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Your Xmas 2008 SFcrowsnest issue is enclosed
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SFcrowsnest
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Nov 30, 2008 06:59 PST
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STEPHEN HUNT'S SFCROWSNEST.COM
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com | Issue 181. December 2008.
"The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the
law."
- Aristotle. (317 B.C.)
November 2008 circulation was: 751,852 readers, who read 3.40 million
articles, generating 42.0 million hits.
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+++ ARTICLES FOR DECEMBER 2008
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QUANTUM OF SOLACE (MARK'S TAKE)
Picking up just after where the Casino Royale movie left off, James Bond
is involved in trying to find the people behind the death of his beloved
Vesper. This is a decent spy thriller on an adult level, says our Mark.
The tone is downbeat, but it is still one of the best in the series.
Marc Forster's action scenes could be more coherent, but he is better
with the dramatic material.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13302.php
IN TUNE WITH CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
For Uncle Geoff, re-watching the three versions of the film 'Close
Encounters Of The Third Kind' raised some odd questions regarding first
contact with an alien species visiting Earth, assuming director/writer
Stephen Spielberg isn't too far off the mark with how humans would
react. Logistically, an alien species would not be exactly world
conquerors nor even wishing to impart their knowledge or wisdom to the
primitive apes that populate this planet.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13368.php
THE RUCKUS ABOUT PLUTO
Mark recently got into a discussion with an older science fiction fan
about Pluto. He had brought it up jokingly saying the ninth planet was
now supposedly no longer a planet.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13369.php
WHY SCIENCE FICTION NEEDS A LITTLE MAGIC
Mark's wife Evelyn has been reading the book Beyond Star Trek by
Lawrence M. Krauss. Krauss is the author of The Physics of Star Trek, in
which he looks at the science of Star Trek from the point of view of a
physicist. He is not just a physicist...
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13371.php
UPCOMING 2009 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION BOOK RELEASES - PART II
Back in August 2008, the Fantasy Book Critic posted an article that
showcased his pick of the best upcoming 2009 book releases. That
spotlight really only scratched the surface of what 2009 had to offer
though, so now he is back with Part Two, which is a little bigger, and
hopefully, better. So enjoy, and please note that all release dates are
subject to change and that any covers depicted are not necessarily the
final version.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13372.php
UPCOMING 2009 FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION BOOK RELEASES - PART III
And here's the 3rd and final part of The Fantasy Book Critic's look at
the best upcoming 2009 book releases for the scifi and fantasy genre.
There's a few SFF novels here that will be on our reading list for next
year, that's for sure.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13373.php
| | | | Got an article for us? Send your submissions to arti-@sfcrowsnest.com
|
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
+++ EDITORIAL
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NOSTALGIA IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT APPEARS BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS
Something I give some thought to occasionally is how the past can seem
better than the present. Granted there is a habit of remembering only
the good things not the bad from our childhood. As youngsters, when
we're experiencing things the first time around we have nothing to
compare it to so its no wonder we feel golden-eyed about it.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/features/arc/2008/nz13370.php
DO YOU LIKE CURLING UP AND READING A BOOK?
Do you have a preference for fantasy, SF or horror? Do you find it the
greatest pastime you have next to being on your computer? Are you very
vocal about what you like and don't like in what you read? Would you
like to share your thoughts with others about books? Would you like an
endless supply of books to do this with? Do you live in the UK?
If you've been nodding your head up to this point then link in below and
see if you have what it takes to be a reviewer at SFCrowsnest. If you
have that special knack to read and write or want to develop said skill
then the only way you're going to find out is to take the plunge
yourself rather than wait for others to do it first. It's got to be
better than waiting for the sun to come out. Check out our recruitment
procedures through the following link and let me decide if you have what
it takes.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/contribute.php
- gfwill-@hotmail.com
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+++ REVIEWS FOR DECEMBER 2008
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<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>
<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>> The Rise of the Iron Moon <<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>
<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>
Stephen Hunt's third fantasy novel set in the Jackelian world...
THE RISE OF THE IRON MOON
From the author of The Court of the Air and The Kingdom Beyond the Waves
comes a thrilling new adventure set in the same Victorian-style world.
