Science
Fiction in 2012.
Fiction in 2012.
Science
fiction has not had a great year in television and movies. No Inception or Moon
was released this year. No Torchwood made it on to the small
screen and Doctor Who mainly sucked again. But the lack of quality on the
big and small screen was more than made up for by what I was reading. I read
some great science fiction this year.
fiction has not had a great year in television and movies. No Inception or Moon
was released this year. No Torchwood made it on to the small
screen and Doctor Who mainly sucked again. But the lack of quality on the
big and small screen was more than made up for by what I was reading. I read
some great science fiction this year.
On the Idiot Box.
Even
though I have access to the sci-fi channel on Foxtel, I was thinking there was
very little new science fiction on the small screen this year. That was until I
thought about it, it was more a matter of their being anything to rival Torchwood or The X-Files.
though I have access to the sci-fi channel on Foxtel, I was thinking there was
very little new science fiction on the small screen this year. That was until I
thought about it, it was more a matter of their being anything to rival Torchwood or The X-Files.
This
year I watched:
year I watched:
·
Alcatraz
Alcatraz
·
Terra Nova
Terra Nova
·
Doctor Who
Doctor Who
·
Warehouse 13
Warehouse 13
·
Alphas
Alphas
·
Fringe
Fringe
·
Revolution
Revolution
·
Falling Skies
Falling Skies
·
Caprica
Caprica
·
And
a DVD of The Event.
And
a DVD of The Event.
Of
those shows I was impressed by Caprica, Fringe and, surprisingly, Alphas.
those shows I was impressed by Caprica, Fringe and, surprisingly, Alphas.
Fringe episodes were consistently strong as they
developed a story revolving around a parallel Earth and the attempts to destroy
both Earths. The Fringe department is a near future version of the FBI. A
couple of Aussies occupy two out of the three lead roles.
developed a story revolving around a parallel Earth and the attempts to destroy
both Earths. The Fringe department is a near future version of the FBI. A
couple of Aussies occupy two out of the three lead roles.
Alphas has grown on me. It had a strange feel about
it when I started watching it, sort of, this is slightly off skew. It is about
a team of investigators with special, but not super, powers. One can see and hear
electronic signals, another has heightened senses, another can use her telekinesis
type skills to push people into doing what she wants. But all the characters
are troubled by their powers, they find it hard to fit in. And they are lead by
a stuttering psychologist who has no powers. The story lines became stronger
and the characters developed to be more than one dimensional x-men.
it when I started watching it, sort of, this is slightly off skew. It is about
a team of investigators with special, but not super, powers. One can see and hear
electronic signals, another has heightened senses, another can use her telekinesis
type skills to push people into doing what she wants. But all the characters
are troubled by their powers, they find it hard to fit in. And they are lead by
a stuttering psychologist who has no powers. The story lines became stronger
and the characters developed to be more than one dimensional x-men.
Caprica should have been supported by science
fiction fans who like themes to be explored and strong complex plots. But it
wasn’t, and was cancelled long before it could grow into one of the science
fiction greats. Caprica was basically a prequel to Battlestar Galactica. It slowly
explained how the cylons came into being and got religion. Caprica was my
favourite small screen show of the year.
fiction fans who like themes to be explored and strong complex plots. But it
wasn’t, and was cancelled long before it could grow into one of the science
fiction greats. Caprica was basically a prequel to Battlestar Galactica. It slowly
explained how the cylons came into being and got religion. Caprica was my
favourite small screen show of the year.
Movies.
I
did not see a lot of science fiction films this year. They ones I saw included:
did not see a lot of science fiction films this year. They ones I saw included:
·
John Carter
John Carter
·
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises
·
Melancholia
Melancholia
·
Prometheus
Prometheus
·
Never Let It Go
Never Let It Go
·
Looper
Looper
·
Total Recall
Total Recall
Melancholia was a surprise, a completely different end
of the world movie set on a large estate in England at a wedding reception. The
bride lacks enthusiasm for the wedding reception as she knows that the
approaching planet will not miss the Earth like scientists say it will. The
film has no riots, no guns, no religion, no panic, no violence.
of the world movie set on a large estate in England at a wedding reception. The
bride lacks enthusiasm for the wedding reception as she knows that the
approaching planet will not miss the Earth like scientists say it will. The
film has no riots, no guns, no religion, no panic, no violence.
I
enjoyed Looper, a time travel-film where a man has to kill his future
self or be killed himself. The film made me think, ie why was he killing all
those kids? But yay for thinking during a film.
enjoyed Looper, a time travel-film where a man has to kill his future
self or be killed himself. The film made me think, ie why was he killing all
those kids? But yay for thinking during a film.
Prometheus was easily the best film I saw this year. It
left me with lots of questions and things to speculate on. But I recently
watched it a second time and found it was nowhere near as puzzling as when I
first saw it. The only question I still have is why did the alien kill himself
at the start? Wasn’t there an easier way to blend his DNA into the planet’s
environment? Was he on Earth?
left me with lots of questions and things to speculate on. But I recently
watched it a second time and found it was nowhere near as puzzling as when I
first saw it. The only question I still have is why did the alien kill himself
at the start? Wasn’t there an easier way to blend his DNA into the planet’s
environment? Was he on Earth?
