It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with a lot of horror, the backlash against Game of Thrones and a bit about Star Wars, an uproar involving Norman Spinrad, Joker, Watchmen, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Lighthouse, For All Mankind, See, Doctor Sleep, The Current War and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Publishers Weekly shares the best science fiction, fantasy and horror books of 2019.
- Amal El-Mohtar shares the best new science fiction, fantasy and horror novels.
- Erik Kain shares a very male heavy list of his favourite fantasy novels of all time.
- Howard Andrew Jones and Todd McAulty share five classic sword and planet sagas.
- James Wallace Harris attempts to explain the science fiction of the 1960s in a two part post.
- Alexandra Christo shares five SFF books where criminals save the day.
- Christopher Shultz shares a brief history of Halloween in fiction.
- Nicole Hill shares nine recent horror novels to read for Halloween.
- Christina Ladd shares sixteen novels to get you into the Halloween spirit.
- Several horror authors share the books that scared them.
- David Barnett shares his top ten books about graveyards.
- Adrian Liang shares six novels about witches.
- Tina Connolly shares five funny books about witches.
- Seanan McGuire discusses the appeal of gothic horror.
- Andrew Michael Hurley talks about the popularity of folk horror.
- Naomi Booth talks about ecological horror fiction.
- Olivia Rutigliano points out that the original Dracula is a mystery - and a complex and fascinating one.
- Jessica Marie Baumgartner praises the power of Ray Bradbury's short stories.
- Rob Cameron discusses elements of Afrofuturism in a two part post.
- Laura Spinney talks about the scientific and cultural impact of conlangs.
- Norman Spinrad expresses his annoyance that fantasy is becoming more popular than science fiction and that some writers even dare to mix both.
- Mike Glyer reports that Norman Spinrad's column was taken down after complaints.
- Mark Lawrence muses about the differences between magic and science or the lack thereof.
- Philip Pullman has some choice words for critics who disdain children's literature.
- Mike Avila discusses the complicated legacy of Batman co-creator Bob Kane.
- Alison Flood reports about the battle to exhume the remains of James Joyce and return them to Ireland.
- Politico reports that Thierry Breton, future French member of the European Commission, is also a science fiction author.
- Joanne Kaufman visits Milford, Pennsylvannia, home of the Milford Science Fiction Writers Conference.
- Science fiction scholar Edgar Chapman has died aged 83.
- Science fiction writer and physician Michael Blumlein has died aged 71.
- Rich Horton remembers Michael Blumlein.
Film and TV:
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls His Dark Materials a stylish, but overly simplified adaptation.
- Cath Clarke finds the latest version of The Addams Family bland.
- Leslie Felperin calls Tales From the Lodge an effective comedy horror film.
- Vikram Murthi calls Light from Light a ghost story meant to comfort rather than frighten.
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on Mnemophrenia.
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Emergence.
- Alani Vargas shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Batwoman.
- Helen O'Hara responds to Martin Scorsese's, Francis Ford Coppola's and Ken Loach's criticism of superhero movies by pointing out that Marvel movies are well made and much more nuanced than they are given credit for and that the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe project is highly experimental.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on Spider-Man: Homecoming.
- T.W. O'Brien celebrates Galaxy Quest on its 20th anniversary.
- Scott Tobias revisits Being John Malkovitch for its 20th anniversary.
- Emily Asher-Perrin revisits the 1998 paranormal romantic comedy Practical Magic.
- Leah Schnelbach discusses the legacy of The Twilight Zone.
- Emily Asher-Perrin declares that the films of Tim Burton contain plenty of powerful women, even if the leads are male.
- Zack Sharf shares the favourite horror movies of thirty film directors.
- Joe George lists ten classic horror movies to stream this Halloween.
- Terence Towles Canote shares his five favourite foreign horror movies.
- Angie Barry shares horror movies for all six senses.
- Angie Barry also pairs horror novels and movies.
- Writers of the Guardian share the movies that scared them as children.