Born into captivity as a product of the Royal Breeding House, friendless
orphan Purity Drake suddenly finds herself on the run with a foreign
vagrant from the North after accidentally killing one of her guards. Her
strange rescuer claims he is on the run himself from terrible forces who
mean to enslave the Kingdom of Jackals as they conquered his own nation.
Purity doubts his story, until reports begin to filter through from
Jackals' neighbours of the terrible Army of Shadows, marching across the
continent and sweepign all before them. But there's more to Purity than
meets the eye.
As Jackals girds itself for war against an army of near-unkillable
beasts serving an ancient evil with a terrible secret, it soon becomes
clear that their only hope is a strange little royalist girl and the
last, desperate plan of an escaped slave.
Available for pre-order now on Amazon - click here.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0007232225?ie=UTF8&tag=scienficticrowst&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0007232225
<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>
<<<<<>>>>>> BOOK, COMIC, MAGAZINE & DVD REVIEWS <<<<<>>>>>>
<<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>><<<<<>>>>>>
A Companion Of Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13361.php
Ace Of Wands
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13354.php
Bernice Summerfield: Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel by Jim Smith
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13343.php
Bernice Summerfield: The Diet of Worms by Matthew Sweet
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13342.php
By Schism Rent Asunder audio book by David Weber
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13350.php
Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons DVD Boxset
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13362.php
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind 30th Anniversary Edition
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13340.php
Conversions
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13334.php
Damewood: Demons Of The Past by Erin Durante
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13360.php
Doctor Who: Brotherhood of the Daleks by Alan Barnes
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13339.php
Doctor Who by Kim Newman
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13364.php
Doctor Who: The Companion Chronicles: The Doll Of Death by Marc Platt
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13338.php
Fast Ships, Black Sails edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13366.php
God Emperor Of Dune audio book by Frank Herbert
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13357.php
Juggler Of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13365.php
Modesty Blaise: Green Cobra by Peter O'Donnell, John Burns and Pat
Wright
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13351.php
Murky Depths # 6
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13356.php
Nocturne by Angela Cameron
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13346.php
Orphanage (Jason Wander series book 1) by Robert Buettner
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13341.php
Perfect Circle by Carlos J. Cortes
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13344.php
Reading Science Fiction edited by James Gunn, Marleen S. Barr & Matthew
Candelaria
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13355.php
Scars On The Face Of God: The Devil's Bible by C.G. Bauer
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13349.php
Second World by Eddie Shah
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13363.php
Spaceship Away Parts 1-5 Autumn 2003 - Spring 2008
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13345.php
Tenerife - Tall Tales with a Twist in the Tail: A Collection Of
Speculative Stories by Tony Thorne MBE
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13348.php
The Book Of The Damned: The Collected Works Of Charles Fort
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13337.php
The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia by Stephen J. Sansweet, Pablo
Hidalgo, Bob Vitas, Daniel Wallace, Josh Kushins, Chris Cassidy and Mary
Franklin
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13336.php
The Cracked Throne (The Throne Of Amenkor book 2) by Joshua Palmatier
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13359.php
The Invaders: The First Season
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13347.php
The Path of Daggers (The Wheel Of Time volume 8) audio book by Robert
Jordan
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13335.php
The Red Country (Book 3 of The Rihannar Chronicles) by Sylvia Kelso
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13352.php
Winterstrike by Liz Williams
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13358.php
Writing Fiction: Creative And Critical Approaches by Amanda Boulter
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2008/nz13353.php
| | | | Got a review for us? Send your submissions to revi-@sfcrowsnest.com
|
|
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+++ Stephen Hunt's THE KINGDOM BEYOND THE WAVES - Paperback out now
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Professor Amelia Harsh is obsessed with finding the lost civilisation of
Camlantis, a legendary city from pre-history that is said to have
conquered hunger, war and disease -- tempering the race of man's baser
instincts by the creation of the perfect pacifist society.
