It's time for the weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with tributes to Vonda N. McIntyre, the 2019 Hugo Award and 1944 Retro Hugo Award finalists, Star Trek Discovery, Shazam!, the new Twilight Zone, season 2 of American Gods, Us, Dumbo, The Matrix at twenty, false allegations against Ed McDonald and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Kristian Wilson shares twelve recent female-driven science fiction and fantasy novels you don't want to miss.
- Natalie Zutter shares seven great recent space operas and adventures.
- James Davis Nicoll shares posthumously published works by late great authors of science fiction and fantasy.
- Tor.com lists nine fantasy pairs bound by fate.
- Kameron Hurley explains why gritty and grimdark speculative fiction is no longer edgy.
- Tyler Dean finds radical empathy in Game of Thrones.
- Jeff Somers muses how fifteen popular authors might finish George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
- Lara Elena Donnelly talks about historical fantasy, historical fiction and why there is more overlap between them than you'd think.
- Lois Beckett discusses the long fight against racism in romance fiction.
- Leslie S. Klinger and Lisa Morton talk about the birth of the modern ghost story.
- Kate Bolick discusses the legacy of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, author of The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland.
- Emily Burack explains why villain schools are having a pop culture moment in YA fiction as well as genre TV shows.
Tributes to Vonda N. McIntyre:
- Science fiction author Vonda N. McIntyre has died aged 70.
- Adam Whitehead remembers Vonda N. McIntyre.
- Mike Glyer remembers Vonda N. McIntyre.
- Tom Whitmore shares an obituary for Vonda N. McIntyre.
- Steve Holland shares an obituary for Vonda N. McIntyre.
- Alma Alexander remembers Vonda N- McIntyre.
- The SFWA remembers Vonda N. McIntyre.
- Joachim Boaz remembers Vonda N. McIntyre.
- Tor.com remembers Vonda N. McIntyre.
Film and TV:
- Alexa Grave shares her thoughts on Captain Marvel.
- Cat Eldridge shares her thoughts on Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse.
- Josh Bell calls the latest adaptation of Pet Sematary a satisfying remake of a Stephen King classic.
- Katie Rife calls Unicorn Store terminally perky.
- A.A. Dowd calls High Life a captivating science fiction film.
- Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on Sorry To Bother You.
- Katie Rife shares her thoughts on the latest episode of What We Do in the Shadows.
- Suzanne Walker talks about Star Wars and the Extended Universe.
- Victoria Lucas revisits the 1964 fantasy movie The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.
- Adam Whitehead rewatches the 2012 superhero movie The Avengers.
- Meredith B. Kile explains why Peggy Carter is the lynchpin of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Malcolm McDowell remembers the making of A Clockwork Orange.
- Jamie Gerber reports that according to actress Sophie Turner, working with director Bryan Singer on X-Men: Apocalypse was most unpleasant.
- Ruth Huntman interviews Diana Rigg, best known for playing Emma Peel in The Avengers and Lady Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones.
- Kieron Monks reports that the Hotel du Lac in Tunis, Tunisia, which inspired George Lucas during the shooting of the original Star Wars, is in danger of demolition.
- Voice actress Fuyumi Shiraishi, best known for voicing Mirai in Mobile Suit Gundam, has died aged 82.
- Actor Shane Rimmer, who appeared in Doctor Who, several James Bond movies and voiced Scott Tracy in Thunderbirds, has died aged 89.
- Actress and model Tania Mallet who played Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger has died aged 77.
Comments on Star Trek Discovery and Star Trek in general (spoilers):
- Zack Handlen shares his thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity", the latest episode of Star Trek Discovery.
- James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Kayti Burt shares her thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Kaila Hale-Sterne shares her thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on "Perpetual Infinity".
- Ryan Britt shares five reasons Star Trek Discovery is bringing back the Borg and three reasons why it's not.
- Ryan Britt interviews D.C. Fontana, screenwriter and script editor for the original Star Trek, who created much of what we know about Vulcan and Spock's family.
Comments on Shazam!:
- Manohla Dargis calls Shazam! a sunny superhero flick.
- Glen Weldon declares that with Shazam!, DC/Warner has finally learned that there is no "one size fits all" approach to superheroes, but that different superheroes require different kinds of movies.
- David Sims calls Shazam! a blockbuster right from the Spielberg era.
- Rosie Fletcher calls Shazam! the superhero movie we need right now.
- Gwen Ihnat interviews Zachary Levi, star of Shazam!
- Charles Pulliam-Moore interviews director David F. Sandberg and actor Asher Angel about Shazam!
Comments on season 2 of American Gods:
- Jamie Sugah shares her thoughts on the latest episode of American Gods.
- Emily L. Stephens shares her thoughts on the latest episode of American Gods.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore shares his thoughts on the latest episode of American Gods.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore interviews Bruce Langley who plays Technical Boy in American Gods.
Comments on the new Twilight Zone:
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls the new Twilight Zone as brilliant as she'd hoped it would be.
- Sophie Gilbert declares that the new Twilight Zone is missing something and pales in comparison with the original.
- Josh Bell calls the new Twilight Zone completely unnecessary.
