The Skiffy and Fanty Show

Multiversal politics, plot armored captains, and flying whales, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by Cadwell Turnbull and Craig Lincoln, two members of the writing collective, Darkly Lem! And they’re here to talk about their first Darkly Lem novel, Transmentation | Transience! We tackle the ins and outs of collaborative writing, bending and blending genres, spy narratives and multiverse premises, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Darkly Lem: Website Mastodon Bluesky Many Worlds Forum Bluesky Instagram Facebook Cadwell Turnbull: Website Bluesky Instagram Facebook Craig Lincoln: Website Bluesky Facebook Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Haunted engines, scary memories, and cancelled shore leave, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Eden Royce for a return visit to 1997’s Event Horizon! Together, they explore the film’s production history, its themes and approaches to horror, the cast and characterization, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Event Horizon (1997) Torture Cinema #79 (in case you want to listen to the original show about this movie) Eden Royce’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram Threads Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Pig disposals, dirty feet, and yabba-dabba-doo, oh my! Shaun Duke, Julia Rios, and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss 1994’s The Flintstones! Together, they chat about the history of the original show, tackle the film’s nonsensical plot choices, discuss 1990s practical set design, and get grossed out by feet, plus much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. The Flintstones (1994) Grades: Shaun: C Julia: C Daniel: C- Average: C-ish If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Emperors, wars, and medieval propaganda, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by David M. Perry to discuss Oathbreakers (co-written with Matthew Gabriele). Together, they tackle the complex task of writing history for a general audience, the narratives of medieval peoples, Charlemagne, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: David M. Perry’s Things: Website Bluesky Threads Instagram Facebook Oathbreakers (available now!) Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Submarines, space mutants, and bad kitties, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and special guest Natania Barron join forces to tackle Wing Commander (1999)! Together, they talk about the 90s aesthetic, what it means to be pretty in space, the logic of space submarines, the Backstreet Boys, and more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Wing Commander (1999) Transcript, edited by Trish Matson Natania Barron’s Stuff: Website Bluesky Instagram TikTok Grades: Shaun: D- Paul: F+ Natania: D- Average: D- ish If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Coups, subtle language cues, and kitty killing machines, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by R.S.A. Garcia to discuss her latest novel, The Nightward. Together, they explore the complicated politics of matriarchal societies, writing with subtlety, what makes giant cats so fascinating, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: R.S.A. Garcia’s Things: Website Bluesky Mastodon The Nightward (Harper Voyager) The Unbearable Taste of Fruit and Wine (Android Press) R.S.A. Garcia’s Fundraiser (medical care for cancer is expensive; donate if you can!) Transcript, edited by Trish Matson Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bugs, alien messages, and root beer dispensers, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer meet in a hotel room at Capricon to spin a delightful yarn with the indie narrative story game Foretold: From Earth! We’ve received a mysterious message from space, and we’ve got no choice but to build a makeshift ship in someone’s barn so we can investigate! Will we succeed? Or will things go sideways? Tune in to find out! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Foretold: From Earth on Itch.io (by Groundhoggoth)! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Joyful pasts, hopeful futures, and Dr. Doom, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, Paul Weimer, and David Annandale join forces to share the things they loved in 2024 and the things they’re looking forward to in 2025! We discuss books, movies, geeky things, experiences, and much more! Plus, we share some announcements about the show! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: 2024 Things: Shaun: Countess by Suzan Palumbo (our interview here; video version here) Things Will Be Different (our review/discussion is here) My family is officially together in the same place, and it’s glorious! Trish: Archangels of Funk by Andrea Hairston (our review here) Shogun (TV show) Paul: The Naming Song by Jedidiah Berry (our review here) The Prisoner on Blu-Ray Worldcon in Glasgow! David: Box Office Poison: Hollywood’s Story in a Century of Flops by Tim Robey The Substance (TV show) All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror Volume 2 (via Severin Films) 2025 Things: Shaun: Midnight Timetable by Bora Chung Daredevil: Born Again Thrawn and On and On is returning!!! Here’s the first episode we ever did! Trish: Coyote Run by Lilith Saintcrow Sinners (dir. Ryan Coogler) RPGS! The Thunderchild campaign continues, plus there’s the secret Star Trek Adventures game, more games on Shaun’s channel, and so much more! Paul: The Witch Roads by Kate Elliott Murderbot Civilization VII David: 28 Years Later The House with Laughing Windows Video versions of our episodes appear on our handy YouTube channel! Sub and watch! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Flappy props, vampiric birds, and radio heads, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and David Annandale join forces to discuss 1946’s The Flying Serpent. Together, they talk about the history of the film’s studio, try to make sense of TFS’s plot and character choices, talk vampire bird logic, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. The Flying Serpent (1946) Grades: Shaun: C David: B- Paul: C- Average: C If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mysterious traders, technophobia, and Mennonites, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Leigh Brackett’s The Long Tomorrow (1955). Together, they tackle Brackett’s legacy, her treatment of religion- and technophobia-infused dystopia, gender roles, AI, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett Don’t forget to catch our live format every Friday at 7 PM Central on Twitch at AlphabetStreams! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bear attacks, tough conversations, and skeletons, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by Amanda Downum for a riveting and educational conversation about mortuary science! Together, they explore what morticians do and the complex skills they need, the social dimensions of death, necromancy, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, auto-generated and lightly edited by Trish Matson. Amanda Downum’s Things: Bluesky Instagram Ask a Necromancer at The Deadlines! Amanda’s Books: Aconyte Books, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Possessions, legacies of violence, and shared worlds, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Premee Mohamed to discuss One Message Remains! Together, they explore the task of writing interconnected short fiction, the complexities of people within empires, violence and the human will to destroy, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. Premee Mohamed’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram One Message Remains (buy it!!!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Lazy Santa, charlatans, and Pirates World, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by the wonderful Aurelius Raines II for a rip-roaring discussion of Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (1972). Together, they tackle the film’s ridiculous history, whether any children got hurt during filming, the origins of the ice cream bunny, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson Follow us on Twitch! Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (1972) Aurelius Raines II’s Stuff: Bluesky Instagram “The Problems with Feelin’ Flo-Jo’s Glory Post” in Strange Horizons (read it!!!) Grades: Shaun: F- Daniel: F- Aurelius: F- Average: F- If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Texas betrayals, robot hulks, and tube babies, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by returning champion Michael J. Martinez for a ridiculous discussion of 1989’s Robot Jox! Together, they tackle the film’s cold war politics, what it’s like being Hot Gary Graham, failed visual FX, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. Follow us on Twitch! Robot Jox (1989) Michael J. Martinez’s Stuff: Website Bluesky If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Futuristic sports, interplanetary politics, and consequences, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson are joined by K.B. Wagers to discuss And the Mighty Will Fall. Together, they explore Wagers’ influences, tackle the messy world of pain and consequences, look at the worldbuilding and politics of the NeoG novels, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. K.B. Wagers’ Things: Website Bluesky Instagram And the Might Will Fall (buy it!!!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

White House down, cable network hackers, and presidential speeches, oh my! Shaun Duke, David Annandale, and Becca Evans wander into the archives for an in-depth exploration of 1996’s Independence Day. Together, they discuss Roland Emmerich’s career, blockbusters and VFX wonders, the film’s view of character and plot, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Independence Day (1996) Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson! Our next film: TBD in the next episode! This is a two-parter! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Assimilations, immigrations, and revolutions, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by Suzan Palumbo for a riveting discussion of Countess. Together, they explore Palumbo’s approach to space opera, the political underpinnings of Countess‘ narrative, The Count of Monte Cristo, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, edited by Trish Matson. Content warning: A derogatory term for people of Indo-Caribbean descent is discussed in this podcast, with context. See transcript for details. Suzan Palumbo’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram Countess (BUY IT!!!!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bad robots, Jeep jerks, and space shuttles, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to tackle 1986’s SpaceCamp! Together, they rip into the film’s gender politics, unpack NASA’s apparently terrible security, get confused about Jeeps, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! SpaceCamp (1986) Transcript, auto-generated, edited by Trish Matson Marshall Ryan Maresca’s 2017 review Grades: Shaun: C- Trish: D Paul: C- Average: D+ If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bizarre physics, chef adventurers, and talking ships, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Cat Rambo for a riveting discussion about Rumor Has It. Together, they explore Cat’s approach to point of view and spectacle, the complexities of infodumps, writing space opera, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson. Cat Rambo’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram Rumor Has It (BUY IT) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Career moments, horrific truths, and non-violence, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by the wonderful Karen Lord to discuss the new releases of The Unraveling and Redemption in Indigo! Together, they discuss Karen’s career, the roots of The Unraveling, how career timing affects what one writes, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, machine-generated and lightly edited by Trish Matson Karen Lord’s Things: Website Twitter Tumblr NEW BOOK EDITIONS: The Unraveling and Redemption in Indigo. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mother ships, bending time, and bioengineered rats, oh my! Daniel Haeusser and Trish Matson join forces to discuss Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead. Together, they explore the book’s themes of resistance and survival, the threads of utopianism throughout the stories, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead (buy the book!) You can read the transcript of this podcast here! Machine-generated, then lightly edited (for names, mostly) by Trish Matson. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Crafty contestants, twisted challenges, and cameras, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam for a riveting discussion about Grim Root. Together, they talk about the connections between reality TV and horror, what makes for a good scare, the intensity of illusion, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript (link now fixed)! Thanks to Trish. Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram Grim Root (BUY IT!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

