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  • rant

    The Singularity Backlash

    Are you sick of the shiny, high-tech future where humans evolve into superbeings? Join the club. The latest trend is for anti-singularity futures, where tomorrow looks like yesterday. More »
    07/08/09
    13,040
    123

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: Or, stuff kinda goes on at about the same rate of change as now. Sure, I've got a hi-def TV and... 18 Responses | Other threads

  • quote of the day

    Were The Middle Ages Better Than Today?

    Futurist and media maven Douglas Rushkoff has just published Life, Inc., a book about how corporations control and permeate our lives. In a recent interview, Rushkoff says the middle ages were better than our corporate-controlled future. More »
    07/08/09
    6,190
    142

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by 92BuickLeSabre: Okay, my turn. I wonder if war is actually better than peace. During war you can develop a camaraderie with your fellow... 18 Responses | Other threads

  • little brother

    Cory Doctorow's Little Brother Is The Best Libertarian SF Book Of 2009

    Cory Doctorow's Little Brother showed the dangers of a police state run amuck, and showed how public-spirited techies fight back. Now the Libertarian Futurist Society has given Little Brother the 2009 Prometheus Award for libertarian SF. Image by Richard Wilkinson.
    07/08/09
    2,254
    26

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Pope John Peeps II: hahaha. good joke Charlie. Everyone knows Libertarians can't read. 5 Responses | Other threads

  • strange experiments

    Alternate Histories Of Objects For Sale On eBay

    Would you pay more money for items on eBay if they had interesting stories behind them? A group of writers has determined to find out, by selling objects on eBay that come with fictional alternate histories. More »
    07/08/09
    4,870
    32

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by noamjamski: This would be a lot more effective if they didn't have the disclaimer on every eBay auction that the alternate... 8 Responses | Other threads

  • book review

    Rudy Rucker's Hylozoic: Even Weirder Than His Last Book

    Rudy Rucker pushed the boundaries of how much weirdness you could fit into one science-fiction novel, with last year's Postsingular. But the sequel, Hylozoic, goes much further into the realms of the twisted, the disturbing and the post-everything. Warning: spoilers! More »
    07/07/09
    3,467
    14

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Indigen: Haven't been grossed out by anything I read since I was 11, which was a horror about graphically burning people... 4 Responses | Other threads

  • awards

    Judges "Didn't Know They Were Science Fiction Fans" Until They Gave A Prize To SF Book

    Congratulations to Chris Beckett, whose story collection The Turing Test has won the prestigious Edge Hill Prize, plus £5,000 and a specially commissioned painting by artist Pete Clarke. The win is especially notable since Beckett's book came out on a small press, which has since gone out of business, and he was up against books from Faber, Cape and other bigger publishers. Said one of the judges, James Walton: More »
    07/06/09
    6,700
    18

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Kuciwalker: Is that painting original? I could swear I'd seen something almost exactly like it before. 8 Responses | Other threads

  • book covers

    Can You Come Up With A Science Fiction Book Cover Worse Than These?

    Orbit Books is trying to create the worst science fiction book cover of all time — but they're up against stiff competition. Details, and a gallery of some of our fave bad covers, are below. More »
    07/06/09
    7,477
    71

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by BullfightsOnAcid: io9 featured this book a while back and the cover is pretty bad. 8 Responses | Other threads

  • publishing

    The Best Way To Break Into Science Fiction Writing Is Online Publishing

    The only way forward for new writers is digital publishing, says game and novel writer Michael Stackpole. If you want to write for a living, learn to love this post-paper age. More »
    07/06/09
    7,254
    46

    By Ed Grabianowski

    Comment by NanSage: I want to destroy this man. First, it's all well and good for an established author to pimp online... 8 Responses | Other threads

  • alternate history

    What If July 4th Was Just Another Day?

