Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for April 18, 2025

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Wars in general, Star Trek in general, Daredevil: Born Again and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, news from the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, season 7 of Black Mirror, season 2 of  The Last of Us, season 3 of The Wheel of Time, season 3 of Yellowjackets, Sinners, Doctor Who past, present and future, A Mincraft Movie, tributes to Mario Vargas Llosa, Ted Kotcheff and Jean Marsh and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares her favourite recent science fiction, fantasy and horror books.
• Alex Brown shares their favourite speculative short fiction for March 2025.
  
• Cole Rush shares his favourite barbarian and bard pairings in fantasy.
  
• Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu talks about African gothic fiction. 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five science fiction books featuring world-changing visionaries. 
• Nat Cassidy lists seven terrifying tales examining the nature of fear itself 
• Lorna Wallace shares five SFF stories featuring rats and mice. 
• Rachel Cordasco takes a look at postwar Italian science fiction and fantasy.
  
• Charlotte Higgins wonders why the Odyssey is currently having a moment. 
• Sam Freedman wonders whether science fiction or rather tech bros enduring fascination with science fiction will destroy the world and quotes Charles Stross' 2023 blogpost without attribution.
• Robert Jackson Bennett talks about writing a fantasy murder mystery.
  
• Rob Ferrett and Beatrice Lawrence profile Karen Wynn Fonstad, the cartographer who created The Atlas of Middle-Earth     
• Steven Morris reports that a letter that Bram Stoker wrote shortly after completing Dracula is up for auction.
  
• Ella Creamer reports that a book about the trial and execution of the 1827 murderer William Corder, that is bound in Corder's skin, will be put on public display in spite of controversies regarding the morality of displaying this artefact.

 

Tributes to Mario Vargas Llosa:

• Peruvian writer and Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa has died aged 89.
• Alberto Manguel remembers Mario Vargas Llosa. 
• Nick Caistor shares an obituary for Mario Vargas Llosa.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Samantha Nelson explains why now is the perfect time to get into Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
• Robert Justice interviews the contributors to the anthology Captain American: The Shield of Sam Wilson.
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1969 comic strip collection The Collected Works of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century by Philip Francis Nowlan, Dick Calkins and Robert C. Dille
• Mark Evanier discusses the divide between comic and science fiction fans in the 1960s and 1970s.
  
• Lizzie Dearden reports that two police officers dressed up as Batman and Robin arrested a con artist scamming tourists on the street in London, UK.
  
• Tara Brolley reports that the house of Hugo winning artist Sara Felix in Austin, Texas, exploded for unknown reasons. 
• Sara Felix shares an update on the explosion of her house and the state of her family. 
  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about creating an action movie.

 

 Film and TV: 

• Isaiah Colbert declares that the anime Moonrise is a gorgeous space opera, but that its story is a mess  
• Phil Hoad calls Kaiju No 8: Mission Recon a punky anime tale of a volunteer army’s battle against the Godzilla-like kaiju 
• Đăng Tùng Bạch calls The Glassworker Pakistan's first full-length animated feature film, which is strongly influenced by Studio Ghibli.
• Jesse Hassenger calls The Legend of Ochi a 1980s throwback family fantasy movie. 
• Jim Vorel calls Daddy a confoundingly vague science fictional fatherhood dramedy.
  
• Jacob Oller calls The Ugly Stepsister an impressively nasty body horror film.
  
• Haley Zapal calls Hell of a Summer a camp slasher homage that gets an A for effort, but doesn't really deliver thrills or chills
  
• Rai Furniss-Greasley shares his appreciation for the character of Ellen Ripley from the Alien films. 
• Caroline Siede declares that Resident Evil remains the exception rather than the rule for female-led action franchises 
• Leah Thomas shares her favourite vampire animes.
  
• Rafael Motomayor interviews Shinichiro Watanabe, creator of Cowboy Bebop and Lazarus.
• Raquel Harris interviews Bruce Miller, creator of The Handmaid's Tale.
  
• Jason Sacks rewatched the 1970 science fiction film Colossus: The Forbin Project. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1996 Babylon 5 episode “Voices of Authority”
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1999 animated film The Iron Giant. 
• Martin Edwards revisits the 2017 science fiction film Life.
  
