Tag: Speculative Drama

Categories
Books Science Fiction Tie-in Merchandise

Stargate Books Series Complete Book List for SG-1, SGA, & SGU

Here are the complete lists of Stargate books for Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate Universe, since I’m sure that’s what you came to this page looking for. Below the lists I’ve added some comments if you care to read on. This list is meant to be in order of publication and I think I’ve got it about right. Feel free to let me know if you notice errors.

STARGATE SG-1

  1. SG1-01 Trial by Fire
  2. SG1-02 Sacrifice Moon
  3. SG1-03 A Matter of Honor
  4. SG1-04 City of the Gods (buy the ebook) *affiliate link
  5. SG1-05 The Cost of Honor (sequel to A Matter of Honor)
  6. SG1-06 Siren Song
  7. SG1-07 Survival of the Fittest
  8. SG1-08 Alliances
  9. SG1-09 Roswell
  10. SG1-10 Relativity
  11. SG1-11 The Barque of Heaven
  12. SG1-12 Do No Harm
  13. SG1-13 Hydra
  14. SG1-14 Valhalla
  15. SG1-15 The Power Behind the Throne
  16. SG1-16 Four Dragons
  17. SG1-17 Sunrise
  18. SG1-18 Transitions
  19. SG1-19 Oceans of Dust
  20. SG1-20 Heart’s Desire
  21. SG1-21 The Drift (buy the ebook) *affiliate link
  22. SG1-22 Moebius Squared
  23. SG1-23 Ouroboros
  24. SG1-24 Two Roads
  25. SG1-25 Hostile Ground (Apocalypse Series, #1)
  26. SG1-26 Murder at the SGC
  27. SG1-27 Exile (Apocalypse Series, #2)
  28. SG1-28 Kalis Wrath
  29. SG1-29 Hall of the Two Truths
  30. SG1-30 Insurrection (Apocalypse Series, #3)
  31. SG1-31 Female of the Species
  32. SG1-32 Infiltration

Stargate SG-1 Novellas/Other

  1. SGX-01 Far Horizons (Anthology of ten stories)
  2. SGX-02 Permafrost
  3. SGX-03 Points of Origin (Anthology of ten stories)
  4. SGX-06 Homeworlds (Anthology of ten stories)
  5. SGX-07 Behind Enemy Lines

STARGATE ATLANTIS

  1. SGA-01 Rising
  2. SGA-02 Reliquary
  3. SGA-03 The Chosen
  4. SGA-04 Halcyon & SGA-04 Halcyon (SE)
  5. SGA-05 Exogenesis
  6. SGA-06 Entanglement
  7. SGA-07 Casualties of War
  8. SGA-08 Blood Ties
  9. SGA-09 Mirror, Mirror
  10. SGA-10 Nightfall
  11. SGA-11 Angelus
  12. SGA-12 Dead End
  13. SGA-13 Hunt and Run
  14. SGA-14 Death Game
  15. SGA-15 Brimstone
  16. SGA-16 Homecoming (Legacy Series, #1)
  17. SGA-17 The Lost (Legacy Series, #2)
  18. SGA-18 Allegiance (Legacy Series, #3)
  19. SGA-19 The Furies (Legacy Series, #4)
  20. SGA-20 Secrets (Legacy Series, #5)
  21. SGA-21 The Inheritors (Legacy Series, #6)
  22. SGA-22 Unascended (Legacy Series, #7)
  23. SGA-23 Third Path (Legacy Series, #8)
  24. SGA-24 Pride of the Genii

Stargate Atlantis Novellas/Other

  1. SGX-01 Far Horizons (Anthology of ten stories)
  2. SGX-03 Points of Origin (Anthology of ten stories)
  3. SGX-04 Lost Queen
  4. SGX-05 Wild Blue
  5. SGX-06 Homeworlds (Anthology of ten stories)
  6. SGX-08 From the Depths

STARGATE UNIVERSE

  1. SGU-01 Air

The Stargate Books

I would love to be further along in my reading of the Stargate books, but there are so many of them I didn’t know where to start when I began reading them. I finally decided on Stargate Atlantis and bought several Stargate Atlantis books. I picked them out based on story description and ratings and I haven’t yet been disappointed.