When
I saw Prometheus the first time I had such high expectations, with it being a
prequel to Alien and the greatest series of science fiction movies ever made. I
was expecting more horror too. And I think Charlize Theron was a bit of a
distraction because I expected her to have a greater role in what went on,
instead she was just a peripheral character.
I saw Prometheus the first time I had such high expectations, with it being a
prequel to Alien and the greatest series of science fiction movies ever made. I
was expecting more horror too. And I think Charlize Theron was a bit of a
distraction because I expected her to have a greater role in what went on,
instead she was just a peripheral character.
I
found it interesting that the parasitical aliens – who Ripley in the earlier
movies was so keen to stop getting to earth and destroying it – had in fact
saved humanity by infecting the engineer aliens who were intent on depopulating
the Earth.
found it interesting that the parasitical aliens – who Ripley in the earlier
movies was so keen to stop getting to earth and destroying it – had in fact
saved humanity by infecting the engineer aliens who were intent on depopulating
the Earth.
Books.
I
did not read a lot of books this year, but what I read was, for the most part,
very good. These are the science fiction books I read:
did not read a lot of books this year, but what I read was, for the most part,
very good. These are the science fiction books I read:
·
Machine Man – Max Barry
Machine Man – Max Barry
·
The Courier’s New Bicycle – Kim Westwood
The Courier’s New Bicycle – Kim Westwood
·
The Pursuit of Miracles – George Turner
The Pursuit of Miracles – George Turner
·
The Dervish House – Ian McDonald
The Dervish House – Ian McDonald
·
Things we Didn’t See Coming – Steve Amsterdam
Things we Didn’t See Coming – Steve Amsterdam
·
The Passage – Justin Cronin
The Passage – Justin Cronin
·
Hydrogen Steel – KA Bedford
Hydrogen Steel – KA Bedford
·
How to Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe – Charles Yu
How to Live Safely In a Science Fictional Universe – Charles Yu
·
11-22-63 – Stephen King
11-22-63 – Stephen King
·
Light, Touch Paper, Stand Clear – Edited by Edwina
Harvey
Light, Touch Paper, Stand Clear – Edited by Edwina
Harvey
·
The Waterboys – Peter Docker.
The Waterboys – Peter Docker.
Seven
of the eleven science fiction books I read were written by Australians. Only
one was an ebook. The standouts were The
Pursuit of Miracles, Things we Didn’t See Coming and The Passage.
of the eleven science fiction books I read were written by Australians. Only
one was an ebook. The standouts were The
Pursuit of Miracles, Things we Didn’t See Coming and The Passage.
The Pursuit of Miracles is a collection of
eight short stories by Australia’s best ever science fiction writer George
Turner. Three of the short stories were later turned into novels.
eight short stories by Australia’s best ever science fiction writer George
Turner. Three of the short stories were later turned into novels.
Things we Didn’t See Coming is also a set of
short stories, but they are all about the same character and in chronological
order. Each story has an ending or a situation that I didn’t see coming. The
environment is in turmoil throughout the stories as the main character tries to
better his life in a hostile future Australia.
short stories, but they are all about the same character and in chronological
order. Each story has an ending or a situation that I didn’t see coming. The
environment is in turmoil throughout the stories as the main character tries to
better his life in a hostile future Australia.
The Passage is about an America devastated by monstrous
genetically engineered vampires. It is a compelling read as the story is told
from multiple viewpoints with flashbacks within flashbacks. Will the surviving
pockets of humanity be overrun by the estimated 63 million vampires in the US? I
will have to wait until I read its sequel The Twelve to find out.
genetically engineered vampires. It is a compelling read as the story is told
from multiple viewpoints with flashbacks within flashbacks. Will the surviving
pockets of humanity be overrun by the estimated 63 million vampires in the US? I
will have to wait until I read its sequel The Twelve to find out.
The
Passage was my favourite novel of 2012. I loved the many complex characters and
the suspense.
Passage was my favourite novel of 2012. I loved the many complex characters and
the suspense.
0 Responses
I enjoyed Caprica as well. Pity it didn't last.
Hi Carol
At the end of the last episode of Caprica they had a five minute summary of what would have happened if the series had continued, and that looked fascinating.
TV companies used to let series develop a bit more before cancelling – the high cost of production on shows like Caprica have an impact – a shame though.
Haven't seen alot of those shows or read any of those books. I dont tend to read sci-fi-not sure why.
I thought Melancholia was quite good too and yet to see Looper. I was very disappointed by Promethus. A couple of dumb moments took me out completely, on top of the muddle. The script should have been revised more carefully before shooting. Starting watching Total Recall – some similar issues. I think they rush into production and/or spend too much emphasis on making everything look perfect, with over the top action scenes where no one gets hurt, without using their brains to think about the plausibility of these events and plot holes. Hopefully 2013 will bring us something more interesting. It was a disappointing year.
Hi Anthony,
I thought Total Recall was an unnecessary remake. The first one explored ideas, the second was just an action movie.
I reckon you would really enjoy the complexity of The Dervish House, and the Australian subtlety of Things We Didn't See Coming.
Havent watched end of Total Recall – seemed pointless.
Ok cheers, maybe I'll give them a go. Always happy to support Australian authors.
=]
I think I mentioned that I ordered Things We Didn't See Coming.Thanks for making me spend money. haha
Alas I didnt get any books for Christmas. Currently reading Chris' book.
Anthony, no books for Christmas, I would send a complaint letter to Santa.