It is an obsession that is to cost her dearly. She returns home to the
Kingdom of Jackals from her latest archaeological misadventure to
discover that the university council has finally stripped her of her
position in retaliation for her heretical research. Without official
funding, Amelia has no choice but to accept the offer of patronage from
the man she blames for her father's bankruptcy and suicide, the fiercely
intelligent and incredibly wealthy Abraham Quest.
He has an ancient crystal-book that suggests the Camlantean ruins are
buried under one of the sea-like lakes that dot the murderous jungles of
Liongeli. Amelia undertakes an expedition deep into the dark heart of
the jungle, blackmailing her old friend Commodore Black into ferrying
her along the huge river of the Shedarkshe on his ancient u-boat.
With an untrustworthy crew of freed convicts, Quest's force of female
mercenaries on board and a lunatic steamman safari hunter acting as
their guide, Amelia's luck can hardly get any worse. But she's as yet
unaware that her quest for the perfect society is about to bring her own
world to the brink of destruction!
HARDBACK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007232209/ref=nosim/scienficticrowst
PAPERBACK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingdom-Beyond-Waves-Stephen-Hunt/dp/0007232217
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+++ DAILY NEWS UPDATES FOR DECEMBER 2008
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Battlestar Galactica peeks
There's plenty of online trailers featuring sneak peeks of the new, and
sadly last, series of Battlestar Galactica. Man, Earth looks kind of a
mess, doesn't it?
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13330.php
Belfast dashes for science fiction
Science fiction store the Forbidden Planet are running a competition
with a chance to win a thousand pound shopping dash in the Belfast FPI
store.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13331.php
Zeno Agency sets up shop for sci-fi authors
Literary agent John Richard Parker, formerly with MBA for thirty years,
has combined forces with SFRevu.com reviewer John Berlyne to set up a
new literary agency for fantasy and science fiction authors. The Zeno
Agency will specialise in various genres - e.g. literary and crime, but
will have a particular focus on scifi.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13332.php
BBC One to remake The Day Of The Triffids
Originally written in 1951 by science fiction author John Wyndham, The
Day Of The Triffids will be adapted by Patrick Harbinson (of ER, and Law
and Order fame), who will reboot John Wyndham's scifi novel for
television. The two part 90-minute drama will be produced by Power and
hit our TV screens in 2009.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13333.php
Peter F Hamilton, China Mieville and Neal Asher hit the iPhone
Pan Macmillan are releasing Pan Macmillan' sci-fi titles on Lexcycle's
Stanza electronic book reader for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13328.php
Twilight gets a sequel: New Moon
Summit Studio is moving forward with the production of New Moon, the
follow-up to Twilight, their vampire love-story horror film. The movie
will be based on the second novel in author Stephenie Meyer's Twilight
series also called, naturally enough, New Moon.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13324.php
I'm not Lost
The scifi TV series Lost gets a new online trailer to please the fans.
The next series is returning to the US the end of January 2009, we
understand.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13325.php
Firstworld
The new science fiction wovel Firstworld, by horror author Jemiah
Jefferson is available from Underland Press. Yes you read right, it's a
wovel, not a novel.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13326.php
The Rise of the Iron Moon
The Rise of the Iron Moon makes it onto the list of most anticipated
fantasy novels over at the Fantasy Book Critic's web site.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13327.php
One for the Fanboys: The Swap
Do you admire the comic-book guy from The Simpsons? Then this is the
movie for you. Columbia is set to please sci-fi fans with the tale of a
hapless comic-book dealer's adventures. Columbia Pictures has lined up
the writing team of Tim and Tom Mullen to adapt the novel The Swap by
Antony Moore for the screen, SFcrowsnest.com hears from Doug Belgrad and
Matt Tolmach (presidents of Columbia Pictures).
