Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for June 12, 2026

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, Spider-Noir and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, Widow's Bay, Disclosure Day, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Lestat and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Readers of the Guardian share their one hundred favourite novels of all time. 
• Alex Brown shares five queer YA books for pride month 
• S.D. Coverly shares five SFF novels about murder on campus 
• Cynthia Pelayo lists five dark and speculative adaptations of Peter Pan 
• Lorna Wallace shares five horror books featuring older protagonists 
• N.K. Jemisin shares the text of her SFWA Grand Master speech. 
• Kelly Robinson lists eight overlooked characters from Lewis Carroll’s Alice books 
• Literary scholar Alan Gribben who removed some slurs from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has died aged 84.  

   

Comics and Art:

• Ann Michelle Harris reviews Absolute Wonder Woman Volumes 1 and 2 by Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman, Mattia De Iulis and Jordie Bellaire,  
• Alex Jennings takes a look at the Absolute Universe by DC Comics.  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon on book lies. 
• Comics scholar John A. Lent has died aged 89.  

  

Film and TV:

• Haley Zapal calls The Mandalorian and Grogu basically just a no-stakes, super-long episode of The Mandalorian
• Cath Clarke calls Signal One a high-concept, low-risk first contact film. 
• Josh Pearce reviews Exit 8 
• James Grebey declares that the new Scary Movie ends a horror era so dumb even Scary Movie figured it out
• Amelia Emberwing interviews the cast of The Legend of Vox Machina. 
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Chinaza Uche who plays Coffee in The Terror: Devil in Silver.  
• Tyler Dean revisits the 1988 fantasy film The Adventures of Baron Münchausen:
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1998 Babylon 5 episode “Darkness Ascending” 
• Eleanor Margolis revisits the 1999 found footage horror film The Blair Witch Project.  
• Radha Vatsal revisits the 2015 post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max: Fury Road.
• Kali Wallace revisits the 2017 horror film The Endless.  

 

Comments on the Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general:

• Branyan Towe calls Masters of the Universe endlessly fun, with a surprising amount of heart. 
• Jack Bottomly calls Masters of the Universe a colourful, hopeful, blast from start to finish which seriously has the power. 
• Erik Kain calls Masters Of The Universe a surprisingly great He-Man movie
• Amy Koto calls Masters of the Universe an entertaining watched filled with nostalgia. 
• Jason Colavito talks about the experience of watching Masters of the Universe with his nine-year-old son.  
• Dave McRae declares that Masters of the Universe is great.  
• Liam Gaughan calls Masters of the Universe an unabashedly geeky, good-natured fantasy romp 
• Considering Stories calls Masters of the Universe a fun two hours long meditation on the failures of inflexible fathers and the hopes for heroes to rise despite their shaky origins
• Keith Carlington notes that Masters of the Universe is built upon a genuine affection for the source material. 
• Ali Rizvi declares that Masters of the Universe gets it (mostly) right 
• CastleMania Games shares a spoilerish review of Masters of the Universe.  
• Brian Particelli interviews Nicholas Galitzine and Dolph Lundgren who plays He-Man in the 2026 and 1987 Masters of the Universe movie respectively.  
• Hayley Campbell interviews Sir Idris Elba who plays Duncan a.k.a. Man-at-Arms in Masters of the Universe.  
• Peri Nemiroff interviews Alison Brie who plays Evil-Lyn in Masters of the Universe.  
• He-Mania interviews Kojo Attah who plays Tri-Klops in Masters of the Universe. 
• He-Mania.com interviews James Wilkinson who plays Mekaneck in Masters of the Universe. 
• Matt Minton interviews Daniel Pemberton who composed the score for Masters of the Universe. 
• Hannah Hart notes that the inexplicable backlash against Masters of the Universe and The Mandalorian and Grogu says more about cinemagoers and the sorry state of film criticism than about those movies.  
• Listen to the Masters of the Universe soundtrack by Daniel Pemberton and others. 

 Comments on Spider-Noir and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general:

• Ellery Weil discusses where Spider-Noir fails to live up to its genre — and where it succeeds 
• Rosy Cordero interviews Spider-Noir co-showrunner, writer and executive producer Oren Uziel and actors Lamorne Morris, Jack Huston and Karen Rodriguez.

 

Comments on the future of Doctor Who:  

• Nadia Khomani reports that the 2026 Doctor Who Christmas Special has been cancelled and that the BBC has parted ways with Russell T. Davies and is looking for a new showrunner and production company.   
• Martin Belam wonders whether Doctor Who will survive the exit of Russell T. Davies.  
• Jessica Holmes revisits the 1971 Doctor Who serial "The Daemons".  

 

Comments on Widow's Bay:  

• Stuart Heritage explains why everyone should be watching Widow’s Bay 
• Erik Adams insists that everybody should watch Widow's Bay.  
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Widow's Bay.  
• Emma Fraser interviews Matthew Rhys, star of Widow's Bay.   

 

Comments on Disclosure Day: 

• Pete Hammond calls Disclosure Day a masterful 1970s style thriller. 
• Peter Bradshaw calls Disclosure Day a conspiracy spectacular.  
• Nicholas Barber calls Disclosure Day a flimsy alien drama that feels like a drab X-Files episode. 
• Monica Castillo declares that Steven Spielberg phones it in with Disclosure Day 
• Germain Lussier calls Disclosure Day an unforgettable Steven Spielberg science fiction spectacle  
• Aaron Jones shares his thoughts on Disclosure Day.  

 

Comments on Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Lestat:

• Saloni Gajjar declares that the already great Interview With The Vampire enters its vibrant Vampire Lestat era
• Molly Templeton shares her thoughts on "Detroit", the first episode of The Vampire Lestat.  
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Sam Reid who plays Lestat and Jarda Klapek in The Vampire Lestat
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw interviews Daniel Hart, who composed the score for Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Lestat.  

 

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2026 Theodore A. Sturgeon Memorial Award have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Ignyte Awards have been announced.  
• The shortlist for the 2026 Future Worlds Prize has been announced. 
• The semifinalists for the 2026 Self-Published Science Fiction Competition have been announced. 
• The recipients for the 2026 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Tony Awards have been announced.  

 Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Brook Wilensky-Lanford talks about finding the perfect title. 
• Locus reports that Subterranean Books will close in late 2027.  
• Hillel Italie shares a guide to bookstores owned by authors. 

