Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for November 8, 2024

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Masters of the Universe in general, Agatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Star Trek Lower Decks and Star Trek in general, season 2 of Arcane, What We Do in the Shadows, The Penguin, The Franchise, allegations against Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, tributes to Greg Hildebrandt and Phil Rickman much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Cheryl Eddy lists new science fiction, fantasy and horror books coming out in November.
• Natalie Zutter shares new science fiction and fantasy books coming out in November. 
• Publishers Weekly share their favourite science fiction, fantasy and horror novels of 2024.
• Jo Walton lists SFF books to read when you need an escape. 
  
• Kayla Cottingham shares five SFF books that worldbuild via food and fashion.
  
• Tyler Malone explains why horror needs humor.
• Ratika Deshpande shares five SFF stories about mother/daughter relationships.
  
• Olivia Blacke talks about genre-bending books.  
• Kristen Patterson takes a look at the horse girl archetype. 
• Ella Creamer reports that sales of dystopian novels such as 1984 by George Orwell and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood surged after the US presidential election.
  
• Mystery and fantasy author Phil Rickman has died aged 74. 
• Martin Edwards remembers Phil Rickman. 
  

 

Discussion of the allegations against Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki:

• Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki responds to the allegations by Erin Cairns.
• Jason Sanford responds to Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki's response and also links to the comments of other writers on the issue.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Publishers Weekly share their favourite comics and graphic novels of 2024.
  
• Alasdair Stuart reviews The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor.
• Jason Sacks looks back on the debut of The Fantastic Four in 1961 and the start of the Marvel Universe as we know it today. 
• Steven Heller interviews Cuban artist Edel Rodriguez.
  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about the plight of the narrator.
  
• Fantasy and science fiction artist Greg Hildebrandt has died aged 85. 
• Gordon Jackson remembers Greg Hildebrandt. 
  

 

Film and TV:

• Phil Hoad calls Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom an  intriguing fantasy anime  
• Arturo Serrano declares that Nautilus does a disservice to its anticolonial message.
  
• Nathan Rabin declares that nobody emerges from Megalopolis unscathed 
• Natalia Keogan calls Bird a flawed fairy tale.
  
• Phil Hoad calls Pedro Páramo a Mexican magical realist drama full of time slippages and perspective shifts 
• Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the season 2 finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon and calls the second season of the show mediocre. 
• Emma Davis shares her thoughts on  A Quiet Place: Day One
  
• Arturo Serrano shares his thoughts on Never Let Go. 
• Melody McCune shares her appreciation for the character of Juliette Nichols in Silo.
  
• Ryan Gilbey interviews Lucy Lawless, best known for playing Xena: The Warrior Princess.
• Germain Lussier interviews Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, writers and directors of Heretic. 
  
• Fiona Moore revisits the 1967 fantasy comedy Bedazzled.
• James Whitbrook revisits the 1989 animated movie Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1994 Babylon 5 episode “Soul Mates” 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1996 fantasy movie Loch Ness. 
• Fiona Denton revisits the 2005 dystopian film V for Vendetta.
• Cheryl Eddy revisits the 2016 dystopian film The Purge: Election Year. 
• Rick Austin lists ten science fiction films that got the future completely wrong. 
  
• Daniel Boyer ranks the ten worst decisions made by characters in horror movies. 
• Ben Child wonders whether potential future instalments of the Alien series will repeat the mistakes of underwhelming past films or learn the right lessons from the success of Alien: Romulus. 
• Jennifer Maas reports that Warner Bros is still not willing to give up on Harry Potter.
  
• Mark Kermode shares his appreciation for the work of film composer John Williams. 
• Emma Keates reports that Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav is thrilled about the election of Donald Trump, proving once again that he is a horrible person.
  
• Animator and illustrator Emma Calder has died aged 65. 
• Actor Jonathan Haze, best known for his appearances in Little Shop of Horror, The Day the World Ended, Not of This Earth, Monster from the Ocean Floor, The Terror, X: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes, Nobody Smiling, 77 Sunset Strip, Dragnet and many others, has died aged 95.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general: 

• Danielle Directo-Meston interviews Alison Brie who has been cast as Evil-Lyn in the planned Masters of the Universe live action movie.
• James Eatock explains how the dragon Warlock from the Filmation cartoon Blackstar later reappeared in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
  

 

Comments on Agatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general: 

• Camestros Felapton calls Agatha All Along an enormously entertaining miniseries 
• Asa West declares that Agatha All Along nailed some profound truths about witchcraft
  
• Adam B. Vary interviews Jac Schaeffer, showrunner of Agatha All Along. 
• Brian Davids interviews Jac Schaeffer, showrunner of Agatha All Along. 
  
• Taylor Gates interviews Sasheer Zamata, who plays Jennifer Kale in Agatha All Along.
  
• Alex Brown shares some SFF reading recommendations for the characters of Agatha All Along.
• Chris Snellgrove reports that Kathryn Hahn, who plays Agatha Harkness in Agatha All Along, has received a not entirely serious award for being the first female character to appear nude in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 
• Clayton Davis reports that Disney has submitted Agatha All Along as an ongoing comedy series rather than a mini-series for awards purposes, suggesting that there might be more seasons.
  

 

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

• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on “A Farewell to Farms”, the latest episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks. 
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on “A Farewell to Farms”, the latest episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks.  
• Avery Kaplan shares her thoughts on “A Farewell to Farms”, the latest episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks.   
• Ryan Britt interviews Gabrielle Ruiz who voices T'Lyn in Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  

 

Comments on season 2 of Arcane: 

• Diana Keng interviews Christian Linke, producer and co-creator of Arcane.   
• Justin Carter interviews Christian Linke.
  
• Isaiah Colbert reports that Arcane is the most expensive animated series ever made. 

 

Comments on What We Do in the Shadows: 

• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of What We Do In the Shadows.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of What We Do In the Shadows.

 

Comments on The Penguin: 

• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.

 

Comments on The Franchise: 

• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Franchise.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts about the latest episode of The Franchise.
  

 

Godzilla at seventy:

• Fiona Ng chronicles how the original 1954 Godzilla came to the US with some extra scenes shot in Los Angeles and inserted into the movie.
  
• James Whitbrook and Adriano Contreras interviews Takashi Yamazaki, director of Godzilla Minus One.

Awards:

• The finalists for the 2024 Self Published Fantasy Blogoff have been announced.
  
• The winner of the 2024 Prix Julia Verlanger has been announced. 
  
