It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the best SFF books of 2022, the discussion surrounding the rise of AI writing and art bots an uproar at MarsCon, the debate over the Hogwarts Leagcy videogame, the disappearance of Faleena Hopkins, Star Trek Picard and Star Trek in general, Star Wars in general, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, The Last of Us, Poker Face, Knock at the Cabin, the future of the DC Cinematic Universe, Attachment, Wnnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Masterverse, the health issues of Gregory Benford, tributes to Raquel Welch and much more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Lisa Tuttle shares a round-up of the best recent science fiction and fantasy novels.
- Natalie Zutter shares nine fantastic science fiction and fantasy books to enjoy this February.
- James Davis Nicoll shares five out of print SFF books every reader should try to find.
- Jo Walton shares her January 2023 reading list.
- Neon Yang talks about misinformation and propaganda in science fiction.
- Cole Rush talks about gambling in SFF.
- Brian Murphy looks at different attempts to define sword and sorcery.
- M.E. Hilliard lists the best and creepiest old houses in fiction.
- Johnny Compton points out that ghosts deserve sympathy rather than fear.
- Several authors share their favourite romance novels at The Guardian.
- Meghan Ball revisits the forgotten Dungeon & Dragons Heartquest line of choose your own adventure fantasy romances.
- Brian Collins talks about Robert A. Heinlein and his alter-ego Anson MacDonald.
- Cole Rush shares his appreciation for the Scythe series by Neil Shusterman.
- Charlie Jane Anders talks about J.K. Rowling and separating the art from the artist.
- Molly Templeton points out that there is no wrong way to read a book.
- Abe Asher reports that Faleena Hopkins, the romance writer who tried to trademark the word "cocky", has gone missing after a police chase in Grant Teton National Park in Wyoming.
- Shann Maureen, a relative of Faleena Hopkins shares their side of the story of Hopkins' disappearance.
- Will Oliver chronicles Robert E. Howard's correspondence with August Derleth.
- Dean Jobb explores the real life mystery behind Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat".
- Mark Davidziak wonders why the mystery of Edgar Allan Poe's death still haunts us.
- Sam Jones and John Bartlett report that an autopsy has shown that Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, already suffering from cancer, was murdered with botulinum toxin in 1973.
- Mike Glyer reports that science fiction author Gregory Benford suffered a massive stroke.
- Allen Steele shares a positive health update on Gregory Benford.
Best of 2022:
- Adrienne Martini shares her favourite SFF books of 2022.
- Paula Guran shares her favourite science fiction and fantasy works of 2022.
- Gabino Iglesias shares his favourite horror books of 2022.
- Alex Brown shares their favourite YA SFF books of 2022.
- Locus offers an overview about the SFF magazine scene in 2022.
Comics and Art:
- B. Ferg reviews issue 1 of Masterverse by Tim Seeley, Eddie Nunez, Kelley Jones and Sergio Aragonés.
- The Comic Book Dispatch reviews issue 1 of Masterverse by Tim Seeley, Eddie Nunez, Kelley Jones and Sergio Aragonés.
- For Eternia interviews Tim Seeley, writer of Hexware, Masterverse and many other comics.
- The Guardian reports that a drawing by Hergé from the 1942 comic album Tintin in America has sold at auction for 1.9 million pounds.
- Comic artist Lee Moder who co-created Stargirl has died aged 53.
Film and TV:
- Judith Tarr calls the Norwegian film Viking Wolf nordic noir meets the werewolf curse.
- Annie Berke calls Hello Tomorrow! a dull retro-futuristic drama.
- Camestros Felapton shares his spoilerish thoughts on the horror film Nope.
- Paul Levinson explains why he enjoys The Ark.
- Lorna Wallace declares that the animated space opera series Final Space deserved better.
- Cath Clarke calls Daughter a creepy kidnapping horror film.
- Paul Hirons finds Copenhagen Cowboy far stranger than the crime drama he expected.
- Peter Bradshaw calls Marcel the Shell With Shoes On a winning stop-motion animation.
- Swati Sharma finds an unexpected subversive message in the Bollywood action film Pathaan.
- Stuart Jeffries calls the documentary Dinosaur with Stephen Fry as enchanted as Jurassic Park.
