Science Fiction

Is it too early to start talking about the Blu-ray for Star Trek Into Darkness? Well Best Buy doesn’t think so and they will give you $8 coupon for a ticket to see the movie if you pre-order an Into Darkness Blu-ray/DVD Bundle. More details below. Pre-order Blu-ray and get $8 Off movie tickets plus more bonus content Starting today (May 19) through to June 1, you can pre-order Star Trek Into Darkness Blu-ray/DVD combo pack (2D or 3D) and receive a $8 coupon towards an adult admission at participating theaters nationwide. You can also get access to exclusive content from Star Trek: Into Darkness on CinemaNow and the ability to watch Star Trek: Into Darkness via CinemaNow approximately 2-3 weeks before the movie is available in-stores. The 2D Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo pack is selling for $22.99 and the 3D version is selling for $29.99. Go to BestBuy.com to pre-order yours. As of now there is no release date.

Hello everyone, Happy Sunday!!! Thea here, trying to recover from eating ridiculous amounts of food at yesterday’s Great GoogaMooga festival in Brooklyn. Ahem. Sorry for the gratuitous food pictures. Now, down to business! Nebula Awards 2013: Each year, the Nebula Awards® are voted on and presented by the active members of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (SFWA), for outstanding science fiction and fantasy. We were thrilled with the 2012 shortlist of nominees for its inclusivity and diversity (read: not all books by and/or about white dudes) – and here are the final winners: NOVEL: 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit US; Orbit UK) NOVELLA: After the Fall, Before the Fall, During the Fall by Nancy Kress (Tachyon) NOVELLETTE: “Close Encounters” by Andy Duncan (The Pottawatomie Giant & Other Stories) SHORT STORY: “Immersion” by Aliette de Bodard (Clarkesworld 6/12) RAY BRADBURY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMATIC PRESENTATION: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin (director), Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Abilar (writers), (Journeyman/Cinereach/Court 13/Fox Searchlight) ANDRE NORTON AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY BOOK: Fair Coin, E.C. Myers (Pyr) 2011 DAMON KNIGHT GRAND MASTER AWARD: Gene Wolfe SOLSTICE AWARD: Carl Sagan and Ginjer Buchanan KEVIN O’DONNELL JR. SERVICE TO SFWA AWARD: Michael H. Payne While some of our favorites didn’t win, we are very happy with the range of diversity across the winning titles. Congrats to all the winners! And speaking of winners… Giveaway Winners: We have a few giveaways to close out! The winner of the Nebula Showcase is… Matthew The winner of a copy of The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey is… Mary Preston And the winner of our second Resurrectionist giveaway is… Lexi Congratulations to all the winners! You know the drill – contact us directly (contact AT thebooksmugglers DOT com) with your snail mail address and we will get your winnings out to you as soon as possible! This Week on The Book Smugglers: On Monday, to celebrate the 50th anniversary and conclusion of the 7th cycle of Doctor Who, we have a big fat giveaway – a Doctor Who library including Plague of the Cybermen by Justin Richards, Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand, The Dalek Generation by Nicholas Briggs, plus a Classic Doctor Who DVD Giftpack: “Doctor Who: The Robots of Death,” “Doctor Who: The Ark in Space,” and “Doctor Who: Shada.” Tuesday, Ana reviews speculative fiction novel The Shambling Guide to New York City by Mur Lafferty. Then, it’s our second ever Old School Wednesday Readalong! We review and discuss The Naming by Allison Croggon. on Thursday, we are thrilled to be a part of The Wig in the Window blog tour! We have an interview with Kristen Kittscher, plus Thea’s review of the middle grade mystery novel. And on Friday, we close out the week with Ana’s review of Loki’s Wolves, meanwhile Thea is over at Kirkus. And that’s it from us today! Until tomorrow we remain… Star Trek Into Darkness poster by Paul Shipper (via Blurppy) ~ Your Friendly Neighborhood Book Smugglers

We’re thrilled to congratulate Kim Stanley Robinson, whose 2312 won the Nebula Award for Best Novel of 2012. Visit our 2312 page to read an extract from the book and explore a visual guide to terraforming an asteroid. The Nebula Awards are selected and presented by the members of the SFWA, and honor the best in science fiction and fantasy across a number of categories. The awards were announced over the weekend at the Nebula Awards Banquet in San Jose, CA. Visit the SFWA for a complete list of the nominees and winners. The post 2312 Wins the 2012 Nebula Award for Best Novel appeared first on Orbit Books | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy.

