It's
time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting
links
about speculative
fiction from
around the web, this week with the best SFF of 2025, holiday movies, Masters of the Universe in general, season 2 of Fallout, Avatar: Fire and Ash, It: Welcome to Derry and Stephen King adaptations in general, Pluribus, Netflix planning to buy Warner Bros, tributes to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer, John Varley, Gil Gerard, Anthony Geary, Peter Greene and Joanna Trollope and much
more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Lisa Tuttle shares her favourite recent science fiction, fantasy and horror books.
- Julia Kitvaria Sarene shares a list of Christmas SFF books.
- Talia Kliot discusses the popularity of cozy fantasy, cozy horror and cozy mysteries particularly during the winter months.
- Sofia Bianchi discusses how feminist horror novels are redefining fear
- James Davis Nicoll shares five books about conversing with animals
- Molly Odintz shares her favourite recent dark academia novels
- Lorna Wallace shares five scary short stories that read like urban legends
- Emma Loffhagen attempts to explain how books suddenly become massive bestsellers.
- Molly Templeton talks about the art of buying books for other people
- Sam Reader shares eight M.R. James stories to make your holidays a little scarier
- Fan writer and fanzine publisher Arthur D. Hlavaty has died aged 83.
Tributes to John Varley:
Tributes to Joanna Trollope:
Best of 2025:
- Lauren Puckett-Pope shares her favourite science fiction and fantasy books of 2025.
- Runalong the Shelves shares his favourite science fiction books of 2025.
- Runalong the Shelves shares his favourite fantasy books of 2025.
- Molly Odintz shares her favourite horror novels of 2025.
- Runalong the Shelves shares his favourite horror books of 2025.
- Ginger Nuts of Horror share their favourite middle grade horror books of 2025.
- Alex Brown shares their favourite young adult science fiction, fantasy and horror.
- Runalong the Shelves shares his favourite SFF novellas of 2025.
- Runalong the Shelves shares his favoutite SFF anthologies and short story collections of 2025.
- io9 share their favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror TV-shows of 2025.
- io9 share their 42 favourite moments from science-fiction, fantasy and horror TV in 2025
- The Reactor reviewers share the things that brought them nerdy joy in 2025
- James Whitbrook and Germain Lussier share their favourite toys of 2025.
Comics and Art:
- Scott Edelman interviews comic writer and editor Jack C. Harris.
- Neil Cole reports that a lawsuit about the rights for Superman by the estate of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster will likely be decided in favour of DC Comics and Warner Bros.
- Rich Johnston shares an update on the bankruptcy of Diamond Comic Distributors.
- Heidi MacDonald also shares an update on the bankruptcy of Diamond Comic Distributors.
Film and TV:
- Phil Hoad calls The Great Flood an apocalypctic movie from South Korea that swerves into sinister science fiction territory
- Murtada Elfadi calls Sore: Wife from the Future a fantastical time-travel romance from Indonesia that never achieves lift-off
- Adrian Collins calls The Rats: a Witcher Tale a little vignette of the world of The Witcher that plays well if you’re already a fan.
- Arturo Serrano shares his thoughts on the animated series The Legend of Lara Croft
- Ann Michelle Harris calls the final season of My Hero Academia the end of an era.
- Isaiah Colbert declares that The Elephant delivers a blissfully playful collaboration of several animation studios.
- Leslie Felperin calls Omniscient Reader a one-note science fiction film from South Korea.
- Emmet Asher-Perrin declares that Dust Bunny will have you demanding that Bryan Fuller make more movies
- James Bacon shares his thoughts on the documentary Operation Bogeyman: The Folk Horror Landscape of 1970s Northern Ireland
- Richard Edwards ranks the various Doctor Who spin-offs.
- Vanity Fair interviews Sigourney Weaver, star of the Alien movies, Ghostbusters 1 and 2, Galaxy Quest, the Avatar movies and many others.
- Vanessa Armstrong interviews Graham McTavish, best known for his roles in Outlander and Spartacus: House of Ashur
- Jessica Holmes revisits the 1970 Timeslip serial "The Time Of The Ice Box"
- John Scalzi revisits the 1981 adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1997 Babylon 5 episode “No Surrender, No Retreat”
- Justin Carter revisits the 2015 Star Wars film The Force Awakens.
- James Hanton revisits the 2021 animated film The Mitchells vs the Machines
- Cheryl Eddy reports that Zootopia 2 has grossed one billion US-dollar in record-breaking time
- The Guardian reports that director Carl Rinsch was found guilty of defrauding Netflix out of eleven million US-dollar for a TV-show that never existed.
