Women are now central to many science fiction films--but that has not always been the case. Female characters, from their token presence (or absence) in the silent pictures of the early 20th century to their roles as assistants, pulp princesses and sexy robots, and eventually as scientists, soldiers and academics, have often struggled to be seen and heard in a genre traditionally regarded as of men, by men and for men. Surveying more than 650 films across 120 years, the author charts the highs and lows of women's visibility in science fiction's cinematic history through the effects of two world wars, social and cultural upheavals and advances in film technology.
Space Sirens is the second anthology of the Full-Throttle Space Tales series. Edited by Carol Hightshoe, editor of The Lorelei Signal and Sorcerous Signals, Space Sirens contains 19 seductive tales of women in space, by established and rising-star authors. The tales woven by our sirens include tales of adventure, intrigue and vengeance: ¿Real Hero¿ by W.A Hoffman ¿Bite the Hand¿ by Sarah A. Hoyt ¿Justice is Not Taken by the Storm¿ by David Boop ¿Just Another Day¿ by Terri Pray ¿Field Work¿ by Anna Paradox ¿Just Another Saturday on Outpost Nine¿ by Bobby Nash ¿Fire Mining¿ by M.H. Bonham ¿High Heeled Distraction¿ by Alan Lickiss ¿Slow Burn¿ by Barbara Johnson-Haddad ¿Interstellar Bitches¿ by Selina Rosen ¿Steel Scorned¿ by Calie Voorhis ¿Royal Duties¿ by Rebecca Lickiss ¿Rebel Moon¿ by Carol Hightshoe ¿Hijacking the Legacy¿ by David Lee Summers ¿The Silver Snake¿ by Laura K Deal ¿Outpost 6¿ by Julia Phillips ¿Ruler¿ by David B. Riley ¿Precious Cargo¿ by Lindsey Duncan ¿Mistral¿s Revenge¿ by Laura Kjosen
Women are now central to many science fiction films--but that has not always been the case. Female characters, from their token presence (or absence) in the silent pictures of the early 20th century to their roles as assistants, pulp princesses and sexy robots, and eventually as scientists, soldiers and academics, have often struggled to be seen and heard in a genre traditionally regarded as of men, by men and for men. Surveying more than 650 films across 120 years, the author charts the highs and lows of women's visibility in science fiction's cinematic history through the effects of two world wars, social and cultural upheavals and advances in film technology.
“Sarah Stewart Johnson interweaves her own coming-of-age story as a planetary scientist with a vivid history of the exploration of Mars in this celebration of human curiosity, passion, and perseverance.”—Alan Lightman, author of Einstein’s Dreams WINNER OF THE PHI BETA KAPPA AWARD FOR SCIENCE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • Times (UK) • Library Journal “Lovely . . . Johnson’s prose swirls with lyrical wonder, as varied and multihued as the apricot deserts, butterscotch skies and blue sunsets of Mars.”—Anthony Doerr, The New York Times Book Review Mars was once similar to Earth, but today there are no rivers, no lakes, no oceans. Coated in red dust, the terrain is bewilderingly empty. And yet multiple spacecraft are circling Mars, sweeping over Terra Sabaea, Syrtis Major, the dunes of Elysium, and Mare Sirenum—on the brink, perhaps, of a staggering find, one that would inspire humankind as much as any discovery in the history of modern science. In this beautifully observed, deeply personal book, Georgetown scientist Sarah Stewart Johnson tells the story of how she and other researchers have scoured Mars for signs of life, transforming the planet from a distant point of light into a world of its own. Johnson’s fascination with Mars began as a child in Kentucky, turning over rocks with her father and looking at planets in the night sky. She now conducts fieldwork in some of Earth’s most hostile environments, such as the Dry Valleys of Antarctica and the salt flats of Western Australia, developing methods for detecting life on other worlds. Here, with poetic precision, she interlaces her own personal journey—as a female scientist and a mother—with tales of other seekers, from Percival Lowell, who was convinced that a utopian society existed on Mars, to Audouin Dollfus, who tried to carry out astronomical observations from a stratospheric balloon. In the process, she shows how the story of Mars is also a story about Earth: This other world has been our mirror, our foil, a telltale reflection of our own anxieties and yearnings. Empathetic and evocative, The Sirens of Mars offers an unlikely natural history of a place where no human has ever set foot, while providing a vivid portrait of our quest to defy our isolation in the cosmos.