- Lisa Black shares five scary movies that contain invaluable lessons for writers.
- Ethan Alter interviews Simon Pegg, star of Shaun of the Dead and the only person to appear in Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who.
- Kevin Polowy takes a look at the future of the Deadpool movies.
- Jax Motes reports that the TV series Cloak and Dagger has been cancelled.
- Joe Otterson reports that The CW is developing Superman and Lois, a TV series starring Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch.
- The BBC reports that the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, UK, has been closed due to a Dalek sighting related to Doctor Who being filmed there.
- People reports that Jared Pandelecki, who plays Sam Winchester in Supernatural, has been arrested over a bar brawl in Austin, Texas.
- David Canfield reports that an upcoming unauthorised biography of the late Carrie Fisher has met with disapproval by Carrie Fisher's family.
- Hollywood producer Robert Evans, who produced Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, Don't Look Now and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory among others, has died aged 89.
Comments on the Game of Thrones backlash (and a bit about Star Wars):
- Stuart Heritage reports that Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are facing a backlash after doing an extremely clueless interview wherein the revealed ignorance of their own audience.
- Andrew Liptak reports that HBO has axed a Game of Thrones prequel called Bloodmoon.
- Joe Otterson reports that HBO has ordered another Game of Thrones prequel series to be called House of the Dragon.
- Stuart Heritage wishes that the Game of Thrones universe would just vanish from TV altogether.
- Hannah J. Davis reports that they finally found out who left the errant Starbucks cup on the table in an episode of Game of Thrones.
- Geoff Boucher reports that Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will not make a trilogy of Star Wars movies after all.
- Justin Kroll and Brent Lang declare that the exit of Benioff and Weiss from Star Wars, following several other high profile exits or firings, is indicative of massive problems behind the scenes at Lucasfilm.
- Ben Child wonders why it is so difficult to make a good Star Wars film.
Comments on the latest version of Watchmen:
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
- Leah Schnelbach shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
- Joelle Monique shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
- Charles Pulliam-Moore shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Watchmen.
- Alex Abad-Santos reports that some fans are mad that Watchmen is now political, ignoring that Watchmen has always been political.
- Daryl Nelson reports that some fanboys are not happy with Watchmen, because the show tackles racism.
- David Betancourt profiles Regina King, one of the stars of Watchmen.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw interviews Meghan Kasperlik, costume designer for Watchmen.
Comments on Terminator: Dark Fate:
- Simran Hans calls Terminator: Dark Fate an opportunistic sequel.
- A.O. Scott declares that Terminator: Dark Fate feels wearily familiar.
- Brian Truitt declares that Terminator: Dark Fate fails to evolve the flagging Terminator series.
- William Bibbiani declares that Terminator: Dark Fate has made the Terminator seires sharp and relevant again.
- Germain Lussier interviews Arnold Schwarzenegger who plays the T-800 in Terminator: Dark Fate.
Comments on For All Mankind:
- Benjamin Lee calls For All Mankind a solid alternate history space saga.
- Danette Chavez calls For All Mankind a rallying cry in the form of a streaming video series.
Comments on See:
- Jack Seale calls See a brutal, blood-splattered and often hilarious post-apocalyptic series.
- Danette Chavez calls See standard dystopian fare.
Comments on Doctor Sleep:
- Peter Bradshaw calls Doctor Sleep and boring and meandering sequel to The Shining.
- Owen Gleiberman calls Doctor Sleep long and prosaic, but also creepy and scary.
Comments on The Current War:
- Paul Levinson calls The Current War a lovely little movie.
- Mark Jenkins shares his thoughts on the director's cut of The Current War.
Comments on The Lighthouse:
- Beatrice Loayza declares that The Ligthhouse reminds us that birds are terrifying.
- Cameron Scheetz interviews Robert Eggers, director of The Lighthouse.
Comments on Joker:
- Peter Travers interviews Joaquin Phoenix, star of Joker.
- Pamela McClintock reports that Joker is now the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time.