I’ve linked to the book reviews I’ve written for the books I’ve finished reading, but I still have many books to go. I own several more still sitting on my TBR shelf, and I find myself tempted to add more to my collection even before I’ve finished the Stargate Atlantis books I have because some of the books sound so good.

I’ve bolded those books I want to buy ASAP, and italicized those that I already own but haven’t yet read.

Categories
Reviews Science Fiction Television

The Silent Sea on Netflix: Entertaining

I watched The Silent Sea on Netflix this last weekend. It’s a South Korean drama about a trip to a research station on the moon. As you can imagine, not much goes right for the crew tasked with finding something and bringing it back.

There are English subtitles and an English dub (I read the subs, because I like to hear the actor’s original voices).

The show has eight episodes and they’re just long enough.

The Silent Sea was suspenseful and had enough action to keep me entertained. I’ll avoid spoilers and just say that they did a good job doling out the information when it was needed, and the actors were well suited to their roles.

Although it was good, there are a few things I think could have been done better, but overall, I enjoyed the time I spent watching.

If you have a chance to see this one, give it a shot. :)

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Watching: Another Life (Netflix series) (Spoiler: I like it)

I’m four episodes from the end of the series Another Life on Netflix and I just do not understand why so many people seem to hate this show. When I checked yesterday, it had a rating of 4.5 on IMDB. I went back last night and it was up to 4.7. And that’s where it remains this morning. (I have since watched the entire first season and my opinion hasn’t changed a bit. The show just got better.)

Finally a fast-paced action-packed science fiction show that doesn’t bog down in the personal dramas of every side character and villain. One with lighting that actually lets me see what’s happening. One that is diabolical in the use of cliffhangers, I admit. :D One that is fun to watch, but still manages to be touching enough to make me have to fight back tears near the end of one particular episode.

So yeah, I don’t get it.

Another Life is a decent little show, deserving of much better reviews than it’s getting.

As of 8/8:

Rotten Tomatoes – 6%

IMDB – 4.7

Google Users – 77% liked this TV show

Why the discrepancy?

I have one hypothesis, and it’s this: Netflix targeted the wrong audience with their trailer.

I watched the trailer when Netflix first sent it out to members, and it didn’t appeal to me at all. I wasn’t interested in watching this show based on that trailer. I just happened to be looking for something to watch yesterday after deciding I wasn’t up for another episode of Father Brown at the moment (I know, I know, but I have wide and varied television interests and mystery series is one of them :D). Anyway, I turned on Another Life and was hooked from the moment it skipped straight to the action.

The trailer misled me into thinking this would be an entirely different kind of show.

Another Life needs a new trailer. :)

I’d love to hear from other people who like this show. Any of you out there?

Categories
Television

Missed It the First Time Round-up

Recently I’ve had to opportunity to catch some science fiction and fantasy television I missed the first time around. A few of these have been very popular shows, but I just never got around to watching for one reason or another. Here’s a short summary of what I tried and my thoughts.

True Blood

I wasn’t as excited by this as I thought I’d be. Although I watched about 4 episodes, I never did get into the story enough to want to keep going. I finally went to an online source, read a bunch of spoilers and then decided this one just wasn’t for me. I fall much more to the science fiction side of SFF television.

Wolf Blood

I know, it’s a show aimed at a younger audience. But you know what? I really like it. I haven’t finished the first season yet, but I know that when I get in the right mood, I’ll be revisiting this one.

The Originals

I’ve watched almost half a season of this show, but I think I’m done. I’m not sure what it is, but maybe it’s the excessive drama. I’m not a fan.

Bitten

I liked the first season of Bitten, a lot! But something happened over the break and now that I have access to the second season, I’m not finding myself so interested in continuing. I started the first episodes of season two and bailed within ten minutes. Something about the opening just turned me off in a major way and at this time, I don’t know that I’ll ever bother to watch more.

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

It’s hard to define my reaction to this one. I’ve liked what I’ve seen of the first season, but I haven’t found myself tempted to watch more. I don’t think I’m done with this show, but I also don’t feel any sort of compulsion to keep watching. I think… and this is just my gut feeling… I just don’t like the main female lead, Skye. I don’t know, but since I’m only through four episodes, I’m going to say I’ll probably watch more, eventually, when the right mood hits me.

And that’s it for this summary. I’m always looking for that next big obsession when it comes to the television shows I watch. It turns out none of these are that for me, but maybe in the next batch!

