It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with yet more best books of 2018 lists, tributes to Nicholas Roeg, the new series of Doctor Who, the new She-Ra and the Princess of Power, Outlander, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2, an uproar at Loscon, another uproar about Robert Silverberg, a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, a new collection by N.K. Jemisin 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:
- Amal El-Mohtar offers a round-up of recent science fiction and fantasy books.
- James Davis Nicoll declares that we live in a new golden age of interplanetary adventure stories.
- James Davis Nicoll shares six science fiction novels and one song which deal with space travel and time dilation.
- Camestros Felapton has an idea for a time travel story not yet told.
- Camestros Felapton also talks about science fictional energy weapons.
- Jonathan Robb explains why fantasy maps are important.
- Ceridwen Christensen shares her favourite magical universities in fantasy fiction.
- Grady Hendrix takes a look at the occult detectives of the Victorian era.
- Book Marks shares the first reviews of every Margaret Atwood novel.
- John Maher reports that Margaret Atwood is writing a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale.
- Stephanie Merritt declares that Margaret Atwood is right to write a sequel to The Handmaid's Tale rather than let the TV series decide Offred's fate.
- Lila Shapiro profiles N.K. Jemisin.
- Joshua Rivera also profiles N.K. Jemisin.
- Hannah Long profiles Christopher Tolkien.
- Leah Schnelbach shares her appreciation for the works of Madeleine L'Engle.
- Robert Silverberg wishes to clarify some controversial remarks on the 2018 Hugo Awards ceremony and also wishes to point out that he is not racist and sexist.
- Foz Meadows responds to Robert Silverberg.
- Brianne Reeves shares an open letter to Robert Silverberg.
- Will Emmons responds to Robert Silverberg.
- The Economist explains how Stan Lee transformed the comics business.
- Filker and longterm fan Lee Billings has died aged 62.
Best Books of 2018 lists:
- NPR share their favourite science fiction and fantasy books of 2018.
- Adam Morgan shares his ten favourite science fiction novels of 2018.
- James Lovegrove shares his favourite science fiction novels of 2018.
- AudioFile has selected the best science fiction, fantasy and horror audiobooks of 2018.
Film and TV:
- Ben Child wonders whether Harley Quinn as portrayed in the upcoming Birds of Prey movie will be the first superheroine of the #MeToo era.
- Jonathan Rauch expounds upon how Star Trek explains Donald Trump.
- Anne Billson isn't too happy with the new era of prestige horror movies and just wants her jump scares back.
- Stuart Heritage talks about the rise of anthology series like Black Mirror and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams.
- Beth Elderkin shares a list of all the unproduced screenplays Guillermo del Toro has lying around, including many genre movies.
- Nicola Davis reports that Italian researchers have compiled a list of the most influential films of all time, which includes several SFF films.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on "Calypso", the latest episode of the Star Trek Discovery spin-off Short Treks.
- Alex McLevy declares that the George R.R. Martin based TV show Nightflyers is closer to Event Horizon than to Game of Thrones.
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Outlander.
- Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Outlander.
- April Wolfe calls Anna and the Apocalypse a holiday horror cocktail of singing, maiming and clichés.
- Rob Bricken declares that the final season of Game of Thrones is destined to disappoint us.
- Jennifer Ouellette reports that Netflix has cancelled Daredevil as well.
- Bradley J. Birzer shares his appreciation for Batman: The Animated Series from the 1990s.
- Joe Kenney revisits several Godzilla movies from the 1970s.
- Tor.com shares the twelve most gratuitous robot deaths in science fiction films.
- Sharon Stirone explains why Contact is the most important space movie ever made.
- Stuart Heritage explains why many people want a Back to the Future reboot, even though no one thinks it's a good idea.
- Emma Brockes asks if a new Mary Poppins adaptation was necessary.
- The BBC shares six secrets of British animation.
- Molly Lambert interviews Jeff Goldblum, star of The Fly, Independence Day, Thor Ragnarok and many other genre films.
- Rebecca Rubin interviews Jason Blum of the horror film production company Blumhouse.
- The Guardian reports that there have been new sexual harrassment allegations against filmmaker Luc Besson.
- Magician and actor Ricky Jay, who appeared in Deadwood, The X-Files and Tomorrow Never Dies and consulted on Ocean's Thirteen, has died aged 72.
- Stephen Hillenburg, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, has died aged 57.
Tributes to Nicholas Roeg:
- Nicholas Roeg, celebrated director of Don't Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Walkabout and Performance, has died aged 90.
