Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for July 19, 2024

 

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Star Wars: The Acolyte and Star Wars in general, season 2 of House of the Dragon, season 4 of The Boys, season 4 of Evil, Deadpool and Wolverine, The Lazarus Project, Twisters, Longlegs MaXXXine, Fly Me to the Moon, tributes to Shannen Doherty and Shelley Duval and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Chrsitina Orlando shares thirty SFF books to look forward to in 2024.
  
• Lisa Tuttle shares a round-up of recent science fiction and fantasy books.
• Reactor shares all the new horror, romantasy and SFF crossover books coming out in July 2024.
• Adrienne Westenfeld shares her seventy-five favourite science fiction novels of all time.  
• Minsoo Kang explains why so many immigrant writers are drawn to science fiction and fantasy.
  
• John Mauro talks about defining grimdark fantasy and making the genre more inclusive.
  
• A.K. Blackmore discusses how female writers are reinventing horror fiction. 
• Alisa Alering explains how gothic romances helped her escape her miserable small town adolescence in rural Pennsylvania. 
• Monika Kim shares her five favourite body horror novels.
  
• Anton Hur shares five works of South Korean SFF in translation.
  
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF books featuring frigid icy worlds. 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five SFF works with middle-aged protagonists.
  
• Ryan Berger shares his appreciation for the works of J.G. Ballard. 
• Lauren Pelley reports about the devastating impact a tick bite had on Charles DeLint and his partner MaryAnn Harris.
  
• Bookseller and publisher Doug Lewis has died aged 69.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Robin Marx reviews Conan the Barbarian #12 by Jim Zub and Roberto De La Torre
• Rachel Cooke reviews The Wendy Award by Walter Scott  
• Gordon Jackson looks ahead at the new  Batman & Robin: Year One 12-issue miniseries by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee
• Gordon Jackson reports about DC's new Absolute Universe.
  
• Dad-at-Arms interviews fantasy artist Simon Eckert.
  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about beach reads.

 

Film and TV:

• Max Goldbart takes a look at the latest season of Doctor Who and whether the gamble to partner with Disney+ paid off.
  
• Jenna Scherer calls Kite Man: Hell Yeah! a delightful treat for DC Comics fans 
• Jarrod Jones declares that Hit-Monkey is more in tune with its emotions in season 2 
• Matthew Jackson calls Oddity a ferociously entertaining, beautifully orchestrated thrill ride 
• Cheryl Eddy calls Starve Acre a gloomy folk horror film.
• Arturo Serrano calls Fantasmas a loud, cheerful satire of the roles the world demands we play 
• Robert P. Crease wonders if Constellation and Dark Matter could change your view of quantum mechanics
  
• Meredith Hobbs Coons calls Sausage Party: Foodtopia a stale, unimaginative sequel series 
• Diana Keng shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Orphan Black: Echoes. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the season 2 premiere of The Ark.
  
• Leah Thomas shares her thoughts on the anime Chainsaw Man.
  
• Phuong Le calls Uncanny Me and exploration of cloning tech fraught with moral and ethical questions 
• Stuart Heritage wonders what will happen in season 5 of Stranger Things. 
• Gordon Jackson notes that the rather obscure Ghoulies horror franchise of the 1980s and 1990s seems to be experiencing a renaissance.
  
• Lorna Wallace lists five science fiction and horror films that take place inside an apartment building. 
• Writers of the Guardian share their favourite disaster movies 
  
• Emine Saner interviews Natalie Portman, star of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, the Thor movies, Leon the Professional, Black Swan, Lady in the Lake and many others.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1994 Babylon 5 episode "Grail". 
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1994 alternate history film Forrest Gump. 
• Kali Wallace revisits the 2010 monster movie Trollhunter. 
• Avery Kaplan takes a look at notable Star Trek guest star Kirk Thatcher who played the punk on the bus in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and has repeated that role a few times since then.
  
