Blog Posts

Eric Brown to Head Abaddon's Weird Space Series

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Abaddon Books has announced a new shared-world space opera series called Weird Space.   The series is set to begin in Summer 2012 with Eric Brown’s The Devil’s Nebula as the opening installment. Here’s the synopsis for the series and Brown’s introductory novel: Starship Captain Ed Carew and his crew of two – ex-marine Lania Takiomar and ex-convict Gord Neffard – lead a carefree life of smuggling, gun-running and other illicit pursuits in a far future ruled by the fascistic Expansion Authority. But when an Expansion judiciary ship captures Carew and his crew leaving the planet of Hesperides, an out-of-bounds world governed now by the fearsome Vetch extraterrestrials, Carew, Takiomar and Neffard are sentenced to death… Unless they agree to travel through Vetch territory in pursuit of an human colony vessel which set off for the Devil’s Nebula one hundred years ago. But why are the Expansion authorities so eager to track down the ship, will Carew and co. survive the journey through Vetch territory – and what might they find when they arrive at the Devil’s Nebula? The Devil’s Nebula is the first book in a thrilling space opera series, Weird Space. An evil race is threatening not only the human Expansion, but the Vetch Empire, too – an evil from another dimension which infests humans and Vetch alike and bends individuals to do their hideous bidding. And only if humans and Vetch cooperate to fight off the fearsome Weird do they stand a chance of ensuring their survival… Sounds interesting, no?  And the cover is bloody gorgeous!  Good on Abaddon for taking a shot at space opera!

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

Episode 62 — An Interview w/ Daniel Polansky (the Literary Numismatist)

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http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow4.9–AnInterviewWDanielPolansky/Sandf–Episode4.9–InterviewWDanielPolansky.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSDaniel Polansky, author of Low Town, joins us for a riveting interview about his life in the Reformed Farm Animal Circus, in which he was known as the Great Fiddlestick. Okay, so that’s not really true.  Rather, in this episode, Daniel talks to us about his debut novel, a dark genre-bending noir monstrosity we could best describe as awesome, and other fun things, such as how his book can save the World Economy.  If you haven’t read Low Town, we highly recommend it.  It’s noir.  It’s New Weirdy.  It’s dark.  And it’s amazing. (Plus:  Daniel is a hoot.) Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 62 — Download (MP3) Intro and Interview w/ Daniel Polansky (0:00 – 58:02) Daniel’s Website (Because websites are cool…) Daniel’s Twitter (And so are Tweets…) Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0).  (We also borrowed a clip from the Ghostbusters Theme by Ray Parker, Jr.) That’s all, folks!  Thanks for listening.  See you next week.

Torture Cinema Polls

Torture Cinema Poll #4: Pick Our Next Movie

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It’s time to pick another movie.  We hope you make the right choice, because the last one you all picked as awful… And don’t forget that you can always suggest new movies to add to our larger list.  We don’t watch anything you don’t let us know about!  After all, we watch bad science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies so you don’t have to…

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

Episode 61 — An Interview w/ Philippa Ballantine (the Geistbuster)

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http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow4.8–AnInterviewWPhilippaBallantine/Sandf–Episode4.8–InterviewWPhilippaBallantine.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSPhilippa Ballantine, author of Geist, Spectyr, and many other fun novels, joins us to discuss her Books of the Order series, the Internet, podcasting, urban fantasy, religion, and much more.  We had a blast talking to her and hope you enjoy the interview. Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Note #2:  There’s something very special about episode 4.8.  It may involve singing.  It may involve a classic SF/F movie from the 80s.  It most definitely will be funny. Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 61 — Download (MP3) Intro and Interview w/ Philippa Ballantine (0:00 – 58:02) Philippa’s Website (which links you to everything she’s done and is still doing) Philippa’s Twitter (follow her or her geist will get you) Oh, and don’t forget to check out her books, like the one above (Geist) and the one below (Spectyr). You should also check out our friends at Adventures in Scifi Publishing.  The end of episode 4.6 has the new promo for their show, which you should listen to! Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0).  (We also borrowed a clip from the Ghostbusters Theme by Ray Parker, Jr.) That’s all, folks!  Thanks for listening.  See you next week.

Blog Posts

Lit Bits: Arctic Rising Cover and Blurb (Tobias S. Buckell)

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You all remember Tobias Buckell, right?  He wrote some really awesome books and finally came onto the show for episode 3.0 after we begged him for years and years.  We even sent him stuffed bears with his face on them to convince him to grace us with his presence… Okay, so none of that is true (sadly), but he did come on the show all those episodes ago.  If you haven’t listened to that episode, you probably should (because it’s awesome, obviously). In any case, we finally have some news about Arctic Rising, his latest book.  First, the back cover blurb: Global warming has transformed the Earth, and it’s about to get even hotter. The Arctic ice cap has all but melted, and the international community is racing desperately to claim the massive amounts of oil beneath the newly accessible ocean. Enter the Gaia Corporation. Its two founders have come up with a plan to roll back global warming. They plan to terraform Earth to save it from itself—but in doing so, they have created a superweapon the likes of which the world has never seen. Anika Duncan is an airship pilot for the underfunded United Nations Polar Guard. She’s intent on capturing a smuggled nuclear weapon that has made it into the Polar Circle and bringing the smugglers to justice. Anika finds herself caught up in a plot by a cabal of military agencies and corporations who want Gaia Corporation stopped. But when Gaia loses control of their superweapon, it will be Anika who has to decide the future of the world. Sounds interesting, right? Now for the cover:

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

Episode 60 — Science Fiction is Science Fiction (Period)!

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http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/TheSkiffyAndFantyShow4.7–ScienceFictionIsScienceFictionperiod/Sandf–Episode4.7–ScienceFictionIsScienceFictionperiod.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSOur first proper episode of August is part squee, part bitter rant, and part cringe-inducing horror.  It’s like a Shaun and Jen cocktail laced with acid inside a Philip K. Dick pie…topped with whip cream, of course.  (Don’t try to imagine what that would look like…) In 4.7, we talk about why Another Earth is science fiction (and why the person who says it isn’t is a moron), Adam’s nifty news, the SF Gateway, and a few other fun things, such as how scientists are ruining science fiction and Jen’s slurpie habit.  Tune in and enjoy! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 60 — Download (MP3) News and Discussion (0:00 – 29:53) Adam’s Fantabulous News (Because Adam sometimes does something worth remembering…) Scientists Ruin Science Fiction By Proving Time Travel is Impossible (Thanks, jackasses.) Another Earth:  It May Look Like Science Fiction, But It Isn’t (Oh, how silly of me.  I thought maybe that whole other Earth thing was a scifi thing.  Guess I should go back to college…) Gollancz Opens the SF Gateway (Where all your science fiction and fantasy crack can be bought wholesale, digitally injected into your metaphorical veins…) You should also check out our friends at Adventures in Scifi Publishing.  The end of episode 4.6 has the new promo for their show, which you should listen to! Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks!  Thanks for listening.  See you next week.

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