Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for July 17, 2026

 

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, My Adventures with Superman, season 3 of House of the Dragon, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Lestat, The Odyssey, the live action Moana, Evil Dead Burn,, the 2026 Eurocon, tributes to Sam Neill and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares an overview over her recent favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror books.  
• Christina Orlando shares thirty SFF books coming out in the second half of 2026.
• Tobias Carroll shares indie and small press SFF books coming out in July and August 2026. 
• Alex Brown lists their most anticipated YA SFF coming out in July and August 2026. 
• Jo Walton shares her reading list for May and June 2026. 
• Ali Riza Taskale is upset that tech bros are looting science fiction for ideas without understanding the social and political implications behind them. 
• Roberto de Sousa Causo reports about the state of science fiction in Brazil.
• Lorna Wallace shares five SFF books about battling doubles, doppelgängers and clones 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF works based around sleep or sleeplessness 
• Lorna Wallace shares five horror books featuring child protagonists. 
• Jennie Ivins points out that yes, children can read big books. 
• Stuart Cripps-Schnoor shares his appreciation for the works of David Gemmell.  
• Beckham Langford reports that scientists have spotted early dementia warning signs in Terry Pratchett's writing. 
• Fan and conrunner Andrew Nisbet III has died aged 77. 
• Science fiction writer and editor Mark J. McGarry has died aged 68. 
• SFF writer R.S. Belcher has died aged 59. 

   

Comics and Art:

• Stew Hotston reviews The Department of Truth by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds 
• Gary Phillips shares his favourite graphic novels featuring heists and robberies. 
• Jordan Moreau interviews DC Comics writer Tom King. 
• Christian Holub interviews Kelly Thompson, writer of Absolute Wonder Woman. 
• Matthew Byrd interviews artist Trevor Henderson. 
• Borys Kit reports that Marvel Comics will leave New York City for Burbank, California, and will also get a new editor in chief. 
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon on bookshop offers.

  

Film and TV:

• Hannah J. Davies calls The Sentinels an unapologetic mashup of postapocalyptic, steampunk action and old-timey war drama 
• Ann Michelle Harris shares her thoughts on the anime Daemons of the Shadow Realm 
• Isaiah Colbert calls Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games finally, a brutally honest anime about the forbidden love of fighting cames  
• Arturo Serrano calls OBEX a charming tribute to the early era of video gaming 
• Isaiah Colbert declares that Human Vapor is a creature feature that doesn’t completely go up in smoke 
• Natasha Lancaster discusses gendered desire in Obsession 
• Cheryl Eddy notes that Faces of Death is surprisingly insightful and not so surprisingly, also gruesome as hell  
• Jack Seale calls the documentary The Tech Billionaire Takeover a surprisingly fun look at the crypto bros threatening democracy  
• A.M. Gelberg explains how Star Wars enncompasses many genres. 
• Michael Hogan shares his favourite TV robots. 
• George Francis Lee traces the history of cartoons used as political and wartime propaganda.  
• Daniel Parris analyses the alleged superhero fatigue.  
• Ben Child muses about rumours regarding The Batman Part II.  
• Kambole Campbell interviews Nicholas Meyer about directing Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
• Catherine Shoard profiles Robert Pattinson, best known for his roles in The Batman, Twilight, Mickey 17, The Lighthouse, The Odyssey and many others.  
• Brian Davids interviews Sam Catlin, showrunner of Sugar. 
• Matthew Byrd shares his fifteen favourite one-off villains from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  
• James Grebey revisits the 1963 mythological fantasy film Jason and the Argonauts. 
• John Coulthart revisits the 1969 experimental TV movie The Cube. 
• Kris Vyas-Myall revisits series 4 of the British SFF anthology TV show Out of the Unknown which aired in 1971.  
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1973 science fiction film Westworld. 
• Henry Yates revisits the 1986 fantasy movie Labyrinth. 
• Keith R.A. De Candido revisits the 1998  Babylon 5 episode “Objects in Motion”
• Isaiah Colbert revisits the 2009 escape room film Symbol.  
• Olivia Rutigliano reports that Salvador Dali designed a Tarot deck for the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die. 
• Camera and projection technology pioneer and Disney imagineer Don Iwerks has died aged 96. 