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13323.php
Astro Boy trailer
A little teaser-ette for the animated sci-fi movie coming our way in
2009 from Imagi Animation Studios.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13319.php
SCI FI taps Kevin Beardslee
World of Warcraft's Kevin Beardslee signs up along with Peter 'Medium'
Egan to join the SCI FI Channel in writing the pilot episode for their
new interconnected TV show/game production.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13320.php
The ice-cold glaciers of Mars
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has revealed vast Martian glaciers of
water ice under protective blankets of rocky debris at much lower
latitudes than any ice previously identified on the Red Planet.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13321.php
2007 Chesley Awards Winners are announced
The ASFA has reported the winners of the 2007 Chesley Awards for best
science fiction, fantasy and horror art. Voting was, we are told, very
close this year and several of the awards came down to decimal point
differences in the final rankings. The Chesley Awards use a ranked
ballot.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13322.php
Gearhead
Gale Anne Hurd's Valhalla Motion Pictures has closed a deal for the film
rights to produce a movie based on the graphic novel Gearhead, which
Hurd will produce. Gearhead was created by Dennis Hopeless and Kevin
Mellon and published by Arcana Comics. In Gearhead, a young woman teams
up with a group of rebels to fight the corrupt superheroes who govern
the United States. She must rise to the challenge of her destiny and
become, yes, Gearhead.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13316.php
Walter Jon Williams talks to space beings (true)
Doctor Dolittle could talk to the animals, but science fiction author
Walter Jon Williams talked to a being in outer space recently.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13317.php
My Name is Bruce trailer
Here's the amusing online trailer for My Name Is Bruce, a new horror
movie, directed by and starring Bruce Campbell, and penned by Mark
Verheiden. The film is a bit of a knowing nod to his Evil Dead series,
with Ted Raimi, Sam Raimi's brother, starring in this film too.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13318.php
X-Men drops the oldies
Twentieth Century Fox wants its next X-Men movie, X-Men First Class, to
feature a new much younger set of mutants. It's going all yoof, with
Gossip Girl and Chuck creator Josh Schwartz set to write the film.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13308.php
Race to Witch Mountain trailer
Race to Witch Mountain is a reboot of the original 1975 film Escape to
Witch Mountain, with this new scifi movie due be released on March 13th
2009.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13309.php
How to Live on Mars
There's a new book coming out December 3rd 2008, called How to Live on
Mars: A Trusty Guide Book to Surviving and Thriving on the Red Planet.
It's part non-fiction with real science content, and part survival guide
in the How to Survive a Robot Uprising-style.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13310.php
The Adamantine Palace
Susan Howe, Rights Director at Orion, has sold US rights in three dragon
fantasies by UK scifi novelist Stephen Deas to Ginjer Buchanan of
Berkley Ace in a very good deal. The first book will be published in
hardback in 2009.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13311.php
In space, nobody can hear you Ping
NASA has tested the first deep space communications network on their new
interstellar internet. Working as part of a NASA-wide team, engineers
from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., used software
called Disruption-Tolerant Networking, or DTN, to transmit dozens of
space images to and from a NASA science spacecraft located about 20
million miles from Earth.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13312.php
The Sweet Scent of Blood
Susan Howe, Rights Director at Orion, has sold US rights in three urban
fantasies by UK novelist Suzanne McLeod to Ginjer Buchanan of Berkley
Ace in a good deal. The books will be published as mass-market paperback
originals, with the first appearing late in 2009 or early in 2010.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13313.php
Ender in Exile
Here's a video interview with scifi writer Orson Scott Card talking
about his sequel to Ender's Game, the new title called Ender in Exile.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13314.php
The Noise Within
John Jarrold has concluded a two-book deal for British SF writer Ian
Whates with Christian Dunn of Solaris, the mainstream genre imprint of
Games Workshop's science fiction publishing division, BL Publishing. The
first book, titled The Noise Within, is due for delivery in October 2009
and publication in 2010, with the sequel coming a year later. The deal
is for UK and US rights.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13315.php
Bibliophile Stalker interviews Stephen Hunt
Fantasy author Stephen Hunt falls into the clutches of the rather
