Here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with a new Doctor Who, the Confederate controversy, War for the Planet of the Apes, Valerian and the City of the Thousand Planets, a Muppet scandal, the Fireside Fiction black speculative fiction report, reports about and all the new trailers shown at San Diego Comic Con as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles and free online fiction.
Speculative fiction in general:
- James Davis Nicoll shares twenty dystopian novels every SFF fan should have on their shelves.
- Jill Lepore discusses the new golden age of dystopian fiction.
- Camestros Felapton talks about alternate history and how most of what is marketed as alternate history is really just a historical mash-up.
- Michael Johnston shares five books about extreme worlds.
- Theresa DeLucci shares five horror reads for summer.
- Ben Van Iten shares which other Stephen King novels and stories are connected to The Dark Tower series.
- Tara Sonin shares fifty books to read while waiting for more Game of Thrones.
- Rachel Neumeier offers a list of starter epic fantasies for those new to the subgenre.
- Joyce Chng hosts a roundtable on Australian speculative fiction.
- Annalee Newitz discusses Canadian prairie futurism.
- Ada Palmer talks about the depiction of gender in her Terra Ignota series.
- Elsa Sjunneson-Henry shares a short list of fantasy and science fiction that celebrates disability.
- Kellie Doherty discusses how spaceship crews almost inevitably become families.
- Derek Künsken realises that Rock Riordan's Percy Jackson series is mainly about crappy parents.
- Leena Likitalo shares her appreciation for The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.
- David D. Levine shares his appreciation for Hospital Station by James White.
- Ashley Pollard shares her appreciation for the 1962 movie The Creation of the Humanoids.
- Marshall Ryan Maresca shares his appreciation for the 1983 movie Krull.
- Daniel Rodriguez shares his appreciation for the 2006 movie Southland Tales.
- David Brooke shares his thoughts on episode one of The Defenders.
- Glenn Garvin shares his thoughts on the new TV show Midnight, Texas.
- Damien Walter calls Game of Thrones epic fantasy for social justice warriors.
- Laura Kennedy implores people to stop comparing modern Ireland to The Handmaid's Tale.
Comments on Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets:
- Peter Sobczynski calls Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets deliriously entertaining.
- Emily Asher-Perrin feels that the romantic elements of Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets fall flat.
- Abraham Riesman interviews Luc Besson, director of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.
- Meanwhile, Leigh Butler shares her appreciation for Luc Besson's previous attempt at space opera The Fifth Element.
Comments on War for the Planet of the Apes:
- The Binge Watchers Squad calls War for the Planet of the Apes a technological masterpiece with a strong storyline.
- Joshua Adams discusses the colonial Darwinism in War for the Planet of the Apes.
Reactions to the Doctor Who casting:
- Jodi Heckel interviews Lynne M. Thomas about what fans can expect from the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor.
- The BBC reports that former Doctors Peter Davidson and Colin Baker clash over the casting of Jodie Whittaker as the 13th Doctor.
- Sarah Gailey discusses the "men explaining things" dynamic of Doctor Who and wonders how the casting of Jodie Whittaker will affect this.
- Nicholas Whyte shares some advice regarding where to start for people who have never seen Doctor Who.
The 2016 Fireside Fiction report on the state of black speculative fiction:
- Cecily Kane shares Fireside Fiction's 2016 Black Speculative Fiction Report.
- Mikki Kendall offers her thoughts on the 2016 Fireside Fiction Black Speculative Fiction Report.
- De Ana Jones offers her response to the 2016 Fireside Fiction Black Speculative Fiction Report.
- Fireside Fiction also offers a roundtable on the state of black speculative fiction and the issues facing black writers.
Comments on the Confederate controversy:
- Jackson McHenry reports that HBO has picked up a new alternate history drama called Confederate to much controversy.
- Sopan Deb reports about the reactions to the Confederate announcement and sums up the controversy.
- Josef Adalian reports on the Confederate controversy and interviews the production team.