Tributes to Sam Neill:

• New Zealand actor Sam Neill, best known for his roles in the Jurassic Park films, Merlin, Event Horizon, The Hunt for Red October, The Omen, The Piano, Peaky Blinders and many others, has died aged 78. 
• Ryan Gilbey shares an obituary for Sam Neill. 
• Zoe Williams remembers Sam Neill. 
• Peter Bradshaw remembers Sam Neill. 
• Drew Gillis remembers Sam Neill. 
• Monica Castillo remembers Sam Neill. 
• Jane Campion, director of The Piano, remembers Sam Neill. 
• Miranda Richardson remembers Sam Neill. 
• Sian Cain shares tributes to fellow actors and directors to Sam Neill. 
• Germain Lussier also shares tributes from fellow actors and directors to Sam Neill. 
• The Guardian shares tributes to Sam Neill from co-stars Lindsay Duncan and Charles Dance and director Peter Webber.
• The Guardian shares photos from Sam Neill's lengthy career. 
• Luke Buckmaster shares his twenty favourite roles by Sam Neill. 
• The AV Club share their favourite Sam Neill roles that are not Jurassic Park. 
• Ellise Shafer reports that Sam Neill died from pneumonia. 

 

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

• Jay Glatfelter and Ralph D. Apel discuss Masters of the Universe.  
• Popternative interviews Sam C. Wilson who plays Trap-Jaw in Masters of the Universe. 
• He-Mania interviews Tom Wilton who voices Cringer/Battle-Cat in Masters of the Universe.  
• He-Mania interviews actor and stunt performer J.J. Battell who played a Fright Fighter pilot and many other characters in Masters of the Universe.   
• Colt Crane interviews Matthew Brown, producer of Tales from Eternia.  
• Watch "Here, Battle Cat", the fourth episode of the Masters of the Universe: Tales from Eternia animated series.  

Comments on season 3 of House of the Dragon:  

• Tyler Dean shares his thoughts on “Tumbleton”, the latest episode of season 3 of House of the Dragon. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on “Tumbleton”, the latest episode of season 3 of House of the Dragon. 
• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on “Tumbleton”, the latest episode of season 3 of House of the Dragon. 
• Jim Vejvooda interviews Ryan Condal, showrunner of House of the Dragon. 
• Matthew Byrd explains why season 3 of House of the Dragon changes what happens to Rhaena 
• Cheryl Eddy notes that season 3 of House of the Dragon feels like it’s trying to get its adaptation back on track 
• Ben Rosenstock notes that House Of The Dragon got Rhaenyra and Alicent right, so why does it get everyone else so wrong? 

 

Comments on My Adventures with Superman: 

• Danette Chavez notes that season 3 of My Adventures with Superman actually handles both Superman and Supergirl better than their big screen counterparts.
• Justin Carter interviews Jake Wyatt and Brendan Clogher, showrunners of My Adventures with Superman. 

 

Comments on The Odyssey:

• Catherine Shoard shares a round-up of reviews of The Odyssey.  
• Monica Castillo calls The Odyssey a modern epic in every sense.  
• Peter Bradshaw calls The Odyssey a breathtaking epic of men, monsters and moral metamorphosis 
• Germain Lussier declares that The Odyssey is almost as wondrous as you wish it to be  
• Bilge Ebiri interviews Christopher Nolan, director of The Odyssey.  
• David Canfield interviews Jon Bernthal, who plays Menelaus in The Odyssey as well as The Punisher in the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe.  
• Mohamed Sleiman Labat is upset that parts of The Odyssey were shot in Western Sahara, which is occupied by Morocco. 
• Matthew Byrd reports that there are only a handful of theaters worldwide that can show The Odyssey in 70 mm IMAX format, because 70 mm IMAX projectors are no longer being produced. 
• Charlotte Higgins talks about the continuing popularity of The Odyssey.  
• Rory Doherty shares his favourite offbeat adaptations of The Odyssey.  
• Ioan Marc Jones shares a guide to reading The Odyssey.  

