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, the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars in general, The Tesaments, Hope, The Boroughs, the Outlander series finale, Her Private Hell, Widow's Bay, Obsession, the final season of The Boys, tributes to Tom Kane and much
more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Vaishnavi Patel recommends recent SFF books.
- Tobias Carroll shares indie and small press speculative fiction coming out in May and June 2026.
- The Guardian shares their 100 best novels of all time with some love for SFF novels.
- Luke Haasbroek shares his ten favourite science fiction books of all time, whereby "all time" means published before 1984.
- Alex Brown shares must-read SFF short fiction published in April 2026.
- Lish McBride shares SFF books, comics and a new TV show that will deliver some much needed whimsy when you need it most.
- Caitlin Rozarkis shares five SFF satires of nodern tech culture
- Lorna Wallace shares seven SFF samurai stories
- Mary Berman shares six horror novels where the setting itself is evil
- Sam Reader shares seven works of suburban folk horror
- Camilla Bruce shares five novels about haunted girls
- Robert Brockway shares a list of stories about cursed children's entertainment.
- Fiona Denton shares her favourite recent dark academia novels.
- Charlie Jane Anders talks about ephemeral art.
- Lisa Tuttle shares an obituary for Ian Watson.
- Science fiction editor, publisher, critic and translator Tom Clegg has died aged 68.
- Speculative poet and critic Donald Sidney-Fryer has died aged 91
Comics and Art:
- Michael Everett and Michael Whelan wonder when and where the Michael Whelan painting "The Mad Poet" first appeared in print.
- Isaiah Colbert shares his appreciation for the manga Dream Fossil and Opus by Satoshi Kon.
- Christian Holub reports that there have been some management changes at Marvel Comics.
- Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about the consequences of Middlemarch being voted the best novel of all time
Film and TV:
- Luke Hicks calls Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma Jane Schoenbrun's best film and a casually inventive and thoroughly inspired genre revelry.
- Mike McCahill calls Voidance a very British science fiction movie that feels like Miss Marple with a space blaster
- Haley Zapal calls Hokum an Irish folk horror film about a haunted house full of actual scary moments.
- Ann Michelle Harris calls Exit 8 a surreal, addictive, mind-bending horror film.
- Peter Bradshaw calls The Unknown an uncanny and bizarre body-swap horror film.
- Phuong Le calls Tycoon an impressive debut thta shows a dystopian future-LA in the grip of a food-distributing megacorp
- Mike McCahill calls Diabolic a horror film set in Mormon country.
- Alex Wallace calls Slanted a microcosm of race and gender that wanted to be far more daring than it is
- Phil Hoad calls Woken a shonky post-apocalyptic horror film.
- Cheryl Eddy declares that Saccharine is body horror at its most squirm-inducing
- Alex Brown shares their thoughts on "Che Guevara", the latest episode of The Terror: Devil in Silver.
- Mike McCahill calls Charlie the Wonderdog a frenetic animated film.
- Leslie Felperin calls Tom and Jerry: Forbidden Compass a luridly bright animated film that has none of the inventiveness of the Hanna-Barbera originals
- Cheryl Eddy declares that season 9 of Rick and Morty gets very drunk, dark and demented
- Ellery Weil laments the rise of anachronisms in historical dramas.
- Josh Slater-Williams shares ten great Japanese time-travel films
- Leah Thomas shares five anime for fans of Ursula K. Le Guin, not including the Studio Ghibli adaptation of Tales of Earthsea.
- Nick Romano interviews Ira Parker, showrunner of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
- Alex Ritman interviews Bong Joon Ho, director of Snowpiercer, Mickey 17, Parasite and many others.
- Andy Hazel interviews Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies.
- Sarah Rodman interviews Vince Gilligan, creator of Pluribus.
- Steve Rose interviews Kane Parsons, director of Backrooms, and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve
- Kali Wallace revisits the 1920 horror movie The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari:
- Jessica Holmes revisits the 1971 Doctor Who serial "Colony in Space".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 1977 Doctor Who serial "Robots of Death".
