Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for November 17, 2023

 

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 2023, all the trailer for Netflix's Geek Week event, the Fourth Wing phenomenon, Star Trek Lower Decks and Star Trek in general, Star Wars in general, Loki, The Marvels and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Doctor Who past, present and future, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Thanksgiving, The Curse, season 4 of For All Mankind, the shelving of Coyote vs. Acme before it could ever be released, the SAG-AFTRA strike, the debate about AI generated writing and art, tributes to Michael Bishop and Robert Butler and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares a round-up of recent science fiction, fantasy and horror novels.
  
• Tobias Carroll shares indie and small press speculative fiction for November and December 2023 
• Just the Axe, Ma'am shares a holiday gift guide for sword and sorcery fans.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five spellbinding military fantasy novels
• James Davis Nicoll shares five science fiction works about nuclear war and its aftermath. 
• Lorna Wallace pairs science fiction books with songs. 
• Preston Fassel talks about the mental health benefits of horror.
  
• Linda Cheng shares horror stories about family, love and cannibalism.
  
• Judith Berman reports about the rise of the wholesome romance.
  
• G.W. Thomas revisits the pulp hero The Avenger by Paul Ernst. 
• Will Murray takes a look at the early history of the weird western. 
• Margot Harrison recommends books for fans of the TV show Yellowjackets. 
• Molly Templeton takes a look at the books that keep us company over the years.
  
• Lucy Knight reports that Nicholas Cornwell a.k.a. Nick Harkaway will write a new George Smiley novel, continuing the work of his father John Le Carré.  
• SFF writer and editor Michael Bishop has died aged 78. 
• Michael Bishop's family shares an obituary for him.  
  

 

Best of 2023:

• Amazon share their favourite science fiction and fantasy books of 2023. 
  
• Waterstones share their favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror books of 2023. 
• Kirkus share their favourite science fiction and fantasy book of 2023. 
• Charlie Jane Anders shares her favourite science fiction and fantasy novels of 2023. 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five must-read science fiction books published in 2023. 
• Indigo share their ten favourite fantasy books. 
• Indigo share their ten favourite horror books.
  
• Audible share their fifteen favourite fantasy audiobooks of 2023. 
• Waterstones share their favourite manga of 2023. 
  

 

Comments on the Fourth Wing phenomenon: 

• Laura Miller reports about the hugely popular Fourth Wing romantic fantasy series by Rebecca Yarros. 
• Moises Mendez II also reports about the Fourth Wing phenomenon.
  
• Alexandra Alter profiles Rebecca Yarros. 
• Alyssa Shotwell reports that speakers of Gaelic have complained about the language being misused in the Fourth Wing series. 
• Jennifer Maas reports that Entangled, the publisher of Fourth Wing, has promised to fix some misprint issues with the sequel Iron Flame.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Robin Marx reviews Conan the Barbarian #4 by Jim Zub and Roberto De La Torre
• Robert Mammone reviews Universal Monsters: Dracula #1 by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds
  
• Karen Haber reviews the art books Visions of Beauty by Kinuko Y. Craft and Found Worlds: Todd Lockwood by Todd Lockwood 
• Deuce Richardson profiles Jim Steranko. 
• Jill Lepore shares some background about the creation of Wonder Woman. 
• Justin Carter reports that Marvel is finally teaming up Peter Parker and Miles Morales in Spectacular Spider-Men.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Angie Han calls Beacon 23 a heady science fiction saga.
  
• Paul Levinson, Joel McKinnon and Cora Buhlert discuss season 2 of Foundation. 
• Leila Latif calls season 2 of The Lazarus Project a twisty time-loop thriller with spectacular action scenes. 
• Peter Bradshaw calls Dream Scenario Nicolas Cage’s Nicolas Cagiest performance yet
  
• Peter Bradshaw calls Control a wooden and occasionally deranged science fiction thriller about a murderous GPS system.
• Germain Lussier declares that Poor Things puts a shocking and fantastic spin on a classic tale
  
• Adrian Horton wishes that science fiction movies and TV shows would stop imitating Black Mirror. 
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on Scavengers Reign.
  
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on season 2 of Pantheon. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Rick and Morty. 
• Emma Keates shares everything to remember before watching The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
  
• Rhik Samadder shares his experiences participating in the real life Squid Game reality show.
• Cheryl Eddy lists ten science fiction shows to stream on Apple+ 
• Charlie Jane Anders talks about the lessons superhero TV shows keep learning. 
• Michael Ledwidge claims that 1987 was the best year in Hollywood history.
  
