Latest news with #ScienceFiction
Geek Girl Authority
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
Osiris Archives
Categories Select Category Games GGA Columns Movies Stuff We Like The Daily Bugle TV & Streaming Movies Reviews Science Fiction Osiris hits theaters and digital sites this week, setting up an old-school confrontation between aliens and humans. Read on for our review!
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Dune 3 release date has been unveiled – here's how to read the books in order
The third instalment of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune book series has officially got a title, and fans and critics alike have some questions about the choice. For the uninitiated, the first two Dune films are based on the first novel in Herbert's seminal sci-fi series of the same name. It has, until now, been expected that the third instalment would be based on Herbert's next novel in the series, Dune Messiah. But owing to the fact that the movie will not share the same name, fans have questioned whether it will draw on the novel at all or if it'll be an adaptation of the third book, Children of Dune. Titled Dune: Part 3 and reportedly in production already, it's expected that Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya will reprise their leading roles. With a scheduled release date of 16 December 2026, we've got a while to wait. But luckily, if the anticipation is getting too much, you can kickstart your Dune reading voyage. With 23 titles to get your teeth stuck into, there are a few ways you can tackle it – and we're here to help. Firstly, you could choose to read the books in the order that they were published, or you could pick them up in chronological order. And, of course, you can also just read the first book as a standalone and stop there, if you wish. Published in August 1965, the first book in the Dune series introduces us to Arrakis, an inhospitable desert planet. Here, rival factions are vying for a precious, psychedelic drug called 'spice' – created by enormous sandworms, this coveted substance can extend human life and enhance consciousness. Expect to explore themes of religion, technology, and our relationship with our environment in this seminal sci-fi tome. 'Dune Messiah' by Frank Herbert, published by Hodder Paperbacks: £8.97, The second book of Herbert's Dune saga, Dune Messiah, was published in 1969. Following the conflict in the first book, House Harkonnen has been defeated, and Paul Atreides – now named Muad'Dib – is the immensely powerful emperor of planet Arrakis. But with unrest still raging across the universe, he must deal with the threat of being dethroned, and hopes to lead mankind to a future less doomed. This is the title that the third film is expected to be based on. 'Children of Dune' by Frank Herbert, published by Gollancz, £7.40, The third book of the series is Children of Dune, published in April 1976. It's nearly a decade since Paul Atreides has vanished, lost to the barren Arrakis deserts, with no reason. His two children, twin siblings Leto and Ghanima Atreides, are able to foretell events. This is a prophetic skill which their aunt Alia, the new ruler of the empire, hopes will help her to hold down her reign, while she faces uprisings and treason, and a revolt, led by a mystifying figure, 'The Preacher'. 'God Emperor of Dune' by Frank Herbert, published by Gollancz: £7.45, Herbert's sci-fi epic continues with God Emperor of Dune, the fourth book of the series, published five years after Children of Dune, in 1981. We're now thousands of years on, in the wake of the happenings of Children of Dune. Paul Muad'Dib's son Leto, the God Emperor of Dune, is now almost immortal, but at the cost of his human morality. In a bid to preserve the human species, which he knows to be doomed unless they follow his plan, 'The Golden Path', he becomes a tyrannical ruler, and an uprising ensues. The plot explores themes of politics, total power and the human condition. 'Heretics of Dune' by Frank Herbert, published by Gollancz: £7.78, Published in 1984, the penultimate book in Herbert's six-book original Dune series is Heretics of Dune. Hundreds of years on from the previous book's events, planet Arrakis (which is now called Raki) is thriving no longer, now barren and desolate once again. Many people left as civilisation collapsed, but now, they're back, fighting for whatever is left. Featuring a supernatural sisterhood called the Bene Gesserit, and a girl named Sheeana, who can control Arrakis's sandworms, the book touches on religious themes. 'Chapterhouse: Dune' by Frank Herbert, published by Gollancz: £6.82, That brings us to the final novel in Frank Herbert's six-book series, Chapterhouse: Dune, which was published in March 1985. Arrakis lies in ruin, and a violent matriarchal cult called Honored Matres has been chasing supreme power, conquering every planet and faction to get it. The novel's name refers to the planet Chapterhouse, a secret base for the mystical sisterhood Bene Gisserit, as the group won't be giving up so easily, with the spice-producing sandworms at their disposal. How to read the Dune series in order of publication: Dune (1965) Dune Messiah (1969) Children of Dune (1976) God Emperor of Dune (1981) Heretics of Dune (1984) Chapterhouse: Dune (1985) House Atreides (1999) House Harkonnen (2000) House Corrino (2001) The Butlerian Jihad (2002) The Machine Crusade (2003) The Battle of Corrin (2004) Hunters of Dune (2006) Sandworms of Dune (2007) Paul of Dune (2008) The Winds of Dune (2009) Sisterhood of Dune (2011) Mentats of Dune (2014) Navigators of Dune (2016) The Duke of Caladan (2020) The Lady of Caladan (2021) The Heir of Caladan (2022) Princess of Dune (2023) How to read the Dune series in chronological order: The Butlerian Jihad (2002) The Machine Crusade (2003) The Battle of Corrin (2004) Sisterhood of Dune (2011) Mentats of Dune (2014) Navigators of Dune (2016) House Atreides (1999) House Harkonnen (2000) House Corrino (2001) Princess of Dune (2023) The Duke of Caladan (2020) The Lady of Caladan (2021) The Heir of Caladan (2022) Dune (1965) Paul of Dune (2008) Dune Messiah (1969) The Winds of Dune (2009) Children of Dune (1976) God Emperor of Dune (1981) Heretics of Dune (1984) Chapterhouse: Dune (1985) Hunters of Dune (2006) Sandworms of Dune (2007)
