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 works of 2023, the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who, the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and the DC Cinematic Universe in general, Godzilla Minus One, Monarch_ Legacy of Monsters and Godzilla in general, Rebel Moon, Part 1 - Child of Fire, season 2 of The Wheel of Time, Archer: Into the Cold,, Leave the World Behind, All of Us Strangers, season 4 of For All Mankind,
unfortunate Twitter remarks by actor John Schneider, the Cait Corrain review bombing scandal, the debate about AI generated
writing, tributes to David Drake and much
more.
Speculative fiction in general:
- Lisa Tuttle shares her favourite recent science fiction, fantasy and horror novels.
- Tor.com shares twenty-two wintery SFF books to enjoy.
- Isabella Kwai thinks we should bring back the tradition of telling ghost stories for Christmas.
- Emmet Asher-Perrin talks about the real magic of Santa Claus as portrayed in SFF.
- Leah Schnelbach ranks Christmas creatures.
- Rachel Brittain shares ten hopeful and cozy science fiction novels.
- Adam Roberts muses about grimdark fantasy.
- Adam Roberts muses about romantasy.
- Lindsey Eagar lists fantasy novels featuring bread and baking.
- Molly Templeton wonders what makes a story comforting.
- Michael Curtis profiles Leigh Brackett.
- Matt Mikalatos talks about the portrayal of Santa Claus in the Narnia novels by C.S. Lewis.
- Sian Cain reports how Neil Gaiman came to perform with the string quartet FourPlay
- Charles Stross demands that tech billionaires try to turn golden and silver age science fiction into reality.
- Mailing No. 5 of TRIAPA has been released.
Best of 2023:
Tributes to David Drake:
Comics and Art:
- Heidi MacDonald notes that comics aren't dying, but they are changing and that has many people scared.
- Brad Hawley reviews the graphic novel Where the Body Was by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
- Lo Terry takes a look at the new Conan the Barbarian comics and the creative team behind them,
- Bonnie MacBird and Frank Cho interview each other.
- Tom Gauld shares a holiday themed cartoon.
Film and TV:
- Arley Sorg and Josh Pearce found Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem unexpectedly enjoyable.
- Leila Latif calls Percy Jackson and the Olympians a charming fantasy series for the whole family.
- Peter Bradshaw calls The Boy and the Heron a mysterious, magical fantasy about grief and meaning
- Jenna Scherer calls Carol and The End Of The World an animated miniseries with a slow, melancholy cadence,
- Lucy Mangan calls The Winter King medieval nonsense.
- Paul Levinson declares that the time travel romance The Way Home sits somewhere between Outlander and The Time Traveler's Wife
- Arturo Serrano calls Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget a subpar but still enjoyable sequel.
- Emmet Asher-Perrin declares that Wonka tries to do several things at once, but doesn't do any of them particularly well.
- Matt Schimkovitz shares his thoughts on the season finale of A Murder at the End of the World.
- Leslie Felperin shares her thoughts on the animated film Cats in the Museum.
- Manuel Betancourt shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Curse.
- Leah Schnelbach shares six intergalactic holiday specials to enjoy.
- Bridget McGovern shares oddball holiday movies and TV specials to watch.
- Justin Carter wonders if animation finally gained the respect it's due in 2023.
- For Eternia interviews Filmation storyboard artist and screenwriter Robert Lamb.
- Ben Travis interviews Dave Filoni, creative director of Lucasfilm and showrunner of Ahsoka.
- Nick Romano interviews Albert Kim, showrunner of the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender,
- Sabina Graves interviews Eric Littman, series editor for the live action One Piece.
- Sian Cain interviews Natasha Lyonne, star of Russian Doll and Poker Face.
- Stuart Jeffries interviews the cast of Ghosts.
- Emine Saner interviews Hannah Waddingham, best known for her roles in Ted Lasso and Game of Thrones.
- Marty McKee revisits the 1963 science fiction horror film X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes.