• Bobby Derie revisits the 1968 erotic horror film Necronomicon – Geträumte Sünden
  
• Stewart Shearer revisits the 1994 science fiction TV series Babylon 5.
• Gaby Hinsliff revisits the 2013 animated fairy tale film Frozen and traces its impact on a generation of children.
  
• Cheryl Eddy interviews film, TV and comic writer as well as editor J. Michael Straczynski 
• Tim Greiving interviews legendary film composer John Williams.
  
• Sabina Graves interviews David Harbour, star of Stranger Things, Creature Commandos, Black Widow and many others. 
• Kate Kellway and readers of The Guardian interviews Tilda Swinton, star of many things. 
• Ryan Gilbey interviews Rosamund Pike, star of The Wheel of Time, Gone Girl, Die Another Day and many others. 
• io9 interviews Dominic Monaghan, stars of the Lord of the Rings movies and Lost. 
  
• Simon Hattenstone interviews David Holmes, stunt double for Daniel Radcliffe in the Harry Potter films. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Joel Hodgson, creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000. 
  
• Jude Rogers interviews Greta Scacchi, star of Bodies and many terrible erotic thrillers in the 1980s. 
• Andrew Pulver reports that the Barbie movie directly contributed eighty million pounds to the British economy.
  
• Ben Child reports that director Greta Gerwig has been hired to adapt two of C.S. Lewis' Narnia novels to the screen and wonders if she will do better than the last attempt. 
• Stuart Heritage wonders if the trailer for Madame Web is deliberately terrible.
  
• Nellie Andreeva reports that Netflix has cancelled Shadow and Bone as well as several other shows.
  
• Matt Donelly reports that the proposed live action Masters of the Universe movies has been picked up by Amazon after Netflix passed on the option.
  

 

Comments on Star Wars in general (spoilers): 

• Jay Kang Romanus talks about corrupted bloodlines and the gothic ancestry of The Empire Strikes Back
• The G. shares his thoughts on The Mandalorian.
  
• Dean E.S. Richard shares his thoughts on Obi-Wan Kenobi.
• Phoebe Wagner shares her thoughts on Andor.
  
• Dean E.S. Richard shares his thoughts on Star Wars: Rebels. 
• Ann Michelle Harris shares her thoughts on Star Wars Visions. 
• Haley Zapal declares that you don't have to be a hardcore Star Wars animated series fan to love Ahsoka.
  
• Steve Kosak shares a look behind the scenes of the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. 
  

 

Comments on Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek in general:

• Galactic Journey revisits the 1968 Star Trek episode "For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky".
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido rewatches the Star Trek Enterprise episode "Affliction".
• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares an overview of season 4 of Star Trek Lower Decks.
  
• Jaime Babb explains how she came to love the character of Beckett Marriner in Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  

 

Comments on Loki (spoilers):

• William Hughes shares his thoughts on "Glorious Purpose", the season 2 finale of Loki.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on "Glorious Purpose". 
• Sabina Graves shares her thoughts on "Glorious Purpose". 
• Julia Glassman shares her thoughts on "Glorious Purpose". 
• Emmet Asher-Perrin declares that  season 2 of Loki finally gave us a story worthy of the prince formerly known as the God of Mischief
  
• Katie Campione interviews Ke Huy Quan who plays Ouroboros in Loki.
  
• William Hughes declares that season 2 of Loki is very likely the end of the God of Mischief's journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 
• Anthony D'Alessandro shares some viewing numbers for the Loki season 2 finale.
  
• The AV-Club ranks every Marvel TV show from worst to best.
  

 

Comments on The Marvels and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general (spoilers):

• Emmet Asher-Perrin calls The Marvels a much-needed dose of delight
  
• Owen Gleiberman calls The Marvels a skittery sequel loaded down with MCU baggage 
• Readers of io9 share their thoughts on The Marvels.
  
• Avery Kaplan shares everything to remember before watching The Marvels. 
• Sabina Graves discusses the post-credits sequence of The Marvels. 
• William Hughes wonders how many times Marvel is going to tease a certain superhero team, based on the post-credits sequence of The Marvels.
  