- Danette Chavez declares that the new Twilight Zone is worth the return trip.
- Linda Holmes declares that the new Twilight Zone proves that fears are forever.
- Noel Murray declares that one of the first two episodes of the new Twilight Zone is a winner and one is not.
- Brian Tallerico explains why people still care about the original Twilight Zone sixty years later.
Comments on Us:
- David Sims declares that Us is worth seeing multiple times.
- David Edelstein finds that Us doesn't quite live up to Get Out, but clearly shows diretor Jordan Peele's promise.
- Camestros Felapton offers a spoiler-free review of Us.
- Carol Grant talks about Us and the horror of assimilation.
- Tanisha C. Ford explains the meaning behind the outfits in Us, particularly those worn by Lupita Nyong'o.
- Emmy Scott explains the native imagery in Us.
- Vanessa Willoughby discusses the references to the 1985 "Hands Across America" charity event in Us.
- Corey Plante also discusses the links between Us and "Hands Across America" and points out that the well-intentioned charity event was always a tad creepy.
- Daniel Welsh explains some of the recurrent symbols and Easter eggs in Us.
- Vann R. Newkirk II explains how Jordan Peele, director of Us and Get Out, reinvents the horror genre.
- Catherine Shoard reports that Lupita Nyong'o has been criticised by US disability groups for the damaged voice of her evil doppelganger character in Us, which happens to bear some similarities to a real life disability.
- Daniel Welsh reports about Lupita Nyong'o's response to the criticisms from disability advocates.
Comments on the live-action Dumbo:
- Kendra James calls the new Dumbo a garish CGI mess that proves that Tim Burton has finally lost his soul.
- Chris Klimek predicts that the live-action Dumbo will be forgotten within a year, unlike the animated original.
- Meanwhile, Mari Ness revisits the original animated Dumbo and finds it small on story, but big on heart.
- Charles Gant reports that the live-action Dumbo has hit the top of the UK box office.
The Matrix at twenty:
- David Sims declares that The Matrix is still dazzlingly original twenty years later and that such a movie might never happen again in today's Hollywood.
- Scott Tobias explains why The Matrix is still influential twenty years later.
Comments on the false allegations against Ed McDonald:
- The r/Fantasy reddit offers a timeline of the false harrassment allegations against writer and reviewer Ed McDonald.
- Ed McDonald himself responds to the false allegations against him.
Awards:
- The finalists for the 2019 Hugo Awards and 1944 Retro Hugo Awards have been announced.
- JJ lists where to find the 2019 Hugo Award finalists for free online.
- Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on the 2019 Hugo Award finalists and the 1944 Retro Hugo Award finalists.
- The shortlist for the 2019 Kurd Laßwitz Preis has been announced.
- The shortlist for the 2019 Booktube SFF Awards has been announced.
- The winners of the Spectrum 26 Awards have been announced.
- The winner of the 2019 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award has been announced.
- The shortlist for the 2019 International Dublin Literary Award has been announced with a little love for genre fiction.
- Mike Glyer reports that the David Gemmell Awards have been cancelled after ten years.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Nicole Bianchi shares seven strategies famous writer use to overcome writers block and reawaken their creativity.
- Sarah McGuire shares five ways to create a memorable and distinguishable cast of characters.
- Janice Hardy shares some tips for showing a character's age.
- Parnell Hall explains how to write a fictional expert when you are at best an amateur.
- Cat Rambo explains why you should never submit to a writing contest that charges fees.
- Katy Guest discusses why e-book piracy is so rampant and why so few people feel guilty about it.
Interviews:
- Paul Weimer interviews Kameron Hurley.
- The Qwillery interviews Jenn Lyons.
- The Qwillery interviews Caitlin Starling.
- The Qwillery intervies Helen Marshall.
- The Qwillery interviews Charlie Holmberg.
- The Qwillery interviews Namwali Serpell.
- The Qwillery interviews Timothy S. Johnston.
- Juliette Wade interviews Vida Cruz.
- The Guardian interviews Madeline Miller.
- Benjamin Samuel interviews Seth Fried.
- The Geek's Guide to the Galaxy interviews the editor and contributors of the anthology A People's Future of the United States.
Reviews:
- Bill Capossere reviews A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine.
- Liz Bourke reviews Finders by Melissa Scott.
- Paul Weimer reviews Finder by Suzanne Palmer.
- Maria Haskins reviews Finder by Suzanne Palmer.
- Steve J. Wright reviews Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers.
- Andrew Liptak reviews The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley.
- Liz Bourke reviews The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.
- Martin Cahill reviews The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.
- Russell Letson reviews Alliance Rising by C.J. Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher.
- Kat Hooper reviews In Evil Times by Melinda Snodgrass.
- Paul Weimer reviews Edges by Linda Nagata.
- Joseph Hurtgen reviews Permafrost by Alastair Reynolds.
- Kat Hooper reviews In the Vanishers' Palace by Aliette de Bodard.
- Paul Weimer reviews The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark.
- Marion Deeds reviews That Ain't Witchcraft by Seanan McGuire.
