Shang-Chi, Lynch's Dune, and New Insights on Middle-Earth

To view this email as a web page, go [here.]( [Tor.com Newsletter]( [Forward to a Friend]( CLOSE READS [David Lynch’s Dune Kept Science Fiction Cinema Strange]( It’s common to hear people say David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune is bad. It’s one of SFF’s most famous flops. But it’s also possible that Lynch’s Dune did something no other sci-fi media at the time was doing, something dark and weird. In this close read, Lincoln Michel looks at the 1984 Dune film and the beauty of science fiction that goes there. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( RETURN TO MIDDLE-EARTH [Philosophers and Plough-dwarves, Each Must Know His Part in The Nature of Middle-earth]( The long-awaited book The Nature of Middle-earth gives new insight into Middle-earth and answers burning questions like: Were there any ursine entertainers on Númenor? Could Legolas talk to horses? Who in the Fellowship actually had facial hair? It also raises some fascinating new issues along the way. Jeff LaSala mines the rich textual ore of this new posthumous addition to Tolkien lore. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( IN FANTASY WE TRUST [Five Books Featuring Fantasy Clergy]( Some authors might shy away from religion in their worldbuilding—after all, worship can be both complicated and controversial, and might be difficult to work into a magical system. But when done well, religious inspiration can add an exciting layer to a fantasy world. Margaret Rogerson shares five novels featuring fantasy clergy. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( LEGEND AND LEGACY [When a Bus Fight Is More Than a Bus Fight: Shang-Chi’s Cinematic Roots]( The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for borrowing a dash of flavor from other films or genres, so it seems unavoidable that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings would emulate the forms of martial arts cinema. But the homage feels especially poignant to Asian American kids of a certain age. Hubert Vigilla shares insight into the cinematic legacy behind Shang-Chi. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( TEEN HORROR TIME MACHINE [The ’90s Teen Horror Landscape: The Babysitter and The Lifeguard]( From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, there was an explosion of horror paperbacks marketed to teen readers, and particularly teen girls. While sometimes the horror was a little cheesy and the content problematic, there’s a lot more to these stories than meets the eye. In a new column, Alissa Burger dives into iconic teen horror texts of the ’90s and what they tell us about the fears of teenage girls. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( WHICH WOULD YOU CHOOSE? [Five Superpowers That Just Aren’t As Fun as They Sound]( Haven’t we all dreamed of having superpowers at some point in our lives? Whether we wish we could fly, teleport, or read minds, there are so many great superpowers from comics and beyond to choose from. But some powers have some unacknowledged drawbacks, when you think about it. James Davis Nicoll shares five that just don’t sound very fun... [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( MARK AS READ [The Maybe-Impossible Ideal Window of Reading Opportunity]( Is there a perfect time to read a given book? What about a perfect place? The experience of reading a book at what feels like precisely the right time and in just the right place can probably be had deliberately, but as often as not is a matter of chance. Molly Templeton talks about how for some, the ideal window for reading never closes, but for others, it feels like it does. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( BRING THE LIGHT [Becoming a Saint in Shadow and Bone]( There is a fascinating tension between Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone series and Eric Heisserer’s Netflix adaptation of the books. Besides the combination of storylines, there are a few major changes that affect the story, but the ever-evolving complexities of morality are central to both versions. Dorothy Bennett explores the difference between saint and heretic, and good and evil, in Shadow and Bone. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( CONGRATULATIONS! [Announcing the 2021 Ignyte Awards Winners!]( The winners of the 2021 Ignyte Awards, which celebrate BIPOC in speculative fiction, were announced this past weekend at FIYAHCON. Click to see who won, and congratulations to all this year’s winners and nominees! [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( Follow Tor.com to get updates on all of our original fiction. FOLLOW US: [Follow Us on Facebook]( [Follow Us on Twitter]( [Follow Us on Tumblr]( [Follow Us on Pinterest]( This email was sent by: Macmillan 120 Broadway New York, NY, 10271, US We respect your right to privacy - [view our policy]( Macmillan believes piracy hurts writers, readers and everyone who loves books. Learn more and report suspicious activity [here.]( To subscribe to this or other email communications from Macmillan, please click [here](. Visit our [profile center]( to update your email address and/or other information. If you no longer wish to receive this email communication, click [here]( to unsubscribe.