It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the final season of Game of Thrones, Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Detective Pikachu, Good Omens, Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the new Twilight Zone, Chernobyl, Ma, Aladdin, What We Do In The Shadows, season 10 of Archer, Alien at forty and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Font Folly talks about the distinctions between fantasy and science fiction and why they are fuzzier than most people think.
- Connie Willis lists several women SFF authors from the 1930s to 1960s she wishes were better remembered.
- Cora Buhlert dispells some more misconceptions about the golden age of science fiction.
- Cora Buhlert also looks at some more themes and patterns in golden age science fiction.
- Doris V. Sutherland looks at the main themes of science fiction as outlined by Clare Winger Harris in 1931.
- Wired lists twelve science fiction books everybody should read.
- Andrew Liptak lists eight SFF short story collections that would make great anthology TV series.
- Nicole Hill shares five novels about gonzo apocalypses.
- Tor.com shares thirteen optimistic fantasy novels.
- Tor.com also shares their favourite stories about being tossed out into space.
- Michael Blumlein shares five books to read while staring death in the face.
- James Davis Nicoll shares five unfinished SFF series that remain a joy to read.
- Ali Karim wonders about the line between thriller and horror.
- Jonathan Crowe talks about fantasy maps and why he prefers them in the book rather than in the hands of the characters.
- Jeff Goad shares his appreciation for the works of Gardner Fox.
- John Hertz celebrates the 100th anniversary of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy.
- James Davis Nicoll points out that just as many mainstream bestsellers are forgotten a few decades later, many SFF novels will be forgotten as well.
- Janet Hutchings compares the bestsellers of the 1970s to those of earlier and later decades.
- Sara Century talks about Jean Grey, Dark Phoenix and the dangers of repressed trauma.
- Alison Flood reports that J.K. Rowling's Pottermore will published several short books about the history of magic modelled on Hogwarts textbooks.
- Alison Flood reports that Terry Pratchett predicted the rise of fake news in 1995, according to a recently rediscovered interview.
- Several British authors, including many SFF writers, have signed an open letter against Brexit.
- Alina Cohen talks about the rise of the Handmaid's Habit as a visual icon.
- Horror writerr Dennis Etchison has died aged 76.
Film and TV:
- Gwen Ihnat declares that revolution takes a little too long to arrive in season 3 of The Handmaid's Tale.
- Hugh Montgomery wonders about the popularity of dystopian movies and TV shows set in the very near future.
- Hannah J. Davies shares the five best episodes of the dystopian TV series Black Mirror so far.
- Katie Rife calls The Perfection shamelessly trashy B-movie horror.
- Deborah Young shares her thoughts on the animated film The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily.
- Alex McLevy shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Darren Slade is worried that the rise of streaming services may fragment fandom, because many new SFF shows are now accessible to only those fans who subscribe to the respective channel.
- Joe George discusses that there are many possible versions of Batman and any other comic hero.
- Stephen Follows wonders whether video game movies are any good.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits Robert Rodriguez' 2005 movie Sin City, based on the eponymous comic by Frank Miller.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido also revisits the 2014 sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
- Future War Stories share their appreciation for the Japanese military science fiction anime Armored Trooper VOTOMS.
- Kelly-Leigh Cooper profiles horror film actor Javier Botet.
- Noah Berlatsky discusses how older actresses are finally getting cast in action roles.
- Kayleigh Donaldson ranks the beards of several actors.
- Erin Nyren reports that Keya Morgan, former business manager of Stan Lee, has been arrested on charges of theft and elder abuse.
- Catherine Shoard reports that actress and screenwriter Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been hired to polish the script for the next James Bond movie and that she wants the script to treat women right, even if Bond himself doesn't.
- Catherine Shoard also reports that Robert Pattinson has been cast as Batman.
- Beth Elderkin reports that Disney and Netflix may pull out of Georgia following the passing of a new abortion ban law.
- John Squires reports that Leo the cat who appeared in Pet Sematary has died.
- Actor Stephen Thorne, best known for his appearances in Doctor Who, has died aged 84.
