Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for August 28, 2026

 

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, season 4 of Star Trek Strange New Worlds and Star Trek in general,  Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Lanterns and the DC Cinematic Universe in general, Coyote vs. Acme, Doctor Who past, present and future, The Dog Stars, Dark Matter, Buddy, tributes to Tim Curry, Peter Cullen and Dolly Parton, the 2026 Worldcon and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Joanna Nelius-Free discusses the importance of reading (and teaching) cyberpunk in the age of AI 
• Ruthanna Emrys talks about ESP in science fiction. 
• Leslie Vedder shares five SFF books about queer love on the high seas 
• Lish McBride shares six surprisingly hopeful post-apocalyptic stories. 
• James Davis Nicoll shares five classic science fiction tales of the nanny state gone mad. 
• Matthew Sorrento talks about the connection between horror and crime. 
• Judith Tarr discusses how actual humans fit into the fictional worlds of talking animals.
• Jared Shurin shares his appreciation for the works of Philip K. Dick. 
• Max Gladstone remembers John Crowley. 
• Science fiction fan and con runner Rick Katze has died aged 81. 
• SFF poet David Kopaska-Merkel has died aged 69. 

 

Comics and Art:

• Alex Dueben talks about lettrism and comics
• Christopher Chiu-Tabet reports that Jack Kirby has received commemorative plaque at Disney's California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California. 
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about the end of the summer books season 
• Science fiction artist Len Brown, creator of the Mars Attacks trading cards, has died aged 84. 

  

Film and TV:

• Petrana Radulovic shares all the genre movies premiering in September 
• Petrana Radulovic shares all the genre TV premieres in September 
• Arturo Serrano calls Ann Droid a touching comedy about the search for meaning in the age of AI
• Leah Schnelbach calls The Magic Faraway Tree uneven but often charming 
• Lucy Mangan calls Revival the most moving zombie show ever  
• Laurence Phelan calls Colony a frenzied zombie movie from South Korea. 
• Christopher Lockett finds some parallels between House of the Dragon and Succession. 
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the penultimate episode of season 3 of Silo. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw asks why so many horror movies are set at summer camp.
• Ben Child notes that he is not interested in any more Alien Covenant movies. 
• Simon Abrams interviews Joe Dante, director of the troubled 2003 animated/live action movie Looney Tunes: Back In Action 
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1993 dinosaur movie Jurassic Park. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1998 Babylon 5 TV movie The River of Souls   
• Emma Madden revisits the 2004 horror movie Saw. 
• Angelica Jade Bastien shares her appreciation for Miss Piggy.
• Tatiana Siegel takes a look at the actors who are rumoured to be in the running to play the next James Bond. 
• Justin Carter reports that stop motion animator Phil Tippett, who worked on various Star Wars movies, Jurassic Park and many others, has sold off his studio and is retiring.  

 

Tributes to Peter Cullen:

• Canadian actor Peter Cullen, who voiced Optimus Prime in many incarnation of Transformers over more than forty years as well as Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, Venger in Dungeons and Dragons, K.A.R.R. in Knight Rider, Red Skull in Spider-Man, the titular characters in Predator and King Kong, Ramrod and Commander Eagle in Saber Riders and the Star Sheriffs, Thaedus in Invincible and many others, has died aged 85. 
• Isaiah Colbert remembers Peter Cullen. 
• Devin Meenan remembers Peter Cullen. 
• Justin Carter remembers Peter Cullen's forty-two year career as the voice of Optimus Prime. 
• Witney Seibold remembers Peter Cullen's final role as Thaedus in Invincible. 
• Cora Buhlert remembers Peter Cullen, Tim Curry and Dolly Parton. 

 

Tributes to Tim Curry:

• British actor and singer Tim Curry, best known for his role as Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show as well as for his roles in It, Legend, Annie, Clue, The Hunt for Red October, The Shadow, The Three Musketeers, Muppets Treasure Island, Home Alone 2, The Hunt for Red October, Loaded Weapon, Criminal Minds and many others, has died aged 80. 
• Jeremy Mathai remembers Tim Curry. 
• Laurence Phelan shares his five favourite Tim Curry roles. 
• The AV-Club list their favourite Tim Curry performances. 
• Peter Bradshaw remembers Tim Curry's most famous role as Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 
• Jeremy Smith remembers Tim Curry's role as Darkness in Legend. 
• The Guardian shares photos from Tim Curry's lengthy career. 

 

Tributes to Dolly Parton:

• Dolly Parton, American singer, actress, literarcy advocate, philanthropist, theme park owner and all around wonderful person, has died aged 80. 
• Alexis Petridis notes that Dolly Parton turned country music clichés in their head. 
• Joe Stone remembers Dolly Parton as an LGBTQ icon. 
• Margaret Sullivan shares a tribute to Dolly Parton. 
• Dave Simpson and Owen Myers share tributes to Dolly Parton from fellow singers and musicians. 
• Jonathan Klotz remembers Dolly Parton's memorable guest appearance on The Orville. 
• The fashion editors of The Guardian remember Dolly Parton's unique fashion sense.  
• The AV-Club follows Dolly Parton through the decades.  
• The Guardian shares photos from Dolly Parton's long life and career. 
• Emma Joyce reports that Dolly Parton gave permission to test experimental cancer drugs on her, hoping that even if she could not be saved, her death would help others.  
• Becca Andrews reports that mourners are flocking to Dollywood, Dolly Parton's theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 
• The Guardian shares photos of fans remembering Dolly Parton around the US. 
• Watch a video tribute to Dolly Parton from her family. 