 

Interviews:

• Locus interviews Isabel J. Kim. 
• Joel Miller intervies Guy Gavriel Kay.  
• Ed Crocker interviews C.J. Leede. 

 

Reviews:   

• Daniel Dern reviews Radiant Star by Ann Leckie.  
• Adrienne Martini reviews The Best of All Possible Planets by Alex Shvartsman  
• Sasha Bonkowsky reviews The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen.
• Marlene Harris reviews Cash and Gravity by Perrin Pring 
• Mark Yon reviews The Traveller by Joseph Eckert.  
• Marlene Harris reviews Valet by J.P. Lacrampe 
• Cory Doctorow reviews Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer.  
• Michael Faber reviews The End of Everything by M. John Harrison 
• Vanessa Armstrong reviews The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty  
• Marlene Harris reviews Field Guide for the Formerly Villainous by Autumn K. England 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Charms, Charts, and Conspiracies by David Green
• Paul Weimer reviews The Final Chronicle of Yeneh by Jo Miles
• Alex Wallace reviews The Palace of Eros by Caro de Robertis 
• Bill Capossere reviews Mortedant’s Peril by R.J. Barker  
• Marlene Harris reviews Heaven’s Graveyard by Grace Curtis 
• Stuart Cripps-Schnoor reviews Daughter of Crows by Mark Lawrence  
• Summer Hanford reviews Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee and Fonda Lee 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews Rising Gale by Z.B. Steele  
• Christopher Keene reviews Iron Prince by Bryce O’Connor and Luke Chmilenko 
• C.T. Phipps reviews Anarch by Dan Abnett 
• Niall Harrison reviews What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed 
• Rob Bedford reviews It Came From Neverland by Cynthia Pelayo. 
• Ian Mond reviews Department of the Vanishing by Johanna Bell 
• Molly Templeton reviews An Impossibility of Crows by Kirsten Kaschock. 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Dead First by Johnny Compton  
• Arley Sorg reviews My Dear You by Rachel Khong 

 

Classics reviews:

• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1964 weird fiction anthology Worlds of Weird, edited by Leo Margulies
• Alan Brown revisits the 1967 TV adaptation Star Trek and its 1968 sequel Star Trek 2 by James Blish. 
• Gideon Marcus revisits the July 1971 issue of Galaxy.  
• George Pritchard revisits the 1971 science fiction anthology Universe 1, edited by Terry Carr. 
• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 1972 science fiction novel The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin
• Kat Hooper revisits the 2005 Pip and Flinx space opera Running from the Deity by Alan Dean Foster 

 

Con and event reports:

• Meredith G. White recounts how Phoenix Fan Fusion in Phoenix, Arizona, grew from small comic con to pop culture giant

 

Science and technology:

• Brendan Byrne reports that NASA has appointed four astronauts for the Artemis III mission 
• Andy Tomaswick reports that space telescopes are now overwhelmed by satellite trails 
• Space Daily reports that in 1977 a radio telescope in Delaware, Ohio, picked up an extremely strong and clear radio signal from the diection of Sagittarius, which has never been heard again.  
• Douglas Fox reports that Earth’s stratosphere is a mysterious superhighway for microbes 
• Thomas Ling explains why cats love sitting on laptops. 
• Caitlin Mullen talks about the legend of the Jersey Devil. 

 

Gaming: 

• Matthew Castle calls 007 First Light a triumphant James Bond game made by obsessive fans
• Matthew Castle interviews Patrick Gibson who portrays James Bond in 007 Frst Light. 

 

Toys and collectibles:

• ToyBro reviews the Harbinger Studios Savage Crucible Elric of Melniboné action figure. 

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Immigrant Girl from the End of the World" by Hannah Yang in Uncanny Magazine 
• "A Princess of the East" by Matthew Ilseman in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "The Beach House with Its Back to the Sea" by Íde Hennessy in The Dark. 
• "No Agency Without Identity! Stay In Character Always!" by James Patrick Kelly in Reactor.  
• "The Devil in the Details" by Rev. Joe Kelly in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. 
• "Ice, Rock, Empathy" by Damián Neri in Clarkesworld. 
• "A Life Measured in Seconds" by Anne Wilkins in Clarkesworld. 
• "My Suicides" by Debbie Urbanski in Apex Magazine.  
• "Memeostasis" by Benjamin Rosenbaum in Lightspeed. 
• "An Oral History of the Schooner Key Invasion" by Alex Irvine in Lightspeed.  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Enola Holmes 3.  
• Watch a trailer for The Dog Stars.
• Watch a trailer for Walking Dead: Dead City. 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for June 5, 2026

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, Spider-Noir and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars in general, The Terror: Devil in Silver, Backrooms, Scary Movie 6, tributes to Marcia Lucas, Marjane Satrapi and Anthony Stewart Head and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Natalie Zutter shares science fiction and fantasy books coming out in June 2026.  
• Cheryl Eddy shares ninety new science fiction, fantasy and horror movies coming out in June 2026.  
• Reactor shares all the new science fiction books arriving in June 2026 
• Reactor shares all the new fantasy books arriving in June 2026  
• Reactor shares all the new romantasy books arriving in June 2026  
• Reactor shares all the new horror books arriving in June 2026  
• Reactor shares all the new SFF crossover books arriving in June 2026  
• Reactor shares all the new young adult SFF books arriving in June 2026 .
• James Davis Nicoll lists five terrible or useless mentors in scienc fiction and fantasy 
• Isabel J. Kim shares five science fiction books about speculative human evolution   
• Dave Hook wonders if the golden age of the SFF novella is over. 
• Sam Reader shares seven deeply unsettling nautical horror and fantasy novels 
• C.J. Leede shares five horror novels which subvert the portrayals of wolves as villains.  
• Cynthia Gomez recommends four lesser-known Mexican gothic novels and historical horror mysteries 
• Cristina LePort talks about writing about cryonics and other medical advances.   
• Joel Miller notes that Philip K. Dick spent his entire careers asking two questions, "What is reality?” and “What is the authentic human being?”
• Dalya Alberge reports that a previously unpublished medieval translation by J.R.R. Tolkien has been found in Oxford, UK.  
• K. Tempest Bradford remembers Lalana Dararutana a.k.a. Piper J. Drake 

   

Comics and Art:

• Stuart Heritage interviews several illustrators of children's books. 
• Publishers Weekly reports that Dark Horse Comics voluntarily recognises a staff union.  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about literary towns.  

