list
The best list for everything science fiction.
Strongest Female Leads in Sci-Fi Books
Strong-chinned blokes with muscled forearms all too often bear the role of savior to the cliched damsel in distress. But the days of polished knights on stallions may be winding down, for the times, they are a’changin’. Yes, women are resurgent everywhere you look—as they should be! From the wide realm of comics to the IMAX screen, strong female leads are storming the stage and letting the world know they’re every bit as rough n’ tumble as a "man of steel," and certainly just as clever as the "world’s greatest detective." To recite the words of playwright David Mamet, "What one man can do, a woman can do!"
By Matt Cates9 years ago in Futurism
Stunning Sci-Fi Art Spaceships
Of all things futuristic and infeasible, spaceships steal the hearts of sci-fi lovers more than just about anything else. From the stalwart flagbearers like the Millennium Falcon and the Mothership to fighter craft and faster-than-light travel, spaceships—along with their Captains, crews, and missions—have always enraptured fans.
By Jake Burgess9 years ago in Futurism
Authentic 'Star Wars' Costumes for Cosplay
Cosplaying. It’s living gloriously in America—and with good reason. From My Little Pony to the Marvel Universe's Black Widow to DC's Suicide Squad, people are coming out in flocks to impersonate their favorite characters. With the expansion of the Star Wars movie anthology, Star Wars cosplay exploded in popularity. You can’t go to a comic con without spotting at least one Darth Vader, Han Solo, or Princess Leia.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
Most Famous Astronauts
More than 500 brave men and women have left Earth’s orbit in the name of science and space exploration, and they all merit adulation. Nevertheless, throughout humanity’s ventures into the Heavens, there have been those astronauts and cosmonauts who, for whatever reason, have stood out from the rest. There are those who became household names and those whose deeds became landmarks in history. From being the first woman in space to being the first person to step foot on the Moon, there are many accomplishments for which the most notorious astronauts should be recognized.
By Richard Haynes9 years ago in Futurism
Greatest Sci-Fi Antagonists
Why are nice readers attracted to evil literary characters? Yes, I’m talking to you! But I’m also guilty, and I have finally reached a point where I can speak about this openly. There’s no denying it—we all crave villains. A good author better know about this phenomenon, for the merits of their protagonists are measured against the strengths of their opponents. It’s no fun reading about a hero fighting a 90-pound pushover! So have no fear, faithful reader, for we’ve assembled a list of sci-fi’s most fiendish fiends. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villa—oh, okay, sorry! I don’t want to get busted for plagiarizing Obi-Wan Kenobi. These guys are the worst of the worst.
By Matt Cates9 years ago in Futurism
Best Sci-Fi Movie Soundtracks
While music in cinema is new in comparison to the age-old practice of music composition, the process of composing movie soundtracks isn't much different than any other composition project. The clear predecessor of music as a soundtrack to acting is opera, with its fusion of the arts of music and acting. While the methods of transmitting visual information have changed since opera ruled the acting world (the set made of cardboard has become one of digital backdrops and green screens), and sound effects were added (synthesizers, samplers, and various ethnic instruments), there isn’t much difference, in regards to musical needs. The goal of a sci-fi movie soundtrack the same as the music behind an opera: set the atmosphere, enhance the drama of what’s happening on stage, and highlight the specific features of the characters.
By Futurism Staff9 years ago in Futurism
Best Actors for a Dune Reboot
Frank Herbert’s Dune is one of the most celebrated science fiction novels of all time. A novel of dense political intrigue, plus giant space worms, Herbert’s vision has stumbled in the attempts to bring it to the big screen. After many attempts to adapt the book stalled, including on from post-modern director Alejandro Jodorowsky, Dune was finally adapted by Blue Velvet director David Lynch. The film did poorly, receiving savage reviews and pitiful takings at the box office, with noted film critic Roger Ebery giving the film an embarrassing Dune one star out of four stating, "This movie is a real mess, an incomprehensible, ugly, unstructured, pointless excursion into the murkier realms of one of the most confusing screenplays of all time.” The casting choices were iffy at best with the bewildering choice of Sting as The na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen as the peak of its failure. There is little question that modern technology and directors could make a far better adaptation of Dune, but who are the best actors for a Dune reboot?