• The winner of the 2024 Prix Utopiales BD has been announced.
• The winners of the 2024 Philip K. Dick European Science Fiction Film Festival 
  
• The 2024 inductees into the Animation Hall of Fame have been announced.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Charlie Jane Anders tells writers not to beat themselves up over arbitrary wordcount goals. 
• Moira Butterfield tells creators that it's okay to have bad ideas.
  
• Sue Burke talks about the problem of AI-generated submissions flooding SFF magazines.
• Ella Creamer reports that the Dutch publisher Veen Bosch & Keuning wants to use AI to translate a limited number of books into English in what is a terrible idea.  
• Ella Creamer reports that a report by the British National Literacy Trust has discovered a shocking drop in the number of children reading for pleasure. 
• Jay Waagmeester reports that Florida has removed more library books in 2023 than any other state.
  
• Andrew Albanese reports that anti-book-ban activists have won a legal victory in Alaska.
  

 

Interviews:

• Arley Sorg interviews Nalo Hopkinson.
• Kat Kouberti interviews Arkady Martine. 
  
• Kalyani Saxena interviews Alix E. Harrow, Alexis Henderson and Grady Hendrix 
• Runalong the Shelves interviews A.C. Wise.
  
• Paul Weimer interviews K.V. Johansen.
• Doug Gordon interviews Gabino Iglesias. 
• Nick Kolakowski interviews Rob Hart and Alex Segura. 
  
• Christina Orlando interviews Anne de Marcken 
• Kelly Robson interviews Ted Chiang.
  
• Stewart A. Shearer interviews Matthew John.  
• Nick Kolakowski interviews Rob Hart and Alex Segura. 
  
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Kate Macdonald.
  
• Arley Sorg interviews Eliane Boey.
  

 

Reviews:

• Runalong the Shelves reviews Broken Stars by Jeremy Szal
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Constituent Service by John Scalzi 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Buried Memories by Simon R. Green
  
• Doreen Sheridan reviews Remember Me Tomorrow by Farah Heron 
• John Mauro reviews The Book That Held Her Heart by Mark Lawrence 
• Rob Bedford reviews Candle and Crow by Kevin Hearne. 
• Clara Cohen reviews The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry 
  
• Marion Deeds reviews Abeni’s Song by P. Djèlí Clark 
• Rebecca Fisher reviews Ghost Drum by Susan Price 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Speculation by Nisi Shawl 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer
  
• Joseph B. Hoyos reviews Exposure by Ramona Emerson  
• Lis Carey reviews The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune.
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Thunder Kraken by Dyrk Ashton and David Estes 
  
• Adrian Collins reviews The Genesis of Change by Livia J. Elliot 
• Ian Mond reviews State of Paradise by Laura van den Berg
  
• Paraic O'Donnell reviews Gliff by Ali Smith 
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Drill by Scott R. Jones
  
• Paul Di Filippo reviews The Ancients by John Larison 
• John Mauro reviews The Narrows by Ronald Malfi
• Colleen Mondor reviews Smothermoss by Alisa Alering 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks
  
• Paperback Warrior reviews Killer Delivery by Calum France.
• Mary Picken reviews Night and Day by John Connolly
  
• Sam Tomaino reviews The Last Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison and  J. Michael Straczynski
  
• Niall Harrison reviews Wish I Was Here by M. John Harrison
  

 

Classics reviews:

• Muse from the Orb revisits the 1553 Elizabethan horror novel Beware the Cat by William Baldwin.
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1897 horror novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1953 science fiction novel Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
  
• James Wallace Harris revisits the 1964 post-apocalyptic novel Greybeard by Brian W. Aldiss. 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1967 children's fantasy The Secret of the Blue Glass by Tomiko Inui, translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori
  
• David Levinson revisits the December 1969 issue of If: Worlds of Science Fiction
• Brian Collins revisits the 1969 science fiction novel Macroscope by Piers Anthony.
  
• Jonathan Rosenbaum revisits the 1973 post-apocalyptic novel Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. 
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1979 fairy tales retelling “Red as Blood” by Tanith Lee 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1985 science fiction novel Child of Fortune by Norman Spinrad
   
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Steve Rose reports about the Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn digital arts festival in Lisbon, Portugal
• Fandom Pulse reports that rightwing science fiction author Richard Fox has allegedly been banned from programming at the 2024 Author Nation convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, for having a freak-out when asked for his pronouns. 
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Writer and editor Lezli Robyn needs help with medical expenses.

 

Science and technology:

• Elisha Sauers reports that NASA has managed to reestablish contact with the Voyager 1 spaceprobe, using a back-up transmitter. 
• The Guardian reports that LignoSat, the world's first wooden satellite, has been launched into space.
  
• Eric Berger reports about Blue Origins' New Glenn rocket.
  
• Jennifer Graeser Dornbush answers frequently asked questions about forensic science. 
• Carrie Wise attempts to explain what makes some pieces of music scary.
  

 

Gaming: 

• Warner Holme reviews the Swedish RPG Dragonbane
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Pixel Dan reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Origins Modulok. 
• For Eternia reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Masterverse New Eternia Evil-Lyn.
  
• FigureFan Zero reviews the Ultimate Creature From The Black Lagoon action figure by NECA  
• Justin Carter shares a look at some upcoming Godzilla toys from Super 7. 
• James Whitbrook shares a look at the Lord of the Rings "War of the Rohirrim" line of Funko Pops.
• Becca Down shares a look at a new Lego Captain America: Brave New World set. 
  
• James Whitbrook shares a look at new Lego sets coming out in November.
• Sean Fallon also offers a look at new Lego sets coming out in November.
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "The Golden Tooth: A Solo Show by Orion Cabrera" by William Alexander in Uncanny Magazine 
• "Cryptid Car Rental" by Allison Pottern in Trollbreath.
  
• "Margeaux Poppins: Monster Hunter" by L. D. Lewis in The Sunday Morning Transport. 
  
• "The Blood-Beast from Hellmouth" by Andrew Darlington in Swords and Heroes.
• "She Sheds Her Skin" by Raven Jakubowski in Nightmare Magazine. 
• "Beyond The Slit Of Eternity" by K. T. Booker in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "On the Existence of Ghosts, As If" by James Van Pelt in The Deadlands.
  
• "Antyesti For a Dead Ganesa, Part 1" by Ashok K. Banker in Lightspeed.
  
• "Babywings" by Isabel Cañas in Lightspeed.
  
