Welcome back to my monthly look at what’s new in the world of sci-fi and science. Most of these are published this month, but you’ll find a couple of August releases in here too. So let’s get started!
Talking to robots: tales from our human-robot futures by David Ewing Duncan
Robots and AI are hot topics right now. Here, journalist Ewing Duncan considers 24 possible future scenarios based on existing technologies. A must-read for anyone like me who devoured Asimov’s robot stories!
Growing Things and Other Stories by Paul Tremblay
For something a little different this summer, how about a mix of horror, psychological suspense, and the supernatural? One of the stories was a nominee for the Bram Stoker short story award.
Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Hidden 95% of the Universe (Hot Science) by Brian Clegg
Released on Kindle next month, although you’ll have to wait until November for the paperback. Brian Clegg is a well-respected science writer, and I’m looking forward to his take on this topic that’s been perplexing scientists for decades.
The Reality Assertion by Paul Anlee
The Universe has run out of time in this, the fourth and final book in Anlee’s Deplosion series. It promises accessible real science, plausible speculation, and lots of outside-the-box ideas. Should be a good read!
Novacene: The Coming Age of Hyperintelligence by James Lovelock
The 100-year old creator of the original Gaia theory envisions a new future, the Novacene, where new super-beings will emerge from AI systems and work with us to save the planet. Sounds like an interesting and provocative theory.
Across the Void by S.K. Vaughn
What do you do when you’re drifting alone in space, but everyone back home thinks you’re dead? Likely to appeal to fans of Gravity, Arrival, or the Martian, this accessible space thriller will be heading to the big screen at some point. Plenty of emotion and conflict along with the science.
Iron Gods by Andrew Bannister
The second book in the Spin trilogy, set ten-thousand years after events in the much-acclaimed Creation Machine. It sounds like an epic read with complex world building and plenty of action. Likely to appeal to fans of Iain M. Banks.
The Turquoise Queen by Iuri Bhering
A striking cover for this debut space opera, and the first in the Coalition series. Intrigue and politics as a desperate people seek allies in a world with unique communication methods.
Watch the trailer here.
New Earth (The Grand Tour #21) by Ben Bova
Bova’s The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells is essential reading for sci-fi writers, although I see that this latest book received some mixed reviews. The discovery of human-like intelligent life on an Earth-like planet raises plenty of questions for a group of explorers who are essentially on a one-way mission.
The Making of Alien by J. W. Rinzler
Alien is one of those classic sci-fi/horror movies I go back to time and time again. Hard to believe it’s 40 years old! This is one of those special anniversary, definitive behind-the-scenes accounts including interviews with Ridley Scott and production staff plus rare archive photos. A must read!
Phew! And I thought there wasn’t much being published over the summer! I’ll be taking a break from new releases over August, so see you again in September. Happy summer reading!
