steam has mass effect for $20. is it worth buying and playing now?
posted by leemajors on Dec 26, 2009 - 6 answers

Origin of the Matrix relating to a Science Fictional setting... [more inside]
posted by madmamasmith on Dec 24, 2009 - 19 answers

Book-recommendation-filter: Can you help me find something to read? Parameters to follow. [more inside]
posted by Janta on Dec 22, 2009 - 33 answers

Please link me to Sci-Fi or Fantasy stories involving God--especially "surprise" God. [more inside]
posted by jefficator on Dec 7, 2009 - 52 answers

I just finished reading Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, and really enjoyed it. I'd love to read other World War I novels with fantasy/science-fiction/steampunk twists. Are there any? [more inside]
posted by Caduceus on Oct 17, 2009 - 17 answers

In Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks there is a part where one of the Estodiens say to Quilan, 'I hope you have the wit to realise you past two little tests there, Major, not one'. It appears that I do not have the wit. Possible spoilers inside. [more inside]
posted by Nufkin on Sep 20, 2009 - 5 answers

Yet-Another-Bookfilter - I'm trying to find an 80s-ish sci-fi book that I want to think was called "The War of Forgetting". The premise was something along the lines of: two warring factions get devices, described as "battery powered, about the size of a pocket calculator, with three antennae" which can take large cubic sections of space ( hundreds of feet on a side ) and "store" them in the device, removing them from our reality. The problem is that when something is removed, people's memories of the area/thing are removed as well - so everyone forgets what was removed and why. Later in the book, as reality gets more swiss-cheesed, people try randomly restoring these blocks and the results aren't pretty. I've been trying to find this book off and on for years, now I come to you good folk for help. Yes, it's somewhat ironic that I can't remember the title. :-)
posted by HannoverFist on Aug 25, 2009 - 9 answers

Looking for sci-fi novel recommendations, preferably of the “harder” variety. My two favorite authors are Alastair Reynolds and Vernor Vinge. Some other books & authors that I’ve liked (and a few I’ve disliked) below the fold, to hopefully give a better sense of what I’m looking for. Thanks! [more inside]
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell on Aug 11, 2009 - 38 answers

Identify a book for my girlfriend please. Read in the mid 90's maybe had 'children' in the title. Sci-fi novel about children held captive with woman in a castle after being placed with her through a government forced foster system (children are lent out to childless people for one month). They survive nuclear meltdown and years after by being put into suspended animation. [more inside]
posted by Uncle on Aug 9, 2009 - 5 answers

Recommend me some sci-fi with female lead characters! [more inside]
posted by cardamine on Jul 26, 2009 - 66 answers

Short Story Askme: I read a short dystopian story many years ago set in a run-down, post apocalyptic future. A queue of people line up on a street to spit at a painting. The painting represents all the problems of the past. It is implied that the painting is The Mona Lisa. What is the story?
posted by bollockovnikov on Sep 25, 2008 - 2 answers

Help me find more great, epic scope, sci-fi or fantasy audiobooks. [more inside]
posted by Kraki on Sep 21, 2008 - 22 answers

Several spaceships enter a region of space and disapear. Another spaceship goes to investigate, containing humans and other futuristic sentient species. They find themselves at the bottom of an ocean that is composed of deuterium isotope water. There are sentient creatures living on the ocean floor. Later, two humans are captured by a group of cockroachy creatures. Hilarity ensues. In the end, they escape. A sequel seems possible. What is the book? Who is it by? Is there a sequel?
posted by lazy robot on Sep 6, 2008 - 7 answers

What are some great sci-fi novels that take place on planets with unusual climate/geography? [more inside]
posted by mamessner on Jul 12, 2008 - 42 answers

Science-Fiction-Novel-Filter: Lost colony of Galactic Empire, in which a man is dispatched to the planet with an automated legged probe. There is a technology on the planet that is perceived as magic(?) to the natives... [more inside]
posted by strangelove on Jun 29, 2008 - 2 answers

please help identify this "young adults" sci-fi-ish novel - "I'm an Est, for Ests are best, down to their sodding woollen vests"... [more inside]
posted by russm on Jun 8, 2008 - 8 answers