- The BBC calls Nicholas Roeg the most original filmmaker Britain ever produced in theirn obituary.
- Peter Bradshaw shares his appreciation for Nicholas Roeg and his work.
- Julie Muncy shares a brief tribute to Nicholas Roeg.
Comments on series 11 of Doctor Who:
- Dan Martin shares his thoughts about "The Witchfinders", the latest episode of Doctor Who.
- Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on "The Witchfinders".
- Emily Asher-Perrin shares her thoughts on "The Witchfinders".
- Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on "The Witchfinders".
- James Whitbrook calls "The Witchfinders" a story only the Thirteenth Doctor could have faced.
- John Earls reports about a rumour that showrunner Chris Chibnall and Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker may be leaving already over a behind the scenes disagreement after only one season.
- Huw Fullerton reports that actor Tom Baker, who played the Fourth Doctor, has written a new Doctor Who novel.
- Nicholas Whyte traces Doctor Who's connections to Ireland.
Comments on She-Ra and the Princesses of Power:
- Beth Elderkin explains that She-Ra and the Princesses of Power reclaims princesses.
- Foz Meadows shares her appreciation for the new She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and its unashamedly queer aesthetic.
Comments on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse:
- Charles Pulliam-Moore declares that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the game-changing origin story you've been waiting for.
- Jesse Hassenger calls Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gorgeously psychedelic.
- Drew Mollo discusses Stan Lee's posthumous cameo appearance in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Comments on Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald:
- Sam Stone declares that Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald does not do the character of Albus Dumbledore justice.
- Charles Grant reports that Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald managed to reach number one at the box office, though takings are down compared to previous Harry Potter films.
- In other Harry Potter related news, James Whitbrook reports that Daniel Radcliffe still hasn't seen Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Comments on Ralph Break the Intervet: Wreck-It Ralph 2:
- Germain Lussier calls Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 not flawless, but a lot of fun.
- Peter Bradshaw calls Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 a tiresome arcade game rerun that is virtually impossible to enjoy.
- Natalie Zutter declares that Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 explores the grey areas of online life.
- Joelle Monique shares her thoughts on Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.
- Michael Cavna explains how Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 spoofs the concept of the Disney princess and the related merchandising.
- Germain Lussier talks about the importance of the fictional Slaughter Race videogame in Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.
- Angie Dahl shares the best Disney and Pixar character cameos in Ralph Break the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.
- Julie Muncy talks about one cameo in Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 that did not come to pass.
- Germain Lussier talks about the post-credits scenes of Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.
Awards:
- The winners of the 2018 Galaxy Awards have been announced.
- The winner of the 2018 Gaylactic Spectrum Award has been announced.
- The winner of the 2018 Rotsler award has been announced.
- The shortlist for the 2018 Bad Sex Award has been announced.
- The shortlist for the 2018 Costa Book Awards has been announced and includes one genre novel, The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton.
- The 2019 Norma K. Hemming Award is now open for submissions.
- WorldCon 77 in Dublin, Ireland, has announced that they have established a special Hugo category for best art book.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Brian Kurian shares three simple things you can do to find your writing voice.
- Shane C. Heath attempts to explain what makes a story tick.
- Janice Hardy shares three ways to add tension to a scene during revisions.
- Lauren Sapala talks about being a woman writer of transgressive fiction.
- Jill Schlesinger reports that small bookstores are booming after nearly being wiped out.
- Kristine Kathryn Rusch cautions writers against going exclusive with Amazon or any other retailer.
Interviews:
- John Hodgman interviews George R.R. Martin (video).
- Red Samaniego interviews Kelly Link.
- Starlog Magazine interviews Leigh Brackett (in 1974).
- Nick Douglas interviews Ausma Zehanat Khan.
- Paul Weimer interviews Sarah Chorn.
- Mimi Wong interviews Imraan Coovadia.
- Andrea Johnson interviews Storm Humbert.
- Kelly Doherty interviews Rob and Amanda of Ripple Grove Press.
Reviews:
- Liz Bourke reviews The Dreaming Stars by Tim Pratt.
- Caroline Cushman reviews An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris.
- Jana Nyman reviews Roar of Sky by Beth Cato.
- Corrina Lawson reviews The Mortal Word by Genevieve Cogman.
- Colleen Mondor reviews The City of Sand by Tianxia Bachang.
- Kirkus reviews The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders.
- Liz Bourke reviews Daughters of Forgotten Light by Sean Grigsby.
- Alex Brown reviews The Dark Days Deceit by Alison Goodman.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Wild Dead by Carrie Vaughn.
