channels his experiences fighting in the War into the classic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Cinematic scenes will bring to life the fantastical elements described in his novels.

7.

2-9-2019

Noted Chinese Author Xia Jia gets English-Language Translation 

Chinese science fiction authors are finally getting the attention they deserve. Xia Jia, who writes under the pen name Wang Yao, is getting a collection of her short fiction translated to English via a Clarkesworld Kickstarter which has already raised over $27,000. Support a worthy cause and pitch in a few bucks.

8.

2-8-2019

Captain Marvel’s Geocities Fansite

Captain Marvel is a 90s period piece down to and including Carol Danvers Geocities webpage. Click the headline link above to view the page. Man, that brings back memories from the early days of the internet. Marketing genius is all I got to say about this! I think I might cry. I love this so much. Do check it out.

9.

2-8-2019

How a NASA Robot Corrected the Creators of The Expanse 

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft explored the dwarf planet Ceres and found that the dwarf planet had lots of water. In Leviathan Wakes the authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck imagined ice haulers bringing the thirsty inhabitants of Ceres water by the spaceship load. Well, the tiny spacecraft Dawn proved them wrong in spades. This article is a part of National Geographic’s “Dear Spacecraft” series where they ask authors to share how they feel connected to robotic space explorers. I love this article–this is the must-read pick for the week. The responses by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck are priceless.

10.

2-8-2019

New Robert A Heinlein Rework of  “The Number of the Beast”

Phoenix Pick to publish recently found Robert A. Heinlein novel titled “Six-Six-Six” created as an alternative text to “The Number of the Beast.” The novel follows the first third of the original manuscript but differs significantly in the two-thirds of the book and has a significantly different ending. This version of the story doesn’t contain much of the more controversial material of the first book and has a more traditional Heinlein ending.

1.

1-30-2019

Stephen King’s The Stand TV Series on the Way

Great news for fans of Stephen King and his novel “The Stand” as it’s being adapted into a ten-episode TV series by CBS All Access. Dangnabbit! I have so far resisted signing up for the CBS streaming service, but my resolve is wearing thin. First off, I am number 121 in line for the First Season of “Star Trek Discovery” at the library. Now, this new King series chronicling a scattering of survivors on Earth after a plague wipes out most of the population. Josh Boone and Ben Cavell to direct the project.

Read the article here: King’s The Stand Gets TV Series

2.

1-29-2019

AI Reading List

Want to read some fascinating science fiction stories featuring AIs? This Verge, “AI Reading List,” may just be what you are looking for. Recommendations include “Weapons of Math Destruction” by Cathy O’Neil, “Machine Learning for Humans” by Vishal Maini And Samer Sabri, “Profiles of The Future” by Arthur C. Clarke, and “The Diamond Age – A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer,” by Neal Stephenson, to name but a few. Check out the article to see more recommendations and a detailed synopsis of each title.

Read the article here:  AI Reading List

3.

1-29-2019

Historical Novels with Famous Authors as Characters in the Story

If you are like me, you love it when a work of fiction uses historical figures as a character in the tale. This short article suggests the following titles: “The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain, “The Book of Salt” by Monique Truong, “King of Shadows” by Susan Cooper, “Vanessa And Her Sister” by Priya Parmar, and “Mr. Dickens and His Carol” by Samantha Silva. A book I read not on this list is “The Map of the Sky” by Félix J. Palma, a part of The Map of Time Trilogy. Palma’s trilogy features the authors H. G. Wells, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Lewis Carroll as characters.

Read the article here: Famous Authors in Historical Fiction

4.

1-28-2019

Another Wandering Earth Trailer Released

“The Wandering Earth” – a Chinese Sci-Fi movie based on a story by author Liu Cixin, will release in China on February 5th. There are predictions that this will be the Chinese film that breaks into the international film market. I believe this to be true as well. Liu Cixin first showed up on my radar at the 2015 Hugo Awards where Ken Liu’s 2014 translation of his novel “The Three-Body Problem” took the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel. If you have not read “The Three Body Problem,” the first novel in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, you are behind on your required reading!

Fun fact about Liu Cixin:
In a New Your Times interview in 2014 Liu said he was writing for “beer money.”

5.