    As the United States celebrates its Independence Day, it's worth considering just how easily it could have never happened at all. Here now is a rundown of alternate history stories and essays where the American Revolution turned out very differently. More »
    07/04/09
    16,371
    81

    By Alasdair Wilkins

    Comment by Klebert L. Hall: "Compared to the Civil War or World War II, the American Revolution has, for whatever reason, been largely neglected by... 8 Responses | Other threads

  • book review

    "Bar None" Cracks Open A Beer At The End Of The World

    Bar None by Tim Lebbon (Night Shade Press, 2009) is a dark post-apocalyptic fantasy with a creepy numinous beauty and really good beer. End of the world, everybody, last orders if you please. More »
    07/02/09
    7,759
    22

    By Grey_Area

    Comment by bluehinter: Pub? Pub. I bet there's an entire Triviagasm article waiting to be written about individuals who ride out the apocalypse in... 7 Responses | Other threads

  • io9 calendar

    The io9 Guide To July Science Fiction

    Of course you're interested in the future, for that is where you will be buying books, going to movies, and watching TV shows. As the summer movie season winds down, the convention season heats up in our July calendar! More »
    07/01/09
    9,321
    43

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by salthegeek: Who all is going to Comic Con? should we have an io9 meet up there ? 9 Responses | Other threads

  • book deals

    Bloggers Save The World From A Zombie Uprising

    When the living dead rise up and start consuming the rest of us, the mainstream media totally misses the story — but the bloggers don't, in Seanan McGuire's Feed. Her zombies-and-blogger-drama trilogy just sold to Orbit Books in an auction. More »
    07/01/09
    3,698
    17

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Grey_Area: Well, oookaay. But after this, no more zombie books, all right? 4 Responses | Other threads

  • book review

    io9's Hivemind Reviews The Terminator 4 Novelization

    Terminator Salvation felt more like a weak music video than a movie, with a story that was hard to piece together. So it's a good thing the novelization is written by super-prolific author Alan Dean Foster, right? Spoilers ahead... More »
    06/29/09
    8,944
    88

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by braak: I'm sorry. I couldn't read this post, on the grounds that I was too god-damn depressed that nobody sent... 23 Responses | Other threads

  • Haikasoru

    Killer Dead Frogs And Time-Traveling Missions Of Unity Invade U.S. Bookstores

    Prolific manga publisher Viz Media is putting out its first two prose science fiction novels, translated from Japanese. And they sound trippy enough to give you weird visions, even without any drawings. Japanese science-fiction spoilers ahead... More »
    06/29/09
    2,603
    6

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by CmdrHunt: Very cool. Thanks for the news. Will check this out. more » | Other threads

  • doctor who

    Retro Doctor Who Books Hit The Target

    As Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss remembers the Who novelizations of his youth, we give you a chance to relive your own nostalgia - or maybe discover new books to give your nerd life more meaning. More »
    06/28/09
    3,205
    51

    By Graeme McMillan

    Comment by KhaiJB: I learnt to read thanks to the Target books... went straight from 'dick and jane' or whatever they were called in... 4 Responses | Other threads

  • genre pioneers

    Science Fiction Books That Launched Their Own Genres

    Science fiction is all about discovery and invention, but only a few books have actually created whole new genres. Here are 10 books that pioneered a new type of science-fictional story. Do you have what it takes to join them? More »
    06/26/09
    56,354
    147

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by EbeneezerSquid: Ack! I completely forgot. In the running for Space Opera originator, what about Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter of Mars... 7 Responses | Other threads

  • hot bookshelf injection

    Steampunk Brothel Spies And Million-Year Quests, In June Books

    Whether you want a fun beach read or a sweeping philosophical epic, June's books have you covered. You can encounter witches in Toronto and killer courtesans, or you can delve into America's dismal future, or Alastair Reynolds' eon-spanning colonization saga. More »
    06/26/09
    8,644
    23

    By Stephen Goldmeier

    Comment by EbeneezerSquid: You know, I've been lurking here on i09 for quite some time, and these book posts have always seemed odd... 6 Responses | Other threads

  • Radix

    Who Understands The Secrets Of Carl Jung's Mystical Power? Only The Shadow Knows

    First-time author Brett King scored a two-book deal in the mid-five figures for his "reality-based thriller" about a world-changing technology. So what's King's background, and what's the hook that made The Radix a must-buy? We asked his agent. More »
    06/26/09
    2,519
    9