Categories
Television

Teen Wolf: Young Derek Will Be Missed

Spoilers. Although if you’re reading this, you were probably looking for them.

Young Derek = Adorable

I saved up the first three episodes of the new season of Teen Wolf so I wouldn’t have that horrible cliffhanger hangover later, and I’m so glad I did. After the plot twist at the end of the first episode “The Dark Moon,” I would have been so disappointed to have to wait for the next, “117.” By “Muted,” I already missed young Derek.

It would have been so fun to see that plot twist hang around for a few more episodes, although I admit, when it first happened, I wanted the real Derek back ASAP. But, wow, that one grew on me in like thirty seconds flat.

Using the same actor from last season’s “Visionary” was a great choice and it was cool to see him a bit more grown up looking. He’s adorable and he’s a good actor. And although I’m too old to be thinking that kid’s a hottie, my much younger daughter isn’t. :D The fact that he looks so much like Derek gave both those episodes some really awesome realism.

Teen Wolf’s second episode of season 4, “117” had some excellent moments. I love that the writers have brought some of the humor of the first season back so strongly this season. I’ve missed that. I loved season 3, don’t get me wrong, but the levity of a little humor does add something special to the show, making the episodes much more re-watchable.

In fact, I figure I’ll be re-watching “117” sooner rather than later. If you haven’t caught it yet, do as I did, and buy it on Amazon. Or watch it on MTV’s website when it’s available (link).

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Defiance season one is on Amazon Prime Instant Video

I had avoided watching Defiance, because I’d seen some photos prior to the airing of the show, and frankly, I wasn’t impressed. I also didn’t know if the show would make it past a first season, and over the last few years, I’ve gotten extremely leery of Syfy and their ability to stand behind a promising series. So, long story short, I chose to wait and see.

Defiance

Then I forgot about the show.

Yeah.

Last weekend, however, I saw it pop up on Amazon Prime Instant Video and was like, wow, totally missed that one. I watched the Pilot and then more than half the season, and although it’s not the best thing ever, there are definitely aspects of the series that I enjoy and certain themes I’d like to see explored in the rest of the first season and in season 2 when it comes (season 2 of Defiance premieres June 19, 2014).

The most underdeveloped part of the series, in my opinion?

Christie and Alak. Their interspecies relationship has a ton of  conflict and while the show touches on that story every so often in the first season, it hasn’t really broken out. (I’m not quite finished with the season, so if there’s something I’m missing here, I’ll update later.)

The most overdeveloped parts of the series, in my opinion?

Kenya. This is really the most glaring, uninteresting part of the show. I can’t even really think of how this could have played out better, although I’m sure someone could have figured it out. I’d accept this a lot better if the prostitute angle had played some kind of integral role so far, but it hasn’t. It’s mostly been set dressing, and bland at that.

Irisa’s badassery. She kind of annoys me. I mean, horrible childhood = bitch with issues. I want to like her and I think I could if she softened up a bit. She could give some of her bitchery to Amanda. That’s one I’d like to see toughen up. I find her mommy vibe as annoying as I find Irisa’s bitchiness.

And that’s the thing. The female characters on the show, with the exception of Stahma, all seem to be a tad too cliche for me. The men? Not bad at all, well rounded and interesting. The women? Not so much.

All that said, though, I’m enjoying the show, and I’m willing to overlook the trite and cliché for the good stuff.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

The 100 hasn’t been cancelled

The 100The 100 is about “100 young exiles from a dying space station [that] are sent to the planet Earth 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse to see if it’s habitable.”

The premise intrigues me, and since the show hasn’t been cancelled, I think I’ll give it a try. I love post-apocalyptic settings and this sounds like it’s going to have that in abundance (a supposition based on having read some of the descriptions for episodes beyond the Pilot).

I feel kind of lost sometimes about what to post here, because I don’t like writing reviews of single episodes of a show, because I’m just not sure how helpful those kinds of reviews are. I do enjoy writing (and reading) commentary, just not the kind that spans an entire showing of an episode, so maybe I’ll do more of that.

Anyway! I’m just happy to have found another sci-fi show to try that hasn’t been cancelled already.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Orphan Black

I sat down to watch Orphan Black last week, and before I was done, I’d watched the entire first season on Amazon’s Prime Video. The series is sharp and entertaining, and the actress playing the lead, Tatiana Maslany, is excellent. I don’t know that I’ve seen so much range in one person before. Maybe, but I certainly can’t remember off the top of my head.