There was a post (I believe on Boing Boing) a few months ago about a sci-fi short story in the form of an internet message board. The message board was for a group of time travelers, and the new members were always being scolded for going back in time and killing Hitler (this was against the rules, as without Hitler we wouldn't have many technologies, etc etc). I have Google strings that I've tried inside... [more inside]
posted by pedmands on May 14, 2008 - 14 answers

Help me locate a weird 80's sci-fi movie with almost no info. [more inside]
posted by ninazer0 on May 9, 2008 - 5 answers

A childhood memory of two science fiction films has been nagging me lately. I have just a little to go on... [more inside]
posted by I, Credulous on Apr 17, 2008 - 11 answers

Television show where half the planet is always dark? [more inside]
posted by pointystick on Apr 1, 2008 - 14 answers

What are some good sci-fi stories (both short and full-length) that explore the idea of singularity? [more inside]
posted by pedmands on Mar 30, 2008 - 37 answers

A while back, on this site, some lovely soul posted a YouTube link of a very strange full-length animated sci-fi film from the 70s. The story involved men being kept as playthings/servants by a giant race on a strange planet. The humans wore some sort of collar that restricted their movements. It was a very unusual film, quite obviously NOT North American. I believe the original film was French and that it had not been available for many years. Can anyone recall the name of this film? Much thanks :)
posted by ChaoticIndustry on Mar 10, 2008 - 7 answers

Help me understand the methaphor/mythology behind female sci-fi characters losing their ovaries (slightly spoilery for Alias, X-Files, and S2 of Battlestar Galactica). [more inside]
posted by junkbox on Mar 6, 2008 - 15 answers

Help me identify this sci-fi short story, involving a hunter who is "impregnated" by a sphinx-like creature, and slowly evolves into such a creature himself while under scientific study. [more inside]
posted by Auden on Feb 13, 2008 - 3 answers

I remember reading this sci-fi book a long while ago, but I can't remember anything easily googleable. Can anyone help identify it? [more inside]
posted by flatluigi on Feb 10, 2008 - 2 answers

I'm looking or the name, and possibly other information on a five or six part sci-fi series that aired in the mid nineties, I think on the BBC (not sure). It was set in London/UK and dealt with repercussions of various theorised technological advancements. [more inside]
posted by sparklejess on Jan 27, 2008 - 7 answers

I'm looking for a series of hardback science fiction anthologies I dimly remember from childhood (sometime in the mid 80s). I think it had a one word title with a number, and the series went up to at least number five. I remember two stories in particular... [more inside]
posted by Artw on Jan 13, 2008 - 11 answers

Are there any good (or at least decent) animated features that have that Star Wars-esque space opera adventure feel to it? [more inside]
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing on Dec 29, 2007 - 23 answers

I need books for a sci-fi discussion group [more inside]
posted by Jacen on Oct 9, 2007 - 49 answers

I'm looking for screen caps of several different dystopic sci-fi movies. Any idea where I should look?
posted by Pinwheel on Sep 6, 2007 - 8 answers

Do you remember a sci-fi short story about the last man on earth and suspended animation and the evolution of algae? [more inside]
posted by Specklet on Jul 31, 2007 - 4 answers

Do you remember a show - around the time of the a team, knight rider street hawk etc.. This guy, was an astronaut... The sun's radiation got through his visor He used to get really angry, could run fast but his head almost exploded and would pulsate. I think in the last episode his head actually did explode. Quite a crud super power I suppose. But he could run after cars and flipped out whenever anybody picked on his girlfriend. It really flopped and was a short run thing - I think they killed him off (hence his head exploding).
posted by roryks on Jul 16, 2007 - 5 answers

Should I follow in the footsteps of Douglas Adams? [more inside]
posted by humblepigeon on Jun 21, 2007 - 18 answers