- Kelcie Mattson revisits the 1992 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Inner Light".
- Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1998 Babylon 5 episode “The Ragged Edge”
- Vicki Jessop revisits the 2007 fantasy film Stardust,
- Ben Child's notes that the AI age is the perfect time for yet another Westworld reboot.
- Voice actor Tom Kane, best known for his work on Star Wars and The Powerpuff Girls, has died aged 64.
- Mike Barnes shares an obituary for Tom Kane.
- Germain Lussier remembers Tom Kane.
- British actor Michael Keating, best known for playing Vila in Blake's 7, has died aged 79.
- Actress Ann Robinson, best known for starring in the 1953 War of the Worlds, has died aged 96.
Comments on the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general:
- Looper shares some background about Masters of the Universe for people watching the upcoming live action movie.
- Abid Rahman shares early reactions to the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Germain Lussier also shares early reactions to the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Jay Glatfelter shares his spoiler-free thoughts on the live action Masters of the Universe movie.
- Amy West interviews Travis Knight, director of the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Jeff Dodge interviews Travis Knight.
- Germain Lussier interviews Travis Knight.
- Jamie Broadnax interviews Travis Knight as well as the cast of Masters of the Universe.
- Pay or Wait interviews Travis Knight as well as the cast of Masters of the Universe.
- Chris Killian interviews Travis Knight as well as Nicholas Galitzine, who plays Adam/He-Man, and Camila Mendes, who plays Teela in Masters of the Universe.
- ExtraTV interviews Nicholas Galitzine who plays Adam/He-Man in Masters of the Universe.
- ExtraTV interviews Idris Elba, who plays Duncan/Man-at-Arms, and Camila Mendes, who plays Teela, in Masters of the Universe.
- Jimmy Kimmel interviews Alison Brie who plays Evil-Lyn in the live action Masters of the Universe movie.
- ExtraTV interviews Alison Brie.
- Who Let Alyssa Out? interviews Nicholas Galitzine and Alison Brie.
- CastleMania Games interviews Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Jon Xue Zhang, who play Fisto and Ram-Man in Masters of the Universe.
- Jamie Broadnax interviews Jason Blumenthal, producer of the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Jamie Broadnax interviews Guy Hendrix Dyas, production designer for the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Jamie Broadnax interviews Steven Morris, prop master for the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Jamie Broadnax interviews Richard Sale, costume designer for the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Dorian Parks reports about a visit to the set of the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Matthew Aguilar explains why Mer-Man won't appear in the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- Jukka Issakainen has decyphered the writing on He-Man's harness in the Masters of the Universe live action movie.
- He-Mania.com reports about the global premiere of the Masters of the Universe live action movie in Los Angeles, California.
- Colt Crane shares photos from the global premiere of the Masters of the Universe live action movie in Los Angeles, California.
- Robert Labandeira discuss the parallels between the relationships between Adam and Teela and Adora and Catra.
- Roger and Daniel Aloccer interview William Stout, production designr for the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie.
- Watch a trailer for the live action Masters of the Universe movie.
- Watch a clip from the live action Masters of the Universe movie.
- Watch another clip from the live action Masters of the Universe movie.
- Watch a featurette about Travis Knight, director of the live action Masters of the Universe movie.
- Listen to "Eternia" from the Masters of the Universe soundtrack.
- Watch a drone show above Los Angeles, California, to promote the Masters of the Universe film.
Comments on the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general:
Comments on The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars in general:
- Germain Lussier shares everything to remember before The Mandalorian and Grogu
- Germain Lussier shares early reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu.
- Zack Sharf also shares early reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu.
- James Hibberd also shares early reactions to The Mandalorian and Grogu.
- Jesse Hassenger calls The Mandalorian And Grogu a fun, almost human-free film
- Peter Bradshaw calls The Mandalorian and Grogu a solid enough addition to the ever-expanding Star Wars universe
- Germain Lussier declares that The Mandalorian and Grogu is not the way for Star Wars
- James Grebey notes that The Mandalorian and Grogu blurs the lines between movies and TV in an unprecendented way.