 

Comments on the Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general:

• The Masters Cast asks if the Masters of the Universe movie gets He-Man right. 
• Mike Holz explains why people should give Masters of the Universe a chance. 
• The Eternia Four discuss the performence of Masters of the Universe at the box office, on streaming and in the toy aisle, discuss toy reveals and their hopes for a movie sequel. 
• Watch "Swap Meet", the latest episode of the Masters of the Universe: Tales from Eternia animated series.  

Comments on season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek in general:  

• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on “Off-Hour”, the latest episode of season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.   
• Caroline Siede shares her thoughts on “Off-Hour”, the latest episode of season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.    
• Alyse Wax shares her thoughts on “Off-Hour”, the latest episode of season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.    
• Emmet Asher-Perrin notes that the fashion of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds tells a far deeper story than you think 
• Matthew Byrd discusses what we know about the uncertain future of Star Trek on TV. 
• Mark Yon reviews The Star Trek Archive: 100 Objects and Stories From The Final Frontier by Ben Robinson

 

Comments on Lanterns and the DC Cinematic Universe in general:

• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on "Trust Fall”, the latest episode of Lanterns. 
• Gavia Baker-Whitelaw shares her thoughts on "Trust Fall”, the latest episode of Lanterns. 
• Dennis Perkins shares his thoughts on "Trust Fall”, the latest episode of Lanterns. 
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on "Trust Fall”, the latest episode of Lanterns. 
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Aaron Pierre who plays John Stewart in Lanterns. 
• Jarrod Jones explains the comic history of the Manhunters, who appear to be the main antagonists in Lanterns.  

 

Comments on Coyote vs. Acme: 

• Dann Todd shares a modest review of Coyote vs. Acme.  
• Germain Lussier shares messages from Dave Green and Will Forte, director and star of Coyote vs. Acme, celebrating the fact that the movie got released. 
• A Martinez interviews Will Forte, star of Coyote Vs. Acme. 
• Brent Lang reports that Coyote vs. Acme reached No. 1 at the US box office and performed better than projected.
• Ryan Scott explains what Coyote Vs. Acme's box office means for the future of the Looney Tunes franchise

 

 Comments on Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general: 

• Justin Carter reports about the suspicion that generative AI was used for concept art for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. 
• Watch a Lego recreation of the Avengers Doomsday trailer. 

 

Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future:

• Camestros Felapton takes a look at the Fourth Doctor's robotic dog K9. 
• Jesse Whitlock reports that Doctor Who may be moving to Amazon Prime. 
• Jarrod Jones reports that Billie Piper has confirmed that she is not playing the next Doctor.  

  

Comments on Dark Matter: 

• Cheryl Eddy declares that Dark Matter expands its world and emotional depth in season 2
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews Joel Egderton and Jennifer Connelly, stars of Dark Matter. 

  

Comments on The Dog Stars: 

• Benjamin Lee calls The Dog Stars a lethargic postapocalyptic drama 
• Ryan Scott shares five reasons why The Dog Stars bombed at the box office. 

 

Comments on Buddy: 

• Leah Schnelbach declares that Buddy takes Barney’s premise to a hilariously bloody conclusion
• Monica Castillo declares that the horror comedy Buddy takes its "killer Barney" premise to its delightfully unhinged conclusion 

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2026 Hugo Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2026 Sidewise Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Nommo Awards have been announced. 
• The recipient of the 2026 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award has been announced. 
• The recipients of the 2026 First Fandom Awards have been announced. 

 Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Dorthe Nors talks about striving to write emotionally resonant fiction
• John Self shares some tricks of the book trade to create bestsellers. 

 

Interviews:

• Marissa van Uden interviews Anj Baker.
• Scott Edelmen interviews Todd Sanders. 

 

Reviews:   

• Adrian Collins reviews This Machine Kills Billionaires by T.R. Napper 
• Marlene Harris reviews On a Barbarian World by Anna Hackett 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews This Is Where The Future Bleeds by Mike Brooks 
• Ian Mond reviews Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay  
• Chris Kluwe reviews All We Have Is Time by Amy Tordoff 
• Mark Yon reviews Scion by James Islington. 
• Alexandra Pierce reviews Scion by James Islington. 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Ice Vegas by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Lemuria 7 by Allen Steele 
• Colleen Mondor reviews Young World by Soman Chainani 
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews The Deep and the Drowned by Ian Green  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow 
• Marlene Harris reviews A Fellowship of Curses and Cats by J. Penner
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews A Coup of Tea by Casey Blair 
• Marlene Harris reviews A Labyrinth of Honeybees by Heather Fawcett
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson 
• Vanessa Fogg reviews An Impossibility of Crows by Kirsten Kaschock 
• Bill Capossere reviews The Thrice-Bound Fool by Christopher Buehlman 
• Bill Capossere reviews Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske 
• Niall Harrison reviews Animal Spiral by Luis Othoniel Rosa, translated by Katie Marya 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Weird Fishes by Rae Mariz  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Tainted Cup and A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett 
• Bill Capossere and Marion Deeds review Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett 
• Adrian Collins reviews The Godsblood Tragedy by Bill Adams 
• Sarah McCarry reviews The Red Sacrament by Sara Hinkley 
• Mahvesh Murad reviews The Brides by Charlotte Cross 
• Mike Parker reviews The Burn Line by Jonathan Sims  
• Rob Bedford reviews The Winter Folk by Jen Julian. 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Carrion Saints by Hiyodori  
• Tobias Carroll reviews She Haunts Me Still by De Elizabeth.
• Michael Swanwick reviews The Book of Bots by James Patrick Kelly 
• Tobias Carroll reviews Offerings for Ordinary Gods by Ali Trotta. 
• Karen Haber reviews Icons of the Fantastic: Illustrations of Imaginative Literature from the Korshak Collection by David M. Brinley and Amanda T. Zehnder 

 

Classics reviews:

