"Few people have managed to imagine a world the way that Robert Jordan did," Wendy Bradley, editor of the science-fiction magazine Farthing told The Times. "That was a great strength of his writing. He was trying to tell a story on a heroic scale, and he was good -- he had the same grip on storytelling that J.K. Rowling has." More than 30 million copies of the books have been sold and the series has been translated into about two dozen languages, according to Tor, his New York publisher. By the 1990s, Rigney had come to dominate the fantasy genre spawned by J.R.R. Tolkien and "The Lord of the Rings."

The "Wheel" novels tell the story of Rand al'Thor, who heroically battles evil in a mythical land and was modeled on the Norse god of justice. The increasing popularity of the fantasy genre was reflected in reader fascination with the escapist tale, and fans at book signings could range in age from their early teens to their 80s. When asked to describe what fueled the series' incredibly complicated plot lines, Rigney often replied by saying, "What if somebody came up to this average person on the street and said, 'You are the savior of humanity.' What do you do with that?"

He had a secretary whose main job was to keep the facts straight in the elaborate world he created that spanned 11 books and almost 7,420 pages. Some critics questioned his wordiness, yet he could sum up the series' driving force in three words: "Life changes. Deal." The series has inspired a thriving online community with hundreds of Internet sites devoted to it. Among the largest is TarValon.net, which has several thousand members, said Melissa Craib, chief executive officer of the Los Angeles-based site. "An amazing community has been built around what he has created," Craib told The Times. "His thoughts and his ideas about honor and service and making it through difficult times are exceptionally inspiring to many people. It draws together people who want to embody these qualities."

On his personal blog at www.dragonmount.com, Rigney updated fans on his health and reassured them that he was working on "A Memory of Light," the 12th and last novel in the "Wheel" series. He reportedly left behind detailed notes on the novel and had shared the end of the story with his wife, Harriet, who was his editor, and a cousin. "I am quite confident that the series will be finished," Craib said. "This is important to his legacy."

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Terry O'Quinn Wins Emmy for Portrayal of John Locke

Terry O'Quinn won an Emmy last night for his portrayal of John Locke on Lost.

The Emmy Awards slighted SF&F TV again in ceremonies broadcast live on Fox on Sept. 16, with Lost's Terry O'Quinn winning the only major prime-time award, for best supporting actor. O'Quinn won the Emmy for his portrayal of the conflicted John Locke on the ABC SF show.

"Sometimes when we're rolling around in the jungle in the mud, hitting each other and stabbing each other, I wonder what it would be like to bake up a sheet of cookies on Wisteria Lane and get one of their checks," O'Quinn said in accepting his award, referring to ABC's Desperate Housewives, according to a report by the Associated Press.

"Then I think about my castmates and crewmates, and I realize why I have the best job in the world," O'Quinn added. Lost returns in midseason.

O'Quinn's was up against his Lost co-star Michael Emerson, Grey's Anatomy's T.R. Knight, Masi Oka from Heroes and Michael Imperioli from The Sopranos. Other than O'Quinn's well-deserved win for Best Suporting Actor in a Drama, Lost was otherwise pretty much ignored at the Emmys.

Posted on September 17, 2007
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The Highlander Returns -- For One Night, Anyway

Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod is back! Tonight the Sci Fi channel will air an original two hour Highlander movie and we're ready with our Tivo. Adrian Paul explains what the new story is about.

"Everything has gone to pot, basically," Paul said in an interview. "The world is sitting in another place and time, and he's kind of lost hope as to ever being anybody or achieving anything. Everybody keeps saying, 'You're the one. You're the guy. You're the ... .' But virtually everyone he knows has died, and the world has turned to s--t, and so he's kind of like, 'OK, I don't know what to do anymore with who I am or what I'm supposed to be here for.'"

Further complicating the situation, the love of MacLeod's life, Anna Teshemka (Thekla Reuten), has inexplicably left him. "And now his only intent is he just wants to find her," Paul said. "What ends up happening is that he finds her, but he finds her while she's on the quest with these other Immortals for the Source."

Paul said that The Source is different in structure from previous Highlander projects. "This was a more linear story," Paul said. "It had no flashbacks, which surprised me, actually, at first, because I always loved doing the flashbacks, and I know the fans loved them. So it was really tricky to do. I think the idea was really good, in the sense that ... it became a quest movie. All the others had a different feel to them and were a little more convoluted. This one has one storyline that goes all the way through."

No flashbacks? That's odd. Still, we'll be there, with popcorn. With all the jumping around in time and continuity problems in the Highlander films, we've learned to view each film with a Zen detachment. Essentially, we view each film as a stand-alone and try to suspend our disbelief. We admit we feel somewhat puzzled by the plot description, given what's gone on before. Presumably, all questions will be answered tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/8:00 p.m. Central time. Well, maybe not. Still, we feel optimistic that lots of people will lose their heads and that Duncan will emerge victorious once again. Tell us again why this show was ever canceled? Because we loved this show.

