News of the Week: the latest on Outlander, Harry Potter, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and more!

Alwyn Hamilton’s Rebel of the Sands to be adapted for the big screen

Willow Smith (actress, singer, and daughter of film stars Will and Jada Pinkett Smith), along with her production company MSFTS Production and Cartel Entertainment, has acquired the film rights to young adult fantasy trilogy Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton.

Rebel of the Sands is the first book in the trilogy – it’s packed with shooting contests, train robberies, festivals under the stars, powerful Djinni magic and an electrifying love story. It follows 17-year-old Amani as she flees her hometown of Dustwalk on a dangerous journey through the desert nation of Miraji, where mortals rule, but mythical beasts still roam the wild.

Traitor to the Throne, the second book which was released early this year, follows Amani into a world of espionage, harems, and the Sultan himself.

Discover the Rebel of the Sands series here.

Heather Rose awarded the 2017 Stella Prize

Heather Rose has been awarded the 2017 Stella Prize for The Museum of Modern Love, and the $50,000 cash prize.

The shortlisted authors, who include Georgia Blain, Emily Maguire, Cory Taylor, Maxine Beneba Clarke, and Catherine de Saint Phalle, will each receive $3,000 and the opportunity to attend The Stella Grasstrees Writing Retreat, a three-week immersive retreat at a house in Point Addis on the Victorian coast.

The panel of judges included novelist and literary critic Delia Falconer, writer Benjamin Law, author and academic Brenda Walker, editor Sandra Phillips, and bookseller Diana Johnston.

Read an interview with Heather Rose here.

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye to be published in September

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye, the fifth book in the second continuation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series by Swedish author David Lagercrantz, will be released on 7 September, 2017.

David Lagercrantz is an acclaimed author and journalist. In 2015 The Girl in the Spider’s Web, his continuation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, became a worldwide bestseller, and it was announced that Lagercrantz would write two further novels in the series. He is also the author of the prize-winning and bestselling I am Zlatan Ibramhimovic, and Fall of Man in Wilmslow, a novel about the death of Alan Turing.

The film of David Lagercrantz’ The Girl in the Spider’s Web is due for release on October 5, 2018. It will feature an entirely new cast, with the search for the new Lisbeth Salander currently underway. Explore the Millennium novels here.

Outlander’s season 3 trailer is breaking hearts

Jamie and Claire return in Outlander season 3.

At the end of season 2, Jamie sent pregnant Claire back to her own time while he went off to fight and presumably die in battle. She went back and raised her daughter for 20 years, before going back to Scotland to learn that Jamie didn’t actually die in battle.

We learn all this in season 2; we witness it all in season 3. You ready with the tissues?

Outlander is based on Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Discover the books here.

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff reveal the name of third book in The Illuminae Files

Obsidio will be the name of the third and final book in Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s high-octane and popular trilogy,  The Illuminae Files. Obsidio means siege in Latin.

What’s it about? Kady, Ezra, Hanna and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza – but who knows what they’ll find seven months after the invasion?

Meanwhile, Kady’s cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza’s ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys – an old flame from Asha’s past – reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict… Learn more.

2016 Aurealis Award winners announced

The 2016 Aurealis Award winners were recently announced, which are awards that champion the best science-fiction, fantasy and horror writing in Australia.

Gemina, the second book in Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s Illuminae Files won Best Science Fiction Novel. Jay Kristoff’s Nevernight took out the Best Fantasy Novel. Alison Goodman took home the Best Young Adult Novel for Lady Helen and the Dark Days Pact.  Kim Kane won Best Children’s Fiction for When the Lyrebird Calls.

Discover all winners here.

From Oprah’s Book Club Pick to Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author: Colson Whitehead Wins 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction

It was in August 2016 that Oprah gushed about her latest Book Club Pick. “Oh, have I found a great book!” she exclaimed to the world. The book she was talking about? Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad.

Since being read by thousands of Oprah Book Club fans, he’s also been a finalist for the Kirkus Prize and Carnegie Medal, has become a #1 New York Times Bestseller, and been awarded the #1 Time Magazine Book of the Year. Now, he has just won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, one of the most prestigious awards an author can be awarded.

Discover all recipients of the 2017 Pulitzer Prizes here.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child wins 9 theatre awards for play.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child won 9 awards at the 2017 Olivier Awards, which are the most prestigious theatre awards in the UK.

John Tiffany took home the Best Director Award. Jamie Parker who plays Harry won the Best Actor Award. Noma Dumezweni who plays Hermione won the Best Actress in a Supporting Role, whilst Anthony Boyle who plays Scorpius took home the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Award.

The play also took home gongs for Best New Play, Best Set Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Design, and Best Lighting Design… Learn more.

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About the Contributor

Anastasia Hadjidemetri

Anastasia Hadjidemetri is the former editor of The Booktopian and star of Booktopia's weekly YouTube show, Booked with Anastasia. A big reader and lover of books, Anastasia relishes the opportunity to bring you all the latest news from the world of books.