- Casting director Susie Figgis has died aged 77.
- Voice actors Jim Ward, Jeff Garcia and Julie Mayfield have died.
- Actor and movie memorabilia archivist Bob Burns III has died aged 90.
- Xan Brooks celebrates the 100th birthday of actor Dick Van Dyke.
Tributes to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer:
- Actor and director Rob Reiner, best known for his roles in All in the Family and New Girl and for directing The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Stand By Me, Misery, This is Spinal Tap, A Few Good Men and many others, has been found dead at his home aged 78, together with his wife Michele Singer Reiner, aged 68.
- Andrew Pulver declares that Rob Reiner changed Hollywood for ever
- Ryan Gilbert declares that Rob Reiner’s golden run of movies from Spinal Tap to A Few Good Men was breathtaking
- Pete Hammond calls Rob Reiner a really good man and a great director
- Tim Jonze declares that meeting Rob Reiner was like a visit from Santa
- Olivia Rutigliano remembers Rob Reiner.
- Drew Gillis remembers Rob Reiner.
- Wil Wheaton, who played Gordie in Stand By Me, shares a tribute to Rob Reiner.
- Benjamin Lee shares the tribute of Meg Ryan, who played Sally in When Harry Met Sally, to Rob Reiner.
- Anthony D'Alessandro shares Sally Struthers' tribute to Rob Reiner, who played her husband in All in the Family.
- Anthony D'Alessandro shares the tribute of Christopher Guest, who appeared in This is Spinal Tap, and his real-life wife Jamie Lee Curtis to Rob Reiner and Michele Singer.
- Jack Dunn shares a statement released by several close friends of Rob Reiner, including Billy Crystal, Larry David, Martin Short and others.
- Stephen King shares a tribute to Rob Reiner.
- Sian Cain shares tributes to Rob Reiner by fellow actors, directors and politicians.
- Maya Yang reports that Donald Trump could not keep his thoughts about the late Rob Reiner to himself, but publicly claimed that Reiner was died because of his dislike of Trump.
- Dominic Patten reports that Donald Trump felt the need to say more terrible things about the late Rob Reiner.
- Emily Longeretta reports that actor James Woods, though normally a Trump supporter, has criticised Trump's insensitive remarks about the late Rob Reiner.
- Stuart Heritage shares his five favourite films by Rob Reiner.
- Writers of the Guardian share their favourite moments from Rob Reiner's career.
- The Guardian shares photos from Rob Reiner's long career.
- The Guardian reports that Rob Reiner and Michele Singer's son Nick, who has struggled with drug addiction, has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of his parents.
- Dani Aguiano reports that Nick Reiner has been charged with murdering his parents.
- Benjamin Lee profiles Nick Reiner who was arrested on suspicion of murdering his parents.
- Grace Galante talks about the troubled relationship between Rob Reiner and his son Nick.
- Andrew Pulver shares more details about how Rob Reiner and Michele Singer's bodies were found.
- Andrew Polver repots that the release of Rob Reiner’s final film, a concert film called Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale, will be delayed for obvious reasons.
Trubutes to Gil Gerard:
Tributes to Anthony Geary:
- Actor Anthony Geary, best known for playing Luke Spencer in the soap opera General Hospital, has died aged 78.
- Greg Evans shares an obituary for Anthony Geary.
- Matt Schimkowitz remembers Anthony Geary.
- Greg Evans shares the tribute by Genie Francis, who played his love interest Laura in General Hospital, as well as other former co-stars to Anthony Geary.
Tributes to Peter Greene:
Discussion of Holiday Movies:
- Sarah Dempster shares her favourite spooky British holiday TV movies of all time.
- Writers of the Guardian share their favourite underrated holiday movies.
- Matthew Byrd revisits the 1960 Twilight Zone holiday episode “Night of the Meek” and the 1962 Twilight Zone holiday episode "Changing of the Guard".
- Kali Wallace revisits the 1964 holiday movie Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
- Emmet Asher-Perrin revisits the 1992 holiday movie The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:
- James Eatock revisits the 1985 She-Ra: Princess of Power episode "Flowers for Hordak".
- Jukka Issakainen interviews Reilly Brown, artist of several Masters of the Universe mini-comics as well as the upcoming ongoing Masters of the Universe comic series.
- James Eatock points out that the toy version of the Attak Trak appeared in the Filmation He-Man episode "Evil Seed".