1-28-2019

“Memory: The Origins of Alien”

Heads Up: A documentary is in the works to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic “Alien.” This will be a love letter to the movie celebrating the collaborative process of making films. “Memory” will explore the symbolism found in the movie and bring to light never seen goodies from the Dan O’Bannon (Alien screenwriter) and H. R. Giger archives. There is no release date announced. The film premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Below is a great article on the film and a video of an interview with the film’s director Alexandre O. Philippe.

Read a review here of the film here: The Origins of Alien

6.

1-28-2019

Judging a Comic Book by its Cover

Who says you can’t judge a book by its cover? I have, and I bet you have too! I remember John Scalzi speaking about the importance of the cover artwork in drawing people to your title in a bookstore. So, you would think this news bulletin is about book covers? Fooled You! This featured news snippet is a cool article by Eric Cline of AIPT featuring comic book covers that captured the eye of publication contributor Forrest Hollingsworth and Manga Editor Eric Cline.

Read the article here: Covers That Caught My Eye

7.

1-27-2019

Amazon’s Wheel of Time Series

About frickin’ time–so say we all. Sony Pictures Television has scheduled production of their “Wheel of Time” series to begin in September 2019. It will be interesting to see how the director translates fourteen massive novels into something that will fit on the small screen. The show will follow Moiraine, “a member of the shadowy and influential all-female organization called the Aes Sedai,” and five men and women, one of which may be the reincarnation of an ancient power that can save the world.

8. 

1-27-2019

Is Sci-Fi Correct About Wormholes?

Interesting technical article on wormholes by Forbes contributor, astrophysicist, and professor Brian Koberlein. To make a long story short, Einstein and Rosen’s bridges are too unstable to work reliably as ways to travel between two locations in space. That’s why science fiction writers are looking at Kerr black holes that rotate and twist space around them and have a different composition than Schwarzschild black holes. Models in two-dimensional space have shown it’s possible to create stable traversable Kerr wormholes that don’t collapse. The theory is there, now we need to make it work in a three-dimensional universe.

Read the article here: Stable Wormholes

9.

1-26-2019

Build a New Solar System by Marko Kloos

In my humble opinion, this is the best article of the bunch as it features self-made author Marko Kloos who started as a self-published author with his book “Terms of Enlistment.” Reviewers compare his books to Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers” and John Scalzi’s “Old Man’s War” series. After Amazon purchased his novel, he wrote five sequels. He will set his new series in a different universe from his previous six books. This article discusses how Kloos built the universe from the ground up for his next series of novels which will open with “Aftershocks” set to release this July.

Read the article here: Building a New – Marko Kloos

10.

1-24-2019

Tales From the Loop

This Amazon TV series will be based on the artwork of Swedish artist Simon Stalenhag who mixes high tech imagery with visions of rural life. The production is said to have a large budget and will require constructing many intricate sets. I know that ain’t saying squat, but if you are a fan of the art, you are jumping up and down right now saying, “Please let this TV series come to life.”

Make it so!

Artwork by Simon Stalenhag

View more of his artwork here: Simon Stalenhag

That’s all folks! I hope you find our genre news roundup helpful…

1.

1-20-2019

Starship Test Rocket

We need a wet cleanup in aisle three! My God, did you see Musk’s Starship Test Rocket? Well, it looks like something straight out of the 1950s pulp sci-fi magazines. It’s gorgeous! It looks similar to the ship on the cover art for Analog Science Fact – Science Fiction, December 1962, Vol: LXXX, No. 4.

Our first news item features Caleb Kraft’s wonderful article covering the 1962 issue of Analog Science Fact – Science Fiction mentioned above.  It’s such a fun read it gave me goosebumps.

Read the article here: Sci-Fi Sunday, December 1962

2.

1-17-2019

A Discovery of Witches Field Guide

What a far-out write-up of the magic and alchemy in Deborah Harkness’ A Discovery of Witches. This is seriously a cool article by io9’s Sarah Durn. What makes this series different from others is that Deborah Harkness is a history of science professor and much of what she uses in her novel is based on a historical study of magic and science. Kick back and enjoy this medievalist guide to the scientific and magical elements of this fascinating series.

Read the article here: Guide to A Discovery of Witches

3.