 

Comments on Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Lestat:

• Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Vampire Lestat. 
• Molly Templeton shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Vampire Lestat. 
• Saloni Gajjar interviews Jacob Anderson who plays Louis in The Vampire Lestat.  
• Molly Templeton reports that a live concert by Sam Reid as The Vampire Lestat will stream next month. 

 

 Comments on Evil Dead Burn: 

• Leah Schnelbach calls Evil Dead Burn an extreme, gruesome, darkly fun addition to the series
• Germain Lussier talks about the post-credits sequence of Evil Dead Burn.  
• Matt Schimkowith notes that Evil Dead Burn's baffling coda kills the best thing the series has going for it: A lack of continuity. 
• Germain Lussier ranks the various Evil Dead films. 

 

Comments on the new Moana:

• The ever contrarian Owen Gleiberman calls Moana the first Disney live-action remake that works one hundred percent
• Rebecca Rubin wonders whether the fact that the live-action Moana bombed at the box office means that Disney needs to rethink its live action remakes.  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2026 Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Silver Falchion Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 ESFS Awards have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2026 Tähtifantasia Award has been announced. 
• The recipient of the 2026 Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award has been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Australian Fairy Tale Society Award have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Student Academy Awards have been announced. 

 Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Locus reports that the 1982 collection Different Seasons by Stephen King as been banned from school libraries in Utah for being allegedly unsuitable for young readers.
• Ella Creamer reports that a British education committee has come to the conclusion that the National Year of Reading should be extended to a National Decade of Reading 
• Emma Loffhagen reports that several major publishers are sueing Google for copyright infringement over training its Gemini AI system. 

 

Interviews:

• Locus interviews Naomi Kritzer. 
• Paul Weimer interviews Ale Presser and K.B. Spangler
• Scott Edelman interviews Somto Ihezue. 
• Scott Edelman interviews Mark L. Van Name. 
• Jennifer Brozek interviews Devan Barlow. 
• Kim Fu and Claire Fuller interview each other. 
• Scott Snibbe interviews Kim Stanley Robinson. 

 

Reviews:   

• Russell Letson reviews Radiant Star by Ann Leckie 
• Adam Roberts reviews Moon Over Brendle by Jeff Noon. 
• Yoon Ha Lee reviews The Faith of Beasts by James S.A. Corey  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Next Enemy Shall Be The Last by Stewart Hotston 
• Marlene Harris reviews Enter the Nightmare by Jayne Castle 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay  
• Mark Yon reviews Time To Burn by Ellery Lloyd.  
• Colleen Mondor reviews The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer 
• Alexandra Pierce reviews The Witch of Prague by J.M. Sidorova 
• Marlene Harris reviews Henry Tudor Must Die by Jillian Laine 
• Alex Brown reviews Foundling Fathers by Meg Elison   
• Marlene Harris reviews Foundling Fathers by Meg Elison 
• Summer Hanford reviews The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods  
• Bill Capossere reviews Everybody’s Perfect by Jo Walton 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews The Traveler by Joseph Eckert 
• Niall Harrison reviews One Leg on Earth by ‘Pemi Aguda 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The Worst Survive by Phil Williams 
• Maya C. James reviews The Redemption Center is Closed on Sundays by Andrea Hairston 
• Paul Weimer reviews Amusement Park Arcana by Jennifer R. Donohue  
• Christopher Keene reviews The Bystander by Rob M. Lastrel 
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Dark is When the Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce 
• Jennifer Stevenson reviews Tales from Rugosa Coven by Sarah Avery 
• Arley Sorg reviews Back for Blood: Never Whistle at Night Part II, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. 
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Illuminated Man: Life, Death and the Worlds of J. G. Ballard by Christopher Priest and Nina Allan 

 

Classics reviews:

• Ruthanna Emrys and Anne M. Pillsworth revisits the 1925 horror story “The Bishop of Hell” by Marjorie Bowen.
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1937 supernatural mystery The Six Queer Things by C. St. John Sprigg. 
• Fiona Moore revisits the August 1971 issue of Fantastic. 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1971 children's science fantasy novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. 
• Jason Sacks revisits the 1971 science fiction novel The Midnight Dancers by Gerard F. Conway, Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1971 science fiction novels Candy Man by Vincent King and Planet Finders by Vern Dermott and Winona Menezes revisits the 1971 science fiction novel And All the Stars a Stage by James Blish 
• Papyrus Rampant revisits the 1973 dystopian story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" by Ursula K. Le Guin.
• Joel Miller revisits the 1975 science fiction novel Hello Summer, Goodbye a.k.a. Rax a.k.a. Pallahaxi Tide by Michael G. Coney.
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1993 YA horror novel Deadly Attraction by Diane Hoh, the 1994 YA horror novel Double Date by R.L. Stine and the 1997 YA horror novel Killer’s Kiss by R.L. Stine.  