• "Lightfingers" by Seán Padraic Birnie in The Dark.
• "Mirror Stages" by Claire Jia-Wen in Clarkesworld. 
• "LuvHome™" by Resa Nelson in Clarkesworld,
  

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for Skeleton Crew.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Scavenger's Reign, which will likely never be made.
  
• Watch a trailer for Heart Eyes.
  

 

 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for October 25 2024

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with Masters of the Universe in general, Agatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, Star Trek Lower Decks and Star Trek in general, What We Do in the Shadows, Venom: The Last Dance, Hysteria!, The Penguin, Joker: Folie a Deux, The Franchise, Teacup, The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, all the news from New York Comic Con and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• James Davis Nicoll lists five formidable female characters from classic SFF. 
• Sarah Reese Brennan shares five SFF books featuring villainous team-ups.
  
• Leah Schnelbach shares spooky stories recommended by Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Creature and other classic monsters  
  
• C.J. Cooke shares her favourite witchy books. 
• Alena Bruzas shares her favourite literary horror novels. 
• Lorna Wallace shares seven spooky stories set on Halloween. 
  
• C.J. Leede talks about sexual repression and horror fiction.
• Jeff VanderMeer shares his six favourite books that delve into the unknown. 
• Lily Anderson shares her favourite haunted houses in fiction and reality. 
• Holly Kybett-Smith shares thirteen poems for Halloween.
  
• Elisa Shoenberg shares five SFF books about elections and technology. 
• Molly Templeton wishes for more genre mashups.
  
• Rachel Cordasco takes a look at Stanislaw Lem's work from the early 1960s. 
• Daily Kos shares their appreciation for the works of John M. Ford. 
• Bill Ryan shares his appreciation for the horror short fiction of Ramsey Campbell.
  
• Jackson Sawa shares some facts about Edgar Allan Poe. 
• Bobby Derie finds some connections between H.P. Lovecraft and the Shaver mysteries.
  
• Ella Creamer reports that a reader has stumbled upon a forgotten 1891 horror story by Bram Stoker in a library in Dublin, Ireland.
• ErsatzCulture reports that Yao Haijun, editor of the Chinese magazine Science Fiction World, two-time Hugo finalist and co-chair of the 2023 Worldcon in Chengdu, China, is under investigation in China for alleged "serious violations of discipline and law".
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Robin Marx reviews Conan the Barbarian #15 by Jim Zub and Doug Braithwaite
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Shadow of the Batgirl by Sarah Kuhn and Nicole Goux 
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about Batman keeping his priorities straight.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Arturo Serrano declares that The Wild Robot gives off a warm aura that soothes and uplifts the weary soul. 
• Leah Schnelbach declares that Rumours responds to the absurdity of modern life with absurdity of its own 
• Phil Hoad calls Family Pack review a card-game-based time-travelling caper
  
• Fiona Denton calls The Radleys less horror and more dark comedy with some blood spatter. 
• James Whitbrook calls Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance a miserable show that has no idea what it wants to say.
  
• Jacob Oller calls Memoir Of A Snail a claymation weepie that crawls through a gauntlet of misery
  
• Cath Clarke calls Rebellious a convulted animated fairy tale full of outdated stereotypes that barely scrapes past the Bechdel test 
• Luke Buckmaster calls My Freaky Family an overly quirky and unforgivably mawkish animated film.
  
• Joel Golby calls Before a creepy drama that is perfect for Halloween. 
• Jesse Hassenger shares a spoilerish review of Smile 2.
  
• Aaron Jones shares his thoughts on Terminator Zero.
  
• Louise Griffin interviews Peter Capaldi who played the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who.
• Germain Lussier interviews Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann, director and producer of The Wild Robot.
  
• Germain Lussier interviews Leigh Whannell, writer and director of Wolf Man. 
• Isaiah Colbert interviews Kamome Shirahama, creator of Witch Hat Atelier. 
• Germain Lussier interviews Brad Miska, excutive producer of Terrifier 3.
  
• Stuart Heritage praises Andrew Garfield's appearance on Sesame Street where he opens up about his late mother and his grief towards Elmo. 
• Tyler Dean shares his nine least favourite on-screen Draculas. 
• Marya E. Gates revisits the 1924 Soviet science fiction film Aelita: Queen of Mars
• Arturo Serrano revisits the 1931 horror film Dracula.
• Arturo Serrano revisits the 1958 horror film Dracula.
  
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1960 horror thriller Circus of Horror and the 1967 horror thriller She-Freak. 
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1960 horror sexploitation film The Playgirls and the Vampire and the 1965 horror sexploitation film The Beach Girls and the Monster  
• Don Kaye revisits the 1964 Outer Limits episode “Demon with a Glass Hand”.
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1965 horror movie Devils of Darkness and the 1973 horror movie Ganja & Hess
  
• Haley Zapal revisits the 1966 horror movie Kill, Baby, Kill.
  
• Fiona Moore revisits the 1969 science fiction film Moon Zero Two and the 1969 surreal anti-war comedy Oh, What a Lovely War! 
• Arturo Serrano revisits the 1974 horror movie Dracula.
  
• Haley Zapal revisits the 1977 Japanese horror movie House.
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1978 dark fantasy movie Watership Down.
  
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1984 horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street.
• Dan Larson revisits the 1986 cartoon series Filmation Ghostbusters, not to be confused with The Real Ghostbusters.
  
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1988 science fiction movie They Live. 
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1994 Bablyon 5 episode "The Long Dark". 
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1995 crime comedy To Die For and the 2001 ghost story movie The Others. 
• David Masciotra revisits the 1997 post-apocalyptic movie The Postman. 
• Joe Otterson reports that instead of a full third season, Good Omens will conclude with the 90 minute movie and that Neil Gaiman is not involved in the production,
  
• Christi Carras reports that the producers of Blade Runner 2049 are sueing Elon Musk and Warner Bros. Discovery over the Tesla Cybercab launch
  
• Mary Kate Carr reports that the lawsuit by actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting about allegedly being forced to perform nude while underage in the 1968 movie Romeo and Juliet has been dismissed again. 
• Actor Ron Ely, star of Tarzan, Doc Savage, The Aquanauts and many others, has died aged 86.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general: 

• For Eternia shares a video about Kudu-Kesh, the conlang created for Masters of the Universe Revelation and Revolution.
  
• James Eatock shares how an obscure one-of She-Ra villain named Acrobad was actually based on a concept for a never-produced action figure from the Masters of the Universe line.
  

 

Comments on Agatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general: 

• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on “Death’s Hand in Mine”, the latest episode of Agatha All Along. 
• Jen Lennon  shares her thoughts on “Death’s Hand in Mine”, the latest episode of Agatha All Along.  
• Gordon Jackson shares his thoughts on “Death’s Hand in Mine”, the latest episode of Agatha All Along.   
• Andi Ortiz interviews Joe Locke who plays Billy Maximoff in Agatha All Along.
• Ben Child tackles the nonsensical claim that Marvel movies killed off the movie star.
  

 

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

• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on the first half of season 5 of Star Trek Lower Decks.
• Elijah Gonzalez shares his thoughts on the season 5 premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks. 
• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on the season 5 premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks.  
• James Whitbrook shares his thoughts on the season 5 premiere of Star Trek: Lower Decks.  
  
• Avery Kaplan shares her thoughts on "Dos Cerritos" and "Shades of Green, the first two episode of season 5 of Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  
• Avery Kaplan shares her favourite Star Trek: Lower Decks episodes featuring Beckett Mariner.
  
• Melody McCune shares all the reveals from the Star Trek Universe panel at New York Comic Con in New York City. 
  
• Watch a clip from season 5 of Star Trek: Lower Decks.
  
• Watch a clip from season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
  

 

Comments on Teacup: 

• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on episode 5 of Teacup.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on episode 6 of Teacup.

 

Comments on What We Do in the Shadows: 

• Tara Bennett shares her thoughts on the season six premiere of What We Do In the Shadows.
• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the season six premiere of What We Do In the Shadows.
  
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the first three episodes of season 6 of What We Do In the Shadows.
  
• Saloni Gajjar takes a look behind the scenes of season six of What We Do In the Shadows. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Kayvan Novak who plays Nandor in What We Do In the Shadows. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Harvey Guillén who plays Guillermo in What We Do In the Shadows.
  

 

Comments on Venom: The Last Dance: 

• Benjamin Lee calls Venom: The Last Dance a messy sequel that ends the series with a shrug
• Jesse Hassenger calls Venom: The Last Dance a hit or miss sequel. 
• Germain Lussier declares that Venom: The Last Dance doesn’t quite stick the landing 
  
• Jarrod Jones declares that Venom: The Last Dance is at odds with its acknowledgment of the void and a driven need to party 
• Germain Lussier discusses the ending of Venom: The Last Dance.
  

 

Comments on Hysteria!:  

• Saloni Gajjar declares that Hysteria! mines the Satanic panic for a devil of a good time 
• Cassie Holguin interviews Chiara Aurelia, Kesii Curtis and Emjay Anthony, three of the stars of Hysteria!  
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Matthew Scott Kane, creator of Hysteria! 
  

 

Comments on Joker: Folie à Deux: 

• Erin Underwood declares that Joker: Folie à Deux could have been brilliant as a film, if it weren’t tied to Joker
  
• Readers of The Guardian share their thoughts on Joker: Folie à Deux.
  

 

Comments on The Penguin: 

• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Keith R.A. DeCandido shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Brent Lang explains why John Turturro who played Carmine Falcone in The Batman did not return for The Penguin.
  

 

Comments on The Franchise: 

• Lucy Mangan calls The Franchise a bit of a mess – largely due to the lack of great jokes. 
• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Franchise. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Franchise.  
• Marina Hyde, one of the masterminds behind The Franchise, promises that the series' view of superhero movies and how they are made is completely realistic.
• Tim Lowery declares that Richard E. Grant’s career comes full circle in The Franchise
  

 

Comments on The Remarkable Life of Ibelin: 

• Leslie Felperin calls The Remarkable Life of Ibelin a moving tale of a disabled gamer’s digital double life
• Jacob Oller calls The Remarkable Life Of Ibelin a documentary that will make you cry.
  
• Cath Clarke interviews the parents of Mats Steen, the subject of The Remarkable Life of Ibelin.
  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2024 World Fantasy Awards have been announced. 
• The winner of the 2024 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction has been announced. 
  
• The winner of the 2023 Endeavour Award has been announced. 
• The finalists for the 2024 Deutscher Science Fiction Preis have been announced.
• The winners of the 2024 Tianwen Awards have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 Harvey Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2024 Brooklyn Sci-Fi Film Festival Awards have been announced.
  
• Lanre Bakare reports that the top prize at the London Film Festival has been won by the animated film Memoir of a Snail
  

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• Smart Bitches, Trashy Books have uncovered a slew of AI written books with AI narrated audiobooks credited to authors who don't exist.
  
• Ella Creamer and Lucy Knight report that children's book authors are frustrated by the rise of children's books (ghost)written by celebrities.
  

 

Interviews:

• Alexandra Alter interviews Jeff VanderMeer.
  
• Chris Vognar interviews Jeff VanderMeer.
• Lincoln Michel interviews Jeff VanderMeer.
  
• Alex Clarke interviews Nick Harkaway. 
• Kevin Canfield interviews Nick Harkaway. 
  
• Hannah Grieco interviews Tara Campbell. 
• Adam McPhee interviews Graham Thomas Wilcox.
  
• Steven Heller interviews Arlen Schumer.
  

 

Reviews:

• Russell Letson The Mercy of God by James S.A. Corey 
  
• Kate Gardner reviews Orbital by Samantha Harvey 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Acceptance by Jeff VanderMeer
  
• Marlene Harris reviews Fangs So Bright and Deadly by Piper J. Drake
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage by Hiyodori 
• Alex Brown reviews The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Crescent Moon Tearoom by Stacy Sivinski 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The Wishing Stone by Adam Holcombe 
• Liz Bourke reviews The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow
  
• Fiona Denton reviews Warlords of Wyrdwood by R.J. Barker
• Paul Weimer reviews  The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart 
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
  
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews The First Scars by Ivor K. Hill 
• Alex Brown reviews Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim, translated by Anton Hur.
  
• Jake Casella Brookins reviews The City in Glass by Nghi Vo 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo 
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Beyond The Burning Sea by T.B. Schmid and R. Wade Hodges
• Nedine Moonsamy reviews Dakini Atoll by Nikhil Singh
  
• Alex Preston reviews Gliff by Ali Smith 
• Jake Casella Brookins reviews The Repeat Room by Jesse Ball  
  
• Colleen Mondor reviews Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet by Molly Morris
• Esmay Rosalyne reviews Sleepwalking by Daniel Barnett 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews A Season of Monstrous Conceptions by Lina Rather   
• Rob Bedford reviews This Cursed House by Del Sandeen.
  