• Dani Anguiano reports that the trial against actor Alec Baldwin for the accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust has been dismissed over the prosecution withholding evidence.
  

  

Comments on Deadpool and Wolverine: 

• Ben Child notes that Deadpool and Wolverine promises to be a snarky satire on Marvel’s multiverse 
• Sabina Graves believes that Deadpool and Wolverine is the superpowered parody that can save the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 
• Germain Lussier declares that the first forty minutes of Deadpool & Wolverine show great potential. 
  
• Kyle Buchanan interviews Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman who plays the titular characters in Deadpool and Wolverine.
• Catherine Shoard interviews Rob Delaney who plays Pete in Deadpool and Wolverine.
   
  

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

• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on season 1 of The Acolyte.
  
• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on "The Acolyte", the season finale of The Acolyte. 
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on "The Acolyte"
  
• Haley Zapal shares her thoughts on "Choice", the seventh episode of The Acolyte. 
• Jarrod Jones notes that The Acolyte would have made a great Star Wars movie, but feels padded as a TV series.
  
• Jordan Maison discusses how The Acolyte draws fascinating parallels between Jedi recruitment practices and colonialism. 
• James Whitbrook interviews Manny Jacinto who plays Qimir in The Acolyte.
  
• Kristin Baver interviews Jennifer Bryan, costume designer for The Acolyte. 
• James Whitbrook discusses a cameo in the season 1 finale of The Acolyte.
  
• Jeremy Urquart ranks every Star Wars movie poster. 
  

 

Comments on season 2 of House of the Dragon: 

• Tyler Dean shares his thoughts on "Regent", the latest episode of House of the Dragon. 
• Tom Huddleston shares his thoughts on "Regent"
• Kayleigh Dray shares her thoughts on "Regent" 
• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on "Regent" 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on "Regent" 
• Melody McCune shares her five favourite moments from "Regent"  
• Jacob Kline interviews Clare Kilner, director of "Regent". 
  
• Saloni Gajjar interviews Tom Glynn-Carney, who plays Aegon Targaryen in House of the Dragon. 
• Tom Huddleston interviews Abubakar Salim and Clinton Liberty, who play Alyn of Hull and Addam the shipwright in House of the Dragon. 
• Cheryl Eddy praises the wise women of House of the Dragon. 
• George R.R. Martin takes some issue with the portrayal of dragons in House of the Dragon.
• Michelle Jaworski laments the destruction of the model of Old Valyria seen in House of the Dragon.
  

 

Comments on season 4 of Evil:

• Cheryl Eddy shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Evil. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Andrea Martin who plays sister Andrew in Evil.
  

 

Comments on season 4 of The Boys:

• Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Boys.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Boys.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the season finale of The Boys.
  
• Adrian Cole shares his thoughts on sason 4 of The Boys as a whole.  
• Gordon Jackson reports that the season 4 finale of The Boys received a title change as well as a content warning due to being too reminiscent of recent real life events.
  

 

Comments on Twisters: 

• David Ehrlich calls Twisters one of the most satisfying movies of the summer
• Germain Lussier declares that Twisters features awesome action and surprising heart 
• Matt Schimkowitz notes that Twisters works best when it's not trying to copy the original. 
  
• Alexandra Witze discusses what Twisters gets right and wrong about tornados.
  

 

Comments on Longlegs:

• Leah Schnelbach wonders if Longlegs is the best horror film of the year.
  
• Nick Romano interviews Osgood Perkins and Nicholas Cage, star and director of Longlegs.
  
• Ryan Lattanzio interviews Osgood Perkins, director of Longlegs.
• Charles Bramesco explains how director Osgood Perkins processes his personal childhood traumata and the tragic loss of both his parents in Longlegs. 
• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that Longlegs has a very strong opening for an independent horror movie.
  