 

Tributes to Marjane Satrapi:

• French-Iranian comic writer and artist Marjane Satrapi has died aged 56.  
• Mana Neyestani remembers Marjane Satrapi.  
• Dina Nayeri remembers Marjane Satrapi.  
• Drew Gillis remembers Marjane Satrapi  

  

Film and TV:

• Catherine Bray calls Affection a twisty horror thriller.  
• Jerome Stueart talks about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and uncovering past trauma 
• Rhik Samadder calls The Alien Autopsy Scandal a fascinating tale of a bizarre DIY hoax that hits Spinal Tap levels of hilarity 
• Amelia Emberwing interviews the cast of The Legend of Vox Machina. 
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Kate O'Flynn who plays Patricia in Widow's Bay. 
• P. Djèlí Clark talks about the backlash against Christopher Nolan casting Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey.  
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1942 animated movie Bambi.  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1962 post-apocalyptic movie Panic in the Year Zero.  
• Amber Dubin revisits the 1971 Night Gallery episodes "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" and "The Last Laurel" 
• Eric Berger and Lee Hutchinson revisit the 1986 science fiction film Space Camp.  
• Danette Chavez revisits the 1989 Quantum Leap episodes "Disco Inferno" and "Blind Faith". 
• Isaiah Colbert revisits the 1990 anime Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1998 Babylon 5 episode “Meditations on the Abyss” 
• Kali Wallace revisits the 2014 alternate universe movie Coherence.  
• Gwylim Mumford expresses his annoyance at the tsunami of indie horror films that swamp everything.  
• Michael Hogan discusses the strange resurgence of the British TV character Mr. Blobby.  
• Leah Schnelbach ranks Martin Scorsese's acting roles.  
• Drew Gillis reports that Martin Scorsese is the latest director to come out in favour of generative AI. 
• Katie Kilkenny and Alex Weprin report that Amazon has launched an AI Creators Fund and has ordered three animated series created with AI, to much criticism. 
• Monica Castillo notes that Obsession's inexpicable success makes the latest case for longer theatrical release windows 
• Actor James Handy, best known for his appearances in Top Gun Maverick, Alias, NYPD Blue, Logan, The Rocketeer and Archnophobia, has bene murdered aged 81.  
• Actress Kelly Curtis, best known for her roles in The Equaliser, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Sentinel, Trading Places, Magic Sticks and The Devil’s Daughter, has died aged 69. 

 

Tributes to Anthony Stewart Head:

• Actor Anthony Stewart Head, best known for his roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Jonathan Creek, Merlin and Ted Lasso, has died aged 72.  
• Adam Whitehead remembers Anthony Stewart Head. 
• Owen Myers remembers Anthony Stewart Head. 
• Jesse Hassenger remembers Anthony Stewart Head.  
• Cheryl Eddy remembers Anthony Stewart Head. 
• Kayleigh Donaldsen remembers Anthony Stewart Head. 

 

Tributes to Marcia Lucas: 

• Matt Zoller Seitz remembers Marcia Lucas,  
• Sian Cain remembers Marcia Lucas.  
• William Hughes remembers Marcia Lucas. 
• Justin Carter remembers Marcia Lucas.  
• Dais Johnston remembers Marcia Lucas.  

 

Comments on the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general:

• Kevin Fenix notes that Masters of the Universe was always more than just big muscles and "He-Man smash", though many self-proclaimed fans sadly missed this fact. 
• B.J. Colangelo declares that Masters Of The Universe is so much more than a nostalgia play – and some people will miss the message entirely
• Colt Crane calls Masters of the Universe the He-Man movie he's been waiting for his entire life - heroic, bombastic, empowering, and extremely easy to love 
• Cora Buhlert calls Masters of the Universe an incredibly joyful movie that will leave you elated after you leave the theatre. 
• CastleMania Games calls Masters of the Universe the movie he has been waiting for since he was six years old. 
• Molly Freeman calls Masters of the Universe the hopecore movie of the summer.  
• Scott Mendelson declares that Masters of the Universe has got (the) Power, and it knows how to use it 
• Victoria Luxford declares that Masters of the Universe boldly brings the beloved He-Man to life with a marvelous edge 
• Scannain declares that Masters of the Universe balances the silliness and camp nature of the He-Man mythos well to tell a story about what it means to be a hero. 
• Rendy Jones declares that Masters of the Universe revives He-Man with colourful chaos and surprising heart 
• Zaki Hassan calls Masters of the Universe the rousing fantasy adventure fans deserve. 
• Julian Lyle declares that Masters of the Universe works through the power of nostalgia and sincerity 
• Kristen Lopez calls Masters of the Universe a rollicking 1980s-infused surprise 
• Andrew J. Salazar calls Masters of the Universe a sincere and unapologetic ode to 1980s excess 
• Phil Roberts calls Masters of the Universe an absolute blast and arguably the most faithful adaptation of the source material to date. 
• Lyvie Scott notes that Masters Of The Universe reminds us of what He-Man has always been
• James Zahn calls Masters of the Universe a playful, powerful adventure straight from the toy box 
• He-Mania.com calls Masters of the Universe a dream come true. 
• Jeffrey Harris calls Masters of the Universe a dream come true for long-time fans.  
• Luke Y. Thompson declares that Masters of the Universe has gotten the epic movie it deserves
• Jeremy Konrad calls Masters of the Universe the He-Man film fans have waited their whole lives for 
• Serpentor's Lair declares that He-Man is the hero Gen X needs.  
• Jonathan Sim calls Masters of the Universe a perfect summer blockbuster 
• Brian MacNamara calls Masters of the Universe a blast from beginning to end. 
• Hunter Bolding calls Masters of the Universe a Saturday morning cartoon come to life 
• Pete Hammond calls Masters Of The Universe an amusing new take on Mattel’s nostalgic toys
• Eric Diaz calls Masters of the Universe a colourful retro adventure 
• Leah Marilla Thomas calls Masters of the Universe a pretty delightful fantasy adventure to boot.  
• Steven Silver calls Masters of the Universe much better than it had any right to be
• Clint Gage declares that Masters of the Universe appreciates the source material, silly names and all, and proves the best way to add to a 40-year-old franchise that’s about toys as much as anything else is to not take it too seriously.  
• Joe Magidson declares that Masters of the Universe manages to bring He-Man to the big screen with a good dose of fun 
• William Healy calls Masters of the Universe ridiculously good fun 
• John Atkin calls Masters of the Universe is an absolute blast. 
• Aaron Neuwirth calls Masters of the Universe a fun, familiar sort of fantasy adventure that delivers on He-Man's good name. 
• Pixel Dan shares his spoilerish thoughts on Masters of the Universe.  
• Rosie Knight reports about a visit to the set of Masters of the Universe.  
• CBR interviews Travis Knight, director of the live action Masters of the Universe movie.  
• Maggie Lovitt interviews Travis Knight. 
• Mike Ryan interviews Travis Knight.  
• Chelsea Gohd interviews Travis Knight.  
• Nicholas Galitzine and Dolph Lundgren, who played He-Man in the 2026 and 1987 Masters of the Universe live action movie respectively, interview each other. 
• Elena Rosemeyer interviews Nicholas Galitzine, who plays Adam/He-Man in the live action Masters of the Universe movie, and Camila Mendes who plays Teela, and provokes a laughing fit.  
• Chris Schelb interviews Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Mendes.  
• CBR interviews Nicholas Galitzine. 
• CBR interviews Camila Mendes.  
• CastleMania Games interviews Sam C. Wilson who plays Trap-Jaw in Masters of the Universe.  
• CastleMania Games interviews Kojo Attah who plays Tri-Klops in Masters of the Universe.  
• Colt Crane interviews James Unsworth, the motion capture performer who played Beast-Man in the Masters of the Universe movie.  
• Masters Cast interviews James Wilkinson who plays Mekaneck in Masters of the Universe.  
• Mark Minton interviews Daniel Pemberton who composed the music for Masters of the Universe.  
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on the latest Masters of the Universe clip released.  
• Jeffrey Harris points out that with the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action movie generating buzz, it's time to make the season 3 of Masters of the Universe Revelation/Revolution. 
• Rob London reports that Masters of the Universe has been given an IMAX release on short notice, as The Mandalorian and Grogu is pulled from IMAX theatres prematurely.  
• Loving the 80s revisits the 1987 Masters of the Universe live action movie and wonders whether we judged it too harshly at the time.  
• Listen to "Masters of the Universe" by The Darkness.  
• Watch a clip from Masters of the Universe. 