• Mark Yon reviews The House of Last Resort by Christopher Golden.
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay 
• Arley Sorg reviews Sinophagia: A Celebration of Chinese Horror, edited and translated by Xueting Christine Ni
  
• Camestros Felapton reviews Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt-Right by Jordan S. Carroll.
  

 

Classics reviews:

• Bobby Derie revisits the 1948 cosmic horror poem “The Eldritch One” by Pauline Booker
  
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1967 science fiction anthology Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison 
• David Levinson revisits the November 1969 of Venture Science Fiction. 
• Muse from the Orb revisits the 1971 science fiction story “Good News from the Vatican” by Robert Silverberg.
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1974 horror story“The Same Dog” by Robert Aickman
• Brian Collins revisits the 1975 horror story “The Ghastly Priest Doth Reign” by Manly Wade Wellman
• Bogi Takács revisits the 1978 feminist science fiction novel Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
  
• Sam Reader revisits the 1984 gothic horror story “Three Days” by Tanith Lee 
• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1985 horror novel Song of Kali by Dan Simmons 
• Alissa Burger revisits the 1991 YA horror novels The Cheerleader and The Return of the Vampire and the 1993 YA horror novel The Vampire's Promise by Caroline B. Cooney.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Melody McCune shares a round-up of news from day one of New York Comic Con in New York City. 
• Melody McCune shares a round-up of news from day two of New York Comic Con in New York City.
• Emma Keates shares all the announcements from the Blumhouse panel at New York Comic Con in New York City.
• William Hughes shares everything James Gunn said at the DC Studios panel at New York Comic Con.
• Justin Carter reports about the DC Comics panel at New York Comic Con.
  
• Emma Keates shares some statements horror director Mike Flanagan made at a New York Comic Con panel. 
  
• James Whitbrook reports about the Lucasfilm publishing panel at New York Comic Con.
• Saloni Gajjar reports about The Walking Dead panel at New York Comic Con.
  
• Kyle Barr reports about the Red Dead Redemption II panel at New York Comic Con.
• George Gene Gustines reports about emergency repair services for cosplayers at New York Comic Con.
  
• Dean Moses shares cosplay photos from New York Comic Con.
• Laura Barton talks about the issues facing British literary festivals after sponsor Baillie-Gifford pulled out of several festivals, following protests by actvist groups.
  
• Jim Broadbent remember his experiences starrring in the science fiction play Illuminatus! by Ken Campbell in 1976.
  
• Locus reports that a museum dedicated to Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin has opened in Yangquan, China.

 

Science and technology:

• Alan Boyle reports that Blue Origin will donate the New Shepard booster and space capsule to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.
• Gideon Marcus remembers the Soyuz 6, 7 and 8 space missions in 1969.
  
• Pieter Arntz reports that several robotic vacuum cleaners in the US have been hacked to spy on and insult their owners.
  

 

Gaming: 

• Alasdair Stuart shares his thoughts on the video game Thank Goodness You're Here
• Matt Cox reports how difficult it was to translate the very British and specifically very Northern game Thank Goodness You're Here in different languages. 
• Keza MacDonald asks if there is even any point in making more powerful games consoles.
  
• Jonathan Cowie wonders whether physical exercise or video games are better for your health., 
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Germain Lussier shares a look at the upcoming Hasbro HasLab crowdfunded Ghostbusters Ecto-1 vehicle
• James Whitbrook shares a look at the upcoming Hasbro Star Wars Black Series Skeleton Crew figures.
  
• For Eternia shares a look at the Mondo Masters of the Universe Buzz-Off figure revealed at New York Comic Con. 
• Cora Buhlert shares a Masters-of-the-Universe-Piece Theatre toy photo story called “Puzzle Expanded” 
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Who Walks With You" by Premee Mohamed in Imagine 2200. 
• "Ingénue, Once" by Aimee Ogden in Trollbreath Magazine.
  
• "Numbers Matter" by Teel James Glenn in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "Dragons of Paris" by Michael Swanwick in Reactor. 
• "The V*mpire" by P.H. Lee in Reactor. 
  
• "Midnight Patron" by Mike Robinson in Clarkesworld.
  
• "The Face of God: A Documentary" by Damián Neri in Clarkesworld. 
• "Hot Hearts" by Lyndsie Manusos in Lightspeed. 
  
• "Perfect Water" by Simon Gilbert in Nightmare Magazine.
  
• "Bunting" by Neil Williamson in The Dark.
• "A Very Short History of the Discovery and Origin of Homo Sapiens Microplasticus in Three Parts" by Joshua Ginsberg in Apex Magazine.
  
• "I’m an Undecided Hobbit, Torn Between a Dark Lord Who Promises an Age of Chaos and an Elf Queen Whom I Just Wish I Knew More About" by Sam Woods in McSweeney's Internet Tendency.
• "SeniorSource" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for season 7 of Outlander. 
• Watch a trailer for Interior Chinatown.
  
• Watch a trailer for Nautilus.
• Watch a traialer forr Wolf Man. 
• Watch a trailer for Black Cab. 
• Watch a trailer for Creature Commandos.
  
• Watch a trailer for Batman versus Yakuza League. 
• Watch a clip from Lazarus. 
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Severance.
  
• Watch a trailer for The Stranger: Chapter 2. 
  
• Watch a teaser for The Walking Dead: Dead City.
  

 

 

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for October 18, 2024

 

It's time for the latest weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with the problem of toxic fans, Masters of the Universe in general, Agatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general, What We Do in the Shadows, My Hero Academia: You're Next, The Penguin, Joker: Folie a Deux, Terrifier 3, Smile 2, The Franchise, Teacup and much more.

Speculative fiction in general:

• Lisa Tuttle shares the best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror books. 
• Elly Griffiths shares her ten favourite SFF, horror and mystery short stories.  
• Alex Brown shares their favourite speculative short fiction for September 2024.
  
• Nathan Ballingrud argues that pitting literary fiction against genre fiction is inherently silly. 
• Dave Hook shares his favourite speculative fiction pen names. 
• Tom Ryan shares six suspense and horror novels featuring mysterious mansions.  
• Aaron Jones discusses the changing way in which science fiction and fantasy handle the issue of mental health. 
• Ratika Deshpande shares five science fiction stories about the intersection of science and ethics.
  
• Leah Blaine shares five poems about witches. 
• Paula Munier shares stories inspired by The Odyssey. 
• Vivian Nguyen reports about the growing popularity of LitRPG.
  
• Abi Walton talks about the evolving, living art of creating physical books.
  
