This seems strikingly similar to how independent films are distributed. I wonder if books will end up with more film-like distribution deals. Publishers would only pick up award winning books. Hmmm.
We as sci-fi fans love to bitch and moan that things like this don't get published, when 'crap' like Twilight does, but who, really is at fault? How many of us would actually go out and buy the winner of the Clark Award? Clearly not that many the publishers think (probably correctly) - we may all sneer at the 'tweenies' and their Twilight, but at least they buy the damn books!! Still, I assume Song of Time has been published in the UK? I'm going back home in a few weeks, so thanks to io9, I shall be searching out a copy whilst there!
@agentgray: Yeah, same here - I have read The Road thanks to io9, which was amazing and I'd probably never have heard of it (well, at least not until the film came out anyway) without them =)
I read a humorous short story by Ted Chiang once, about a man whose digital afterlife was rudely interrupted during his "sexual endurance record tryout" by the managing corporation - his investments in real life had collapsed, leaving him unable to finance his further virtual life. He was given an option: Slowing down the processor speed (unacceptable, he would be out of sync with his still-living relatives); accept true death, or get a job as spam filter, the latter of which he accepted.
@nagumi: Sorry, I only remembered that it was in a short story collection, all written by Ted Chiang (who I think is brilliant but underappreciated) I read the one story in the bookstore, so I felt a little guilty and hurried :). Can't remember the title of the book or the title of the story.
Amazon search reveals that he's got only 1 short story collection, so I think it's this one:
Do Richard K. Morgan's Takeshi Kovacs novels count? I mean, nobody really dies unless you destroy their cortical stack, otherwise they just get re-sleeved.
@cljohnston108: Thought about including them, but it seemed like they were more like getting a new body when you die, not uploading per se. Similar to Down And Out In The Magic Kingdom & whatnot.
@Venusian: Considering how much science fiction suffers from the image of being a male-dominated field, any time you have a list like this that only lists male authors, it does real damage to science fiction. It's just part of making the field seem insular and like an old boys club, which nobody wants.
@Venusian: It doesn't matter any ways, because we fan-girls don't exist. We're like unicorns...Unicorns with sharp horns and hooves stained with the blood of the unbelievers and the soulless hoards of the Fox empire. We, the unreal, shall rise up and lead the mass of geeks and nerds into the promise land of space ships, sharks with lasers on them, and space beer. WE SHALL SMITE THE *tazer sound*.....sorry about that. I just get a little carried away.
07/13/09
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07/13/09
I've found a lot of great literature that I never knew existed by coming to io9 and readings posts about obscure, but great titles.
07/13/09
07/13/09
Most of my summer reading has come from here. I always double check the book review tags to make sure i didnt miss any new (old) gems.
End of Eternity, 100%, Anathem, and a handful of others that were all great.
06/08/09
06/07/09
His electronic ambush at the end of the book is all kinds of awesome.
06/07/09
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06/07/09
Amazon search reveals that he's got only 1 short story collection, so I think it's this one:
[www.amazon.com]
But I can't be sure.
PS: if not mistaken, that story is the first one in the collection
06/07/09
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04/30/09
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04/30/09
One off-hand observation and someone's gotta get all scared that teh wimmins are gonna revolt...
04/30/09
(then sneaks away before the taser reaches her)