› › Androids Aliens

Doing Animal Studies with Androids, Aliens, and Ghosts

Author : David P. Rando

Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing

Page : 217 pages

File Size : 48,50 MB

Release : 2023-04-06

Category : Literary Criticism

ISBN : 135035614X

Get eBook

Book Description

Exploring what can be learnt when literary critics in the field of animal studies temporarily direct attention away from representations of nonhuman animals in literature and towards liminal figures like androids, aliens and ghosts, this book examines the boundaries of humanness. Simultaneously, it encourages the reader both to see nonhuman animals afresh and to reimagine the terms of our relationships with them. Examining imaginative texts by writers such as Octavia Butler, Philip K. Dick, Kazuo Ishiguro, Jeanette Winterson and J. M. Coetzee, this book looks at depictions of androids that redefine traditional humanist qualities such as hope and uniqueness. It examines alien visions that unmask the racist and heteronormative roots of speciesism. And it unpacks examples of ghosts and spirits who offer posthumous visions of having-been-human that decenter anthropocentrism. In doing so, it leaves open the potential for better relationships and futures with nonhuman animals.



The Android's Dream

Author : John Scalzi

Publisher : Tor Books

Page : 408 pages

File Size : 23,63 MB

Release : 2007-04-01

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 142991470X

Get eBook

Book Description

From New York Times bestseller and Hugo Award-winner John Scalzi, a wild-and-woolly caper novel of interstellar diplomacy A human diplomat creates an interstellar incident when he kills an alien diplomat in a most . . . unusual . . . way. To avoid war, Earth's government must find an equally unusual object: a type of sheep ("The Android's Dream"), used in the alien race's coronation ceremony. To find the sheep, the government turns to Harry Creek, ex-cop, war hero and hacker extraordinare, who, with the help of a childhood friend turned artificial intelligence, scours the earth looking for the rare creature. But there are others with plans for the sheep as well. Mercenaries employed by the military. Adherents of a secret religion based on the writings of a 21st century SF author. And alien races, eager to start a revolution on their home world and a war on Earth. To keep our planet from being enslaved, Harry will have to pull off a grand diplomatic coup, a gambit that will take him from the halls of power to the lava-strewn battlefields of alien worlds. There's only one chance to get it right, to save the life of the sheep—and to protect the future of humanity. Other Tor Books The Android’s Dream Agent to the Stars Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded Fuzzy Nation Redshirts 1. Lock In 2. Head On The Interdepency Sequence 1. The Collapsing Empire 2. The Consuming Fire Old Man's War Series 1. Old Man’s War 2. The Ghost Brigades 3. The Last Colony 4. Zoe’s Tale 5. The Human Division 6. The End of All Things At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.



Theory of Mind and Science Fiction

Author : N. Pagan

Publisher : Springer

Page : 88 pages

File Size : 23,25 MB

Release : 2014-01-06

Category : Literary Criticism

ISBN : 1137399120

Get eBook

Book Description

Theory of Mind and Science Fiction shows how theory of mind provides an exciting 'new' way to think about science fiction and, conversely, how science fiction sheds light not only on theory of mind but also empathy, morality, and the nature of our humanity.



Crypt of the Everflame

Author : Jason Bulmahn

Publisher :

Page : 0 pages

File Size : 43,65 MB

Release : 2009-09

Category : Fantasy games

ISBN : 9781601251862

Get eBook

Book Description

Every year when the leaves begin to fall, the small town of Kassen conducts a rite of passage in which it sends a band of young, would-be adventurers to the abandoned crypt of the town founder to recover the Everflame, a magical fire that is kept burning throughout the winter. Each year the youths' mettle is tested by traps, illusory monsters, and other challenges before returning home to a festival honoring their coming of age. Yet this year something has gone terribly wrong! Now the adventurers face real danger, and the fate of the town rests on their inexperienced shoulders! Designed specifically for the new Pathfinder Roleplaying Game rules and designed by Jason Bulmahn, the new game's primary designer, Crypt of the Everflame spotlights exciting new rules updates and character abilities, making it an ideal introductory adventure for Pathfinder RPG players.