• Ramon Antonio Vargas reports that actress Bella Thorne has accused Mickey Rourke is bruising her genitals on the set of the thriller Girl in 2020.
• The Guardian shares more details about the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. 
• The Guardian also shares more details about the death of Michelle Trachtenberg.
  
• Actor Nicky Katt, best known for his appearances in Insomnia, The Dark Knight, Batman and Robin, Dazed and Confused, Sin City, Planet Terror, The Limey and many others, has died aged 54.
  
• Ted Kotcheff, director of  First Blood, Weekend at Bernie’s and Fun With Dick and Jane, has died aged 94.
• Andrew Pulver remembers Ted Kotcheff. 
• Jean Marsh, star of Willow, Return to Oz, Doctor Who, Upstairs Downstairs, Frenzy, The Eagle Has Landed, Fatherland and many others, has died aged 90.  
• Aneesa Ahmed remembers Jean Marsh.
  

 

Comments on Daredevil: Born Again and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general:

• Leah Schnelbach shares her thoughts on “Straight To Hell”, the season finale of Daredevil: Born Again. 
• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on  “Straight To Hell”, the season finaleof Daredevil: Born Again. 
• Justin Carter shares his thoughts on “Straight To Hell”, the season finale of Daredevil: Born Again.  
• Meagan Navarro discusses a shocking death in the Daredevil: Born Again season finale.
  
• Justin Carter notes that Daredevil: Born Again and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man gave us bad guys who are jerks first, and it's a great change of pace. 
  
• Zack Sharf interviews Florence Pugh who plays Jelena Belova in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 
• Stuart Heritage wonders whether Florence Pugh's skyscraper stunt in Thunderbolts* will make her the next Tom Cruise.
  
• Watch a trailer for Thunderbolts*. 
• Watch a trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:

• For Eternia reports that James Wilkinson has been cast as Mekaneck in the upcoming live action Masters of the Universe movie. 
• For Eternia reports that Stephen Adentan has been cast as Moss-Man in the upcoming live action Masters of the Universe movie.
  
• James Eatock revisits the 1984 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe episode "Evilseed". 
  
• James Eatock traces how the robotic horses sporadically seen in the Filmation He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon gradually morphed into Stridor, the robotic horse from the toyline.
• Allison Troy takes a look at the many forgotten minions of Catra from the early Princess of Power tie-in media.
  

 

Comments on Star Wars in general: 

• Eammon Jacobs interviews Tony Gilroy, showrunner of Andor. 
• Sabina Graves interviews Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna, creator and star of Andor.
• Abigail Lee interviews Kelly Marie Tran who played Rose Tico in The Last Jedi and Rise of Skywalker. 
• Jim Vorel declares that Orson Krennic is a perfectly pathetic Star Wars villain
  
• Ben Child muses on the original theatrical cut of Star Wars being shown in London, UK, for the first time in almost thirty years and wonders whether the Special Editions from the 1990s will actually turn out to be superior after all.

 

 Comments on season 3 of The Wheel of Time:  

• Sylas K. Barrett shares his thoughts on the season 3 finale of The Wheel of Time.
  
• Melody McCune shares his thoughts on the season 3 finale of The Wheel of Time.
• Anney White interviews Rafe Judkins, showrunner of The Wheel of Time.
  
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Josha Stradowski who plays Rand Al'Thor in The Wheel of Time.
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Zoë Robins who plays Nynaeve in The Wheel of Time.
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Robert Strange, who plays Eelfinn in The Wheel of Time.
  

 

Comments on Star Trek in general: 

• Monita Roy Mohan shares seven dark holodeck episodes of Star Trek Voyager.
• Avery Kaplan notes that Star Trek captains tend to retire in rural settings.
  