Comments on season 2 of Fallout:
- Matthew Byrd shares everything you need to know before watching season 2 of Fallout
- James Whitbrook calls season 2 of Fallout a slower, smarter follow-up
- Graeme Virtue calls season 2 of Fallout an absolutely hilarious postapocalytic thriller.
- William Hughes calls the season 2 premiere of Fallout fun, but unfocussed.
- Matthew Byrd explains the meaning of Vault 24 in season 2 of Fallout.
- Isaiah Colbert reports that Amazon pulled a faulty AI recap video of season 1 of Fallout, following a backlash.
Comments on It: Welcome to Derry and Stephen King adaptations in general:
- Leah Schnelbach shares her thoughts on the season 1 finale of It: Welcome to Derry.
- William Hughes shares her thoughts on the season 1 finale of It: Welcome to Derry.
- Cheryl Eddy shares her eight biggest takeaways from that gruesome, euphoric It: Welcome to Derry finale
- Cheryl Eddy also shares seven burning questions she has after the It: Welcome to Derry finale
- Charlotte Garner interviews Taylour Paige, who plays Charlotte in It: Welcome to Derry.
Comments on Pluribus:
Comments on Avatar: Fire and Ash:
- Peter Bradshaw calls Avatar: Fire and Ash a gigantically dull hunk of nonsense
- Nicholas Barber calls Avatar: Fire and Ash the longest and the worst film in the series yet
- Jesse Hassenger finds Avatar: Fire And Ash overly long, but claims that James Cameron still delivers.
- Germain Lussier calls Avatar: Fire and Ash completely insane in the best possible way
- Pete Hammond calls Avatar: Fire And Ash a war epic for the ages
- Germain Lussier shares everything to remember before Avatar: Fire and Ash
- James Hibberd profiles James Cameron, director of Terminator and Terminator 2, Aliens, Titanic, The Abyss and the Avatar movies.
Comments on Disney partnering with Open AI:
- Caitlin Huston reports that Disney has sent a cease and desist letter to Google pver AI copyright infringement.
- Isaac Rouse reports that Disney has licenced several of its iconic characters to OpenAI's Sora platform, proving that they have no problem with copyright infringement as long as they are paid.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore reports that Disney wants to drag every Disney+ subscriber into the AI slop era due to licensing their characters to OpenAI's Sora platform.
- Cheryl Eddy reports that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have released statements regarding Disney's partnership with Open AI.
Comments on Netflix buying Warner Bros and HBO Max:
Awards:
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Molly Templeton reports that Amazon has introduced an AI feature on the Kindle e-reader that answers questions about the book and that authors cannot opt out.
- John Scalzi shares some examples of AI hallucinating dedications that he never wrote.
- Jim Milliot reports that the mass market paperback is being phased out for good.
Interviews:
Reviews:
- Paul Weimer reviews Rumor Has It by Cat Rambo
- Aaron Jones reviews Made Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Paul Di Filippo reviews Outlaw Planet by M. R. Carey
- Alex Brown reviews Network Effect by Martha Wells.
- Judith Tarr reviews Navigational Entanglements by Aliette de Bodard.
- C.T. Phipps reviews Mind’s Horizon by Eric Malikyte
- Alexandra Pierce reviews The Legend Liminal by Ren Hutchings
- Maya C. James reviews The Legend Liminal by Ren Hutchings
- Niall Harrison reviews The King Must Die by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
- Runalong the Shelves reviews No One To Hold the Distant Dead by K.L. Schroeder
- Fiona Denton reviews Butter Cookies and Demon Claws by Peter V. Brett
- Jenny Hamilton reviews Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz
- Doreen Sheridan reviews Death at the Door by Olivia Blacke
- Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House by Sharon Booth
- Colleen Mondor reviews The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst
- Bill Capossere reviews The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
- Rob Bedford reviews The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Wayfinder by Adam Johnson
- Maura Krause reviews The Door on the Sea by Caskey Russell
- Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Saints of Storm and Sorrow – Stormbringer by Gabriella Buba
- Esmay Rosalyne reviews Venomborn by Benjamin Aeveryn
- Colleen Mondor reviews Red Rabbit Ghost by Jen Julian
- Arturo Serrano reviews Wrath by Shäron Moalem and Daniel Kraus
- Gabino Iglesias reviews Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton
- Runalong the Shelves reviews ITCH! by Gemma Amor
- Ian Mond reviews The Wax Child by Olga Ravn
- Sarah Moss reviews Bog Queen by Anna North
- Gabino Iglesias reviews We Are Always Tender with Our Dead by Eric LaRocca
- Blue Book Balloon reviews The Sound of the Dark by Daniel Church
- Molly Templeton reviews Midnight Timetable by Bora Chung.
