Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for June 1, 2018

It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Solo: A Star Wars Story (spoilers mostly marked, but reader beware), Deadpool 2, Avengers: Infinity War, The Handmaid's Tale, The Expanse, various TV show cancellations and rescues, tributes to Gardner Dozois, uproars at WisCon and FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles, free online fiction and much more. 

Speculative fiction in general:

• James Davis Nicoll remembers some more forgotten women SFF writers of the 1970s.
• Claire North shares ten science fiction thrillers that tore down genre boundaries.
• Laird Barron takes a look at the connections between horror, crime and noir.
• Sunita of ReaderWriterVille analyses All About Romance's poll of the top 100 romance novels. 
• Erik Henriksen revisits George R.R. Martin's 1985 collection Nightflyers.
• Joe Kenney revisits Blood Ride, a 1988 novel in the post-apocalyptic Roadblaster series by Paul Hofrichter. 
• Alison Flood talks about Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin, a new documentary by filmmaker Arwen Curry.
• Carl Kozlowski profiles Octavia E. Butler and traces her connection to Passadena, California.
• Alan Glynn contemplates whether TV series can move beyond the structures of the 19th century novel. 
• Chris Edwards bemoans that action heroes in summer blockbusters used to fight capitalism, while they now embrace it.  
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Crossing.
• Paul Levinson also shares his thoughts on the 2015 time travel movie Time Will Tell.
• Evan Narcisse calls Cargo the hardest zombie film he's ever had to watch.
• Mike McCahill calls the animated movie The Little Vampire toothless family fare.
• Mark Jenkins calls the Mary Shelley bio-pic less than the sum of its parts. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido is very pleased with Mary Shelley and declares that the film portrays her as the heroine she was.
• Liam Nolan reports that star Andrew Lincoln is planning to leave The Walking Dead after season 9.
• Germain Lussier reports that the makers of Sesame Street are suing the team behind The Happytime Murders. 
• Taryn Ryder reports that personal letters of actor Alan Rickman reveal his frustrations with playing Severius Snape in the Harry Potter movies.
• The man who accused actor and activist George Takei of sexual assault has now altered his original statement. 
• Astronaut and artist Alan Bean has died aged 86. 

Tributes to Gardner Dozois:

• Science fiction writer and editor Gardner Dozois has died aged 70.
• Locus shares an obituary for Gardner Dozois.
• Cat Rambo remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Cory Doctorow remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Michael Swanwick remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Mike Glyer remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Steve Davidson remembers Gardner Dozois.
• John O'Neill remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Walter Jon Williams remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Alastair Reynolds remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Matthew Cheney remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Lavie Tidhar remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Jamie Todd Rubin remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Alex Nevala-Lee remembers Gardner Dozois.
• Richard Parks remembers Gardner Dozois.

Comments on Solo: A Star Wars Story (spoilers mostly clearly marked, but reader beware):

• Germain Lussier calls Solo a damn fine Star Wars story. 
• Emily Asher-Perrin calls Solo: A Star Wars Story charming, if a bit lazy.
• Justin Chang calls Solo: A Star Wars Story a high speed and low energy intergalactic heist. 
• Gary K. Wolfe calls Solo: A Star Wars Story a strangely conflicted film, though he generally enjoyed it. 
• Tara Lynne declares that Solo: A Star Wars Story is not perfect, but a lot of fun. 
• Chris M. Barkley shares his thoughts on Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• Brandon Stanley declares that the pre-release backlash against Solo: A Star Wars Story was understandable, but unwarranted. 
• Dean E.S. Richard wonders why Solo: A Star Wars Story exists at all.
• Damien Walter talks about masculinity, role models and freedom from prescribed roles in the contact of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• Angie Dahl declares that people who complain that Rey is a Mary Sue should also recognise that Han is a Gary Stu in Solo: A Star Wars Story. 
• Narayan Liu declares that the problem with the new Star Wars films was always that they are too tied to the Sith.
• Screenwriters Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan explain the background of a surprise cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story (spoilers). 
• James Whitbrook explains how the surprise cameo fits into established Star Wars canon.
• Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan also discuss the challenge of describing the first meeting of Han and Chewbacca in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw explains why the first big character death in Solo: A Star Wars Story was a mistake and badly handled (spoilers).
• Natalie Zutter wishes that there were better escape routes for the female characters of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• David Ehrlich declares that the android L3-37, played by Phoebe Waller Bridge, is the saving grace of Solo: A Star Wars story and one of the best Star Wars characters ever.
• Germain Lussier shares the 24 biggest questions he has after seeing Solo: A Star Wars Story (spoilers).
• Sam Stone reports about a scene featuring two fan favourite characters from the Expanded Universe that was cut from Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• Jordan Commandeur declares that the origin of Han Solo's surname may be the most controversial element of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• Ian Cardona explains how Solo: A Star Wars Story corrects the biggest mistake of the Special Editions. 
• Brian Cronin shares twenty Easter eggs in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
• Ian Cardona explains how Solo: A Star Wars Story sets up a sequel. 
• Renaldo Matadeen declares that he wants a Lando Calrissian spin-off more than he wants a Solo sequel. 
• Meanwhile, Ross Johnson would love to se a Princess Leia standalone movie, though he wouldn't mind a Lando Calrissian movie either. 
• Peter Bradshaw ranks every Star Wars film to date.
• Farid Ul-Haq reports that the box office takes of Solo: A Star Wars Story are lower than projected.
• Even director Ron Howard admits that Solo: A Star Wars Story performed below expectations.
• Kevin Melrose attempts to explain why Solo: A Star Wars Story was a comparative box office failure.
• Charles Grant wonders why Solo: A Star Wars Story underperforms, while Deadpool 2 is exceeding expectations.
• Charles Pulliam-Moore declares that everybody should calm down about Solo's box office performance.
• Dominic Jones reports that Mur Lafferty will be writing the novelisation of Solo: A Star Wars Story.
  