Comments on the final season of Game of Thrones (spoilers):
- Eneasz Brodski shares his thoughts on "The Iron Throne", the final episode of Game of Thrones.
- Hugh Montgomery shares his thoughts on "The Iron Throne", the final episode of Game of Thrones.
- The Fantasy Faction team share their thoughts on "The Iron Throne".
- Adri Joy shares her thoughts on "The Iron Throne".
- The G shares his thoughts on "The Iron Throne" and the series as a whole.
- Mari Ness declares that Game of Thrones is a rare win for wheelchair users.
- Beth Elderkin reports that the final fate of Bran Stark was actually part of George R.R. Martin's original plan for the series.
- Spacefaring Kitten offers an ode to the nihilism of Game of Thrones.
- Nicholas Grossman talks about Game of Thrones, Marvel movies and political violence.
- Sarah Durn declares that the real Middle Ages weren't nearly as sexist as what is portrayed in Game of Thrones.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore claims the Drogon, the dragon knew about Daenerys Targaryen's final fate.
- Jennifer Vineyard interviews Gwendoline Christie who plays Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones.
- Ryan Gilbey interviews Charles Dance who played Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones.
- Avi Selk profiles linguist David J. Peterson, who created the Valyrian and Dothraki language for Game of Thrones.
- Andy Welch declares that even though the TV adaptation of Game of Thrones is finished, fans should still wait for the final books.
- Emily Brookes reports that there has been an increase of huskies abandoned after the dogs became more popular due to their appearance in Game of Thrones.
Comments on Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (warning: spoilers):
- Karen Woodham calls Avengers: Endgame an epic of Marvel proportions.
- Lela E. Buis shares her thoughts on Avengers: Endgame.
- Max Florschutz discusses how the Marvel movies have changed storytelling.
- Ramin Setoodeh interviews Chris Hemsworth who plays Thor in Avengers: Endgame and various other Marvel movies.
- Sonia Rao profiles Sarah Finn, casting director of Marvel Studios whose uncanny knack for finding the right actors for the parts is a large part of what made the Marvel Cinematic Universe into what it is today.
- Sarah Shaffi reports that a deleted scene from Captain Marvel has made certain toxic fanboys angry yet again.
- Max Florschutz shares his thoughts on the deleted Captain Marvel scene in question.
- Brian Ashcraft explains why Marvel movies are not as popular in Japan as in the rest of the world.
Comments on Good Omens:
- Flora Carr calls Good Omens a devilish funny series that zings with wit, wisdom and heaven-sent casting.
- Danette Chavez declares that the chemistry between David Tennant and Michael Sheen keeps Good Omens afloat.
- Josh Bell declares that Good Omens mostly delivers.
- Nicholas Barber has mixed feelings on Good Omens, but believes that fans of the book will love the series.
- Lucy Mangan is impressed with the performance of David Tennant and Michael Sheen, but less impressed with the rest of Good Omens.
- William Hughes shares his thoughts on "In The Beginning", the first episode of Good Omens.
- Sam Stone discusses the mix-up which starts off Good Omens.
- Jennifer Vineyard reports that the cast of Good Omens are all huge fans of Neil Gaiman.
- Stephen McIntosh reports about the Good Omens world premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, UK.
- Peter White also reports about the Good Omens world premiere.
- Tim Lewis interviews Michael Sheen, one of the stars of Good Omens.
- Meghan Ball declares that Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is the apocalyptic novel we need right now.
Comments on the season 1 finale of Doom Patrol:
- Charles Pulliam-Moore declares that Doom Patrol's season 1 finale gave everybody what they deserved.
- Hannah Lodge shares five reasons why Doom Patrol is the best superhero show of the decade.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore talks about the White Space in Doom Patrol and why it is a brilliant spin on comic book storytelling conventions.
- Ross Johnson offers a brief history of the Doom Patrol in the comics.
Comments on Swamp Thing:
- Kevin Melrose declares that Swamp Thing embraces the character's horror roots.
- Kellen Beck declares that Swamp Thing is off to a spectacularly scary start.