scary-named Bibliophile Stalker - who actually turns out to be very
sweet when it comes to probing the inner reaches of Stephen's works such
as The Court of the Air and The Kingdom Beyond the Waves.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13306.php
Guillermo del Toro is a Champion
United Artists has told SFcrowsnest that Christopher McQuarrie of The
Usual Suspects, and Valkyrie fame is to write and produce the spy-fi
actioner The Champions along with his mate Guillermo del Toro. Tom
Cruise is to star in this scifi spy superhero film reboot.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13307.php
FaceBook hijack over: science fiction fans fight off hackers on FaceBook
After four days of being hijacked by FaceBook hackers, normal service is
restored on the science fiction FaceBook group owned by author Stephen
Hunt. Worryingly, FaceBook show not a clue that a deep-level hack of
their service has even occurred.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13301.php
Sci-Fi Art: A Graphic History
Science fiction has always been about visions as much as ideas, and a
new illustrated book, Sci-Fi Art: A Graphic History, surveys the
landmarks of the sci-fi arts over the last 150 years. It is coming out
January 2009.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13303.php
Harry Potter VI trailer
Here's the movie trailer for the next film-like outing of everyone's
favourite boy wizard with specs. Some say Harry looks like a young
Stephen Hunt, but that's just cruel.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13304.php
The scifi vista from the Book View Cafe
There's been a launch of a new web site for about twenty genre authors
who are working cooperatively together to publish via the internet,
called Book View Cafe. It has gone live with a new story by the queen of
scifi, Ursula Le Guin, with her artwork as well, illustrating fiction by
Vonda McIntyre.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13305.php
It's here: Star Trek trailer
The second trailer for the J. J. Abrams version Star Trek science
fiction movie. Chris Pine takes the Kirk role at Starfleet Academy, with
Heroes' Zachary Quinto as Spock, fighting time travelling Romulans who
are messing about with history.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13297.php
Sword and Sorceress XXIII
Norilana Books is publishing Marion Zimmer Bradley's Sword and Sorceress
XXIII edited by Elisabeth Waters, the twenty-third volume of the fantasy
anthology series featuring stories of fantasy women, warriors and
power-wielders, who act to change their worlds with magic and sword.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13298.php
Hubble catches a planet orbiting a star
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has taken the first visible-light snapshot
of a planet circling another star. Estimated to be no more than three
times Jupiter's mass, the planet, called Fomalhaut b, orbits the bright
southern star Fomalhaut, located 25 light-years away in the
constellation Piscis Australis, or the Southern Fish.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13299.php
FaceBook hijack of science fiction group
In the first major hack of the new upgraded FaceBook system, The
SFcrowsnest.com Magazine FaceBook group is hijacked by FaceBook spammers
who steal it away from the group's real owners - SFcrowsnest - and use
it to send out the usual trashy marketing rubbish to thousands of scifi
fan members.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13300.php
The Court of the Air: Under the bridge
Stephen Hunt's first fantasy/scifi novel, The Court of the Air (US
edition) gets a review from the Books under the Bridge blog. And yes,
they liked it.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13283.php
Second Watchmen trailer
Reach for your popcorn, people. Here's the second trailer for the
Watchmen movie - based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore, and Dave
Gibbons on art.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13284.php
Sanctuary, Sanctuary
The US SCIFI Channel has given the nod to production on a second season
of Sanctuary, their new fantasy horror TV series, ordering 13 new hours.
Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest crossed with Buffy, and you have
the basic concept for this light but fun series.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13285.php
Science fiction novel Brasyl in line for a prize
Northern Ireland scifi writer Ian McDonald has been nominated for the
£50,000 Warwick Prize for Writing for his novel Brasyl which explores a
range of alternative reality past, future and present Brazils.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13286.php
Uber-science fiction fan Forrest J Ackerman update
Forrest J Ackerman's close friend and caregiver, Joe Moe, has written
into SFcrowsnest.com to give us an update on the world's greatest living
scifi fan.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13287.php
Bryony makes a zombie
Bryony Makes A Zombie Movie tells the story of YouTube star Bryony
Matthewman's attempts to pull together a user-generated zombie movie.