- Lincoln Anthony Blades explains why Confederate is entirely unnecessary.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore shares his reservations about Confederate.
- HBO president Casey Bloys apologises for the problematic way the Confederate announcement was handled.
Comments on the firing of puppeteer Steve Whitmire from The Muppets:
- Travis M. Andrews and Samatha Schmidt report about the firing of Steve Whitmire and the controversy surrounding it.
- Stuart Heritage explains why the Muppet debacle is so devastating for fans of The Muppets Show.
- Erica Wagner takes a look behind the scenes of The Muppets Show.
Deaths and tributes:
- Actress Deborah Watling, best remembered for playing Doctor Who companion Victoria in 1967/68, died aged 69.
- Scientist and filk singer Jordin Kare died aged 60.
- Paul Gilster remembers Jordin Kare.
- Alan Dorey, radio presenter, reviewer and former editor of Interzone has died aged 59.
- Voice actress June Foray has died aged 99.
- Mike Glyer remembers June Foray.
- Longtime Marvel Comics employee Flo Steinberg has died.
Awards:
- The nominees for the 2017 World Fantasy Award have been announced.
- The winner of the 2017 Arthur C. Clarke Award has been announced.
- The winners of the 2017 Eisner Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2017 Inkpot Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2017 Seiun Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2017 Scribe Awards have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2017 Endeavour Awards have been announced.
- The longlist for the 2017 Man Booker Prize has been announced.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Damien Walter explains that teaching writing helps writers to become better.
- Lisa Spangenberg shares some tips about reading for writers.
- Kate Elliott talks about the decisions she has to make as a writer.
- Martin Cavanagh of Reedsy shares a guide for authors to determine the theme of their story.
- Coco Mingolelli talks about the importance of lesbian fiction written by lesbian authors.
- Adam-Troy Castro shares his thoughts about exposition.
- Nicola Alter explains how to make a cliched epic fantasy cover.
Interviews:
- Christian A. Coleman interviews Carrie Vaughn.
- The Qwillery interviews Vivian Shaw.
- Dag Rambraut interviews Nicholas Sansbury Smith.
- Joel Cunningham interviews Becky Cloonan.
Reviews:
- Nicole Hill reviews Killing Is My Business by Adam Christopher.
- David Cranmer also reviews Killing Is My Business by Adam Christopher.
- Mark Yon reviews The Real Town Murders by Adam Roberts.
- Gareth D. Jones also reviews The Real Town Murders by Adam Roberts.
- Corrina Lawson reviews The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh.
- Brit Mandelo reviews The Five Daughters of the Moon by Leena Likitalo.
- Corrina Lawson reviews the Bound Gods series by Rachel Dunne.
- Mark Yon reviews Darien: Empire of Salt by C.F. Iggulden.
- Jeff Somers reviews Talon of God by Wesley Snipes and Ray Norman.
- Matt Mitrovich reviews Azanian Bridges by Nick Wood.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Pig by Craig Saunders and Edward Lorn.
- Camestros Felapton reviews The Delirium Brief by Charles Stross.
- Nicole Hill reviews After On by Ron Reid.
- Gautam Bhatia reviews the finalists for the 2017 Arthur C. Clarke Award.
Crowdfunding:
- Uncanny Magazine is looking for funding for its fourth year as well as for the Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction special issue.
- Darth Vader is looking for funding to build the Death Star.
Con reports:
- Evelyn C. Leeper reports about the 2017 NorthAmeriCon in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Julie Zauzmer and Michelle Boorstein report about a "Harry Potter and the Sacred Text" debate in Washington, DC.
- Trae Dorn reports about some problems involving the Fandom Fest in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Genevieve Hassan offers a summary of what happened on the first day of San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California.
- Tor.com offers a summary of their San Diego Comic Con coverage.
- Natalie Sherman discusses the enormous growth of San Diego Comic Con over the past forty years.
- Beth Elderkin reports how US Congressman John Lewis led a march for civil rights through San Diego Comic Con.
