Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for July 12, 2024

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Doctor Who past, present and future, Star Wars: The Acolyte and Star Wars in general, Masters of the Universe in general, Star Trek Prodigy and Star Trek in general, season 2 of House of the Dragon, season 4 of The Boys, season 2 of Interview with the Vampire, Twisters, Longlegs MaXXXine, Sunny, Fly Me to the Moon, Despicable Me 4, tributes to Jon Landau and Shelley Duval and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Reactor shares all the new science fiction books coming out in July 2024. 
• Reactor shares all the new fantasy books coming out in July 2024.   
• Reactor shares all the new YA SFF books coming out in July 2024.
• Jo Walton shares her reading list for June 2024. 
• Sarah Beth Durst talks about the rise of cozy fantasy. 
  
• Jack Doyle ranks his ten favourite dystopian novels. 
• Evan J. Peterson shares his favourite works of weird fiction. 
• Molly Templeton talks about books which discuss what happens after the world gets saved. 
• James Davis Nicoll lists five utterly convincing reasons why we must conquer space from science fiction books and films.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF novels set in London, UK.
  
• Mahvesh Murad shares five SFF books about carnivals and circuses. 
• Rowdy Geirsson shares classic Viking tales which influenced the fantasy genre.
  
• Joachim Boaz offers an overview of the six known interviews with science fiction writer Clifford D. Simak. 
• Jim Milliot and John Maher report that fantasy series by Rebecca Yarros and Sarah J. Maas are among the bestselling books of 2024, saving the entire print book market.
  
• Althea Legaspi reports that two women have accused SFF writer Neil Gaiman of sexual assault and that Gaiman denies the allegations.
• Mike Glyer reports that mystery and science fiction author Brendan DuBois has been arrested for possession of child pornography.
  
• Bobby Derie shares E. Hoffmann Price's curry recipe. 
  

 

Film and TV:

• Ann Michelle Harris calls Kaiju No. 8 is an unexpectedly fun action-comedy 
• Ann Michelle Harris shares her thoughts on the anime Wind Breaker.
• Peter Bradshaw calls Sleep an elegant and intimate horror film from South Korea.
  
• Antonia Langford calls Thine Ears Shall Bleed an atmospheric, if meandering horror western. 
• Catherine Bray calls In a Violent Nature a quietly gruesome horror film.
  
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Orphan Black: Echoes. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the season 2 finale of Reginald the Vampire.
  
• Lanre Bakare notes that the superhero show Supacell is raising awareness of sickle cell anaemia 
• Lucy Mangan calls Sausage Party: Foodtopia relentlessly puerile and a glorious slice of anthropomorphism that’s full of perfectly crafted idiocy
  
• Jesse Hassenger takes a look at the Indiana Jones series. 
  
• Ben Child notes that the best solution to deal with the problematic idea of masculinity portrayed in the James Bond movies would be to make them period pieces set in the 1960s.
  
• Cheryl Eddy lists the ten essential horror performance of Nicholas Cage. 
• Cheryl Eddy lists ten memorable sets of twins from science fiction, fantasy and horror films and TV shows.
  
• Sian Cain talks about sequel fatigue. 
• Rebecca Rubin interviews Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios.
  
• Mark Kermode profiles Kathryn Bigelow, director of Near Dark, Strange Days, Point Break, Blue Steel, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty and many others.
• Luke Buckmaster revisits the 1950 fantasy movie Harvey.
• Kali Wallace revisits the original 1954 Godzilla.
  
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1993 The X-Files episode "The Jersey Devil".
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1994 Babylon 5 episode "TKO".
  
• Scott Tobias revisits the 1994 alternate history movie Forrest Gump. 
• Liam Gaughan revisits the 2020 science fiction film The Midnight Sky. 
• Matthew Jackson revisits the 2020 horror movie Hansel and Gretel.
  
• Marah Eakin wonders what the impact of AI on TV programming will be. 
• Aja Romano explains why the streaming age of TV seems so chaotic. 
• Christopher Kuo reports that the stop-motion animated movie The Primevals will finally be released after thirty year in rights limbo. 
• Sabina Graves reports that Inside Out 2 is not only the top-grossing movie of 2022 to date, but also the top-grossing Pixar movie of all time.
  
• Former child actor Benji Gregory, who played Brian Tanner in ALF and also appeared in The A-Team, T.J. Hooker, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Amazing Stories and many others, has died aged 46 along with his dog.
  