- Fiona Moore revisits the 1964 science fiction horror film The Earth Dies Screaming and the 1968 horror film Curse of the Crimson Altar.
- Tara Bennett revisits the 1966 animated holiday special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
- Galactic Journey revisits the 1968 Star Trek episode "The Empath".
- Leah Schnelbach revisits the 1988 holiday special Christmas at Pee-wee's Playhouse.
- Patrick Cavanaugh shares Kurt Russell's remarks regarding the ending of the 1981 science fiction horror film The Thing.
- Soham Gadre recounts how The Lord of the Rings trilogy changed Hollywood.
- Ben Child reports that Guardians of the Galaxy director and current DC Studios head James Gunn has denounced "cameo porn" in superhero movies, i.e. characters showing up for no reason connected to the actual story.
- James Whitbrook reports that Timotheé Chalamet who plays Paul Atreides in Dune doesn't quite get the point of spoiler warnings for an adaptation of a more than fifty-year-old novel.
- James Whitbrook reports that Gundam: Witch From Mercury director Hiroshi Kobayashi has confirmed that the characters Suletta and Miorine are a lesbian couple.
- Zack Sharf explains why Quentin Tarantio's Star Trek movie was never made.
- Ben Travis reports that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes will take place three hundred years after the previous Planet of the Apes movies.
- Wesley Stenzel shares some background about why Shannen Doherty left the original Charmed.
- Justin Carter reports that visual effects artists at Lightstorm Entertainment, producer of the Avatar movies, are unionising.
Comments on Doctor Who at sixty:
- Arturo Serrano takes a look at the brief reign of the Fourteenth Doctor.
- Dais Johnson looks ahead at the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas Special "The Church on Ruby Road".
- Michael Hogan calls the documentary Russell T Davies: The Doctor and Me a joyous profile of a blazingly brilliant writer
- James Whitbrook revisits the 1973 Doctor Who episode "The Time Warrior", which introduced Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith.
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episode "The Eleventh Hour".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episode "The Beast Below".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episode "Victory of the Daleks".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episodes "The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episode "Vampires of Venice".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episode "Amy's Choice".
- Camestros Felapton revisits the 2010 Doctor Who episodes "The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood".
Comments on the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general:
- Charlie Jane Anders notes that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be fine, even if The Marvels underperformed for a variety of reasons.
- Germain Lussier chronicles the many problems of Marvel Studios in 2023.
- Emma Keates wonders why Wonka is considered a success and The Marvels a flop, even though The Marvels had a bigger opening weekend than Wonka.
- Abené Clayton reports that Jonathan Majors who played Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been fault guilty of harassment and assault in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.
- Aaron Couch and Borys Kit report that Marvel Studios has dropped Jonathan Majors following the guilt verdict.
- Sam Barsanti shares two equally plausible ways how Marvel could move forward without Jonathan Majors.
- Erik Kain shares some suggestions for recasting Kang the Conqueror.
- Watch a trailer for Echo.
Comments on Godzilla Minus One, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Godzilla in general:
Comments on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and the DC Cinematic Universe in general:
- Peter Bradshaw calls Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom a terrible sequel that should should sink to the bottom of the ocean, never to be seen again
- Matthew Jackson calls Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom a farewell to the DC Extended Universe with a focus on fun
- Germain Lussier declares that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has its moments, but mostly fizzles
- Germain Lussier lists everything you need to remember before Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
- Zach Seemayer interviews Jason Momoa who plays Arthur Curry a.k.a. Aquaman in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
- James Whitbrook reports that the unauthorised DC film The People's Joker will finally get a limited theatrical release in 2024.
Comments on Rebel Moon, Part 1 - Child of Fire:
- Charles Bramesco calls Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire Zack Snyder’s attempt to replicate Star Wars for smartphones and an ugly, unforgivably dull and self-serious mess
- Lauren Coates calls Rebel Moon, Part 1 - Child of Fire a soulless dud.
- Germain Lussier calls Rebel Moon a science fiction greatest hits album, fun but empty
- Germain Lussier interviews Zack Snyder, director of Rebel Moon, Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League and many others.