Their efforts forms the basis of the half-hour documentary, which is due
to screen in the UK on BBC Three at 11.45pm on Sunday 16th November
2008.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13288.php
2012 trailer
The first online trailer for 2012, Roland - Independence Day -
Emmerich's upcoming post-apocalyptic science fiction movie for Columbia
Pictures with a cast that numbers John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny
Glover, Thandie Newton and Woody Harrelson among its stars.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13289.php
Universal to work with Dark Horse
Universal Pictures and Dark Horse Entertainment have just done a major
deal to set-up a movie studio for all of Dark Horse's fantasy,
superhero, horror and scifi comics-books going forward.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13290.php
The Clan Corporate
Scifi author Charles Stross will be signing copies of The Clan
Corporate, his new book in the Merchant Princes series, at Waterstone's
West End, 128 Princes Street, Edinburgh on Thursday 11th December 2008
at 6pm.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13291.php
Fanboys
Trailer for a road-movie set in 1998, featuring a group of geeks
planning to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal an early print of Star
Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, for one of their number dying of
cancer who wants to catch the movie before his death. William Shatner
blames George Lucas for the death of the Trek franchise, and vows to
help them in their quest!
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13292.php
Goodby, Mars Phoenix
NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has ceased communications after operating for
more than five months. As anticipated, seasonal decline in sunshine at
the robot's arctic landing site is not providing enough sunlight for the
solar arrays to collect the power necessary to charge batteries that
operate the lander's instruments.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13293.php
Crossover
Pyr, a science fiction and fantasy imprint of Prometheus Books, will
publish Crossover: A Cassandra Kresnov Novel in the premium mass market
paperback format. Premium mass market paperbacks are taller than the
traditional premium mass market size, allowing for improved readability
and cover image area.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13294.php
SFSFC awards their SMOFCon scholarship
San Francisco Science Fiction Conventions has awarded a scholarship of
$500 to Heather Stern to attend the SMOFCon convention-runners
convention in Columbus OH this year over the weekend of December 5-7,
2008.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13295.php
The Judging Eye
Following his Prince of Nothing trilogy, fantasy and scifi author R.
Scott Bakker returns to the world of Eärwa with The Judging Eye.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13296.php
Forrest J Ackerman - dead or alive
Locus is running a new story saying that science fiction and fantasy
editor Forrest J Ackerman is dead - so did the British Fantasy Society,
before posting a retraction saying that, no, he's still alive. Update:
Alex Paige confirms Forrest is still thankfully with us.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13281.php
Shine, Jetse, Shine
Scifi publisher Solaris will be launching a new anthology from
ex-Interzone editor Jetse De Vries. Shine is a science fiction
collection of near-future and optimistic stories, where authors portray
the possible roads to a better tomorrow.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13282.php
King of the scifi thriller, Michael Crichton, dies of cancer
The very talented master of the science fiction thriller, Michael
Crichton, has now sadly passed away of cancer. Steven Spielberg and
Stephen Hunt give their remembrances.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13279.php
Tales from Obamalot
Kennedy's administration was known as Camelot, and now the world's
science fiction and fantasy fans have voted for their choice of name for
Barack Obama's upcoming years of rule, choosing a name with echoes of
the Kennedy age, Avalon.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13280.php
Survivors
Survivors is a new six-part BBC One science fiction drama series
starring Julie Graham, Max Beesley, Paterson Joseph, Zoë Tapper, Phillip
Rhys, Nikki Amuka-Bird and Freema Agyeman. The drama is Adrian Hodges's
(aka Ruby In The Smoke, Shadow In The North, Charles II and Primeval)
latest work, remaking the 1970s Terry Nation sci-fi classic. SFcrowsnest
looks at this work of post-plague TV fiction and interviews the actors,
including Doctor Who's Freema Agyeman.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13271.php
Kirill
A new web-only science fiction TV series is hitting the internet, and
it's name is Kirill. See episode one on SFcrowsnest.com.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13272.php
Vertigo Encyclopedia
DK has given Forbidden Planet International five copies of the new
Vertigo Encyclopedia to give away in a competition - it's a nice
hardback a-z reference of DC's mature readers imprint, from Preacher to
Sandman, Swamp Thing, Transmetropolitan and the one-offs and limited
series like Pride of Baghdad, Industrial Gothic and the like.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13273.php
David Talon and Philip Nero
The Ghost in the Machine podcast, hosted by fantasy author Gail Z.
Martin is interviewing authors David Talon (The Last Guardian of Mosh
Chaltun) and Philip A. Nero (Twice Upon a Time).