 

Con and event reports:

• Alison Scott reports about Metropolcon, the 2026 Eurocon in Berlin, Germany. 
• James Bacon reports about the closing ceremony of Metropolcon, the 2026 Eurocon in Berlin, Germany.  
• Arley Sorg and Alice Strangman report about the 2026 StokerCon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Alice Strangman reports about the 2026 SFWA Nebula Award Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
• Eleanor Trombla reports about the 2026 Locus Awards Weekend in Berkeley, California. 
• Alex Shvartsman reports about the 2026 Fantasy Literature Festival in Ruse, Bulgaria.
• Germain Lussier lists the fifteen panels he is most excited about at San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 

 

Crowdfunding:

• The anthology Locus Best Science Fiction & Fantasy of the Year: Volume 1 is looking for funding.  

 

Science and technology:

• Mike Wall reports that SpaceX wants to launch 100 000 Starlink satellites into orbit
• Dominic Gates talks about Elon Musk's Mars illusion.  
• Claire Cameron reports that the Chinese space probe Tianwen-2 has sent back some photos of the asteroid Kamo’oalewa  
• Nicholas Werner reports that the Voyager 1 space probe is still broadcasting signals after almost fifty years in space.  
• Dr. Stan Love explains why there was a Sailor Moon plushie in the NASA mission control room during the Artemis II mission. 
• Zoe Elisabeth Swann Baillie wonders if disabled astronauts might be better suited to space.
• Ellyn Lapointe reports that scientist have finally solved the mystery of the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. 
• Daniel Boffey chronicles the unstoppable rise of the British political figure Count Binface.  
• Fatima Al Kassab also profiles Count Binface. 
• Wally Funk, aviation pioneer, member of the Mercury 13 all female astronaut candidates and the oldest woman to travel into space, has died aged 87.

 

Gaming: 

• Sab Astley explains why owning your video games has become more important than ever

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Pixel Dan reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Core Battle for Eternia playset. 
• Kyle Peterson reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Core Battle for Eternia playset. 
• Kyle Peterson reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Chronicles Teela and Ram-Man action figures.  
• Toy Habits reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe 200X Cartoon Collection Roboto action figure.  
• Toy Bro reviews the Mythic Legions Xue action figure from Four Horsemen Studios. 
• Toy Bro reviews the Mythic Legions K'ai Pacha action figure from Four Horsemen Studios.  
• D Amazing reviews the Mythic Legions Gold Skeleton action figure from Four Horseman Studios. 
• Cheryl Eddy reports about a new animatronic giant skeleton available at Home Depot. 

 

Free online fiction: 

• "The Scarlet Shroud" by Leighton Connor in Swords and Sorcery Magazine. 
• "Nesting Behavior of Imported Species Troglodytes aedon on Planet Americearth" by R.L. Meza in Clarkesworld. 
• "Our Revels Now Are Ended" by Thomas Ha in Clarkesworld. 
• "Mirror, Mirror" by Sofia Samatar in Future Tense Fiction.
• "The Assumption of Maria" by Max Gladstone in Lightspeed.  
• "Hungry Like The" by E. Catherine Tobler in Lightspeed.  
• "Disobedience and Goats" by Somto Ihezue in Apex Magazine. 
• "Alien Boy" by Fawaz Al-Matrouk in Reactor. 
• "The House Mother" by Kristi DeMeester in The Dark.
• "A Nebraskan Choir" by Steve Toase in Nightmare Magazine.

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Momo and the Time Thieves. 
• Watch a trailer for Cocoon—One Summer of Girlhood 
• Watch a trailer for Crystal Lake.
• Watch a trailer for Digger.