  

Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future: 

• Alasdair Stuart muses about how to handle UNIT in modern day Doctor Who.
• Emily Garbutt and Darren Scott report that Russell T. Davies came to cast Varada Sethu as a new companion after she guest-starred in the episode "Boom".
   
  

Comments on Star Wars: The Acolyte and Star Wars in general: 

• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "Choice", the seventh episode of The Acolyte.
• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on "Choice". 
  
• Haley Zapal shares her thoughts on "Teach/Corrupt", the sixth episode of The Acolyte.
  
• Maggie Lovitt interviews Leslye Headland, showrunner of The Acolyte. 
• Michael Walsh also interviews Leslye Headland.
  
• James Whitbrook shares a history of the lightsaber whip that makes its scrren debut in The Acolyte. 
• James Whitbrook shares some background on the great hyperspace disaster referenced in The Acolyte.  
• Sabina Graves discusses the song "Power of Two" by Victoria Monét, which appeared in the end credits of The Acolyte.
  

 

Comments on season 2 of House of the Dragon: 

• Kayleigh Dray shares her thoughts on "A Dance of Dragons", the latest episode of House of the Dragon. 
• Tom Huddleston shares his thoughts on "A Dance of Dragons"
  
• Tyler Dean shares his thoughts on "A Dance of Dragons"
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on "A Dance of Dragons" 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on "A Dance of Dragons"
• Melody McCune shares her favourite moments from "A Dance of Dragons"
• Nick Romano interviews Ryan Condal, showrunner of House of the Dragon.
  
• Meredith Blake interviews Eve Best who plays Rhaenys Targaryen in House of the Dragon. 
• Stuart Heritage wonders whether character deaths in House of the Dragon still have the potential to shock after Game of Thrones desensitized viewers. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares her appreciation for the dragons of House of the Dragon. 
  
• Kaiya Shunyata notes that some fans see romantic attraction between the characters of Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:

• Cora Buhlert reviews issue 2 of the Masters of the Universe Revolution prequel comic by Ted Biaselli, Rob David, Tim Sheridan and Daniel HDR 
• For Eternia interviews Shane Minshew, supervising producer for Masters of the Universe Revelation and Revolution. 
  
• The Battle Ram Blog shares some quick facts about Teela from Masters of the Universe. 
• James Eatock notes a cameo appearance by Vincent Price in the episode "Teela's Quest" of the Filmation He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon. 
• For Eternia reports that there will be a Masters of the Universe panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con, featuring actors Griffin Newman, Melendy Britt, Cam Clarke and Anthony De Longis who appeared across various incarnations of the franchise. 
  

 

Comments on Star Trek Prodigy and Star Trek in general:

• Arturo Serrano calls Star Trek Prodigy the best of the new Star Trek series by far.
• Don Kaye lists the twelve darkest endings in the original Star Trek series. 
• Avery Kaplan discusses the connection between the Star Trek Discovery series finale and the Short Treks episode "Calypso".
  

 

Comments on season 2 of Interview with the Vampire:

• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw calls the season 2 finale of Interview with the Vampire the best season finale of 2024.
• Tyler Dean shares his thoughts on season 2 of Interview with the Vampire and wonders what will happen next.
• Precious Fondren interviews Rolin Jones, showrunner of Interview with the Vampire.

 

Comments on season 4 of The Boys:

• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Boys.
  
• Barry Levitt talks about a shocking scene in the latest episode of The Boys.
  

 

Comments on Twisters: 

• Peter Bradshaw praises the romance subplot of Twisters.
• Brian Davids interviews Jan de Bont, director of the original Twister. 

 

Comments on Longlegs:

• Matthew Jackson calls Longlegs a masterfully unsettling horror movie.
• Kyle Anderson calls Longlegs very weird, very upsetting and thoroughly captivating 
• Benjamin Lee calls Longlegs a stylish yet progressively silly horror film and praises the performance of Nicholas Cage.
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Osgood Perkins, director of Longlegs. 
  

 

Comments on MaXXXine:

•  Matt Schimkowitz calls MaXXXine a giallo-tinged All About Eve
• Shaad D'Souza interviews Ti West, director of X, Pearl and MaXXXine.   

 

Comments on Sunny: 

• Saloni Gajjar calls Sunny an addictive mystery series that feels like an overlong episode of Black Mirror. 
  