 Comments on Spider-Noir and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general:

• James Hogan interviews David Hine, creator of Spider-Noir.
• Ben Child declares that how Marvel handles Doctor Doom will determine the future of the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe.  

 

Comments on The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars in general: 

• Lou Thomas calls The Mandalorian And Grogu review: a strong and forceful Star Wars spin-off 
• Chris M. Barkley shares his thoughts on The Mandalorian and Grogu. 
• William Bibbiani shares ten classic movies that influenced The Mandalorian and Grogu.   
• Saif Sheikh shares his thoughts on Maul: Shadow Lord 

 

Comments on The Terror: Devil in Silver: 

• Alex Brown shares their thoughts on "Vermillion", the latest episode of The Terror: Devil in Silver.  
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Aasif Mandvi who plays Dr. Anand in The Terror: Devil in Silver.  

 

Comments on Backrooms:

• Jacob Oller declares that the monsters of Backrooms have always been its weakness, even back when it was still a web series. 
• Matthew Byrd feels the need to enlighten us about the lore behind Backrooms. 
• Joshua Rivera declares that Backrooms uses the bluntest metaphors to capture a uniquely Gen Z fear 
• Drew Gillis reports that Backrooms nearly matched The Mandalorian And Grogu's opening gross for inexplicable reasons. 
• Andrew Pulver reports that Kane Parsons becomes youngest film-maker to open at No. 1 at the US box office with Backrooms 
• Inspired by the inexplicable success of Backrooms and Obsession, Jesse Hassenger reports about the phenomenon of young YouTube filmmakers making unexpectedly successful movies. 
• Germain Lussier claims that the success of Backrooms and Obsession might be a historic moment in film history, because apparently we can't lavish enough hyperbole on two low budget horror movies doing better than expected. 

 

Comments on Scary Movie 6: 

• Simon Abrams calls Scary Movie 6 the most embarrassing spoof since the first Scary Movie 
• Jordan Bassett calls Scary Movie 6 horrifyingly unfunny.  
• Jesse Hassenger calls Scary Movie 6 a spoof horror comedy that should have stayed in the 2000s
• Germain Lussier declares that Scary Movie 6 plays the hits, but mostly misses 

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2025 Nebula Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Locus Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2025 Bram Stoker Awards have been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2026 Arthur C. Clarke Award has been announced.  
• The finalists for the 2026 Mythopoeic Awards have been announced. 
• The longlist for the 2026 Sunburst Award has been announced.  
• The winner of the 2026 Webster Award has been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Seiun Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Prix Imaginales have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Gotham TV Awards have been announced. 

 Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Claire Fuller explains how to recreate the techniques of horror films in a novel 
• Beau L'Amour talks about co-writing with his father, Louis L'Amour forty years after his death. 
• Nick Mamatas explains how publishing actually works.  
• Marlaina Cockcroft wonders if LGBTQ+ voices are being pushed out of children's literature. 
• Danika Ellis declares that LGBTQ+ books and authors are at a breaking point due to increasing censorship and suppression.

 

Interviews:

• Smart Btiches, Trashy Books interviews Martha Wells.  
• Arley Sorg interviews Naomi Kritzer.  
• Arley Sorg interviews Isabel J. Kim.  
• Locus interviews Robert Jackson Bennett

 

Reviews:   

• Marlene Harris reviews Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer
• Eddie Clark reviews And Side by Side They Wander by Molly Tanzer   
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Your Behavior Will Be Monitored by Justin Feinstein 
• Z.B. Steele reviews Disquiet Gods by Christopher Ruocchio 
• Colleen Mondor reviews Ellen Poe: The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfreund
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews Sister Svangerd and the Devil You Know by K.J. Parker  
• Adrian Collins reviews Steel Gods by Richard Swan
• Maya C. James reviews To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose
• Fiona Denton reviews The Sourdough Compendium by A.G. Slatter 
• Angela Boord reviews Devouring Fortune by Oleander Craw 
• Abigail Nussbaum reviews The Weathering by Artem Chapeye, translated by Daisy Gib­bons 
• Sarah Moss reviews My Only Boy by Rosa Rankin-Gee 
• Alex Brown reviews The Republic of Memory by Mahmud El Sayed 
• Matt Larkin reviews A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young
• Marion Deeds reviews Extremophile by Ian Green 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Dead Weight by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal
• Eric Ballein reviews Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman  
• Rob Bedford reviews Bodies of Work by Clay McLeod Chapman   
• Jen Lucas reviews A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper  
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews The Way it Haunted Him by Laura R. Samotin 
• Gabino Iglesias reviews You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado 
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Recollections by Christopher Priest  

