Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for February 14, 2025

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Trek in general, Captain America: Brave New World and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, Masters of the Universe in general, season 2 of Severance, The Gorge, Heart Eyes, Paddington in Peru, the best SFF works of 2024, the sexual abuse allegations against Neil Gaiman and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares her favourite recent science fiction, fantasy and horror novels.
  
• James Davis Nicoll discusses the problems of naming stars in science fiction. 
• Lorna Wallace shares five horror novels with a dash of romance. 
• Ande Pliego talk about the power of humor in horror and thrillers. 
• Philip Fracassi talks about isolation horror in film and fiction.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five science fiction stories where one person owns the entire Earth. 
• Vanessa Montalban shares ten modern takes on traditional Latin American folktales 
• Linda D Addison remembers the first black horror writers and storytellers.
  
• Lancelot Schaubert talks about religion in science fiction and fantasy. 
• Pixie Bruner attempts to define speculative poetry. 
• Stephanie Burgis shares five fiction witches and wizards to fall in love with.
  
• Natalie Zutter shares five signs you might be crushing on a book.
  
• Jo Walton shares her reading list for January 2025.
  
• Rachel Ayers shares six modern retellings of the fairytale "The Goose Girl".
  
• Asa West shares her appreciation for the character of Molly Grue in The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. 
• Jonathan Thornton shares his appreciation for the works of Elizabeth Hand.
  
• Lucy Knight reports that Margaret Atwood will release a memoir. 
• r/fantasy reports that writer and YouTuber Daniel Greene has been accused of sexual assault by fellow YouTuber Naomi King. 
• Daniel Greene responds to the sexual assault allegations against himself. 
• Tony Lewis, co-founder of NESFA and chairman of Noreascon, has died aged 83.
  
• Steven H. Silver shares a list of all the people the SFF community lost in 2024.

 

Best of 2024:

• Colleen Mondor shares her favourite SFF works of 2024.
• Alexandra Pierce shares her favourite SFF works of 2024.
  
• Tim Pratt shares his favourite SFF works of 2024.
• Arley Sorg shares his favourite SFF works of 2024.
  
• The Financial Times shares their favourite SFF books of 2024. 
  

 

Comments on the sexual abuse allegations against Neil Gaiman:

• Jacqueline Howard reports that Amanda Palmer, former wife of Neil Gaiman, has denied the hum trafficking allegations against herself.
• Ella Creamer also reports that Amanda Palmer, former wife of Neil Gaiman, has denied the hum trafficking allegations against herself.
  

 

 Comics and Art:

• Isaiah Colbert shares eleven must-read recommendations for New Wave manga.  
• Isaiah Colbert interviews Kumar Sivasubramanian, translator of the manga Dandadan.
• James Whitbrook reports that Marvel has teased resurrecting Gwen Stacy.
  
• Artist and book designer Jana Pullman has died.
  
• British cover and record album artist Chris Moore has died aged 78 
• John Freeman remembers Chris Moore.
  
• Prolific cover artist Mort Künstler has died aged 97.

 

Film and TV:

• Haley Zapal calls Love Me an interesting look at the remnants of humanity as filtered through the lonely AIs we leave behind
  
• Aaron Jones shares his thoughts on season 2 of Silo. 
• Rai Furniss-Greasley shares his thoughts on season 2 of The Rig.
• Ann Michelle Harris shares her thoughts on season 2 of Squid Game.
  
• Leslie Felperin calls The Baby in the Basket a devilishly fun low budget convent horror film.
• Phil Hoad calls The Dead Thing a clever supernatural dating thriller. 
  
• Catherine Bray declares that Cara attempts to blend psychological drama and extreme horror, but ultimately falls between two stools
• Phil Hoad declares that the horror film Mom does its best to keep things feeling supernatural as woman faced with impossible parenting demands slides into psychosis 
• C.T. Phipps shares his thoughts on the animated film The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
  
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Harley Quinn. 
• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Invincible.
  
• Cath Clarke calls The Sloth Lane a bland animated adventure.  
• Chris Farnell shares his favourite Doctor Who episode for every Doctor. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares ten romantically ghoulish horror movies to stream for Valentine’s Day
• Rich Pelley interviews Ke Huy Quan, star of Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Goonies, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Love Hurts, Loki and many others. 
  