• Rachel Leishman declares that the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe looks bright due to the post-credits sequence of The Marvels. 
• Scott Huver explains all the Easter eggs and references in The Marvels. 
• James Whitbrook shares eleven burning questions he has after watching The Marvels. 
• Brian Davids interviews Iman Vellani who plays Kamala Khan in The Marvels.
  
• Zach Rabiroff takes a look at the comics history of Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel. 
• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that The Marvels has had Marvel's worst ever box office opening and wonders what went wrong.
• Sam Barsanti notes that The Marvels did open at the top of the US box office and significantly outgrossed the competition, even if the opening was lower than usual for a Marvel movie.
  
• Nancy Tartaglione reports that The Marvels is expected to have an all-time low opening for a Marvel movie.
• Pamaela McClintock reports that Marvel and Disney are rethinking their strategy for the Marvel Cinematic Universe following the perceived failure of The Marvels. 
• The AV Club hosts a roundtable on the problems of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
  
• Richard Newby points out that the age of Marvel is not quite over yet. 
• Zack Sharf reports that Stephen King has spoken out against the glee with which some critics react to the alleged failure of The Marvels. 
  
• Jason Guerrasio interviews Taika Waititi, director of Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder and many other things. 
  
• Zack Sharf reports about director Louis Leterrier's experience whil shooting The Incredible Hulk. 
• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that director Destin Daniel Cretton has left Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but will still helm Shang-Chi 2 and Wonder Man. 
• Justin Kroll reports that Pedro Pascal may be playing Reed Richards in Marvel's upcoming Fantastic Four movie.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of What if...?
  

 

Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future: 

• Nicole Methven interviews Russell T. Davies about the upcoming Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special. 
• Rebecca Nicholson interviews Jodie Whittaker who played the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who.
  
• James Whitbrook takes a look at past Doctor Who anniversary specials.
  
• Joseph Brant shares a speed run through sixty years of Doctor Who in thirty stories,
• Vanessa Thorpe reports that several of the missing 97 Doctor Who episodes from the 1960s are in private collections and archives, but that the owners are reluctant to come forward, fearing reprisals by the BBC for illegally acquiring those tapes.
  
• Morgan Cormack reports that Paul McGann is rumoured to return as Eighth Doctor in a new Doctor Who spin-off
• James Whitbrook reports that David Tennant will appear in a mini-episode of Doctor Who on Children in Need before once again donning the mantle of the Doctor in the 60th Anniversary Special.  
• Isobel Lewis shares advice for parents ahead of the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Special. 
  

 

Comments on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters: 

• Sam Barsanti calls Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters a surprisingly good Godzilla series
• James Whitbrook declares that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters finally nails the Monsterverse balance 
• Inspired by Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Sam Barsanti declares that the Monsterverse also makes sense on TV.
  

 

Comments on Thanksgiving: 

• Charles Bramesco calls Thanksgiving an entertainingly gory slasher film. 
• Matthew Jackson declares that Thanksgiving serves of a gory feast.
  

 

Comments on The Curse: 

• Joel Golby isn't quite sure how to describe the TV drama The Curse, but finds it excellent. 
• Manuel Betancourt calls The Curse a satire that's as biting as it is absurd
• Rebecca Nicholson calls The Curse an exquisitely cringe-worthy drama that is like nothing else on TV. 
• Saloni Gajjar calls episode 1 of The Curse the tensest hour of television of 2023.
  

 

Comments on season 4 of For All Mankind: 

• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the season 4 premiere of For All Mankind. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the season 4 premiere of For All Mankind.
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw talks about the problem with the alternate history politics in For All Mankind. 
  

 

Comments on the shelving of Coyote vs. Acme before it ever had a chance to be shown: 

• Benjamin Lee reports that Warner Bros is shelving another completed movie, Coyote vs. Acme, to save taxes.
• Cbeyenne Roundtree reports that director Dave Green and various cast and crew members were blindsided by Warner Bros' sudden decision to shelve Coyote vs. Acme. 
• Anthony D'Alessandro shares some reactions by cast and crew to the shelving of Coyote vs. Acme.
  
• Justin Carter shares more responses by cast and crew to the shelving of Coyote vs. Acme. 
• Aaron Couch and James Hibberd report that several filmmakers have cancelled meetings with Warner Bros about upcoming projects after Coyote vs. Acme was shelved.
• James Hibberd and Winston Cho report that Texas congressman Joaquin Castro has slammed Warner Bros for using US tax law to shelve Coyote vs. Acme and other movies and has called for a Federal inestigation.
  
