SciFi : Movies, TV & Books

TimmyO

I thought I'd start a thread for this - rather than let it get lost in the films thread.

I like SciFi (holdover from geeky-boy-childhood no doubt) and there seems to be a dearth of good stuff.

Anyway, last night I watched "Life"

I expected it to be naff, but wanted to watch it anyway. It was actually really enjoyable and far more tense than I was expecting. imo definitely worth a rental.

Book-wise I'm ready for anything new from Alistair Reynolds or Peter F Hamilton. To tide me over I read the first 2 Culture novels which are good but his writing doesn't grab me the way those guys' does. 

Who else are folk reading? 

TimmyO

TV : I'm currently re-watching Battlestar Galactica (the remake not the original).

If you have Netflix and can do VPN shenanigans if you set it to Italy or Portugal all seasons are on there. 

When do we get the second part of The Expanse on Netflix does anyone know? 

gusman2x

Recently enjoyed The Discovery. Netflix original movie. Worth a watch. 

Currently saving all excitement for Blade Runner. 

bacchanalian

I grew up reading Science Fiction and still love the 'Golden Age'.  
I am reading 'Random Acts of Senseless Violence' by Jack Womack at the moment.
Have you checked out S.F. Masterworks on the Kindle.  The is a huge catelogue of classic and some more modern sci-fi.

Definitely one of the benefits of new technology is that it is much easier for publishers to make out of print books available again.  

stickyfiddle

I'm keeping fingers crossed for Blade Runner 2049 but not holding much hope.

Westworld was wonderful, and we're halfway through the wait for season 2 now  

I've never seen the BSG but always heard good things. At some point I'll chuck it on the ipad and watch it on some flights.

TimmyO

stickyfiddle said:

I

I've never seen the BSG 

stickyfiddle

I was knee-deep in finals when it was on, and didn't have a TV!

beed84

stickyfiddle said:

I was knee-deep in finals when it was on, and didn't have a TV!

Not good enough.

fob

TV: Farscape, Firefly, Fringe

Books - Going off the Alaistair Reynolds lead:

Axiomatic by Greg Egan - A collection of short stories so you can see just what a wide ranging thinker he is. Please get this.

We are Legion by Dennis Taylor - 2000 years in the future, snooker is THE game in galaxy and lowly Earth must win the galaxy-wide tournament to avoid annihilation. Step forward our chubby, myopic hero.

Hyperion by Dan Simmons - A sc-fi Canterbury Tales - MUCH better than that sounds.

The Many Colored Land by Julian May - A classic that a lot of people don't seem to know about nowadays.

bacchanalian

I read 'The Many Colored Land' when it came out.  I think then it was part of the Torc series but it is now the Exiles saga.  Good anyway.

'To your Scattered Bodies Go' by Jose Farmer is another great read 

Sesh

Just finished reading Kurt Vonnegut's Sirens of Titan. Very enjoyable.
I see channel 4 have a series of Philip K Dick shorts coming out soon. Looking forward to that.

Kalimna

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. A vietnam allegory utilising time dilation. Bloody marvellous.
Nights Dawn trilogy by Peter Hamilton. 

strumjoughlamps

Sesh said:

I see channel 4 have a series of Philip K Dick shorts coming out soon. Looking forward to that.

Electric Dreams (no not the 80s film before someone jumps in), looks promising

Sporky

Book-wise I am re-reading the Orthogonal series by Greg Egan - proper mindbending stuff in a different universe with different physics, and the story relies on it.

I don't mind a bit of fantasy-in-space, but Egan's stuff is a world apart. Proper speculative.

beed84

I love sci-fi; however, I prefer to watch TV and films rather than read books.

Having said that, one sci-fi book I really enjoyed is It Looks Like You're Writing A Letter by Alexander King. I might be a bit biased as he's a close acquaintance but it is incredibly well written, fast paced, and to some point quite believable. Highly recommend.

In terms of films, I watched Gattica for the first time not so long ago. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

TV-wise I'm currently watching The Leftovers, which is a sort of a supernatural tale. I'm not sure where it's going but I'm enjoying it so far.

equalsql

I've just finished reading 'Sleeping Giants' by Sylvain Neuvel which a cracking read about the discovery of an ancient alien artifact.

Currently working through 'Dark Matter' by Blake Crouch which is a fast paced, smart novel concerning parallel universes.

gusman2x

strumjoughlamps said:

Sesh said:

I see channel 4 have a series of Philip K Dick shorts coming out soon. Looking forward to that.

Electric Dreams (no not the 80s film before someone jumps in), looks promising

Oh WOW!  Love PK Dick's shorts! We can remember it for you wholesale, being the best collection imo. 

Wrt TV, well worth checking out channel 4s Utopia. Season 1 was astounding. 

Wrt books, I've ern toy enjoyed the wind up girl, and the water knife by paul bacioloup (or something like that). 

Also read day of the triffids for the first time recently, and it's slotted right into by top 10 reads. 

chillidoggy

I loved Day of the Triffids, too. Classic stuff.

Also, 'Millenium' by John Varley. The book, not the film. Excellent reading.

Jalapeno

TimmyO said:

When do we get the second part of The Expanse on Netflix does anyone know? 

Any day ISTR .....

TimmyO

Jalapeno said:

TimmyO said:

When do we get the second part of The Expanse on Netflix does anyone know? 

Any day ISTR .....

Googled it - 8th Sep


Taking a look at smoe of those books now :-) 

Clarky

TimmyO said:

TV : I'm currently re-watching Battlestar Galactica (the remake not the original).

If you have Netflix and can do VPN shenanigans if you set it to Italy or Portugal all seasons are on there. 

When do we get the second part of The Expanse on Netflix does anyone know? 

I got the remake Battlestar boxset from me boys on fathers day
started watching it a week ago.. mid way through season 2 now...
love it...