• Bobby Derie shares an overview of Dracula serials published in English language newspapers between 1899 and 1928. 
  
• Deborah Levy shares her appreciation for the work of J.G. Ballard.
• Dennis Wilson Wise profiles Judy-Lynn Del Rey.
  
• Lindsay Meerbaum shares some SFF-inspired cocktails. 
• SFF writer and editor Zoe Kaplan has died aged only 28.
  

 

Comics and Art:

• Crossexamining Crime reviews Murder on the Orient Express: The Graphic Novel by Agatha Christie and Bob Al-Greene  
  
• Brad Hawley reviews Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo and Juan Cavia 
• Jake Kleinman revisits the 1985 Superman comic "For the Man Who Has Everything" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
  
• Steven Heller profiles Dale Messick, creator of Brenda Starr.
  
• Mike Glyer reports that J. Michael Straczynski will be writing a series of Marvel Comics one-shots featuring unlikely character pairings.
• Gordon Jackson reports that DC Comics is releasing a new range of online comics formated for mobile devices under the label DC Go! 
• Issue 85 of Journey Planet about LGBTQ characters in comics is now available.
  
• Read several comics about how to stop Donald Trump's Project 2025.
  
• Tom Gauld shares a cartoon about listening to audiobooks at double speed.
  

 

Film and TV:

• Charlie Jane Anders discusses the issue of toxic fans.  
• Aaron Jones shares his thoughts on season 2 of The Rings of Power.
  
• Lindsay Ribar shares her favourite moments from season 2 of Our Flag Means Death.
  
• Lorinda Donovan calls Hold Your Breath an unconventional horror film portraying the huge, crushing burdens faced by the wives and mothers of the Dust Bowl.
  
• Kayleigh Dray declares that season 4 of Ghosts feels as consistently cozy as ever.  
• Ignatiy Vishnevetsky calls Rumours a surreal satire.
  
• Saloni Gajjar shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon  
• Catherine Bray calls the French horror film MadS an impressive exercise in tension and mood
• Leslie Felperin calls Members Club a gory comedy horror film about male strippers meeting bloodthirsty witches. 
• Catherine Bray calls Children of the Pines an David Lynch-style teen-angst horror film.
  
• Vance Kotrla calls Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched a sprawling, exhaustive (and exhausting?) documentary about folk horror films
  
• Lucy Mangan calls the paranormal documentary Hauntings meaningless nonsense without a spark of wit. 
  
• Maya Salam shares tips for people who are scared of watching horror films.
• Ben Child wonders what the future might hold for James Bond. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Matthew Scott Kane and David A. Goodman, writers and producers of Hysteria. 
• Gabriella Paiella interviews Harrison Ford, star of the Star Wars movies, the Indiana Jones movies and many others.
  
• Kenji Fujishima revisits the Nightmare on Elm Street series.
  
• Katie Rife revisits the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. 
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1935 horror film Werewolf of London and the 1958 horror film The Haunted Strangler.
  
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1951 science fiction film The Lost Continent and the 1961 science fiction film The Phantom Planet.
  
• Conrad Molden revisits the 1961 Danish monster movie Reptilicus. 
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1971 horror movie The Brotherhood of Satan and the 1973 horror movie Psychomania
  
• Matthew Jackson looks back on the many horror movies of 1974.
  
• Sandy Ferber revisits the 1975 slasher film Black Christmas and the 1981 slasher film The Prowler.  
• Audrey Engvalson shares some behind the scenes facts about the 1975 horror musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 
• Peter Bradshaw revisits the 1976 horror movie Carrie.
  
• Kali Wallace revisits the 1984 science fiction film Starman.
• Paul Morton revisits the 1984 dystopian movie Red Dawn.
  
• Keith R.A. DeCandido revisits the 1994 Babylon 5 episode “A Distant Star”
  
• Ann Michelle Harris revisits the 1999 horror movie The Sixth Sense. 
• Stephanie Castañeda shares a look at the wax head that Lon Chaney used to create his various make-up looks.
  
• Jo Vito reports that director Kevin Smith has regained control of his 1999 religious fantasy film Dogma from the Weinstein Company who had purchased the rights and will take the film on tour for its twenty-fifth anniversary. 
• Jake Kanter reports that Fifteenth Doctor actor Ncuti Gatwa jumped the fun when he mentioned in an interview that Doctor Who had been renewed for his third series.
  
• Cheryl Eddy reports that Krypto the Superdog in Superman Legacy was inspired by writer and director James Gunn's own rescue dog. 
• Ethan Shanfield reports that Rainbow Brite is getting s reboot.
  
• Jake Kanter reports that the claymation studio Aardman Animation has suffered massive losses and is cutting jobs.
  

 

Comments on Masters of the Universe in general: 

• Cora Buhlert reviews Masters of the Universe Revolution Prequel #4 by Ted Biaselli, Rob David, Tim Sheridan and Daniel HDR
  
• Todd Luck reviews Turtles of Grayskull No. 1 by Tim Seeley and Freddy Williams II.
• The Battle Ram Blog shares some facts about Castle Grayskull.
  
• James Eatock takes a look at some He-Man references and inspirations in the Filmation Ghostbusters cartoon.
  

 

Comments on Agatha All Along and the Marvel Cinematic and TV Universe in general: 

• Matt Webb Mitovich shares his thoughts on "Familiar by Thy Side", the latest episode of Agatha All Along.
• Emmet Asher-Perrin shares their thoughts on "Familiar by Thy Side", the latest episode of Agatha All Along.
• Jen Lennon shares her thoughts on "Familiar by Thy Side", the latest episode of Agatha All Along. 
• Gordon Jackson shares his thoughts on "Familiar by Thy Side", the latest episode of Agatha All Along. 

 

Comments on My Hero Academia: You're Next: 

• Phil Hoad calls My Hero Academia: You’re Next an old-style superhero battle anime with hint of the surreal 
• Ann Michelle Harris declares that inspite of a predictable opening, My Hero Academia: You’re Next finished strong in the second half.
  

 

Comments on Teacup: 

• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on episode 3 of Teacup.
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on episode 4 of Teacup.

 

Comments on What We Do in the Shadows: 

• Cheryl Eddy interviews Paul Simms, writer and producer of What We Do in the Shadows. 
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Mark Proksch who plays Colin Robinson in What We Do in the Shadows.
• Cheryl Eddy interviews Matt Berry who plays Lazlo in What We Do in the Shadows.
  

