15 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Stories I’m Really Excited About in 2019
This year is a really big sci-fi/fantasy year and if you aren’t pumped as hell for 2019, here’s some reasons why you should be.
Movies
Star Wars Episode IX
To be honest, I was not happy with XIII. I thought they did an amazing job with XII and Rogue One then really lost their footing on Solo/The Last Jedi (I can’t handle flying Leia no matter how much I love Carrie Fisher). Nonetheless… in this family we watch Star Wars in good times and in bad so we will be there, lightsaber in hand.
Avengers: End Game
On the flipside, I absolutely loved Infinity War. I’m definitely half in and half out when it comes to Marvel. There are some that I love and some I’m totally cool with never seeing again. And Avengers: Infinity War is one of the former. Even with the somewhat predictable nature of this movie’s inevitable ending, I’m still looking forward to seeing that massive cast of characters come together again. And most anxious to see what happens to my beloved Guardians of the Galaxy.
Dark Phoenix
I am a massive sucker for the X-Men and Sophie Turner so this one is a no brainer.
Captain Marvel
I’m a big Brie Larson fan, can’t complain one bit about a female-driven superhero and 90’s nostalgia… you had me at crashing into a Blockbuster.
TV
To me, the sci-fi movies coming out this year are “meh” at best… but the TV. Oooooooh the TV.
The OA Part II
In another post I’ll have to get into my deep, unabashed crush on Brit Marling, but for now, I will just talk about my inescapable joy about getting part two of The OA this month.
I have watched and rewatched this show and have to say it’s one of my favorites of all time. It’s lyrical and weird and heartfelt and mind-boggling. And Brit and her co-director seem to have such a knack for storytelling and such a respect for it that I have crazy high hopes that Part II will be just as captivating.
Stranger Things 3
If you don’t love Stranger Things I’m not sure we can be friends. This show checks all my boxes. Winona Rider obsession check. Fondness for the 80s check. Deep love of rascally little boy stories like (The Goonies, E.T., Stand By Me, and Super 8) check. A parallel universe that’s dark and scary without actually being a horror flick check.
The Handmaid’s Tale
I feel like I was a little late to the game with The Handmaid‘s Tale, but once I started watching I was so hooked. Emily Moss is to die for. Not to mention if you’re a woman writing sci-fi Margaret Atwood should be one of your north stars… not to mention The Testaments is releasing this year so we get a super dose of the master and the world she created.
Game of Thrones
It’s the final season people. Brace yourselves.
Books
As always I have about 15x more books I want to read than books I’m actually able to consume. These are the ones that will be at the top of my TBR pile.
The Dreamers by Karen Walker Thompson
Based on some interviews I’m not sure she’d call herself sci-fi, but to me this book is just on the edge which is why I like it. A virus sweeps through a small California town that put its victims in a permanent sleep. Small town chaos ensues. I love this because it’s a rare breed of pre-apocalyptic stories that I like. I enjoy watching the world fall apart rather than being told that it happened and having to accept some crap new reality.
Plus there’s a prepper dude in it which I always enjoy.
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
I just recently picked up his collection that was the basis for Arrival (which is one of my favorite alien movies of all time). And so I’m all in for his next release.
A City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
All the Birds in the Sky is one of my favorite books of the last few years. Her writing gives me life and I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from that book for my current WIP. So I’m up for just about anything this Hugo-winner, io9 Founder puts out.
The Testaments By Margaret Atwood
First on my list… read The Handmaid’s Tale in quiet shame because I’ve never actually read it. Then pick up The Testaments the (very) long awaited follow up.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
Word on the street is that the author of The Night Circus is finally coming out with another book. This is one that was a favorite of mine a few years ago so I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next. I love the stories of authors who got their big start doing NaNoWriMo and so I’m always excited to also see where their career evolves from there.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
Dark Matter was my favorite book I read last year and perhaps one of my favorite books of all time. It is one of those glorious sci-fi novels that isn’t over cluttered with laser beams and robots, but has plenty of tech-y goodness to grab onto. It is a fast-paced action plot but there’s so much love in it. I’m obsessed and it has become one of the books I return to over and over for inspiration as I write my own novel. He’s coming out with a new book this year which I will absolutely be devouring.
Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen
It’s my goal this year to read as many time travel books as I can possibly fit into my schedule and the first on my list is Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen. He seems to totally get the same vibe I love which is time travel as the backdrop and family and kids and love put front and center.
What sci-fi thrills are you excited for this year?