Whether you are a fan of George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy novels set in the fictional world of Westeros, or the hit HBO series now in its second season, you’ve probably heard the title A Game of Thrones.
Read the last SF Signal on social SF.
Even those who don’t read fantasy are probably familiar with A Game of Thrones because the story—a gritty tale of warring factions scrambling for power, scheming families, sex, lies and betrayal—resonates across genres and fandoms. Folks who have never shown the slightest bit of interest in epic fantasy ...
Read the full post 
One of the characteristics of great literature is that it says something meaningful about life. Science fiction does that, too, except that the perspective is usually seen from an outsider's viewpoint and is often focused on society in general.
Being fond of subcategorizing as we are, science fiction fans call such fiction "social science fiction," and it's concerned less with the tropes usually associated with sf (like spaceships and technology) and more concerned with human activities and how people interact in groups. Or, to tie it back to the "science" label, it's concerned with "soft" sciences like ...
Read the full post
When invited to go on a life-changing adventure, Sham Yes ap Soorap, the main character of Railsea, ponders: “What if it’s terrible? What if it all ends in tears?”
That’s exactly how I felt when picking my first China Miéville book to celebrate the momentous occasion of our debut at Kirkus. Thankfully, Railsea wasn’t terrible—far from it—and the only tears shed were the ones upon the realization that no, I cannot have a pet bat called Daybe.
Read more new and notable SF and fantasy with SF Signal.
Sham Yes ap Soorap is a ...
Read the full post
One of the characteristics of great literature is that it says something meaningful about life. Science fiction does that, too, except that the perspective is usually seen from an outsider's viewpoint and is often focused on society in general.
Being fond of subcategorizing as we are, science fiction fans call such fiction "social science fiction," and it's concerned less with the tropes usually associated with sf (like spaceships and technology) and more concerned with human activities and how people interact in groups. Or, to tie it back to the "science" label, it's concerned with "soft" sciences like ...
Read the full post
It seems fitting to begin a look at the history of the speculative-fiction genre with the beginnings of a classic: Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley.
Read more books about Mary Shelley and Frankenstein.
This book was not the first work of science fiction, but it had captured the public’s imagination like no other, and provides a good starting point for this column. While the book itself is a great read, the origins of the Frankenstein are just as interesting.
Mary Shelley had both a tragic and dramatic childhood. Just 11 days after her birth, her ...
Read the full post
With countless new science fiction, fantasy and horror books being released each month, traversing bookstore aisles looking for something to read can be a daunting task. Fortunately you have lists like this one to steer you toward that path of good reading.
Here's a look at 11 enticing sf, fantasy and horror books being released this month.
Read the last SF Signal on three ways people are tricked into reading SF.
The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
Bacigalupi is a multiple award-winning and critically acclaimed author. Billed as a companion to his highly acclaimed novel Ship Breaker, his new ...
Read the full post
About 10 years ago, I sat down to watch From Dusk Till Dawn, a film co-written by Quentin Tarantino (then hot off the films Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction) and directed by Robert Rodriguez (who wowed with El Mariachi and Desperado).
The film started pretty much as I expected—witty banter, over-top-top drama and utterly captivating. But then halfway through, it took a serious left turn. Seriously. (Warning; spoiler ahead. But hey, this is a 16-year-old movie. The moratorium on spoilers has passed. So there.) Suddenly the movie was no longer a crime drama, which I was totally looking forward ...
Read the full post
Last week, we took a look at science-fiction and fantasy cover art, specifically its purpose, what goes into making it happen, and how eBooks might affect it. This week, we're going to a look at some of the talented illustrators behind the wonderful imaginative art that graces the covers of science-fiction and fantasy books, and point you to where you can find some examples of their art work.
Early Influencers
From the days of early science fiction, several artists (for both books and magazines) stood out and became well known for their portrayals of fantastic art. They have since ...
Read the full post
They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but we do it all the time. Literally.
You’re walking the aisles of a bookstore and something catches your eye, so you pick it up thinking that it might be interesting. Or you notice someone reading a book, and the cover of it doesn't appeal to you so you dismiss it. Maybe you picked up a media tie-in book because your favorite actor was on the cover. Or you pick up a book because it looked like something your friend would rave about. All of these assessments ...
Read the full post
If ever there was a success story coming out of the field of literary science fiction and fantasy, it has to be the story of George R.R. Martin.
These days, Martin is famous because of HBO's adaptation of his fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, an ongoing, multivolume series of epic fantasy novels depicting the struggle for control over the fictional continent of Westeros.
Read more books by George R.R. Martin.
But long before the drama unfolded in House Lannister, Martin was involved in many other worthwhile projects. He was an editor for the New ...
Read the full post
If there's one thing I like as much as reading books, it's browsing books. Just wandering the aisles of the bookstore—seeing the books lined up, fawning over some cool cover art, glimpsing a new title by an author I admire—all of it incites me to read.