Alien - Out of the Shadows (Book 1)

Author : Tim Lebbon

Publisher : Titan Books (US, CA)

Page : 337 pages

File Size : 26,23 MB

Release : 2014-01-28

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 1781162697

Get eBook

Book Description

THE FIRST IN AN ALL NEW, OFFICIAL TRILOGY SET IN THE ALIEN UNIVERSE! Featuring the iconic Ellen Ripley in a terrifying new adventure that bridges the gap between Alien and Aliens. Officially sanctioned and true to the Alien cannon, Alien: Out of the Shadows expands upon the well-loved mythos and is a must for all Alien fans.



Clifford Donald Simak – An Affectionate Appreciation

Author : Francis Lyall

Publisher : Paragon Publishing

Page : 200 pages

File Size : 17,6 MB

Release : 2020-01-17

Category : Biography & Autobiography

ISBN : 178222730X

Get eBook

Book Description

A professional newspaperman, Clifford Donald Simak was a major figure both in and beyond the ‘Golden Age’ of science fiction. Active for more than fifty years, he published some 140 short stories and (depending on how you count) at least 27 novels. The many Awards he received – three Hugos, a Nebula, a Jupiter, a Locus, an Analog, and an International Fantasy Award – to say nothing of many nominations, show that his contemporaries recognised his qualities. It is no surprise that the Science Fiction Writers of America elected him as their third SWFA Grand Master. This book considers what he achieved. CDS grew up in Grant County, Wisconsin, just south of where the Wisconsin flows into the Mississippi. Many of his tales reflect the ‘Simak country’ of his youth, regularly drawing on the characteristics of the residents of that area. They are high value entertainment. Some are extremely amusing. Others lead you on to explore many ideas: what does it mean to be sentient, to be human, how should/can we cope with technology, has life a purpose, and if so what, and, what about aliens? Francis Lyall, a retired academic lawyer, has been enjoying Simak stories since he was a teenager. Preface 5 Introduction 8 Chapter I Clifford Donald Simak 15 Chapter II Simak Country 40 Chapter III Trees and Houses 68 1. Trees 68 2. Houses 72 Chapter IV Simak Folk 79 1. General 79 2. Dogs 85 3. Names 86 Chapter V Androids, Robots, Aliens and Others 101 1. Androids 101 2. Robots 103 3. Aliens and Others 113 Chapter VI Gadgets, Gates et al. 125 1. Technology 125 2. Time Travel 128 3. Other Worlds 130 4. Parallel and Alternate Worlds 131 5. Access to Worlds: Machines 134 6. Gates and Doors 134 7. Roads and Tunnels 135 8. Other Artificial Aids 135 9. Equations and Longing 136 Chapter VII Of Man 139 1. Mental Powers 139 2. Knowledge and Education 142 3. Multiple Minds 147 4. Mind-swap 148 5. Telepathy and Parakinesis 150 6. Symbiotes 150 Chapter VIII Mysticism and Mistiness 153 1. Dark Tales 153 2. Controllers 157 3. Purpose 158 4. Creator? 159 5. A Journey? 160 6. Helpers and Monitors 164 7. Faith and Truth 169 8. Ethics: Life: Caring 173 Chapter IX An Evaluation 180



Android Karenina

Author : Leo Tolstoy

Publisher : Quirk Books

Page : 548 pages

File Size : 49,65 MB

Release : 2010-06-08

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 1594744831

Get eBook

Book Description

Leo Tolstoy meets robots in this “creepy, thrilling, and highly enjoyable” sci-fi mashup of the classic Russian novel Anna Karenina (Library Journal). “ . . . lives up to its promise to make Tolstoy ‘awesomer.’”—The Onion AV Club It’s been called the greatest novel ever written. Now, Tolstoy’s timeless saga of love and betrayal is transported to an awesomer version of 19th-century Russia. It is a world humming with high-powered groznium engines: where debutantes dance the 3D waltz in midair, mechanical wolves charge into battle alongside brave young soldiers, and robots—miraculous, beloved robots!—are the faithful companions of everyone who’s anyone. Restless to forge her own destiny in this fantastic modern life, the bold noblewoman Anna and her enigmatic Android Karenina abandon a loveless marriage to seize passion with the daring, handsome Count Vronsky. But when their scandalous affair gets mixed up with dangerous futuristic villainy, the ensuing chaos threatens to rip apart their lives, their families, and—just maybe—all of planet Earth.