1-16-2019

The 2019 Sci-Fi TV Guide

The title says it all. A quick article complete with trailers for upcoming Sci-Fi shows of note.

Read the article here: The Guide

4.

1-16-2019

Babylon 5 Remembered

Great article for Babylon 5 fans that features everything from how the show got started to the intricate plot lines. A must-read for fans.

Read the article here: Remembering Babylon 5

5.

1-16-2019

The Truth is out there…

Harvard Astronomer speaks out on ‘Oumuamua,” a mysterious interstellar object named after the Hawaiian word for scout, or messenger. The Harvard professor co-authored a paper suggesting that the object, based on its acceleration, could be from an extraterrestrial civilization. There is indeed a lot of interesting aspects to this object.

Read the article here: Have Aliens Found Us?

6.

1-15-2019

Science Fiction and Climate Change

This BBC article on Sci-Fi and climate change shows how dystopian novels help people understand the devastating effects of climate change far better than a scientific paper could ever hope to achieve.

Read the article here: Sci-Fi and Climate Change

7.

1-15-2019

Injecting Ideas into your Dreams

These quotes hooked me on the next must-read article:

“For the first time, we can actually look inside your dreams and decode the content.” ~Moran Cerf

“There is a lot of business interest,” says Cerf. “Everyone wants to be the first to own the world of dreams.”

Possible applications include injecting Hollywood movies into your dreams to create realism, spending additional time with online dates; and removing trauma using mind manipulation, and more.

Read the article here: Israeli Scientist Can Inject Ideas into Dreams

8.

1-14-2019

Better Worlds Project by Verge

This news is a little aged by now but if you haven’t seen it you must. This project features 10 science fiction animated short stories that focus on vision and progress over dystopian visions of the future. I love this project since the constant beating of the drums of doom slowly crushes one’s spirit. Nice to come up from the dystopian nightmares once in a while to take a deep breath of fresh air.

Read the article here: Better Worlds

9.

1-12-2019

The Rise of Chinese Science Fiction

This is an article you should make time for as Chinese Science Fiction continues to gain in strength and power. Good stuff.

Read the article here: The Rise of Chinese Sci-Fi

10.

1-8-2019

New SFWA Grand Master

The Science Fiction Writers of America will induct William Gibson as next Grand Master

I cannot think of anyone that deserves it more. Such a fabulous author.

Read the article here:  Grand Master of Science Fiction

1.

DreamForge: 12-23-2018

“DreamForge,” a new Sci-Fi and Fantasy Magazine, will be available online and as a print version. The magazine’s goal is to publish material that follows the essential principals of “integrity and decency, compassion and creativity, intelligence and inventiveness, the rule of law and liberty under the law, the dignity of the individual, and the power of synergy to unleash the potential of disparate individuals and communities for the betterment of all.” Lofty goals indeed…

More Info Here: DreamForge

2.

Dark Crystal: 12-21-2018

Oh, the Joy. Great article detailing the amazing cast assembled for the “Dark Crystal” prequel. The voice cast will certainly please as it contains names huge in the industry like Mark Hamill, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alicia Vikander, Eddie Izzard, Andy Samberg, Simon Pegg, and Taron Egerton.

Get the full scoop here: “Dark Crystal” Prequel Cast

3.

Anime: 12-20-2018

Fun article that shows familiar scenes from popular Sci-Fi shows first realized in anime productions.

Crunchyroll: Anime Did It First: Sci-Fi

4.

Becky Chambers Interview: 12-17-2018

At Offworlders we love author interviews! Yay! Here is a great one “Locus Magazine” conducted with Rebecca Marie Chambers, author of “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (2012);”  “A Closed and Common Orbit (2016);” and “Record of a Spaceborn Few (2018).” I read the Angry Planet novel and it was a fun read.

Read the text of the interview here: Becky Chambers: To Be Spaceborn

5.

Cyberpunk News: 12-16-2018

A fascinating article on forces in play that may crush the soul of Cyberpunk as corporations turn it into a commodity and take away its rough edges to make it appeal to a wider audience. At its root cyberpunk dictates we free ourselves and rebel against massive corporations–now large corporations are packaging and selling us cyberpunk.