- Steven Weintraub and Adam Blevins interview Dave Filoni, president of Lucasfilm.
- Germain Lussier reports that Damon Lindeloff is still sore about being fire from a Star Wars movie.
- Jesse Hassenger notes that the Star Wars sequel trilogy doesn't deserve the hate it received.
- Naomi Kaye takes a look at crime in the Star Wars Legends novels.
- Bryan Alexander reports that Grogu has outshone has human co-stars at the premiere of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
- Matthew Byrd shares every Star Wars movie and TV show in development
Comments on Hope:
Comments on the Outlander series finale:
Comments on the final season of The Boys:
- Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the series finale of The Boys.
- Isaiah Colbert declares that the final season of The Boys felt like watching a comedian bomb their set
- Sam Nelson explains how Samuel L. Jackson came to put in a cameo appearance in The Boys.
- Isaiah Colbert notes that whatever one thinks of the series finale of The Boys, it did piss off the right people.
Comments on The Boroughs:
- Lucy Mangan calls The Boroughs a witty and star-packed horror show.
- Saloni Gajjar declares that in The Boroughs, growing old is both a thrilling adventure and a waking nightmare
- Lacy Baugher-Milas declares that The Boroughs is a charming distraction, but nothing you haven’t seen before
- Cheryl Eddy declares that The Boroughs is like Stranger Things until it isn’t
Comments on The Testaments:
Comments on Widow's Bay:
Comments on Obsession:
Comments on Her Private Hell:
Awards:
- Goodreads have announced the best science fiction novel of the decade to date.
- The winners of the 2026 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2026 Prix ActuSF de l’Uchronie have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2026 Eisner Awards have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2026 Maine Literary Awards have been announced.
- The 2026 World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees have been announced.
- Tanya Patrice takes a look at the fifteen novellas nominated for 2026 Locus, Nebula and Hugo Awards
- Clayton Davis notes that the Oscars' new diversity rules would not have disqualified a single Best Picture winner or finalist since 1927.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Corrine Kumar explains how walking and dictating mixed up her writing routine.
- Jason Collins explins how the Timbuktu manuscripts informed his worldbuilding.
- Emily Temple reports that Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk apparently used AI to write her latest novel.
- Literary Hub reports that Olga Tokarczuk has responded to the controversy over her reputed use of AI and declares that she did not use AI to write her latest novel.
- James Davis Nicoll talks about his favourite used bookstores.
- Jim Milliot shares an update on the Anthropic AI settlement.
Interviews:
Reviews:
- Marlene Harris reviews Radiant Star by Ann Leckie
- Marion Deeds reviews Platform Decay by Martha Wells
- William Chan reviews Platform Decay by Martha Wells
- Liz Bourke reviews Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon
- Alexandra Pierce reviews Deep Black by Miles Cameron
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee
- Marlene Harris reviews And Side by Side They Wander by Molly Tanzer
- Alexandra Pierce reviews The Rainseekers by Matthew Kressel
- Ian Mond reviews The Rainseekers by Matthew Kressel
- Niall Harrison reviews On the Calculation of Volume IV by Solvej Balle, translated by Sophia Hersi Smith and Jennifer Russell
- Gabino Iglesias reviews After the Fall by Edward Ashton
- Marlene Harris reviews Villain by Natalie Zina Walschots
- Cathy Akers-Jordan reviews Dungeons and Danger by Elizabeth Penney.
- Clara Cohen reviews A Fire Beneath the World by Jas Treadwell
- Ian Mond reviews Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo
- Christopher Bigelow reviews We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune.
- Colleen Mondor reviews The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann
- Esmay Rosalyne reviews The Weaver’s Loom by Jessi St. John
- Esmay Rosalyne reviews ShadowVein by Cal Logan
- Rai Furniss-Greasley reviews The Hunger of the Gods by John Gwynne
- Jenny Hamilton reviews The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang
- Bill Capossere reviews The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang
- Mark Yon reviews Palaces of the Crow by Ray Nayler.