 

Comments on Terrifier 3:

• Cheryl Eddy interviews Damien Leone, director of Terrifier 3. 
• Brian Davids interviews David Howard Thornton who plays Art the Clown in the Terrifier series.
• Pamela McClintock discusses how Terrifier 3 became one of the very few unrated movies to get mainstream distribution and how it upends the US ratings system. 
• Mary Kate Carr reports that children and teenagers are buying tickets for The Wild Robot, only to sneak into Terrifier 3. 
  
• Anthony D'Alessandro reports that Terrifier 3 tops the US box office, while Joker: Folie à Deux continues to underperform.
• The Guardian wonders why a disgusting B-horror film like Terrifier 3 is at the top of the US box office. 
• Jesse Hassenger explains why the low budget Terrifier movies became such a phenomenon. 
  
• Justin Carter reports that the Terrifier series is about to become a video game.
  

 

Comments on Smile 2:  

• Benjamin Lee calls Smile 2 a familiar horror sequel.
  
• Jesse Hassenger calls Smile 2 a well-crafted horror repeat  
• Matt Schimkowitz calls Smile 2 a superior sequel.
  

 

Comments on Joker: Folie à Deux: 

• Zack Sharf reports that screenwriter Paul Schrader has called Joker: Folie à Deux a really bad musical and that he couldn't tolerate more than ten minutes of the film.
  
• TMZ interviews Connor Storrie, the actor who plays an important role in the divisive ending of Joker: Folie à Deux. 
  
• William Hughes reports that Joker: Folie À Deux has experienced the worst second weekend box office drop ever for a comic book movie. 
• Rebecca Rubin reports that Joker: Folie à Deux is expected to lose 150 to 200 million US-dollar during its theatrical run. 
• Andrew Pulver reports that Joker: Folie à Deux is on track for a catastrophic loss. 
• Mary Kate Carr compares that financial disaster that is Joker: Folie à Deux with a scene of the Joker lighting stacks of money on fire in The Dark Knight.
• Phil Hoad wonders why Joker: Folie à Deux lost so much money and how on Earth it cost so much in the first place? 
  
• Ben Dalton reports that Transformers One has dethroned Joker: Folie à Deux at the UK and Irish box office.
  

 

Comments on The Penguin: 

• William Hughes shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin.
• Germain Lussier shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Penguin. 

 

Comments on The Franchise: 

•  Rachel Aroesti calls The Franchise a hilarious superhero spoof.
• Jarrod Jones shares his thoughts on the latest episode of The Franchise. 
• Melody McCune shares her thoughts on the latest episode of The Franchise. 
  

 

Awards:

• The winners of the 2024 British Fantasy Awards have been announced.
• The winners of the 2024 Phoenix and Rebel Awards have been announced. 
• The winners of the 2024 Prix Utopiales have been announced.
  
• The winners of the 2024 SFPA Poetry Contest have been announced. 
• The 2025 Seattle Worldcon has announced a short story writing contest.
  

Writing, publishing and promotion: 

• The authors shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize share their inspiration. 
• Marybeth Mayhew Whalen talks about excavating your past through writing.
  
• Ellen Peirson-Hagger profiles writers who nearly gave up on writing.
  
• Sarah Manavis reports that bookstores have suddenly become cool again with young readers.
• Rachel Ulatowski reports that politicians and book banning activists in Utah have held a public celebration to celebrate the passing of a book banning law in Utah and that they have called for authors of banned books to repent. 
• Rachel Ulatowski also reports that book banning activists in Utah are going after Little Free Libraries.
  
• Leonard Riggio, longtime head of Barnes & Noble, has died aged 83.
  

 

Interviews:

• The Guardian interviews Stephen King. 
• Elizabeth Tabler interviews J. Michael Straczynski
  
• Scott Edelman interviews John Chu.
  
• Fiona Denton interviews Shauna Lawless.
• Adam McPhee interviews Bryn Hammond. 
• Kevin Beckett interviews Graham Thomas Wilcox.
  
• Runalong the Shelves interviews Aman J. Bedi. 
• Locus interviews Ananda Lima.
  
• Runalong the Shelves interviews David Wragg
• Paul Weimer interviews Oliver Brackenbury. 
• Trish Matson interviews Oliver Brackenbury, Bryn Hammond and Dariel R.A. Quiogue.
  

 

Reviews:

• James Davis Nicoll reviews The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord 
• Marlene Harris reviews In the Shadow of the Ship by Aliette de Bodard 
• Paul Di Filippo reviews Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky  
• Mark Yon reviews Out of the Drowning Deep by A.C. Wise. 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal and tries a recipe from the book. 
  
• Sukhdev Sandhu reviews The Great When by Alan Moore 
• C.T. Phipps reviews City in the Dragon’s Eye by Jordan Loyal Short 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews The City of Glass by Nghi Vo. 
• Marion Deeds reviews One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig 
  
• Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Throne in the Dark by A.K. Caggiano 
• Niall Harrison reviews The Jaguar Mask by Michael J. DeLuca
  
• Grimdark Magazine reviews The Daughter’s War by Christopher Buehlman 
• Lis Bourke reviews Asunder by Kerstin Hall
  
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim, translated by Anton Hur 
• James Davis Nicoll reviews Metal From Heaven by August Clarke
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Ghost Apparent by Jelena Dunato 
• Lesa Holstine reviews Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill 
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Starling House by Alix E Harrow
  
• Marlene Harris reviews The Village Library Demon Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner 
• Alex Brown reviews If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens 
  
• Marlene Harris reviews What We Sacrifice for Magic by Andrea Jo DeWerd 
• Marlene Harris reviews Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa 
• Crossexamining Crime reviews Mirror Lake by Juneau Black  
  
• Rachel Seiffert reviews Juice by Tim Winton
• Chris Kluwe reviews Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris 
  
• Mahvesh Murad reviews The Hysterical Girls of St Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf 
• Doreen Sheridan reviews The Hysterical Girls of St Bernadette’s by Hanna Alkaf 
  
• Ian Mond reviews Napalm in the Heart by Pol Guasch 
• Randy Money reviews My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones.
  
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews Model Home by Rivers Solomon  
• Jen Lucas reviews This Cursed House by Del Sandeen
  
• Rob Bedford reviews Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling.
  