- Michael Segalov interviews Bruce Dern, star of Silent Running, Family Plot, Black Sunday and many others.
- io9 interviews Alan Cumming, who appeared X-Men 2, Doctor Who, James Bond: Goldeneye and many others.
- Fiona Moore revisits the 1968 science fiction horror movie The Power.
- Leah Schnelbach shares her appreciation for Jones, the cat from the 1979 science fiction horror movie Alien.
- Justin Carter wonders whether superhero movies include too much fan service.
- Ben Child wonders whether the upcoming Super Mario Bros movie can end thirty years of terrible videogame adaptations.
- Valerie Ettenhofer explains why preserving TV shows is more important than ever in the age of streaming.
- Amelia Tait reports about collectors of film and TV memorabilia.
- Laura Barton talks about the Hallmark Channel's romance movie empire.
- The AV-Club share their favourite tragic TV romances.
- Alex Brown lists their favourite LGBTQ slice of life episodes of SFF TV series.
- Adrian Horton bemoans the lack of sex scenes in movies and TV shows, ignoring that many actors don't want to film those and many people don't want to watch them.
- Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris share ten horror movies about race relations that are not Get Out!
- Vanessa Armstrong reports that Sinead O'Connor will be performing the theme song for season 7 of Outlander.
- Rob Bricken reports that Warren Beatty will be reprising the role of Dick Tracy 33 years after the original film,
- William Hughes reports that HBO has cancelled the science fiction comedy Avenue 5, after seemingly forgetting that it existed.
- Rachel Russell reports that actor Bruce Willis is suffering from dementia.
- The Guardian reports that Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof has been released from prison
- The Observer reports about the state of the search for actor Julian Sands, who went missing while hiking in California.
- Hugh Hudson, director of Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan and Chariots of Fire, has died aged 86
- Peter Bradshaw shares a tribute to Hugh Hudson.
- Former child star Austin Majors, best known for his roles in NYPD Blue and Treasure Planet, has died aged only 27.
- Jeff Vlaming, writer and producer on TV shows such as Northern Exposure, Xena: Warrior Princess, The X-Files, Numb3rs, Hannibal, Fringe, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. and many others, has died aged 63.
Tributes to Raquel Welch:
- Actress and model Raquel Welch, star of One Million BC, Fantastic Voyage, Lady in Cement, The Three Musketeers and many others, has died aged 82.
- Anthony Hayward shares an obituary for Raquel Welch.
- Peter Bradshaw remembers Raquel Welch.
- The Guardian shares photos from Raquel Welch's lengthy career.
Comments on Star Trek Picard and Star Trek in general:
- Lauren Coates declares that Star Trek Picard finally finds its feet in season 3.
- Bill Hunt declares that season 3 of Star Trek Picard is the best Star Trek in twenty years.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on "The Next Generation", the first episode of season 3 of Star Trek Picard.
- James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "The Next Generation".
- Galactic Journey revisits the 1968 Star Trek episode "Return to Tomorrow".
- Keith R.A. De Candido revisits the 1998 Star Trek movie Star Trek: Insurrection.
- Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 2002 Star Trek movie Star Trek: Nemesis.
Comments on The Last of Us:
- David Cote shares his thoughts on "Endure and Survive", the latest episode of The Last of Us.
- Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on "Endure and Survive".
- Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on "Endure and Survive".
- Andy Welch shares his thoughts on "Endure and Survive".
- Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on The Last of Us.
- Andrea Long Chu delcares that The Last of Us is not a videogame adaptation.
- Jack King interviews Bella Ramsey who plays Ellie in The Last of Us.
- Vanessa Armstrong interviews John Paino, production designer for The Last of Us.
- Kimberly Roots shares some background about the so-called bloaters from The Last of Us.
Comments on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general (spoilers):
- Matthew Huff calls Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania a bonkers space opera and the weirdest Marvel movie to date.
- Germain Lussier calls Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania a slick but slightly empty science fiction adventure film
- Ellen E. Jones notes that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania focusses too much on Kang the Conqueror and too little on what made the previous Ant-Man films so enjoyable.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania a waste of everybody's time.
