Chonky Dragons, Power Rangers, and the Mandalorian!

To view this email as a web page, go [here.]( [Tor.com Newsletter]( [Forward to a Friend]( [A screencap from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves]( CAN WE ADOPT A PET DRAGON? [How a Chonky Dragon Wyrmed His Way Into Our Hearts]( There’s been a lot of talk about fatness in film lately. But you know who’s a great, non-problematic fat character, who didn’t require the use of prosthetics or an egregious fatsuit? Themberchaud, the absolutely adorable fire-sputtering UNIT from Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Leah Schnelbach pays tribute to our new favorite dragon. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A painting of the London skyline]( GENRE-BENDING [Five Historical Fantasy Novels That Reimagine British History]( Situated at the crux of fantasy—the land of the made-up, unrealistic, imaginary—and history, where everything must be fact-checked and evaluated over and over again, historical fantasy books can be both serious and whimsical. But historical fantasy can also shift the way we think about historical events or eras. Holly Kybett Smith shares five books that shine a magical light over British history. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A screencap from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers of all five Rangers]( GO GO POWER RANGERS! [Thriving in the Queer Glitches of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]( When Mighty Morphin Power Rangers premiered in 1993, it was decidedly not gay. It was five teenagers with attitude fighting against an evil space witch. But as fandom people, we know that a show’s canonical material is not always where it thrives. Queer and trans people are able to find glitches or subtext in the story, and in that, find themselves—for queerness and transness exists in the glitches of society too. Here, Jonathan Alexandratos explores the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and finds a new way to think about power and transition. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A painting of women lounging outside with their books]( MARK AS READ [Eleven Ways to Start Your Next Adventure]( Spring cleaning is one way to start the new season, but maybe spring adventuring ought to be the way we spend our days instead. Where to start? Well, surely SFF books have some suggestions for turning everyday activities into unexpected experiences. In a new Mark As Read column, Molly Templeton turns to some beloved stories to help you find your next adventure. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A photograph of a rainbow over Hawai'ian waters]( WRITING ADVICE [Five Lessons Outrigger Canoe Paddling Has Taught Me About Writing]( You never know when you’re going to fall in love — but after moving to Hawai’i, author Kate Elliot quickly fell in love with outrigger canoeing, and the sport opened up a whole new way of looking at the creative process. Here, Elliot shares some vital lessons learned from canoeing and how she applies them to her writing practice. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [Cover of the book Summer in Orcus by T. Kingfisher]( GREAT SCOTT! [Back to the Future Wonders What, Exactly, Is This Thing We Call “Normal?”]( As franchises go, the Back to the Future trilogy is a curious specimen. Instead of repeating the same themes from one film to the next, each installment has its own story to tell, and its own lesson to be learned. As Marty McFly explores both the past and the future, there are vital points to be made about what “normal” is, and how small changes can affect society. Dan Persons takes a look at the first Back to the Future film and what it can teach us about rethinking our assumptions. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [A photo of the board game Sorry]( BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS [Five SF Stories Set in Eco-Friendly Futures]( With the climate crisis on all of our minds, it’s easy to see how concerns about the environment would filter into science fiction writing, much of it pessimistic. But some writers prefer to imagine worlds with flourishing environments and ecosystems, where humanity has either learned its lesson or been left behind. James Davis Nicoll recommends five science fiction stories that take place in eco-friendly futures. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [Coyote and Road Runner Looney Tunes]( OUR FAVORITE SPACE DAD [The Mandalorian Finds a Home in “The Return”]( It’s the last episode of The Mandalorian’s third season! Is it the last episode ever? Probably not, but this does wrap up quite a bit. Emmet Asher-Perrin reviews the season finale and Mando’s journey so far. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( [Coyote and Road Runner Looney Tunes]( READING MATERIAL [“The Woman Carrying a Corpse” by Chi Hui]( We’re excited to reprint “The Woman Carrying a Corpse” by Chi Hui, translated from Chinese by Judith Huang, from the groundbreaking anthology [The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories](”�€), edited by Yu Chen and Regina Kanyu Wang, out now in paperback! “The Woman Carrying a Corpse” was originally published as 背尸体的女人 in December 2019 by Flower City (花城). [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. 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