 

 Comments on season 2 of The Last of Us: 

• Germain Lussier shares six crucial things to remember before season 2 of The Last of Us
  
• Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on “Future Days”, the season 2 premiere of The Last of Us.
• Molly Templeton shares her thoughts on “Future Days”, the season 2 premiere of The Last of Us.
• Jack Seale shares his thoughts on “Future Days”, the season 2 premiere of The Last of Us. 
• Graeme Virtue shares his thoughts on “Future Days”, the season 2 premiere of The Last of Us.   
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on “Future Days”, the season 2 premiere of The Last of Us.   
• Adam B. Vary interviews Craig Mazin, showrunner of The Last of Us.
• Josh Wigler interviews Kaitlyn Dever who plays Abby in The Last of Us. 
  
• Inspired by The Last of Us and Fallout, Duncan Barrett discusses how video game adaptations became prestige TV.
  

 

Comments on Black Mirror:

• Cheryl Eddy ranks the episodes of season 7 of Black Mirror.
• Cheryl Eddy lists eight Black Mirror episodes that deserves sequels. 
• Natalie Zutter finds some parallels between the Black Mirror episode "Eulogy" and the science fiction series Severance. 
• Leila Latif discusses how Black Mirror learned to stop worrying about the future and deal with the present
  
• Jackie Strause interviews Toby Haynes, director of the Black Mirror episode “USS Callister: Into Infinity" 
• Jackie Strause interviews Cristin Milioti who plays Nanette Cole in “USS Callister: Into Infinity"
• Abbey White interviews Haolu Wang, director of the Black Mirror episode "Hotel Reverie" as well as stars Issa Rae and Awkwafina
  

 

Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future: 

• Sylas K. Barrett shares his thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
  
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
• Jack Seale shares his thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
• Martin Belam shares his thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
• Isobel Lewis shares her thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
  
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on “The Robot Revolution”, the first episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on “Lux”, the second episode of series 15 of Doctor Who. 
  
• Mike Bloom interviws Russell T. Davies, showrunner of Doctor Who.  
• Susana Polo interviews Russell T. Davies.
• Shaad D'Souza interviews Varada Sethu who plays Belinda Chandra in Doctor Who. 
• Lacy Baugher Milas interviews showrunner Russell T. Davies and stars Ncuti Gatwa and Varada Sethu about the new series of Doctor Who.
  
• Melody McCune shares her appreciation for the character of Belinda Chandra.
  
• Ian Youngs reports that British Eurovision commentator Graham Norton will appear in the Eurovision themed Doctor Who episode.
  
• Isobel Lewis discusses whether the cooperation between the BBC and Disney Plus on Doctor Who has changed the series.
  

 

Comments on Sinners:

• Owen Gleiberman calls Sinners the rare mainstream horror film that's about something weighty and soulful: the wages of sin in Black America. 
• Jesse Hassenger calls Sinners a potent film about vampires, racism and music from the heart and the gut
• Tara Bennett calls Sinners a sumptuous southern vampire delight
• Sabina Graves calls Sinners an exuberant and hypnotic vampire movie that will rattle your bones 
  
• Steve Rose interviews Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther and Sinners.
  

 

 Comments on season 3 of Yellowjackets:

• Jen Lennon shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Yellowjackets.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Yellowjackets.
• Natalie Zutter shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Yellowjackets. 
• Claire Lustig interviews Sophie Nélisse, who plays Shauna Shipman in Yellowjackets.

 

Comments on A Minecraft Movie: 

• Nick Romano interviews Jared Hess, director of A Minecraft Movie. 
• Justin Carter reports that even star Jack Black now has to remind viewers of A Minecraft Movie to behave themselves in the theater.
• Tasha Robinson notes that reports about unruly audiences at screenings of A Minecraft Movie make her feel nostalgic for the "Gentleminions" trend of 2023, where audience members dressed up in suits for screenings of Minions 3.

 

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2024 Cóyotl Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2025 Aurora Awards have been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2024 Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2024 Aurealis Awards has been announced. 
• The finalist for the 2025 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2025 Premio Italia have been announced.
  
• The winner of the 2025  Prix Jeunesse des Univers Parallèles has been announced.
• The shortlist for the 2025 Tolkien Society Awards has been announced,  
• The finalists for the 2025 Prometheus Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2025 L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Achievement Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2025 FAAn Awards have been announced.

 

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Ira Nayman talks about taking humor writing seriously 
• Jake Lynch recounts how he went from journalism via academia to crime writing. 
• Rhys Thomas reports about the rise of book subscription services and book boxes.
  
• Vauhini Vara reports about Inkitt, an online publishing start-up that gobbles up the right for popular works published on its free platform to create AI generated sequels, screen adaptations, etc... 
• John Ismay takes a look at which books were removed from the library of the US Naval Academy, following edicts of the Trump government, and which still remain. 
• Ella Creamer reports that demands to remove certain books from libraries are on the rise in the UK as well due to US pressure groups crossing the Atlantic. 
• The Guardian reports how citizens in Chelsea, Michigan, came together to help a local bookstore move from one location to another.
  

 

Interviews:

• Ellen Peirson-Hagger interviews Kaliane Bradley.
• Locus interviews S.A. Barnes.
  
• Scott Edelman interviews Carolyn Ives Gilman.
  
• Elizabeth Tabler interviews Evan Leikam.
• Brandon O'Brien interviews Akua Lezli Hope
  

 

Reviews:

• Alexandra Pierce reviews Future’s Edge by Gareth L. Powell
• Paul Du Filippo reviews Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis
• Russell Letson reviews Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Trap Line by Timothy Zahn
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Dissolution by Nicholas Binge 
  
• Marlene Harris reviews One Level Down by Mary G. Thompson 
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews We Are Not Anonymous by Stephen Oram 
• Tobias Carroll reviews Luminous by Silvia Park
  
• Jen Lucas reviews The Cure by Eve Smith. 
• Sharon Richardson reviews The Cure by Eve Smith. 
  
• Liz Bourke reviews Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djélí Clark 
  
• Lesa Holstine reviews A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic by J. Penner  
• Alexis Ong reviews Once Was Willem by M.R. Carey
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Gates of Hope by J.E. Hannaford
  
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews The Crimson Fire by Abel Montero 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews A Promise of Blood by R. A. Sandpiper
• Mark Yon reviews Godkiller by Hannah Kaner. 
• Rob Bedford reviews The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.
  
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews City of All Seasons by Oliver K. Langmead and Aliya Whiteley 
• Bobby Derie reviews Innsmouth Park by Jane Routley  
• Melissa A. Watkins reviews A Palace Near the Wind by Ai Jiang
  
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews Notes from a Regicide by Isaac Fellman
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Sirens by Emilia Hart 
• Ian Mond reviews The Fake Muse by Max Besora
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews They Bloom At Night by Trang Thanh Tran  
• Phoebe Wagner reviews The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones 
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews A Trail Of Blood On The Snow by Sam Lee
• Ed Crocker reviews Dark Crescent by Lyndsey Croal
  

 

Classics reviews:

• Judith Tarr revisits the 1870 science fiction novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas by Jules Verne.
• Brian Collins revisits the 1934 Lensman space opera novel Triplanetary by E.E. Smith.
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1935 science fiction novella Proxima Centauri by Murray Leinster
  
• Jonathan Cowie revisits the 1940 science fiction novel Slan by A.E. van Vogt.
• Brian Collins revisits the 1951 science fiction story “The Pilot and the Bushman” by Sylvia Jacobs 
  
• James Wallace Harris revisits the 1954 science fiction story “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury 
• Alan Brown revisits the 1969 science fiction novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
  
• David Levinson revisits the May 1970 issue of Venture Science Fiction. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1977 science fiction novel Cluster by Piers Anthony
  
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1978 sword and sorcery novel Vazkor, Son of Vazkor by Tanith Lee 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1983 science fiction novel The End of the Empire by Alexis Gilliland 
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1991 YA horror novel The Fire Game and the 1996 YA horror novel Night Games by R.L. Stine. 
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Gary Westfahl wonders whether there should be no more Worldcons in the US going forward. 
• The Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog declares that Worldcons shouldn't completely freeze out US fans and conrunners, but that maybe every second Worldcon should be outside North America. 
• John Toal reports about Reconnect, the 2025 Eastercon in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• Mike Glyer shares some programming at Reconnect that is of particular interest to writers. 
• Alex Wallace shares his experiences at the 2025 AwsomeCon in Washington DC. 
• Steven French reports about the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland. 
• Mark Yon reports about the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland.
  