• Matthew de Abaitua revisits the 1930 science fiction novel Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1953 time travel novel The Victorian Chaise-Longue by Marghanita Laski  
• George Pritchard revisits the 1971 science ficiton anthology Quark/4, edited by Samuel R. Delany and Marilyn Hacker. 
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1976 horror novel Moths by Rosalind Ashe 
• Joel Miller revisits the 1976 dystopian novel Don't Bite the Sun by Tanith Lee. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1990 Hyperion Cantos science fiction novel The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons   
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1997 YA horror novel The Rich Girl by R.L. Stine. 
• Alex Brown revisits the 1998 fantasy novel The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells. 
• Kat Hooper revisits the 2006 Pip and Flinx space opera Trouble Magnet by Alan Dean Foster 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 2009 Dagmar Shaw technothriller This is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams 
• Anya Johanna DeNiro revisits the 2017 dystopian novel Tropic of Kansas by Christopher Brown.

 

Comments on LACon V, the 2026 Worldcon:

• Sydney Gaw reports about LACon V, the 2026 Worldcon in Anaheim, California. 
• Rich Lynch shares some photos of LACon V. 
• Mike Glyer reports about the site selection business meeting at LACon V, the 2026 Worldcon in Anaheim, California. 
• Mike Glyer reports that the co-chairs and Hugo administrators of the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China, Ben Yalow, Shi Chen/Raistlin Chen, Dave McCarty and Joe Yao/Yao Chi have been officially censured and received limited and in case of Dave McCarty unlimited Worldcon bans.
• Mike Glyer reports about the “Many Mics, One Stage: Hugo Fancast Mashup” panel at LAcon V 
• Rich Lynch reports about the panel "From Fanzines to Social Media -How Fans Communicate" at LACon V. 

 

Other con and event reports:

• James Bacon reports about MetropolCon in Berlin, Germany, the 2026 Eurocon.  
• Aussiecon5, the 2028 Worldcon in Brisbane, Australia, has announced its guests of honour. 
• Mike Glyer reports that the 2026 virtual WisCon has apologised for having two white guests of honour and has promised to increase the number of guests of honour to four.
• Josy Forsdike shares photos of the Otamatsuri comic-con festival in Nairobi, Kenya. 
• Amy Walker reports that three new theme parks, including a Dragonball Z inspired theme park, will be built near Paris in France.  
• James Hibberd reports that the popular X2 rollercoaster at the theme park Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, has been shut down after two riders suffered traumatic brain injuries. 

 

Science and technology:

• Mike Brown declares that Pluto still isn't a planet. 
• Lee Weinstein remembers neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks.

 

Gaming: 

• Joe DelFranco reviews the video game Nine Sols by Red Candle Games 
• Marisa Ingemi explains why Pokémon is gay as hell. 
• James Davis Nicoll lists four roleplaying games that did something right 
• Matthew Byrd lists eight low magic fantasy video games. 
• Jen Lennon shares some details about an upcoming Magic the Gathering and Masters of the Universe crossover.

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Germain Lussier shares a look at a massive Star Wars Super Star Destroyed Lego set. 

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Turned All To Silver Screens" by Madeline Ashby in Reactor. 
• "Ladd’s Robot Repair" by David Anaxagoras in Lightspeed. 
• "The Goddess of Not Enough" by Susan Palwick in Lightspeed. 
• "Portrait of a Woman in a Red Qipao" by Tina S. Zhu in The Dark.
• "Piece de Resistance" by D.A. Xiaolin Spires in Clarkesworld. 
• "The Universal Human Happiness Program" by Y.M. Pang in Clarkesworld. 
• "Boys of the Fellwood" by David R. Hoffman in Apex Magazine. 
• "Inheritance" by Shobhita Narayan in The Deadlands. 

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Outlander: Blood of Me Blood.
• Watch a trailer for Pendulum. 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for April 10, 2026

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek in general, season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general, The Testaments, Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord and Star Wars in general, Doctor Who past, present and future, For All Mankind, Paradise, The Boys, Exit 8, The Miniature Wife, the 2026 Eastercon and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Reactor shares all the new science fiction books arriving in April 2026 
• Reactor shares all the new fantasy books arriving in April 2026 
• Reactor shares all the new romantasy books arriving in April 2026 
• Reactor shares all the new horror books arriving in April 2026   
• Reactor shares all the new SFF crossover books arriving in April 2026   
• Reactor shares all the new young adult SFF books arriving in April 2026     
• Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck share their favourite books about aliens. 
• Lorna Wallace shares five science fiction stories about the dark side of A.I. 
• Rai Furniss-Greasley talks about cyborgs. 
• Sam Reader shares seven strange, secret SFF versions of history 
• Alex Brown shares five SFF books set in strange houses. 
• Carly Racklin talks about queerness and visibility in body horror 
• Molly Templeton talks about the specific experience of being stuck on a book 
• Lyndsie Manusos shares a guide to the works of Ilona Andrews.  
• Charlie Jane Anders explains why Locus matters more than ever  
• Science fiction writer Joseph L. Green has died aged 95.
• Fantasy author John Flanagan has died aged 81.  
• SFF writer Eluki Bes Shahar a.k.a. Rosemary Edghill a.k.a. James Mallory has died aged 70.  

   

Comics and Art:

• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews The Power Fantasy Vol. 3 by Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Clayton Cowles and Rian Hughes  
• David Barnett reports that British science fiction comic hero Dan Dare will return in Dan Dare: First Contact, written by Alex de Campi and illustrated by Marc Laming
• James Whitbrook reports that Absolute Batman introduced a version of Robin who is a giant robot. 
• Fantasy artist Michael Hague has died aged 77. 