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Chip Overclock: Big reveal: it's the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. more » | Other threads

  • book review

    World's Most Annoying Poet Foils Evil Genetic Engineering Project

    Britain's Martin Millar has carved out a niche with a slew of fanciful urban fantasy books , like the recent Lonely Werewolf Girl. And now his maniacal early work, Lux The Poet, is out in the U.S. at last. Spoilers ahead. More »
    06/26/09
    2,928
    14

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Pope John Peeps II: The World's Most Annoying Poet So... he's a spoken word performer then? 7 Responses | Other threads

  • read this instead

    "Tooth And Claw" Proves That Dragons Trump Zombies

    Everybody thinks that Pride And Prejudice And Zombies is a nifty new mash-up invention. But the the original monster mash-up book was Jo Walton's Tooth and Claw, a 19th century novel of manners, with dragon protagonists. More »
    06/25/09
    3,596
    15

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by bitsytimelord: But what about Zombie Dragons? I think we all know there's no contingency for that. Zombie Dragons = we're all... 6 Responses | Other threads

  • future publishing

    The Tip Jar: Science Fiction's New Revenue Source?

    Traditional publishing's decline, and the severe hardship of our ongoing econom-ick, are forcing writers to do what they do best: get creative. Urban fantasy author Tim Pratt has joined Catherynne M. Valente in publishing serialized fiction online, relying on donations. More »
    06/25/09
    1,916
    33

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by PJHitler: Screw this tip jar crap. David Gerrold has had one set up for years. He keeps on with this crap... 6 Responses | Other threads

  • publishing

    Has The Print Magazine Circulation Crash Started To Level Off?

    Here's what passes for good news in the world of print science-fiction magazines: the "big three" magazines only saw circulation declines in the low single digits in 2008, compared with double-digit declines in recent years. More »
    06/25/09
    1,505
    12

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by gorehound: It might be hard to get up circulation.All your older industries like video rents, books, music are all down and... 4 Responses | Other threads

  • interview

    Robert Charles Wilson Talks About Movies And Limits To The Singularity

    In Robert Charles Wilson's new novel Julian Comstock, an energy-depleted 22nd Century looks very much like the 19th. We interviewed Wilson about his non-singularity future, and the silent movies that inspire him. More »
    06/24/09
    2,135
    7

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by Noah Smith: It IS, in fact, a little bit silly how every science fiction author these days is required to deal with... 1 Responses | Other threads

  • writers

    We Missed National Science Fiction Writers Day!

    Did you know that yesterday was Science Fiction And Fantasy Writers Day? Neither did we. But apparently there's a new movement to celebrate SF authors on June 23. Just next year, give us a heads-up? More »
    06/24/09
    1,042
    11

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by redspidey: I like the idea of this occasion, but how do I say "Thank you" to a dead science fiction writer?... 2 Responses | Other threads

  • Doris Egan

    House Producer Doris Egan's Long Lost Science Fiction Novel

    Did you know one of the main writers for House had written a science fiction novel? And it sounds quite good. Doris Egan, writer of several episodes including the most recent season finale, also wrote the novel City Of Diamond. More »
    06/23/09
    2,471
    17

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: One step closer to getting "House" recapped here... 6 Responses | Other threads

  • books

    How Much Damage Can A Maniac And His Army Of Sock Puppets Do On Amazon.Com?

    Science fiction and fantasy authors, including Pat Rothfuss and David Louis Edelman, have started noticing a rash of one-star reviews of their books on Amazon.com, all at once, The reviews seem to come from newly created profiles, and often say the same thing in slightly different words over and over. And now, observers think they've fingered the culprit: frustrated fantasy author Robert Stanek. In the past, Stanek has had the habit of posting tons of "anonymous" one-star reviews of people's books which all said, "This guy is rubbish, if you want to read real fantasy, go read Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin and Robert Stanek!" The new batch of reviews don't mention Stanek by name, but do suggest that the authors should try serving in the armed forces to build character (a Stanek bugaboo.) And if you look at their profiles, the anonymous accounts have all tagged Stanek as a favorite author. All of this raises the question: How much damage can one anonymous maniac with an army of sock puppets really do to an established author on Amazon? [SFF World]
    06/23/09
    5,195
    47

