Alright guys & gals: although I put an end to SFSS, I had to. Dude's a genius

A young radio engineer travels across an alt-history America, encountering primeval gods, mythical beasts, and tall tales come to life, in a quest to build a radio transmitter that can reach the stars.

A unique take on American magical realism, combining hard SF and ancient mythology. It starts out as a boys' adventure tale, and blows up into a bigger and weirder world than you ever imagined.

YANKEE REPUBLIC is an old-school adventure series with traditional values and down-to-earth heroes. Escape from the pessimism and propaganda of modern fiction, and take a journey through a mythic America that might have been.

https://fentonwood.blogspot.com/

Hi there, my name is Leo Otoiu and I am a Master's student in Publishing Studies. I am doing a survey on what science fiction readers think about a variety of science fiction covers (including hybrid forms of SF). If you would like to be a part of my survey, I'd be very grateful. Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftYnLZJdb_-M53O-tDZ2MNVtgwgoa5YpFfK4tRd8MZOu2fsQ/viewform?usp=header

Quite tired of sci-fi: today, I see no reason to continue. But for me, and I hope for you too, it's been a lot of good times since 2019. All the best to you.

(and you Lemmy guys&gals!)

Hi everyone! [email protected] is a community dedicated to sci-fi TTRPG. Come take a look, we're very friendly!

If you're wondering what sort systems for sci-fi exist out there, there's a non exhaustive list in the pinned post.

Thank you Tenthrow for allowing this!

Anyone else read this? It’s an ongoing comic (<200 pages currently) set in the moderately distant future, post (multiple) alien contact, people living in space, genetic mods are common, that sort of thing. The protagonist is an alien centaur that was fostered by humans and has never lived around her own species, and it follows her and her friends’ encounters with a ship’s AI pilot of questionable origin trying to get help repairing itself.

I’ve been following the artist for a while as they developed this, first on Twitter before it went bad and later on Bluesky (they’re also on Mastodon). They’ve been doing a lot of fun speculative biology and world building for it, and I’m also really into the art style and character design.

If you’re interested in the world building aspect of it (I think it’s really neat!) you can check out the worldbuilding directory they put together, with info about each species, planets, etc.

A few years ago, after reading everything in the Hainish Cycle, I decided I'd try and get the whole thing in print. I'm not a serious collector, not necessarily after first editions or otherwise rare editions; but I did want hard covers, and I wanted editions that had dust jackets with all that funky scifi art of the 60's/70's/80's. So far the Hainish books have been good to me in the sense that none of it has been really rare and it's mostly under the 100 usd/eur point as long as you're not looking for signed stuff.

Unfortunately it gets a little weird with The Word for World Is Forest: The only good looking hard cover happens to be on one of the earlier editions and while I doubt it's truly rare, it's rare enough people start asking a lot for it. I finally got lucky and some kind bookshop on ebay put it up for less than 100, dust jacket and all, and I finally get to add it to the shelf.

It's not my favorite of the Hainish Cycle, but it's an easy recommend (I recommend everything and anything from Le Guin). I know it's a favorite for a lot of folks. Anyways, if you're just getting into collecting print scifi, bookfinder.com is fantastic for what it is (aggregator for the inventories of the big used book operations), and I guess every once in a while ebay can work out.

Haven't seen any chatter here a out the new Murderbot show.

My wife and I are absolutely loving it so far, feels like a really faithful and respectful adaptation to the books, with most of the changes being positive!

Anyone else watching this?

Weird Star Trek products include Star Trek Ken and Barbie, Star Trek Potato Head, and Star Trek sushi set.

Sunrise on the Reaping was released in March, I just finished reading it and would like to read some other opinions on it. In general to me it felt very much like the first book all over again and didn't give any new insights into Panem, but got lost in references to all the other books.

One of my absolute favorites and I'm hoping folks want to talk about it.

Hands down my most reread book. Me, an atheist, never imagined a twisty/puzzly novel about the life and times of future space jesus would speak to me so deeply.

The prose is multidimensional and layered with meanings that only come into focus once you know where it's going.

Some of my favorite examples:

• The title of chapter 1
• Severian first finding his dog.
• Thecla's story of a fortune teller predicting she would sit on a throne.
• The ending of book 1
• The ending of book 2

Any other trek fans delighted by Group of Seventeen in book four, realizing it was 10 years ahead of the TNG episode "Darmok"?