Gizmodo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Foundation' Season 3 Digs Into What It's Like for a Robot to Have an Existential Crisis
Foundation, Apple TV+'s adaptation of the famed Isaac Asimov novels, takes place in a galaxy facing an imminent, mathematically predicted age of darkness. It's troubling, especially for Empire, the genetic dynasty of clones named Cleon that's been in power for centuries, but it's not as bad as all-out extinction. But as season three begins, certain among Foundation's characters learn the math has changed, and total doomsday is all but certain. Some react to this news—signaled by worrisome changes in the Prime Radiant, the quantum supercomputer of sorts that divines what lies ahead—by escalating preventative actions, while others decide partying will help. But the most thought-provoking response comes from Foundation's arguably most complex character: Demerzel, played by Laura Birn. She's an ancient robot, the last survivor of the Robot Wars. Several hundred years ago, she was reprogrammed by the first Cleon to serve Empire—a directive that guides all of her actions and one she's powerless to defy. As Foundation has progressed, we've learned a lot about Demerzel. Her backstory gets more investigation in season three, but as Empire (and, by extension, all of humanity) faces what's to come, her role in that future becomes decidedly confusing. 'I'd say very much she is in an existential crisis,' Birn told io9 at a recent Foundation press day. 'For many centuries her path has been very clear, since [she was programmed by Cleon I], and before that also.' But that clear path is now muddied. 'This season, the information that the Prime Radiant offers—and when [season three villain] the Mule arrives, the effect it has on the whole galaxy—suddenly offers these new paths, possible paths. She's thought that she always knows the right answers, like, 'this is a way we have to work, this is the way I'm going to guide the galaxy, or guide the Cleons.'' Birn continued. 'Suddenly, when that shifts a bit, [a lot of] questions arise. What if the end comes? What's [her] responsibility in all this? Where does it leave [her] if the human species is destroyed? Is it a good thing for her? Is it something very lonely and sad? Does she carry a responsibility? Can she make a difference? So all these things kind of spiral her into a place of 'what is the purpose of my life, what is the meaning?' So it's very much an existential crisis.' Early in season three, Demerzel reaches out to a leader in the Luminist faith—Foundation fans will recall it from a key season one storyline—to act as a sounding board for her crisis. 'I think, like in many of her decisions, it's hard to say if it is a good thing or a helpful thing,' Birn said. 'In the palace nobody knows her secrets. She's very held back. She's very controlled. So to have those moments where she can literally reflect on her own things—decisions that she's made, contemplating the past and the future—it is powerful, but I'm not sure if it's helpful. Maybe for her, but maybe not for humankind.' Demerzel stores the Prime Radiant, which resembles a small jewelry box, inside her chest. It's almost where her heart would go if she were human. The choice is one made out of convenience, of course, but there's also a deeper meaning, as Birn pointed out. 'It's interesting: how do we define where the humanity in us lives? We often think that it's the heart that feels. Or it's the soul—where do we think the soul exists? That play of, that there's just a mechanical thing inside her, which is actually something so relevant for the whole galaxy, and the information that she holds close to her heart and the decisions that she makes. So yeah, I do love the play of that.' Foundation returns to Apple TV+ with weekly episodes starting July 11. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
CNET
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Will Take Cues From Mass Effect, Souls Games and More
For a certain kind of science fiction fan, the surprise news of a video game set in one of the most beloved TV and book series, The Expanse, hit like a freight train of hype. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is an action RPG currently in development from Owlcat Games with no release date yet, but that hasn't stopped the studio's creative director, Alexander Mishulin, from giving me some early details about the game. There are many reasons The Expanse has been so successful, the largest of which is its deft mix of well-written characters interweaved with political intrigue affecting grand theaters. Unlike Star Wars and other popular space fiction, The Expanse -- both the books by James S.A. Corey and the Syfy/Amazon Prime show -- is "hard" science fiction with realistic physics and scenarios. From chatting with Mishulin, Cyprus-based Owlcat Games is making sure all of this makes it into its game. The announcement trailer for Osiris Reborn, released during Summer Game Fest earlier this month, shows plenty of hallmarks from the TV show: zero-G ship combat, sealed flight suits, tactical gunplay and the protomolecule. But the end showed something even more promising: early gameplay footage that, despite being prealpha and not representative of how the final game will look, represents the third-person exploration that Owlcat Games is aiming to use. It looks, well, very Mass Effect. Many of Mishulin's teammates are fans of BioWare's legendary sci-fi action RPG series, and he acknowledged that it in some way inspired Osiris Reborn. But he emphasized that the team also drew on RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 for its cinematic story focusing on companions, while Japanese RPGs served as models for great characterization that keeps you attached to characters through the long story of a game. "I'm not saying we are taking something from, say, Persona 5, but the approach, the idea that characters are front and center of the story and how they evolve all through the story up until the end is a little bit similar," Mishulin said. Osiris Reborn is set in the same near-Earth area as its source material, specifically during the events of the first and second seasons of the show (or the first two books). It'll have entirely new characters for the player to meet and add to their party, which was done to give Owlcat Games more creative room to tell stories rather than strictly adapt the books or show, though they may run into some more well-known heroes and villains. Owlcat Games "You will be seeing with your own eyes the repercussions of Holden's actions, all the situations like The Canterbury, and how it affects people in the belt, people in the inner planets," Mishulin said. "You will be having your own adventure with your own goals, choices, consequences in the same universe [with] all the major events unfolding in this universe alongside your story." What players will recognize more are the planets, moons and locations they'll visit in Osiris Reborn -- in fact, the game starts on Eros Station. Show and book fans will remember what was happening there at this point in the timeline, and yes, the human-altering extrasolar protomolecule will make an appearance in the game, evoking a similar horror as it does in the show. Relatedly, the corporate subsidiary Protogen that studies the alien molecule will also appear, Mishulin said, hinting that its most sinister project, the human-protomolecule hybrid Caliban, will also show up. From the trailer and Mishulin's descriptions, Osiris Reborn sounds like it will be very different from other adaptations of the franchise, such as Telltale's narrative-driven Expanse game. And for Mass Effect fans, it sounds like Owlcat's game will have RPG systems and combat that have some similar elements to BioWare's classics, but give players more capability to build characters and play how they want. Mix in strong characters with comparisons to other popular RPGs and Osiris Reborn sounds like a lot of what fans want in a game adapting the franchise. Owlcat Games Modern third-person space RPG combat Osiris Reborn's combat will allow a variety of approaches, Mishulin said, letting players mix and match their reliance on gunplay and various abilities. In the announcement trailer, the trio of heroes showcased three different approaches to fights: traditional guns, drone-based support from a distance and a defensive ballistic shield (along with a shoulder-mounted weapon), which worked in tandem to hit enemies from all sides. "The RPG system is very open, allowing you to build whatever character you like. It's part of our vision of the game to allow you to experiment and find things you like," Mishulin said. Characters aren't class-based, and players can try out weapons and devices they find along the way. Weapons you pick up will have different parameters, like damage, accuracy or recoil, so it behooves the player to find out which guns best fit their build. In that way, Mishulin vaguely compared Osiris Reborn to a Souls game -- not in its difficulty, but in discovering weapons during the game and strengthening your play style around it. The team wants players to tinker with their abilities and weapons to find what's best for them, including finding unique synergies. Mishulin gave one example: a visor that highlights enemies through smoke and cover (which "allows you to start feeling a little bit like a character in a lot of '80s or '90s movies," Mishulin said) that will help players shoot enemies through walls. It works better with slow and hard-hitting weapons than with a fast-firing submachine gun, he noted, so it's only helpful with certain play styles. Owlcat Games In Osiris Reborn, players will also have two companions to bring into combat, though the rest of your ragtag crew won't just stay on the ship, killing time, Mishulin noted. They'll help you fulfill objectives as the missions progress -- sometimes even forming second teams to handle situations elsewhere. As seen in the trailer, players will have their own small ship (similar to the Rocinante in The Expanse books and show) that the main characters call home and use to launch into missions. And while ship-to-ship combat won't be in Osiris Reborn -- at least not controlling it like other dogfighting simulator games -- players will get to roam around and lightly customize their vessel. And while it won't necessarily relate to combat, players will create their main character and establish their backstory