Above is the cover for what to me is the most anticipated super-anthology of the year, Dangerous Women. I've already mentioned all the contributors, but seeing many of them listed there does give me goosebumps. Especially knowing how many of these will connect to the novel worlds of many of the writers. While I do like the general look, it looks a bit just too that--general, but then again so was Warrirors which this is a companion volume to. Maybe Tor was concerned with ending up with a chain mail bikini girl so they went safe. Still I would have thought this would have been a good opportunity to show a strong, dangerous woman on a Fantasy cover with out the awkward poses or unrealistic accouterments. Dangerous Women will be out in early December. Get your Christmas lists ready. You Might Also Like: Joe Abercrombie Interviews George R.R. MartinART | A New Look to GRRM's A Song of Ice & FireGUEST POST | Ekaterina Sedia on Anthology EditingREVIEW | The Way of Kings by Brandon SandersonAUTHOR INTERVIEW | Lev Grossman author of The MagiciansREVIEW | Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes

Review Glen Chapman 19 May 2013 - 19:00 Maron maintains its initial promise by delivering great performances, skilful writing, and real emotional heft in its third episode... This review contains spoilers. 1.3 Marc's Dad “The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.” For better or worse, I'm sure this is a concept that most of us have had to come to terms with over the years. Fortunately for Marc Maron, he has the platform of his show to air grievances and confront his issues with his father without necessarily doing it face to face.  If the preceding two episodes have both demonstrated levels of emotional catharsis and showed the gradual growth of the character and indeed, of Maron as a person, this episode is the most personal to date.  Maron's strained relationship with his father was brought up in last week's episode with a meltdown towards the end where he bemoaned the lack of a responsible father figure to guide him into adulthood. This week we get to meet his dad who is played wonderfully by Judd Hirsch, the legendary actor famed for his role in Taxi. The fact that Hirsch nails the material so expertly is testament to his incredible ability as an actor. He completely gets the role and the relationship and the similarities between him and Maron both visually and in terms of mannerisms and demeanour are striking at times.  We feel the presence of the character of Marc's dad way before he appears as he has had his mail forwarded to his son's address so that it'll be there waiting for him when he turns up unannounced in a camper van armed with a 'get rich quick' scheme but little to no interest in his son's well-being. His scheme involves selling vitamins imported from China that apparently increase virility but which haven't been FDA approved and cause podcast guest Jeff Garlin to have an averse reaction later in the episode.  Numerous similarities are drawn between Marc and his Dad throughout the episode, in the aforementioned physical manner but also in how they're both essentially selfish and antagonistic people. Both of their career directions have similarities also; both are pretty much at rock bottom and going down a path that few can see the benefit of, but which their maverick sensibility compels them to explore.  It's clear the influence his dad's behaviour had on Marc, for better or worse, and the manner in which it is addressed is testament to Marc and his writing team's skill. It feels incredibly natural and emotional. I can't imagine it will go down overly well with the Maron family and will place further strain on an already challenging relationship, but it's clear that the catharsis from getting this off his chest is incredibly important. This week's episode is directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, who is no stranger to directing stories featuring outsider characters with complex family issues so in this first of a three episode run that he's directing, he gets the chance to establish his style and have fun with the material whilst still honouring the show's format. The latter doesn't allow for a tremendous amount of directorial flourishes but the framing of shots and and performances elicited from the cast are really excellent here.  Maron's performance in the episode is the best of the series so far, he gets away with the opening address to the camera, which could have easily have come across as hack, and throughout the episode his interactions are all very real and believable. The undercurrent of irritation that permeates his performance in the episode really enhances the material. It's so much more than simply reading lines and acting as an exaggerated version of himself here, he's living this character and making you believe in the relationships portrayed.  I'm finding it hard to pick fault with the series to date, it is a new show that's finding its

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAIiaE4ksiA An Excerpt from the Q&A after Much Ado About Nothing; the Seattle International Film Festival's Opening Night Film. Joss Whedon explains why it wasn't bad shooting in his own home and the actor's weigh in on their favorite moments of the film.

Our third piece of audio fiction for May is "(R + D) /I = M" written by E. Catherine Tobler and read by Kate Baker. Subscribe to our podcast.