 

Comments on MaXXXine:

• Haley Zapal calls MaXXXine an '80s-soaked spectacular with nods to classic Hollywood and horror films with absolutely immaculate vibes,
  
• Emma Keates report that an extra is sueing because actress Mia Goth allegedly physically and verbally assaulted him on the set of MaXXXine.
  

 

Comments on The Lazarus Project: 

• Paul Levinson shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Lazarus Project. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Lazarus Project. 
  

 

Comments on Fly Me To the Moon:

• Damon Wise calls Fly Me To the Moon a screwy space race romantic comedy.
• In response to Fly Me to the Moon, Ryan Britt points out that the Moon landing was not faked. 
• Maureen Dowd interviews Scarlett Johansson, star of Fly Me to the Moon.
  

 

Tributes to Shannen Doherty:

• Actress Shannen Doherty, best known for her roles in Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210, Heathers Mallrats, The Secret of NIMH and many others, has died of cancer aged 53
• Rob Sheffield shares a tribute to Shannen Doherty. 
• Veronica Esposito shares a tribute to Shannen Doherty.
  
• Justin Carter remembers Shannen Doherty. 
• Ted Johnson remembers Shannen Doherty. 
• Bruce Haring shares tributes to Shannen Doherty from fellow actors, directors and producers. 
• Nellie Andreeva shares tributes to Shannen Doherty from her Charmed co-stars. 
• The Guardian shares photos from Shannen Doherty's career.
  

 

Tributes to Shelley Duval:

• Ryan Gilbey shares an obituary for Shelley Duval.
  
• The Guardian shares tributes to Shelley Duval from former co-stars.
  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2023 Shirley Jackson Awards have been announced.  
• The finalists for the 2024 Theodore A. Sturgeon Memorial Award have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2024 Manly Wade Wellman Award has been announced.
  
• The shortlist for the 2024 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction has been announced. 
  
• The finalists for the 2023 Sidewise Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2024 Scribe Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2024 Mike Resnick Memorial Award for Short Fiction have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 TCA Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2024 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award have been announced
• The winners of the 2024 Collision Awards habe been announced.
  
• The nominations for the 2024 Emmy Awards have been announced with very little love for SFF TV.
  
• Bowen Greenwood talks about entering the Self-published Science Fiction Competition 
  

Writing, publishing and promotion:

• Sarah Pearse talks about crafting atmospheric suspense
  
• Delia Pitts explains how her career as a diplomat helped her to become a mystery writer. 
  
• Geoff Brumfiel reports about an experiment whether AI can boost creativity.
• Michael Castleman profiles Jason Epstein who created the trade paperback.
  

 

Interviews:

• Paul Weimer interviews Gareth L. Powell.
  
• Scott Edelman interviews Ai Jiang.
• Paul Weimer interviews Suzan Palumbo. 
• The Guardian interviews Cressida Cowell.
  
• Eight Light Minutes interviews Wang Jinkang.
• Eight Light Minutes interviews Han Song.
• Eight Light Minutes interviews He Xi.
• Eight Light Minutes interviews Baoshu. 
• Eight Light Minutes interviews Gu Shi and Emily Xueni Jin
• Anthony Cummins interviews C. Pam Zhang. 

 

Reviews:

• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
• Liz Bourke reviews The Knife and the Serpent by Tim Pratt
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Echo of Worlds by M.R. Carey 
• Niall Harrison reviews Beyond the Light Horizon by Ken MacLeod  
• John Mauro reviews Lake of Darkness by Adam Roberts
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Jumpnauts by Hao Jingfang, translated by Ken Liu
  
• John Mauro reviews Lost Souls by Ryan Skeffington
  
• Gayle Surrette reviews Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs
• Marlene Harris reviews Penric and the Bandit by Lois McMaster Bujold  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Master of Samar by Melissa Scott
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker 
  
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews Sundered Moon by Zammar Ahmer  
• Alex Brown reviews Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse 
  
• John Mauro reviews Arm of the Sphinx by Josiah Bancroft
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Price of Redemption by Shawn Carpenter
• Adrian Collins reviews The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Daughters of Olympus by Hannah M. Lynn 
• Bill Capossere reviews The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North 
• Aigner Loren Wilson reviews The Melancholy of Untold History by Minsoo Kang 
  
• Marlene Harris reviews This Great Hemisphere by Mateo Askaripour
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Baby X by Kira Peikoff  
  
• David Hayden reviews Napalm in the Heart by Pol Guasch, translated by Mara Faye Lethem. 
  