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13274.php
Monsters vs. Aliens trailer
First online trailer for Monsters versus Aliens, a new animated science
fiction movie from DreamWorks.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13275.php
Ender in Exile
Sci-fi author Orson Scott Card is about to publish a new Ender novel,
Ender in Exile.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13276.php
Being Human returns
The dark fantasy/horror TV series Being Human is coming back to BBC 3
for a whole six-part series.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13277.php
Dollhouse
Here's the new trailer for Dollhouse, Buffy creator Joss Whedon's new
scifi series on US television. It's kind of like the old Joe 90 TV
series, but with more attractive secret agents and adult themes.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13278.php
Preacher gets the movie treatment
Columbia Pictures has purchased the rights to the dark fantasy graphic
novel Preacher to be adapted into a feature film directed by Sam Mendes
and produced by Neal Moritz through his Original Films banner and
Kickstart Productions' Jason Netter.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13269.php
Angry Robot rampages on web
The new British science fiction imprint Angry Robot has just opened the
doors on its first web site. News of their first scifi novels and signed
authors etc is promised soon.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13270.php
A Matter of Loaf And Death
Christmas 2008, and Wallace And Gromit fans will be treated to the odd
fantasy pairing's latest adventure in the BBC One premiere of A Matter
Of Loaf And Death.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13267.php
Premonitions: Causes For Alarm
Here comes a new magazine-anthology of science fiction, horror stories,
and genre poetry, called Premonitions: Causes For Alarm. It's in A5
paperback format, with 57,000 words of writing.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2008/nz13268.php
Got news for us? Send your press releases to
pressre-@sfcrowsnest.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Stephen Hunt's +++ THE COURT OF THE AIR +++
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
When streetwise Molly Templar witnesses a brutal murder at the brothel
she has recently been apprenticed to, her first instinct is to run back
to the poorhouse where she grew up. But there she finds her fellow
orphans butchered, and it slowly dawns on her that she was the real
target of the attack. For Molly carries a secret deep in her blood, a
secret that marks her out for destruction by enemies of the state.
Oliver brooks has led a sheltered existence in the backwater home of his
merchant uncle. But when he is framed for his only relative's murder he
is forced to flee for his life, accompanied by a agent of the mysterious
Court of the Air. Chased across the country, Oliver finds himself in the
company of thieves, outlaws and spies, and gradually learns more about
the secret that has blighted his life.
Soon Molly and Oliver will find themselves battling a grave threat to
civilisation, an ancient power thought to have been quelled millennia
ago.
Their enemies are ruthless and myriad, but indomitable friends in this
endlessly inventive tale full of drama, intrigue and adventure also aid
the two orphans.
"An inventive, ambitious work, full of wonders and marvels."
- THE TIMES newspaper: May 7, 2007 (Review: Hardback edition, The Court
of the Air)
"Hunt can take his place alongside such eminent Magratheans as JRR
Tolkien, Mervyn Peake and China Mieville. Creating a fully realised
other-world which feels new and different, yet cohesive and believable
is half the battle in a fantasy novel, and it is a battle Hunt wins with
honours... Hunt's world is so rich and colourful it keeps you engrossed
... It's a confident audacious novel."
- SFX magazine: DECEMBER 2008 (Review: Hardback edition, The Court of
the Air)
"The characters are convincing and colourful, but the real achievement
is the setting, a hellish take on Victorian London where grim,
steam-driven machines work beside citizens with magical powers. The
Court of the Air is aimed at young adults, but the depth and complexity
of Hunt's vision makes it compulsive reading for all ages."
- THE GUARDIAN newspaper: May 21st 2007 (Review: Hardback edition, The
Court of the Air)
'Wonderfully assured ... Hunt knows what his audience like and gives it
to them with a sardonic wit and carefully developed tension'
TIME OUT magazine: October 2007 (Review: Paperback edition, The Court of
the Air)
Click here for free sample chapters...
