SF² Concatenation

Our home page colour this season is blue now that we have the northern hemisphere winter.  Brrrr, it's a tad chilly....

Happy New Year            

Early 2026 news

Essential Science Fiction: A Concise Guide was published 20 years ago.  There are still just a couple of boxes left! This book's entries primarily consist of fan-voted SF award winners (such as the Hugo and Locus Awards), fan surveys of books and films from some past Worldcons, Eastercons, and the Anglo-Romanian SF Exchange, and SF books that have been continually in print for over 75 years. Any author that has more than three entries also gets an entry on themselves with reference to their other ('secondary') works. There is also a tick-box, collectors' index of books and films with primary entries listed in bold and secondary entries in non-bold. This checklist feature is a boon to SF book collectors.  If you want to see more details, reviews of this title, or a copy then click here.

QUICKIE ALERT FOR BUDDING WRITERS !  The deadline for the 2026 Odyssey On-line Workshop is 18th January 2026.  All classes are taught by guest professional writer and publisher tutors.  This year's classes include:
-  'Worldbuilding in Fantastic Fiction' (tutor Melissa Scott)
-  'All the World’s a Page: Adapting Acting Techniques to Strengthen Your Fiction' (Barbara A. Barnett)
-  'One Brick at a Time: Crafting Compelling Scenes' (Barbara Ashford)
          Odyssey's live, online classes combine deep focus, directed study, intensive practice, and detailed feedback to help students learn how to best use the concepts, tools and techniques covered to make major improvements in their work. Classes begin February 2026.
          There will also be a separate pecial live Webinar and Q&A this Spring: 'Story Openings That Engage', with editor and publisher Scott H. Andrews. Registration for this webinar is open until 1st April , 2026, or until all seats are filled!
          Key links:
odysseyworkshop.org/odyssey-online/upcoming-classes/
odysseyworkshop.org/odyssey-online
Odyssey Workshop Home Page

New up...

Best SF/F of 2025 books and films.  We have just advance-posted our team's annual bit-of-fun selection.

To round off the year we also have one of the 'Best of Nature Futures' short stories.  The science journal Nature publishes these roughly once a week, but unless you are a subscriber you will not see these little SF gems as they are usually behind a paywall.  However we have an arrangement with Nature and secure the authors' permissions to re-post four of those we think are among the best each year.  If you can't wait for the next one in March we have our archive of past 'Futures' stories here....

And, yes...  This came out before  the smash hit series Pluribus debuted last season!!!  (We really seem to have the knack of picking the very best of these Nature 'Futures' stories... and are so frightfully humble and modest about it.)

In case you mised it, our 'autumnal'* season edition is already up.  As usual, this includes an extensive, seasonal news page This includes within it many key sections. See also the master newscast link index that connects to all its SF/F genre and science news sub-sections.  In the mix are its Film News;  Television News;  Publishing News;  General Science News  and  Forthcoming SF Books from major British Isles SF imprints for the season, among much else.
* 'Autumnal' season here being the northern hemisphere, academic year autumn.

Separately, there are a couple of stand-alone convention reports.  Plus there is the usual tranche of stand-alone book reviews.  Something for every SF enthusiast and/or science bod.

                ☺

For details of / links to the new content, scroll down to beneath 'Most recently added' below.

Forthcoming

Our 'spring'* season edition will be up mid-January (2026) with its own seasonal news page, other articles and a tranche of standalone book reviews.
* 'Spring' season here being the northern hemisphere, academic year spring

What's not to like?

                ☺

Most recently added

v36(1) 2026.1.02 -- Advance post

• Best Science Fiction of 2025: books and films – SF² Concatenation team
  Each Christmas, the team puts forward their suggestions as to the best SF of the year and we list the most suggested. – It is just a bit of fun but scroll down and you'll see, with past years' performance, that it has form.
  (Facebook Alert for this post here)
   

v35(7) 2025.12.15 -- A new story from the Nature Futures series

• Customer reviews for Mystery Gadget 1.0, sorted in chronological order (1-page PDF short story) - Alex Shvartsman
  That ideal, cheap Christmas present for that one you feel obligated to...
  (And don't forget to scroll down below the end of the tale to get 'the story behind the story'.)
   
• The index to all of the Concatenation selection of Nature 'Futures' stories.
• The guidelines for prospective 'Futures' SF short stories authors.

v35(6) 2025.11.15 -- A new story from the Nature Futures series

• Carousel (1-page PDF short story) - Liam Hogan
  Suspended animation enables those who can afford it a somewhat different perspective. Have a good day.
  (And don't forget to scroll down below the end of the tale to get 'the story behind the story'.)
   

v35(5) 2025.9.15 -- New Columns & Articles for the Autumn 2025

• Newscast for the Autumn 2025. This includes within it many key sections. See also the master newscast link index that connects to all its SF/F genre and science news sub-sections.  In the mix are its Film News;  Television News;  Publishing News;  General Science News  and  Forthcoming SF Books from major British Isles SF imprints for the season subsections, among much else. (Facebook alert here)
   
• Designing Terry Pratchett’s Discworld – Peter Tyers
  Peter's illustrated review of the new Paul Kidby book
   