A Must Read Article: As Cyberpunk Goes Commercial, It Risks Dulling Its Anarchist Edges

“Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts… A graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters, and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding…” ~ William Gibson, Neuromancer

6.

Chinese Surveillance State: 12-16-2018

The Chinese government has plans to operate a massive surveillance state as a means of social control. In this system, the government will rate your trustworthiness and use collected data to assign you a “citizen score” that will determine where you fit into the society, the speed of your internet access, your creditworthiness, and even if you can get a visa to travel abroad. This is an Orwellian nightmare that may overtake China in the next five years.

Bonus Short Story:
Here is a link to a short story by author Chen Qiufan that explores China’s planned surveillance state: “The Reunion: a new science-fiction story about surveillance in China.”

7.

Sci-Fi Short Film: 12-15-2018

Have I ever told you I love film school films? Well, I do and I just so happen to have one for you. It’s only a little over three minutes so sit back and enjoy!

“The Endless” by ArtFx School.

8.

Nightflyers: 12-13-2018

A must read on George R. R. Martin’s upcoming show “Nightflyers” and the history of Horror in science fiction. Boo!

9.

Conan: 12-11-2018

Conan the Barbarian to Team-up with Marvel’s Avengers. That’s what I am talking about! I never read many comic books growing up as a lad. The only exception to that was Conan the Barbarian. I was a voracious reader of Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories starting in grade school. My mother bought me any book I wanted and I ordered up a ton of Robert E. Howard novels and short story collections.  Marvel plans to insert Conan into “Avengers: No Road Home,” starting with the sixth issue, March 2019.

Conan and Marvel: More info here.

10.

Debut Novels: 12-10-2018

This is one of my favorite news links. I am a huge fan of debut novels.

Here are 31 debut novels to add to your must reads: Complete list here.

11.

12-10-2018 to 12-21-2018

The end of the year is a time for holiday celebrations, gifts, self-reflection, and it’s the time of the year the media inundates you with a plethora of “Best Of lists” of everything imaginable! I perused through buckets of these and have provided you with a selection to choose from:

Verge: Our favorite science fiction and fantasy books of 2018
Paste Magazine: The 15 Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comics of 2018
Den of Geek: Best New Science Fiction Books in December 2018
Paste Magazine: The 15 Best Fantasy Novels of 2018
Vulture: The 10 Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books of 2018
The Guardian: The best recent science fiction and fantasy
Goodreads Choice Awards: Best Sci-Fi 2018
Space.com: Best Space Books: Science Fiction 2018
Kirkus Reviews: Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2018

Our recommendation? Read the “Murderbot’ Diaries”–Book 4 was released October 2nd, 2018

That should keep you busy!

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

1.

12-9-2018

Great interview of Stephen Hickman, the illustrator for a new Folio Society edition of Robert A. Heinlein’s “Starship Troopers.” This new edition looks outstanding as the illustrations are gorgeous. The new reprint also sports an introduction by Joe Haldeman, author of “The Forever War.”

Read the article here: Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers Folio.
Order Info here: The Folio Society.

2.

12-8-2018

Godzilla 2 King of the Monsters Reveal Trailer (NEW 2019). The King is back and this time he brought Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown with him. For this Kaiju fan, even a bad Godzilla movie is a good one so it’s a no lose situation for me. I even dig the old Japanese ones where Godzilla tosses around toy tanks.

3.

12-5-2018

The Mortal Engines reviews are out and methinks you will have to make up your own mind on this new Peter Jackson film. When reviews are split like this I normally go see the film to make up my own mind. If you have already seen the flick let us know what you thought of it in the comment field below.

Positive: ‘Mortal Engines’ Review from The Wrap
Negative: ‘Mortal Engines’ Variety Review

4.

12-5-2018

2018 World Fantasy Convention Report Posted on Locus.

Read about all the juicy details here: 44th World Fantasy Convention

5.

12-4-2018

The Goodreads Best Books of 2018 winners announced. There were over 5 million votes within 21 categories, making this a powerhouse of an award.

