Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for January 8, 2016

Here is our first weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with yet more Star Wars discussion. Most of the articles and posts, which contain spoilers, have spoiler warnings, but reader beware. Though we've also got a couple of non-Star Wars links as well, including some discussion about the Doctor Who Christmas special, the Sherlock Christmas special, the TV show The Expanse and a controverse at the Angouleme comic festival . 

Speculative fiction in general:

• Fantasy Fraction share their 50 favourite fantasy novels of 2015.
• Lois Tilton takes a look at the state of the SFF short fiction scene in 2015. 
• Jason Perlow believes that the future of science fiction lies with indie publishing and streaming video services. 
• Nick Stockton recounts which concepts and ideas introduced in science fiction became reality in 2015.
• The Book Smugglers sum up the various controversies and debates that rocked the SFF world in 2015.
• Lincoln Michel believes that 2015 was the year the genre versus literary wars finally ended.
• The participants of the SF Signal Mind Meld discuss the growth and future of science fiction and fantasy. 
• Brian Z. explains why and how Chinese science fiction is going global. 
• Zon D'Amour profiles Nnedi Okorafor.
• Foz Meadows talks about how problematic and abusive the romantic relationships described in many SFF works, particularly those aimed at teenagers, really are. 
• Emily Asher Perrin talks about life-changing journeys in SFF.  
• George R.R. Martin explains when The Winds of Winter will be done. 
• Emily Asher-Perrin commemorates J.R.R. Tolkien on the anniversary of his birthday.
• Matt Staggs talks about the medieval legend of the Revenant. 
• Liz Bourke talks about what fanfiction means to her. 
• James H. Burns explains why Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek.
• Molly Booth explains that Jessica Jones is not in fact sexist towards men.
• James Whitbrook explains that the various Marvel movies and TV shows may be less connected than it seems at first sight. 
• Derek Stauffer explains why Mr. Robot is the best new TV drama of 2015. 
• Ethan Mills discusses the good, the bad and the mediocre SFF movies of 2015.
  

Comments on Star Wars:

• Brian Clegg attempts to explain why Star Wars is not really science fiction.
• Manu Saadia laments that there is little techological progress in the Star Wars universe and that it does not lead to social and political change.   
• Mike Ryan explains why the much maligned Star Wars prequel trilogy will eventually be considered cool.
• Michael Calia explains what's next for the Star Wars franchise. 
• Alex Ross shares his appreciation for John Williams' score for Star Wars and other SFF films.
• Jenna Rosenstein shares ten times the fashion world became obsessed with Star Wars.
  

Comments on The Force Awakens:

• George Lucas is not all that pleased about The Force Awakens. 
• Neither is Samuel L. Jackson. 
• And neither is the Vatican.
• Scott Mendelsohn would rather have bad George Lucas Star Wars than a Star Wars film designed by committee.
• Steve Vernon shares his thoughts about The Force Awakens. 
• Doctor Science shares her spoilerish thoughts about The Force Awakens. 
• Kevin Maher shares his thoughts about Star Wars and The Force Awakens that NPR did not want.
• Steve Bennett explains what we can learn from The Force Awakens.
• Steven W. Thrasher explains why The Force Awakens may be viewed as an Afrofuturist film. 
• Chinelo Onwualu reports that Nigerians are falling in love with The Force Awakens, because one of the lead actors has Nigerian roots.
• Trent Moore shares five of his favourite theories regarding Rey's identity.
• Kwame Opam explains why he hopes all fan theories about Rey from The Force Awakens are wrong.
• Anjelica Oswald talks about fan speculation regarding the sexual orientation of Poe Dameron. 
• Ben Child discusses fan theories regarding the identity of Supreme Leader Snoke. 
• A. Lee Martinez discusses why so many people believe that Luke Skywalker will fall to the dark side and why this does not fit Luke's characterisation as presented in the original trilogy. 
• Adam Whitehead attempts to tackle sixty alleged plotholes in The Force Awakens.
• Chris Taylor has some questions for those who claim that The Force Awakens is a reboot of A New Hope. 
• The Geek's Guide to the Galaxy explains how The Force Awakens has changed Star Wars forever.
• Mark Judge believes that the success of The Force Awakens is a symptom for the impending death of culture.
• Germain Lussier reports about continuing complaints about the lack of toys featuring Rey.
  

