The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut (1922–2007). Cover Art for the 1959 Dell first paperback printing, and the frontispiece for the 1990 Masterpieces of Science Fiction series from The Easton Press by Richard M. Powers (1921-1996). Plus an amusing note from Vonnegut about Powers.
The great science fiction writer Leigh Brackett was #BOTD
The “Queen of Space Opera” wrote SF/F for the pulps of the 1940s and 1950s. In 1944 she wrote her first mystery novel, which came to the attention of legendary director Howard Hawks. When Hawks needed help on an adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s ‘The Big Sleep’…
But instead of heading to Hollywood after the end of the pulps, Edmond ended his long career at DC Comics. She died from cancer in 1978, but not before turning in the first draft script for what would become “The Empire Strikes Back!” Although her script was rewritten by others, many key elements remain.
...he told his secretary to "get this guy Brackett." She then left for Hollywood, leaving a half-finished tale for Planet Stories 'Lorelei of the Red Mist'. She asked her emerging writer friend to complete it for her, which Ray Bradbury did seamlessly. Her husband was another SF/F writer of the era, Edmond Hamilton.
I originally read the Otherland series by Tad Williams in Swedish when it was new, and I remember it made quite an impression on me.
Enough that I've now started re-reading it in English. The impression is perhaps not as strong, but I blame myself for that. 😁
I would througly recommend it to anyone who like sci-fi and especially cyberpunk.
THE PERIPHERAL (William Gibson, 2014; Spanish edition 2017).
First novel of the trilogy (not yet finished) the Jackpot. In 2020 the second novel, "Agency" was published (I am reading it now). I haven't seen the Amazon Prime version and I'm not sure I'm going to see it. The reason is that I don't think it can live up to the novel. Perhaps one of the best novels translating today's complex reality (past, present, fact, fiction, economics, politics...).
It was interesting but not true enough to settings and ideas of the novel. I have yet to finish watching the series. Too much was tossed and it was too shooty ('Muricans love their guns) in my opinion. Where were the cardboard cars? The setting in America was supposed to be verging on destitute.
I have read Nnedi Okorafor's novella, Binti, and I found it wonderful (as well as very entertaining). Also, with a witty reflection on the decolonization of museums.
#Sciencefiction#tvseries#forallmankind brings forward a usually neglected and abandoned as non existent (even in the future) issue about #workersrights in #spaceexploration.
In general the creators have shown repeatedly that they don't stick to clichés and usual #scifi tropes to deliver a brilliant series.
Even from the opening scene of s1e1 they show their intentions by re-enacting the 1st manned moon landing in a provocative way.
Virgil Finlay book jacket for this Andre Norton edited anthology from World Publishing Co., 1953. Plus a preliminary painting for same which was completely rethought. #FinlayFriday