Here are a few category winners:

Science Fiction — Vengeful, by V.E. Schwab
Fantasy — Circe, by Madeline Miller
Horror — Elevation, by Stephen King
Fiction — Still Me, by Jojo Moyes
Debut Author — Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi
Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction — Kingdom of Ash, by Sarah J. Maas

For a full list of winners go here: 2018 Goodreads Winners

For a great commentary piece by the Washington Post on the importance and relevance of the Goodreads awards go here: Goodreads Choice Awards by Ron Charles, Critic, Book World

6.

12-3-2018

Forbes Magazine Pick of the five Best 2018 Sci-Fi Movies. Do you agree with their selections?

Go here to see their choices: 2018 Picks Five best Sci-Fi

7.

12-3-2018

Fascinating BBC article titled: “What our Science Fiction Says about Us”

Love how the article takes into account different geographical regions and how world beliefs determine what our science fiction says about us as a people. A must read.

Peruse the article here: Science Fiction and Us

8.

12-3-2018

Ho, Ho, Arrrrrgh–an article on the twelve films of Krampus. Who knew there were that many? I have never been brave enough to watch one as I am more of a Santa purest. If Krampus is your thing this is the article for you.

To read about the twelve films close your eyes and click here: Krampus

9.

12-3-2018

Cool article on weird western fiction that you really ought to read. For example, “Sea of Rust” by C. Robert Cargill certainly sounds wild! It’s about a crazed frontier on a post-apocalyptic Earth sans humans.  Cool beans.

Go Here to check out the piece: A Good Read: A Fistful of stories in weird western fiction

10. 

12-2-2018

Open the Pod Bay Doors HAL. The ISS has a floating robotic helper. I am not sure if it has access to the airlocks? The AI’s name is CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion), and if you ask me its voice sounds like Tars from Interstellar. The little fella, according to IBM, has “the language skills of C-3PO, the conversation abilities of Marvin (from the Hitchhiker’s Guide series), the cuteness of Wall-E, and the technical know-how of HAL 9000, from 2001: A Space Odyssey—just, you know, without the evil part.”

11.

12-2-2018

‘Black Mirror’ Season 5 Release Date: 12-28-2019

12.

12-1-2018

Looking for last minute gift ideas for the science fiction and fantasy reader in your life? Check out this list of ten new fantasy and Sci-Fi books.

Ten Books to check out: Verge Picks

13.

11-30-2018

Are you a mega fan of superhero stories and comic books?

If you answered yes, read this article from Bustle and discover thirteen read-worthy YA novels: 13 YA Novels You Will Love

14.

11-29-2018

Saved the best for last!

** 10 Beautiful Sci-Fi Retro Board Games you can buy and play. **

Get your credit card ready and click here: Classic Science Fiction based board Yas Please

1.

November 28, 2018

Herman Melville in Space

Yep, you heard me right! A scripted TV series is being developed by Topic Studios based on the 1855 Herman Melville short story Benito Cereno. The catch–this time the story that features a revolt on a Spanish slave ship will go down in space.

More Info Here: Melville in Space

2.

November 27, 2018

Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl is set for release in US theatres on August 9, 2018. Check out the snazzy trailer below for more info.

More Info: Bringing  ‘Artemis Fowl’ to Life

3.

November 27, 2018

Great “Den of Geek” article on differing approaches to Worldbuilding

The piece features thoughts on the subject by Terry Pratchett, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, J.K. Rowling, and more.

More Info Here: Worldbuilding

4.

November 26, 2018

Looking for the perfect Sci-Fi novel to give as a gift this holiday season? Try this Best of Fantasy and Science Fiction of 2018 by The Amazon Book Review: Best Of 2018

5.

November 24, 2018

Fantastic article discussing Mystery Science Theatre from the perspective of a lifelong fan who discovered the show as a fifteen-year-old flipping through the channels late at night. The piece digs into the psyche of Brett White, the article’s author, and his discovery of Mystery Science Theatre MST3K as a young lad and discusses it reemergence from the ashes in the form of a Netflix series.

Read the Article Here: MST3K 

6.

November 23, 2018

As a sci-fi fan, I rejoice in the many and varied voice acting performances in the genre. This den of Geek article shines a light on many of the greats: Douglas Rain as HAL (2001: A Space Odyssey); Nicholas Briggs as The Daleks (Doctor Who); Richard Burton as The Narrator (Jeff Wayne’s War of The Worlds); James Earl Jones as Darth Vader (Star Wars), and more.

