#2 - The Roots of Sci-Fi in Satire

In the series finale, I interview Dr. Lisa Yaszek, a sci-fi historian from Georgia Tech, about where we can expect science fiction to go in the future.

Dr. Yaszek's recommendations:
Wormwood Trilogy by Tade Thompson
The Matrix
Sunspot Jungle, ed. Bill Campbell

Other works discussed:
Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor
"The Sixth World" by Nanobah Becker
The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley
The Universe of Xuya series by Aliette de Bodard
Unstoppable series by Charlie Jane Anders

Okay, not exactly all classics and not exactly lightning either, but in this episode, I discuss four books that I wanted to talk about in Season 1, but never got around to.

Book recommendation: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Other books discussed:
Helliconia Trilogy by Brian Aldiss
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard

In this episode, I discuss the precise nature of space opera, its origins, and its path through the history of sci-fi up to the current resurgence it's had in recent years.

Book recommendation: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

I'm having computer problems which resulted in me not being able to record today, so I'm postponing Season 2, Episode 23 by one week to April 24.

Episode 24 will probably go up on May 1 as scheduled, but that is not certain yet. Subscribe to the feed if you haven't already to get automatic updates.

Not quite as space-themed as I intended, but these are the latest stories about aliens and comets and such.

Movie recommendation: Dune (2021)

Other works discussed:
Greenland
Don't Look Up
Moonfall (anti-recommended)
The Tomorrow War
The Firefly tie-in novels

In this episode, I interview Donna Barba Higuera, author of the Newbery winning sci-fi novel, The Last Cuentista (which I've previously recommended).

Donna's book recommendation: Reclaim the Stars, edited by Zoraida Córdova

Donna's website

In this episode, I take one more look at children's science fiction by surveying the winners of the prestigious Newbery Medal.

Book recommendation: The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

Other books discussed:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
The Giver by Lois Lowry
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

In this episode, I explore sci-fi works that focus on the idea of the multiverse.

Prospective book recommendation (I'm putting it on my own list): The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter

PBS Space Time on the many worlds interpretation

Other works discussed:
The Number of the Beast by Robert Heinlein
Sliders
Rick and Morty
DC Comics
Marvel Comics

In this episode, I give an overview of recent action movies in the sci-fi genre.

Movie recommendation: Everything Everywhere All at Once

Other movies discussed:
Tenet
Free Guy
The Matrix: Resurrections

In this episode, I bring back my cohost Greg for a conversion about how science fiction has shaped video games, and vice versa.

Classic game recommendation: Chrono Trigger

Ahoy finds the "first" video game.