GeekDad

The Latest Sci-Fi Novel From Daniel Suarez — Plus Interview!

February 18, 2014December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly

I distinctly remember the day back in 2009 when I was wandering through Barnes & Noble and my eyes caught the title of a new hardback sitting in the New Arrivals section. Fresh from leaving the world of networking, servers, and operating systems, the distinct spelling of the title was still familiar to me as I picked up Daemon and read the blurb. It sounded interesting enough, so I purchased it and took it home. Little did I know that I was about to discover a new writer who would immediately be added to my Must Read List.

The Martian — Mars Meets MacGyver

February 11, 2014December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly1

Do you remember that scene in Apollo 13 when the engineer dumps a bunch of parts on the table and tells the other engineers in the room they need to create a carbon dioxide filter using nothing but that pile of parts? Did that scene totally make you smile? Yes? Then grab a copy of The Martian before anyone ruins it for you and read it. Seriously Read it. You won’t regret it.

A Sherlock Holmes Book Review — X2!

February 10, 2014November 23, 2017James Floyd Kelly3

The popularity of Sherlock Holmes continues to grow and grow thanks to not only the two hit TV shows (BBC’s Sherlock and CBS’s Elementary) but also the recent court ruling that supported putting much of the mythos in the public domain and that will allow many more stories to be told. Expect to be seeing much more of the World’s Most Famous Detective in the years to come, and if you’re looking for some new reading material, I’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find information on two new books that have just become available and will entertain fans.

Back to the Lab: Nick and Tesla’s Robot Army Rampage

February 4, 2014December 16, 2017James Floyd Kelly

Robots. Say that word to kids and watch their eyes light up. Mine still do! I’ve had a fascination with robots since 1977 when I decided in the first five minutes of Star Wars that I wanted my own R2 unit. Now my workshop is full of them, and I’m even getting to teach a camp this summer for 20 lucky kids who are going to learn to build, program, and take home their own robot. My camp does have an age limit, however — we’ll be using breadboards, lots of small electronics components, and some coding will be necessary. I have an almost-7 year old son who is a bit upset that he can’t take the class, but I’ve got some other ideas in store for him this summer, and one of those includes reading through the latest book in the Nick and Tesla series from “Science Bob” Pflugfelder and Steven Hockensmith.

Ellen Ripley Is Back!

February 3, 2014December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly

Ripley is Ripley, and we’re not happy if she’s not blasting aliens out of airlocks, going ten rounds in a Powerloader suit, and nuking entire sites from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure, right? So, when Titan Books asked me if I’d like to give a read of their new official trilogy that takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens, I was a bit hesitant. I mean, we all know that Ripley floated peacefully along (with Jones) for 57 years before the salvage crew found the Narcissus. End of story, right? Well, apparently 20th Century Fox knows otherwise, and has contracted three authors, Tim Lebbon, James A. Moore, and Christopher Golden, to fill in the details.

How to Be a Productivity Ninja

January 23, 2014December 14, 2017Sophie Brown

How to Be a Productivity Ninja by Graham Allcott aims to help us maximise our productivity by training us in new ways to actually get stuff done.

Green Tara: Sci-Fi Eco Adventure

January 9, 2014December 16, 2017Rebecca Angel

Ecology gets a space-adventure for young adults in a new book by K.H. Brower. Green Tara: A Bosque Family Adventure is set in a future where Earth can no longer sustain life.. Can one girl change that and bring humans back home?

Happy Birthday, Sherlock! (But We Get the Gifts…)

January 6, 2014December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly10

Sherlock’s “official” birthday is observed every January 6, so on this momentous day (Happy 160th, Sherlock!) here are some new Sherlock-related gifts for fellow fans that may or may not have been missed, in no particular order. Well, not completely true… the first episode of BBC One’s Sherlock is fresh on my mind from two same-day viewings, so here goes…

Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design

December 23, 2013December 13, 2017Patricia Vollmer

Are you looking for a last-minute gift idea for your favorite Tolkien-fan-geek? Look no further than your favorite bookstore for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design

Fan Phenomena: A Book Series for More Than Just Fans

December 18, 2013December 13, 2017Sophie Brown1

The Fan Phenomena series by Intellect is designed as an introduction to fandom. Each book in the series looks at a specific show or film series in a collection of essays written and edited by fans with some expertise in a related field.