• Ryan Gilbey interviews Vera Drew, director, writer and star of The People's Joker.
• Michael Dunaway and Alisha Patterson interview Meera Menon, Kiran Deol and George Basil, director and two of the stars of the zombie movie Didn't Die.   
• Germain Lussier interviews Dean DeBlois, writer and director of the live action How To Train Your Dragon.
  
• Rebecca Liu shares her experiences watching the supposedly worst movies of all times, which have a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1964 horror thriller Nightmare. 
  
• Olivia Rutigliano wonders why Michael Myers knows how to drive a car, considering he spent fifteen years in an asylum in the 1978 slasher movie Halloween  
• Kali Wallace revisits David Lynch's 1984 adaptation of Dune.
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1995 Babylon 5 episode “Divided Loyalties”
• Justin Carter revisits the 2020 superhero movie Birds of Prey. 
  
• Kate Lloyd reports about how fake but realistic looking drugs are made for movies and TV shows. 
• Benjamin Lee reports that the top-grossing films of 2024 were led by female protagonists as much as by men, buoyed by the success of Wicked and The Substance
• Cheryl Eddy reports that Disney is the latest company to cave in to Donald Trump's anti-DEI policies.  
• Dominic Patten reports that Disney employees are angry about the company caving to Donald Trump's anti-DEI policies.
  
• Bang Showbiz reports that actress Koo Stark, who played Camie in A New Hope before her scenes were cut, is sueing Lucasfilm, because she was never compensated for later use of the scenes in questions.
• Frank Hildebrand, producer of Fear the Walking Dead and many others, has died aged 73.
  

 

Comments on Star Trek in general:

• Angelica Jade Bastien declares that Star Trek: Section 31 just doesn't have the juice.
• Avery Kaplan shares four freaky episodes of Star Trek Voyager. 
• James Whitbrook shares his appreciation for Captain Janeway's love of coffee.
  
• Avery Kaplan interviews Carlos Baena, director of the Star Trek short film 765874: Unification
  

 

Comments on Captain American: Brave New World and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general: 

• Jesse Hassenger declares that Captain America: Brave New World isn't a fresh start, but mostly deals with loose ends left over from previous Marvel movies.  
• Rory Doherty declares that Captain America: Brave New World tries to be a political thriller, but plays things too safe.
• Germain Lussier calls Captain America: Brave New World a bottom-tier Marvel movie that’s neither brave nor new
  
• Peter Bradshaw calls Captain America: Brave New World tired and uninspired. 
• Kimberly Pierce calls Captain America: Brave New World a film that’s utterly devoid of humanity.
  
• Sabina Graves shares early reactions to Captain America: Brave New World.
  
• William Mullally reports about the many changes and reshoots of Captain American: Brave New World. 
  
• Mary Kate Carr reports that particularly the character of Ruth Bat-Seraph a.k.a. Sabra has been changed, though allegedly not due to Anti-Israeli backlash.  
• Nick Romano also addresses the changes made to the character of Sabra. 
• James Whitbrook shares the complicated history of Sabra in the comics. 
• James Whitbrook shares a guide to the various colours of Hulks in the Marvel universe.
  
• Will Harris interviews Carl Lumbly who plays Isaiah Bradley in Captain America: Brave New World.
  
• Ben Travis interviews Dario Scardapane, showrunner of Daredevil: Born Again.
  
• Ben Child wonders whether we will finally get a good Fantastic Four movie.
• Watch a trailer for Thunderbolts.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:

• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that Morena Baccarin has been cast as the Sorceress and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Malcolm/Fisto in the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film. 
• Borys Kit reports that James Purefoy and Charlotte Riley have been cast as King Randor and Queen Marlena in the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film.
• Molly Templeton also reports about the Masters of the Universe casting news. 
• Variety interviews  Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, who will play Malcolm a.k.a. Fisto in the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film. 
• For Eternia reports that there will be a one-shot Masters of the Universe comic focussing on Andra, written by actress Tiffany Smith and drawn by Adriana Melo.
• Dad-at-Arms and Podcast from the Pit talk about Masters of the Universe.
  
• James Eatock explains why Glimmer's abilities and characterisation are all over the map in the Filmation She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon.