An anthology of action-packed, science fiction adventure tales featuring pirates, strong women, soldiers, horrors, vagabonds, and deadly battles in space. The Full-Throttle Space Tales series collected action-packed, high octane, science fiction stories across the full potential of the genre. Here, the original editors have teamed up to pick the very best of Full-Throttle Space Tales, eighteen stories collected here for the first time. Stories by David Boop, C. J. Henderson, W. A. Hoffman, Julia Phillips, David Lee Summers, Carol Hightshoe, Irene Radford, Bob Brown, Scott Pearson, Alan L. Lickiss, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Dayton Ward, Anna Paradox, Ivan Ewert, Erik Scott de Bie, Shannon Page, Mark Ferrari, Gene Mederos, Jean Johnson, Mike Resnick, and Brad R. Torgersen Buckle your seatbelts, because we’re going to accelerate to Maximum Velocity!
Starring internationally renowned actors Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Barry Morse and Catherine Schell, the British-made Space: 1999 was the only truly original space adventure of the mid-1970s. Sandwiched between the demise of the original Star Trek and the opening of the Stars Wars series on the big screen, Space: 1999 featured a richly-visualized world where space was terrifying and mysterious, where not all problems were solvable by technology and the space travelers were very human. From the science fiction show's conception in 1973 to its cancellation in 1977, this reference work covers each of the 48 episodes in depth, including a full plot synopsis, writer, director, guest star credits, and critical commentary that examines both the episode and other shows that have used similar plotlines. The popularity of Space: 1999 memorabilia and its many fan clubs are fully discussed, along with the possibility of a future movie or reunion show that would tie up the loose ends caused by the show's abrupt cancellation.
HORRIBLE SCIENCE: SPACE, STARS AND SLIMY ALIENS is bursting a space-hopping book of stunning science. Zoom to the stars with Oddblob the alien, and take part in a spacewalk that's out of this world and learn what the moon smells like. Redesigned in a bold, funky new look for the next generation of HORRIBLE SCIENCE fans.
As this comprehensive and multidisciplinary book makes clear, virtuality has a pedigree that pre-dates the computer age and modern virtual worlds, a pedigree that can be traced back to classical mythology and beyond. Equally, the concept of virtuality is not the province of one field of study alone but is the foundation and driving force of many, both theoretical and applied. Our conceptualizations and applications of virtuality are multiple, as contributors demonstrate across the nine sections of the book that move from philosophy to technologies and applications before returning to philosophy again for a discussion of the utopias and dystopias of virtuality. The almost 50 essays contained within range freely across subjects that include the potential of virtuality, ethics, virtuality and self, presence and immersion, virtual emotions, image, sound and literature, computer games, AI and A-Life, Augmented Reality and Real Virtuality, law and economics, medical and military applications, religion, and cybersex. Throughout, contributors discuss differences between virtuality, reality, and actuality, in debates filtered through the lenses of the disciplines represented here, and speculate on future directions. It is not at all clear that there are differences and, if such distinctions are to be found, the boundaries between virtuality, reality, and actuality continually shift as ideas, modes of organization, and behaviors constantly flow from one to the other regardless of direction. The Handbook presents no unified definition of virtuality to comfort the reader, rather a multiplicity of questions and approaches underpinned by provocative statements that should further fuel the debates surrounding our notions of virtuality.
The long-awaited finale to Cataclysm in the Cosmos promises to be the most mind-boggling story in the series! A mutant virus is killing humans on Earth and its lightning-quick spread is ominous. A previously developed vaccine miraculously cured infected felines and felidors in addition to preventing further outbreaks. However, it has not been successful when given to people. Scientists around the globe are racing against time to find a solution. The World Health Organization is poised to deliver fatalistic outcomes. Crossbreeding has begun on exoplanet Kapteyn b, forging the way for a superspecies that will survive into eternity. Can these actions ever be duplicated by mankind? Will humans embrace felidor travel skills to improve their own methods of space exploration? Artema and the Centauri Council remain prepared to battle any roadblocks or species that stand in the way, including persistent dissenters in their own ranks. The cat gods they serve will do everything feasible to help them succeed. Follow this incredible journey as felidors offer assistance to mankind while seeking their own immortality in the cosmos!
This book contains transcripts from Online Alpha discussions where the epic and narrative structure of SPACE 1999 is being discussed by comparing episodes with themes, characters and elements of plot from the Homeric Odyssey and Lewis Carroll's stories about Alice. The discussion is motivated by questions raised in the scholarly literature and earlier Online Alpha debates about how to make sense of SPACE 1999 from the viewpoint of critical theory. The book has been developed on an idealistic basis. It is sold at the lowest price the publisher was willing to accept. A free e-book version can be downloaded at www.lulu.com.