Android at Arms

Author : Andre Norton

Publisher : Open Road Media

Page : 176 pages

File Size : 19,65 MB

Release : 2015-12-01

Category : Fiction

ISBN : 150402544X

Get eBook

Book Description

When Andas Kastor awakens in an alien land, he must figure out if he’s the true emperor of his home world or an evil double In a stark, arid wasteland, a man awakens from a frozen state. As he stares out his narrow slit of a window, he has no memory of how he got there—or why. All he knows is his name: Andas Kastor, Imperial Prince of Inyanga. But instead of the luxurious trappings of his royal palace, he’s in a hellish, storm-lashed place punctuated by howling winds and shattering streaks of lightning. And he’s not alone. In this uninhabited world, he meets five other survivors, also of noble birth. They include the scaled, emerald-haired Elys of Posedonia and clawed, fanged Lord Yolyos of Sargol. They all speak the same Basic language, as befits those from neighboring spheres. Were they abducted, spirited to this alien planet, and held in mind-lock while evil doppelgangers ruled in their places? After a daring escape, Andas returns to Inyanga—only to discover that decades have passed and another sits on his throne. Now, hunted across barriers of time, Andas must fight external and internal enemies to save his civilization and uncover the truth about his identity.



Grey Aliens and the Harvesting of Souls

Author : Nigel Kerner

Publisher : Simon and Schuster

Page : 424 pages

File Size : 22,60 MB

Release : 2010-01-19

Category : Body, Mind & Spirit

ISBN : 1591439841

Get eBook

Book Description

Exposes the agenda behind the bio-robotic grey aliens’ genetic manipulation of certain human races • Reveals the Grey’s nature as sophisticated self-aware machines created by a long vanished extraterrestrial civilization • Explains how their quest to capture human souls appears in the historical record from biblical times • Explains how the phenomenon of racism is a by-product of their genetic tampering In 1997 Nigel Kerner first introduced the notion of aliens known as Greys coming to Earth, explaining that Greys are sophisticated biological robots created by an extraterrestrial civilization they have long since outlived. In this new book Kerner reveals that the Greys are seeking to master death by obtaining something humans possess that they do not: souls. Through the manipulation of human DNA, these aliens hope to create their own souls and, thereby, escape the entropic grip of the material universe in favor of the timeless realm of spirit. Kerner explains that genetic manipulation by the Greys has occurred since biblical times and has led to numerous negative qualities that plague humanity, such as violence, greed, and maliciousness. Racism, he contends, was developed by the aliens to prevent their genetic experiments from being compromised by breeding with others outside their influence. Examining historical records, Kerner shows that Jesus, who represented an uncorrupted genetic line, warned his disciples about the threat posed by these alien interlopers, while Hitler, a pure product of this alien intelligence, waged genocide in an attempt to rid Earth of all those untouched by this genetic tampering. Despite the powerful grip the Greys have on humanity, Kerner says that all hope is not lost. Greys exist wholly in the material world, so if we follow the spiritual laws of reincarnation and karma, aiming for enlightenment and rising above the material--a state the Greys are unable to reach--we can free ourselves from their grasp.



Black and Brown Planets

Author : Isiah Lavender III

Publisher : Univ. Press of Mississippi

Page : 167 pages

File Size : 10,62 MB

Release : 2014-09-25

Category : Social Science

ISBN : 1626743061

Get eBook

Book Description

Black and Brown Planets embarks on a timely exploration of the American obsession with color in its look at the sometimes-contrary intersections of politics and race in science fiction. The contributors, including De Witt D. Kilgore, Edward James, Lisa Yaszek, and Marleen S. Barr, among others, explore science fiction worlds of possibility (literature, television, and film), lifting blacks, Latin Americans, and indigenous peoples out from the background of this historically white genre. This collection considers the role of race and ethnicity in our visions of the future. The first section emphasizes the political elements of black identity portrayed in science fiction from black America to the vast reaches of interstellar space framed by racial history. In the next section, analysis of indigenous science fiction addresses the effects of colonization, helps discard the emotional and psychological baggage carried from its impact, and recovers ancestral traditions in order to adapt in a post-Native-apocalyptic world. Likewise, this section explores the affinity between science fiction and subjectivity in Latin American cultures from the role of science and industrialization to the effects of being in and moving between two cultures. By infusing more color in this otherwise monochrome genre, Black and Brown Planets imagines alternate racial galaxies with viable political futures in which people of color determine human destiny.