I know, he's always been one of those conservative old men writing for teenage boys. That's been true since the 80s. But his themes on a number of subjects got just enough more progressive as time went on, and I was able to stomach his writing. I always pegged him as a centerist who moved VERY GRADUALLY leftward over the decades and mostly wasn't interested in making political points in his books. Though he clearly had regressive opinions about women in the military for a long time, especially when that was a big part of the cultural zeitgeist in the 90s, those even eased in recent decades.

On the subject of abortion, he wrote an impressively nuanced short story back in the 90s about abortion and telepathy. Specifically, about a telepathic scientist caught between pro life and pro choice political blocks trying to use telepathy in an objective way to answer the question of how human fetuses were at different stages of development. While the results initially seemed to favor the pro life crowd, at the end it's revealed that the story is more about the observer effect and that rather than reading the minds of unborn children, he was reading his own mind reflected back to him by developing brains unable to process the telepathic contact.

So I was surprised by just how moralistic and aggressively pro life Judgement at Proteus (the latest installment of the Quadrail series) was.

A major plot point in the book is that a teenage girl, pregnant through SA, turns out to have a

At multiple points in the story, the health of the fetus comes up and multiple characters go out of their way to say things like "all sentient life is sacred." The main characters express agreement with this sentiment, even while bringing up that on some parts of Earth, it would be legal to abort the fetus. The aliens running the hospital space habitat they're on shut that down quite aggressively.

The girl herself, who is shitty and antisocial to everyone to the point that she loses believably as a character, is shown to want her rape baby to live (at least until the truth about it's conception is revealed) in a way that makes her even MORE unbelievable as a real person (I've done a lot of professional work in my life with teenagers and I just don't buy it).

But then when she DOES change her mind about wanting to keep the baby she risks her life

This is the most believable part of the story (and where I threw the book down due to the toxic bullshit) because:

• A teen girl nearly kills herself doing something dangerous because she doesn't think (with good reason) that the adults around her will support her in getting an abortion? 100% believable.

• The main character initially thinks she's trying to kill herself and calls it "murder." When he figured out what she was actually trying to do, he puts it that "she wasn't the intended victim."

• A female character, shown to be in a supportive role toward the girl, expresses she can't understand why. The male character mansplains to her "put yourself in her shoes, you might feel the same way!" And she passionately rejects that she would not. Yeah, a woman thinks about being a teen girl, pregnant through assault, discovering she's carrying an alien cuckoo baby, "doesn't understand why the girl would want to kill her child??" In fact, she needs a man to explain this to her? Bullshit! Also, r/menwritingwomen. Pro tip: Would have been MUCH more believable if you'd written the same dialog the other way around.

• The male character then councils the woman that their job is to "be the girl's friend and help her understand how it's the fault of the people who did it to her and not the fault of her unborn child."

And that's the point where I threw the book down. And realized I'm probably done with yet another author teen me loved who adult me just sees more clearly.

But I worry for the teen boys who ARE still totally reading this author (and other military adventure scifi by conservative old men sneaking their political agenda into it). Given his association with Star Wars, he's STILL a pretty big draw for the teen boy demographic and his latest books are clearly still aimed straight at them, where these ideas can go percolate with all the toxic shit they absorb from the Man-o-Sphere on Tik Tok and Youtube.

Damn! Just had to get all that off my chest.

I'm normally a bit more of a hard scifi reader with the likes of Bobiverse and Expanse (and Andy Weir/Thaichovsky/IanMBanks/Herbert etc) but I really enjoyed this humerous take on a rogue cyborg.

Is there anything out there in this vane I should look into?

I wanted to invite you to join us for book bingo: cross-posted from: https://literature.cafe/post/19468617

Want to read more, but need motivation or direction? Want to gamify or expand your reading? Try book bingo! Our hope with this challenge is to provide a fun way for you to keep up with your recreational reading goals throughout the next 12 months.

How Does It Work?

The goal is to read something that fits the theme for each bingo square in any single row, column, or corner diagonal of your choice (one work per square). You’re welcome to complete the entire card (or multiple cards) for an additional challenge goal, but you only need to check off a single line of 5 squares to complete the challenge.

So what can you read? Well, anything you enjoy, really. There's no requirement to consume any particular kind of work, so any length, format, subject, or genre is totally fine. Want to read graphic novels, audiobooks, poetry, 10-page memoirs, or works in other languages? No problem. There's no bingo police, either! If you think you can make a well-reasoned argument for why something fits the spirit of a square, go for it. There's even a process for substituting a square if it doesn't quite fit your preferences.