Read More Here: The Most Memorable Voice Performances in Sci-Fi History

7.

November 23, 2018

The Chinese believe they know how to make a space elevator. Scientists think carbon nanotube fiber is the key to making this sci-fi concept a reality. This is a project also in development in Japan.

Read More Here: Space Elevator

8.

November 23, 2018

This article is a must read – Nature.com Looks into the decades-long search for the perfect climate controlled enclosure. The article mentions Buckminster Fuller who came up with a concept whereby Manhattan would be enclosed in a dome; the 1844 Palm House at London’s Kew Gardens; and the Glass City of Europa, pictured on the cover of Amazing Stories in 1942, to name but a few. Good stuff!

Read More Here: History of Climate Shelters

9.

November 21, 2018

A reminder from Patrick Rothfuss to not forget the Worldbuilders 2018 Anniversary Fundraiser

More Details Here: Worldbuilders 2018

10.

November 20, 2018

Next, we have a set of conflicting articles. The first one discusses using moon dust to create lunar colonies on the moon, and the other is saying that living on Mars is Science Fiction. There is definitely a pull between those forces that feel we cannot settle other planets before we figure out how to make the one we already have work–and those that dream beyond the possible and want to start colonizing now.

Article 1: 3D printing with Moon Dust
Article 2: Bill Nye – Living on Mars is Sci-Fi

11.

November 17, 2018

Quite a few stories on Cli-Fi literature (climate fiction). Here are a few articles that I felt stood out:

From Geek.Com: 8 Cli-Fi Books of Note

From Factor Daily: The literature of the Anthropocene: A genre called Cli-Fi

1.

November 12, 2018

RIP Stan Lee

Monday certainly started out on a down note with the passing of Marvel’s Stan Lee. For an excellent article on Stan read this: Marvel Icon Stan Lee Leaves a Legacy as Complex as His Superheroes

2.

November 12, 2018

We lost a familiar voice on Sunday the 11th when Douglas Rain, the voice actor who voiced HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey,” died at the age of ninety. HAL = IBM H then I, A then B, L then M. I know this happened on the 11th, but I first noticed he passed on the 12th, and how can I not mention the voice actor for HAL passing.

3.

November 12, 2018

The Science Fiction Fantasy Writers of America approved the first Nebula Award for game writers. Woot! The requirement for eligibility: “an interactive or playable story-driven work which conveys narrative, character, or story background.” No word count was listed, and there must be at least one credited writer to be eligible. Here is SFWA’s announcement: Nebula Awards Rules Changes: Associate Members Granted Voting Privileges, Game Writing Award Added

4.

November 13, 2018

Locus announced a new books list on the 13th. The titles include: Not One of Us: “Stories of Aliens on Earth,” Neil Clarke editor; “A Winter’s Promise” by Christelle Dabos; “Vita Nostra” by Marina Dyachenko and Sergey Dyachenko; “Dark Mind Rising” by Julia Keller; “Terran Tomorrow” by Nancy Kress; “A Rising Moon” by Stephen Leigh; “None of This Is Normal: The Fiction of Jeff VanderMeer” by Benjamin Robertson; “The Winter Road” by Adrian Selby; “Bedfellow” by Jeremy C. Shipp; “The Sky-Blue Wolves” by S. M. Stirling; “Empire of Sand” by Tasha Suri; and finally, “Creatures of Want and Ruin” by Molly Tanzer.

For full details to include plot summaries, look here: LOCUS 13 New.

5.

November 13, 2018

HBO announced that Season 8 of Game of Thrones will premiere in April of 2019

6.

November 14, 2018

It looks as if Hulu is going to acquire the rights to the George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards sci-fi books. These books were written by a variety of authors but were organized by Mr. Martin and co-edited by Melinda M. Snodgrass.

More info here: George R.R. Martin’s Wild Cards

7.

November 14, 2018

Rapper Common and Jonny Lee Miller set to headline an adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel “Nine Lives.” The tale takes place on a remote planet called Libra. The two main characters, Pugh and Martin, are miners. Libra is a desolate, barren place prone to earthquakes. The theme of the story is the concept of self which Le Guin explores through the use of clones. She also explores sociological and ethical issues by using technology to illustrate her points. The story was first published in Playboy magazine and gained national attention when President Lyndon B. Johnson read the story and endorsed it.