• Marion Deeds reviews Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews That Which Stands Outside by Mark Morris
  
• Colleen Mondor reviews Forgotten Sisters by Cynthia Pelayo  
• Marion Deeds reviews The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling
  
• Doreen Sheridan reviews One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon 
• Melissa Harrison reviews The Echoes by Evie Wyld  
  
• Crossexamining Crime reviews Shady Hollow by Juneau Black.
     
  

Classics reviews:

• Sam Reader revisits the 1892 horror story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman 
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1928 Solomon Kane historical fantasy story "Red Shadows" by Robert E. Howard.
  
• Joachim Boaz revisits the 1951 science fiction story “‘You’ll Never Go Home Again!'”, the 1953 science fiction story “Retrograde Evolution” and the 1960 science fiction story “Conditions of Employment” by Clifford D. Simak. 
• Brian Collins revisits the 1962 science fiction story “Subcommittee” by Zenna Henderson
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1963 horror story “The Voyage of the ‘Deborah Pratt’” by Miriam Allen deFord
• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 1968 fantasy novel A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin 
• Brian Collins revisits the 1969 sword and planet novels When the Star Kings Die and The Planet Wizard by John Jakes, Victoria Silverwolf revisits the 1969 science fiction novels Escape Into Space by E.C. Tubb and Secret of a Sunless World by C.C. MacApp, Tonya Moore revisits the 1969 science fiction novel The Palace of Eternity by Bob Shaw, Jason Sacks revisits the 1969 science fiction novels Rockets in Ursa Major by Fred and Geoffrey Hoyle and Timescoop by John Brunner and George Pritchard revisits the 1969 science fiction novel Light a Last Candle by Vincent King 
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1973 SFF collection Good Neighbors and Other Strangers by Edgar Pangborn 
  
• James Wallace Harris revisits the 1974 post-apocalyptic novel The Memoirs of a Survivor by Doris Lessing
  
• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 1977 dystopian novel Them by Kay Dick. 
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1978 Raven sword and sorcery novel A Time of Ghosts by Richard Kirk.
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1985 horror novel The Tea Party by Charles L. Grant.
  
• Clara Cohen revisits the 2006 Lost Fleet military science fiction novel Dauntless by Jack Campbell.
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Realm Toys is looking for funding for its Brutal Realm line of highly articulated action figures.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• George R.R. Martin explains that he will attend the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, but that he will not be on programming.
• Dan Selcke wonders why George R.R. Martin was not put on programming at the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland. 
• Alasdair Ferguson also reports that George R.R. Martin will not be on programming at the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland. 
• Libby Brooks also reports that George R.R. Martin will not be on programming at the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, Scotland, due to failing to fill out the program participation form. 
• Camestros Felapton responds to Libby Brooks with a parody piece. 
• Mike Glyer reports that Ben Yalow and Dave McCarty will not be allowed to attend the 2024 Worldcon in Glasgow, following their involvement with the Chengdu Hugo scandal.
  
• Peculiar Monster shares her experiences at the 2024 Readercon in Quincy, Massachussetts. 
• Rich Lynch shares photos from the 2024 NASFIC in Buffalo, New York.
  
• Germain Lussier shares the panels he is most excited about at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con at San Diego, California. 
• Adam B. Vary also shares panels he is most excited about at the 2024 San Diego Comic Con. 
• San Diego Comic Con shares the full programming schedule.
  