 

Comments on The Gorge: 

• Jesse Hassenger calls The Gorge a strange mix of science fiction horror and romance.  
• Germain Lussier calls The Gorge a science fiction action monster romance that just misses the mark 
  
• Brianna Zigler finds a hollow familiarity at the bottom of The Gorge

 

Comments on Heart Eyes: 

• Benjamin Lee calls Heart Eyes an awkward cross between insipid romantic comedy and schlocky sleepover horror that fails on both counts
• Jesse Hassenger calls Heart Eyes a slasher romance to fall in love with.
  

 

Comments on Paddington in Peru:

• Abby Olchese calls Paddington in Peru a welcome return for cinema’s best bear 
• Sabina Graves declares that Paddington in Peru paints by numbers but still delights 
• Matt Schimkowitz declares that Paddington In Peru is still sweet as marmalade, but twice as messy 
  

 

Comments on season 2 of Severance: 

• Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Severance.
• Molly Templeton shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Severance. 
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Severance.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Severance. 
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the  latest episode of Severance.  
• Saloni Gajjar interviews Britt Lower who plays Helena in Severance.

 

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2025 Pulp Factory Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2025 Compton Crook Award have been announced.
  
• The first round nominations for the 2025 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2025 Critics Choice Awards have been announced
• The winners of the 2025 Annie Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2025 VES Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2025 Producers Guild Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2025 SCL Awards have been announced.
  
• Nominations are open for the 2025 Hugo Awards.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Eimear McBride explains how studying method acting taught her how to write 
• Laura McCluskey explains how to believably isolate characters in the twenty-first century.
  
• Emily Temple explains how to write a good sex scene.
  
• Imogen West-Knights reports about book blurbs and why they may be on their way out.
• Elisabeth Egan asks whether book blurbs even matter and whether they actually sell books. 
• Christopher Buckley welcomes the end of the blurb. 
• Rebecca Makkai explains why blurbs matter and laments that they take up a lot of time. 
• Kate Knibbs reports that Thomson Reuters has won the first major AI copyright infringement lawsuit in the US.
  

 

Interviews:

• Asimov's interviews Nancy Kress.
  
• Mandana Chaffa interviews Anton Hur.
  
• Locus interviews Ibi Zoboi.

 

Reviews:

• Paul Weimer reviews Atacama by Jendia Gammon 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Carrying Capacity of Paradise by Deborah L Davitt 
• Andrew Liptak reviews Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
  
• BOLO Books reviews The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune, 
• Marlene Harris reviews At the Fount of Creation by Tobi Ogundiran
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Orb of Cairado by Katherine Addison 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield
• Colleen Mondor reviews Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy 
• Jenny Hamilton reviews The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews A Sojourn in the Sunset Forest by Zammar Ahmer
  
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The Tenacious Tale of Tanna the Tendersword by Dewey Conway and Bill Adams  
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews A Matter of Execution by Nicholas and Olivia Atwater 
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Rider, The Ride, The Rich Man’s Wife by Premee Mohamed 
• Marion Deeds reviews Daughters of Chaos by Jen Fawkes  
• Alexis Ong reviews Waterblack by Alex Pheby
• Melissa A. Watkins reviews Silver and Smoke by Van Hoang
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
• Niall Harrison reviews Gliff by Ali Smith 
• Mahvesh Murad reviews Private Rites by Julia Armfield 
  
• Marion Deeds reviews The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville 
• Ed Crocker reviews Mists of Memory by N. C. Scrimgeour 
• Rob Bedford reviews The Crimson Road.by A.G. Slatter. 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Crimson Road.by A.G. Slatter. 
  
• Bill Capossere reviews Sanctum of the Soul by Kel Kade
  
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
  
• Adrian Collins reviews She Who Waits by Daniel Polansky 
• Ian Mond reviews She’s Always Hungry by Eliza Clark 
• Ian Mond reviews Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
  
• Mark Yon reviews Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson.
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio 
• Marlene Harris reviews Symbiote by Michael Nayak 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews One Message Remains by Premee Mohamed
  
• Alexandra Pierce reviews The Year’s Top Robot and AI Stories: Fifth Annual Collection, edited by Allan Kaster
   
  

 Classics reviews:

• Sam Reader revisits the 1866 ghost story “The Signal-Man” by Charles Dickens
  
• Fiona Sturges revisits the 1938 gothic novel Rebecca by Daühne Du Maurier. 
• Brian Collins revisits the 1944 science fiction novelette "When the Bough Breaks" by C.L. Moore and Henry Kuttner.
  