 

Film and TV:

• Isaiah Colbert calls the anime Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End a sublime fantasy that finds beauty in the mundane   
• Leah Thomas calls season 2 of the anime Dorohedoro a bizarre masterpiece.  
• Elijah Gonzales declares that the Little Mermaid-inspired anime ChaO offers a goldfish in Air Jordans and not much else 
• Reuben Baron declares that the Brazilian film The Blue Trail examines aging amidst an ageist dystopia  
• Peter Bradshaw declares that the latest incarnation of Dracula is only notionally about the vampire and involves a bizarre troupe of actors doing a floor-show routine 
• Jacob Oller calls Faces Of Death a so-so slasher too wrapped up in its metafiction 
• Jacob Oller declares that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie unifies its approach to its multigenerational audience by treating them all like babies.  
• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of Invincible. 
• Michael Hogan explains how AI became TV drama’s new go-to villain 
• Ben Child shares his favourite superhero movies of all time. 
• Jessica Holmes rewatches the 1971 Timeslip serial "The Day of the Clone".  
• James McClellan rewatches the 1981 adventure film Raiders of the Lost Ark. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido rewatches the 1998 Babylon 5 episode “Strange Relations"  
• Nathan Tavares rewatches the 1999 Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Helpless". 
• Leslie Felperin rewatches the 2006 horror movie Slither. 
• Isaiah Colbert rewatches the 2008 science fiction film Speed Racer.  
• Ryan Gajewski chronicles how Pixar scrapped the animated movie Be Fri in 2023, since it focussed on female friendships and was considered not relatable for male viewers, only for the somewhat thematically similar KPop Demon Hunters to become a runway hit two years later.  
• Justin Carter reports that indie animation is currently having a moment on YouTube  
• British science fiction writer and TV producer Rob Grant, best known for co-creating Red Dwarf, had died aged 70.
• Actor and dancer Keith Hodiak, best known for his appearances in Revenge of the Pink Panther, Doctor Who, Full Metal Jacket and An American Werewolf in London, has died aged 74. 
• Actor John Nolan, best known for his appearances in Doomwatch, Person of Interest and several Batman films, has died aged 87. 

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:

• Scott Neitlich wonders whether Masters of the Universe can work as a comedy. 
• James Eatock discusses how the Filmation cartoon initially planned to keep the ability of Cringer/Battle-Cat to talk a secret from anybody except for Adam/He-Man's closest friends.

 

Comments on the cancellation of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek in general: 

• Cheryl Eddy reports that the sets of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Starfleet Academy have been torn down, spelling the end to this era of Star Trek.
• TrekMovie.com also reports about the dismantling of the sets of Starfleet Academy and Strange New Worlds and also reports that some props will be auctioned off. 

 

Comments on The Testaments:

• Cheryl Eddy calls The Testaments a beautifully executed dystopian nightmare  
• Natalie Zutter declares that The Testaments is rewriting Gileadan sisterhood, for better or for worse 
• Margaret Atwood reports about her visit to the set of The Testaments.

  

Comments on season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general:

• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on “Gloves Off”, the latest episode of Daredevil: Born Again.
• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on “Gloves Off”, the latest episode of Daredevil: Born Again.
• Watch a trailer for The Punisher: One Last Kill. 

 

Comments on Doctor Who past, present and future:

• James Whitbrook wonders what on Earth is happening with Doctor Who? 
• Gareth Roberts finds some surprising conservatism in old Doctor Who.  
• Nicholas Whyte responds to Gareth Roberts. 
• Jessica Holmes rewatches the 1971 Doctor Who serial "The Claws of Axos". 

 

Comments on Star Wars: Maul: Shadow Lord and Star Wars in general: 

• Elijah Gonzales declares that Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord breathes a bit of life into a stock villain 
• James Whitbrook calls Star Wars: Maul: Shadow Lord a fine prequel to a great TV show  
• Zack Sharf reports that Stephen Soderbergh has no intention of reviving The Hunt for Ben Solo under Disney’s new leadership 

 

Comments on season 5 of The Boys: 

• Lucy Mangan calls season 5 of The Boys a horrifying pleasure to watch 
• Saloni Gajjar declares that season 5 of The Boys doesn't have anything new to say 
• Saloni Gajjar interviews Jessie T. Usher and Anthony Starr, who play A-Train and Homelander in The Boys.

 

Comments on season 2 of Paradise: 

• Arturo Serrano calls Paradise season 2 a welcome jump in quality over season 1
• Jackie Strause interviews Sterling K. Brown, star of Paradise. 

 

Comments on season 5 of For All Mankind: 

• Germain Lussier interviews Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert, showrunners of For All Mankind.  
• Jeff Spry also interviews Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolbert 

 

Comments on The Miniature Wife:

• Saloni Gajjar calls The Miniature Wife a fantastical and surprisingly substantive dramedy. 
• Lucy Mangan calls The Miniature Wife a pointless comedy 

 

Comments on Exit 8: 

• Germain Lussier calls Exit 8 a satisfying, scary Twitch stream come to life  
• Jacob Oller declares that Exit 8 is tedious, but smart enough to use that to its advantage.  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2026 BSFA Awards have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2026 Philip K. Dick Award has been announced. 
• The winner of the 2025 Otherwise Award has been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2026 Tolkien Society Awards has been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Romantic Novel of the Year Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Astra Book Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2025 Ursa Major Awards have been announced.
• The finalists for the 2026 Xingyun Awards have been announced. 
• The recipient of the 2026 Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award has been announced.
• The winners of the 2026 Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Awards have been announced.  
• The Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association has announced its 2026 Grand Master.  
• The winner of the 2025 Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award for Playwriting has been announced. 
• The recipients of the 2026 Big Screen Achievement Awards have been announced.  
• Nadia Khomani reports that the BAFTA organisation has finally apologised for the events surrounding John Davidson’s Tourette’s outburst at the 2026 BAFTA Award ceremony.

