0017: Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
When the world is blind, seven-foot-tall killer plants are king. We discuss John Wyndham's classic novel Day of the Triffids, the various adaptations, and the best English science fiction films…
0016: Game of Rat and Dragon by Cordwainer Smith
We discuss unusual co-workers in Game of Rat and Dragon by Cordwainer Smith and the value of well-developed characters interacting with each other. Links: Wikipedia: Cordwainer Smith https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordwainer_Smith Game of…
0015: Mother of Invention by Tom Godwin
A planet full of diamonds? What could go wrong? We discuss Mother of Invention by Tom Godwin - famously the author of The Cold Equations - and the problem-solving story.…
0014: The Sci-Fi Origins of the Modern Zombie Myth
The concept of the walking undead goes back over a hundred years. But what are the origina of the modern zombie myth, and what role did science fiction play? Links:…
0013: Gernsback’s Legacy: The Science Fiction Ghetto
What was Hugo Gernsback's legacy? Did his brand of science fiction save the genre, or was Brian W. Aldiss right that he ruined it? Links: texts Trillion Year Spree: The…
0012: When Worlds Collide by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie
This week we explore When Worlds Collide by Edwin Balmer and Philip Wylie, the best-selling novel from 1933. We go on to discuss its influence on other science fiction and…
Halloween 22: A Walk in the Dark, by Arthur C. Clarke
In this special Halloween episode, we read an excerpt from A Walk in the Dark by Arthur C. Clarke. Followed by each of us sharing favorite scary campfire stories we…
0011: Corpus Earthling, by Louis Charbonneu
What if the voices in your head really were plotting against you? We discuss Corpus Earthling by Louis Charbonneau, where alien rocks plot to take over Earth. The novel is…
0010: Armageddon 2149 A. D., Buck Rogers
It's been 94 years since the first story featuring the character which would become known as Buck Rogers appeared. That story's influence on the popularity and acceptance of science fiction…
0009: Galactic Gadgeteers
A contest to engineer the impossible is at the center of Harry Stine's Galactic Gadgeteers. Which then leads us into a discussion of military discipline, the science fiction "cozy," and…