Science Fiction

‘Carnival’ (2021) the weakest of the first six ‘Firefly’ novels

Characterization is a tricky thing; we tend to say a tie-in fiction writer gets characterizations “right” or “wrong.” Getting it right can sometimes mean they

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‘Piranha 3D’ (2010), ‘3DD’ (2012) have gory fun with modern effects

George Lucas used to talk about how he waited to do the “Star Wars” prequels till the special effects technology caught up with his vision.

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‘Piranha II: The Spawning’ (1981) launches Cameron’s career

Late last year, director James Cameron released his ninth film, “Avatar: The Way of Water.” If you’re counting his films on your fingers and forgetting

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‘Firefly’ books show ‘Life Signs’ (2021) in Lovegrove’s latest

James Lovegrove has shepherded “Firefly” into books, writing four of the first five. Books six, seven and the upcoming eighth, though, are by different authors.

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‘Buffy: Big Bad’ (2022) a fun alternate-dimension romp

“Big Bad: A Novel” (September 2022) announces up front that it’s set in an alternate “Demondale” in 1999. It’s obviously a fun novel from the

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‘John Dies at the End’ (2012) a flat adaptation, as expected

After David Wong’s “John Dies at the End” became a surprise hit debut novel in 2009, it of course became a horror-comedy movie soon after.

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‘John Dies at the End’ (2009) a passion project, despite myriad influences

Like Joss Whedon loves penning dialog and Shane Black enjoys dodging action-movie cliches, David Wong (real name Jason Pargin) clearly has a blast writing insane

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Preston & Child go back in time for ‘Cabinet of Dr. Leng’

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have sent Agent Pendergast and other characters to many parts of the globe, but for “The Cabinet of Dr. Leng”

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‘The Ruins’ (2006, 2008) a creepy exercise in fatalism

On this re-read, I often flashed back to my first experience of Scott Smith’s “The Ruins” (2006). I vividly recalled details such as a dog

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‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ (2022) spectacular, insubstantial

“Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022) is easily digestible as entertainment, but even as I watched it, I knew I was taking in empty calories. Director/co-writer

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