• Warner Holme revisits the 1959 horror novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1963 science fiction novel The Reefs of Space by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson
  
• Gideon Marcus revisits the March 1970 issue of Galaxy
• John Boston revisits the March 1970 issue of Amazing.
  
• Victoria Silverwolf revisits the 1970 science fiction anthology The Year 2000, edited by Harry Harrison  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1970 Lord Darcy fantasy mystery Murder and Magic by Randall Garrett
  
• Dave Hook revisits the 1975 speculative fiction collection Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1984 religious fantasy novel To Reign In Hell by Steven Brust
   
  

Crowdfunding:

• New Edge Sword and Sorcery Magazine is looking for funding for 2025.
• SFF writer Aliette de Bodard needs some help.

 

Con and event reports:

• Steve Davidson discusses which countries are safe to host a Worldcon and reluctantly notes that the US may no longer be one of those countries.
• Thea Kellock and Eden McLeod report about the 2025 Scotiacon in Glasgow, Scotland 
• Daniel Sanderson also reports about the 2025 Scotiacon and manages to completely misrepresent furries. 
• Jen Juneau reports about a panel at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida, where six former Superman actors celebrated Christopher Reeves. 
• Nadeem Badshah reports that there have been several homophobis incidents at performances of the Dolly Parton musical Here You Come Again in London and Manchester, UK.
  
• Sabina Graves reports that Luke Skywalker will show up at the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, even though the character shouldn't be alive according to the internal chronology of the attraction. 
• Sabina Graves shares tip for spending Valentine's Day at one of the US Disney Parks. 
• Sabina Graves shares a look at the foods on offer at the Universal Epic Universe theme park in Orlando, Florida. 
  

 

Science and technology:

• Evan Gough reports that astronomers have found the largest known structure in the universe, a cluster of galaxies they named Quipu.
• Daniel Lavelle delves into the mystery behind the possibly best photo ever of a UFO, which was taken in Calvine, Scotland, in 1990. 
• Margarita Montimore shares eight bizarre pop culture conspiracy theories.  
• Marion Johnson-Thompson profiles microbiologist Ruth E. Moore, one of the first black women ever to gain a PhD. 
  

 

Gaming: 

• Cameron Kunzelman reviews the video game Civilization 7. 
• Yussef Cole reviews Civilization 7.
  
• Camestros Felapton reviews the video game Citizen Sleeper. 
• Keza MacDonald notes that the bar for success for video games is set ever higher.
  
• Jay Costello reports about how the surreal French RPG Off became a success in English due to a fan translation.
• Cecilia D'Anastasio reports about how gamers are modding their PCs.

 

Toys and collectibles:

•  James Whitbrook shares a look at some Marvel Rivals themed Funko Pops.
• Adam McCombs take a look at the Mattel New Adventures of He-Man Nordor playset, 
• Janessa Jaye Champagne takes a look at the Masters of the Universe Classics versions of the Princess of Power characters. 
• Sabina Graves declares that pop culture merchandise is getting more luxurious, though she isn't sure whether this is a good thing.
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Best of All Possible Worlds" by John Chu in The Sunday Morning Transport.
  
• "A Planet Full of Sorrows" by M. L. Clark in Clarkesworld. 
• "We Begin Where Infinity Ends" by Somto Ihezue in Clarkesworld.
• "A Ten Thousand Year Survey Into Seven Stomachs of an Ishta" by Allison Thai in Apex Magazine.
  
• "The Hollowed Man" by David J. Lynch in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "The Locket" by Nerine Dorman in Omenana.
• "Red Leaves" by S.E. Porter in Reactor.
  
•  "Siren" by Rob Costello in The Dark.
• "The Sound a Rabbit Might Make" by Bruce McAllister in Nightmare Magazine.
• "It Holds Her in the Palm of One Hand, Part 2" by Lowry Poletti in Lightspeed.  
• "Standardized Test" by Seoung Kim in Lightspeed.
  

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for season 6 of The Handmaid's Tale.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of The Wheel of Time.
  
• Watch a trailer for the live action How to Train Your Dragon.
• Watch a trailer for Legends Of The Condor Heroes: The Gallants
  
• Watch a trailer for Jurassic World Rebirth.
  
• Watch a trailer for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning