It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the various iterations of Star Trek, The Old Guard, Legends of Tomorrow, Snowpiercer, Palm Springs, tributes to Ennio Moricone and Earl Cameron, the latest convention cancellations and virtual conventions due to the corona virus and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Goodreads shares the 100 most popular science fiction books on their platform.
- James Davis Nicoll shares five recent books for fans of spaceships, rockets and occasional explosions.
- James Davis Nicoll offers a brief history of megastructures in science fiction.
- James Davis Nicoll also takes a look at the writing husbands of several famous woman SFF writers.
- Daniel DeVita shares ten awesome science fiction and fantasy books by black authors.
- Suyi Davies Okungbowa shares five SFF books set in contemporary African locales.
- Nisi Shawl offers a tour through the history of black science fiction.
- Alexandra Stronach takes a look at LGBTQ science fiction by New Zealand authors.
- Estelle Laure shares five YA science fiction and fantasy books in which women reclaim their identities.
- Christina Orlando and Leah Schnelbach share 23 SFF retellings of classic stories.
- Jasper Dewitt wonders whether the gothic novel is about to undergo a revival.
- Gwendolyn Kiste shares five historical horror novels.
- Riley Sager shares famous literary haunted houses.
- Alexandra Christo shares five SFF books in which criminals save the day.
- Chris M. Barkley talks about racism in the science fiction and fantasy community.
- Melissa Bashardoust talks about Persian legends and their western counterparts.
- Jay Stringer declares that genre labels are meaningless, but fun to discuss.
- Leah Schnelbach talks about language and codeswitching in Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson.
- Rahil Sheikh traces the history of the superheroine Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel
- Aidan Moher praises the striking work of SFF artist Galen Dara.
- Alison Flood reports that several early short stories by Terry Pratchett, which have never been collected or reprinted will be published in book form in September.
- The BBC reports that several Harry Potter fansites have distanced themselves from J.K. Rowling a.k.a. Robert Galbraith because of her transphobic remarks.
- Several prominent writers and scholars have posted an open letter, complaining about cancel culture.
- Timothy the Talking Cat also speaks out against cancel culture.
- The Polish magazine Nowa Fantastyka issues a statement in response to criticisms they received for publishing a story some readers considered homophobic.
- Tor.com reports that a freelance game designer has left Wizards of the Coast because of a hostile work environment.
Film and TV:
- Stuart Heritage wonders if Warrior Nun is the next Stranger Things.
- Alex McLevy declares that Ju-On Origins offers some decent scares but little else.
- BOLO Books shares their thoughts on Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.
- Alex McLevy shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Stargirl.
- Maya Gittelman discusses the subversive LGBTQ triumph of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
- Ignatiy Vishnevetsky revisits the 1933 post-apocalyptic movie Deluge.
- Jessica Holmes rewatches the 1965 movie Doctor Who and the Daleks.
- Noah Berlatsky revisits the 1981 horror film The Evil Dead.
- David Roth revisits Paul Verhoeven's 1997 adaptation of Starship Troopers.
- Emily Temple shares Hilary Mantel's 1988 review of RoboCop.
- A.O. Scott expresses his dislike for superhero movies which he hates so much that he is glad the corona pandemic caused all superhero movies to be delayed.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw lists nine Marvel characters who deserve their own movie or TV show.
- Gavin Edwards shares the twenty best time travel movies.
- Mike Bedard lists science fiction TV shows ruined by bad endings.
- Jon Berlingame takes a look at Emmy-nominated scores of recent science fiction and fantasy TV shows.
- Emma Grey Ellis interviews Leigh Dana Jackson, producer of the upcoming Foundation series.
- Cameron Scheetz interviews Danny Trejo, star of Machete.
- Debbie Zhou interviews Natalie Erika James, director of Relic.
- Joe Otterson reports that actress Javicia Leslie has been cast as the new series lead of Batwoman, following the departure of Ruby Rose.
- Tor.com reports that The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina has been cancelled after season 4.
- Theresa DeLucci shares her thoughts on the videogame The Last of Us II.
- David Klass asks if the best adaptations keep the author at arm's length.
- Alex Cox talks about the difficulties of shooting movies under the new corona protection rules.
- Andrew Pulver reports that Hollywood stars shooting in the UK will be exempt from the UK's quarantine rules
- Actor Nick Cordero has died of complications of the corona virus aged 41.
- Legendary film composer Ennio Moricone has died aged 92.
- Robert D. McFadden remembers Ennio Moricone.
- Actor Earl Cameron, best known for his appearances in Thunderball, Doctor Who, The Prisoner and Good Omens, has died aged 102.
- Andrew Pulver remembers Earl Cameron.
Comments on the various iterations of Star Trek:
- Many of his co-stars come together to celebrate the 80th birthday of Sir Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard and Professor Charles Xavier in several X-Men movies among many other things.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido rewatches the Star Trek Voyager episodes "False Profits" and "Remember".