- Alex Wallace reviews The Free People’s Village by Sim Kern
- Melissa A. Watkins reviews The Republic of Memory by Mahmud El Sayed
- Jake Casella Brookins reviews Centroeuropa by Vicente Luis Mora, translated by Rahul Bery
- Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E. B. Hudspeth
- Alex Brown reviews Vile Lady Villains by Danai Christopoulou
- Tobias Carroll reviews The Witch by Marie NDiaye
- Jim McLeod reviews Trad Wife by Sarah Langan
- Rob Bedford reviews Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews My Dear You: Stories by Rachel Khong
- Alex Brown reviews River of Bones and Other Stories by Rebecca Roanhorse
- Paul Di Filippo reviews Rabbit Test and Other Stories by Samantha Mills
- James Davis Nicoll reviews If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Kim Choyeop, translated by Anton Hur.
- Alec Nevala-Lee reviews Take Me To Your Leader by Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
Classics reviews:
- Judith Tarr revisits the 1908 children's fantasy The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1958 science fiction novel Non-Stop by Brian W. Aldiss
- Summer Hanford revisits the 1968 fantasy novel The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
- Gideon Marcus revisits the 1971 Dumarest space opera Lallia by E. C. Tubb and the 1971 science fiction novel Recoil by Claude and Rhoda Nunes and Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1971 collection Holding Wonder by Zenna Henderson
- Fiona Moore revisits the 1971 science fantasy novel King Kobold by Christopher Stasheff, David Levinson revisits the 1971 fantasy novel The Devil Is Dead by R.A. Lafferty and Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1971 mythological novel Beyond the Gates of Hercules: A Tale of the Lost Atlantis by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño and the 1971 YA thriller Flight to the Lonesome Place by Alexander Key
- Gideon Marcus revisits the June 1971 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1989 science fiction novel Hyperion by Dan Simmons
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1989 essay "Uncleftish Beholding" by Poul Anderson
- Kat Hooper revisits the 2001 Pip and Flinx space opera Reunion by Alan Dean Foster
Con and event reports:
Crowdfunding:
Science and technology:
- Jocelyn Fiset reports that you are no longer allowed to bring a humanoid robot onto Southerwestern Airlines flights due to fears of lithium ion batteries causing fires.
- A.J. Dellinger reports about an experiment to put LLMs in charge of radio stations which ended in various forms of disaster.
- Tod Parry reports that a metal detectorist has found a golden signet ring that once belonged to the Sheriff of Nottingham.
- NASA physicist Martin Charles Weisskopf, father of Baen editor-in-chief Toni Weisskopf, has died aged 84.
Gaming:
- Jaroslav Švelch talks about the strange nelancholy of slaying monsters in video games.
- Keza MacDonald wonders why Nintendo is releasing a straight-up remake of the space-flight shooter Star Fox 64 with many of its original limitations – rather than a fresh new take.
- Keith Stuart reviews Forza Horizon 6
Toys and collectibles:
Free online fiction:
- "Ten Unsent Letters to the Dark Lord" by Ada Hoffmann in Lightspeed.
- "The Stars Look Away From This Vessel" by Dave Ring in Lightspeed.
- "The Many Shoes of Prince Edmund" by Parker McIntosh in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
- "Extracted from an unravelled braid" by Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga in Uncanny Magazine
- "Archaeological Evidence for the Time Traveler" by Tia Tashiro in Clarkesworld.
- "Paper Airplane Poet" by Sheri Singerling in Clarkesworld.
- "Art the Clown attends the Jane Hirschfield poetry reading at the Anchorage Museum" by Audrey Coble in Nightmare Magazine.
- "The Perpetual Post" by Isabel J. Kim in Reactor.
- "The Bathhouse for Long Life" by Claire Jia-Wen in Apex Magazine.
- "Lurid Parts" by Maya Ysabel Ng in The Deadlands.
- "Mercy" by Nelson Stanley in The Dark.
Trailers and videos:
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