Spheres, domes and bottomless holes appear in C. M. Kornbluth's The Silly Season, but how are they connected? We discuss this memorable story from 1950, then move on to the…
Today we talk about Arthur C. Clarke and his 1953 novel Childhood's End, and how some science fiction writers helped poularize space exploration during the early U.S. space program. Links:…
Foundation by Isaac Asimov leads us into discussing other future histories in science fiction, then we go on to our own view of the quality and style of Asimov's writing.…
Could you rebuild civilization without tools, books, or even the fillings in your teeth? In Jerry Sohl's Costigan's Needle, a neighborhood of 400 people are thrust naked into a different…
Did the producers of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms get inspiration from Ray Bradbury's The Foghorn? Or did the connection between the two get some help from Ray Harryhausen? After…
We discuss the Hugo Award winning novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, a huge mainstream success. Then we take a quick look at High School recommended reading…
Scanners Live in Vain by Cordwainer Smith is a classic story of the genre. So naturally we disagree over it, then switch things up by argueing about world-building. Links: Scanners…
Feeling watched, counted, measured, tabulated and recorded? Maybe it's not the apps on your phone. Today we discuss Frederik Pohl's 1955 story "The Tunnel Under the World." Links: The Tunnel…
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester is featured in this episode, and then we take a personal journey into the writers and books that have inspired us. Links: The…