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/author/sh_courtoftheair_home.php
@@@ HARDBACK (USA edition coming DECEMBER 2008)
NEW - Tor's U.S. edition hardcover - Amazon USA
http://www.amazon.com/Court-Air-Stephen-Hunt/dp/0765320428/
@@@ PAPERBACK (UK edition out now)
| | | | Order now from Amazon UK <<
|
|
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0007232187/ref=nosim/scienficticrowst
| | | | Order now from Amazon Canada <<
|
|
http://www.amazon.ca/Court-Air-Stephen-Hunt/dp/0007232187/
| | | | Order now from Amazon Japan <<
|
|
http://www.amazon.co.jp/Court-Air-Stephen-Hunt/dp/0007232187/
----------------------------------------------------------------------
+++ CALL FOR CONTRIBUTORS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the nice things about being online is that SFcrowsnest can
publish slightly off-the-wall material that would never find a home in a
highly targeted advertising-ruled print magazine world. An article we
always trot out as an example of this, is Uncle Geoff's piece about what
the heck fuel & engine combination the Thunderbirds craft might have
used in the classic 1960s TV series of the same name.
Let's face it, you're never going to read the likes of that in Analog,
Starlog, Starburst, Interzone or the rest of the print world's
publications! If there's an article inside you - could be continuity
errors in Andromeda, your latest work of short fiction, or just why you
think Iain Banks' novels are the greatest SF since a little man called
Verne put pen to paper - do drop Geoff a line below. Articles, fiction,
reviews and pieces you've already completed should ideally be submitted
as Microsoft Word attachments.
Contact Uncle Geoff in the rainy English countryside at
contrib-@sfcrowsnest.com
We still fund this puppy's bandwidth and other miscellaneous expenses
out of our own pocket, so the spirit of volunteerism is about the only
thing that keeps our happy ship in hyperspace. Any time, articles,
stories or reviews you can submit are always appreciated.
Current requirements: DECEMBER 2008
- short fiction
- articles
- comment pieces
- convention reports
- web site reviews
- book reviewers (see below)
- Television reviews ... Stargate, Andromeda, Trek etc
- Movie reviews
- Games reviews ... RPGs, scenarios, wargames etc
- SFF models and figures ... reviews, painting tips, scratchbuilds,
conversions
BTW, if you're interested in becoming a book or DVD reviewer, we'd
really, really (no, really) appreciate it if you were UK-based. Posting
out the hundred of goodies we get every week is an expensive business,
and extra airmail costs could lead to Geoff, Jessica, Mark and Steve
eating dog food in a crazed economy-drive of death. Of course, if you're
based in the US, Canada or Australia and you fancy reviewing your own
drip-feed of goodies resulting from your science fiction and fantasy
addiction, then that okay by us ... but we can't supply you ourselves!
Sorry.
-----------------------------------------
+++ ET AL
-----------------------------------------
Know of any science fiction and fantasy pals who don't yet receive this
fine monthly magazine? Forward it to them and let them quiver in awe of
your highly evolved and very discriminating SFF-loving taste. Then twist
the arms of the little blighters in a cruel-to-be-kind attempt to get
them to subscribe free too!
Add science fiction & fantasy to your Google Toolbar
http://toolbar.google.com/buttons/add?url=http://www.SFcrowsnest.com/googlebutton.xml
Not got Google Toolbar? Click here first...
http://toolbar.google.com/
SFcrowsnest Daily Sci-Fi News via RSS feed
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/rss.xml
| | | | | | OUR ONLINE COMMUNITIES <<<
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SFcrowsnest.com FaceBook Page (the Nest's community on FaceBook )
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=21093694832
Stephen Hunt's Rule Jackelia FaceBook Group (for FaceBook-based fans of
SH's novels)
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34257537930
Stephen Hunt FaceBook Page (SH's personal page for his FaceBook friends)
http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen_Hunt/767028254
Stephen Hunt's HiveMind Page (SH's personal page for his HiveMind
friends)
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/hivemind/profile.php?user=StephenHunt
Stephen Hunt's The Jackelians HiveMind Group (for HiveMind-based fans of
SH's novels)
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/hivemind/group.php?group_id=1
Content is copyright (c) 1991-2008 SFcrowsnest and/or its respective
contributors.
November 2008 circulation was: 751,852 readers, who read 3.40 million
articles, generating 42.0 million hits.
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