It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Avengers: Infinity War, The Handmaid's Tale, Westworld, an uproar surrounding the cancellation of Universal FanCon as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, con reports, crowdfunding campaigns, science articles, free online fiction and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- PBS shares a list of America's 100 most loved books. There is also a quiz to see how many you have read.
- Amal El-.Mohtar offers an overview of some recent science fiction and fantasy releases.
- Claudie Arsenault talks about optimistic science fiction books that create a kinder future, particularly for marginalised people.
- Genevieve Valentine explains why How to Suppress Women's Writing by Joanna Russ is still relevant 35 years after it was first published.
- James Davis Nicoll remembers more forgotten women SFF writers of the 1970s.
- Ann Aguirre shares her experiences as a female debut science fiction authors and wonders whether things are better for women writing science fiction now.
- Claire North talks about strong women in science fiction and fantasy.
- Mary Fan talks about fully rounded female characters who are neither main characters nor sidekicks nor solely love interests.
- Ceridwen Christensen shares a list of nine and a half apocalyptic novels.
- Ross Johnson shares ten science fiction novels for people obsessed with video games.
- Maria Haskins shares ten recent anthologies which show the broad scope of science fiction.
- Kim Pruett takes a look at the most obscure Hugo winner, the 1954 science fiction novel They'd Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley and attempts to explain how it managed to win a Hugo in 1955.
- Camestros Felapton shares his personal three laws of reviewbotics for book reviewers.
- Olivia Ovenden wonders whether science fiction is in trouble.
- Stephanie Monteith talks about love and monstrous bodies in The Shape of Water.
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Timeless.
- Bill Watters reports that a Babylon 5 reboot or continuation will never happen with the current Warner Bros executives.
- James Whitbrook reports that there may be a movie based on the 1980s toy tie-in cartoon M.A.S.K. after all.
- Actress Allison Mack, best known for playing Chloe Sullivan in Smallville, has been arrested for recruiting women for a sex slavery cult.
- Actor Verne Troyer, best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movies, has died aged 49.
- Peter Bradshaw remembers Verne Troyer.
Comments on Avengers: Infinity War:
- James Whitbrook shares early reactions to Avengers: Infinity War.
- Glen Weldon offers a choose-you-own Avengers: Infinity War review tailored to the audience's varying familiarity with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Peter Bradshaw calls Avengers: Infinity War a supremely watchable film and a colossal showdown that revels in apocalyptic mayhem.
- Owen Gleiberman calls Avengers: Infinity War a gargantuan Marvel mashup that's bedazzlingly fun.
- Matt Maytum calls Avengers: Infinity War bold, ballsy, dramatic and satisfying.
- Tim Grierson calls Avengers: Infinity War a gargantuan entertainment that lives up to the hype.
- Chris Hunneysett offers his somewhat spoilerish thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War and declares that the film lives up to the hype.
- Camestros Felapton shares his vaguely spoilerish thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War.
- Tim Robey calls Avengers: Infinity War a crowdpleaser, but finds the plot rather simple.
- Rosie Fletcher and Hugh Armitage calls Avengers: Infinity War a bit rushed and almost too epic.
- Mick La Salle calls Avengers: Infinity War too long and too crowded.
- Kevin Melrose explains where every Avenger is at the beginning of Infinity War.
- Emily Asher Perrin explains why she does not care anymore if anyone dies in Avengers: Infinity War.
- Jim Starlin, creator of Thanos, shares his spoiler-free thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War.
- Albert Ching interviews Joe and Anthony Russo, directors of Avengers: Infinity War.
- Kevin Melrose reveals how many post-credits scenes Avengers: Infinity War has.
Comments on season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale:
- Cheryl Eddy explains what viewers need to know to get ready for season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale.
- Danette Chavez declares that season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale is as arresting and as difficult to watch as ever.
- Natalie Zutter declares that season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale begins between darkness and light.
- Jake Nevins calls season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale a menacing, harrowing return.
- Beth Elderkin shares her thoughts on the first two episodes of season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale.
- Allison Shoemaker shares her thoughts on episode 1 and episode 2 of season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale.
Comments on season 2 of Westworld:
- James Donaghy wonders whether Westworld can avoid a poor second season.
- Theresa DeLucci shares her thoughts on the first episode of season 2 of Westworld.