My friend is searching for the title of a low-budget B-monster movie. The plot: The crew of a spaceship find a derelict spacecraft and awaken a demon/alien creature who possesses the crew one by one. Also, the movie might star Kurt Russell. [more inside]
posted by shoseph on May 30, 2007 - 11 answers

What Science Fiction movies feature dancing? [more inside]
posted by Jezztek on May 29, 2007 - 40 answers

Many years ago I read this really good sci-fi futuristic book (at least when I was little I thought it was really good). I would really like to find it and read it again. Please help! [more inside]
posted by Jenny is Crafty on Mar 1, 2007 - 9 answers

Help me remember the name of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel i read as 10 years or so ago. [more inside]
posted by sunimplodes on Feb 18, 2007 - 6 answers

I was wonerding if anyone could give me examples of programs from science fiction(or any kind of fiction) that have been turned into real world applications ? [more inside]
posted by grex on Feb 2, 2007 - 41 answers

In the grand ask.mefi tradition I'm looking for the name of a book... [more inside]
posted by zeoslap on Jan 4, 2007 - 17 answers

Once I've made my sci-fi novel available via Lulu.com, will it still be viable to shop around to agents and editors for potential mass-market publication? Are there factors that influence it? For example, if it sells a lot, is it considered a good buy by a publisher, or has it basically had its first run?
posted by JWright on Dec 8, 2006 - 9 answers

What is that movie where at the end the hero is flying a space ship and he crashes it into the main villain, piercing him with the pointy tip of the ship and killing him? [more inside]
posted by Infernarl on Dec 2, 2006 - 8 answers

Remember my request for sci-fi music? Six months later, I'm finally ready to make my CD mix. Almost. Last night I figured out how to record mp3 audio from DVD on my Mac, and now I want to rip key dialogue snippets from classic sci-fi films. I went for Khan spitting at Kirk from his grave, but there's too much incidental music. I think maybe I can get Ripley signing off. What other short, iconic soundclips from sci-fi films should I look for? The intro to the old Battlestar Galactica? Something from Logan's Run? Blade Runner bits? Eerie, ethereal, otherworldly, outer-space stuff is best. (Bonus points if you can direct me to a source that's already done the work for me; right now I'm looking at a several-week Netflix slog.)
posted by jdroth on Sep 19, 2006 - 67 answers

BookFilter: I've read Richard Morgan's Kovacs trilogy through and through, and I'm looking for something similar to read... [more inside]
posted by nafrance on Jul 31, 2006 - 15 answers

I'm on the hunt for sites and/or blogs about big ideas... Who wants to join me? [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Jul 9, 2006 - 17 answers

What's the most exciting novel you've ever read? I mean this in the simplest sense: an exciting plot. I'm looking for page-turners. Novels that keep you on the edge of your seat and refuse to let you sleep until you finish them. I'm looking for genre novels -- but I don't care what genres: Mystery, thriller, sci-fi, etc. (though sci-fi/fantasy has been done-to-death here, so I'm really more interested in other genres.) Oh, I care about words. So no matter how exciting, I'll quit reading if the prose is crappy. [more inside]
posted by grumblebee on May 25, 2006 - 148 answers

ScifiBookFilter: My uncle has been trying to figure out this novel he read around the 70s. [more inside]
posted by Lockeownzj00 on May 22, 2006 - 3 answers

Name That Book! I'm trying to track down a book I read probably 20 or 25 years ago, when I would have been in my early teens. It was vaguely science fiction-ish, featured teenagers as the main characters and *may* have been Canadian. Plot synopsis inside... [more inside]
posted by schwap23 on May 8, 2006 - 11 answers

Help me find these two short stories - one horror and one (possibly) sci-fi. [more inside]
posted by ninazer0 on Apr 26, 2006 - 9 answers

DreamWithMe filter: What if everyone read science fiction? How would the world be different? [more inside]
posted by amtho on Apr 7, 2006 - 27 answers

This silly little thing haunts me - the name of an 80's sci-fi TV show. Maybe a mini-series, or very short-lived I think.... [more inside]
posted by jkaczor on Mar 29, 2006 - 10 answers