Here’s the summary of the first episode. If I say much more, I’ll spoil the show.

Sarah, a streetwise hustler on the run, witnesses the suicide of a stranger who looks just like her. Sarah assumes her identity, hoping that cleaning out the dead woman’s bank account will solve all of her problems. Instead, after taking on the new identity, Sarah quickly finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy and must race to find answers.

—From Natural Selection (Episode 1, Orphan Black)

If you haven’t heard of this one, check it out. I couldn’t stop watching once I’d started.

Categories
Television

Teen Wolf’s Season Ender Still Has Me Puzzled

Teen Wolf

If you haven’t watched the season finale of Teen Wolf: WARNING, there are spoilers ahead.

I’m puzzled. Not about the show, although that last scene raised my eyebrows as I had a half-second flash of What? Was it all a dream? before my brain caught up and I realized that probably wasn’t what was happening at all.

No, I’m puzzled about how I feel about it all. I don’t know. I kind of expected something better. The little bardo thing felt kind of, uh, lame? I don’t know. I wasn’t thrilled with it, I guess. I had seriously hoped Scott was going to show he had some more hidden cleverness tucked away in his brain somewhere. I adore poor Scott but it’s pretty clear he isn’t much more than a bleeding heart without his friends. Maybe I just need to watch it again—but I don’t feel like it. Not right now anyway.

So, some thoughts

Danny knowing about werewolves. Cute. Maybe too cute.

Scott’s dad sticking around, possibly. I’m good with that.

Isaac not returning (picked that up from an interview, not from the season ending episode). Eh, ambivalent. I can see why the character might choose to stay away, so I’m sure it will work fine for the show. But I’m going to seriously miss Isaac. He brought a lot of humor to the show!

Derek … getting shot?! No!!! Typically, the end of season cliffhangers haven’t been that big and this one is going to torture me all spring, until the show returns in late June. Argh!

On the other hand, I can see Kate’s return as something quite interesting, although without Allison there, I’m not sure it’ll be more than Ooh, goody, a strong villainess!

And if Derek dies, well, I’m gonna bail. That sounds mean, but there are a few characters on this show that if they died, I don’t think I’d care how it was handled, I’d quit watching. Of course, the show runners can do what they want, so I’m not saying this for any other reason than that it just wouldn’t be the same for me and I admit, I tend to lose faith in shows quickly when too many changes happen too quickly.

My list of no-go characters on Teen Wolf

  • Scott McCall (of course!)
  • Stiles Stilinski
  • Sheriff Stilinski
  • Melissa McCall
  • Derek Hale (gotta have at least one born werewolf and he’s my pick)

I’ll miss many others if they depart, but I’d live, and I’d keep watching. (I lived through Jackson’s departure, and I’m accepting of Allison’s death, and those were huge, as far as I’m concerned.) :D

Get rid of any of those people above, and I’d have to think long and hard before I’d be even possibly interested in keeping up with the show.

Any thoughts?

 

Categories
Fantasy Television

Teen Wolf: I Saw It Coming and I Still Flinched

Who didn’t see the end of Teen Wolf’s “Silverfinger” coming? Who watched it and still screamed out at the TV like the girl that she is?

That’d be me.

I’m spoiling the episode below so if you don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read on.

Here’s a description of the episode “Silverfinger” just so you have a little eye-room before I spill the goods.

Scott’s friends pledge to protect him against him against an increasingly hostile enemy while Argent, Isaac and Allison search for answers through an old adversary from the Japanese Yakuza. At the same time, Stiles enlists Melissa’s help in figuring out exactly what’s going on with him.

Stiles in the HospitalIn an awesome display of incredible acting, Dylan O’Brien completely sold me on Stiles’ possession by a cold-eyed demon/spirit. Honestly, I knew he was a good actor, but the scene really blew me away. It’s no wonder his career seems to be heating up. The guy can act.

What a great boon to Teen Wolf.

I loved the episode for several reasons, but this last scene—this was the kicker. I’m salivating for the next episode, so I know someone did their job.

Teen Wolf is still a fantastic series. I hope this thing goes on for years.

Links:

https://www.mtv.com/shows/teen-wolf