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Here at Quirk, we loved Pacific Rim. How could giant machines fighting giant monsters not be exciting? But it was also smart and had a lot of heart. It was an unusual summer blockbuster in that it performed moderately well in the United States, but did exceptional in the international market, which makes a sequel possible. Here’s our idea for a Pacific Rim sequel, with a literary twist.

We won the Kaiju War, but needed to make sure we were ready to cancel the apocalypse. Again. We brought the Jaegers back and built them bigger and stronger, but needed new heroes to pilot them. We found these new Rangers in the stories that helped us dream of such a creation: we found them in our favorite authors. Here are some of the newest Jaegers in the fleet, piloted by authors who’d do well in the Drift.

If your culinary prowess extends no further than fish fingers and custard, then perhaps you need some help. It isn’t easy to construct a Dalek from frosting or draw the clean lines of the TARDIS from royal icing. If your attempts look like they have exterminated themselves, hopefully our roundup of Doctor Who themed baking supplies can help you create treats worthy of being shared with friends throughout time and space.

Science fiction often serves as a warning.

Perhaps a new technology is overreaching or dangerous or perhaps the rights of the individual are being stripped away by a powerful regime. In either case, science fiction muses on the idea, traveling the road of “what if?” In a world where we are already so plugged in, connecting even further could be disastrous, perhaps even destroying what it means to be fundamentally human.

Still, in other sci-fi works, it is the reach of technology outside of ourselves that might lead to our downfall.

Despite the dire consequences that these works discuss, I still can’t help wishing that some of these dangerous sci-fi concepts were real.

Yesterday was the birthday of H.P. Lovecraft, creator of beloved weird tales like The Call of Cthulhu and At The Mountains of Madness, and namesake of our Lovecraft Middle School series.

A Teth B’omarr monastery. How’s that for hokey, Han?

Despite Vader’s “sad devotion to that ancient Jedi religion,” casual Star Wars fans might think that the Evil Empire crushed all religions from existence throughout that galaxy far, far away. But we find your lack of faith disturbing. There are many races, many worlds and many orders, cults and ways found throughout the official Star Wars cannon. Here’s an intro to a handful of those who follow the Ways-of-the-Not-Jedi.

You walk down the street, or into the mall, or near a library, and you see someone dressed up as a stormtrooper. Not a cheap Halloween costume—they look like the real thing. And you think to yourself, “Who ARE these people?”

It turns out these people are probably members of the 501st Legion, a worldwide organization in which groups of people gather locally to dress up in Star Wars costumes and attend special events. The 501st has shown up at four of my six book signings so far. And before you judge, you should also know that these are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. My local group—the Cloud City Garrison of the 501st Legion, in case you were curious—recently stopped by a children’s hospital to bring joy and awe to the patients.

Imagine my surprise when, last night, I dropped by Powell’s bookstore to sign some back-ordered copies of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars. Waiting for me were members of the 501st, in costume on a hot summer’s evening, there to present me with honorary membership into the 501st Legion as well as the Rebel Legion (they wanted to make sure I had the good with the bad). Blushes, smiles, maybe even a little lump in my throat—I feel like I’ve just made the geek Hall of Fame, and that’s a very good thing.

Thanks to the members of my local Garrison, and thanks to members of the 501st Legion around the world who bring Star Wars to fans everywhere.