Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for May 4, 2018

It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers mostly marked, but reader beware), The Handmaid's Tale, Westworld 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:

• Yaika Sabat shares a beginner's guide to Cyberpunk. 
• Sam Reader shares six science fiction novels featuring giant robots.
• R.F. Kuang shares five East Asian SFF novels by East Asian authors.
• Victor Petrov discusses Bulgarian science fiction of the 1970s and 1980s and particularly its fascination with robots. 
• Rob Maslen fids some parallels between Ishi in Two Worlds by Theodora Kroeber and the works of her daughter Ursula K. Le Guin, particularly her 1966 novel Rocannon's World.
• Judith Tarr revisits Andre Norton's 1969 science fiction novel Postmarked the Stars. 
• Joe Kenney revisits the 1967 science fiction novel Waters of Death by Irving A. Greenfield.
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1933 planetary romance The Swordsman of Mars by Otis Adalbert Kline.
• Paul Weimer celebrates fifty years of Locus magazine. 
• R.J. Theodore explains that escapism can be as important as resisting and fighting back.
• Anne Ewbak wonders why there are so many food descriptions in fantasy novels.
• David A. Kirby and Alex de Borba share a brief history of science fiction horror films. 
• Anthony Brum shares his appreciation for the classic TV series Thunderbirds.
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Timeless.
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Crossing. 
• Danette Chavez calls the documentary series James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction solid but navelgazing. 
• Padraig Collins reports how Harvey Weinstein almost messed up Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies.
• Michael Anderson, director of Logan's Run and many other movies, has died aged 98. 
• Actress Pamela Gidley, known for her roles in Twin Peaks, Cherry 2000 and The Pretender, died aged 52.

Comments on Avengers: Infinity War (some spoilers, so beware):

• Emily Asher-Perrin declares that Avengers: Infinity War is the superhero crossover event we have been waiting for.
• Emily Asher-Perrin also offers a spoiler-filled look at the fates of the various characters in Avengers: Infinity War.
• Meg Downey declares that Avengers: Infinity War is Marvel's riskiest and most challenging film. 
• Leah Schnelbach is very happy with Avengers: Infinity War and also views it as a reminder that pop culture won't save us.
• Richard Brody calls Avengers: Infinity War a two-and-a-half hour long commercial for all previous Marvel movies. 
• Abigail Nussbaum is underwhelmed by Avengers: Infinity War.
• Angel Wilson is overwhelmed with spoiler-filled feelings after watching Avengers: Infinity War. 
• Chris M. Barkley shares his thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War. 
• Alexa Grave shares her spoilerish thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War.
• Camestros Felapton explains which movies to watch before Avengers: Infinity War.
• Narayan Liu shares the biggest unanswered questions of Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers, obviously).
• Narayan Liu explains which Marvel characters are missing from Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers, obviously).
• Alex McLevy declares that one of the heroes in Avengers: Infinity War actually belongs on the villain's side (spoilers).  
• A.A. Dowd discusses the ending of Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers, obviously).
• Brian Cronin explains the comic background of the Avengers: Infinity War cliffhanger (spoilers, obviously).
• Albert Ching explains the post-credits scene of Avengers: Infinity War (spoilers, obviously).
• James Whitbrook declares that with Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel has finally come up with a post-credits scene that actually matters and is not just a nice little extra (spoilers, obviously).
• Inspired by Avengers: Infinity War, Steve Rose wonders whether superheroes really are the good guys.
• Ben Child attempts to explain why fans almost unanimously loved Avengers: Infinity War, but why so many of them disliked Star Wars: The Last Jedi. 
• Julie Muncy reports that Avengers: Infinity War had the biggest opening weekend of all time.
  

Comments on season 2 of The Handmaid's Tale:

• Jill Pantozzi shares her thoughs on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Allison Shoemaker shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
• Natalie Zutter shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Handmaid's Tale.
  

Comments on season 2 of Westworld: 

• Randall Colburn finds a hidden clue about season 2 of Westworld in the show's pilot episode.
• Charles Pulliam-Moore declares that Westworld has to address the racist implications of Shogun World.
• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld.
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld.
• Theresa DeLucci shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld. 
• David Cranmer shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld. 
• Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld. 
• Dean E.S. Richard shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld. 
• Paul MacInnes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Westworld.
• Naturalish shares an ode to the mechanical horse of Westworld.