- Jessie Yeung reports that some of the anti-government protesters in Hongkong have taken to wearing Joker masks, while others are horrified and do not want their movement to be associated with a villain character like the Joker.
Awards:
- The winners of the 2019 Nommo Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2019 Xingyun (Chinese Nebula) Awards have been announced.
- The winners of the 2019 Pegasus Awards have been announced.
- The finalists for the 2019 Prix ActuSF de l'Uchronie have been announced.
- The finalists for the inaugural Dream Foundry Short Story Contest have been announced.
- The 2020 Arthur C. Clarke Award is open for submissions.
- George R.R. Martin has been inducted in the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Cat Rambo shares ten things she has learned from writing.
- Steven James shares seven tips for writing crime fiction set in the near future.
- Erica Wright discusses the perks of living in a haunted house and how it inspired her as a writer.
- Several writers explain which items from the Wellcome Collection in London, UK, have inspired their stories.
- Chelsea Eckert shares some tips on writing anthropomorphic animal characters for adults.
- Nick Mamatas explains why some writers get to fail more than once.
- Kristine Kathryn Rusch shares some tips for public speaking.
- Alison Flood reports that several UK authors and members of parliament have signed a petition to eliminate the VAT on e-books in the UK.
- The SFWA shares some advice on no advance contracts.
- S.L. Huang talks about cancelling contracts and norms in publishing.
- Robert J. Sawyer is not happy with the direction SFWA has taken.
Interviews:
- Joey Eschrich interviews Charlie Jane Anders and Madeline Ashby.
- Locus interviews Sarah Pinsker.
- Locus interviews Jenn Lyons.
- Locus interviews Phenderson Djèlí Clark.
- Andrew Liptak interviews Joe Hill.
- Ryan Britt interviews Nicholas Meyer.
- The Qwillery interviews Sean McDonough.
- The Qwillery interviews Clayton Snyder.
Reviews:
- Liz Bourke reviews The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow and Chilling Effects by Valerie Valdes.
- Camestros Felapton reviews The Will To Battle by Ada Palmer.
- Ian Mond and Gary K. Wolfe review Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
- Imogen Russell Williams reviews Deeplight by Frances Hardinge.
- Paul Weimer reviews A Jewel Bright Sea by Claire O'Dell.
- Maya Gittelman reviews Beyond the Black Door by A.M. Strickland.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz.
- Rudy Rucker reviews The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews Supernova Era by Liu Cixin.
- For Winter Nights reviews Salvation Lost by Peter F. Hamilton.
- Nina Allan reviews Stillicide by Cynan Jones.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Interference by Sue Burke.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews Antediluvian by Wil McCarthy.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews Meet Me in the Future by Kameron Hurley.
- Jeremy Finlay reviews Forward, edited by Blake Crouch.
- Kat Hooper reviews Wanderers by Chuck Wendig.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews Survivors by G.X. Todd.
- Carolyn Cushman reviews The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire and Witch Hat Atelier 2 by Kamome Shirahama.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Firebird by Nerine Dorman.
- Liz Bourke reviews The Ascent to Godhood by J.Y. Yang.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Ambiguity Machines and Other Stories by Vandana Singh.
- Lesa Holstine reviews Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia.
- Russell Letson reviews Rule of Capture by Christopher Brown.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Predator One by Jonathan Maberry.
- Daniel Dern reviews The Institute by Stephen King.
- Mark Yon reviews The House on Cold Hill by Peter James.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Ghoster by Jason Arnopp.
- Jeff Somers reviews Ghoster by Jason Arnopp.
- SFF World reviews The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes.
- Paula Guran reviews This House of Wounds by Georgina Bruce.
- Michael Patrick Hicks reviews Autumncrow by Cameron Chaney.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon by James Lovegrove.
- Andrew Liptak reviews Star Wars: Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse.
- Rosemary Hill reviews Hollow Places: An Unusual History of Land and Legend by Christopher Hadley.
- P.D. Smith reviews Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween by Lisa Morton.