• Windycon 50 – Sue Burke
  A report from last year's Chicago-based convention
   
• Contabile – The 2025 UK Filkcon – Peter Tyers
  The 35th Annual UK Filk Music Convention
   
• Reconnect – The 2025 British Eastercon – Arthur Chappell
  For the first time, the British Eastercon was held in Northern Ireland
   
• The Sci-Fi London 2025 Film Fest – Jonathan Cowie
  This year it is a return to the usual three-and-a-bit day format
   
• Ten Years Ago Exactly. Some from the archives.
  Science Fiction Club Deutschland - 60th anniversary retrospective – Thomas Recktenwald
  How Might the World End? 200 years on from penning Frankenstein – Ted Nield
  Eurocon 1 – The First Eurocon in 1972 – Dave Rowe
  Archipelacon: A Scandinavian convention through Swedish eyes – Karl-Johan Norén
  Archipelacon: A Scandinavian convention through British eyes – Peter Tyers
   
• Twenty Years Ago Exactly. One from the archives.
  The 2006 European SF Convention – Ukraine – Jonathan Cowie
  

v35(5) 2025.9.15 -- Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Reviews

• This Monster of Mine - Shalini Abeysekara
• A Rebel's History of Mars - Nadia Afifi
• Dark Diamond - Neal Asher
• Dark Diamond (2nd review) - Neal Asher
• The End of Eternity - Isaac Asimov
• Dissolution - Nicholas Binge
• Gifted and Talented - Olivie Blake
• The Illustrated Man (3rd review) - Ray Bradbury
• The Sun Blessed Prince - Lindsey Byrd
• Every Version of You - Grace Chan
• The Ragpicker King - Cassandra Clare
• Tomorrow Came - Edmund Cooper
• The Malevolent Eight - Sebastien de Castell
• The Enchanted Greenhouse - Sarah Beth Durst
• The River Has Roots - Amal El-Mohtar
• The Frozen People - Elly Griffiths
• I Kissed A Werewolf and I Liked It - Cat Hepburn
• The Gentleman And His Vowsmith - Rebecca Ide
• The Transcendent Tide - Doug Johnston
• Hemlock & Silver - T. Kingfisher
• The Stardust Trail - Yume Kitasei
• Morgana LeFay: New and ancient Arthurian tales - Pamela Koehne-Drube
• Some Body Like Me - Lucy Lapinska
• Sheridan Le Fanu Horror stories - Sheridan Le Fanu
• Incidents Around The House - Josh Malerman
• Black Friday: Speculative stories from Africa - Cheryl S. Ntumy
• Requiem - John Palisano
• The Cure - Eve Smith
• Dracula: A Mystery Story & Dracula’s Guest - Bram Stoker
• Bee Speaker - Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Alchemy and a Cup of Tea - Rebecca Thorne
• Aerth - Deborah Tomkins
• The Open Heart - Catherine Wells
• War of the Worlds - H. G. Wells
• Celtic Myths and Legends - intro' Juliette Wood (series ed J. K. Jackson)

v35(5) 2025.9.15 -- Non-Fiction SF & Science Fact Book Reviews

• Octavia E. Butler: H is for Horse - Octavia E. Butler
• Touching The Void - Joe Simpson
• These Strange New Minds: How AI Learned to Talk and What it Means - Christopher Summerfield
• How To Think About AI: A Guide For The Perplexed - Richard Susskind

v35(4) 2025.7.15 -- A new story from the Nature Futures series

• It’s Time For Your Performance Review (1-page PDF short story) - Jane Brown
  Using artificial intelligence to handle a company's personnel management seems straightforward. What could possibly go wrong?
  (And don't forget to scroll down below the end of the tale to get 'the story behind the story'. This tale is SF but on the cusp of being real...)
   

v35(3) 2025.4.15 -- New Columns & Articles for the Summer 2025

• Newscast for the Summer 2025. This includes within it many key sections. See also the master newscast link index that connects to all its SF/F genre and science news sub-sections.  In the mix are its Film News;  Television News;  Publishing News;  General Science News  and  Forthcoming SF Books from major British Isles SF imprints for the season, among much else.
   
• Can Spooky Action at a Distance be explained? – Steven French
  This is one for our physicist regulars
   
• Wolf Man and Universal Monsters – Jonathan Cowie
  Film review
   
• Mickey 17 – Jonathan Cowie
  Film review and box office analysis
   
• The virtual, online 2024 SF Worldcon – Steven French
  Another digital experience review of Britain's biggest SF event of last year
   
• Fantasycon 2024 – Ian Hunter
  The annual convention reviewed
   
• The 1994 Eurocon re-visited – Roberto Quaglia
  The first East Europe Eurocon since the fall of the Iron Curtain
   
• Slan by A. E. van Vogt: re-visited – Jonathan Cowie
  This minor classic from 1946, by an SFWA Grand Master, is re-visited.
   