- Liz Bourke reviews The Fire Opal Mechanism by Fran Wilde and Not For Use in Navigation by Iona Datt-Sharma.
- Katharine Coldiron reviews Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri.
- Rob Bedford reviews Seraphina's Lament by Sarah Chorn.
- Nicole Hill reviews Seven Blades in Black by Sam Sykes.
- Mark Yon reviews Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver.
- Alex Brown reviews Once and Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy.
- Tadiana Jones reviews King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Servant of the Crown by Melissa McShane.
- Colleen Mondor reviews In An Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire.
- Geoff Matthews reviews Sowing by Angie Grigaliunas.
- Mark Timmony reviews Blackwing by Ed McDonald.
- Marion Deeds reviews A Hawk in the Woods by Carrie Laban.
- Geoff Matthews reviews Aching God by Mike Shel.
- Paul di Filippo reviews Zero Bomb by M.T. Hill.
- Kate Sherrod reviews Infinite Detail by Tim Maughan.
- Amy Goldschlager reviews Elevation by Stephen King.
- Matthew Keeley reviews Guestbook: Ghost Stories by Leanne Shapton.
- Abigail Nussbaum reviews Theory of Bastards by Aubrey Schulman.
- Matt Brandenburg reviews She's Lost Control, edited by Elizabeth Jenike.
- Christopher Priest reviews The Pleasant Profession of Robert A. Heinlein by Farah Mendlesohn.
Classics reviews:
- Margarita Mospanova revisits the 1927 science fiction novel The Amphibian by Alexander Beliaev and its 1962 film adaptation.
- Rich Horton revisits the 1963 science fiction novels Captives of the Flame by Samuel R. Delany and The Psionic Menace by Keith Woodcott.
- Gideon Marcus revisits the April 1964 issue of Analog.
- Kat Hooper revisits the 1988 fantasy collection Oathblood by Mercedes Lackey.
- Bogi Takács revisits the 1998 dystopian novel Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson.
- Rich Horton revisits the 1998 historical fantasy novel Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle.
Crowdfunding:
- Amazing Stories is looking for funding to start its second year with a special full colour issue.
- The simulator game Calico: Magical Girls Running Cat Cafés is looking for funding.
Con and event reports:
- Ridley Scott himself has praised the stage production of Alien at a high school in North Bergen, New Jersey, offered some financial help for an encore performance and encouraged the students to do Gladiator next.
- Brandon Zachary reports about a panel at WonderCon in Anaheim, California, featuring Jim Lee.
- Angie Dahl reports about a panel about the upcoming Dark Phoenix movie at WonderCon.
- Angie Dahl reports about the Cloak and Dagger panel at WonderCon.
- Carl Samson reports that a dozen cosplayers were arrested for alleged immigration violations at Cosplay Festival 4 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Paul Levinson shares his experiences at the Galactic Philadelphia event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Mark L. Blackman reports about the latest edition of the New York Review of Science Fiction Readings Series in Brooklyn, New York, featuring Theodora Goss and Barbara Krasnoff.
- Mike Glyer reports about the latest, even stranger developments in the case of Ed Kramer, convicted child molester and co-founder of Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia.
- James Bacon reports that a fire has struck the company where the WorldCon 77 in Dublin, Ireland, was planning to rent mobility scooters. Therefore, any WorldCon members with accessibility needs should contact the WorldCon 77 team immediately.
- Jamie Sugah offers a beginner's guide to New York Comic Con in New York City.
- Mike Glyer looks ahead at the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention in Lombard, Illinois.
- Robert Z. Pearlman reports about the exhibition "50 Years from Tranquility Base" at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.
- Lulu Garcia-Navarro reports about the Game of Thrones scavenger hunt for six Iron Throne replicas hidden worldwide and how Swedish fan Josefine Wallenå found one of the in Northern Sweden.
Science and technology:
- The BBC reports that a huge methane surge on Mars has been spotted from space.
- Chris Bell reports that spacesuits and other equipment are still not frequently enough made in female sizes.
- Science News reports that paleontologists have found a fossil site in North Dakota containing the remains of plants and animals that died barely an hour after the meteor strike that killed the dinosaurs.
- Annemarie McCarthy reports that the Flat Earth Cruise plans to sail to the edge of the world and is in for a surprise.
- Christopher Joyce reports that dozens of non-native marine species have invaded the Galapagos Islands.
- Colin Marshall explains why there are so many drawings of murderous rabbits in the margins of medieval manuscripts.
Free online fiction:
- "Professor Strong and the Brass Boys" by Amal Singh in Apex Magazine.
- "Blue Morphos in the Garden" by Lis Mitchell at Tor.com.
- "On the Lonely Shore" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia in Uncanny Magazine.
- "Blur" by Carmen Maria Machado in Lightspeed.
- "One/Zero" by Kathleen Ann Goonan at Tor.com.
- "Seventy-Seven" by Francisco Ortega, translated by David Bowles in The Dark.
- "The Archronology of Love" by Caroline M. Yoachim in Lightspeed.
- "The Girl and the House" by Mari Ness in Nightmare Magazine.
- "Vis Delendi" by Marie Brennan in Uncanny Magazine.
Odds and ends:
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