Sci Fi Jungle

Download 29 Screenplays From This Year’s Top Awards Contenders

Download 29 Screenplays From This Year’s Top Awards Contenders

Here's a cool list of screenplays from some of the top movies this year. Included are Avatar, Coraline, and the Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus.

Question though, instead of the screenplay for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, why not just read the actual book? Just saying...

Amazon Vs. Macmillan Scuffle over eBook Prices

My take on the Amazon vs. Macmillan ebook price scuffle is that Amazon is making a PR mistake.  If you want the background roadside assistance on the controversy, Macmillan author John Scalzi has a great commentary on it here:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/01/30/a-quick-note-on-ebook-pricing/

I think that right now Amazon is pulling it's weight around, but should be careful.  After the DRM issue where they pulled copies of 1984 off of people's Kindles they should know better than to piss off the reading public. 

One of the biggest reasons I bought a Kindle rather than another ereader (Sony or Nook) was that Amazon has the largest inventory of new books available in electronic format.  If they start picking a choosing which publishers to carry that is a limiting factor.

Now I have no idea about what kind of eye strain you would get reading a book on an iPad, but I do know that its is going to be really nice for magazines, video, and non-flash web browsing.  All of which are not so hot on the Kindle's black and white e-ink screen.  The e-ink black and white screen is what I as a voracious reader, want.   I also love the instant availability of lots and lots of books.  Newly published books.  Amazon should not screw with that.

Free E-Book from NASA - History of X-15 Rocket Plane

For space geeks looking for a little e-reading this weekend, NASA recently added an e-book section to its publications list and rolled out the first free title for the Kindle and Sony Reader, a history of the x-15 hypersonic test aircraft.

via www.wired.com

Something new for your Kindle or other E-Reader - a free e-book rom NASA all about the history of th X-15 Rocket Plane. Cool.

What I Want From Fringe

I was just reading some spoilers about the end of season finale of Fringe, written about on sliceofscifi.com and it made me think about what I would like to see in the show when it (hopefully) comes back next season.

1.  I like the way the episodes are for the most part self contained, and the writers have avoided getting bogged down in a convoluted over-arching plotline. Please keep this up.  I worry about the series getting too involved with their world vs. our world politics.   I hate it when a series keeps changing the plot lines and neglects to tie up loose ends.  To me that is worse than hemorrhoids treatments.

2.  Any episode with John Noble in it is a good episode.  The man is quite an actor.

3.  I am afraid of what is going to happen when Peter realizes that he is the Peter from the other Universe not who he really thinks he is.  Weird.

4.  Astrid needs an episode where she can be an action star.  A whole episode where she is the star - that would be cool.

Do I need an iPad?

All period jokes aside, I've been thinking about Wednesday's introduction of Apple's new tablet sized color media reader.

I think there is definealty a place for a color e-reader.  While I love the Kindle immensely, its no eyestrain e-ink screen isn't suitable for magazines, content rich web browsing, fancy applications, etc.

That's where the tablet comes in, I guess.  Looking like a iPod touch that's been expanded in size, early reviews say it is fast, and looks great.  It certainly has a great cool factor, and with support from the Apple App store and the iPhone like interface it will have some good traction to get into the market.

There are also a lot of things this device does NOT have.  USB, Camera, Media card slot, DVD drive...  If you want all that stuff get a tiny laptop, right.  That's the message there.  This is a simple device meant for accessing one piece of content at a time.  No multitasking, or abilivty to see web pages written with flash animation, either.

Then there's the question of the monthly service for the wireless access.  I would be hard pressed to want to pay a second monthly fee for wireless access on my pad.  I am already balking at the idea of getting a wireless anywhere card for my laptop.   Could this device replace my laptop for taking on trips?  I seems to lack some support that I might need... so maybe maybe now.  I guess is depends on the user and what they like their device to do.

Anyone want to steal my free idea?  Business plan consultants can have this for the price of nothing:

My dream device would have two screens, maybe one on the front and one on the back.  One with e-ink screen and the other side a color screen for reading magazines and watching video.  Still small and not with the screens facing each other - that's too distracting.  Maybe even one screen that you can change from e-ink mode to color mode at will.  That would be cool.

The First One's Free

More than half of the “best-selling” e-books on the Kindle, Amazon.com’s e-reader, are available at no charge.

via www.nytimes.com

I am going to muse about the business model of Free Kindle Books.

First of all, I think it's great that there is good recent free content available on for the kindle and other e-readers. I actually think it's smart of authors and publishers to give away certain books for a limited time.

Here's a great example - for a while you could download "The Queen of the Orcs: King's Property" by Morgan Howell, for free. As soon as I finished the book I promptly bought the second and then the third books in the series. I hadn't otherwise gotten around to reading that series and who knows if I would have or not. So by giving one away they sold two of the follow up books. Smart.