Posted on September 15, 2007
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Iron Man Trailer

Here is the trailer for the Iron Man film starring Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and Iron Man. The film will be released on May 2, 2008. More details available here on IMDB.com. A trailer can also be seen on the Iron Man website. Cinematical has a few details as well. They are correct that Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" was very appropriate for this film.


Direct video link

Posted on September 12, 2007
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Good News for Tron Fans

We are very happy to hear that the planned sequel to the cult classic Tron is moving forward.

Commercial director Joseph Kosinski is in final negotiations to develop and direct "Tron," described as "the next chapter" of Disney's 1982 cult classic. Sean Bailey is producing via the Live Planet banner, as is Steven Lisberger, who co-wrote and directed the original film.

Kosinski, who last month signed on to helm the remake of "Logan's Run" for Warner Bros. Pictures, will oversee the visual development of the project and have input on the script, which is being written by "Lost" scribes Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Story details are being kept secret.

The original, about a computer programr thrust into a computer and forced to fight in games he helped create, is remembered for its sci-fi gladiator-style battles and groundbreaking special effects. It was the first movie to use computer-generated images instead of models and other optical effects in conjunction with live action. The arcade game based on the movie was so popular that it earned more than the movie.

When making the original, in order to convince the studio to take a chance on a first-time director, Lisberger shot a test reel, financed by the studio, involving the deadly Frisbee battle. In a case of historical synchronicity, sources said one of the things Kosinski will be doing is working on a sequence involving the movie's Light Cycles to work out his vision for the movie. Sources also said visual effects personnel, for many of whom "Tron" was an inspiration to enter the business, already are jockeying for pole position to work on the sequence.

So, casting ideas? It's going to be the ubiquitous Shia LaBeouf in the lead isn't it? We're just guessing, but we hear he's getting the pick of all the top scripts for his age group these days.

Posted on September 11, 2007
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Big Trouble at The Bionic Woman Set

There's trouble in Bionic Woman Land. Glen Morgan just left the show -- that's not a good sign.

Writer/producer Glen Morgan (The X-Files) is leaving his job as one of the show runners of NBC's upcoming SF series Bionic Woman, effective immediately, Variety reported. The trade paper cited network insiders who attributed Morgan's departure to "creative differences." David Eick (SCI FI Channel's Battlestar Galactica) remains in place as show runner and will assume all responsibility for day-to-day production of the series, working with executive producer Jason Smilovic.

NBC issued a statement thanking Morgan for his contributions to establishing a template for Bionic and said it was looking forward to the show debuting later this month as scheduled.

There had been word around town that Bionic was also shutting down production, but an NBC representative told the trade paper that that isn't the case. But the trade paper cited industry insiders as saying they believe it's possible the show, which is now in production on its fifth episode, still might take a break in order to give the writers a chance to focus on refining the show's directions.

The show's premiere is still set for September 26th on NBC. The series stars Michelle Ryan as Jaime Sommers.

Posted on September 10, 2007
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Tobey Maguire to Star in Robotech Film

Tobey Maguire is set star in a film version of the anime series Robotech.

Warner Brothers Pictures picked up the rights to Robotech, which features giant robots known as mechas. Maguire is producing through his Maguire Entertainment banner and is eyeing the lead role in what the studio plans as an SF franchise a la Paramount's hit Transformers.

Drew Crevello also is producing through his Supercool Hollywood BigTime Productions. Craig Zahler has been tapped to write the screenplay.

Robotech was a cartoon series during the 1980s from Harmony Gold USA and Tatsunoko Productions. It was re-edited and re-dialogued to combine three Japanese anime series to give the producers enough episodes to air as a daily syndicated series.

Robotech takes place at a time when Earth has developed giant robots from the technology on an alien spacecraft that crashed on a South Pacific isle. Mankind is forced to use the technology to fend off three successive waves of alien invasions. The first invasion concerns a battle with a race of giant warriors who seek to retrieve their flagship's energy source, known as "protoculture," and the planet's survival ends up in the hands of two young pilots.

Everyone wants on board the giant robots express, it seems.

Posted on September 8, 2007
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Ridley Scott Says Science Fiction is Dead

Director Ridley Scott infuriated SF fans by recently declaring that science fiction is dead. The Ridley Scott, director of Blade Runner, you might ask? Yes, that's the one. Sir Ridley Scott was at the Venice Film Festival to promote the director's cut of Blade Runner when he made his horrifying comments.

He was the director of two of the most critically acclaimed science fiction films, but now Sir Ridley Scott believes that the genre is so tired and unoriginal that it may be dead.