 

 

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Hillel Italie reports that PEN America has launched a US safety program for authors facing harassment 
• Mariella Moon reports that Amazon is cutting off support for older Kindles. 
• Jenny Gross and Aimee Ortiz report that Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service have reached a new deal on deliveries after a year of talks  
• Jim Milliot reports that the Trump administration has withdrawn an appeal to the judgment in favour of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, but has also withdrawn their funding.

 

Interviews:

• Arley Sorg interviews Suzanne Palmer. 
• Locus interviews Rebecca Roanhorse.
• Paul Weimer interviews John Chu. 
• Arley Sorg interviews John Chu.  
• Dominique Musorrafiti interviews Alan Moore. 
• Locus interviews Richard K. Morgan. 
• Gabrielle Harbowy interviews Peadar Ó Guilín 
• Elizabeth Tabler interviews Sylvain Neuvel. 
• Scott Edelman interviews Alan Smale. 
• The Guardian interviews Deborah Levy. 

 

Reviews: 

• James Davis Nicoll reviews Platform Decay by Martha Wells   
• Paul Weimer reviews The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen 
• Christine D. Baker reviews Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer  
• Jenny Hamilton reviews Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall 
• Mark Yon reviews Starter Villain by John Scalzi. 
• Jared Shurin reviews This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews 
• Liz Bourke reviews Bloodtide by Sophie Burnham 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Year of The Mer by L.D. Lewis 
• Stuart Cripps-Schnoor reviews The Grimnir Saga by Scott Oden  
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews Heretic by Noah Isaacs
• Lesa Holstine reviews The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer
• Lesa Holstine reviews The Governess’s Guide to Spells and Managing Misfit Marquesses by Amy Rose Bennett 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss
• Alex Brown reviews You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom by Vincent Tirado 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Love Lethal, Death Divine by Jelena Dunato 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Light of the Song by Joyce Ch'ng  
• Ed Crocker reviews The Girl with a Thousand Faces by Sunyi Dean 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon 
• Kate Jackson reviews Vivian Dies Again by C. E. Hulse  
• Marion Deeds reviews The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister 
• Krystle Matar reviews The Brides by Charlotte Cross 
• Ian Mond reviews A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter 
• Tobias Carroll reviews The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu 
• Jen Lucas reviews Black Lake Manor by Guy Morpuss  
• Maya C. James reviews An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole  
• Niall Harrison reviews Event Horizon by Balsam Karam 
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Every Galaxy a Circle by Chloe N. Clark
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Seasons of Glass and Iron: Stories by Amal El-Mohtar  
• Hache Pueyo reviews You Glow in the Dark by Liliana Colanzi, translated by Chris Andrews.
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Fight Like A Girl, edited by Roz Clarke and Joanne Hall 
• Lesa Holstine reviews Paranormal Payback, edited by Jim Butcher and Kerrie L. Hughes 

 

Classics reviews:

• Sandy Ferber and Marion Deeds revisit the 1908 weird horror novel The House on the Borderland by William Hope Hodgson  
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1927 Lost World novel In the Beginning by Alan Sullivan
• Dave Hook revisits the 1943 fantasy anthology The Moonlight Traveler: Great Tales of Fantasy and Imagination, edited by Philip Van Doren Stern  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1957 science fiction collection Earth Is Room Enough by Isaac Asimov
• David Levinson revisits the May/June 1971issue of World of If. 
• Gideon Marcus revisits the May/June 1971 issue of Galaxy. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1981 contemporary fantasy novel Little, Big by John Crowley. 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1985 fantasy novel Tailchaser’s Song by Tad Williams 
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1993 YA horror novel The Wish by Diane Hoh. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1994 science fiction novel Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh. 
• Clara Cohen revisits the 2017 Fitz and the Fool epic fantasy novel Assassin's Fate by Robin Hobb. 

 

Con and event reports:

• Simon Burley shares his experiences at Iridescence, the 2026 Eastercon in Birmingham, UK.
• Luckykaa shares their experiences at Iridescence. 
• Morwenna's Tower shares their experiences at Iridescence. 
• Alison Scott and John Coxon interview Claudia Rapp, the chair of MetropolCon, the 2026 Eurocon in Berlin, Germany. 
• Ellen Datlow shares photos of the latest Fantastic Fiction Reading at the KGB Bar in New York City, featuring Michael Swanwick and Mike Allen . 
• Alex Beam reports about the Cat Museum in Salem, Massachussetts. 

 

Crowdfunding:

• The anthology Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy & Science Fiction: Volume Four is looking for funding. 
• SFF artist and Hugo winner Maurine Starkey needs help to keep her home. 

 

Science and technology:

• Thomas L. Friedman shares his concerns about Anthropic's AI system Claude.
• Elizabeth Gibney reports that the International Conference on Machine Learning in Seoul, South Korea, rejected almost 500 papers for violating their AI policies.  
• John Carreyrou attempts to unmask the creator of Bitcoin.  

 

Gaming: 

• Joe DelFranco reviews the video game Cocoon by Geometric Interactive 
• Matt Larkin reviews the video game Nioh 3. 
• Germain Lussier reviews the video game Resident Evil Requiem
• Keith Stuart discusses how games capture the awe and terror of cosmic isolation 
• Martin Cahill explains where to start with Critical Role

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Dorklair reviews the Highland Warrior action figure from Four Horsemen Studios.
• D Amazing reviews the Highland Warrior action figure from Four Horsemen Studios.
• Toy Bro reviews the Highland Warrior action figure from Four Horsemen Studios. 
• James Whitbrook takes a look at the Star Wars Black Series Darth Nihilus and Darth Traya two-pack from Hasbro.  
• Germain Lussier takes a look at some Star Wars: Black Series action figures from Hasbro that come with practice targets and t-shirts. 
• James Whitbrook takes a look at some upcoming Tron: Legacy action figures from Hasbro. 
• James Whitbrook takes a look at some Star Wars themed popcorn buckets. 
• Germain Lussier reports that the Labubu hype has faded and may be taking down Pop Mart with it. 
• Suhauna Hussain reports that one million US-dollar worth of stolen LEGO sets have been recovered in California.  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Saint Zero of the Hollows and the Eagle Knight" by V.M. Ayala in Lightspeed.  
• "Hell Is Empty" by J.R. Dawson in Lightspeed.  
• "Macaroni Art in the Age of Filtration" by Ryan Cole in Clarkesworld. 
• "The Trajectory of Memory is Forward" by Rajeev Prasad in Clarkesworld.
• "How Gods Feed" by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "Under White Air" by Jonathan Olfert in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "Let’s Go to the Zoo" by Louis Evans in Reactor.
• "The Lesson" by David Mulry in Swords and Sorcery Magazine. 
• "The Final Girl Trap" by A.C. Wise in Nightmare Magazine.  
• "Windows" by Ibrahim Ojedokun in The Dark. 
• "Easter Haunting" by Margaret Mendel in Kings River Life.  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Widow's Bay.
• Watch a trailer for Buffet Infinity. 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for March 20, 2026

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the 2025 Nebula Award finalists and the 2026 Academy Award winners, the upcoming Masters of the Universe live action film and Masters of the Universe in general, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek in general, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, season 4 of Invincible, Project Hail Mary, Undertone, the rediscovery of two lost Doctor Who episodes and Doctor Who in general, the potential revival of Firefly, tributes to Len Deighton and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares her favourite recent science fiction, fantasy and horror
• Natalie Zutter lists romantasy novels coming out in March and April 2026 
• Alex Brown shares must-read short speculative fiction from February 2026 
• Lorna Wallace shares five science fiction stories set underwater 
• Lish McBride shares her favourite cozy fantasy novels. 
• Stacie Ramey shares her favourite cozy mysteries featuring magic.
• Joanna Margaret talks about the current gothic romance boom 
• Sam Reader shares nine religious horror novels 
• Jo Walton explains how to read sixteen books at once (at all times)  
• Brandon Sanderson explains why there are no elves and dwarves in his fantasy novels. 
• Emily Temple recounts the relationship between W.H. Auden and J.R.R. Tolkien. 
• Richard P. Martin shares his thoughts on the Irish tale "The Wooing of Étaín" 
• Chris M. Barkley shares his appreciation for the speculative poetry of Jacquelyn Montenaro 
• Rich Lynch takes a look at the science fictional piece of music “Telstar” by The Tornados and its legendary producer Joe Meek. 
• Sahara Reporters report that Nigerian SFF author Oghenechovwo Donald Ekpeki and a friend were seriously injured in a traffic accident caused by a motorcycle delivery driver.  
• Locus remembers M.R. Hildebrand. 
• Military science fiction writer William C. Dietz has died aged 81. 

  

Tributes to Len Deighton: 

• British spy fiction author Len Deighton has died aged 97. 
• Mike Ripley shares a personal tribute to Len Deighton.  
• Mike Ripley shares an obituary for Len Deighton. 
• William Grimes shares an obituary for Len Deighton. 
• Tim Johnson shares an obituary for Len Deighton. 
• Martin Edwards remembers Len Deighton. 
• Bill Koenig remembers Len Deighton. 
• Chris Connor remembers Len Deighton. 

 

Comics and Art:

• Isaiah Colbert calls the manga Divine Incursions by Kouya Ashitaka a brainy monster-of-the-week thriller that will scratch your X-Files itch 
• Garrick Webster reports that IDW has announced a new range of crime comics. 

 

Film and TV:

• Ann Michelle Harris calls season 2 of the live action One Piece a fun adventure that manages to capture some moments of emotional storytelling and manages to showcase some appealing new characters.  
• Jacob Oller calls Forbidden Fruits a mean and magical modern witch story.
• Arturo Serrano calls  The Beauty an uninspired The Substance wannabe with far less bite
• Jacob Oller calls Never After Dark a creepy-cozy Japanese exorcism film. 
• Isaiah Colbert calls the anime Witch Hat Atelier simply magical   
• Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the latest episode of Paradise. 
• Isaiah Colbert shares an introduction to the anime JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
• Cheryl Eddy calls 1000 Women in Horror a documentary that gazes at horror history through a feminist lens 
• Vanessa Armstrong interviews interviewed Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin and Izzy Miekle-Small, who plays Brianna, Roger and Rachel in Outlander. 
• Kendall Crawford interviews Hannah Beachler, production designer for Black Panther and Sinners. 
• Radha Vatsal revisits the 1922 horror documentary Häxan. 
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1964 retro science fiction film First Men in a Moon.
• Joe Reid revisits the 1971 science fiction film The Andromeda Strain. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1998 Babylon 5 episode “The Paragon of Animals” 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 2011 South Korean horror film The Cat 
• Cheryl Eddy shares rare behind the scenes photos from Return of the Jedi. 
• Ben Child optimistically believes that King Conan is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chance for a late-period masterpiece, like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven  
• Kate Aurthur shares a look behind the scenes of the proposed Buffy: The Vampire Slayer reboot and why it was ultimately cancelled. 
• David Smith speculates how Paramount buying Warner Bros will change Hollywood.  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general:

• James Eatock shares a look at the unpublished Masters of the Universe mini-comic "Return from Terror Island". 
• James Eatock takes a look at the differences between the first five episodes of She-Ra: Princess of Power and the recaps of previous episodes. 