The problem I have is that when I look at the "best sellers" view on Amazon for kindle books the list is skewed by the free items getting a lot of download. I mean face it - the risk is low - just have it magically sent to your kindle by Whispernet and if you don't like it, delete it.

But I want to see the bestsellers list and see recent good books that are being purchased so I can get an idea of what's new and hot right now. They need to separate the free stuff (especially since some of it is admittedly junky) from the bestsellers list.

The linked article from the New York Times is pretty interesting. The old school publishers quoted do not want to consider the idea of giving free samples as a way to capture public interest in your franchises. I think the free for a limited time concept can be a great enticement and a way to start to develop a relationship between a reader and a new writer.

Audio Interview with Marjorie M. Liu

This week we talk to the delightful Marjorie M. Liu, writer of Marvel Comics’ Dark Wolverine and NYX and author of the novels in the Dirk and Steele and Hunter Kiss series.

via www.tor.com

I haven't listened to this yet but as soon as I have a quiet moment I definitely will. I really want to know what the "taxi service for poodles" is all about.

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 BluRay on sale $10.99

Here's a nice deal if you like Anime - the movie Ghost in the Shell is on sale at Amazon for a pretty low price of $10.99.

This is a remastered version of Ghost in the Shell - a classic of animation. 

From Amazon's description:

A film that has spawned a thousand imitations but never been bettered – Mamoru Oshii’s legendary anime film GHOST IN THE SHELL returns in a stunning new edition remastered by Oshii himself. For this definitive Version 2.0 release, all the original animations are re-produced with latest digital film and animation technologies, including 3D-CGI. Set in a re-imagined Hong Kong at a time when cyberspace is expanding into human reality, the story follows top cyberwarrior Major Motoko Kusanagi as she hovers on the border of total immersion in the digital world.

So stop looking for a diet pill that works.  Pop some popcorn (it's high in fiber and actually good for you) and enjoy a movie.

Fox Developing US Version of Torchwood

The Hollywood Reporter, www.thrfeed.com, has news that Fox TV is developing a US version of Torchwood.  Members of the UK production team are on board for the project, including the creator of the original series, Russell Davies.

It seems to me that Torchwood really hinges upon John Barrowman. I can envision a US branch of the Torchwood organization being the center of a new series. Perhaps not so much a remake, as a spinoff? I guess we will have to wait and see.

I read one of the comments on a blog about this and the person was basically saying "Why can't the Americans just watch the real version of the show - why do they need an American remake."  I have to confess here that there are times when I am watching Torchwood that I can't make out the Brit slang and Welsh accents.  And I am pretty well educated in British TV, so if I have trouble the rest of America are really having trouble. 

Yeah, Americans are America-centric.  Its one of our biggest flaws as a nation.  But really, is it so harmful?  Let us go back to watching "The Office" and worrying about whether the celery sticks with our wings count as an all natural fat burner.   Don't Judge Us!!!  LOL!

Great Women Characters in Fantasy

I keep reading a lot of wank commentary written by men who are not really sure what Fantasy books have great strong women characters.  So I am starting a little list here, that I will add to as I remember and come across some of my faves.

In no particular order:

1.  Morgan Howell.  I first picked up "A Woman Worth 10 Coppers" and got sucked right in.  Then I read the "Queen of the Orcs" trilogy. Both feature really kick ass women protagonists.  While they are a little bit dark, I liked the level of description, the depth of the characters, and the way good conquers evil in the end.  I never would have thought an author could make me think an orc was sexy.  I stand corrected!  Kovak-mah is hot.

2.  Lisa Shearin's "Raine Benares" series is really great.  They are like a swashbuckler with a woman heroine.  Lovely and a lot of fun.  Kind of literary bon bons, I am not saying these are the great literature of the world or anything, but a very enjoyable read perfect for if you find any mexico vacation deals and need a beach book.

3. Carrie Vaught's Kitty the Werewolf series is simply wonderful.  Beginning with Kitty and the Midnight Hour, the series follows the story of a late night radio DJ who starts a talk show about the Paranormal after she is bitten by a Werewolf and changed against her will.  Kitty is both a very normal, and a very strong character, which makes following her journey seem very believable and real.  The dialog is realistically written and these books are a real pleasure to read.  even though these may be billed under the category of paranormal romance they suffer none of that genre's typical weaknesses.  (ie, what you might call vampire porn)

4. Mary Janice Davidson's Fred the Mermaid's series is also one that falls under the paranormal romance designation.  I have only read the first one, and it was a fin fun read.

5. Marjorie M. Liu's Dirk and Steele detective agency series is an outstanding example of the paranormal romance genre.  A superb supernatural plot combines with characters with unusually strong bonds formed by a combination of psychic powers, extraordinary circumstances, and the usual hot hormones.  :-)  I love this series.  I am not so strong on her new series based around Hunter Kiss, the girl with the demon tattoos all over her body, but that's just me.  If you'all aren't looking for any romance in your fantasy, then that series might be better for you.  Its a lot darker.

6. Coming soon, more of the list.