At the Venice Film Festival for a special screening of his seminal noir thriller Blade Runner, Sir Ridley said that science fiction films were going the way the Western once had. "There's nothing original. We've seen it all before. Been there. Done it," he said. Asked to pick out examples, he said: "All of them. Yes, all of them." The flashy effects of recent block-busters, such as The Matrix, Independence Day and The War of the Worlds, may sell tickets, but Sir Ridley believes that none can beat Stanley Kubrick's 1968 sci-fi epic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Made at the height of the "space race" between the United States and the USSR, 2001 predicted a world of malevolent computers, routine space travel and extraterrestrial life. Kubrick had such a fastidious eye for detail, he employed Nasa experts in designing the spacecraft. Sir Ridley said that 2001 was "the best of the best", in use of lighting, special effects and atmosphere, adding that every sci-fi film since had imitated or referred to it. "There is an overreliance on special effects as well as weak storylines," he said of modern sci-fi films.

Sir Ridley is one of Britain's most acclaimed film-makers. His extraordinary number of box-office hits include Alien - another sci-fi classic, best remembered for the scene of an infant creature bursting through John Hurt's chest - as well as Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and Black Hawk Down. But it is for Blade Runner that sci-fi fans revere him most, regularly voting it one of the best examples of the genre. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of its original release, Sir Ridley has produced a new cut of the film, which has its world premiere at the festival. Apart from its stunning camera work and state-of-the art special effects, Blade Runner was ahead of its time in its treatment of issues such as globalisation, urban decay, global warming, overpopulation and genetic engineering.

We completely and totally disagree. There are lots of fantastic and interesting SF projects. There are books, films, videos and games that are interesting and innovative. On television alone, we have Lost, Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. No one could say that Lost and Battlestar Galactica are anything but character-driven, not F/X-driven. He's totally wrong. But Blade Runner is still one of our favorite films.

Posted on September 6, 2007
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The More Intense Beowulf Trailer is Here

Here is the more graphic version of the Beowulf trailer. The film is going to be intense.



Posted on September 5, 2007
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Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge Wins Hugo Award For Best Novel

The winners of the Hugo awards were announced this past weekend in Japan, at the 65th World Science Fiction Convention, better known as WorldCon. Awarded annually by the World Science Fiction Society, the awards showcase the best in science fiction and fantasy in several media.

The winners are:

Best Novel: Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge

Best Novella: "A Billion Eves" by Robert Reed

Best Novelette: "The Djinn's Wife" by Ian McDonald

Best Short Story: "Impossible Dreams" by Tim Pratt

Best Related Nonfiction Book: James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon by Julie Phillips

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Pan's Labyrinth

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: Doctor Who: "Girl in the Fireplace"

Best Editor, Long Form: Patrick Nielsen Hayden

Best Editor, Short Form: Gordon Van Gelder

Best Professional Artist: Donato Giancola

Best Semiprozine: Locus

Best Fanzine: Science-Fiction Five-Yearly

Best Fan Writer: Dave Langford

Best Fan Artist: Frank Wu

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer: Naomi Novik

Congratulations to all the winners!

Posted on September 4, 2007
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Stephen Hawking Wants to Make Science As Exciting As Science Fiction

Stephen Hawking has written a new book about the cosmos for children, saying that he wants to "make science as exciting as science fiction."

"It is easier to explain things to children because they have open minds and are eager to learn," he told reporters at the prestigious Cambridge University, where he is a professor. "George's Secret Key to the Universe", the first book in a planned trilogy, explains the workings of the solar system, asteroids, black holes -- one of Hawking's favourite topics -- and other celestial bodies with the help of a set of young heroes.

It will be released in French on Thursday, and in English a week later, and is set to be sold in 29 countries. The second book in the trilogy will be published next year. The book was written with his daughter Lucy, who came up with the idea, and Christophe Galfard, the first Frenchman to write a doctorate thesis on Hawking's observations. "Our aim is to make real science as exciting as science fiction," Hawking said. Lucy Hawking, a journalist and writer, told the press conference that one of her father's common refrains was, "That's too much science fiction, we do science fact."

The trio wanted to "provide a modern vision of cosmology from the Big Bang to the present day," without presenting it as magic, Galfard said. "All of what we see (in the universe) corresponds exactly to what has happened already," he added. The sole element of fiction in the book involves Cosmos, a supercomputer that opens a door allowing George and his friends to travel into space aboard an asteroid. "I don't know of any other book quite like 'George's Secret Key to the Universe'," Hawking, 65, said. "I think we may be unique."

George's Secret Key to the Universe is available for pre-order at Amazon.com. Every kid on our Christmas list is getting one (and we'll pick up one for ourselves, to boot).

Posted on September 3, 2007
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