- Alex Brown reviews Empty Heaven by Freddie Kölsch
- Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Orconomics by J. Zachary Pike
- Dave Hook reviews Moon Songs: The Selected Stories of Carol Emshwiller, edited by Matthew Cheney
- Arley Sorg reviews These Bodies Ain’t Broken, edited by Madeline Dyer
- Blake Morrison reviews William Golding: The Faber Letters, edited by Tim Kendal
- Jon Repetti reviews Genre Bending: The Plasticity of Form in Contemporary Literary Fiction by Jeremy Rosen.
Classics reviews:
- Brian Collins revisits the 1947 science fiction novel Fury by Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore
- Sandy Ferber revisits the 1947 horror collection Revelations in Black by Carl Jacobi
- Rohan Maitzen revisits the 1963 postapocalyptic novel The Wall by Marlen Haushofer.
- Moid Moidelhoff revisits the 1967 science fantasy novel Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny.
- Victoria Silverwolf revisits the 1970 science fiction novels The Great Brain Robbery by James P. Fisher and Behind the Walls of Terra by Philip Jose Farmer, Jason Sacks revisits the 1970 science fiction novel Once Departed by Mack Reynolds, Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1970 surrealist novel Vector for Seven by Josephine Saxton, Winona Menezes revisits the 1970 sword and sorcery novel Kothar and the Wizard Slayer by Gardner F. Fox and Amber Dubin revisits the 1970 science ficiton novels The Gates of Time: The Last Earthman versis. the Empire that died before Earth was born by Neal Barrett, Jr. and Dwellers of the Deep by K.M. O’Donnell
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1971 science fiction novel Cold War in a Country Garden by Lindsay Gutteridge
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1993 science fiction novel Hard Landing by Algis Budrys
- Alissa Burger revisits the 1994 YA holiday horror novel Cheerleaders: The New Evil by R.L. Stine.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1997 space opera The Merro Tree by Katie Waitman
- Z.B. Steele revisits the 2006 epic fantasy novel Mistborn: the Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Crowdfunding:
Con and event reports:
- Arley Sorg reports about the 2025 Can*Con in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
- Arley Sorg reports about the 2025 Muse Writers Conference in Norfolk, Virginia.
- Ellen Datlow shares photos of the latest Fantastic Fiction reading at KGB Bar in New York City, featuring Daniel Braum and Martin Cahill.
- Melina Spanoudi reports that R.F. Kuang as pulled out of the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as part of a boycott against Emirates Airlines over events in Sudan.
- Tiago Rogero reports that at least three writers have withdrawn from the Hay Festival in Cartagena, Colombia, in protest against the invitation of rightwing Venezuelan opposition politician and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Maria Corina Machado
- Aidin Vaziri reports about an uproar that erupted when the "Women of Afrofuturism" exhibition in San Francisco, California, was found to have used AI generated artwork.
Science and technology:
- Hamish Johnston shares the top ten breakthroughs of the year in physics for 2025.
- Katie Kavanagh shares seven feel-good science stories to restore your faith in 2025
- The Center for Astrophysics reports that astronomers have found the first direct evidence of “Monster Stars” from the cosmic dawn
- Ellyn Lapointe reports about a CRASH clock, which warns of likely collisions between satellites and spacecraft in orbit.
- Jessica Rendall explains how colour-changing, bacteria-infused spacesuits could help keep future astronauts safe from space radiation
- Bryan Walsh claims that AI can help to generate new ideas and receives a lot of pushback over that.
- Aimee Levitt reports how cooking blogs are suffering a loss of visitors and revenue due to Google's AI overviews.
Gaming:
Toys and collectibles:
Free online fiction:
- "A New Justice In Town" by David K. Mitchell in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
- "The Hub Living Among the Stars" by Oyedotun Damilola Muees in Lightspeed.
- "HagioClass" by José Pablo Iriarte in Lightspeed.
- "Beneath the Duwak Tree" by Jorja Osha in The Dark.
- "The Cold Burns" by Anne Wilkins in Clarkesworld.
- "Thicker" by Eleanna Castroianni in Uncanny Magazine
- "The Pretendian" by Jason Pearce in The Deadlands.
- "Shahmeran" by Leyla Hamedi in Nightmare Magazine.
- "Bonum Certamen” by Andrés Martinez in Future Tense Fiction.
Trailers and videos:
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