- Greg Evans reports how actress Gal Gadot and the rest of the cast of Justice League befriended a young fan at San Diego Comic Con.
- Germain Lussier sums up the most interesting things said at the Game of Thrones panel at San Diego Comic Con.
- Farid Ul-Haq reports about a controversy that erupted at the Supergirl panel at San Diego Comic Con.
- Rob Bricken discusses the biggest winners and losers of the 2017 San Diego Comic Con.
- Jeanne Marie Hoffman reports that at least one airline has banned comic books from checked luggage for flights out of San Diego following San Diego Comic Con.
- Mary Beth Quirk reports that US airport security authority TSA has declared that they are not behind the comic book ban for flights out of San Diego following San Diego Comic Con.
- Nicholas Graff shares the best cosplay photos from San Diego Comic Con.
- Beth Elderkin shares more great cosplay photos from San Diego Comic Con.
- Watch a video of John Barrowman singing "Copa Cabana" and dancing in a sparkling blue mini-dress modelled after the TARDIS at San Diego Comic Con.
- Mike Glyer reports on the current status of the trademark lawsuit brought by San Diego Comic Con against Salt Lake City Comic Con.
- Dave Lee reports that severe technical glitches at the Pokemon Go Festival in Chicago, Illinois, have led to the organisers issueing refunds.
- Alexa Grave reports about the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Bristol, Wisconsin and shares some photos.
Science and technology:
- The moon has more water than previously thought.
- Rogue planets might be even more lonely than previously thought.
- Finnish researchers have managed to create a synthetic protein from carbon dioxide and electricity.
- Elon Musk claims that he has a verbal approval to build his proposed hyperloop between Washington DC and New York City.
- Is it possible to genetically engineer blue chrysanthemums?
Free online fiction:
- "These Deathless Bones" by Cassandra Khaw at Tor.com.
- "Kamanti's Child" by Jennifer Marie Brissett in Uncanny Magazine.
- "Intruder" by M.E. Owen in Fireside Fiction.
- "The Witch in the Tower" by Mari Ness in Fireside Fiction.
- "It Came Back" by Samatha Lienhard in The Book Smugglers.
- "Some Other Day" by Mary Robinette Kowal.
Odds and ends:
- Watch a trailer for Thor: Ragnarok.
- Watch a trailer for The Defenders.
- Watch a clip from The Defenders.
- Watch another clip from The Defenders.
- Watch a trailer for Marvel's Inhumans.
- Watch a trailer for Black Lightning.
- Watch a trailer for season 5 of Arrow.
- Watch a trailer for season 4 of The Flash.
- Watch a trailer for season 3 of Legends of Tomorrow.
- Watch a trailer for season 3 of Supergirl.
- Watch a general trailer for DC's superhero shows.
- Watch a trailer for season 4 of Gotham (with plenty of spoilers for season 3)
- Watch a trailer for Justice League.
- Watch a trailer for season 3 of Lucifer.
- Watch a trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas Special.
- Watch a trailer for season 3 of The Expanse.
- Watch a trailer for Star Trek Discovery.
- Watch a trailer for The Orville.
- Watch a trailer for Future Man.
- Watch a trailer for the rest of season 7 of Game of Thrones.
- Watch a trailer for The Gifted.
- Watch a trailer for Bright.
- Watch a trailer for season 2 of Stranger Things.
- Watch a trailer for Ready Player One.
- Watch a trailer for season 2 of Westworld.
- Watch a trailer for season 4 of The 100.
- Watch a trailer for season 5 of The Originals.
- Watch a trailer for Stargate: Origins.
- Watch a trailer for Ghost Wars.
- Watch a trailer for It.
- Watch a trailer for season 8 of The Walking Dead.
- Watch a trailer for Fear the Walking Dead.
- Watch a trailer for American Horror Story: Cult.
- Watch a trailer for season 7 of Once Upon a Time.
- Check out this tarot app based on Yoon Ha Lee's Machineries of Empire series.
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