• Samantha Bergeson reports that Warner Bros will allow the filmmakers to shop Coyote vs. Acme to other distributors. 
• Listen to a Meep Meep chorus from the never-to-be-released film Coyote vs. Acme.  
• Jonathan Mahler, James B. Stewart and Benjamin Mullin profile David Zaslav, head of Warner Bros Discovery, serial killer of movies and TV shows and most hated person in Hollywood.
  

 

Tributes to Robert Butler:

• Robert Butler, director of the original Star Trek pilot, the 1966 Batman, Mission Impossible, The Twilight Zone, Lois and Clark: The Adventures of Superman, Hawaii Five-0, Columbo and Hill Street Blues as well as co-creator of Remington Steele and Moonlighting, has died aged 95. 
• His family remembers Robert Butler. 
• The Director's Guild of America remembers Robert Butler. 
• Justin Carter remembers Robert Butler.
  

 

Comments on the SAG-AFTRA strike:

• Gene Maddaus reports that SAG-AFTRA members have approved the deal with the studios, ending the 118 day strike.
• Krystie Lee Yandoli and Marlow Stern report about some details of the deal between SAG-AFTRA and the studios.    
• William Hughes explains what SAG-AFTRA got out of the 118-day strike.
• James Whitbrook reports that the agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the studios still contains some worrying points regarding AI.
  
• Alan Sepinwall explains how long it will take for TV to get back to normal after the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have ended.
  

 

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards in the Science Fiction category have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards in the Fantasy category have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards in the Romantasy category have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards in the Horror category have been announced.
  
• The winner of the 2023 Endeavour Award has been announced. 
• The winners of the 2023 Arthur C. Clarke Foundation Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2023 Diagram Prize have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2023 Golden Joystick Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2023 Game Awards have been announced.
  
• The 2023 National Toy Hall of Fame inductees have been announced.
• Salman Rushdie has received the 2023 Lifetime Disturbing the Peace Award
  
• The Hugo Book Club Blog explains why they feel that a separate Hugo Award for independent films is a bad idea. 
  
• Camestros Felapton shares some graphs and statistics about the Dragon Awards.
• Ella Creamer reports that the awards ceremony for the 2023 Scotiabank Giller Prize was interrupted by Pro-Palestinian protestors. 
• Elizabeth A. Harris and Alexandra Alter report that political statements regarding the war between Israel and Hamas are also expected during the 2023 US National Book Award ceremony, causing sponsors to pull out.
• Sian Cain reports that several winners made statements calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war at the 2023 US National Book Award ceremony. 
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Tim Waggoner shares 61 horror clichés and how to make them fresh again.
  
• Rhys Bowen talks about incorporating real life experiences into your fiction. 
• Constance Fey finds some parallels between cross country running and writing.
  
• Matthew Ward discusses what happens when characters take over a novel. 
• Chin-Sun Lee talks about writing about landscapes. 
• Mark Lawrence analyses Goodreads ratings.
  
• Victoria Strauss warns about a fraudulent writing contest. 
• Michael J. DeLuca wonders what will happen to genre magazines after the demise of Amazon Newsstand. 
• Dia L. Michel explains why small presses and indie publishers are vital in promoting underrepresented voices.
  
• Julie Tremaine reports about the Lovecraft Arts & Science Council shop in Providence, Rhode Island.
  
• Horror writers Brian Keene and Mary SanGiovanni announce that they are opening the Vortex Books & Comics store in Columbia, Pennsylvania,
  
• Camestros Felapton reports about a visit the Harry Hartog Bookstore in Penrith, Australia.
  
• Adam Gabbatt reports that G/O Media is shutting down the feminist news site Jezebel and has fired several staff writers, including io9's Linda Codega.
• Andrew Higgins reports how Hungary's new anti-LGBTQ laws are terrifying Hungarian booksellers and have led to the firing of the director of the Hungarian National Museum for hosting an exhibition of award-winning press photos, some of which happened to depict gay people.
• Khaelda Rahman reports that the pro-book banning and anti-LGBTQ group Moms for Liberty failed in their attempts to take over school boards across the US.
  

 

Comments on the AI controversy:

• Various novelists and poets share their thoughts on AI.
• Andrew Albanese reports that a judge will toss out parts of the lawsuit several author levelled against Meta's AI chat bot.
  