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Best Hard Sci-Fi Books
Fans of the sci-fi genre have been known to be… picky. Sure, we want our trail mix of starships, androids, cleverly disguised social commentary, “big thought-provoking ideas,” and snappy banter from severely conflicted cyborg characters. We also want, somewhere in the middle, an enormous, spacey McGuffin to keep the plot moving at warp speed. But all that’s a given; That’s the minimum essential goods. What most discerning fans demand is a level of authenticity; We want to know exactly “how” that tractor beam works, “how” that near-light speed engine runs, “how” that police telephone booth is really bigger on the inside. In other words, we want an author who knows what they’re talking about when it comes to the techy stuff—even if that stuff is totally imaginary! And not just Wookiepedia-level knowledge, either. Basically we want a genuine physicist like Michio Kaku whispering into the writer’s ear, telling them how all this stuff could, theoretically, work. Hard sci-fi answers these questions with its emphasis on technical accuracy and scientific detail.
By Matt Cates10 years ago in Futurism
Best 'Star Trek' Shirts
Hailing all frequencies, you gotta beam up the best Star Trek shirts to your collection. Now that may have sounded a bit hokey, but that is the point of Star Trek. It's okay to be yourself, and if you are a corny fan like me, it means taking my best Star Trek shirt recommendations very seriously. Star Trek T shirts are more than just novelties for fans to express themselves. Unlike so many other commercial franchises, Star Trek represented a way of life. Gene Roddenberry's ideological TV show was founded on ideals such as freedom of choice. Originally conceived during a time of significant social change that began in the 1960s, the franchise has continued to reflect the same principles well into the 21st century. From The Next Generation's exploration of AI to more contemporary issues such as genetic cloning that permeated later feature films and the best Star Trek books, Star Trek has been a cultural phenomenon that fans are proud to wear on their T shirts.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Coolest Sci-Fi Spaceships
From novels to feature films, from TV series to video games, the presence of spaceships have been prevalent across all forms of the science fiction genre. With imaginative minds creating these fictional machines, some realistic and some far­fetched, there are bound to be several that enthrall us unlike any others. What makes a great spaceship can be hard to define, though. Intriguing technological enhancements and mind bending paradoxes are sure to attract attention, but for some, their sheer massiveness will suffice. The coolest sci-fi spaceships encompass a wide variety of types like the ones mentioned above. Some you will be sure to recognize. Others are more obscure. All are among the greatest spaceships in all of sci-­fi.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Best & Worst Episodes
One of the most popular television shows ever developed for the Star Trek franchise, Deep Space Nine (DS9), came to an end in June of 1999. Its growing popularity did come as a bit of a surprise, especially to the community of Trek fans. When the show began airing in January 1993, Star Trek: The Next Generation was at its prime, and it had taken long enough for the fans of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy to warm up to that show. Deep Space Nine had quite a few other strikes against it. Not only was it a darker vision of the future, but it was the first Star Trek ongoing series to be developed after the death of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.
By Futurism Staff10 years ago in Futurism
Most Terrifying Sci-Fi Books
Peanut butter and jelly. Hot rods and bikinis. Sci-fi and horror. Some things are meant to go together! Yet, while most of us are all too familiar with our two favorite genres mixing it up in motion pictures, it’s often under appreciated how well these types blend in book form. Together, we can correct that fault, by cherry-picking a few classics, blowing off the binary dust which has shamefully accumulated upon these wizened tomes, and gearing up to get our wits scared out of us!
By Matt Cates10 years ago in Futurism