- Alex McLevy declares that Swamp Thing has some of the grossest body horror on TV.
- Felix Vasquez Jr. remembers that there was a Swamp Thing animated series in 1990/91.
Comments on Godzilla: King of the Monsters:
- James Whitbrook calls Godzilla: King of the Monsters big, dumb and beautiful.
- William Bibbiani declares that Godzilla: King of the Monsters has all the giant monster fights you could possibly want.
- Katie Rife declares that the kaiju are cool, but that the rest of Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a mess.
- Emily Asher-Perrin laments that Godzilla: King of the Monsters relies on plot-induced denseness and dubious science.
- Benjamin Lee declares that Godzilla: King of the Monsters is full of sound, fury and stupidity.
- Germain Lussier interviews Michael Dougherty, director of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
- William Bibbiani interviews Michael Dougherty.
- Brian Ashcraft interviews Michael Dougherty.
- Baraka Kaseko and Marah Eakin interview Millie Bobby Brown, one of the human stars of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
- Clark Collis discusses the portrayal of Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
- James Grebey shares the history of Rodan, Godzilla's best frenemy.
- The AV Club shares twelve giant monster movies that break the Toho mold.
- Brian Ashcraft reports about a visit to Toho Studios in Japan, home of the original Godzilla.
Comments on the new Twilight Zone:
- Noel Murray shares his thoughts on the latest episode of the new Twilight Zone.
- Noel Murray shares his thoughts on the season 1 finale of the new Twilight Zone.
- Natalie Devitt revisits episodes 29 to 32 of season 5 of the original Twilight Zone.
Comments on Chernobyl:
- Rebecca Nicholson calls Chernobyl a horrifying and masterly series that sears your brain.
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Chernobyl.
Ridley Scott's Alien at forty:
- Toby Frost asks how Alien holds up forty years later.
- Nicholas Barber discusses the portrayal of work life in Ridley Scott's Alien.
- David Weiner interviews director Ridley Scott about the difficulties of making Alien and Scott announces that he is planning more Alien movies.
- Ben Child begs Ridley Scott not to make any more Alien movies.
- Meagan Navarro shares the weirdest Alien merchandise of the past forty years.
Comments on season 10 of Archer:
- William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Archer.
- Cheryl Eddy shares eleven episodes that turned the animated spy show Archer into a cult hit.
Comments on Detective Pikachu:
- James Whitbrook interviews Peter Dionne, visual effects supervisor on Detective Pikachu.
- James Whitbrook also shares some background information on the scene featuring the Lickitung Pokémon.
- James Whitbrook also shares some background information about the way that the Mr. Mime and Mewtoo Pokémon were brought to life in Detective Pikachu.
Comments on the live action Aladdin:
- Scott Tobias calls the live action Aladdin pointless.
- Emily Asher-Perrin declares that the live action Aladdin updates the original in a meaningful way.
- Ty Burr praises Will Smith's performance in Aladdin, but is otherwise not impressed by the movie.
- Erum Salam reports about a casting controversy surrounding Naomi Scott who plays Princess Jasmine in the live-action Aladdin.
- Inspired by Aladdin, Susie Nielson explains how Disney Princess influence young girls around the world.
Comments on the What We Do In The Shadows season 1 finale:
- John Squires shares his thoughts on the What We Do In The Shadows season 1 finale.
- Katie Rife shares her thoughts on the season 1 finale of What We Do In The Shadows.
Comments on Ma:
- Benjamin Lee calls Ma a creepy exploitation horror thriller and praises Octavia Spencer's performance.
- Katie Rife declares that Octavia Spencer brings unexpected depth to Ma.
- Alex Taylor profiles Octavia Spencer, star of Ma.
Awards:
- The finalists for the 2019 Eugie Foster Memorial Award has been announced.
- The winners of the 2018 Cóyotl Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2018 Ursa Major Awards have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2019 Chesley Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2019 Premio Vegetti have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2019 Geffen Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2019 Bill Finger Award for Excellence in Comic Book Writing have been announced.