This week, Drizzt Do’Urden again. Frankly, it’s fertile ground. Drizzt: This week, whilst roaming in the city with my good friend Bruenor Battlehammer (he is a dwarven king, as those I speak to seem to somehow intuit when I have but mentioned his name… doubtless it is his well-justified fame) we came  upon a number of suspicious-looking characters lurking in the shadows beside by a tanner’s shop. This was most suspicious, as the odor emanating from the establishment was such that it triggered a flashback to my woeful days in Menzoberranzan, ere my liberation to the sweetness and friendship of my surface life, tainted though it ever is and shall be by my drow features. Oh, can one elf alone redeem the reputation of his race? Would such redemption, even sweet, be of any true value in the passage of time, as the legacy of evil of my kindred only perpetuates further atrocity against which I must strive? What was I talking about? Oh, yes. Suspicious fellows. Bruenor, seeing us outnumbered, immediately inquired as to the whereabouts of that noble Guenhwyvar who has been my faithful companion these many years. “Fear not, mighty Bruenor,” I replied. “Guenhywvar’s eyes are upon us, even if ours cannot return their protective gaze!” (note: R.A. Salvatore actually wrote this line). Shortly following my statement, I was somehow mistaken for a flamboyant thespian and bundled away to a community theater and a dismal production of that well-known play King Learzinozatazzitazz’kariconibzzzzz. Why do these things keep happening to me? Bill: This week I finished Jay Lake‘s GREEN trilogy by reading Endurance and Kalimpura. Both novels, and the trilogy as a whole, disappointed, unfortunately. I also read Robert J. Sawyer‘s Red Planet Blues, also disappointing. Luckily, the week ended on a good note via Ian McEwan‘s latest, Sweet Tooth, which was enjoyable all the way through and ended smashingly. Here’s hoping the ratio tips in the other direction next week. On a non-literary note, but just because it’s still in the arts and I’m so excited about it, I’m looking forward to today’s viewing of Terence Malick’s latest film, To the Wonder. Brad: This week I started PKD‘s Valis, which is very funny and perhaps his best work stylistically. I continue to dip into short stories and essays by Harlan Ellison. I am also enjoying my first novel by Mike Carey, The Devil You Know. Carey is primarily a comic book writer and has written Hellblazer as well as the long-running Lucifer in its entirety. Lucifer is a spin-off of Sandman, and it often reaches the same greatness in both artwork and writing. The Devil You Know fits in the same category as the Harry Dresden novels from what I can tell. I am also continuing to enjoy Of Human Bondage by Maugham using Amazon’s Immersion Reading technology. On Audiobook, I’m rereading Gaiman‘s The Graveyard Book with my daughter and Neverwhere by myself.  I’ve also started listening to Bradbury‘s The Golden Apples of the Sun. In nonfiction, I’ve been reading In Praise of Slowness and two excellent works on education by Ken Bain: What the Best College Students Do and What the Best College Teachers Do. I highly recommend the first one which is NOT a self-help book. It is a book about how all of us who love to learn approach new knowledge. It’s about ways of thinking and not about how to take tests well or make good grades. It is about intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation (like grades and money). I’ve also been reading essays on PKD in the highly recommended Philip K. Dick and Philosophy from the incredible series Pop Culture and Philosophy.  In the world of comics, I’m reading Ultra: Seven Days by the Luna Brothers. That’s about it. No, I think there’s a crime novel I started, too. Anyway, I obviously like starting books more than I lik

*Insane. *Of course the music sounds terrible when you laser-cut it into some random sheet of whatever’s in the hackerlab, but what good taste in the choice of music. http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Cut-Record/ “A few months back, I wrote about how I used a 3D printer to transform any mp3 into a physical record. Though all the documentation for that project is available here, and the 3D models could potentially be printed through an online fabrication service, I knew that the barrier to entry for normal people interested in trying out the process themselves was prohibitively high. With this project I wanted to try to extend the idea of digitally fabricated records to use relatively common and affordable machines and materials so that (hopefully) more people can participate, experiment, and actually use all this documentation I’ve been writing. “These records were cut on an Epilog 120 Watt Legend EXT to a theoretical precision of 1200dpi (the kerf of the cut and some tricks I used to avoid crashing the laser cutter dropped the actual precision down by ~1/6). The audio on the records has a bit depth between 4-5 (typical mp3 audio is 16 bit) and a sampling rate up to about 4.5kHz (mp3 is 44.1kHz). So far I’ve successfully cut audio on wood (figs 1-2), acrylic (figs 3-4), and paper (figs 5-6), and I’m sure there are many more materials that would work. I wrote the Processing sketch that generates the record cutting paths so that it can be modified for any song, material, cutting machine, record size, and turntable speed (skip ahead to download the code and learn how to make your own records). “You should also note that in this Instructable I’ll demonstrate specifically how I used a laser cutter for this process, but the cutting files I’m using are standard vector graphics in a PDF format, so they can be extended to many other digital fabrication tools. For example, I’m curious to see if it’s possible to use a CNC mill or a CNC razor blade paper cutter with my cutting files (a group of people were able to cut out some sine waves on paper using a Cameo in this Instructable). “Below are some of my final results, read on to see how they were made and how you can make your own….”

*Hey, I really like the flex-cable table-mounting devices. I wonder where they got those. Published on May 15, 2013 Hermaton is an augmented reality exploration game designed as a large scale spatial installation, which follows from our initial architectural prototype for “Grid”. Although available at table top versions, the premise of this project lies in its capacity to harness augmented reality as a spatial medium which transcends mere visualisation and enters a dialogue between physical and digital space. The large scale of the installation allows a greater understanding of how augmented reality can affect us at an architectural level and change the way we inhabit and perceive the built environment. The project uses a buzz wire maze which people can navigate through in real-time, attempting to interact with the digital objects of the “Hermaton” machine. The design of this environment provides both an interactive and performance space which allows the user to fully immerse in a new augmented physical landscape. The AR system is enlarged to occupy an entire room by covering each wall with trackable markers which can be experienced on both Android and ios devices. The prototype was developed using Vuforia Augmented Reality SDK and Unity3d. A table top version is available below: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/herma… https://play.google.com/store/apps/de…. For more information about this project please visit: http://www.darfdesign.com/132812/1318… http://www.darfdesign.com/132812/1318702/gallery/hermaton