- Alvaro Zinos-Amaro revisits the 2011 Star Trek Deep Space Nine tie-in novel Typhon Pact: Rough Beasts of Empire by David George III
Comments on The Old Guard:
- Anya Stanley calls The Old Guard a thoughtful action fantasy hybrid.
- Peter Bradshaw calls The Old Guard a forgettable thriller with a silly premise.
- Ellen E. Jones interviews Gina Prince-Bythewood, director of The Old Guard.
Comments on Legends of Tomorrow:
- Graeme Virtue explains why you should watch Legends of Tomorrow.
- S.E. Fleenor praises the Star Trek parody in Legends of Tomorrow and how it pays tribute to the origins of fanfiction.
Comments on Snowpiercer:
- Emma Fraser discusses the depiction of crime and punishment in Snowpiercer.
- Kayla Kumari Upadyaya shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Snowpiercer.
Comments on Palm Springs:
- A.A. Dowd calls Palm Springs a sweet and inventive timeloop movie.
- Cameron Scheetz interviews Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, stars of Palm Springs.
- Cameron Scheetz interviews Camila Mendes and Meredith Hagner, two of the stars of Palm Springs.
Awards:
- Online voting for the 2020 Hugo Awards is now open.
- The winners of the 2019 Cóyotl Awards have been announced.
- The nominees for the 2020 ENnie Awards have been announced.
- The winner of the 2020 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award has been announced.
- The winner of the 2020 Phantastikpreis der Stadt Wetzlar has been announced.
- The Heinlein Society has announced the winners of their 2020 scholarships.
- Joe Sherry takes a look at the finalists for the 2020 Best Related Work Hugos.
- Camestros Felapton profiles Cora Buhlert, James Davis Nicoll, Alasdair Stuart, Bogi Takács, Paul Weimer and Adam Whitehead, the finalists for the 2020 Best Fan Writer Hugo.
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Michael R. Underwood talks about writing a novel based on his favourite tropes.
- Owen Matthews talks about truth and historical fiction.
- Sherryl Clark talks about writers' day jobs.
- Dean Wesley Smith explains why he is opposed to traditional publishing.
- Cora Buhlert looks back on nine years of indie publishing.
- The SFWA reports that it is now possible to register the US copyright for several short works published online for a flat fee.
- Julian Mark reports that the owner of Borderlands Books in San Francisco, California, has been accused of sexual assault by his daughter and domestic abuse by his ex-partner.
- Mike Glyer also reports about the sexual assault allegations against the owner of Borderlands Books.
Interviews:
- Arley Sorg interviews Kate Elliott.
- Alex Clark interviews David Mitchell.
- Redditors interview Aliette de Bodard.
- The Book Bratz interviews Shveta Thakrar.
- Arley Sorg interviews Madeline Ashby.
- C.L. Polk and Alyssa Cole interview each other.
- Mike Glyer interviews Ry Herman.
- Runalong the Shelves interviews Kit Mallory.
- The Qwillery interviews John Fram.
- Andrea Johnson interviews Iain J. Clark.
- Andrea Johnson interviews Ariela Housman.
- Listen to an interview with J.R.R. Tolkien from the 1960s.
Reviews:
- Carolyn Cushman reviews American Demon by Kim Harrison and Spells for the Dead by Faith Hunter.
- Carolyn Cushman reviews Voodoo Shanghai by Kristi Charish and Forced Perspectives by Tim Powers.
- Paul Di Filippo reviews Hella by David Gerrold.
- Kat Hooper reviews Hella by David Gerrold.
- Buzz Dixon reviews Hella by David Gerrold.
- Jessica P. Wick reviews Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
- Ian Mond and Paula Guran review Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Kat Hooper reviews Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders by Aliette de Bodard.
- M.K. French reviews Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders by Aliette de Bodard.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Year of Witching by Alexis Henderson.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews Love Bites by Ry Herman.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Sparks by Kit Mallory.
- Kat Hooper and Marion Deeds reviews Creatures of Want and Ruin by Molly Tanzer.
- Katharine Coldiron reviews Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi.
- Lee Mandelo reviews Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
- Colleen Mondor reviews All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace.
- Paul Weimer reviews Master of Dreams and Mistress of Illusions by Mike Resnick.
- Kat Hooper reviews The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell.
- John Valeri reviews Witch Hunt by Cate Conte.
- Doreen Sheridan reviews A Sprinkling of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber and tries a recipe from the book.
- Laura Miller reviews Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell.
- Ian Mond reviews A Peculiar Peril by Jeff VanderMeer.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews Random Sh*t Flying Through the Air by Jackson Ford.
- Colleen Mondor reviews Oasis by Katya de Becerra.
- Steve J. Wright reviews Deeplight by Frances Hardinge.
- Doris V. Sutherland reviews Dead Sea Chronicles by Tim Curran.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay.
- Cassie Schulz reviews Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power.
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews Unbecoming by Lesley Wheeler.