- The winners of the 2019 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award have been announced.
- The shortlist for the 2019 Dwayne McDuffie Awards for Kids Comics has been announced.
- The winners of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival have been announced with some love for genre movies.
- Ersatz Culture has created charts showing the number of Goodreads ratings for the finalists and winners of several SFF awards.
- The Red Panda Fraction has created a spreadsheet for works eligible for the 2019 Dragon Awards.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Kelly Link shares some advice for writers.
- Jennifer Blanchard shares three unexpected principles for optimal creativity.
- Janice Hardy shares five tips for when you're stuck in a scene.
- Sarah Dahl asks if short stories can work as mini trilogies.
- Wendy Van Camp shares twenty useful subreddits for SFF writers.
- James Davis Nicoll declares that actual science makes for better science fiction.
- Graham Watkins explains how an article about Crispr inspired his crime novel The Enemy Within.
- Mark Chandler reports that Malcolm Edwards, publisher of Gollancz and Orion, is stepping down after 43 years.
- The BBC reports that W.H. Smith has been named the worst retailer in the UK for the second year in a row.
Interviews:
- Lidija Haas interviews Neil Gaiman.
- Locus interviews G. Willow Wilson.
- Locus interviews Ilana C. Myer.
- Cal Flynn interviews Tom Hunter.
- Meagan Navarro interviews Joe Hill.
- The Qwillery interviews Stephen Blackmoore.
- The Qwillery interviews W.M. Akers.
- Adri Joy interviews Anna Kashina.
- Zoe Greaves interviews Philip Reeve.
- Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett interviews Julia Armfield.
- The Harvard University Press interviews Jo Dunkley.
Reviews:
- Paul Weimer reviews The Undefeated by Una McCormack.
- Adri Joy reviews Five Unicorn Flush by T.J. Berry.
- Liz Bourke reviews A Chain Across the Dawn by Drew Williams.
- Liz Bourke reviews Nine Step Station by Malka Older, Curtis C. Chen, Jacquline Koyanagi and Fran Wilde.
- Kat Hooper reviews Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers.
- Tadiana Jones reviews Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.
- For Winter Nights reviews Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.
- For Winter Nights reviews Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
- Camestros Felapton reviews Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
- Kate Sherrod reviews The Last Astronaut by David Wellington.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Semiosis by Sue Burke.
- Daniel Haeusser reviews The Calculating Stars and The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal.
- Paul Weimer reviews The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews The True Queen by Zen Cho.
- Paul Weimer reviews An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass.
- Liz Bourke reviews The Women's War by Jenna Glass.
- Books, Bones and Buffy reviews Westside by W.M. Akers.
- Susan Amper reviews Tightrope by Amanda Quick.
- Colleen Mondor reviews The Tesla Legacy by K.K. Pérez.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea by Sarah Pinsker.
- The Qwillery reviews Blood Broken by Lindsay J. Pryor.
- Sam Byers reviews Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson.
- Ian Mond reviews Famous Men Who Never Lived by K. Chess.
- Carolyn Cushman reviews Final Exam by Carol J. Perry and Marked by S. Andrew Swann.
- Kat Hooper reviews The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson.
- Bill Capossere reviews The Red-Stained Wings by Elizabeth Bear.
- Brit Mandelo reviews The Red-Stained Wings by Elizabeth Bear.
- Kat Hooper reviews The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton.
- Paul Weimer reviews The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow.
- Rob Bedford reviews Time's Demon by D.B. Jackson.
- David Stewart reviews Seven Blades in Black by Sam Sykes.
- Nerds of a feather reviews Seven Blades in Black by Sam Sykes.
- Aidan Moher reviews The Stiehl Assassin by Terry Brooks.
- J.C. Kang reviews Soul Render by T.L. Branson.
- Benjamin Evans reviews The Heavens by Sandra Newman.
- Kate Sherrod reviews Listen to the Signal by Rob Dircks.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews The Games House by Claire North.
- Anthony Cummins reviews Shadowplay by Joseph O'Connor.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Exile by Lisa M. Bradley.