• Ian Hunter reports about the 2024 Fantasycon in Chester, UK.
  
• Kevin Standlee reports that no bids have been filed for the 2027 Westercon.
  
• Matt Schimkowitz reports about a Starship Troopers panel at the 2025 Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo in Chicago, Illinois. 
• Chris M. Barkley reports about an author event featuring Meredith R. Lyons and John Scalzi at  Joseph Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati, Ohio
  
• Matt Schimkowitz reports about the Overlook Film Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana.
• The 2025 Balticon Sunday Short Science Fiction Film Festival in Baltimore, Maryland, shares its program. 
• Caitlin Cassidy reports that several Australian academics are refusing to attend onferences in the US for fear of being detained  
• Kelly Burke reports that a statue of a spaceman which is supposed to be set up in Perth, Australia, has caused some controversy. 
• Sabina Graves shares  ten things she learned about the Star Trek: Red Alert Experience at the Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood, California.
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Artist Sara Felix and her family need some help after their new house exploded.

 

Science and technology:

• Joel Achenbach reports that the James Webb Space Telescope has detected a possible signature of life on a distant planet.
  
• Hannah Devlin reports that astronomers have found the ‘strongest evidence’ so far for life beyond our solar system
• Edward Helmore reports about Blue Origin's latest spaceflight with an all-female crew, including pop star Katy Perry. 
• Moira Donegan notes that the all female Blue Origin flight showcases the utter defeat of American feminism 
• Marina Hyde calls the all female Blue Origin flight more vacuous than an endless vacuum
  
• Josh Dinner reports that conservationists have raised alarm over the US Air Force's plans to land SpaceX Starships on the Johnston Atoll bird sanctuary. 
• Jasper Ward reports that the Bahamas have suspended all SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landings in the country, pending a full post-launch investigation of the environmental impact.
  
• Joel Mathis wonders whether AI chatbots could replace mental health therapists.
• Kyle Wiggers reports that an MIT study has found that AI does not in fact have values. 
• Shalma Wegsman reports about paraparticules, a new category of quantum particles. 
• Mark Yam profiles seasteaders who want to colonise the ocean.
  
• Sonja Anderson reports that two people using metal detectors have found a 2500-year-old dagger on a beach in Pommerania, Poland. 
• Nell Greenfieldboyce reports that researchers have found that crows have some understanding of geometry,

 

Gaming: 

• Chris Napier reviews Avowed by Obsidian Entertainment.
  
• Germain Lussier reviews Donkey Kong Bananza

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Pixel Dan reviews the latest wave of the Mattel Turtles of Grayskull crossover toyline.
• Adam McComb takes a look at the 1986 Mattel Masters of the Universe Meteorb toys. 
• James Whitbrook shares a look at several Star Wars themed Lego sets. 
• Aimee Ortiz explains why rare Lego sets are now a popular target for thieves.
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Cry, the Carob King" by Thomas Ha in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "Dark Creature, Dream Her" by Charlie Valenti in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "Meditations from the Event Horizon" by Deborah L. Davitt in Lightspeed. 
• "The Potter, His Daughter, and the Boy with Tribal Marks on His Face" by Oyedotun Damilola Muees in Lightspeed.
  
• "Seven Ribbons" by Beth Goder in Apex Magazine.
  
• "Eternal" by E. Florian Gludovacz in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
  
• "Higher Powers" by Steve Rasnic Tem in The Dark.
• "Liberation" by Tade Thompson in Reactor.
  
• "Ain’t Missing You" by Joanne McLaughlin in Mystery Tribune.
• "Symbiotic" by Carolyn Zhao in Clarkesworld.
  
• "Still Water" by Zhang Ran, translated by Andy Dudak in Clarkesworld. 
• "Glory Hole" by Neal Auch in Nightmare Magazine.
  
  

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Nautilus.
• Watch a trailer for The Life of Chuck. 
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Poker Face.
  
• Watch a trailer for Twisted Metal.
  
• Watch a trailer for 28 Years Later. 
• Watch a trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth.