Tagged: Science Fiction

2009 Hugo Nominations — including the first Hugo Awards for graphic novels

  • News
  • March 23, 2009

First the New York Times makes a graphic novel bestseller list… now the Hugos are getting int the act.

The nominees have been announced for the 2009 Hugo Awards, recognizing the best in science fiction and fantasy writing– and, for the first time, an award will be given out in the newly created Best Graphic Story (or graphic novel) category. ComicMix’s Andrew Pepoy, creator of The Adventures of Simone and Ajax, was nominated for his work in Fables: War and Pieces along with Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy, Lee Loughridge, and Todd Klein. No strangers to comics themselves, Neil Gaiman was nominated for Best Novel for The Graveyard Book, and Cory Doctorow was nominated for Little Brother; while comics properties The Dark Knight, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Iron Man were nominated for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form.

The Hugo Awards celebrate the best in the field of science fiction and fantasy.  Hugos are presented each year at the World Science Fiction Convention, a.k.a. WorldCon, by the World Science Fiction Society, and are voted on by attendees of this year’s WorldCon in Montreal, Anticipation. The Hugos awarded at Anticipation will be for works released in 2008.

More information is on the official Hugo Award web site. If you’d like to vote on them, here’s how.

Nominations

Best Graphic Story
(212 Ballots / Bulletins)

(more…)

BBC Plans New ‘Day of the Triffids’ Adaptation

  • News
  • December 13, 2008

With the global ecology a hot topic these days, it’s little surprise the BBC is planning a new version of the classic tale The Day of the Triffids. It all started with the 1951 post-apocalyptic novel by John Wyndham.

The story, according to the BBC tells of “Bill Masen, who awakes in a hospital after treatment for temporary blindness caused by a sting from a genetically modified plant, a triffid.”

"The first 45 minutes of 28 Days Later are the first three chapters of The Day of the Triffids, marginally modified with the addition of zombies," said Dr Barry Langford, senior lecturer in film and television at Royal Holloway, University of London.

The novel received immediate acclaim was first adapted for BBC radio in 1953, 157 and 1958 before the 1962 feature film.  The BBC did subsequent productions in 1971, 1973 and 1980.

It was also adapted by Marvel in 1975 for an issue of their Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction while a British television series was produced in 1981. The new production is being written by Patrick Harbinson (ER).

"The triffids are perhaps to us a more potent threat than even in Wyndham’s time," Dr Langford added.

Andy Sawyer, librarian at the Science Fiction Foundation Collection at the University of Liverpool, told the BBC. "It has become relevant. There is a lot more anxiety about bio engineering now."

The images of empty cities was a haunting one in the book and one which continues to resonate in post-apocalyptic fiction including next year’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.

Chesley Award Winners Announced

  • News
  • November 27, 2008


The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists announced the  winners of the 2007 Chesley Awards on November 17, 2008:

Best Cover Illustration – Hardback Book: Donato Giancola, The Outback Stars by Sandra McDonald, Tor, 4/07

Best Cover Illustration – Paperback Book: Donato Giancola, Crystal Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller Ace, 11/07

Best Cover Illustration – Magazine: Cory and Catska Ench, Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, 3/07

Best Interior Illustration: James Gurney, Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara, Andrews McMeel, 9/07

Best Gaming Related Illustration: Donato Giancola, "Vanguard: Saga of Heroes", Sigil Games Online

Best Product Illustration: Todd Lockwood, "War of Angels", poster for Bullseye Tattoo;

Best Monochrome – Unpublished: Donato Giancola, "Season of Change", Pencil and Chalk on Toned paper

Best Color Work – Unpublished: Donato Giancola, "Red Sonja", Oil

Best Three Dimensional Art: Vincent Villafranca, "Conscious Entity and Its Maker", Bronze

Best Art Director: Irene Gallo, Tor Books

Award for Artistic Achievement: Michael Wm. Kaluta

 

hugo2008-1-2963429

2008 Hugo Award winners

  • News
  • August 10, 2008

hugo2008-1-2963429The 2008 Hugo Awards were given out last night at Denvention, this year’s World Science Fiction Convention, a.k.a. WorldCon. The Master of Ceremony was Wil McCarthy. The winners are (cue the drum roll) …

Novel: The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon (HarperCollins; Fourth Estate)
Novella: "All Seated on the Ground" by Connie Willis (Asimov’s Dec. 2007; Subterranean Press)
Novelette: "The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate" by Ted Chiang (Subterranean Press; F&SF Sept. 2007)
Short Story: "Tideline" by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s June 2007)
Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Stardust Written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn, Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman Illustrated by Charles Vess Directed by Matthew Vaughn (Paramount Pictures)
Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Doctor Who "Blink" Written by Steven Moffat Directed by Hettie Macdonald (BBC)
Professional Editor, Short Form: Gordon Van Gelder (F&SF)
Professional Artist: Stephan Martiniere
Semiprozine: Locus, edited by Charles N. Brown, Kirsten Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi
Fanzine: File 770
Fan Writer: John Scalzi
Fan Artist: Brad Foster
Campbell Award: Mary Robinette Kowal
 
Full list of nominated works after the jump.

 

(more…)

Superman’s Fortress of Solitude found

  • News
  • August 6, 2007

fortresssolitude-7377435

From Howard Margolin of Destinies: the Voice of Science Fiction, we get this discovery of these cyrstal caverns buried a thousand feet below Mexico’s Naica mountain in the Chihuahuan desert.

This has been quite a year for Superman fans; the deadly remnants of planet Krypton were discovered in a mine in Serbia this past April (see Kryptonite Discovered By Scientist).

And if you look all the way down at the bottom of the cave, you can see Ursa and Non…

Wolfman, Niles, Mariotte Snag Scribes

  • News
  • July 31, 2007

On Sunday at San Diego Comic-Con, the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers held a mid-afternoon program where their first Scribe Awards were handed out.

Member Andy Mangels played host to a small but enthusiastic crowd as they watched winners in attendance collect their prizes.  The association was formed so the best-selling category of fiction could be acknowledged as a category of its own, joining groups for authors of Thrillers, Mysteries, Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction.

There were six categories and Jeff Mariotte snagged two of them in a bit of a surprise given the volume of works submitted.

The winners:

Speculative Fiction, Best Novel Adapted: Superman Returns by Marv Wolfman

Speculative Fiction, Best Novel Original: 30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead by Stephen Niles and Jeff Mariotte

General Fiction, Best Novel Adapted: Snakes on a Plane by Christa Faust

Best Novel Original: Las Vegas: High Stakes by Jeff Mariotte

Young Adult All Genres, Best Novel: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Portal Through Time by Alice Henderson

Grandmaster, honoring career achievement in the field: Donald Bain.

Bain was on hand to accept the award in person, thrilled tghat his accomplishments, incouding over 80 novels, were recognized by peers. The IAMTW (www.iamtw.org) is accepting nominations for works in published 2007 with the awards scheduled for next year’s convention.

eyre-2938818

People Reading Books

  • News
  • July 29, 2007

eyre-2938818The Seattle Times reviews Jasper Fforde’s “Thursday Next” series.

Slate looks at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The Agony Column reviews Alan Campbell’s Lye Street, a novella-as-a-book prequel to Scar Night.

Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist reviews Jeff Somers’s The Electric Church.

Blogcritics has what I think is their sixth review for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Honestly, I can’t keep track any more.

Book Fetish reviews a three-author linked erotic romance anthology called Hell on Heels. (Oh my God, the Twayne Triplets are back…and this time they’re porn!)

Bookgasm reviews Warren Hammond’s KOP.

Bookgasm also reviews A Dog About Town, a murder mystery told from the POV of a thinking dog, which is fantasy enough for my book.

The Henry Herald of Georgia reviews Kull: Exile of Atlantis by Robert E. Howard.

American Chronicle reviews Harry Potter and the…Half-Blood Prince. (ha HA! Fooled you!)

(more…)

Be Vewwy Vewwy Quiet. We’re Hunting Fanboys.

  • News
  • July 26, 2007

fanboy-7593577

USA Today stalks the elusive Fanboy.

Locus Online lists new paperback editions of SF/Fantasy books that they saw in June.