- Lucas Hill-Paul interviews Zack Snyder.
- Germain Lussier interviews Djimon Hounsou, one of the stars of Rebel Moon.
- Germain Lussier wonders whether Army of the Dead and Rebel Moon should now be considered the "Snyderverse", since Zack Snyder actually owns and created those characters.
Comments on season 2 of The Wheel of Time:
Comments on Archer: Into the Cold:
Comments on season 4 of For All Mankind:
Comments on Leave the World Behind:
- Clarisse Loughrey calls Leave the World Behind a paranoid, cynical thriller.
- Chris M. Barkley calls Leave the World Behind an openly pointed invitation to critically think about what’s happening around you as you go about your life every day, especially here in America, although it may equally apply to other nations that regard themselves as democracies
- Grant Rindner notes that Leave the World Behind is set in the same universe as Mr. Robot.
Comments on All of Us Strangers:
Comments on John Schneider calling for the execution of Joe and Hunter Biden:
- Ramon Antonio Vargas reports that actor and singer John Schneider, best known for his roles in Dukes of Hazzard and Smallville, has called for the public hanging of US-president Joe Biden and his son Hunter on Twitter.
- Shannon Powers also reports about John Schneider calling for the execution of the US-president.
Awards:
Writing, publishing and promotion:
- Chuck Tingle talks about art in defiance of the endless cosmic nothing
- Jillian Cantor looks at the ways writers borrow from others and contemplates the uncomfortable proximity between stealing and honoring
- José Pablo Iriarte shares things writing short stories did and did not teach them about writing novels.
- Eli Cranor shares the writing process of various crime fiction authors.
- Alice Alfonsi and Marc Cerasini, who write cozy mysteries as Cleo Coyle, shares ten things they learned in twenty years of writing mysteries.
- Danish writers Sara Blaedel and Mads Peder Nordbo talk about their crime fiction writing partnership.
- Ella Creamer reports that according to a study done by the University of Valencia, Spain, reading print improves text comprehension far more than looking at digital text
- Safy Bugel reports that author Demetrious Polychron sueing Amazon and the Tolkien estate for copyright infringement over The Rings of Power TV-series backfired on him.
- Max Goldbart shares more information about the lawsuit of Demetrious Polychron against the Tolkien estate and Amazon.
- Anne Marble explains how fantasy author Lauren M. Davis accused fellow author Marvellous Michael Anson of copyright infringement, because both their books happen to feature characters whose powers derive from the sun.
- Will Sebbis finds evidence of plagiarism in the works of thriller author Mark Dawson.
- Abby Cox criticises that comparisons that chasing TikTok fame is turning publishing into "fast fashion".
- Lucy Knight reports that Mills & Boon is launching a new spicy romance line called Afterglow aimed TikTok reviewers.
- Vanessa Armstrong reports that Small Beer Press is halting new publications due to the publisher dealing with health issues.
- Rob Carroll announces that Dark Matter Magazine will end with issue 18.
- Jim Milliot reports that the Colorado based independent bookstore chain Tattered Cover has filed for bankruptcy.
- Locus shares some news about the employees of various US bookstore chains unionising.
- John Maher reports that employees at the Seattle based bookstore chain Powell's Books have voted to ratify a new union contract.
Comments on the Cait Corrain review bombing scandal:
Comments on the AI controversy:
Interviews:
Reviews:
- Maura Krause reviews Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
- Marlene Harris reviews Seven of Infinities by Aliette de Bodard
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
- Richard Fisher reviews Lord of a Shattered Land by Howard Andrew Jones
- Roseanna Pendlebury reviews Paladin's Faith by T. Kingfisher.
- Liz Bourke reviews Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs
- James Tivendale reviews A Sword from Red Ice by J.V. Jones
- Ryan Howse reviews The Sword Defiant by Gareth Hanrahan
- Lesa Holstine reviews The Law: A Dresden Files Novella by Jim Butcher
- Gayle Surrette reviews Dangerous Magic by Monica Fairview
- Marion Deeds reviews Spark of Destiny by Gail Z. Martin and Larry N. Martin
- Mark Yon reviews The Crow Folk by Mark Stay.