Classics reviews:
- Summer H. Paulus revisits the 1820 horror story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.
- John K. Sherman revisits the 1962 gothic novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
- Gideon Marcus revisits the 1964 science fiction novels Star Watchman by Ben Bova, Demons' World by Kenneth Bulmer and I Want the Stars by Tom Purdom.
- Gideon Marcus revisits the November 1964 issue of Analog.
- Mark Yon revisits the November/December 1964 issue of New Worlds.
- Adri Joy, Joe Sherry and Paul Weimer revisit the 1968 Hugo finalists for Best Short Story.
- James Wallace Harris revisits the 1968 science fiction novel Chocky by John Wyndham.
- Toby Frost revisits the 1975 horror novel Salem's Lot by Stephen King.
- Joe Kenney revisits The Lights of Zetar, a 1975 novel in the Balzan of the Cat People sword and planet series by Wallace Moore a.k.a. Gerry Conway.
- M. Porcius revisits the 1977 science fiction novel A Heritage of Stars by Clifford D. Simak.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1977 science fiction collection High Justice by Jerry Pournelle.
- Paul Fraser revisits The 1977 Annual World's Best Science Fiction, edited by Donald A. Wollheim.
- Sarah Gailey revisits the 1979 children's fantasy novel The Neverending Story by Michael Ende.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1982 science fiction mystery The Taking of Satcon Station by Barry Cohen and Jim Baen.
Con and event reports:
- Runalong the Shelves shares their experiences as Fantasycon 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Sheila Addison reports about the exhibition Cowboys in Space and Fantastic Worlds: A History of Westerns in Science Fiction in Austin, Texas, and shares several photos.
- H.S. Stone reports about a visit to the Harry Potter and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge theme park attractions in Orlando, Florida.
- Lisa Morton shares the frightening history of Halloween haunted houses.
- Timothy Parent explains what cosplay is like in China.
- Mike Glyer reports about a murder case inside the Society for Creative Anachronism’s East Kingdom.
Crowdfunding:
- Silk and Steel, an anthology of LGBTQ SFF stories featuring warrior women and the ladies who love them, is looking for funding.
- Rebuilding Tomorrow, a post-apocalyptic anthology edited by Tsana Dolichva, is looking for funding.
- Star Trek Voyager fans are looking for funding to set up a monument dedicated by Captain Kathryn Janeaway in her future hometown Bloomington, Indiana.
Science and technology:
- Scott Neuman reports that the U.S. Air Force's X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle has landed after more than two years in orbit.
- Paul Rincon reports that Jeff Bezos has announced that he plans to form a "national team" to build a moon lander.
- The BBC reports that Virgin Galactic will enter the stock market.
- Mark Sullivan celebrates the 50th anniversary of ARPANET, precursor to today's internet.
- Camestros Felapton wonders how far a person can travel in a day, using various means of transport.
- Sian Cain discusses civil defence information campaigns to supposedly protect the British public during a nuclear war.
- NASA scientist Robin Brett has died aged 84.
Free online fiction:
- "The Pet Owner's Guide to Reptilian Hauntings" by Jerica Taylor in Luna Station Quarterly.
- "An Arc of Lightning Across the Face of God" by P.H. Lee in Clarkesworld.
- "Radio Static" by Carolin Jansen in Fireside Magazine.
- "Seeing Utopia" by Lisa Fox in Luna Station Quarterly.
- "On the Other Side of the Line" by A.T. Greenblatt in Fireside Magazine.
- "Affordances" by Cory Doctorow in Slate: Future Tense.
- "All the Days We Cannot Leave Behind" by Wendy Nikel in Daily Science Fiction.
- "What Cannot Follow" by Eugenia Triantafyllou in Fireside Magazine.
- "The History of Human-Computer Interaction: contributor notes" by Blaize Michael Kaye in Daily Science Fiction.
- "Thirty Days Hath October" by Stephen Woodworth in Crimson Streets.
- "Dread Unlocks" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
- "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe at Tor.com.
Odds and ends:
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