We hope you’ll participate in the community throughout the year by posting what you’re reading in the weekly "What are you reading?" thread, and by helping others with recommendations.

In mid-April, 2026, we'll put up a turn-in post to collect everyone's cards. After the thread closes at the end of April, we'll use the submissions to put together a summary of the results, and to determine eligibility for community flair (currently not possible, but maybe in the future!) or some other recognition. If you want to be included, please make sure to contribute to that post, even if you've made other bingo posts or comments during the year.

Rules

• You must read a different work for every square you complete, even across multiple cards. There's no problem, however, with overlapping other reading challenges that aren't associated with c/Books.
• Repeating authors on the same card isn’t forbidden, but we encourage you to read different authors for every square on a card.
• Likewise, we encourage you to primarily read things you haven’t read before.
• If you’re having trouble filling a certain square, you are welcome to substitute any non-duplicate square from last year's card. The center square (C3) is the one exception, and is not eligible for substitution. Please limit your substitutions to one per card.
• The 2025 challenge runs May 1^st^, 2025 – April 30^th^, 2026. Anything you finish during that time period is eligible, as long as you were no more than halfway through on May 1^st^, 2025.

Upping the Difficulty

Want an additional challenge? Try one of these, or come up with a variation of your own (and share them!).

• Hard Mode: This is just a stretch goal for those interested -- it does not convey any greater achievement. Most square descriptions include an optional extra restriction, which you can do or ignore on a square-by-square basis. It's up to you!
• Genre Mode: Read only one genre.
• Review Mode: Write a review (ratings alone don’t count) for the books you read for bingo, either here on c/Books, a personal blog, Bookwyrm, The Storygraph, Hardcover.app, or elsewhere.

The Card

Full Size Card

Squares in List Form

The Squares

Row 1

• 1A Number in the Title: The work must have a number in the title that's not a just a volume/version number. Example: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. HARD MODE: Only numbers in the title.
• 1B Author from a Different Continent: The author(s) resides on a different continent than you do. HARD MODE: The work required translation to be published in your native language.
• 1C Featured Creature: A sentient non-humanoid is the primary PoV, or a non-humanoid creature holds such a prominent role that the work would be completely different without them. Examples: Call of the Wild by Jack London or Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. HARD MODE: Not a sci-fi/fantasy creature.
• 1D Minority Author: The author is a member of a generally underrepresented or marginalized demographic where you live, such as LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC. HARD MODE: Belongs to more than one minority group.
• 1E Now a Major Motion Picture: The work has been adapted into a show or single episode, movie, play, audio drama, or other format. HARD MODE: Watch or listen to the adaptation as well (rewatches are ok!).

Row 2

• 2A Independent Author: Read a work self-published by the author. Any work later published though a conventional publishing house doesn't count unless you are reading it before the switch, and its rerelease date is after April 30^th^, 2026. HARD MODE: Not published via Amazon Kindle Direct.
• 2B Set in War: The work takes place with an active war in the foreground or background. The characters do not need to be directly involved in combat, but the war's presence must be a primary driver of the narrative. HARD MODE: There are more than 2 factions in the war.
• 2C Orange Crush: The title, a prominent element of the cover, or the narrative involves some form of orange (color, word, or fruit). HARD MODE: The work you chose uses multiple types of orange features.
• 2D Short and Sweet: Read a individual piece of work under 170 pages or 40,000 words. HARD MODE: Read a collection of this type of short work.
• 2E Banned Book: Read a work from the ALA's (American Library Association's) list of the top 100 banned books in the US 2010-2019. If you are a non-American and there is a similar list for your region, that is also a valid source for comparable information. Additionally, you can use the content from the Wikipedia post on banned books. HARD MODE: One of the top 50 (or equivalent).

Row 3

• 3A Based on Folklore: The narrative must be based on a real world piece of folklore. Folklore encompasses fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends. HARD MODE: Non-European folklore.
• 3B Title: [X] of [Y] - The title of the book must feature the format described, such as A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. HARD MODE: [X] of [Y] and [Z] (the conjunctions can be flexible).
• 3C FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile: A book that’s been on your TBR list for a long time. HARD MODE: Overlaps with at least one other bingo square theme.
• 3D LGBTQIA+ Lead: A main character identifies as LGBTQIA+. HARD MODE: Includes a significant romantic relationship between characters that identify as LGBTQIA+.
• 3E Saddle Up: The narrative revolves around someone whose identity is tied to being a rider of something, such as a horse, dragon, or motorcycle. HARD MODE: The ridden creature/object is treated as a character in its own right.

