It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Trek: Picard, season 5 of Outlander, season 3 of Westworld, The Plot Against America, the proposed revival of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes, an uproar surrounding the Internet Archive's so-called "National Emergency Library", the latest convention cancellations due to the corona virus and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Tor.com shares seventeen optimistic fantasies to brighten your reading life.
- Liz Bourke recommends SFF books for difficult times.
- Mark Yon recommends some post-apocalyptic novels to read.
- Ellen Datlow recommends thirteen dark and creepy books.
- James Wallace Harris muses about how lists of classic science fiction novels change over time.
- Tor.com praises the minimum wage workers of SFF.
- James Davis Nicoll explores the four types of portal narratives.
- Rachel Ayers talks about fantasy novels and the magic of libraries.
- Ruth Gilligan shares her top ten Irish gothic novels.
- Paperback Warrior profiles Ron Haydock, author of sleazy crime novels, musician and horror film columnist
- James Davis Nicoll shares some classic science fictional radio dramas to listen to.
- AudioFile Magazine shares the best new audiobooks for spring 2020.
- O'Brian Gunn shares several examples of superheroes using finesse rather than force to win the day.
- Jamie Lovett reports that Sotheby's is selling Ian Levine's comic collection, the most complete collection of DC Comics in existence.
- Pulp collector and dealer Mark Halegula has died aged 66.
Film and TV:
- Toussaint Egan calls Tales From the Loop a poetic science fiction fable.
- Lucy Mangan calls the current Batwoman series heroically bad.
- Mark Kermode calls Vivarium and unsettling urban nightmare.
- Leslie Felperin calls The Complex a frustrating interactive science fiction thriller.
- Peter Bradshaw calls Valley of the Lanterns a lacklustre animated fairytale film.
- Martin Edwards shares his views on Midsommar and finds that he prefer The Wicker Man.
- Lauren Jackson shares seven weird horror movies to watch while self-isolating.
- Leah Schnelbach has some TV recommendations for Martha Wells' Murderbot and its fans.
- Graeme Virtue shares the strangest movies and TV shows available on the Disney Plus streaming service.
- Mike Joest argues that things went downhill for Luke Skywalker ever since the destruction of the first Death Star.
- Cameron Scheetz interviews Anthony Daniels who plays C-3PO in the Star Wars movies.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1956 science fiction movie Forbidden Planet.
- Erik Adams shares his appreciation for the 1996 alien invasion movie Mars Attacks.
- Stuart Heritage revisits the 1993 movie Jurassic Park, his favourite film aged twelve.
- Stuart Jeffries watched the 1926 science fiction film Metropolis for the very first time.
- Cath Clarke watches the 1968 science fiction movie 2001 - A Space Odyssey for the very first time.
- Olivia Rutigliano revisits the 1964 spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and finds that it was pretty crazy.
- Joe George shares his six favourite episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
- Hadley Freeman has never watched any James Bond film and unwisely decides to start with the 1977 installment The Spy Who Loved Me.
- The Guardian reports that a collection of prop guns used in James Bond movies has been stolen in Enfield, UK.
- Andrew Liptak reports that the releases of Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Morbius have been postponed due to the corona virus.
- Polish film and opera composer Krzysztof Penderecki has died aged 86.
- Actor Andrew Jack, who appeared in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi among others, has died aged 76 of the corona virus.
Comments on Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek in general (warning, spoilers):
- Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on part 2 of "Et in Arcadia Ego", the season 1 finale of Star Trek Picard.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on part 2 of "Et in Arcadia Ego".
- Font Folly shares his thoughts on part 2 of "Et in Arcadia Ego".
- Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on part 2 of "Et in Arcadia Ego".
- Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on part 2 of "Et in Arcadia Ego".
- Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on part 2 of "Et in Arcadia Ego".
- Stephen Kelly isn't particularly pleased about Star Trek Picard.
- Rachel Kiley is pleased that an iconic Star Trek character was revealed as LGBTQ in Star Trek Picard.
- Phil Pirello interviews Sir Patrick Stewart who plays Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek Picard.
- Keisha Hatchett interviews Brent Spiner who plays Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek Picard.
- Ryan Britt looks ahead at season 2 of Star Trek Picard.