- Richard Newby shares the history of Marvel villain Modok.
- Germain Lussier interviews Peyton Reed, director of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
- Tahirah Hairston interviews Jonathan Majors who plays Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
- Devan Coggan interviews Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw explains whether you need to watch Loki before watching Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
- Lottie Elizabeth Johnson shares an update about the health of Jeremy Renner, best known for playing Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who suffered a serious snow plough accident in January.
- Watch a trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Comments on Star Wars in general:
- Ben Travis interviews Jon Favreau, showrunner of The Mandalorian.
- Zack Sharf reports that Angie Mayhew, the widow of Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca in the Star Wars movies, is upset that memorabilia that the Mayhews had to leave behind in the attic of their former house is being auctioned off.
- Watch a clip from season 3 of The Mandalorian.
Comments on Poker Face:
Comments on the future of the DC Cinematic Universe:
- Germain Lussier reports that DC Studios head James Gunn and Superman and Justice League director Zack Snyder are on good terms.
- Marc Malkin interviews Leslie Grace, star of the cancelled Batgirl film.
- Watch a trailer for The Flash.
- Watch a trailer for Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One.
Comments on Attachment:
Comments on Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey:
- Charles Bramesco calls the horror film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey an unholy mess.
- Luke Y. Thompson calls Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey a horror movie of very little brain.
Comments on Knock at the Cabin (spoilers):
Awards:
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Karen Schubert talks about the Inklings and the benefits of having other writers to talk to.
- Anna Stephens talks about doing research.
- Kristine Kathryn Rusch declares that some writer guarantee their own failure.
- SFWA shares tips for securing your author website.
- Leigh Stein sings the praises of BookTok.
- Victoria Strauss points out a problematic clause in the Findaway Voices distribution agreement.
- Jim Milliot and Emell Derra Adolphus report that an agreement has been reached in the HarperCollins labour dispute.
- Constance Grady explains what the HarperCollins agreement means for the future of books.
- Sarah Shaffi reports that independent publishers in the UK are thriving in spite of Brexit and the covid pandemic.
- Emily Rizzo reports that the Central Bucks school district in Pennsylvania is removing more than sixty books from the school library, including many highly acclaimed YA novels, following complaints about sexual content.
- Jason Stanley declares that banning authors and ideas is not a culture war, it is fascism.
- Audiobook pioneer Marianne Mantell has died aged 93.
Interviews:
- Media Death Cult interviews Adrian Tchaikovsky.
- John Mauro interviews Fonda Lee.
- The HWA interviews Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
- Locus interviews Suyi Davies Okungbowa.
- Scott Edelman interviews Brian Keene and Mary SanGiovanni.
- Runalong the Shelves interviews Andrew Knighton.
- The Guardian interviews Ned Beauman.
- Oliver Brackenbury interviews Jorge Del Rio.
- Christie Yant interviews Lowry Poletti.
- D.M. Ritzlin interviews John Gradoville.
- Oliver Brackenbury interviews the editors of Old Moon Quarterly.
Reviews:
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Red Scholar’s Wake by Aliette de Bodard
- Alasdair Stuart interviews Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty.
- Marlene Harris reviews Encore in Death by J.D. Robb.
- Beth Kanell reviews Encore in Death by J.D. Robb.
- Marion Deeds reviews The Necessity of Stars by E. Catherine Tobler
- Christopher Rowe reviews The Citadel of Forgotten Myths by Michael Moorcock
- Adam Colclough reviews Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway.
- Rogers Cadenhead reviews A History of Madness by Rebecca Crunden.
- Roseanna Pendlebury reviews Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth.
- Mary Picken reviews The Space Between Us by Doug Johnstone.
- Yvonne Ellis reviews Love Will Tear Us Apart by C.K. McDonnell.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews The Tangled Lands by Glenda Larke.
- Brian Murphy reviews Sometimes Lofty Towers by David C. Smith.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews The Last Night At The Star Dome Lounge by M.R. Carey
- Roseanna Pendlebury reviews Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai.
- Rob Bedford reviews The Sapphire Altar by David Dalglish.
- Sally Berrow reviews Obsidian Awakening by Sienna Frost.
