Is it possible to have a wild, exciting space adventure without resorting to magic? Or is there just no way to imagine conquering the vastness of the cosmos without warp drives, hyperspace, miraculous shielding and other fancy devices?
When scientists work with creative people, cooler stories get told
Six major British science fiction authors have released an open letter calling for greater cooperation between scientists and creative people, saying that the U.K. is falling behind the U.S. in communication between the arts and sciences. The authors, including Paul McAuley, Geoff Ryman, Ken Macleod and Justina Robson, …
Must Listen: Great SF authors discuss the many planets of the Amazons
Sarah Hall, author of the Tiptree Award-winning novel Daughters of the North, narrates a fantastic two-part BBC radio series, Cat Women of the Moon, all about "the popular motif in science fiction of an all-women society surviving without men." The first half is more about "relations between the sexes," while the second…
The Masters of Weird: New Story Collections by Tim Powers, Geoff Ryman …
If you've been needing more weirdness in your life, then you owe it to yourself to check out new story collections by Geoff Ryman, Caitlín R. Kiernan and Tim Powers. The New York Times has published a terrific review roundup of new collections by these three present-day masters of the "creeps that keep on creeping." (See …
The Year's Most Important SF Anthology Is Out Now
If you wish science fiction would have a bit more actual science (and focus on the near future instead of the year 5 billion), you'll be thrilled that When It Changed, an anthology pairing scientists and SF authors, is out.
Mars Invades Earth With X-Rated Movies: Hear For Yourself!
Bizarre, pornographic silent movies turn up, allegedly made in 1911 — and then they start to feature uncannily real-looking Martians and other creatures straight out of Edgar Rice Burroughs' stories. The bitchy, demented story "The Film-makers Of Mars" could only be the work of Geoff Ryman (Air). It was published at…
Do You Really Want Science Fiction Books To Be More Literary?
When will "the literary establishment" start taking science fiction more seriously? Everybody from Michael Chabon to David Hartwell wants to know. But would most readers really be happy if science fiction actually became more literary? Here's our list of things that might change about science fiction if it took on more…
Controversial SciFi Realist Tells io9 Why Warp Drives Suck
Most science fiction movies make jumping to other star systems look as easy as stepping out for a bagel. But scientists think it'll never be that easy. So science fiction author Geoff Ryman (Air) invented a new school of writing called Mundane Science Fiction, which avoids faster-than-light travel, time travel or…