 

Classics reviews:

• Ruthanna Emrys and Anne M. Pillsworth revisit the 1942 weird fiction story "Mimic" by Donald A. Wollheim.  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1955 science fiction spy novel Earthlight by Arthur C. Clarke  
• Ian Mond revisits the 1961 kaiju novel The Luminous Fairies and Mothra by Shin’ichirō Nakamura, Takehiko Fukunaga and Yoshie Hotta, translated by Jeffrey Angles 
• Joel Miller revisits the 1962 science fiction novel Hothouse by Brian Aldiss. 
• Gideon Marcus revisits the June 1971 issue of Analog.  
• David Levinson revisits the July/August 1971 issue of If - Worlds of Science Fiction. 
• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 1972 Earthsea fantasy novel The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1989 Alliance/Union science fiction novel Rimrunners by C J Cherryh  
• Alexandra Pierce revisits the 1991 science fiction collection Wormwood by Terry Dowling 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 2010 science fiction novel The Restoration Game by Ken MacLeod 

 

Con and event reports:

• Site selection voting for the 2028 Worldcon has opened.  
• The team behind the Nuremberg Worldcon bid for 2028 have withdrawn 
• The chairs of the Brisbane in 2028 Worldcon bid, now the only remaining bid for 2028, issue a response to Nuremberg's withdrawal.  
• Shadow Knows Network shares a video walkthorugh of the Motuniverse convention in Redondo Beach, California. 
• SoCal Shaolin shares his experiences at Motuniverse.  
• Nathan Heller and Annie Leibovitz share a look at the brand-new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, California. 
• Sarah Nash reports about the The Boys: Glory Hall interactive experience in Hollywood, California.  

 

Science and technology:

• NBC News reports that a Blue Horizons New Glenn rocket has exploded during a test on the launch pad in Cape Canveral, Florida.
• Mark A. Garcia reports that NASA has given an update on the leak suffered by the International Space Station.  
• Space Daily notes that the number of confirmed exoplanets has gone from zero to more than six thousand in 34 years.  
• Dominic Patten reports that the state of Florida is sueing OpenAI 
• Imran Rahman-Jones and Laura Cress report that publishers in the UK can opt out of Google's AI search results
• CBS News reports that scientists have found yeast in the guts on "Oetzi", a mummified frozen body found in the South Tyrolean Alps, and have used it to make sourdough bread.  

 

Gaming: 

• Stew Hotston reviews the video game Hades II by Supergiant Games 
• Matt Larkin reviews the video game Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered
• Dean E.S. Richard reviews the video game Crimson Desert.  
• C.T. Phipps reviews the video game Space Marine: Master Crafted Edition 
• Leah Thomas calls the video game Katamari Damacy therapeutic and joyful. 
• Keza MacDonald shares seven new video games revealed at an online Playstation event. 
• Illustrator John Blanche, best known for his work on Warhammer 40000, has died aged 78.   

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Toy Habits shares a look at the Hot Toys Masters of the Universe He-Man and Skeletor action figures on display at Hong Kong Comic Con.  
• DorkLair reviews the Mondo Masters of the Universe 200X 1:12 Clawful action figure.  
• DorkLair reviews the Cosmic Legions Dormoo Viis action figure from Four Horsemen Studios. 
• Jason Koebler reports about a scandal involving stolen LEGO bricks that is rocking YouTube and the state of Utah. 

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Up the Line to Death" by Carrie Vaughn in Clarkesworld. 
• "The Floating Republic" by Rebecca Campbell in Clarkesworld. 
• "The City in White" by Diana Dima in The Deadlands. 
• "Ghost in the Tank" by M.R. Robinson in Lightspeed.   
• "The Best of Intentions" by Mari Ness in Lightspeed.   
• "The Legend of the Serpent, the Truth About the Warrior, the Life of the Boy" by Dimitar Dakovski in Swords and Sorcery Magazine. 
• “Golden Rule” by Monica Byrne in Future Tense Fiction. 
• "The Sunflowers" by J.L. George in The Dark.  
• "What Grows Back" by Aishatu Ado in Nightmare Magazine.  
• "Trail Cam" by Benjamin Percy in Reactor.  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Supergirl.  
• Watch a clip from Supergirl. 
• Watch a trailer for Enola Holmes 3.  
• Watch a trailer for Coyote vs. Acme. 
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of Silo.  
• Watch a trailer for The End of Oak Street. 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for May 29, 2026

 

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, Spider-Noir and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars in general, The Testaments, For All Mankind and Star City, The Boroughs, Backrooms, Obsession, I Love Boosters, the final season of The Boys, tributes to Marcia Lucas and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Natalie Zina Walschots explains why villains are often more interesting than heroes.   
• James Davis Nicoll lists five mostly helpful mentors in science fiction and fantasy 
• Leslie Baird talks about surveillance in society and fiction
• Nick Cutter offers an ode to the mad scientist.  
• Helen Lewis shares her appeciation for the work of Terry Pratchett 
• Judith Tarr takes a look at the talking animals in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis.  
• Nicholas Brooks ranks the ten most powerful non-human Lord of the Rings characters,  
• Pope Leo XIV releases an encyclical about AI and quotes Gandalf.   
• Molly Templeton talks about rediscovering rereading.  
• Mike Glyer reports that the City of Milwaukee has agreed to pay a large settlement to science fiction author Patrick Tomlinson and his wife after multiple swatting attempts perpetrated by trolls harassing Tomlinson. 
• SFF romance author Lalana Dararutana a.k.a. Piper J. Drake a.k.a. P.J. Snyder has died aged 49. 

   

Comics and Art:

• William Hughes explores the wildly convoluted and surprisingly heartbreaking history of Supergirl 
• James Portis III discusses the persistent lack of diversity and black superheroes at DC Comics.  
• Andrea Casteneda shares her appreciation for the works of Frank Frazetta. 
• Gideon Marcus takes a look at manga and anime in 1971.  
• Locus interviews Alyssa Winans.  
• Tara Anne Dalbow reports that painted book covers are making a comeback.  
• Ayesha Rascoe reports about the legal battle surrounding the comics and other merchandise in the warehouse of Diamond Comic Distributors at the time of their bankruptcy. 