More info here: Nine Lives

8.

November 15, 2018

Authors Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Moorcock and Douglas Adams penned novels about a planet that orbits Barnard’s Star, a world approximately three times the size of our Earth. Barnard’s Star B is perhaps one of the closest suns to our solar system and is reachable by a probe using current tech in 30 years. Scientists are a persistent lot as they have been searching for this planet for over twenty-one years. This discovery is somewhat on the cool side–not because the planet’s surface temp is said to be around -150C–but because this is a planet we can actually get to out there in the big empty.

More info here: Barnard’s Star

9.

November 15, 2018

Are you a John W. Campbell fan? If so, here is a great LA Times article for you: John W. Campbell, a chief architect of science fiction’s Golden Age, was as brilliant as he was problematic

10.

November 15, 2018

Netflix has ordered an adaptation of “The One,” a novel about DNA and Dating by John Marrs. Season one will be ten episodes and handled by Howard Overman, the creator of “Misfits.”

More info here: The One

Starting a new feature on Offworlders: The Sci-Fi and Fantasy News Roundup. Three to four times per month I will sift through the flotsam and jetsam tossing about on the internet and bring interesting tidbits to your attention. I will cut through the information overload to provide you with the good stuff–not to be confused with Russ Grissom’s “Right Stuff,” little nuggets of sci-fi and fantasy goodness.

Saddle up pardner – here we go:

November 4, 2018

There was a tie for Best Novel in the 2018 World Fantasy Award. The winners were Fonda Lee for her novel “Jade City;” and Victor LaValle for his novel “The Changeling.” Congratulations to both! More Details Here: 2018 World Fantasy Awards.

November 4, 2018

After Limited Run Success – “Prospect” Gets National Release:

Prospect, a Sci-Fi Western based on the short of the same name started playing in select New York and Los Angeles venues on November 2nd. A nationwide release is scheduled for November 9, 2018. The flick premiered at the South by Southwest Music Festival and won the ‘The Adam Yauch Hörnblowér’ award for originality. Reviews for this film go either way so you will need to see this one yourself to decide its merits. Check out the short below that sparked the project.

November 4, 2018

Sci-Fi Film Persephone adds Deadpool’s Brianna Hildebrand to the Cast

Since playing the teen Warhead in the Deadpool movies, Brianna’s acting career is taking off. Written by Jeffrey Morris, Persephone follows three astronauts aboard a colony ship carrying 20,000 souls from earth, now inhabitable, to a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri. She will play the part of a pilot born on the fifty-year journey to their new home planet. More Details Here: Brianna Hildebrand Joins Persephone.

November 5, 2018

Great article you should read: “How the Giants of Science Fiction Helped America’s World War II Effort.” This piece by James Barber on military.com discusses Alec Navala-Lee’s new novel “Astounding,” a history of science fiction in America. The book, which focuses on John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, L. Ron Hubbard, and Robert Heinlein, sounds fantastic! As a matter of fact, it’s sitting on my nightstand upstairs now. Is it bedtime yet? The link to the article is here: How the Giants…

November  7, 2018

SpaceX announced that Starman is now beyond Mars. Fare thee, well brother!

November 7, 2018

Barnes & Noble published their Sci-Fi & Fantasy novel recommendations for October 2018. Don’t buy every book from Amazon – check out their suggestions here: Short Fiction Roundup: October 2018

November 8, 2018

The good folks at geek tyrant recommend the Indie film Time Trap as a “mind-bending – low budget” flick worth watching. Students follow their archeology professor into a remote Texas cave and rappel into a rift in the space-time continuum. The film is in limited release so it may not be available in your area, but it will be available On Demand on November 13^th if you cannot catch it in a theater.

Watch the trailer and see what you think:

November 11, 2018

Bad news for fans of HBO’s Westworld: The set for Westworld burned to the ground in the Woolsey Fire in California. The National park Service shared the news on their social media channels. The set was used during the first two seasons of the show and was also used for almost a hundred years as a popular shooting location for numerous movies and television shows. More Details Here: Westworld Burns

That’s it for this week. Let me know in the comments below if you think this feature will be helpful…