Comments on The Handmaid's Tale: 

• Cheryl Eddy declares that the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale offers a glimmer of hope. 
• Alison Shoemaker finds a lot to like in the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale, but is also a little frustrated by plot holes.  
• Natalie Zutter shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Julia Raeside shares her thoughts on episode 2 of season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale.

Comments on The Expanse and other TV show cancellations and rescues:

• Joe Otterson reports that The Expanse has been saved from cancellation, because Amazon has picked up the season four. 
• Sunny Mui takes an in depth look at the cancellation and rescue of The Expanse, the viewing numers and ad revenue.
• Andrew Liptak declares that now is the perfect time to start watching The Expanse.
• Cheryl Eddy declares that The Expanse has recharged all its storylines and is now better than ever.
• Cheryl Eddy also declares that the latest episode of The Expanse is the most tense ever. 
• Leah Schnelbach also found the latest episode of The Expanse incredibly tense.
• Zack Handlen also praises the latest episode of The Expanse.
• Jamie Sugah shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Expanse and finds herself reminded of Stargate.  
• Sam Stone reports that according to actor Tom Ellis, there are discussions behind the scenes to save Lucifer as well. 
• Frank Pallotta and Brian Stelter report that the revival of the sitcom Roseanne has been cancelled after only three months in spite of good ratings because of star Roseanne Barr's racist Twitter rants (trigger warning for racism and anti-semitism). 
• Rebecca Keegan reported that some Emmy voters already raised concerns about Roseanne Barr's racist remarks back in April.  

Comments on Avengers: Infinity War: 

• The screenwriters of Avengers: Infinity War, The Empire Strikes Back, The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part I explain how to write the penultimate film in a series and how to keep viewers coming back for the finale.  
• Foz Meadows explains why she finds the Avengers movies frustrating.
• Mark Bouchard reveals which of the many deaths in Avengers: Infinity War broke the heart of actor Tom Holland who plays Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man. 
• Zack Sharf reports that actor Chris Pratt, who plays Peter Quill a.k.a. Star Lord, defends his character's actions in Avengers: Infinity War. 
• Mark Bouchard explains how Disney's legal department killed a cool Easter egg in Avengers: Infinity War.
• Reuben Baron shares fourteen casting rumors for future Marvel movies that may happen and one that will definitely not.
  
• Find out if Thanos killed you at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.
  

Comments on Deadpool 2:

• Tansy Rayner Roberts explains why Deadpool 2 is better than she thought, but not as good as it might have been (spoilers).
• Alexa Grave thoroughly enjoyed Deadpool 2 (spoilers).
  

Awards: 

• The finalists for the 2018 Mythopoeic Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2017 Ursa Major Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2017 Coyotl Awards have been announced.
• The shortlist for the 2018 Deutscher Science Fiction Preis has been announced. 
• The winners of the 2018 Premio Vegetti have been announced. 
• The nominees for the 2018 Niels Klim Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2018 Elgin Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2018 Audie Awards have been announced.
• Cora Buhlert shares a round-up of reactions to the 2017 Nebula Award winners. 
• Alasdair Stuart looks back at 31 years of Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlists and picks his favourites.
• The 2018 Hugo Voter packet is now available to registered members of WorldCon 76.
• Arabin Paxton suggests not quite seriously that the UK Brexit proposals would make great nominees as best fantasy fiction at the Hugo Awards.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Skylar Ryan-Grant talks about writing from the Yin and how to make art when you have no energy. 
• Fonda Lee shares some tips for writing a sequel. 
• Brenda Clough talks about writing serialized fiction in today's world.
• Cat Rambo shares some advice for attending a writing workshop. 
• Data Guy shares a presentation about indie market share in science fiction and fantasy that was given at the Nebula Awards Conference.
• Rachel Tsoumbakos reports about the "cocky" trademark uproar.
• Margaret Bates reports about a new illegal way some authors try to get verified reviews on Amazon.
• Isabel Vincent reports that an accountant working for literary agency Donadio & Olson has embezzled 3.5 million US-dollars from the agency's clients.
• Chuck Palahniuk, one of the authors affected, responds to the embezzlement case at Donadio & Olson.
• Kristine Kathryn Rusch weighs in on the Donadio & Olson embezzlement scandal.