Awards:

• The shortlist for the 2018 Arthur C. Clarke Award has been announced.
• The finalists for the 2018 Locus Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2017 RT Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2018 Edgar Awards have been announced.  
• The winners of the 2018 Agatha Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2018 Roswell Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2018 Tomorrow Prize have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2018 Norma K. Hemmings Award have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2018 Prix Aurora Boreal have been announced.
• The winners of the 2018 Prix Barjavel and Prix Planéte SF have been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2018 Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids' Comics has been announced.
• The winner of the CLFA Book of the Year 2018 Award has been announced.
• The nominees for the 2018 Tony Awards have been announced with ten nominations for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Michael Margolis explains the difference between story and narrative and why it matters.
• Alanah Andrews explains how to describe setting using touch.  
• Daniel Dockery discusses six lazy character shortcuts.
• Phil Maxey explains how not to become obsessed with wordcount.
• iAuthor shares seven tips for drawing subscribers to your newsletter.
  

Interviews:

• Ellen Crosháin interviews Kate Coe.
• Alasdair Shaw interviews Leonora Meriel.
• Stuart Conover interviews Charles P. Dunphey. 
• Nothing in the Rule Book interviews Dr. Chuck Tingle.

Reviews:

• Liz Bourke reviews Artificial Condition and Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells.
• Russell Letson reviews Emergence by C.J. Cherryh.
• Paul Weimer reviews The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang. 
• The Fantasy Café reviews The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso. 
• Paul Weimer reviews The Green Man's Heir by Juliet E. McKenna. 
• Jana Nyman reviews Medusa Uploaded by Emily Devenport.
• Becca Evans reviews Song and Key by Aex Bekins and Connie Bailey. 
• My Guilty Obsession reviews Owl and the Tiger Thieves by Kristi Charish. 
• Colleen Mondor reviews The Possible by Tara Altebrando.
• Tadiana Jones reviews The Diminished by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson. 
• Tadiana Jones also reviews Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel.
• Niall Alexander reviews Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel. 
• Kat Hooper reviews Scourged by Kevin Hearne.
• Ceridwen Christensen reviews The Stone Sky by N.K. Jemisin.
• Brit Mandelo reviews Black Helicopters by Caitlin R. Kiernan.
• Mark Yon reviews One Way by S.J. Morden. 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews The Real Town Murders by Adam Roberts.
• Dave Richards reviews The Oracle Year by Charles Soule.
• Camestros Felapton reviews New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Obscura by Joe Hart.
• Over the Effing Rainbow reviews Born to the Blade: Arrivals by Michael R. Underwood.
• Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Bone Saw by Patrick Lacey.
  

Crowdfunding:

• Phil Tucker is looking for funding to publish Death March, book 1 in a new LitRPG trilogy.
• Everything is Going Wrong, a charity anthology of comics about punk and mental illness, is looking for funding.
• Campbell Award finalist Rivers Solomon is looking for funding to be able to attend WorldCon 76 and the Hugo Award ceremony in San Jose, California. 

Con reports:

• Lyndsey Luther shares the best cosplay photos of JordanCon X in Atlanta, Georgia. 
• Scott Lynch shares the best cosplay photos of the Sakura Matsuri event in Brooklyn, New York.
• Angel Wilson offers some tips for getting into the infamous Hall H at San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• FenCon in Dallas, Texas, releases a statement regarding John Ringo's stint of guest of honour in 2013. 
• Mark L. Blackman reports about the latest installment in the New York Review of Science Fiction Readings series in Brooklyn, New York, featuring Ilana C. Myer and Jo Walton.
• Rob Hansen shares the history of the 1950s British fan club The London Circle.
  

Science and technology:

• Caroline Kuruvilla reports that Stephen Hawking finished a mindbending paper about parallel universes shortly before his death.
• Ethan Siegel shares six facts you never imagines about the nearest stars to Earth.
• Ethan Siegel also explains that the Hubble telescope's greatest discoveries were not planned, but that they were surprises. 
• The Hubble telescope has detected helium in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time. 
• Jonathan Amos reports about the Sentinel satellite that can track the emissions of ships from orbit.
• Naturalish tackles the science behind movies about giant monsters.
  

Free online fiction:

• "Blessings" by Naomi Novik in Uncanny Magazine.
• "Sucks (to Be You) by Katherine Duckett in Uncanny Magazine.
• "Sunset" by Tobias S. Buckell in Lightspeed.
• "Godmeat" by Martin Cahill in Lightspeed.
• "The Flight of Morpho Girl" by Caroline Spector and Bradley Denton at Tor.com
• "The Sharp Edges of Anger" by Jamie Lackey in Apex Magazine. 
• "No Me Dejas" by Mark Oshiro in Slate.
• "22nd Century Jury" by Alanah Andrews in Medium.
  

Odds and ends: 

• Watch a trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp. 
• Watch a clip from Deadpool 2.
• Watch a trailer for the documentary Chesley Bonestell: A Brush with the Future.
• Watch comedian James Corden take several of the stars of Avengers: Infinity War on a tour of Los Angeles.