 

Film and TV:

• Petrana Radulovic shares all the SFF TV shows premiering in June 2026.  
• Petrana Radulovic shares all the SFF TV movies premiering in June 2026.   
• Anne Jamison calls the Good Omens finale a love letter to fandom and fanfiction.  
• Helen Pilcher complains about bad science in Project Hail Mary and the Jurassic Park movies.  
• Jacob Oller calls Passengers a ridiculous ghost story.  
• Alex Brown shares their thoughts on "A Number in the System", the latest episode of The Terror: Devil in Silver.  
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Widow's Bay.  
• Ann Michelle Harris shares her thoughts on season 2 of the anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End 
• Isaiah Colbert calls season 2 of  Dorohedoro the apex of macabre anime chaos and whimsy 
• Elisabeth Garbee explains why Star Trek Voyager and Captain Kathryn Janeway are more important than ever.  
• Germain Lussier shares early reactions to Disclosure Day.  
• Charlotte Edwardes interviews Hannah Murray who played Gilly in Game of Thrones.  
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Rick and Morty showrunner/executive producer Scott Marder and executive producer Dan Harmon 
• Dan Larsson takes a look at some of the more obscure and forgotten cartoons of the 1980s. 
• Jason Sacks revisits the 1971 science fiction movie Escape from the Planet of the Apes
• Muse from the Orb revisits the 1976 dystopian film Logan's Run.  
• Isaiah Colbert revisits the 1990 fantasy anime Record of Lodoss War 
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1998 science fiction noir film Dark City.  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1998 Babylon 5 episode “The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father” 
• Radha Vatsal revisits the 2017 horror movie Get Out! 
• Nadia Khomani reports that Hammer will rerelease the 1958 Dracula with long-lost footage added
• Asyia Iftikhar reports that the lost episode "No Such Thing As Vampires" of the 1968 BBC horror anthology series Late Night Horror has been recovered after 58 years. 

 

 Tributes to Marcia Lucas: 

• Marcia Lucas, Oscar-winning film editor and former wife of George Lucas, who edited the Star Wars movies, American Graffiti, Taxi Driver and many others, has died aged 80.  
• Pat Saperstein remembers Marcia Lucas.   
• Erik Pedersen remembers Marcia Lucas.  

 

Comments on the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general:

• Pixel Dan shares his experiences at the Masters of the Universe premiere in Hollywood, California, and his spoiler-free thoughts about the movie.  
• Michael Breitmeir reports about the German premiere of the Masters of the Universe movie in Berlin, Germany.  
• Maggie Lovitt reports about a visit to the set of the Masters of the Universe live action film.  
• Michael Breitmeier reports about a visit to the set of the live action Masters of the Universe film. 
• Nagier Chambers praises Idris Elba's performance as Duncan/Man-at-Arms in the live action Masters of the Universe film.  
• CastleMania Games interviews Travis Knight, director of the live action Masters of the Universe film.  
• TNM Backstage interviews Travis Knight.  
• He-Mania interviews Travis Knight.  
• HeyUGuys interviews Travis Knight.  
• Wilson Morales interviews Travis Knight as well as the cast of Masters of the Universe.  
• Lauren Veniziani interviews Travis Knight as well as the cast of Masters of the Universe.   
• Paul McGuire Grimes interviews Travis Knight as well as the cast of Masters of the Universe.    
• Steven Pape interviews Travis Knight.  
• HeyUGuys interviews Chris Butler, screenwriter of Masters of the Universe.  
• The Wrap interviews cast and crew of Masters of the Universe.  
• Brian Particelli interviews Dolpk Lundgren and Nicholas Galitzine who play He-Man in the 1987 and the new Masters of the Universe live action movie respectively. 
• Paul McGuire Grimes interviews Nicholas Galitzine.  
• HeyUGuys interviews Nicholas Galitzine.  
• Jana N. Nagase interviews Camila Mendes who plays Teela in Masters of the Universe.  
• Jake Hamilton interviews Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Mendes.  
• CastleMania Games interviews Alison Brie who plays Evil-Lyn in the live action Masters of the Universe movie.  
• IMDB interviews Travis Knight, Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes and Alison Brie.  
• Jana N. Nagase interviews Morena Baccarin who plays the Sorceress of Grayskull in Masters of the Universe.  
• HeyUGuys interviews James Purefoy who plays King Randor in Masters of the Universe.  
• HeyUGuys interviews Sam C. Wilson who plays Trap-Jaw in Masters of the Universe.  
• HeyUGuys interviews James Wilkinson who plays Mekaneck in Masters of the Universe. 
• Colt Crane interviews stunt performer Clayton Grover who plays Beast-Man in Masters of the Universe.  
• HeyUGuys inrerviews Bill Bannerman, executive producer of Masters of the Universe.  
• HeyUGuys interviews The Darkness, who provided some of the music for Masters of the Universe.  
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on the latest trailers, clips and featurettes for the Masters of the Universe movie as well as on the marketing in general.  
• Germain Lussier explains how the new Masters of the Universe pays tribute to the 1987 film  
• Colt Crane reports that a new Masters of the Universe: Tales From Eternia animated series will debut this summer on YouTube 
• MichaTVBerlin reports about the premiere of the Masters of the Universe live action film in Berlin, Germany.  
• William Hughes notes that Jared Leto, who plays Skeletor, was nowhere to be seen during the Masters of the Universe premiere or other promotional events. 
• Justin Carter also comments on Jared Leto's absence from any marketing for Masters of the Universe.  
• He-Mania.com actually tried to interview Jared Leto about his role as Skeletor and received no response. 
• Tyler Dean revisits the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie 
• James Eatock takes a look at the various confrontations between Skeletor and Hordak in the She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon.  
• Watch a featurette called "Rebirth of a Franchise" about the live action Masters of the Universe movie.  
• Watch a featurette about creating the Sword of Power for the live action Masters of the Universe movie.  
• Watch a featurette about how Nicholas Galitzine trained to play He-Man.  
• Watch a clip from the Masters of the Universe live action movie.  
• Watch another clip from the Masters of the Universe live action movie.   