- Rob Bedford reviews The Kingdom of Liars by Nick Martell.
- Rebecca Fisher reviews Under the Moon by Lauren Myracle.
- Bill Capossere reviews Or What You Will by Jo Walton.
Classics reviews:
- Kelly Lasiter revisits the 1944 mythological novel The Golden Fleece by Robert Graves.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1946 science fiction comedy Mr. Adam by Pat Frank.
- Sandy Ferber revisits the 1952 science fiction collection Away and Beyond by A.E. van Vogt.
- Joachim Boaz revisits the 1955 postapocalyptic novel The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett.
- Jason Sacks revisits the 1965 post-apocalyptic novel Dr. Bloodmoney or How We Got Along After the Bomb by Philip K. Dick.
- Gideon Marcus revisits the August 1965 issue of Galaxy.
- Bogi Takács revisits the 1966 science fiction novel Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany.
- Paul Fraser revisits the 1970 anthology The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, edited by Robert Silverberg.
- Judith Tarr revisits the 1981 children's science fiction novel Star Ka'ats and the Winged Warriors by Andre Norton.
- James David Nicoll revisits the 1982 hard science fiction novel Helliconia Spring by Brian W. Aldiss.
- Tadiana Jones revisits the 1985 children's fantasy novel Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, translated by Emily Balistrieri.
- Summer H. Paulus revisits the 1990 fantasy novel The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan.
- Pat's Fantasy Hotlist revisits the 1995 cyberpunk novel The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson.
- Doris V. Sutherland revisits the 2005 vampire novel Vestal by Charlee Jacob.
Con and event reports:
- CoNZealand, the 2020 Worldcon has announced an initiative to support marginalised and historically underrepresented people.
- Neil Clarke declares that the virtual Worldcon CoNZealand will be the most science fictional Worldcon ever.
- Andrew Liptak reports that DragonCon in Atlanta, Georgia, has gone virtual due to the corona virus.
- Mike Glyer has more information on DragonCon going virtual.
- MileHiCon in Denver, Colorado, has gone virtual as well.
- The 2020 Windy City Pulp and Paperback Convention in Lombard, Illinois has been cancelled due to the corona virus.
- Sara Jones reports that the fate of the 2020 FanX convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, is still undecided.
- Mike Glyer reports that the New England Science Fiction Association will host a virtual one-day convention called reCONvene in August.
- Locus reports that StokerCon in Petersborough, UK, has been postponed until 2021 and was rebranded as ChillerCon.
- Mike Glyer reports that the 2023 Worldcon bid for Nice, France, has run into problems, because its proposed venue is slated to be demolished.
- Font Folly shares his experiences at the virtual Locus Awards weekend.
- M.H. Srinahari reports about the national webinar on Indian science fiction organised by the Rizvi College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mumbai, India.
- Watch a video of the Fannish Inquisition for the 2022 Worldcon bids for Chicago, Illinois, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Mike Glyer reports that Ed Kramer, disgraced co-founder of DragonCon in Atlanta, Georgia, is sueing a judge candidate for libel after she called him a "convicted sex offender" in her campaign flyers.
Crowdfunding:
Science and technology:
- The BBC reports that the launch of NASA's Mars rover Perseverance has been pushed back again.
- Jonathan Amos reports that the latest mission of the Rocket Lab launch vehicle Electron has failed, destroying the satellite payload.
- Jonathan Amos reports that ESA's Cryosat-2 and NASA's Icesat-2 will line up to measure Antarctic ice.
- Andrew Higgins reports that Ivan Safronov, a former official at the Russian space agency Roscosmos, has been arrested for alleged espionage.
- Mike Glyer and Andrew Porter talk about futuristic architecture in New York City.
Free online fiction:
- "Artificial People" by Michael Swanwick in Clarkesworld.
- "Accidental Kaiju" by Dianne M. Williams in Luna Station Quarterly.
- "The Necessary Arthur" by Garth Nix at Tor.com.
- "Once More Onto the Breach (But Don't Worry, the Inflatable Swords are Latex-free)" by Tina Connolly in Uncanny Magazine.
- "The Worlds Ends in Salty Fingers and Sugared Lips" by Jenn Reese in Uncanny Magazine.
- "Zen and the Art of an Android Beatdown, or Cecile Meets a Boxer. A Love Story" by Tochi Onyebuchi in Lightspeed.
- "Baba Yaga and the Seven Hills" by Kristina Ten in Lightspeed.
- "Spider Season, Fire Season" by Carlie St. George in Nightmare Magazine.
- "Needles" by Kali Napier in The Dark.
Odds and ends:
- Watch a trailer for season 2 of The Umbrella Academy.
- Watch a trailer for season 2 of The Boys.
- Watch a trailer for The Fandom.
- Daniel Dern offers an overview of Star Wars parody songs.
- Earthly Mission reports that Soviet monuments in Bulgaria have been painted to look like superheroes, much to Russia's chagrin.
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