- Paul di Filippo reviews Million Mile Road Trip by Rudy Rucker.
- Lukasz Przywoski reviews Necromantica by Keith Blenman.
- Matt Brandenburg reviews Ration by Cody T. Luff.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Recursion by Blake Crouch.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews One for the Road by Wesley Southard.
- Karen Haber reviews A Middle Earth Traveller: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor by John Howe.
Classics reviews:
- Doris V. Sutherland revisits the 1897 horror novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.
- Doris V. Sutherland revisits the May 1928 issue of Amazing Stories.
- Steve J. Wright revisits the 1943 novella Clash by Night by Lawrence O'Donnell a.k.a. Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore.
- Paul Fraser revisits the December 1943 issue of Astounding Science Fiction.
- Rich Horton revisits the 1959 science fiction novel Time Out Of Joint by Philip K. Dick.
- Mark Yon revisits the 1962 apocalyptic novel The Darkest of Nights by Charles Eric Maine.
- Gideon Marcus revisits the 1964 science fiction novels Regan's Planet and Time of the Great Freeze by Robert Silverberg.
- Rowan Williams revisits the 1980 post-apocalyptic novel Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban.
- Font Folly revisits the 1984 fantasy novel The River of the Dancing Gods by Jack L. Chalker.
- Joseph Hurtgen revisits the 1996 science fiction novel Holy Fire by Bruce Sterling.
Crowdfunding:
Con and event reports:
- Leonardo Castaneda reports about BayCon in San Mateo, California.
- Sumiko Saulson shares some troubling experiences at a panel at BayCon.
- Joshua Kronengold reports that the 2019 Chessiecon in Baltimore, Maryland, has been cancelled due to issues with the hotel.
- Steve Davidson reports about Balticon 55 in Baltimore, Maryland.
- Ernest Lilley reports about MOSF Escape Velocity 2019 in National Harbor, Maryland, and shares several photos.
- AnimeNEXT in Atlantic City, New Jersey, reports that former chair Eric Torgersen has been suspended, while investigations of sexual harrassment allegations are ongoing.
- Silver Duck interviews Norman Cates, co-chair of CoNZealand, the 2020 WorldCon in New Zealand.
- Patch O'Furr explains how furry fandom has resisted commericalisation in a three part post.
- Louise Matsakis reports about the World Slime Convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
- Watch a video of Emperor Stardust and the Eunuchs of the Forbidden City (a.k.a. Henry Lien, Kate Heartfield, Darusha Wehm, Rachel Hartman) sing "Come and Join Our Band" at the Nebula Awards Conference in Woodland Hills, California.
Science and technology:
- David Grossman reports that NASA has determined the winner in its Martian habitat design competition.
- Amanda Ripley wonders how people will behave in deep space disasters.
- The BBC reports that two students from North Carolina attempt to launch a self-built rocket.
- Sabrina Imbler explains that biological sexism is to blame for an increase in seasonal allergies.
Free online fiction:
- "No Moon and Flat Calm" by Elizabeth Bear in Slate: Future Tense.
- "All the Hometowns You Can't Stay Away From" by Izzy Wasserstein in Fireside Magazine.
- "The Hunt" by Stanislaw Lem in Przekrój Magazine.
- "Head of a Snake, Tail of a Dragon" by Zen Cho.
- "The Sun From Both Sides" by R.S.A. Garcia in Clarkesworld.
- "When We Dream We Are Our God" by Wole Talabi in Apex Magazine.
- "The Japanese Sword" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
- "It Dances Now" by Justin Alcala in Crimson Streets.
- "Implant 6428007891" by Philip Quinn at Akashic Books.
Odds and ends:
- Watch a trailer for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
- Watch a TV spot for Spider-Man: Far From Home.
- Watch a trailer for season 3 of Jessica Jones.
- Watch a trailer for In Fabric.
- Watch a trailer for The Bears' Famous Invasion of Sicily.
- Watch a trailer for Onward.
- Watch a clip from Starfish.
- Watch a Renault commercial that features a live action version of the 1980s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon.
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