 

Interviews:

• Olivia Rutigliano interviews Elizabeth Hand.
• Rob Bedford interviews Christina Henry. 
• Locus interviews Carmen Maria Machado. 
• Carol V. Bell interviews Tananarive Due.
  
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Tiffani Angus and Val Nolan 
  

 

Reviews:

• Alex Brown reviews System Collapse by Martha Wells
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard 
  
• Kat Hooper reviews Heaven’s River by Dennis E. Taylor
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Lagrange Point by Allen Stroud 
• Alexandra Harris reviews Orbital by Samantha Harvey
  
• Adrian Collins reviews Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
  
• Warner Holme reviews In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
  
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews The Navigating Fox by Christopher Rowe  
• Judith Tarr reviews Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen.
  
• Blue Book Balloon reviews A Power Unbound by Freya Marske 
• Marlene Harris reviews A Power Unbound by Freya Marske  
• Grimdark Magazine reviews Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare. 
• Fiona Denton reviews Traitor of Redwinter by Ed McDonald 
  
• Liz Bourke reviews Daughter of Winter and Twilight by Helen Corcoran 
• Marlene Harris reviews Twilight Falls by Juneau Black  
• Charles Bonkowsky reviews Dark Moon, Shallow Sea by David R. Slayton
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Roses & Violets by Gry Kappel Jensen, translated by Sharon E. Rhodes. 
• Daisy Hildyard reviews Jungle House by Julianne Pachico 
  
• Colleen Mondor reviews House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A. Craig
  
• James Tivendale reviews A Fortress of Grey Ice by J.V. Jones 
• Tobias Carroll reviews Here, and Only Here by Christelle Dabos
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Lost Cause by Cory Doctorow  
• Rob Bedford reviews Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry.
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. 
• Aigner Loren Wilson reviews The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. 
• Tobias Carroll reviews The Reformatory by Tananarive Due.  
• Marion Deeds reviews The Pale House Devil by Richard Kadrey 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff. 
  
• Alexis Ong reviews Brainwyrms by Allison Rumfitt. 
• Molly Templeton reviews Rouge by Mona Awad.
  
• Niall Harrison reviews You Are My Sunshine by Octavia Cade
  
• Jay Requard reviews issue 1 of New Edge Sword and Sorcery.
   
  

Classics reviews:

• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1911 horror collection Widdershins by Oliver Onions
• Frank Ormond revisits the 1919 fantasy novel The Moon Pool by Abraham Merritt. 
• Terence E. Hanley revisits the November 1923 issue of Weird Tales. 
  
• Rupert Holmes revisits the 1944 supernatural mystery Rim of the Pit by Hake Talbot
• M. Porcius revisits the fall 1951 issue of Fantastic Story. 
• Alan Brown revisits the 1953 YA science fiction novel Starman Jones by Robert A. Heinlein. 
  
• Victoria Silverwofl revisits the December 1968 issue of Fantastic.
• Cora Buhlert revisits the 1968 Conan sword and sorcery novel Conan of the Isles by L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter.
  
• Martin Edwards revisits the 1972 supernatural thriller Greenshards by Marie Buchanan a.k.a. Clare Curzon.
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1978 Raven sword and sorcery novel Swordmistress of Chaos by Richard Kirk a.k.a. Angus Wells and Robert Holdstock.
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1992 YA horror novel Monster and the 1998 YA horror novel The Stranger.
  
• Sylas K. Barrett revisits the 2000 Wheel of Time fantasy novel Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan. 
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Writer and publisher Catherine Lundoff needs some help to hire a caregiver for her wife to allow her to attend Capricon, where she is guest of honour.
• Horror writers Brian Keene and Mary SanGiovanni need some help establishing the Vortex Books & Comics store in Columbia, Pennsylvania,
• The art book  P. Craig Russell: 50 Years in Full Color is looking for funding.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• The Octothorpe Podcast reports about the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China.
• Taiyo Fujii reports about the panel "How I Became a Professional Science Fiction Writer" at the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China.
• Taiyo Fujii reports about the panel "Localization Paths of Science Fiction in Non-English-Speaking Countries" at the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China. 
• Mike Glyer reports that Russian author Sergey Lukyanenko, who did not attend the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China, will now be visiting China in December 2023.
• Locus reports about the 2023 Can*Con in Ottawa, Canada. 
• Ehud Maimon reports about the 2023 ICon in Tel Aviv, Israel.
  