Read the last SF Signal on demystifying sci-fi terms.
While I may be hopeless case in the bookstore, you can learn from my folly and arm yourselves with the following list of science-fiction and fantasy books coming out in April that are definitely worth a look...
After the Fall, Before ...
Read the full post
Science fiction often gets a bad rap for using hard-to-understand scientific terms. Well...OK, guilty as charged.
But just because science fiction has an occasional tendency to use complex language doesn't mean that it's impossible to understand—especially when you have the following glossary at the ready the next time you pick up a science-fiction book from the shelf.
Read the first part of SF Signal's guide to demystifying sci-fi terms.
AI (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE)
Artificial Intelligence is a computer of robot whose computational power is powerful, fast and complex enough to mimic the intelligence of humans. Many ...
Read the full post
Science fiction often gets a bad rap for using hard-to-understand scientific terms. Well...OK, guilty as charged. But just because science fiction has an occasional tendency to use complex language doesn't mean that it's impossible to understand—especially when you have the following glossary at the ready the next time you pick up a science-fiction book from the shelf.
Catch up on your sci-fi reading with SF Signal's top picks for March.
ANDROID
An android is an artificial being with a human form having a flesh-like appearance. It looks, walks and talks like a human, but it ...
Read the full post
If you are a hardcore gamer or know someone who is, you've probably heard the abbreviations MMORPG and ARG.
MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game, and they're hugely popular with online gamers. The gist of MMORPGS is that they are, at their core, role-playing games in which players assume the role of a character inside the game. Imagine a couple of friends playing Dungeons and Dragons and you'll get the idea. Now take that picture and extend it to millions of players around the world connected via the ...
Read the full post
Did everyone take advantage of that extra reading day in February? I hope so, because March promises another healthy dose of science fiction and fantasy literary goodness. Take a look at these tasty top-tier offerings...
Catch up on February's must-read SF Signal list.
And Blue Skies From Pain by Stina Leicht
Leicht's first novel, Of Blood and Honey, was universally well-received for its realistic character portrayals, its rich and textured depiction of historical Ireland, as well as its beautiful prose. In this new novel of her The Fey and the Fallen sequence, Liam Kelly (the shape-shifting, half-breed son ...
Read the full post
There are lots of reasons people enjoy reading fiction. To name a few: entertaining escapism, connecting emotionally with the characters and engaging in social discussions like book clubs. But one of the most rewarding aspects of reading has a more significant and meaningful impact. It's how literature can make us reflect upon our own lives.
Read the last SF Signal on the academic side of speculative fiction with Karen Burnham.
Here's a secret: No kind of fiction tells us about ourselves better than science fiction.
Here's why.
Today's 50-Cent Phrase: "Cognitive Estrangement"
By immersing yourself in ...
Read the full post
It may surprise you to know that people see science fiction and fantasy literature as more than mere vehicles of entertainment. In addition to enjoying the fiction side if things, there is gratification in knowing about the history and culture behind it. But what exactly is speculative fiction academics? And what does it teach us about the field?
Read the last SF Signal on discovering cool new worlds.
To answer these questions I turned to Karen Burnham.
Burnham is a longtime speculative fiction fan whose love for genre prompted her to learn more about it. Since then, she has become ...
Read the full post
One of the joys of reading science fiction is the chance to visit faraway worlds. While many faraway places simply offer up locales that mimic what we can find already here on Earth—Dune, I'm looking at you—it's the worlds that are vastly different from our own that crank up the Wow Factor.
This week let's take a look at some of the cool worlds that science fiction has to offer.
Read the last SF Signal and discover new sci-fi and fantasy books for February.
Artificial Worlds
When you read "faraway worlds" do you think exclusively ...
Read the full post
A new month comes with a new crop of science-fiction and fantasy books, and thus a new list of reading suggestions to satisfy your reading hunger. Let's dive right in, shall we?
Read all about the Grand Masters of Sci Fi.
The Chosen Seed by Sarah Pinborough
Set in a near future Dystopia that's frighteningly real, Pinborough's foreground focus is on a mystery of Inspector Cass Jones. Framed for murder, he’s on the run and on the search for his kidnapped nephew—and a secret organization that manipulates society from the shadows.
Dream Castles: The Early ...
Read the full post
This week, we conclude our look at the science-fiction Grand Masters—those writers noted for their outstanding achievement in science-fiction/fantasy writing, and therefore a great place to start when looking for good sci-fi and fantasy titles.
Have you missed Grand Masters One, Two or Three?
2004 - Robert Silverberg (1935 - )
For the prolific author that he is, Silverberg's work is uniquely devoid of sequels. This is a testament to his inventiveness, as are the numerous awards he's collected in his decades as a science-fiction author.
Notable Works:
Nightwings (1969)
Son of Man (1971)
Dying Inside (1972)
The Book ...
Read the full post