• Gaia 2025
  Annual oddities and whimsy
   
• Ten Years Ago Exactly. One from the archives.
  Loncon 3 – The London Worldcon
  In 2015 we posted coverage of the 2014 SF Worldcon
   
• Ten Years Ago Exactly. One from the archives.
  SF Films of the 1950s
  Lest we forget some golden age cinematic SF classics
   
• Twenty Years Ago Exactly. One from the archives.
  Science Fiction in Film Serials
  Early 20th century cinema serials
   
  (This Edition's Facebook alert.)

v35(3) 2025.4.15 -- Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Reviews

• Death’s Successor - Brad Abdul
• The Devil's Advisor - Brad Abdul
• The Devils - Joe Abercrombie
• A Place Between Waking and Forgetting - Eugen Bacon
• Legends & Lattes (2nd review) - Travis Baldree
• October - Gregory Bastianelli
• The Epilogue Event - S. G. Bell
• Wooing The Witch Queen - Stephanie Burgis
• The Outcast Mage - Annabel Campbell
• The Incubations (2nd review) - Ramsey Campbell
• Night & Day - John Connolly
• Run - Blake Crouch
• Dream Machine: A Portrait of Artificial Intelligence - Appupen and Laurent Daudet
• Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley - Garth Ennis & Patrick Goddard
• The Bloodstained Doll - John Everson
• Schrödinger’s Wife (and other possibilities) - Pippa Goldschmidt
• All Tomorrow’s Futures: Fictions that Disrupt - Ben Greenaway & Stephen Oram (ed.s)
• Starling House - Alix E. Harrow
• Sun Rising: Short Stories - Ravit Helled (ed.)
• Witchcraft for Wayward Girls - Grady Hendrix
• The Legacy of Arniston House - T. L. Huchu
• Folk Horror - Paul Kane & Marie O’Regan (ed.s)
• Rose/House - Arkady Martine
• Basilisk - Graham Masterton
• Moon Falling: Short Stories - Ben Moore (ed.)
• Elemental Forces - Mark Morris (ed.)
• That Which Stands Outside - Mark Morris
• Buried Deep… and other stories - Naomi Novik
• Death of the Author - Nnedi Okorafor
• Nosferatu Unbound - Steven Paulsen & Christopher Sequeira (ed.s)
• When The Moon Hits Your Eye - John Scalzi
• Red Sonja: Consumed - Gail Simone
• Alien Clay (3rd review) - Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Shroud - Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Shroud (2nd review) - Adrian Tchaikovsky
• Tea You At The Altar - Rebecca Thorne
• To The Stars And Back: Stories In Honour of Eric Brown - Ian Whates (ed.)
• Drive or Be Driven: Stories of Travel - Aliya Whiteley

v35(3) 2025.4.15 -- Non-Fiction SF & Science Fact Book Reviews

• Time and Propinquity: An Anthology of Fiction and Philosophy - M. Sauve & D. Matthew (ed.s)
• The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded Edition - J. R. R. Tolkien

v35(2) 2025.3.15 -- A new story from the Nature Futures series

• Cosmic Rentals (1-page PDF short story) - Dave Kavanaugh
  If you could buy a universe, what sort would you get?
  (And don't forget to scroll down below the end of the tale to get 'the story behind the story'.)
   

v35(1) 2025.1.15 -- New Columns & Articles for the Spring 2025

• Newscast for the Spring 2025. This includes within it many key sections. See also the master newscast link index that connects to all its SF/F genre and science news sub-sections.  In the mix are its Film News;  Television News;  Publishing News;  General Science News  and  Forthcoming SF Books from major British Isles SF imprints for the season, among much else.
  (This edition's Facebook alert here)
   
• Best Science Fiction of 2024: books and films – SF² Concatenation team
  Each Christmas, the team puts forward their suggestions as to the best SF of the year and we list the most suggested. – It is just a bit of fun but scroll down and you'll see, with past years' performance, that it has form.
   
• What makes a Hugo-worthy novel? - The Worldcon survey – Rebecca Montgomery
  Those that attended the 2024 Glasgow Worldcon were asked what determines their Hugo nominations.
   
• Detecting warp drives – Jonathan Cowie
  Do we have the technology to detect a starship's warp drive and how far away would it work?
   
• Eurocon 2024 - Rotterdam, Netherlands – Leadie Flowers
  Around 600 attended the five programme streamed Erasmuscon Eurocon.
   
• Glasgow – The 2024 SF Virtual Worldcon – Mark Yon
  6% of the Worldcon attended online. What did they get for their registration fee? (Not the con publications.)
   
• Sci-Fi London Film Fest 2024 – Jonathan Cowie
  The 2024 Fest nearly never happened... But it did!
   
• 2024 SF Film Top Ten Chart and Other Worthies
  (All past annual film charts are archive indexed here)
   
• SF Convention Listing & Film Diary with links to con sites and film trailers
  The list of the major, fan run, national and international level, SF cons and British Isles general release film diary.
   
• Ten years ago exactly. One from the archives:
  
• Eurocon 2014 – Dublin, Ireland (2nd review) - Peter Tyers
  Interesting programme and lots of friendly people.
   
• Twenty years ago exactly. One from the archives:
  Eurocon 2004 - Bulgaria – Jim Walker
  The first Eurocon to be opened by a Head of State... and there was an astronaut in the mix too.

Full 'What's New' list