- Liz Bourke reviews The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon
- Maura Krause reviews What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
- Clara Cohen reviews The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle by T. L. Huchu
- Marlene Harris reviews Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey
- Maura Krause reviews Death Valley by Melissa Broder
- Aigner Loren Wilson reviews The Dead Take the A Train by Richard Kadrey and Cassandra Khaw
- Gayle Surrette reviews The Dead Take the A Train by Richard Kadrey and Cassandra Khaw
- Fabienne Schwizer reviews A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather
- Rob Bedford reviews The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward.
- Marlene Harris reviews We Are the Crisis by Cadwell Turnbull
- Bill Capossere reviews We Are the Crisis by Cadwell Turnbull
- Molly Templeton reviews Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind by Molly McGhee.
- James Davis Nicoll reviews Darling by K. Ancrum.
- Jake Casella Brookins reviews OKPsyche by Anya Johanna DeNiro
- Niall Harrison reviews Nefando by Mónica Ojeda
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Terra by Allen Stroud
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Alphaland and Other Stories by Cristina Jurado
- Runalong the Shelves reviews Waterlore by Teika Marija Smits
- Gary K. Wolfe reviews Jewel Box: Stories by E. Lily Yu
- Ian Mond reviews Dragon Palace by Hiromi Kawakami, translated by Ted Goossen.
- Liam Hall reviews Between Princesses and Other Jobs by D.J. Butler,
- Marlene Harris reviews The Good, the Bad and the Uncanny, edited by Jonathan Maberry
- Warner Holme reviews Nightmare Fuel: The Science of Horror Films by Nina Nesseth
Classics reviews:
- Eric Williamson revisits the 1933 Conan sword and sorcery story "The Tower of the Elephant" by Robert E. Howard.
- Brian Collins revisits the 1935 Conan sword and sorcery story "Beyond the Black River" by Robert E. Howard.
- Paperback Warrior revisits the 1940 Doc Savage adventure novel Tunnel Terror byWilliam G. Bogart a.k.a. Kenneth Robeson.
- James Wallace Harris revisits the 1956 time travel story "A Gun for Dinosaur" by L. Sprague de Camp
- James Wallace Harris revisits the 1956 science fiction story "The Exploration Team" by Murray Leinster
- James Wallace Harris revisits the 1956 science fiction story "The Assistant Self" by F.L. Wallace
- Joachim Boaz revisits the 1961 science fiction story "George" by John Anthony West and the 1962 science fiction story "Requiem" by Edmond Hamilton.
- Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1968 science fiction novel The Power of X by Arthur Sellings and the 1968 science fiction collection The Long Eureka by Arthur Sellings, Gideon Marcus revisits the 1968 post-apocalyptic novel The Age of Ruin by John M. Faucette and the 1968 science fiction spy novel Code Duello by Mack Reynolds, Victoria Silverwofl revisits the 1968 science fiction spy novel The Sword Swallower by Ron Goulart and the 1968 dystopian novel They by Marya Mannes and Cora Buhlert revisits the 1968 sword and sorcery novel The Goblin Tower by L. Sprague De Camp.
- Joe Kenney revisits the 1971 UFO tie-in novel Sporting Blood by Robert Miall.
- James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1979 essay collection A Step Farther Out by Jerry Pournelle.
- Young People Read Old SFF revisit the 1989 Miles Vorkosigan science fiction novella "The Mountains of Mourning" by Lois McMaster Bujold.
Con and event reports:
- Liza Groen Trombi reports about the 2023 World Fantasy Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.
- Parks and Cons shares a tour of the Mondo booth at the 2023 DesignerCon in Anaheim, California.
- Germain Lussier shares his favourite toys and artwork spotted at DesignerCon.
