Sci-Fi Storm

zombiejellyfish writes “Just a bit of news I found out at NYCC – Douglas Adams’ widow has selected a new author to continue the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The new book, “And Another Thing…” will be written by Eoin Colfer (of Artemis Fowl) and is slated to release worldwide on the 30th anniversary of the publication of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which is October 2009. The book will bring back all of Adams’ characters (Arthur, Ford, Trillian, and Zapod), and may, or may not pick up where Mostly Harmless left off. There’s a forum set up to talk about the book at www.dontpanicforum.com“ This was announced a while back, but it sounds like the release is more concrete to coincide with the anniversary.

Dave Berry writes “What made Mark Goddard kidnap a wooden Indian? Why was he arrested for carrying a Colt 45 in Boston? How did he deal with his infant daughter’s disappearance?
“Danger, Danger Will Robinson” is a phrase Mark Goddard often heard in his role as Major Don West in the 1960’s hit television series Lost in Space. During his real life, the phrase he should have heeded was “Danger, Danger Mark Goddard.” This memoir maps Goddard’s roundtrip journey from a small town boy to a TV star and back again recounting humorous anecdotes about co-stars and celebrities like Billy Mumy, Peter Fonda, Buddy Hackett, and Jim Brown. This trip gets bumpy along the way, though, with two failed marriages and a career nosedive before Goddard has the realization that changes his life. Told with humor and candor, To Space and Back gives the reader a roller coaster ride equal to any side trip the Jupiter II took on its way to Alpha Centauri.” Read More for more details.

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Rich Handley writes in to let us know about his new book being release for the 40th anniversary of the Planet Of The Apes film series, “Timeline of the Planet of the Apes: The Definitive Chronology”. Read More for the full press release.

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There is a new Known Space novel on bookshelves, once again a team effort between Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner, who previous co-wrote Fleet of Worlds. Juggler of Worlds features Sigmund Ausfaller, Earth’s covert agent and a paranoid, seeking to find just what the Puppeteers have been up to. Lerner gave some more details to SCI FI Wire. Now I’m 3.5 books behind on the Encyclopedia. I need to find reading time.

The author of a popular children’s fantasy series has been approached to write a sixth Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy novel. Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl book series, will take the task to write the new book, currently titled And Another Thing… and due for release next October. Jane Belson, Douglas Adams’ widow, approved of the project, and Adams himself has said he planned to do a sixth book, but passed away before it could be done.

The Tales of Beedle the bard, originally a hand-written manuscript from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling of which only 6 existed and were auctioned off (Amazon bought one for approx. $4 million), will now be published as a book, released on December 4th, with the proceeds going towards her charity. It consists of five “fairy tales”, which contain lessons for children and adults alike.

Pre-orders are already available from Amazon in two versions – a standard edition, which has the 5 fairy tales, a new introduction from Rowling, reproduced illustrations from the original manuscript, and commentary on the tales by Albus Dumbledore; and an exclusive Collector’s Edition, which adds a new binder with metal clasp, corners and a skull; a case that looks like a book from the library at Hogwarts; a reproduction of the original introduction; 10 additional illustrations not in the original or standard edition; a velvet bag embroidered with J.K.’s signature; some “gemstones”, and an emerald ribbon.

Scott Laming writes “Just in time for graduation

AbeBooks has just revealed the 10 most expensive yearbooks ever sold a copy of Frank Herbert’s high school annual was in second place behind a William Faulkner annual. All the details are in this link: http://www.abebooks.com/docs/Community/Featured/co llectible-yearbooks.shtml “

I don’t generally review or carry reviews for tie-in books to feature films, but in this case I made an exception for a couple of reasons. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion is not some cheap “here’s some photos of us making a movie” book, but it also involves the second installment movie installment of a beloved fantasy series, and I have an in-house Narnia expert. So Read More for her take on this quite extensive tie-in…The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian comes out in theaters on May 16th. Update: An excerpt and an image from the book are now included.

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In the “shocking, but not really” category is J.K. Rowling saying that she’s considering another book in the franchise. She said “There have been times since finishing, weak moments, when I’ve said, ‘Yeah, all right,’ to the eighth novel.” Although she said that if (“and it’s a big if,” she says) she does, Harry wouldn’t likely be a central character. I think given the established “universe” of the Harry Potter series, there are plenty of directions stories could take, which could also appease the masses.

TheThunderChild writes “There are two new book reviews at The Thunder Child: a new release The Heart of Mars by Chuck Rosenthal, and a retro review of Raptor Red, by Robert T. Bakker. The publisher’s blurb for The Heart of Mars exclaims “Horses on Mars,” and horses are featured on the cover as well, but this really gives a misleading idea of what this wonderful, poetic and poignant novel is about. An amphibian race called the Nutian have Returned to Earth and taken over, saving the remnants of the humans who survived global warming and global war, but history (not to mention literature) is repeating itself on Mars… Paleontologist Robert Bakker, who was the model for Michael Crichton’s character Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, and a proponent that birds are descended from dinosaurs, wrote his first fiction novel over a decade ago, about a Utahraptor he calls Raptor Red. Check out both reviews at http://thethunderchild.com“