Matthew Cheney thinks about the latest eruption of the what-is-SF-and-what-isn’t discussion.

A highly scientific investigation into the age-old struggle between pirates and ninjas. [via Chris Roberson]

tSF Diplomat  thinks hard about online book reviewing and book-blogging.

Biology in Science Fiction rounds up recent interesting news stories about bioscience.

Mundane SF hates astrophysics.

(more…)

Science-Fictional-Type Links & Things

  • News
  • July 17, 2007

crooked-6051795

Fantasy Book Critic reviews Warren Ellis’s first novel, Crooked Little Vein.

BestSF has reviewed a few magazines this week:

Don D’Amassa’s Critical Mass has new reviews on the Science Fiction page, including Blake Nelson’s young adult novel They Came From Below, Robert Charles Wilson’s Axis, and Charles Stross’s Halting State.

D’Amassa’s Fantasy page also has new reviews: Steph Swainston’s The Modern World, Charles Stross’s The Merchants’ War, and others.

And D’Amassa’s Horror page has new reviews as well: Scott Thomas’s Over the Darkening Fields, the new Tales from the Crypt #1, and more.

Nader Elhefnawy, at Tangent, goes off on a dumb Christopher Hitchens quote from Atlantic Monthly to the effect that SF has a “dearth of sex.”

Elhefnawy also had an essay at Tangent about Michael Moorcock and censorship.

The Space Review has published a transcript of the talk, and the following question and answer session, given by NASA Administrator Mike Griffin at the recent Heinlein Centennial.

The Contra Costa Times has an article on the huge science fiction collection at the University of California-Riverside.

Ben Bova’s regular column in the Naples News is devoted to talking about his own Campbell Award-winning novel Titan, Campbell himself, and science fiction in general.

The Salt Lake Tribune looks at the interesting phenomenon of Christian fantasy novels.

Neth Space is annoyed that so many titles begin with the word “the.”

SF Scope reports on editor and author Gardner Dozois’s recent quintuple bypass heart surgery. Details are few, but it sounds like he’s recovering pretty well – I certainly hope so, and send him all best wishes. (In happier Dozois news, he recently turned in a new original anthology, tentatively entitled Galactic Empires, to Rome Quezada of the SF Book Club, and I’m sure that book will be another winner.)

Cory Doctorow has another one of his periodic essays at Locus Online this week, all about different kinds of visions of the future.

The soul-searching about reviewing on blogs continues unabated into a second week, as Larry of the OF Blog of the Fallen explains why he reviews.

Similarly, Patrick, of Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist, has a long post about reviewing, book giveaways, and blogging.

  (more…)

Links & News & Interviews & Cats

  • News
  • July 15, 2007

lol-3246932

Time magazine, which manages to get so much wrong so much of the time, oddly is very accurate and interesting on the subject of LOLcats. [via The Beat]

Not science fiction, but only because it didn’t happen: the British military is denying sending giant, man-eating badgers to terrify the citizen of the Iraqi city of Basra.

The New York Times’s PaperCuts blog looks at the cover of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road.

David Louis Edelman, at DeepGenre, ponders The End of Science Fiction.

Paranormal romance writer Sherrilyn Kenyon is now listed in Cambridge Who’s Who, and sent out a press release to tout that.

The Readercon brain trust compiled the semi-official canon of Slipstream writing. Great! Now we can go back to arguing about what “slipstream” actually means…

luxembourg-3428345

If you happen to be in Luxembourg (and I can’t tell you how often I’ve found myself in Luxembourg without thinking about it), you might want to pop your head into the Tomorrow Now exhibition at the Mudam Luxembuorg, which “explores the relationship between design and science fiction.”

I’d expected something really weird from the Montgomery Advertiser’s reference to “Faulkner’s Narnia” — just think about that for a moment, if you will – but it turns out that Faulkner University is putting on a stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as Narnia. Still, the idea of a Prince Caspian/As I Lay Dying mash-up is still out there for the taking… (more…)

Categories

Archives

Everything you need to make great comics!

comicmix-pro-300x69-2

Nucleus X

Bookshop Zaks