 Comments on Spider-Noir and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general:

• Keith R.A. DeCandido calls Spider-Noir a superb pulp adventure
• Lucy Mangan calls Spider-Noir huge fun. 
• William Hughes declares that Nicolas Cage is the unexpected worst part of Spider-Noir
• C.T. Phipps shares his thoughts on The Punisher: One Last Kill 
• Marcus Jones interviews Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who plays Simon Williams in Wonder Man.  
• Ben Child wonders what might have been if Nicholas Cage had been cast as Norman Osborn a.k.a. The Green Goblin in Spider-Man in 2002.  
• Watch a trailer for X-Men '97. 

 

Comments on The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars in general: 

• Emmet Asher-Perrin implores people that if they love 1980s fantasy films to go see The Mandalorian and Grogu right now
• Caroline Siede declares that The Mandalorian And Grogu works when it's not trying to be a blockbuster 
• Jeffrey Harris calls The Mandalorian and Grogu an engaging, imaginative and fun film.  
• Ben Child shares a spoilerish review of The Mandalorian and Grogu.  
• Jacob Oller and Monica Castillo discuss whether the fact that The Mandalorian and Grogu has hardly any humans on screen is the reason why the movie underperformed. 
• Ben Child declares that The Mandalorian and Grogu shows Star Wars is a cursed franchise – on the big screen at least 
• Germain Lussier shares all the questions he has after The Mandalorian and Grogu  
• Sean T. Collins fantasises about murdering poor Grogu.  
• Matthew Byrd answers the question what happened to season 4 of The Mandalorian. 
• Emlyn Travis interviews Jon Favreau, director of The Mandalorian and Grogu.  
• Germain Lussier ranks every theatrical Star Wars movie. 
• Caroline Siede declares that the world wasn't ready for Rey 
• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that The Mandalorian and Grogu had a lower opening day box office than Solo.  
• Sian Cain also reports that The Mandalorian and Grogu has lowest box office opening for a Star Wars film in the Disney era 
• Matt Schimkowitz discusses the link between Star Wars and the US Memorial Day weekend as the start of the US summer movie season.  
• Andrew Pulver reports that Gareth Edwards, director of Rogue One, has spoken out in favour of AI in filmmaking. 

 

Comments on For All Mankind and Star City: 

• Saloni Gajjar wishes that the rest of For All Mankind's fifth season were as solid as the finale  
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the season 5 finale of For All Mankind.  
• Ben Rosenstock declares that the For All Mankind spin-off Star City leans harder into paranoid-thriller elements with its peek behind the Iron Curtain. 
• Lucy Mangan calls Star City a fascinating space race thriller 
• Lacy Baugher-Milas calls Star City A For All Mankind spin-off for fans and newcomers alike

 

Comments on the final season of The Boys:  

• Laurie Penny declares that The Boys was the show this era needed, and the one it deserved, too 
• Aaron Jones shares his thoughts on season 5 of The Boys.  
• Glenn Garner interviews Erin Moriarty who plays Annie January a.k.a. Starlight in The Boys. 

 

Comments on The Boroughs: 

• Arturo Serrano declares that The Boroughs features a stellar cast, creepy monsters and zero mysteries 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, creators of The Boroughs. 

 

Comments on The Testaments: 

• Saloni Gajjar declares that the youth of The Testaments reinvigorates the exhausted saga of The Handmaid’s Tale  
• Natalie Zutter shares her thoughts on the season finale of The Testaments.   
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the season finale of The Testaments.  
• Rosy Cordero interviews Mattea Conforti, who plays Becka in The Testaments. 
• Jennifer Maas interviews Chase Infiniti and Mattea Conforti, who play Agnes and Becka in The Testaments.   
• Jackie Strause interviews Elisabeth Moss who plays June Osborne a.k.a. Offred in The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments.  

 

Comments on Obsession: 

• Lexi Carson interviews Megan Lawless who plays Sarah in Obsession.
• Germain Lussier reports that Obsession actually grossed more in its second release weekend than in its first.  

 

Comments on Backrooms:

• Peter Bradshaw calls Backrooms an icily disturbing horror film that rewrites the genre rulebook  
• Jacob Oller calls Backrooms a well-designed but stretched-thin adaptation that feels uncannily authentic, for what it's worth. 
• Matt Shaw declares that Backrooms captures the horror of sinister architecture 
• Simon Abrams declares that Backrooms brings liminal horror to the masses, and with it, a generation looking for a past that might not exist.  
• Leah Schnelbach calls Backrooms the best nightmare you’ll ever have 
• Germain Lussier calls Backrooms a total vibe 

 

Comments on I Love Boosters: 

• Jacob Oller declares that infectious cartoon communism runs rampant in I Love Boosters
• Emmet Asher Perrin declares that I Love Boosters reminds us that we can (and will) build a better future 
• Monica Castillo profiles Boots Riley, director of I Love Boosters and Sorry to Bother You.  

 

Awards:

• The shortlist for the 2026 British Fantasy Awards has been announced.   
• The finalists for the 2025 Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2026 Tähtivaeltaja Award has been announced.  
• The finalists for the 2026 Premios Kelvin 505 have been announced.  
• The winner of the 2026 Prix Jacques-Brossard has been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Tomorrow Prize and Green Feather Award have been announced.  
• The winner of the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize has been announced.  
• The winners of the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards have been announced.
• Zach Rabiroff reports that the Eisner Awards will implement an AI policy following a controversy about an AI generated story in a nominated anthology.  
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on the 2026 Best Dramatic Presentation Long Hugo finalists. 

 Writing, publishing and promotion: 

•  Emily Rapp Black talks about the creative power of play
• Amanda West talks about the challenge of changing genres. 
• Angela Mazza talks about the strange practice of updating cultural references in YA books. 
• Scott Edelman interviews editor and literary agent John Jarrold.  
• Sheila Limming laments university libraries throwing out books in favour of lounges and meeting spaces.   
• Hillel Italie reports that independent bookstores are thriving and mutiplying rather than dying out, as many believe.  

 

Interviews:

• Sean Patrick Hazlett interviews Sharon Lee in two parts. 
• CrimeReads interviews Andrea Hairston. 