• Runalong the Shelves reviews Stay In the Light by A.M. Shine 
  
• Gabino Iglesias reviews Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine 
• John Self reviews A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell 
• Joe DelFranco reviews Play Nice: The Rise, Fall, and Future of Blizzard Entertainment by Jason Schreier

 

Classics reviews:

• James Davis Nicoll revisits the 1869 science fiction novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1956 Simon Ark occult mystery The Wolves of Werclaw by Edward D. Hoch 
  
• Cora Buhlert revisits the 1960 science fiction adventure novel The High Crusade by Poul Anderson.
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1963 horror story "Nightmare on Ice" by Peter Laynham a.k.a. John S. Glasby.
  
• Moid Moidelhofd revisits the 1967 dystopian story "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison,
• Gideon Marcus revisits the November 1969 issue of Galaxy.
• Kris Vyas-Myall revisits the 1969 post-apocalyptic YA novel Heartsease by Peter Dicksinson, Victoria Silverwofl revisits the 1969 sword and planet novels Worlds of the Wall by C. C. MacApp and The Avengers of Carrig by John Brunner, Jason Sacks revisits the 1969 science fiction novel Masque World by Alexei Panshin, Tonya R. Moore revisits the 1969 science fantasy novel The Shadow People by Margaret St. Clair and George Pritchard revisits the 1969 science fiction adventure novel Postmarked the Stars by Andre Norton.
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1971 horror story “The Smell of Death” by Dennis Etchison 
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1971 horror novel Crawlspace by Herbert Lieberman.
  
• Brian Collins revisits the 1973 horror story “In the Pines” by Karl Edward Wagner 
• Judith Tarr revisits the 1974 non-fiction book In Search of Lake Monsters by Peter Costello.
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1983 horror collection Houses of Horror by Richard Winer.
  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 1987 horror novel Torture Tomb by C. Dean Andersson
• Alan Brown revisits the 1993 cozy horror novel A Night in Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. 
• Runalong the Shelves revisits the 2014 Southern Reach post-apocalyptic novel Authority by Jeff VanderMeer  
• Paperback Warrior revisits the 2015 horror novel The Tent by Kealan Patrick Burke
  

 

Crowdfunding:

• Mike Glyer reports that Jon Del Arroz has been permanently banned from Kickstarter for violating community guidelines.
  

 

Con and event reports:

• Runalong the Shelves reports about the 2024 Fantasycon in Chester, UK.
  
• WisCon announces that the 2025 WisCon will be online only. 
• Germain Lussier lists some of the artists who will be attending New York Comic Con in New York City. 
• Matt Schimkowitz reports about the Starship Troopers panel at New York Comic Con. 
• James Whitbrook reports about a display of costumes from the upcoming TV-show Daredevil: Born Again,
  
• Ellen Datlow shares photos of the latest Fantastic Fiction Reading at the KGB Bar in New York City, featuring Sarah Langan and David Leo Rice
• Ali Karim reports about an advance screening of the new Salem's Lot in London, UK.
  
• Leah Thomas talks about her visit to Ghibli Park in Nagakute, Japan. 
• Germain Lussier reports that the Epic Universe region will open at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, in May 2025.
  

 

Science and technology:

• Marcia Dunn reports that NASA has managed to launch the Europa Clipper space probe following delays due to hurricane Milton.
  
• William Harwood reports that SpaceX has successfully managed to recapture the first stage of its Starship rocket via mechanical arms.
  
• Geoff Brumfiel talks about the environmental damage that SpaceX is doing at its launch site in Brownville, Texas. 
• Abid Rahman reports that Alex Proyas, director of the 2004 science fiction film I, Robot, has accused Elon Musk of copying designs from the movie for various Tesla products.
  
• Rebeca Gonçalves explains how plant food could be grown on Mars. 
• Stuart Heritage reports about NotebookLM, a new AU program which generates podcasts with artificial voices.
• Todd Feathers reports that parents in Massachusetts have sued their son's high school after their son received a bad grade and detention for using generative AI to write a paper. 
  
• Dana G. Smith asks if we have reached the peak human life span.
• Anthony Bourdain talks about the case of Mary Mallon a.k.a. Typhoid Mary and what her profession as a cook had to do with it.
  
• Ward Christensen, inventor of the BBS Bulletin Board System used by many internet forums, has died aged 78.
  

 

Gaming: 

• Ash Parrish reviews Metaphor: ReFantazio.
• Gordon Jackson interviews Chris Jenkins, creative editor for Dungeons & Dragons about the new Dungeon Master's Guide.  
• Winston Cho reports that Microsoft has settled an antitrust lawsuit brought against them by gamers over Microsoft puchasing Activision/Blizzard. 
  

 

Toys and collectibles:

• Figure Fan Zero reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Cartoon Collection Evil-Lyn and Webstor action figures. 
• Still a Big Kid reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Cartoon Collection Teela action figure.
  
• Figure Fan Zero reviews the Star Trek The Next Generation TR-580 Medical Tricorder 3D Printed Model by Tankz3dtavern
• Mia Nutick reviews the Folkmanis Mouse in Shoe and Genie in Lamp puppets. 
• Cheryl Eddy shares a look at the Lego Marvel X-Men X-Mansion set. 
  

 

Free online fiction: 

• "Autonomy of a Murder" by Russell Nichols in Lightspeed. 
  
• "Bliss" by Lindsey Duncan in Swords and Sorcery Magazine.
• "Street Theater" by Jon Hansen in Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
  
• "Three Drops in the River" by Marissa Lingen in Beneath Ceaseless Skies. 
  
• "Fishing the Intergalactic Stream" by Louis Inglis Hall in Clarkesworld. 
• "A Goddess Has Several Options" by Chantelle Chiwetalu in Omenana.
• "The Winnowing Metric" by Ian Tregillis in The Sunday Morning Transport. 
• "The Widening Waste" by Mario Carić in Swords and Heroes.
• "The Price of Moss" by Akis Linardos in Apex Magazine.
• "Bright Hearts" by Kaaron Warren in Reactor.
• "Halcyon Afternoon" by Michael Swanwick in Reactor. 
  
• "Ruminants" by Kay Chronister in The Dark.
  

 

Trailers and videos:

• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Arcane.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 2 of Silo. 
• Watch a clip from season 7 of Outlander. 
• Watch a trailer for Dune: Prophecy.
• Watch a trailer for The Electric State.
  
• Watch a trailer for season 3 of Invincible. 
• Watch a trailer for The Legend of Ochi.
  
• Watch a trailer for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
  
• Watch a trailer for Like Water For Chocolate.
• Watch a trailer for The Monkey.
  
• Watch an ad for DeLorean Labs featuring Christopher Lloyd receiving a gift from the future.