Scifi stuff

Potentially good and potentially bad movie news (via Powells). There is going to be (another) movie version of I am Legend. Arnie was meant to have the role for awhile, and then Johnny Depp, but now it looks like it is Will Smith. I tend to prefer him in comedic roles, but I did think he was outstanding in Six Degrees of Separation, so I will give it a chance.

The book, about the last human alive in a vampire ruled NYC, is excellent. Stephen King gives his take here. You just hate to see a book this good turned into Hollywood slag.

John Scalzi, author of Old Man's War (a Hugo Nominee) and the Ghost Brigades, has finished his latest. He gives a lengthy description why it took awhile, including the euthanasia of an annoying character. Scalzi is an entertaining blogger and he included this teaser for the fans:

But this is the last novel that will feature these particular characters, in this particular time, and, as it happens, I do something in the novel that pretty much assures that I can't go back.
Bwa ha ha ha ha! That's right! I did! And I won't tell you what it is! You have to wait until May! Bwa ha ha ha ha!
No, really, I did. No, really, I won't tell you now.

Finally SM Stirling has completed his NW Oregon based sci-fi series with A Meeting in Corvallis. In this post-apocalyptic world, Portland is dominated by mean nasties that the heroes of Corvallis must repel.