- Lila Garrott reviews In the Night Wood by Dale Bailey.
- Alexander Larman reviews Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin.
- Richard Marpole revisits Cold Iron by Miles Cameron.
- Rakib Ahmad Khan reviews Masters of Deception by J.C. Kang.
- Kat Hooper reviews Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson.
- Martin Cahill reviews How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin.
- Ceridwen Christensen reviews How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin.
- Amal El-Mohtar reviews How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews How Long 'Til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin.
- Ross Johnson reviews Hazards of Time Travel by Joyce Carol Oates.
- Kate Kellaway reviews Hazards of Time Travel by Joyce Carol Oates.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews The Subjugate by Amanda Bridgeman.
- The Real Book Spy reviews The Mansion by Ezekiel Boone.
- Cora Buhlert reviews Terror at the Crossroads - Tales of Horror, Delusion and the Unknown, edited by Emily Hockaday and Jackie Sherbow.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror, edited by Lee Murray.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Everything is Horrible Now by Edward Lorn.
- J.C. Kang reviews Paternus: Wrath of Gods by Dyrk Ashton.
- Tobias Carroll reviews The Governesses by Anne Serre.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews Terra Nullius by Claire G. Coleman.
- Abigail Nussbaum reviews the State Tectonics trilogy by Malka Older.
- Alex Brown reviews Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.
- Paul Kincaid reviews An American Story by Christopher Priest.
- Jonathan Crowe reviews The Writer's Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands, edited by Huw Lewis-Jones.
- Stefan Dziemianowicz reviews The Thing's Incredible! The Secret History of Weird Tales by John Locke.
- Mark Yon reviews Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, L. Ron Hubbard and the Golden Age of Science Fiction by Alec Nevala-Lee.
Classics reviews:
- James Davis Nicoll revisits Jane Gaskell's 1963 sword and sorcery novel The Serpent.
- Judith Tarr revisits the 1965 science fiction novel The X-Factor by Andre Norton.
- Phoebe Wagner revisits Ursula K. Le Guin's 1974 science fiction novel The Dispossessed.
- Adri Joy revisits James Tiptree Jr.'s 1973 science fiction novelette "The Women Men Don't See" and Joanna Russ' 1976 science fiction novel We Who Are About To...
- Summer H. Paulus revisits the 1992 fantasy novel Dark Moon by Meredith Ann Pierce.
Crowdfunding:
Con and event reports:
- Phil Miller reports about Cymera, Scotland's first book festival dedicated to science fiction, fantasy and horror, which will take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, next year.
- Mike Glyer reports that WorldCon 77 in Dublin, Ireland, will also host the National Irish Science Fiction Film Festival and the Golden Blaster Awards ceremony.
- Jim C. Hines takes a look at the guest of honour selection of the World Fantasy Convention, following recent controversies.
- Mike Glyer shares a statement from the committee of Loscon 54 in Los Angeles, California, regarding an incident at a panel.
- Mike Glyer also shares a longer explanation about the incident at Loscon 54 and the actions taken in response.
- Ellen Datlow shares some photos of the latest edition of the Fantastic Fiction reading series at the KGB Bar in New York City, featuring Cat Rambo and Leanna Renee Hieber.
- Locus shares a photo of the Genrepalooza event in New York City.
Science and technology:
- Ashley Strickland reports that NASA's InSight lander has landed successfully on Mars.
- ESA has shares a video of a Progress spacecraft launch as seen from space.
- Tony Deller talks about colonizing Mars.
- Neel V. Patel points out that Oumuamua is not the alien probe we're looking for.
- Benj Edwards remembers African American videogame pioneer Ed Smith.
- Melanie Ehrenkranz reports that a woman has been falsely accused of traffic violations in China, because facial recognition software flagged her face on an ad on the side of a city bus.
- Theo Leggett reports about the clean-up operations inside the decommissioned Thorp nuclear reprocessing plant in Sellafield, UK.
Free online fiction:
- "Master Brahms" by Storm Humbert in Apex Magazine.
- "Riding the Signal" by Gary Kloster in Apex Magazine.
- "The Gift of Angels: An Introduction" by Nina Allan in Clarkesworld.
- "Rain and the Designs of Your Body by J.M. Guzman in Fireside Fiction.
- "If at First You Don't Succeed, Try, Try Again" by Zen Cho at B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog.
- "In the Forests of Memory" by E. Lily Yu in Terraform.
- "Overvalued" by Mark Stasenko in Slate.
- "Adam Is Banished" by Michael Diamond at Akashic Books.
Odds and ends:
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