Row 4

• 4A New Release: New for 2025/2026 (no reprints or new editions). First translations into your language of choice are allowed. HARD MODE: This is the first work you've read by this author.
• 4B Alliterative Title: Many books boldly boast alliteration to attract audience attention. HARD MODE: More than 2 alliterative words in the title, excluding definite articles or conjunctions.
• 4C Judge a Book by Its Cover: Chosen because you like its cover (or cover analogue). HARD MODE: Picked using only the information available on the front cover.
• 4D Award Winner: Has won a notable and widely regarded literature award. HARD MODE: More than one award.
• 4E Gamble, Game, or Contest: Features an organized gamble, game, or contest (life-and-death or otherwise). HARD MODE: Take a gamble on a style or genre of work you don't typically read, as well.

Row 5

• 5A Steppin' Up!: Challenges can come at you quickly, especially for those least prepared. Whether it's a major leadership position or suddenly being gifted a baby dragon, life is about to get a whole lot harder and more complicated. HARD MODE: The primary PoV does not assume the throne of a monarchy/empire.
• 5B Political: Political movements are a major driver of the work. HARD MODE: From the perspective of machinations in the background, outside the typical positions of power or major government.
• 5C Late to the Party: Apparently this is a really popular work, you just haven't gotten around to it yet. Read a book that you have seen recommended over and over. HARD MODE: Not Harry Potter.
• 5D Cozy Read: Cozies generally feature a smaller cast of characters in a smaller location, emphasize community, highlight successes and inspirational moments, and have a more optimistic and upbeat tone. Above all, they have to have a satisfyingly happy ending. They offer comfort to their readers and a safe escape from the realities of daily life. HARD MODE: There is no hard mode, hard mode defeats the purpose of the cozy task.
• 5E Jerk with a Heart of Gold: A significant figure may be rude, gruff, or even insufferable; however, beneath all that, a surprising kindness shows in the right moments. Maybe they are bad at the whole feelings thing, are doing it to hide a deep pain or maintain a position of responsibility, or maybe it's just all a façade, but their actions ultimately reveal a core of genuine caring. HARD MODE: Not A Man Called Ove/Otto.

Resources

If you make or find any bingo-related resources, ping or DM me so I can add them here. Thanks!

• 2025 Bingo Recommendations List
• The Storygraph Reading Challenge

Appreciation

• This challenge is inspired by, but totally separate from, the one run by r/Fantasy on Reddit. We deeply appreciate the past organizers and the work they did that we are now benefitting from.
• 2025 bingo card font credits: Parchment, by Photo-Lettering, Inc.; Noto Sans, by the Noto Project authors.

MarkDown Card (click to expand)

Ominous strings of Austrian composer Joseph Haydn’s “Oxford” Symphony (No. 92) announce the beginning and end of each episode of Revolutions. The podcast, hosted by author Mike Duncan, walks listeners through history’s most significant turning points, from the French Revolution to the Bolshevik insurrection. Its new season shakes up the formula. This time, Duncan isn’t talking about a terrestrial dustup. He’s chronicling the Martian Revolution.

...

Talking with Big Think over Zoom, Duncan says he hadn’t tackled fiction since his college days of typing out reams of half-finished manuscripts. Returning to fantasy and science fiction after years of nonfiction writing, he finds that his detour into podcasting hasn’t hurt so much as it has helped him. In addition to making him a better writer overall, his knowledge of civilizations — how they change, make war, maintain peace, and divide resources — allowed him to construct an alternative reality that’s as complex and believable as J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, George R.R. Martin’s Westeros, and Frank Herbert’s Arrakis.

Archived at https://archive.is/Iop1B

No spoilers for Season 2 other than the magic is back and go watch it.

It's so good it makes other Star Wars almost unwatchable by comparison.

I'm also really inspired to go fight some fascism and blast some ~~space~~ Nazis.

I know Apple's adaptation of Asimovs books got off the rails but didnt expect this crossover ...

"Bright Ideas Corner is a blog focused on various topics like self-help, productivity, personal development, and practical tips for everyday life."

"Bright Ideas Corner is a blog focused on various topics like self-help, productivity, personal development, and practical tips for everyday life."