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by tk.: This "technique" is become all-too common by people either trying to make a point or do some shameless self-promotion. ... 4 Responses | Other threads

  • larry niven

    Larry Niven Helped Usher In Our Weird World

    Ringworld author Larry Niven didn't just pioneer the "cool massive object in space" genre — he also helped predict today's world, including flashmobs, cochlear implants and planets orbiting Epsilon Eridani. NASA even found a possible ringworld, in 2004. [USA Today]
    06/22/09
    5,303
    40

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by gorehound: So why does Hollywood bombard us with all hteir lame YARM and they leave great authors like niven alone. Ringworld to... 8 Responses | Other threads

  • alastair reynolds

    Alastair Reynolds Gets £1 Million To Write Some More Space Operas

    Don't let anybody tell you there's no money in writing science fiction. Revelation Space and Pushing Ice author Alastair Reynolds just got a £1 million book deal (about $1.65 million) from his publisher, Gollancz. More »
    06/22/09
    3,464
    50

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by unigon: I've read a number of his short stories, and found his writing a bit overrated. Maybe it's just too old-school... 7 Responses | Other threads

  • exclusive

    Samuel Delany Answers Your Science Fiction Questions!

    Samuel R. Delany has been away from science fiction for over twenty years — and now he's coming back to it, sort of. His new novel Through The Valley Of The Nest Of Spiders is an introspective future history. More »
    06/20/09
    5,160
    10

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by vurtscribe: I adore Delany. I was so fortunate to meet him and have dinner with him back in 2006 at... 1 Responses | Other threads

  • quote of the day

    Michael Moorcock Can't Read "Transhumanist" Fiction Because It's Not About People

    Interviewed by BoingBoing's readers, New Wave legend Michael Moorcock says he's disconnected from science fiction that gets too abstract: "I'm not entirely sure about transhumanist fiction. It holds no attractions for me. Assuming I really know what it is. I've only really ever been interested in 'humanist' fiction. That is, fiction about people. As I've said, I don't read sf for pleasure and very little of it for review, so I'm no expert. I think I'm probably sympathetic to the writers you mention, but personally believe political fiction should be set in at least some version of the here and now. [...] This was always my argument about sf — that generally, by abstracting it, putting it in some 'other place', you lost some of the relevance. That said, I haven't been vastly interested in technological advance since I was young. I have every sympathy with Banks, Mcleod et al, but to be honest I've been no more able to read more than a page of their stuff than I have Heinlein's or Asimov's. The moment a spaceship turns up, you've lost me." — BoingBoing via Tachyon via Ken McLeod.
    06/19/09
    2,383
    30

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Nealjs: "This was always my argument about sf - that generally, by abstracting it, putting it in some 'other place', you... 3 Responses | Other threads

  • contests

    Achieve Galactic Fame And Fortune With New Science Fiction Publishing Contest

    Attention, aspiring novelists! A new competition could get your space epic or Singularity romance published by a major publisher, and bring you the adoration of millions. SciFiNow is sponsoring the War Of The Words contest in collaboration with Play.com and (more promisingly) Tor U.K. — and even though it's a U.K. contest, people can enter from anywhere. To enter, you need a synopsis and three sample chapters, but you can't advance to the finalist stage unless you're able to produce an entire novel. More details here. [SFFChronicles]
    06/18/09
    1,678
    9

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Makidian: My daughter lost my thumb drive which has my novel on it, dammit if these things don't always happen at... 4 Responses | Other threads

  • Asian Futurism

    When Did Japan Stop Being The Future?