Interviews:

• Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett interviews Sophie Mackintosh.
• Vance Kotrla interviews Amanda Rose Smith. 
• Andrea Johnson interviews Matthew Sanborn Smith. 
• Postscripts to Darkness interviews Mike Allen.
• Ceillie Simkiss interviews Sara Wolf. 
• John Tuttle interviews Suzie Wilde.
• Gordon B. White interviews Jon Padgett.
• Carl Slaughter interviews Caithlin Dar.
• Analog interviews Buzz Dixon.
  

Reviews:

• Liz Bourke reviews Embers of War by Gareth L. Powell. 
• Liz Bourke reviews A Call to Vengeance by David Weber, Timothy Zahn and Thomas Pope.
• Paul Weimer reviews To Guard Against the Dark by Julie E. Czerneda.
• Jana Nyman reviews Armistice by Lara Elena Donnelly.
• Tadiana Jones reviews Magic Shifts by Ilona Andrews. 
• Carolyn Cushman reviews Witchy Winter by D.J. Butler. 
• Alex Brown reviews Vicious by V.E. Schwab.
• Kat Hooper reviews Fearless by Elliott James.
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews Time Was by Ian McDonald.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews The Outsider by Stephen King. 
• Sandra Mangan reviews The Outsider by Stephen King.
• Ceillie Simkiss reviews Baker Thief by Claudie Arsenault.
• Marion Deeds reviews Hearts of Tabat by Cat Rambo. 
• Once Upon a Book Blog(ger) reviews The Underwater Ballroom Society, edited by Tiffany Trent and Stephanie Burgis.  
• The Qwillery reviews The War of Undoing by Alex Perry. 
• Bill Capossere reviews King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist.
• Bookwormex reviews Days of Danger by Jack Hunt.
• Bookwormex reviews The Wrong Dead Guy by Richard Kadrey.
• Paraic O'Donnell reviews Connect by Julian Gough.
• Katherine Coldiron reviews Mem by Bethany C. Morrow. 
• Manny A. Castellanos reviews Star Wars: Most Wanted by Rae Carson.
  

Crowdfunding:

• If This Goes On, a political science fiction anthology edited by Cat Rambo, is looking for funding.
• The Tangled Web, a spider-themed SFF athology edited by Lauren Cidell, is looking for funding.
• Tessa B. Dick, daughter of Philip K. Dick, is in danger of losing her home and could use some help.
  

Con reports:

• McKenzie Romero reports that Bryan Brandenburg, founder of the FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, has taken an indefinite leave of absence following the mishandling of sexual harassment complaints. 
• Dan Barr, co-founder of FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, issues a statement regarding the con's response to sexual harassment complaints. 
• Brandon Sanderson weighs in on the harassment issues at FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention. 
• Various Utah based SFF authors have posted an open letter to FanX.
• WisCon in Madison, Wisconsin, responds to problematic remarks at the "Killable Bodies in SF" panel and bans the panelist in question. 
• Nicasio Reed shares details about the problematic WisCon panel. 
• Coffee and Ink, who was in the audience at the problematic WisCon panel, weighs in as well.
• Sophy Gurl weighs in about the problematic WisCon panel.
• Alex Shaw reports about MCM London Comic Con in London, UK. 
• Bobbi Dumas reports about BookExpo America in New York City. 
• Michael Senft reports about the Elevengeddon fantasy and science fiction event and booksigning at The Poisoned Pen bookstore in Phoenix, Arizona. 
• Cat Rambo reports about the 2018 Nebula Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and shares some photos.
• Karen Yun-Lutz shares several photographs of the 2018 Nebula Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Locus reports about the Outer Dark Symposium on the Greater Weird in San Jose, California.
• Marissa Lingen shares some friendly questions to ask as ice breakers at conventions.
  

Science and technology:

• Jonathan Amos reports that giant canyons have been discovered in Antarctica.
• Dave Mosher reports about a report of the US military on warp drives and what physicists think about it.
  

Free online fiction:

• "Stars So Sharp They Break the Skin" by Matthew Sanborn Smith in Apex Magazine.
• "On the Transmontane Run with the Aerial Mail Express" by B. Gordon in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 
• "Now Watch My Rising" by A. Merc Rustad in Fireside Fiction.
• "The Paladin Protocol" by Sydnee Thompson in Fireside Fiction. 
• "The Things That We Will Never Say" by Vanessa Fogg in Daily Science Fiction. 
• "When the Letter Comes" by Sara Fox at The Book Smugglers.
• "Fifteen Minutes Hate" by Rich Larson in Apex Magazine. 
• "Black Friday" by Alex Irvine at Tor.com.
• "The Circle of Life Gets Sinister" by Alison Wisdom in Electric Literature.
  

Odds and ends:

• Watch a trailer for Dark Rising.
• Watch a trailer for Christopher Robin. 
• Do a quiz to match facial hair with SFF authors.