• Lucy Mangan calls Sunny a robot-fuelled comedy thriller sounds crap, but is actually excellent
  

 

Comments on Fly Me To the Moon:

• Peter Bradshaw calls Fly Me to the Moon a cynical moon-landing conspiracy comedy  
• Cindy White calls Fly Me To the Moon a space age romantic comedy that fails to launch. 
• Germain Lussier declares that Fly Me to the Moon is, somehow, just Black Widow again 
  

 

Comments on Despicable Me 4:

• Brandon Yu calls Despicable Me 4 the latest, messily passable iteration of the deliriously successful franchise that follows the adventures of the reformed supervillain Gru 
• Jesse Hassenger takes a look at the Despicable Me movies and wonders why they are so successful in spite of being so mediocre.
  
• Catherine Shoard wonders why animated sequels like Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 are the top grossing movies of summer 2024.
  

 

Tributes to Jon Landau:

• Film producer Jon Landau, who produced Avatar, Speed, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Titanic, Dick Tracy, True Lies and many others, has died aged 63. 
• Ryan Gilbey shares an obituary for Jon Landau. 
• Carly Thomas shares tributes to Jon Landau from actors and directors.
  

 

Tributes to Shelley Duval:

• Actress Shelley Duval, star of The Shining, Popeye, Time Bandits, Thieves Like Us, Brewster McCloud, Nashville and many others, has died aged 75.
• Peter Bradshaw remembers Shelley Duval.
• Anne Billson lists Shelley Duval's twenty greatest films. 
• The Guardian shares photos from Shelley Duval's career.
  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2024 Prometheus Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame Award have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Sir Julius Vogel Awards have been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2024 Premio Ignotus have been announced.
• The shortlists for the 2024 Prix Rosny Aîné have been announced.
  
• The finalists for the 2024 Baen Fantasy Adventure Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2024 ENnie Awards have been announced. 
• Paul Weimer muses what can be done to reform Worldcon and the Hugos.
  
• Cora Buhlert and Chris M. Barkley share a proposal to save and reform the Retro Hugos.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Eugen Bacon shares novel writing tips for short story writers. 
• Stacy D'Erasmo talks about the many ways artists sustain their creative practice.
  
• Kate Quinn explains how to turn surprising historical facts into compelling historical fiction  
• Caro Carver talks about researching setting and writing on location.
  
• Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas explains what she learned about reading slush
  
• Victoria Strauss talks about a link building scam from one Fullers Library.
• Ella Creamer reports that more than five hundred authors have signed a petition asking Waterstones to rehire bookseller Tilly Fitzgerald, who was fired following a tweet criticising author Christina Dalcher for transphobic comments.
  

 

Interviews:

• Rachel Healy interviews Naomi Alderman. 
  
• Anthony Cummins interviews Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
• Ryan Britt interviews Kim Sherwood. 
• Caroline M. Yoachim interviews Greg van Eekhout.
  
• Locus interviews Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ 
• Fayth Tan interviews Seven Rasmussen a.k.a. C.M. Fields. 
• Chris McGinley interviews Chris Offutt, son of Andrew Offutt. 
  

 

Reviews:

• Gayle Surrette reviews Ribbon Dance by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
• Chris Napier reviews Unexploded Remnants by Elaine Gallagher
  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Ghost of the Neon God by T.R. Napper
• Adrian Collins reviews The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky 
• Sasha Bonkowsky reviews Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo
• Martin Cahill reviews Road To Ruin by Hana Lee  
  
• Robin Marx reviews Hurled Headlong Flaming by Matt Holder 
• Colleen Mondor reviews The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers 
• Mahvesh Murad reviews The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks 
• John Mauro reviews Master Assassins by Robert V.S. Redick
  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Pulsifer: a Fable and Land of Ice, a Velvet Knife by Wm. Michael Mott 
  
• Liz Bourke reviews Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Menewood by Nicola Griffith.
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel
  
• Paul Weimer reviews The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
  
• Fiona Denton reviews The Hidden Queen by Peter V. Brett
  
• Fabienne Schwizer reviews Queen B by Juno Dawson
• Alexandra Pierce reviews The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo 
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews The West Passage by Jared Pechaček 
  
• Sana Goyal reviews Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi 
• Fabienne Schwizer reviews Freakslaw by Jane Flett
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss.
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Forgotten Sisters by Cynthia Pelayo 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Destroyer of Worlds by Matt Ruff
  
