SF's Supreme Sovereigns, HBO's Watchmen, and Dragons in Literature

Plus witches, monsters, and more! To view this email as a web page, go [here.]( [Tor.com Newsletter]( [Forward to a Friend]( FIRE CONTENT [The Evolution of Dragons in Western Literature: A History]( Hic sunt dracones. Here be dragons: an ancient call to storytellers worldwide. Yvonne Shiau takes a detailed look at how dragons have soared their way through Western literature, from their mythological origins through the stories and legends of the Middle Ages and into the fantasy works of Tolkien up through the present day. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( THEREIN LIES MADNESS [30 Minutes Till Madness: Power and Male Derangement in The Wheel of Time]( Sure, you may be willing to sacrifice an arm or perhaps even your eyesight to wield the power necessary to defend or avenge your loved ones, but would you sacrifice your goodness? Would you sacrifice your sanity? Author Tochi Onyebuchi takes a look at magic, power, and mental health in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time novels. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( MONSTER MASH [18 Spooky Stories Recommended by Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein’s Creature, and Other Classic Monsters]( Somewhere in the back of your brain you know you’ve always wanted to know what Count Dracula, The Invisible Man, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon have on their bookshelves. Turns out, classic monsters make really great book recommendations. For all you monster fans (which is to say, all of you, don’t deny it), here are some favorites, including work by Alan Moore, Anne Rice, and Angela Carter! [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( TOIL & TROUBLE [We Are the Weirdos, Mister: Power, Rage, and Teenage Witches]( Witches have long been representations of female power and vengeance, and as a culture, we remain fascinated by women who err on the side of darkness. For author Kate Racculia, being a teenager in the 1990s meant partaking in a particularly potent era of witchy media, including the iconic coven of The Craft . But did those witches really show young women and girls what we were truly capable of? What did those stories tell us about the world in which girls and witches alike struggle with power and alienation? [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER [Science Fictional Rulers, from Undying Emperors to Starlike Sovereigns]( Theoretically, science fiction depicts an incredibly diverse array of universes, worlds which could be governed by any number of political systems. And yet, many authors seem to have a fascination with depicting a certain type of ruler, whether they’re styled as Supreme Overlords, All-Powerful Monarchs, or Deathless Emperors. James Davis Nicoll discusses several compelling examples of stories about power structures and leaders who reign supreme. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( ALL TOGETHER NOW [No Longer The ‘Only Gay in the Village’ — Queer Communities and Found-Family in Speculative Fiction]( Estranged loners and solitary iconoclasts are popular figures in fiction--but that can prove problematic when it intersects with queer representation. Queer characters (and particularly queer characters of color) are regularly depicted as being rejected for what they are, regardless of their actions or values. Author Ginn Hale shares a few stories where queer characters find community and family, and are no longer “the only gay in the village”...or in space. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( DON'T POKE AT IT [Five Ways To Benefit If Planet 9 Turns Out To Be a Black Hole]( The hypothetical Planet 9, whose existence would explain some anomalous wobbles in the orbits of trans-Neptunian Objects, might just be a black hole. Which would obviously lead to some fascinating possibilities for pure science...but what are other benefits might there be? If we follow the lead of science fiction, what can we do with a black hole of this size? Here are a few ideas, from time travel to generating power to gravity assist maneuvers... [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( WE STAN SISTER NIGHT [The Premiere Episode of Watchmen is Rich, Terrifying, and Takes Us In Surprising Directions]( Lindelof and his team have seemingly done the improbable--they’ve built a compelling work of television that justifies adding on to Alan Moore’s iconic comic series. The opening episode of HBO’s Watchmen is absolutely riveting, and plays with its source material’s familiar iconography in surprising ways. Leah Schnelbach explores the episode’s backstory and various allusions in her spoiler review of the series’ debut. [Read more]( SHARE THIS: [Publish to Facebook]( [Publish to Twitter]( ORIGINAL FICTION [“As the Last I May Know” by S.L. Huang]( An alternate history short story looking at decisions and consequences, and what it takes to pull the trigger. [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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