- Fiona Denton reviews The Jaguar Path by Anna Stephens.
- John Mauro reviews The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill.
- Archita Mittra reviews The Queen of Summer’s Twilight by Charles Vess
- Blue Book Balloon reviews Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao
- C.T. Phipps reviews Wrath of N’Kai by Josh Reynolds
- Marion Deeds reviews The Secret Skin by Wendy N. Wagner.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Unraveller by Frances Hardinge.
- Paul Weimer reviews The First Binding by R.R.Virdi.
- Marlene Harris reviews The Unbalancing by R.B. Lemberg.
- Elizabeth Fitzgerald reviews Valentine by Jodi McAlister.
- Runalong the Shelves reviews A Candle for Malka by Louise Carey.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews The Oddfits by Louise Carey.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits Girl Squad Volta by Maya Lin Wang.
- C.D. Covington reviews Babel by R.F. Kuang.
- Blue Book Balloon reviews Jackdaw by Tade Thompson.
- John Valeri reviews The Drift by C.J. Tudor.
- Molly Templeton reviews I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself by Marisa Crane.
- John Mauro reviews A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher.
- Gabino Iglesias reviews Little Eve by Catriona Ward
- Rita Chang-Eppig reviews Vampire Weekend by Mike Chen.
- Lis Carey reviews Falling in Love With Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson.
- Alexandra Pierce reviews Best of British Science Fiction 2021, edited by Donna Scott
- Arley Sorg reviews Queer Little Nightmares, edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli
- Caren Gussoff Sumption reviews Tales from a Robotic World: How Intelligent Machines Will Shape Our Future by Dario Floreano and Nicola Nosengo
- Bill Capossere reviews Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women, edited by Lee Murray and Angela Yuriko
- Tim Adams reviews Anaximander and the Nature of Science by Carlo Rovelli, translated by Marion Lignana Rosenberg.
Classics reviews:
- M. Porcius revisits the October 1939 issue of Strange Stories.
- Joachim Boaz revisits the 1953 science fiction story "Star of Wonder" by Julian May.
- Brian Collins revisits the 1954 science fiction story “Let Me Live in a House” by Chad Oliver
- Crossexamining Crime revisits the 1958 mystery The Death Dealers a.k.a. A Whiff of Death by Isaac Asimov.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1963 apocalyptic novel Triumph by Philip Wylie.
- Sandy Ferber revisits the 1964 science fiction novel Beyond the Barrier by Damon Knight,
- Sandy Ferber revisits the 1965 science fiction novel Conquerors From the Darkness by Robert Silverberg.
- Victoria Silverwolf revisits the March 1968 issue of Fantastic.
- Martin Wisse revisits the 1968 anthology England Swings SF, edited by Judith Merril.
- Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1968 science fiction novel The Butterfly Kid by Chester Anderson, Gideon Marcus revisits the 1968 science fiction detective novel C.O.D. Mars by E.C. Tubb and the 1968 science fiction novel Alien Sea by John Rackham and Fiona Moore revisits the 1968 science fiction novel Chocky by John Wyndham.
- Hugonauts revisit the 1969 science fiction thriller The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton.
- Young People Read Old SFF revisit the 1982 science fiction story "Melancholy Elephants" by Spider Robinson.
- Paperback Warrior reviews the 1988 Deathlands post-apocalyptic men's adventure novel Dectra Chain by Laurence James.
- Becky LeJeune revisits the 1989 horror novel Ancient Images by Ramsey Campbell.
- Joe Kenney revisits the 1992 horror novel Vampire$ by John Steakley.
- Joe Sherry revisits the 2014 October Daye urban fantasy novel The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire.
Con and event reports:
- Camestros Felapton reports about the outcome of the controversry surrounding MarsCon in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
- Cass Morris weighs in on the MarsCon controversy and that the con's choice of guest of honour sent a message about who is and isn't welcome.
- Steven Popkes shares his notes on the "Plagues in SF" panel at Arisia in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Kate Connolly reports that Marco Goecke, ballet director at the Hannover State Opera House in Hannover, Germany, attacked dance critic Wiebke Hüster and smeared her with dog poo.