 

Reviews:   

• Tar Vol On reviews Radiant Star by Ann Leckie.  
• Colleen Mondor reviews Celestial Lights by Cecile Pin 
• Marlene Harris reviews In a Dangerous Orbit by Anna Hackett 
• Niall Harrison reviews The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen  
• Niall Harrison reviews The Many by Sylvain Neuvel 
• Marion Deeds reviews We Burned so Bright by T.J. Klune 
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews And Side by Side They Wander by Molly Tanzer 
• Jake Casella Brookins reviews Transmentation | Transgression by Darkly Lem
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney J. Shields
• Paul Weimer reviews The Final Chronicle of Yeneh by Jo Miles  
• Alex Wallace reviews Crosshairs by Catherine Hernandez 
• Lesa Holstine reviews Out Law by Jim Butcher
• Paul Weimer reviews Breath and Bone by K. V. Johansen 
• Arturo Serrano reviews Open Sorcery by Rob Sheely  
• Alex Brown reviews Witch King by Martha Wells.  
• Alexandra Pierce reviews Year of the Mer by L.D. Lewis 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Mortedant’s Peril by R.J. Barker  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews Mortedant's Peril by R.J. Barker  
• Mahvesh Murad reviews The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose 
• Matt Larkin reviews The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer 
• Abigail Nussbaum reviews The Dead Man’s Empire by W.P. Wiles 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Republic of Memory by El Mahmud Sayed  
• Mark Yon reviews Nonesuch by Francis Spufford.  
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews A Long and Speaking Silence by Nghi Vo  
• Tom Joyce reviews The Last War by Mike Shackle 
• Marlene Harris reviews It’s Hard to Be an Animal by Robert Isaacs
• Ed Crocker reviews Headlights by C.J. Leede 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Night Ship by Alex Woodroe  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu 
• Rob Bedford reviews The Dorians by Nick Cutter. 
• Chris Kluwe reviews The Dorians by Nick Cutter.  
• Maya C. James reviews We Dance Upon Demons by Vaishnavi Patel 
• Ali Karim reviews A Violent Masterpiece by Jordan Harper   
• Abigail Nussbaum reviews Rabbit Test and Other Stories by Samantha Mills  
• Blake Morrison reviews Crossing the Wine Dark Sea by Emily Wilson   

 

Classics reviews:

• Mark Yon revisits the 1952 YA science fiction novel David Starr Space Ranger by Isaac Asimov 
• Paige Lewis revisits the 1956 epic science fiction poem Aniara by Harry Martinson.  
• Alan Brown revisits the 1964 science fiction novel The Forgotten Planet by Murray Leinster 
• Timothy Snyder revisits the 1962 alternate history novel The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.  
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1964 weird fiction anthology Weird Tales, edited by Leo Margulies
• George Pritchard revisits the 1971 Pern science fantasy novel Dragonquest by Anne McCaffrey. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews the spring 1980 issue of Destinies 
• Ian Mackenzie revisits the 1987 science fiction novel Sphere by Michael Crichton.  
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1989 YA horror novel Scavenger Hunt by Christopher Pike.
• Ainy Cormac revisits the 1990 science fiction novel The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1998 SFF collection Frankensteins and Foreign Devils by Walter Jon Williams.  
• Kat Hooper revisits the 2003 Pip and Flinx space opera Flinx’s Folly by Alan Dean Foster
• Kat Hooper revisits the 2004 Pip and Flinx space opera Sliding Scales by Alan Dean Foster 

 

Con and event reports:

• The Great Gambino reports about the Motuniverse convention in Redondo Beach, California.  
• Rick Pullen reports how Elaine's Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia, became a popular place literary events and writer meet-ups. 
• Locus shares a photo of the latest Brooklyn Books & Booze reading in Brooklyn, New York.   
• Philip Marcelo reports about a tour of Jim Henson's Creature Shop in New York City. 
• Justin Carter reports that Matt and Ross Duffer, creators of Stranger Things, have donated a costume worn by Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.
• Henry Godfrey-Evans reports that the police were called to a railway station in Rayleigh, Essex, because passenger were concerned about a cosplayer's prop sword.  

 

Science and technology:

• NBC News reports that SpaceX has launched its most powerful Starship rocket yet, though it exploded upon landing - again.  
• Richard Luscombe and Uwa Ede-Osifo report that a Blue Horizons New Glenn rocket exploded upon launch in Florida.  
• Harry Baker reports that China has launched "human artificial embryos" into space in a bid to see whether human reproduction is possible off-world 
• Leonard David reports that China is planning to send astronauts to the Moon.  
• Space Daily reports about Soviet cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev who was stuck on the Soviet space station Mir, while the Soviet Union dissolved.  
• Space Daily reports about the Soviet Lunokhod 1 rover which was lost on the Moon in 1971 and rediscovered by accident in 2010.  
• Jamie Grierson reports about the recreation of the Kusuma Neolithic Hall near Stonehenge in England. 

 

Gaming: 

• Matthew Byrd lists ten hard science fiction video games 
• Matthew Gault reports about the Library of Leng, an archive of writing about Magic the Gathering that would otherwise be lost to the vagaries of the Internet. 
• Alasdair Stuart finds some parallels between the movie The Sheep Detectives and the video game Herdling.   
• Jen Lennon reports that Dungeons & Dragons has released a new free adventure entitled  "Borderlands Quest: Dagger Danger!". 
• Koh Ewe reports that Xu Yao, who poisoned Chinese gaming tycoon and the holder of the adaptation rights for The Three Body Problem Lin Qi, has been executed. 
• Simina Mistreanu also reports about the crime and execution of Xu Yao.  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• SuperDave reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Chronicles Ram-Man and Fisto Two-Pack.  
• Robert Ito talks about the relationship between the upcoming movies Masters of the Universe, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Toy Story 5 and their respective toy tie-ins. 
• Germain Lussier shares a look at the Hot Toys Lobo action figure.  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Red God Waiting" by Ai Jiang in The Dark.
• "Decimation Circles" by Raahem Alvi in Clarkesworld. 
• "The Last Season of Your Life" by Christopher Barzak in Lightspeed.   
• "The Test of Time" by Kristin Kathryn Rusch in Lightspeed.
• "What the Trees Took Back" by Marvin Garbeh Davis Sr. in The Deadlands. 
• "The Voice and Her Knife" by AnaMaria Curtis in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.  
•  "Boxwood" by M.E. Bronstein in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.  
• "Glass" by Beth Dawkins in Apex Magazine  
• "The Glass City" by AnaMaria Curtis in Uncanny Magazine  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. 
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of House of the Dragon.  
• Watch a trailer for Vought Rising. 
• Watch a trailer for Disclosure Day.  
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Sugar.  
• Watch a trailer for I Am Frankelda. 
• Watch a trailer for Toy Story 5.