• Mega Jay Retro looks ahead at Masters of the Universe related panels at San Diego Comic Con in San Diego, California. 
• Germain Lussier reports that Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, will also appear on a Marvel Comics panel at San Diego Comic Con in addition to the Marvel movie panel.  
• Adam B. Vary reports that Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davis and Star Trek showrunner Alex Kurtzman will appear on a panel together at San Diego Comic Con. 
• Avery Kaplan shares an overview of Star Trek related programming at San Diego Comic Con,
  
• Ellen Datlow shares photos from the latest fantastic fiction reading at the KGB Bar in New York City, featuring A.T. Sayre and Nat Cassidy 
  
• Catherine Shoard reports about a promotional event for Deadpool and Wolverine, featuring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, in London, UK. 
• Hannah Al-Othman reports that the historic Oldham Coliseum theatre in Oldham, UK, has been saved from closing. 
• Benedict Smith reports that the drunken bear Liver Lips McGrowl has been removed from the Country Bear Jamboree attraction at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, after being deemed potentially offensive. 
• Sabina Graves shares a round-up of news from US-based theme parks and other immersive experiences. 
  

 

Science and technology:

• Victor Tangerman reports that NASA has hired SpaceX to build a vehicle to destroy the International Space Station ISS, much to the horror of former NASA and ESA heads. 
• Hannah Devlin reports that scientists have found evidence of phosphine and ammonia on Venus, which might indicate the presence of life.
  
• Hannah Devlin reports that scientists have designed a space suit that can turn urine into drinking water. 
• Brett Tingley reports that NASA has cancelled the Viper Moon rover due to budget concerns.
  
• Kaye Dee reports about the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969.
  
• Gwyn Conaway profiles futuristic fashion designer Paco Rabanne.
  

 

Gaming: 

• Keza MacDonald calls Flock a chill creature-collecting flying game that is shear bliss 
  
• Keza MacDonald declares that video game subscription services are simply too complicated
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Pixel Dan reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Cartoon Collection Collector vehicle, Prince Adam and Cringer two-pack and Evil-Lyn and Webstor action figures.
• Still a Big Kid reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Masterverse Sorceress Teela action figure.
• James Whitbrook offers a look at Hasbro's latest Transformers Optimus Prime figure. 
• Sabina Graves looks head at the new Halloween yard ornament collection from Home Depot.
  
• Grace Snelling reports that Mattel is planning to use generative AI programs, when designing toy packaging. 
• Erum Salam reports about the growing black market for collectible Lego sets, which leads to increasing theft. 
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "The Museum of Cosmic Retribution" by Megan Chee in Nightmare Magazine.
  
• "Love’s Red Blossom" by Luana Saitta in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "The Red Queen’s Heart" by Vanessa Fogg in Lightspeed. 
• "The Heist for the Soul of Humanity" by Filip Hajdar Drnovšek Zorko in Lightspeed. 
  
• "In the Moon's House" by Mary Robinette Howal in Reactor.
  
• "Aktis Aeliou, or The Machine of Margot's Destruction" by Natalia Theodoridou in Clarkesworld. 
• "The Worms that Ate the Universe" by Megan Chee in Uncanny Magazine
• "What is Conjured Shall Vanish" by Akis Linardos in Apex Magazine.
  
• "The Debt I Owe" by Alex Sobel in The Dark.
• "The Look of Seconds" by Melissa Ren in Wyldblood.
  
• "Shimmer" by Offer Kuban in Punk Noir Magazine
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Captain America: Brave New World.
• Watch a trailer for season 6 of The Dragon Prince: Mystery of Aaravos. 
• Watch a trailer for Terminator Zero. 
• Watch a trailer for Dune: Prophecy.
• Watch a trailer for Alien: Romulus. 
• Watch a trailer for Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. 
• Watch a trailer for Meanwhile On Earth.