- Camestros Felapton offers a Star Trek Picard viewing list of other Star Trek episodes to watch to better understand Star Trek Picard.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the Star Trek Voyager episodes "Elogium" and "Non Sequitur".
- Jordan Hoffman revisits Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, his favourite movie aged twelve.
Comments on season 5 of Outlander:
- Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Outlander.
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Outlander.
Comments on season 3 of Westworld:
- Matthew Jackson shares his thoughts on "The Absence of Field", the latest episode of Westworld.
- Paul MacInnes shares his thoughts on "The Absence of Field".
- Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on "The Absence of Field".
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on "The Absence of Field".
- Dean E.S. Richard shares his thoughts on "The Absence of Field".
Comments on The Plot Against America:
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Plot Against America.
- Noel Murray shares his thoughts about the latest episode of The Plot Against America.
Comments on the proposed revival of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes:
- Andrew Liptak reports that a revival of the time travel cop show Life on Mars and its spin-off Ashes to Ashes is in the works.
- Justin Harp also reports about the planned revival of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes.
- Hannah J. Davies also reports about the planned revival of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes.
Awards:
- The winners of the 2020 IAFA Awards have been announced.
- The shortlist for the 2020 Brave New Words Awards has been announced.
- The finalists for the 2020 Kurd Laßwitz Preis have been announced.
- The winners of the HWA's 2019 Service Awards have been announced.
- The winner of the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award has been announced.
- The winner of the 2020 ICG Lifetime Achievement Award has been announced.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Emma Komlos-Hrobsky reports about StayHomeWriMo, a corona virus inspired take on NaNoWriMo.
- Dave Chesson shares some tips for staying a productive and healthy writer in difficult times.
- Janice Hardy shares some tips for setting tone and mood in your stories.
- Kathleen Jennings talks about creating art and prose together.
- Mark Lawrence explains what it's like to be a writer of aphantasia.
- Kristine Kathryn Rusch talks about deadlines.
- Kristine Kathryn Rusch also shares some tips for writers for dealing with the current crisis.
- Jason Sanford lists COVID-19 resources, information and assistance for SFF writers.
- The SFWA announces three new staff members.
- The Authors Guild reports about the so-called National Emergency Library of the Internet Archive making thousands of books available for free without authorisation.
- Alison Flood also reports about the Internet Archive's so-called National Emergency Library.
- Andrew Albanese also reports about the uproar about the so-called National Emergency Library.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports about the uproar surrounding the Internet Archive's so-called National Emergency Library.
- Colin Dwyer also reports about the uproar about the Internet Archive's so-called National Emergency Library, after first praising the project.
- Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts about the Internet Archive's National Emergency Library and the ethics of book piracy in general.
Interviews:
- David Barnett interviews Michael Moorcock.
- Cate Matthews interviews N.K. Jemisin.
- Locus interviews Gareth L. Powell.
- Locus interviews Sue Burke.
- Locus interviews Nina Allan.
- Andrew Liptak interviews Adrian Tchaikovsky.
- Andrew Liptak interviews R.F. Kuang.
- Tor.com interviews Ken Liu.
- Shellie Horst interviews Rob J. Hayes.
- Andrea Johnson interviews Eeleen Lee.
- Paul Weimer interviews Ryan Van Loan.
- J.C. Kang interviews Victor Gischler.
- Christian A. Coleman interviews K.M. Szpara.
Reviews:
- Russell Letson reviews Silver by Linda Nagata.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Comet Weather by Liz Williams.
- Camestros Felapton reviews A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews Forced Perspectives by Tim Powers.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
- Arley Sorg reviews War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Dread Nation by Justina Ireland.
- Paula Guran reviews Suicide Woods by Benjamin Percy.
- Rob Bedford reviews Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha.
- Marion Deeds reviews Beneath the Rising by Premee Mohamed.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Beneath the Rising by Premee Mohamed.
- Adam Roberts reviews The War Within by Stephen Donaldson.
- Geoff Matthews reviews A Tale of Stars and Shadow by Lisa Cassidy.
- Jessica P. Wick reviews The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo.
- Liz Bourke reviews A Queen in Hiding and its sequels by Sarah Kozloff.