- Pixel Dan shares a video of Retropalooza in Arlington, Texas.
- James Bacon talks about visiting a fantasy art exhibition by Viet Max in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
- Lyndsey Winship calls Matthew Bourne's ballet version of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, which is currently playing in London, UK, a cut above.
- Lyndsey Winship calls Zoetrope, which is currently playing in Cardiff, Wales, a surreal Christmas show featuring dancing skeletons.
- Róisín O'Brien calls the gender-swapped ballet Cinders", which is currently playing in Glasgow, Scotland, a festive treat.
- Lyndsey Winship calls the ballet Pirates!, which is currently playing in London, UK, a buccaneering adventure and fizzing family fun
- Arifa Akbar reports about the latest production of Macbeth by William Shakespeare in London, UK, starring David Tennant.
Crowdfunding:
Science and technology:
- Ashley Strickland reports that NASA's Voyager 1 space probe has suffered a computer glitch.
- Passant Rabie reports that NASA still hasn't managed to open the sample container that the Osiris Rex space probe brought back from the asteroid Bennu.
- Passant Rabie shares photos of the not very impressive tomato that went missing aboard the International Space Station ISS.
- Marcia Dunn reports that NASA's Psyche spacecraft is beaming a 15-second cat video to Earth.
- Donna Ferguson reports that the Shetland island of Unst will house the UK’s first vertical rocket launch spaceport
- Douglas
Preston talks about Oak Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, where people
have been searching for a supposed buried treasure since the late
eighteenth century.
- Chelsea Iversen talks about witch trials in Northern Norway in the seventeenth century.
- Isaac Schulz reports that researchers have analysed Scythian leather found in modern day Ukraine and discovered that it is made of human skin.
Gaming:
- Kali Wallace explains why she loves video games.
- Cole Rush shares 5 games for people who love fantasy, puzzles and escape rooms
- W.M. Akers shares some tips for using public domain art in your games.
- James Whitbrook reports that Hasbro has banned the use of AI generated art in Magic the Gathering.
- The New York Times reports that the state of California has dropped its sexual harassment lawsuit against the video game production company Activision Blizzard against a settlement.
Toys and collectibles:
- Geek Dad Live discusses whether Hasbro's G.I. Joe Classified is the best major toyline right now.
- For Eternia reviews the Masters of the Universe Masterverse Revolution Orko and Gwildor two-pack by Mattel.
- Pixel Dan reviews wave 1 of the Legends of Dragonore figures from Formo Toys.
- Pixel Dan discusses the journey to complete his vintage 1986 Masters of the Universe Eternia playset.
- James Whitbrook shares a look at the Hot Toys Star Wars Imperial Remnant Night Trooper figures.
- James Whitbrook shares a look at an upcoming Twilight themed Lego set.
- James Whitbrook shares a look at the Lego Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit set.
- James Whitbrook reports that Hasbro re-released some past HasLab crowdfunded toy projects only for them to sell out in minutes.
- Renata Garaldo reports that Hasbro will be laying off more than a thousand employees over weak sales.
Free online fiction:
- "Papas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Slug Monsters" by Erica L Satifka in Apex Magazine.
- "Don’t Leave the Grim Reaper on Read" by Julia Leef in Wyldblood.
- "A Unicorn’s Horn Is Proof Against Poison" by Clare Packard in Luna Station Quarterly.
- "Hollow Are the Bones" by E.E. Cypher in The Deadlands.
- "To the Waters and the Wild" by Izzy Wasserstein in Lightspeed.
- "Seed" by Adam-Troy Castro in Lightspeed.
- "The Fish’s Wife" by Jorja Osha in The Dark.
- "The World's Wife" by Ng Yi-Sheng in Clarkesworld.
- "For All Your Other Daughters" by Ashlee Lhamon in Nightmare Magazine.
- "The Last Gamemaster in the World" by Angela Liu in Clarkesworld.
- "Speak No Evil" by Edidiong Uzoma Essien in Strange Horizons.
- "By the Chimney, With Care" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
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