- Paul MacInnes shares his thoughts on the first episode of season 2 of Westworld.
- David Cranmer shares his thoughts on the first episode of season 2 of Westworld.
- Sam Reader shares six science fiction novels to read while waiting for the next episode of Westworld.
Awards:
- The shortlist for the 2018 David Gemmell Legend awards has been announced.
- Voting is open for the 2018 David Gemmell Legend Awards.
- The nominees for the 2018 Eisner Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2018 Tolkien Society Awards have been announced.
- The winner of the 2018 Compton Crook Award has been announced.
- The recipients of the 2018 Peabody Awards have been announced with two winners of genre interest.
- The Second War of the Dog, a dystopian novel by Ibrahim Nasrallah, has won the 11th International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- David Kadavy shares the trick Star Trek writers use to tackle writer's block.
- Max Chi shares seven ways to counteract writer's block.
- Tamara Gane explains what to do when you're not in the mood to write.
- Jake Lyda explains how titles can entice a reader.
- Kyle Aisteach shares his thoughts on the controversial Writers of the Future contest.
Interviews:
- Anne Charnock interviews Annalee Newitz.
- Alasdair Stuart interviews Jack Campbell.
- Christian A. Coleman interviews Angus McIntyre.
- David Davis interviews Dempow Torishima.
- Uche Okonkwo interviews Mazi Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu and Chinelo Onwualo, editors of the African science fiction magazine Omenana.
Reviews:
- Liz Bourke reviews Gods, Monsters and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson.
- Liz Bourke reviews From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris.
- Liz Bourke reviews The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso.
- Liz Bourke reviews Time Was by Ian McDonald.
- Ross Johnson reviews Time Was by Ian McDonald.
- Paul Weimer reviews Serpent in the Heather by Kay Kenyon.
- Kat Hooper reviews Penric's Fox by Lois McMaster Bujold.
- Taya Okerlund reviews Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope.
- For Winter Nights reviews Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller.
- Jason Sheehan reviews Head On by John Scalzi.
- Rob Bedford reviews Semiosis by Sue Burke.
- The Qwillery reviews Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe.
- Sam Reader reviews Witchy Winter by D.J. Butler.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Ghost Virus by Graham Masterton.
- Chris Yogerst reviews Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel by Bob Batchelor.
Con reports:
- Graeme McMillan reports that Universal FanCon in Baltimore, Maryland, has been postponed indefinitely only a week before it was supposed to take place, leaving many dealers and attendants in trouble.
- Jazmine Joyner offers a lot of background information about the Universal FanCon debacle.
- The Baltimore Science Fiction Society, which puts on Balticon, has an offer for fans and dealers left high and dry by the cancellation of Universal FanCon.
- Julie Muncy also reports about the Universal FanCon debacle.
- The Geekiary also weighs in on the Universal FanCon debacle.
- Dan Berry reports about the panel on gender, sex and sexuality at San Diego Comic Fest in San Diego, California.
- Locus reports about FOGcon 2018 in Walnut Creek, California.
- Mythcon 49 in Atlanta, Georgia, has announced its guests of honour.
- David Rooney reports about the Broadway premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling.
- The Geekiary shares some tips for people who want to start a convention.
Science and technology:
- Tough SF talks about the possibility of piracy in space in a two-part post.
- Joe Palca reports that California is using artificial intelligence to direct earthquake response measures.
- Kirsten V. Brown reports that scientists have discovered a new DNA structure inside human cells.
Free online fiction:
- "Into the Gray" by Margaret Killjoy at Tor.com.
- "What to Do When It's Nothing but Static" by Cassandra Khaw in Apex Magazine.
- "Mozart on the Kalahari" by Steven Barnes in Lightspeed.
- "Nitrate Nocturnes" by Ruth Joffre in Lightspeed.
- "The Thought That Counts" by K.J. Parker in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
- "Angry Kings" by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
- "Fifth: You Shall Not Waste" by Piero Schiavo Campo, translated by Sarah Jane Webb, at Akashic Books.
Odds and ends:
- Watch a trailer for Venom.
- Watch a clip from season 2 of Luke Cage.
- Listen to Mark-Anthony Turnage's opera Coraline, based on Neil Gaiman's eponymous novel.
- Alex Cranz has come across some Avengers themed sex toys (not safe for work).
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