 

Comments on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and Star Trek in general: 

• Arturo Serrano calls Starfleet Academy a more than worthy successor to Discovery, somewhat undercut by mixed messaging
• Camestros Felapton shares his thoughts on “Rubincon”, the season 1 finale of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.   
• Emmet Asher-Perrin discusses the introduction of a Federation War College in Starfleet Academy and what it means. 
• Anthony Pascale interviews Alex Kurtzman, executive producer of the Paramount Plus Star Trek shows, about the future of Star Trek on TV, following Paramount's takeover by the rightwing Skydance Media.
• Matthew Byrd reports that there will be a season 2 of Starfleet Academy. 
• Matthew Byrd ranks the first seasons of all Star Trek series. 

 

Comments on Ready or Not 2: Here I Come:

• Benjamin Lee declares that Ready or Not 2: Here I Come offers even more screaming, running, swearing and exploding rich people and expands mythology we didn’t need expanded  
• Andy Crump declares that Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come once again paints the walls with the Satanic one percent.
• Cheryl Eddy declares that Ready or Not 2: Here I Come offers gory fun but doesn’t quite level up   

 

Comments on Project Hail Mary:

• Leah Schnelbach calls Project Hail Mary a delightful, optimistic science fiction adventure
• Germain Lussier interviews Phil Lord and Chris Miller, director of Project Hail Mary.  

  

Comments on season 4 of Invincible:

• Isaiah Colbert declares that Invincible is back in fighting form, but that the animation has suffered due to the frequent release schedule. 
• William Hughes notes that Invincible is back, but it's not clear why it bothered 

 

Comments on Undertone: 

• Germain Lussier declares that a paranormal podcast comes to life in the simple, scary film Undertone.  
• Trace Saveur declares that Undertone beckons audiences into the isolating art of sound-forward horror. 

 

Comments on the rediscovery of two lost Doctor Who episodes and Doctor Who in general: 

• The BBC reports that two missing Doctor Who episodes from the 1965 serial "The Daleks' Master Plan" have been found.
• Molly Templeton also reports about the rediscovery of the two lost Doctor Who episodes and the reaction of actor Peter Purvess who played Steven in "The Daleks' Master Plan" to first seeing those episodes after sixty years. 
• Jessica Holmes revisits the 1971 Doctor Who serial "The Mind of Evil". 

 

Comments on the possible revival of Firefly: 

• Jake Kleinman reports that Firefly will return as an animated series. 
• Charlie Jane Anders declares that Firefly should have stayed dead.   
• Steve Davidson responds to Charlie Jane Anders and declares that he thinks an animated Firefly reboot would be a good idea.  
• James Whitbrook reports that the 1998 anime Outlaw Star basically is the animated version of Firefly. 
• Inspired by the possible revival of Firefly and the failed revival of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Camestros Felapton talks about TV reboots in general.  

 

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2026 Nebula Awards have been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2026 Seiun Awards have been announced. 
• The longlist for the 2026 Aldiss Awards has been announced. 
• The winners of the Horror Writers Association 2026 Specialty Awards have been announced. 
• The shortlist for the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize has been announced.
• The finalists for the 2026 Lambda Literary Awards have been announced. 
• The shortlists for the 2026 Carnegie Medals have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2026 Academy Awards have been announced with some love for Sinners, KPop Demon Hunter and Frankenstein and lots of love for One Battle After Another. 
• The winners of the 2026 Razzie Awards have been announced. 
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on the 2025 Nebula Award finalists. 
• Cora Buhlert shares her thoughts on the 2026 Academy Award winners. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares a brief history of vampire movies at the Oscars 
• Heather Rose Jones analyses how the Hugo finalists for Best Related Work have changed over time. 

 

 

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Joshilyn Jackson talks about creating a fictional sister
• Writers Who Kill shares their favourite crime or writing reference books. 
• Publishers Weekly reports that a US judge ruled that Tracy Wolff did not plagiarise her YA romantasy series Crave in spite of superficial similarities to an unpublished manuscript by Lynn Freeman. 
• Emma Loffhagen reports that Grammarly has removed an "AI expert" review feature mimicking real life writers after a massive backlash

 

Interviews:

• Martin Cahill interviews Matthew Kressel. 
• Paul Weimer interviews Alex Shvartsman.
• Scott Edelman interviews Salinee Goldenberg. 
• Paul Weimer interviews Aubrey Sitterson. 

 

Reviews: 

• Paul Di Filippo reviews The Forest on the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride 
• Niall Harrison reviews The Forest on the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride 
• Melissa A. Warkins reviews The Girl Who Made a Mouse From Her Grandfather’s Whiskers by Kenneth Hunter Gordon   
• Marlene Harris reviews The Girl Who Made a Mouse From Her Grandfather’s Whiskers by Kenneth Hunter Gordon  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed  
• Abigail Nussbaum reviews The Misheard World by Aliya Whiteley 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang  
• Roseanna Pendlebury reviews This Brutal Moon by Bethany Jacobs 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews After the Fall by Edward Ashton
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Proposal by Myung-Hoon Bae, translated by Stella Kim.  
• Marlene Harris reviews Blindside by Michael Mammay  
• Niall Harrison reviews Loss Protocol by Paul McAuley
• Marion Deeds reviews Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett 
• Marlene Harris reviews The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C.M. Waggoner 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Entwined by H.M. Long 
• Rob Bedford reviews The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White. 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Aspirant’s Oath by Levi Jacobs 
• Alex Brown reviews To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose 
• J.C. Kang reviews The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
• Grimdark Magazine reviews Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui  
• Jim McLeod reviews Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo. 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo.  
• Ed Crocker reviews Cabaret in Flames by Hache Pueyo.   
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K.J. Parker 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews A Call to Bones by D. H. Hoskins 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher 
• Z.B. Steele reviews He Who Ate the Wild by G.J. Terral 
• Rai Furniss-Gresley reviews Wretch by Eric LaRocca
• Gabino Iglesias reviews The Essential Horror of Joe R. Lansdale by Joe Lansdale 
• Bar Fridman-Tell reviews The Curiosities by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff

 

Classics reviews:

• Lesa Holstine revisits the 1939 ghost story Tryst by Elswyth Thane 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1953 alternate history novel Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore 
• Camestros Felapton revisits the 1969 science fiction novel The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey. 
• Maureen Hogan revisits the 1971 science fiction novel Furthest by Suzette Haden Elgin, George Pritchard revisits the 1971 alternate histoy novel The Chilian Club by George Shipway, Winona Menezes revisits the 1971 southern gothic novel The Other Side of the Sun by Madeleine L'Engle and Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1971 science fiction novel The Far Side of Evil by Sylvia Louise Engdahl and the 1971 technothriller The Black Room by Colin Wilson
• Alan Brown revisits the 1981 science fiction collection Federation by H. Beam Piper, edited by John F. Carr 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1988 alternate history novel Fire on the Mountain by Terry Bisson 
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1990 YA horror novel Haunted and the 1991 YA horror novel The Secret Bedroom by R.K. Stine.

 

Con and event reports:

• Daniel Dern reports about the 2026 Arisia in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
• Delaina Dixon shares her experiences at the 2026 BlerDCon in Washington, DC.
• Ella Creamer shares a round-up of news from the London Book Fair in London, UK. 
• Mike Glyer reports that Farah Mendlesohn has won the 2026 GUFF fan fund race.  
• Mike Glyer reports that the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society will officially open their new clubhouse in Northridge, California  
• Priya Bharadia reports that Rydal Mount and Gardens, the former home of poet William Wordsworth, in Ambleside, UK, will remain open to the public. 
• Tristram Kenton shares photos of the stage adaptation of  My Neighbour Totoro, which is currently playing on London, UK.

 

Crowdfunding:

• Nigerian SFF writer Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki was injured in a serious traffic accident and needs some help with medical expenses.

 

Science and technology:

• Eric Lagatta reports that astronomers witnessed evidence of two planets colliding 11000 lightyears away from Earth. 
• Elly LaPointe reports that the asteroid Ryugu contains all five DNA and RNA building blocks
• Evelyn Hart reports about Chrysalis, a proposed 36-mile tnterstellar generation ship designed to carry one thousand humans beyond Earth… forever 
• Ellyn LaPointe reports that new research on muscle loss suggests humans will really suffer on Mars  
• James Davis Nicoll shares one more reason why aliens might be avoiding us
• Petra Stock talks about the environmental costs of generative AI. 
• Jason Sanford declares that AI is providing ever-faster ways for the rich and powerful to do what they want 
• Margaret Atwood recounts her rather unsatisfying interactions with Anthropic's AI chat bot Claude. 
• Kelsey Day talks about the dissociative horrors of virtual reality and social media 
• Erin Griffith reports that passengers of self-driving taxis in San Francisco, California, have found themselves trapped inside the vehicles during anti-robot attacks. 
• Eric Niiler reports that the Trump government is planning to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. 
• Ian Sample reports that researchers at CERN plan to transport volatile antimatter for first time
• Neville Morley talks about people disappearing from academia. 
• Eilzabeth Howell remembers Robert Goddard launching the first liquid fuelled rocket in 1926. 

 

Gaming: 

• C.T. Phipps reviews the video game Resident Evil: Requiem
• Cam Winstanley lists six of the best board games based on video games 
• Stefan Fatsis reports about competitive Scrabble. 
• Helen Vogelsong-Donahue explains how the rise of AI is negatively affecting gaming. 

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Adam Power reviews the Mythic Legions Manisha Cinderhorn action figure from Four Horsemen Studios
• Adam Power reviews the Mythic Legions Diis Patar action figure from Four Horsemen Studios 
• Adam Power reviews the Mythic Legions Bodvar action figure from Four Horsemen Studios
• Nitya Rao shares eight rare McDonald's Happy Meal toys worth a small fortune

 

Free online fiction: 

• "An Encounter at the Dawn of the Time War" by J.T. Petty in Lightspeed.  
• "Lotus Dew for the Emperor’s Tea" by Vanessa Fogg in Lightspeed.
• "Cutting Corners" by Yoon Ha Lee in Reactor. 
• "Her Dark Places" by Adam-Troy Castro in Nightmare Magazine.  
• "This Obituary Has Been Redacted" by P.C. Verrone in Strange Horizons.  
• "First Human Ghost on Mars" by R.L. Meza in Clarkesworld. 
• "Scion" by Thomas Ha in Clarkesworld. 
• "Zeynep’s Judgment" by Luana Saitta in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.  
• "The Island of Sea Turtles and Blood" by Angela Liu in Apex Magazine.
• "The Sea Child" by Justin Wesley Ferguson in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 
• "Mother’s Hearth" by W.A. Hamilton in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
• "The Empty Vessel" by Rhys Hughes in The Dark.
• "Self-Portrait with Bones" by Alex Irvine in The Sunday Morning Transport. 
• "Sole" by Aliya Whiteley in The Deadlands. 
• "Sandbag Squidward" by Ashlee Lhamon in Grist: Imagine 2200 
• "A Woman Is Screaming" by Joe Koch in The Deathlands.

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. 
• Watch a trailer for part 3 of Dune. 
• Watch a trailer for Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom   
• Watch a trailer for Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen
• Watch a trailer for Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord   
• Watch a trailer for Pizza Movie.