- Colleen Mondor reviews The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black.
- Rebecca Fisher reviews The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas.
- Rebecca Fisher reviews The Broken Ones by Danielle L. Jensen.
- Adam Roberts reviews The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter
- Kat Hooper reviews The Deep by Rivers Solomon with Daveed Diggs, William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes.
- Bill Capossere reviews Anthropocene Rag by Alex Irvine.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Earthworm Gods II: Deluge by Brian Keene.
- Matt Brandenberg reviews The Devil's City by Sara Tantlinger and Matt Corley.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Judges - The Patriots by Joseph Elliott-Coleman.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews Talk Like a Man by Nisi Shawl.
Classics reviews:
- Sandy Ferber revisits the 1931 lost world adventure Phalanxes of Atlans by F. Van Wick Mason.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1950 science fiction mystery Needle by Hal Clement.
- Matt Mikalatos revisits the 1952 children's fantasy novel The Voyager of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis.
- Mark Yon revisits the March/April 1965 issues of New Worlds and Science Fantasy.
- Gideon Marcus revisits the April 1965 issue of Analog.
- David Levinson revisits the May 1965 issue of If - Worlds of Science Fiction.
- Lucy Scholes revisits the 1965 apocalyptic novel One by One by Penelope Gilliatt.
- Rich Horton revisits the 1968 YA science fiction novel Trapped in Space by Jack Williamson.
- Judith Tarr revisits the 1975 parallel world novel Knave of Dreams by Andre Norton.
- Paperback Warrior revisits Escape from Loki, a 1991 Doc Savage novel by Philip José Farmer.
- Andrew Lloyd revisits the 2000 speculative fiction novel House of Leaves by Mark. Z. Danielewski.
- Rich Horton revisits the 2000 supernatural spy novel Declare by Tim Powers.
Con and event reports:
- The Social Distancing Festival offers an overview of art programs streaming online.
- Kate Dwyer wonders if virtual online book events will lead to sales.
- Balticon 54 in Baltimore, Maryland, has announced that they will be offering a free virtual convention because of the corona virus.
- Mike Glyer reports that the virutal online Nebula Awards Conference is now open for registration.
- James Comtois reports that the organisers of San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California, remain hopeful that the con can go ahead in spite of the corona virus.
- StokerCon in Scarborough, UK, has been postponed due to the corona virus.
- Penguicon in Southfield, Michigan, has been cancelled because of the corona virus.
- Dhuva Banerjee reports about the SF by the Bay exhibition at the San Francisco Public Library in San Francisco, California, and shares several photos.
- Locus shares a report about the memorial service for science fiction author Michael Blumlein.
- John Hertz explains how the fanzine convention Corflu came by its name.
- The winner of the 2020 Down Under Fan Fund has been announced.
Science and technology:
- The BBC reports that the US Space Force has launched its first satellite.
- Andrew Masterson reports that Jupiter is the oldest object in the solar system.
- Phil Plait reports that a star 750 million lightyears away was torn apart by a black hole.
- Michelle Starr reports that future moon bases could be built from the urine of astronauts.
- Matt McGrath reports how traces of lead and silver found in an alpine glacier shed new light on the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1170 AD.
Free online fiction:
- "Radio, out by Pluto" by Lydia Pauly in Luna Station Quarterly.
- "Cosmic Crust" by Alex Sherman at Tor.com.
- "The Whale Fall at the End of the Universe" by Cameron Van Sant in Clarkesworld.
- "Mandragora" by Nibedita Sen in Fireside Magazine.
- "Unmended" by Mike Loniewski in Fireside Magazine.
- "The Hummingbird Temple" by C.C. Finlay in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
- "Uzumaki of the Lake" by Richard Parks in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
- "Paciente Cero" by Juan Villoro in Slate Future Tense.
- "Renegade" by Mark McConville in Punk Noir Magazine.
- "Doctor Who and the Time War" by Russell T. Davies at the BBC.
- Jim C. Hines lists some sources for free and legal SFF to read during the corona epidemic.
- Juliet E. McKenna also lists some sources for free and legel SFF to read during the corona epidemic.
Odds and ends:
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