Greetings, earthlings! What mind-bending, universe-expanding adventures happened this week in the world of spec? A little bit of everything, of course! No worries if you didn’t catch it all the first time around. The gang’s all here and we’ve got your back — it’s time for the Weekly Roundup!
Monday
Odyssey alum and science fiction extraordinaire Erin Roberts joins us for this week’s My Favorite Things. We’re celebrating the inclusion of her short story, “Sour Milk Girls,” in The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 4. So, what makes Erin tick? Sci-fi TV gone too soon, captivating narrative voices, imaginative tech, and love letters from fans to creators. Would you like to know more? But of course! Read on here!
Tuesday
Casey gives us a special treat — a review of Mira Grant’s brand-new release, In the Shadow of Spindrift House. How do you like your Lovecraft? In a tight, compact novella? With a mix of Scooby-Doo and eldritch horrors? How about as a tried-and-true genre classic, the haunted house story? If this whets your whistle, come explore with us! Check out Casey’s take here.
Wednesday
Lane gives you the lowdown on K.A. Doore’s fantasy The Perfect Assassin — the first book in the Chronicles of Ghadid series, which dabbles in trained killers, the art of detection, and murderous, monstrous, wild spirits into an adventure with memorable worldbuilding. Of course, there’s so much more going on here, so we invite you to take a closer look!
Thursday
Nicole delves into one of the newest shoujo manga series to be released stateside — the fairy tale-like Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, written and illustrated by Yu Tomofuji. Join us as Nicole walks through the first five volumes of the series involving interesting characters like the titular Beast King, the spirited Saraphi, and Chancellor Anubis. The series will continue on, so is it worth your time? Check out Nicole’s verdict.
Friday
Sherry continues the journey long ago in a galaxy far away with the next entry in her Star Wars rewatch. As a part of her Resolution Project, she’s dedicated to every iteration in the series, and this time it’s Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the last of the prequels that divulges the story of Darth Vader. With the passage of time, does the film still work? Did it ever work at all? Let the Force guide you to the answers here.
Book Club
How’s the reading coming along? You chose V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic, and with a fantasy so engrossing, we hope you’re having fun! You still have time to prepare for our discussion that will happen at the end of the month, so keep at it. And what about our poll? Our August theme is magical colleges, and if you’re curious about who’s in the lead, check it out.
According to the many-worlds theory of quantum mechanics, there are an infinite number of parallel worlds reflecting the realizations of endless possibilities. In an immeasurable sea of stars, planets, and galaxies, there exists at least one world where Speculative Chic is just a dream, just a hint of possibility. That’s why we’re so glad you’re in this worldline with us, and that we exist with you. Thanks for reading, friends, and see you next week!
Photo by Billy Huynh for Unsplash
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