as being from Earth, Mars or the Belt (the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter). Player characters will face hostility due to their origins and other choices or consequences, but later in the game, they'll be able to shift their allegiances as they choose -- perhaps they'll be born a Belter but slowly shift toward the ideology of Mars, Minshulin suggested, or choose to be a double agent. Ultimately, there will be a lot of paths and choices for players to pick their own experience, one defined by choices. Owlcat Games Adapting The Expanse after working on Warhammer 40K and other franchises Owlcat Games is most known for its titles taking place in the universes of popular nerdy properties like Warhammer 40K and Pathfinder (a tabletop game similar to Dungeons & Dragons). Games like Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader showed how Owlcat's developers can bring a specific scenario and story to life in the world of an intellectual property through close involvement with those who hold the rights. "Our previous games taught us how to communicate this approach, how to communicate our vision and our passion for this particular universe to an IP holder," Mishulin said. Fans of The Expanse among the developers at Owlcat Games put together a pitch for an adaptation and approached Alcon Entertainment. The Expanse universe was a good fit for the studio's type of storytelling, Mishulin said: grounded, gritty sci-fi with a lot of political power plays and webs of intrigue. More importantly for Owlcat, the universe has lots of opportunities to introduce player agency in choices, consequences and big decisions -- which is pretty evident in the books and show. Owlcat started developing Osiris Reborn in 2021 and spent almost a year prototyping the game, as it switched from the Unity engine used for its previous games to Unreal Engine 5 to better suit its vision. While its prior games were isometric tactical games controlling multiple characters from above, Osiris Reborn positions the camera over the main character's shoulder for a more intense experience that suits the shooter gameplay and cinematic approach. Owlcat Games Owlcat's game aims to preserve The Expanse's realistic approach to science fiction, Minshulin said, including how it treats the lethal vacuum of space. "One big part of our Expanse experience is [conveying] that space is a very dangerous and unwelcoming place to be," Minshulin said. From decompression to navigating zero-G environments to the "click" of boots magnetizing on surfaces, players should see authentic visual and audio touches from the show and books. The one exception they're making: gunshots will make sounds in space, but should respect the "feeling of the physics and how it should be" in their game, Minshulin said. The studio will have a similar approach to the physics phenomena of traveling in space or being on a space station, especially when it looks cool and immerses the player. Regrettably, Minshulin couldn't give me an example of one of these physics phenomena -- because it would spoil content that's going to be in the game's hands-off demo Owlcat is showing off in August at this year's Gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany. While Owlcat hasn't yet set a release date for the game, fans of The Expanse will soon get to see more of what Owlcat has in store for what's looking like the biggest adaptation of the sci-fi franchise so far.
Reuters
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
China's online literature expands overseas readership in cultural export push
HONG KONG, June 17 (Reuters) - China counted over a half billion consumers of online literature last year - a record - according to an official report, while the number of overseas users also jumped as authorities promoted the industry as a cultural export and soft power tool. China's online literature, which includes web novels in a variety of genres accessible via smart phones, tablets and e-readers, has seen a boom over the past decade with the number of authors and readers soaring. A report by the Chinese Literature Institute, under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said on Sunday that the growth was driven by younger consumers. Readers aged 26 to 45 accounted for half the total readership, the report said. The number of online literature consumers in China grew 10.6% year on year in 2024 to 575 million, or nearly half of all citizens. The number of overseas users, meanwhile, reached 352 million, including readers from more than 200 countries, with the market growing 16.5% year on year to a value of 5.07 billion yuan ($706.12 million). The report called online literature a new channel for "telling Chinese stories well and deepening exchanges and mutual learning among civilisations", adding that it had improved the "country's cultural soft power." Science fiction in particular was developing rapidly, it added. With a growth rate of 180%, Japan was the fastest developing foreign market. Britain, Greece, Spain, Brazil, France and Germany also showed strong growth, it said. Chinese online literature has the largest readership in Asia, which accounts for about 80% of all readers globally and over 50% of global market share by value, the report said. China Literature Ltd ( opens new tab, a leading Chinese online literary reading and writing platform owned by Tencent ( opens new tab, has turned many of its online literature works into television and web series, movies and games. Its Hong Kong-listed shares have climbed 23% so far this year. ($1 = 7.1801 Chinese yuan renminbi)