• C.T. Phipps reviews Cult of the Spider Queen by S.A. Sidor 
  
• Sue Lord reviews The Fan Who Knew Too Much by Nev Fountain  
• Arley Sorg reviews The House Where Death Lives, edited by Alex Brown 
     
  

Classics reviews:

• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1894 lost world novel The Land of the Changing Sun by Will N. Harben
  
• Alan Brown revisits the 1934 space opera novel Skylark of Valeron by E.E. “Doc” Smith
  
• James Wallace Harris revisits the 1959 science fiction story “The Alley Man” by Philip José Farmer
• Brian Collins revisits the 1960 time travel story “The Oldest Soldier” by Fritz Leiber
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1961 science fiction story “Hothouse” by Brian W. Aldiss
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1963 post-apocalyptic novel Midge a.k.a. Doomsday 1999 by Paul MacTyre.
  
• Gideon Marcus revisits the August 1969 issue of Galaxy. 
• Victoria Silverwolf revisits the August 1969 issue of Fantastic. 
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1980 YA mystery When No One Was Looking by Rosemary Wells and the 1994 YA horror novel Win, Lose or Die by Diane Hoh. 
  
• Neil Gaiman revisits the 1984 surrealist novel The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. 
• Kat Hooper revisits the 1997 science fiction novel The Ecolitan Enigma by L.E. Modesitt Jr
   
  

Crowdfunding:

• Uncanny Magazine is looking for funding for its eleventh year of publication.
  
• R.S.A. Garcia needs help to pay for medical expenses.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• The 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, has issued its fifth progress report.
  
• Lee Murray reports about the "Grief in Horror" panel at the 2024 Virtual Stoker Con. 
• Lee Murray reports about the "Self-Care for Horror Writers" panel at the 2024 Virtual Stoker Con. 
• Germain Lussier reports that hotels in San Diego, California, are gouging prices during San Diego Comic Con. 
• Rob Salkowitz interviews David Glanzer, Chief Communication and Strategy Officer of San Diego Comic Con, about the hotel situation. 
  
• Randee Dawn shares a photo of the the latest Brooklyn Books & Booze event in Brooklyn, New York.
• Sabina Graves discusses the Universal Mega Movie Parade at the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, Florida.

 

Science and technology:

• Victor Tangerman explains how NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore feel being stranded aboard the International Space Station. 
• Victor Tangerman reports that China has shielded its Tiangong space station against debris from an exploding Russian satellite.
  
• Joe Hernandez reports that volunteers who lived in a NASA-created Mars replica for over a year have emerged 
• CNN reports that the core of the Earth has slowed down so much that it is moving backwards. 
• Xinmei Shen reports that guidelines for humanoid robots have been issued by the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, China. 
• Richard M. Goldstein, who helped to map the cosmos, has died aged 97
  

 

Gaming: 

•  Leon Hurley reviews the video game Still Wakes the Deep.
• Stewart A. Shearer asks when narrative matters in video games.
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• For Eternia reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Masterverse Skeletor and Bone Throne set.
• Germain Lussier notes that the reality show King of Collectibles offers a glimpse at rare collectibles many people are unlikely to ever see in person.
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "The Only Writing Advice You’ll Ever Need to Survive Eldritch Horrors" by Aimee Picchi in Lightspeed.  
• "Songs of the Sorrow of Thorns" by Amayah Perveen in Lightspeed.
• "Linden Honey, Blackcurrant Wine" by M.R. Robinson in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "The Wicks Whisper" by Emily C. Skaftun in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 
  
• "The Greatest Warrior" by Teel James Glenn in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "The Best Version of Yourself" by Grant Collier in Clarkesworld.
  
• "Stellar Evolutions in Pop Idol Artistry" by Em X. Liu in Clarkesworld.
• "Selected Scenes from the Ecologies of the Labyrinth" by Scott Lynch in The Sunday Morning Transport.
• "That Maddening Heat" by Ray Cluley in The Dark.
• "The Owl" by Stephen M.A. in Apex Magazine. 
• "Automaton Boy" by Sara S. Messenger in Nightmare Magazine. 
• "I'll Miss Myself" by John Wiswell in Reactor. 
•  "Across the Street" by Greg van Eekhout in Uncanny Magazine 
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Agatha All Along.
• Watch a trailer for the final season of The Umbrella Academy. 
• Watch a trailer for Time Bandits.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 12 of Futurama. 
• Watch a trailer for Gladiator II. 
• Watch a trailer for The Substance. 
• Watch a trailer for Rock and Morty: The Anime.