• Sylvia Spruck Wrigley reports about the 2023 "Disruptive Imaginations" joint conference of the Science Fiction Research Association and the Gesellschaft für Fantastikforschung in Dresden, Saxony, Germany.  
• Kevin Standlee muses about the future of Westercon. 
• Hannah Roberts reports that Georgia Meloni, Italy Tolkien-obessed far right prime minister, has funded a Tolkien exhibition in Rome, Italy. 
  
• Sabina Graves reports about a Bluey immersive experience in Los Angeles, California.
  
• David Barnett reports that campaigners and a generous donation have saved the birthplace of the Bronte sisters in Thornton, Bradford, UK. 
• Emma Beddington and Sarah Gilbert share photos of abandoned theme parks.
  

 

Science and technology:

• Tim Newcomb wonders when the singularity will happen. 
• George Dvorsky reports that SpaceX has been granted permission for a second Starship test. 
• Steven Morris reports that magicians are less prone to mental disorders than other creatives.
  
• Astronaut Frank Borman, commander of the first Apollo mission to the moon, has died at age 95
  

 

Gaming: 

• Sam Barsanti declares that the Skyrim follow-up Starfield may be one of the most incredible games ever.
• Ethan Gach reports about trouble at the videogame company Embracer.
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Toy Habits reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Cartoon Collection Man-at-Arms.
• Pixel Dan reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Masterverse Revolution Sorceress Teela, Revolution Skeletek, New Eternia Trap Jaw and New Eternia Man-at-Arms. 
• Germain Lussier shares a look at the Hot Toys Feral Predator from Prey.
  
• Sabina Graves shares some Star Wars merchandise that makes great holiday gifts.
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Who Do We Become?" by Tannara Young in Luna Station Quarterly.
• "A Dragon in the Abbey" by James Morrow in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "Valis Seeker Fierefiz" by Michael Echeverri Rivera in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
  
• "Nightglow Pizza" by A.M. Lomuscio in Apex Magazine.
  
• "The Pandemonium Waltz" by Jeffrey Ford in Uncanny Magazine. 
• "A Glitch on the Railway Bridge" by Mseli Ngoma in Omenana.
• "A Review: The Reunion of the Survivors of Sigrún 7" by Lars Ahn in Lightspeed.
• "Last Ritual of the Smoke Eaters" by Osahon Ize-Iyamu in Lightspeed.
  
• "The Corruption of Malik the Unsmiling" by Naseem Jamnia in The Sunday Morning Transport.
• "A Heart Between Teeth" by Kerstin Hall in Tor.com.
  
• "The Parts That Make Me" by Louise Hughes in Clarkesworld
  
• "The Long Mural" by James Van Pelt in Clarkesworld.
  
• "In the Smile Place" by Tobi Ogundiran in The Dark.
• "Under a Green Moon" by M. R. Timson in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "The Last Science Fiction Writer: A Hallucination" by Fábio Fernandes in Interrzone Digital.
  
• "Nextype" by Sam Kyung Yoo in Strange Horizons. 
• "Human Business" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Masters of the Universe: Revolution. 
• Watch an interviews with Shane Minshew, supervising producer for Masters of the Universe: Revolution.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 6 of The Dragon Prince.
• Watch a trailer for the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender. 
• Watch a trailer for Damsel. 
• Watch a trailer for Dead Boy Detectives.
  
• Watch a clip from season 2 of Blood of Zeus. 
• Watch a trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
  
• Watch a teaser for The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. 
• Watch a trailer for Ultraman Rising.
  
• Watch a trailer for Orion in the Dark. 
• Watch a trailer for My Daemon. 
• Watch a trailer for Exploding Kittens.
• Watch a trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. 
  
• Watch a trailer for Rebel Moon.
  
• Watch a clip from 3 Body Problem. 
  
• Watch a trailer for Madame Web. 
• Watch a trailer for Ted.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Sweet Home. 
• Watch a clip from Leave the World Behind.
  
• Watch a trailer for The Gravity.
• Watch a trailer for Yu Yu Hakushu. 
• Watch a trailer for Imaginary.
  
• Watch a trailer for The Garfield Movie.
  
• Watch a trailer for Jurassic Park: Chaos Theory. 
• Watch a trailer for Pokemon Concierge.
• Watch a trailer for Terrifier 3.