The Latest Steampunk Tale from Mark Hodder (with Interview)

December 18, 2013December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly1

Back in October I stated in a book review that I had two favorite authors I tended to recommend — George Mann and Mark Hodder. Between these two gentleman, I’ve got three different steampunk series that I’ve absolutely enjoyed over the years — and there are more books to come. (I’ll put some links at the end of this review to my previous reviews of their works.) Right now, Mark Hodder has just launched his latest trilogy, a follow-up series to his original Burton & Swinburne trilogy that began with The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack, got deeper and darker with The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man, and wrapped up with Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon.

Zero to Maker Is Pure Inspiration

November 11, 2013December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly

I was very fortunate to grow up in a house where both parents were the hands-on, DIYer-types. My dad taught me a good bit of woodworking and some home repair, and my mom was more of a crafter, always having a project or two for us kids to do side-by-side with her as she sewed or glued or painted. I think it was inevitable that I would also develop that desire to tinker, fix, and create.

Sookie Scores the Plot

September 18, 2013December 13, 2017Rebecca Angel1

There’s this little series on HBO called True Blood. You might have heard of it. You may have even heard it’s based on a series of books. But who has time to read when there’s great sex and gore on TV? Find. The. Time.

Contest, Review, and More: The Adventure Time Encyclopaedia — Mathematical!

August 16, 2013December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly12

Last year I went on the hunt for the Season 1 DVD set of Adventure Time for my son. One of his friends had introduced him to it (even though much of it went over his head) and he just really enjoyed it. The episodes on television were the newer season and he hadn’t watched the earlier episodes, so I figured I’d grab it for him and sit down and see what all the fuss was about…

Aetna Adrift — Indie Science Fiction and Scoundrels

August 13, 2013December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly

When it comes to self-published science fiction, I’ve downloaded and started a number of non-traditionally published books. Key word — started. As in… not finished. There are definitely a number of gems to be found in the growing number of indie books out there, but in my experience the ratio of bad to good for self-publishing seems to be about 100:1. That’s not to say that the traditional publishing world doesn’t produce some bad stories, but I’ve found the ratio to be completely opposite… about 1 bad book in every 100 that has made it through the gauntlet of editors (and possibly an agent or two).

All Questions Answered With The Guild: The Official Companion

July 16, 2013December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly

I have a confession to make: I’m really not into MMOs. I’ve played World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, and even The Matrix, but these kinds of games have never managed to hold my interest for long — level 17 for WoW, 21 for CoH, and only 11 for Matrix. But even though MMOs aren’t for me, I do have one MMO-related addiction. And I’ve had it for over 5 years. It’s The Guild.

A Unique World Mythology — The Silver Sickle

July 5, 2013December 13, 2017James Floyd Kelly1

So few science fiction stories these days attempt to provide a story in a single volume — everything’s gotta be a trilogy. Why? The Silver Sickle not only provides a stand-alone science fiction story, but it mixes together three great themes — aliens, steampunk, and a love story. It’s well done and deserving of applause.

Review: Man of Steel Novelization

July 4, 2013December 13, 2017David Faith

have generally found that novelizations are the exception to the general rule that novels are better than movies. Where a movie screenplay is the original source material, the novel can feel thin and hurried–lacking in the depth of thought and characterization that goes into good original novels. Thus when I was asked to review the Man of Steel novelization, I agreed with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Pocket Scavenger Inspires Creativity … and a Contest

July 1, 2013December 13, 2017Kevin Makice

After paging through Keri Smith’s latest journal offering, The Pocket Scavenger, my kids and their friends conducted an alphabet scavenger hunt. You have a chance to win a copy of Smith’s book and matching smartphone app by conducting a scavenger hunt of your own.

Terminal World: A Book Recommendation For World Builders

May 10, 2013December 13, 2017Ryan Carlson

If you are a fan of good science fiction, world building, airships, and reading stories with something unique to contribute, I would like to draw your attention to the standalone novel Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds.

1000 Incredible Costume & Cosplay Ideas

April 27, 2013December 13, 2017Sophie Brown2

Many of us GeekMoms are cosplayers; from my casually thrown together thrift store costumes through Mandy’s hand-sewn Kaylee Shindig dress right up to Dakster – our very own 501st Legion member. Although the level to which we each take our cosplay depends on our individual free time, available finances and confidence, we all love sharing photos of amazing cosplays created by others, so when I heard about 1000 Incredible Costume & Cosplay Ideas – a book part compiled by professional cosplayer Yaya Han I was excited to have a read.

Tag: book reviews