- Inspired by the Marco Goecke case, critics of The Guardian report about artists who physically and verbally assaulted them.
- Tim Crouch reports that regional theatres in the UK are suffering due to covid, rising energy costs and fundings cuts.
- Tim Bolton reports about an exhibition dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, UK.
- Sabina Graves shares the latest news from the various Disney Parks, Universal Studios Resorts and other US theme parks.
- Broadway set designer Eugene Lee, who worked on Wicked, Sweeney Todd and many others, has died aged 83.
Crowdfunding:
Gaming:
- Michelle Jaworski shares more criticisms of the Hogwarts Legacy videogames, this time regarding antisemitic tropes.
- Jaina Grey declares that there is no magic in Hogwarts Legacy.
- Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports that people are spoiling Hogwarts Legacy as a way of protesting against the game.
- Aidan Moher recounts the history of Magic: The Gathering.
- Linda Codega reports that Hasbro has admitted to making mistakes with regard to the Dungeons & Dragons open gaming licence and Magic the Gathering.
- Linda Codega interviews Elle Dwight, CEO of Role, a company offering a virtual mobile tabletop gaming system.
Science and technology:
- Jeff Hecht reports that astronomers have found an unexpected ring around the distant dwarf planet Quaoar.
- Kenneth Chang reports about a test of SpaceX's Super Heavy Booster.
- Eric Berger reports that another Soyuz spacecraft docked at the International Space Station has sprung a leak.
- Ian Sample reports about the four unknown flying objects shot down by the US.
- Leyland Cecco reports about the hunt for one of those unknown flying objects over Lake Huron, Canada.
- Eric Berger points out that it's extremely unlikely that aliens are behind the unknown flying objects recently shot down over North America.
- Darren Orf reports about a radical plan to combat climate change by cooling the Earth with moon dust.
- Lucas Ropek reports that an Israeli cyber company claims to have manipulated more than thirty elections worldwide.
- Ted Chiang compares ChatGPT and similar AI-powered chatbots to a blurry JPEG of the web.
- Neil Clarke reports about a concerning trend of magazines being inundated with AI-generated short fiction submissions.
- Joseph Cox reports that voice actors are being forced to sign contract allowing their voices to be used for AI training.
- Joseph Cox also reports that voice actors who criticised AI have been targeted by a doxxing and harassment campaign.
- Chloe Xiang and Emanuel Maiberg report that images used to train AI programs include IS executions and stolen nude photographs among other types of terrible content.
- Dan Milmo reports that Google's shares have plummeted after its AI chatbot Bard gave a wrong answer to a simple question.
Free online fiction:
- "The Day the Earthman Didn't Show" by Adam-Troy Castro in Lightspeed.
- "Guidelines for Using the Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library" by Marie Brennan in Lightspeed.
- "Introduction to 2181 Overture, Second Edition" by Gu Shi, translated by Emily Jin, in Clarkesworld.
- "An Ode to Stardust" by R.P. Sand in Clarkesworld.
- "Silk-Wrapped Love Story" by Phoenix Alexander.in The Dark.
- "Of Wood and Flame" by Anna Madden in Luna Station Quarterly.
- "Exiles from Valhalla" by Robert M. Price in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
- "The Dead Return in Strange Shapes" by Lowry Poletti in Fantasy Magazine.
- "The Mutineer" by Christopher Rowe in The Martian.
- "Silver Necklace, Golden Ring" by Marie Brennan in Uncanny Magazine.
- "Mother, Daughter, Charcoal" by Akis Linardos in Apex Magazine.
- "Home" by Erik Grove in Nightmare Magazine.
- "The Hauntening" by Tom Neeman at BBC Radio 4.
- "Multiple Disclosures, Part 1" by Joyce Reynolds-Ward.
- "After the Wedding" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
Trailers and videos:
- Watch a trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
- Watch a trailer for 65.
- Watch a trailer for Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
- Watch a trailer for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
- Watch a trailer for Extrapolations.
- Watch a trailer for Pluto.
- Watch a trailer for Fast X.
- Watch a trailer for Swarm.
- Watch a trailer for Kiff.
- Watch a trailer for Tetris.
- Watch a trailer for the live action The Little Mermaid.
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