    U.S. science fiction used to be fascinated with Japan, from Blade Runner to Neuromancer. Everything Japanese was cooler, sleeker and shinier than our grubby American aesthetic, and Japan was destined to dominate. And then, Japan's futuristic status waned. What happened? More »
    06/18/09
    42,044
    112

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by omgwtflolbbqbye: Ah yes, A.I. A movie I hated but learned to love recently. Yes, even with the aliens... 9 Responses | Other threads

  • publishing

    New Online Bookstore Is "Agnostic," But It'll Be a Religious Experience For You

    Tor.com may be the website of one of science fiction's biggest publishers, but their blog has tried to promote good books regardless of the publisher. And now they're extending this "agnostic" approach to their new online store, with fascinating results. More »
    06/18/09
    3,163
    7

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Lassus: Magnus - Robot Fighter was one of my favorite (reprint) comics growing up. He just beat the hell out... 2 Responses | Other threads

  • alternate history

    The Coolest Alternate Histories Are For Young Adults

    Has the young-adult science fiction genre finally moved past future dystopias? A panel of three leading YA authors at BEA suggests the new frontier for YA fiction is alternate histories, including Darwin's genetic engineering and the Prohibition era targeting magic. More »
    06/18/09
    8,099
    22

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Rasselas: How much of the YA explosion is, for want of a better word, genuine, and how much a post-Harry Potter... 5 Responses | Other threads

  • little brother

    It's Like The Outsiders, Only With xBoxes And Culture-Jamming

    Cory Doctorow's Hugo-nominated story of teen hackers thwarting a paranoid surveillance state, Little Brother, has been optioned by producer Don Murphy (Natural Born Killers, From Hell.) Assuming it actually happens, which teen actor would you want to play Marcus?
    06/18/09
    1,925
    24

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Jeffrey Melton: I'm assuming Doctorow's writing has improved since 'Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom' and 'Eastern Standard Tribe' if this... 6 Responses | Other threads

  • book review

    A Druid Saves The World In Jacqueline Carey's Latest

    Jacqueline Carey returns to the world of Kushiel's Dart in new novel Naamah's Kiss, and she has managed to rekindle the excitement of the series too. Set over a century after the last book, it's an auspicious new beginning. More »
    06/18/09
    4,548
    37

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by braak: Well, any book the review of which contains at least three uses of the word "awesome" is probably...pretty awesome. 6 Responses | Other threads

  • future cities

    The Most Fantastical Cities On Earth, As Chosen By Ursula K. Le Guin And Michael Moorcock

    Their books take you to strange cities from other planets, alternate histories and mythical realms. But what real-life cities inspire Ursula K. Le Guin, Michael Moorcock, Nalo Hopkinson and China Miéville? The SharedWorlds project found out, with fascinating results. More »
    06/17/09
    7,662
    46

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by Plague: I find the list rather dull. I can see the reasoning behind all of their choices- but it just seems... 7 Responses | Other threads

  • book review

    "Palimpsest" Explores A Sexually-Transmitted City

    If you want a hot, brooding novel for the sticky summer months, then you need Catherynne M. Valente's Palimpsest. It's the story of a lovely, haunting city you only visit by having sex with people who have visited it. More »
    06/17/09
    9,419
    57

    By Annalee Newitz

    Comment by crashedpc : ゴキブリ and 蟑螂 division: In my valiant effort to find the city of Palimpset, I will now go and have sex with as many... 7 Responses | Other threads

  • book review

    A Working-Class Monster Hunter Saves The World

    A working stiff who collects cryptobiological specimens and keeps them from menacing the hapless citizenry encounters a mundane woman who weird stuff constantly happens to. A. Lee Martinez's Monster feels like a sillier version of Joss Whedon's Angel. More »
    06/16/09
    5,117
    23

    By Charlie Jane Anders

    Comment by braak: Huh. That over-arching plot reminds of the other Martinez book I read. Uhm. Ogre Company? Orc...troll...shit... In... 4 Responses | Other threads

  • world war z

    World War Z Stalled From Meeting Its Bloody Zombie Quota

    Before long, Quantum of Solace director Marc Foster may be moving his shaky camera off of Max Brook's brilliantly bloody zombie war novel World War Z, and onto another project. Migros Magazin said the project is "still far from realization"... Sooo does this mean we can get another director? [Dark Horizons]
    06/16/09
    5,747
    33

    By Meredith Woerner

    Comment by evildead1971: this NEEDS to be a mini series on cable so they can cover all the chapters from the book. no... 13 Responses | Other threads

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