Comments on the Doctor Who and Sherlock 2015 Christmas specials:

• Joana Robinson shares her thoughts on the 2015 Doctor Who Christmas Special.
• Dan Wickline shares his thoughts about the 2015 Sherlock Christmas Special "The Abominable Bride". 
• Ryan Britt compiles all references to the Sherlock Holmes canon and pastiches found in "The Abominable Bride". 
• Julia Alexander claims that "The Abominable Bride" was a time-hopping mess.
• Maureen Kincaid Speller shares her displeasure with the 2015 Sherlock Christmas Special "The Abominable Bride".
• Aja Romano wonders why Steven Moffat, the producer of Sherlock and Doctor Who, still has a job after several controversial remarks.

Comments on The Expanse: 

• Susan Karlin profiles Naren Shankar, producer of the TV show The Expanse. 
• Annalee Newitz believes that The Expanse is the best new science fiction TV series in years.
• Erik Kain explains why The Expanse will be even better than the new Battlestar Galactica. 

Awards:

• Kim Stanley Robinson has won the 2016 Robert A. Heinlein Award.
• Voting is open for the 2015 This is Horror Awards. 
• Brandon Kempner shares his 2015 Hugo predictions.
• Brigid Alverson reports about a controversy regarding the all male shortlist for the Grand Prix d’Angouleme.
• James Nicholl also reports on the Grand Prix d'Angouleme controversy.

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Sherwood Smith discusses beginning writer errors. 
• Kristen Painter shares her best tips for new indie authors.
• Alexander Chee talks about inspiration. 
• John Yorke points out that all stories follow the same handful of forms and have since prehistoric times.
• Chuck Wendig has strong words for people who claim they know the one true way to write. 
• A. Merc Rustad talks about the importance of self-care and self-kindness for writers. 
• Charlie Jane Anders explains how to write an epic story without any proper villains.
• Benjamin Sobieck shares some tips for making SF and fantasy weapons more realistic.
• Charlie Jane Anders reports that print is far from dying and that science fiction is growing. 
• Jane Friedman shares five industry issues for authors to watch in 2016.
• S.B. James shares her praise for the image editing program Canva.
• Chris Stevenson talks about e-mail marketing for writers.

Interviews:

• Lindsey Buroker interviews C. Gockel. 
• Kristin Centorcelli interviews Peter McLean.
• Kristin Centorcelli also interviews Elizabeth Heiter.
• Dorothy Thompson interviews Piers Platt.
• Dorothy Thompson also interviews Roxanne Bland.
• D.L. Richardson interviews Donna Maree Hanson.
• Wendy Van Camp interviews Tom Wright.  
• Cristian Tamas interviews Jacek Dukaj.
• Chris Urie interviews SFF artist Julie Dillon.

Reviews:

• Paul Weimer reviews Barsk: The Elephant's Graveyard by Lawrence M. Schoen.
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews The Rising by Ian Tregillis.
• Paul Levinson reviews the Quentin Tarantino movie The Hateful Eight.
  

Crowdfunding:

• Grinidon, a fantasy graphic novel by J. Miles Dunn and Erwin Arozza, is looking for funding.
• Blindsight, a Lovecraft inspired illustrated e-book by Tedd Williamson is looking for funding.
  

Con reports:

• Photos from the 14th World Science Fiction Convention held in New York City in 1956 have recently surfaced.
• Mark L. Blackman reports about the latest edition of the New York Review of Science Fiction Readings series featuring Terence Taylor and Maria Dahvana Headley.

Science and technology:

• Was the Big Bang a mirage?
• The odd supermassive black hole at the center of the milky way. 
• Sharks have been discovered living inside an active volcano. 
• What would the existence of a multiverse mean?
• The bizarre way in which Jupiter helped life on Earth to evolve.
• ESA reiterates its plans for a 3D-printed moonbase. 
• A brief history of ESA. 
• Watch the proliferation of space junk in this video.

Free online fiction:

• "Bargain" by Sarah Gailey in Mothership Zeta 
• "Tea Time" by Rachel Swirsky in Lightspeed.
  
• "At Whatever Are Their Moons" by Sunny Moraine in Strange Horizons.
• "The Abduction of Europa" by E. Catherine Tobler in Clarkesworld.
• "The Way Home" by Linda Nagata in Lightspeed
• "Quarter Days" by Iona Sharma at GigaNotoSaurus.
• "The Tomato Thief" by Ursula Vernon in Apex Magazine.
• Chapter 6 of "Rock and Roll Lifestyle", part 91 of The Descendants by Landon Porter.
  

Odds and ends: 

• Watch the Japanese trailer for Captain America: Civil War.
• Watch a trailer for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny.
• Watch a trailer for The Mermaid.
• Watch a trailer for The Monkey King 2.
• Watch a trailer for Lost in the Pacific.
• Can you locate the panda hiding among these Stormtroopers.
• Check out this tumblr of 1970s science fiction art.