VHS tapes, wells, and terrifying children, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to tackle 1998’s Ringu! Together, they explore the film’s legacy, its approach to the ghostly and ghastly, the role of technology in terror, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Ringu (1998) Transcript of this podcast, lightly edited for names etc. by Trish Matson. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mythical dark ages, historical rhythms, and papyrus, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson join forces to talk to author and historian Ada Palmer about the Renaissance and other historical oddities! Together, they explore the myth of the Dark Ages, how ideology and perspective influence historical narratives, the Renaissance, and so much more. Come learn with us! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, auto-generated and lightly edited by Trish Matson. Ada Palmer’s Things: Website Ada’s Fiction Books Ada’s Non-Fiction Books Ada’s Blog (Ex Urbe) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Vengeful trees, casual colonialism, and confusing scientific romances, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and David Annandale join forces to discuss 1957’s From Hell It Came! Together, they tackle the film’s 1950s vibes, lessons for how best to kill a tree monster, and questionable colonial ethics. Plus much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson Follow us on Twitch! From Hell It Came (1957) Grades: Shaun: D- Trish: D+ David: C+ Average: C- If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Weird homes, terrible accidents, and mysterious hair, oh my! Shaun Duke and Trish Matson are joined by Eden Royce to talk about her new novel, The Creepening of Dogwood House. Together, they explore the roots of hoodoo presented in the story, Royce’s approach to writing for young children while still reaching adults, the weird world of creepy houses, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, edited by Trish Matson Eden Royces’s Things: Website Instagram The Creepening of Dogwood House (buy the book!!!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Sandals, toxic alphas, and questionable power, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Jo Clayton’s Diadem from the Stars (1977). Together, they explore the book’s approach to gender and societal structures, its response to sword and sandal sexual politics, what it means to have psionic powers, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Diadem From the Stars by Jo Clayton Transcript, lightly edited by Trish Matson If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Stallone’s butt, fast food wars, and the three seashells, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and returning champion Julia Rios join forces to tackle 1993’s Demolition Man! Together, they try to make sense of the film’s timeline, discuss the innovation of Taco Bell, and unpack the extremes of radical freedom and radical control. Plus more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Demolition Man (1993) Our Grades: Shaun (B+) Julia (B) Trish (C-) Average (B- ish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Special programming, societal collapse, and funny robots, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by Adrian Tchaikovsky for an interview about his latest novel, Service Model. Together, they explore the complex question of robot sentience, life as a robot that isn’t sentient, the challenges of narratives with unusual protagonists, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript! Thanks to Trish. Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Things: Website Mastodon Service Model (buy the book!!!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Mutant cats, bad paleontology, and doggies, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer join forces with the phenomenal Foz Meadows for a bonkers discussion of 2016’s Star Paws! Together, they untangle the film’s plot about a super bone, get lost in its perception of time, and ponder the romantic relationships of the onscreen dogs. Plus more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Star Paws (2016) Foz Meadow’s Things: Website Publisher’s Page TikTok Instagram Bluesky Our Grades: Shaun (F) Paul (D-) Foz (D-) Average (F+) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Crawfish villains, Trekkies, and Alan Rickman, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by Marshall Ryan Maresca for a discussion of 1999’s Galaxy Quest! Together, they tackle the film’s comedic stylings, exceptional casting choices, the realms of parody and homage, and even creature work! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Galaxy Quest (1999) Marshall Ryan Maresca’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram Worldbuilding for Masochists If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Totalizing worlds, imagined cultures, and genre limits, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Stephen Geigen-Miller join forces to discuss the so-called “problems” with worldbuilding, the impact of worldbuilding obsessions on story, and what SF/F could be without so much worldbuilding! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! The Things We Discussed: “The Lone and Level Sands” by Vajra Chandrasekera “But, but, but — WHY does magic have to make sense?” by N.K. Jemisin “Sanderson’s First Law” by Brandon Sanderson If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Generational terror, walldads, and haunted homes, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss Layla Martinez’s Woodworm (out now from Two Lines Press). Together, they explore the novel’s themes of generational trauma, class warfare, the horrors of growing up, and even what it’s like living in a cursed home. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Woodworm by Layla Martinez (translated by Sophie Hughes and Annie McDermott) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bad boy robots, cop mustaches, and lassos, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss 1987’s R.O.T.O.R! Together, they try to unravel its dystopian vision of Dallas, Texas, why it chose to use a strange dub for the main character, what the police do in this hellscape, and the terrors of very bad robots chasing people who don’t know how to run. Plus, more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! R.O.T.O.R. (1987) Our Grades: Shaun (F-) Daniel (F-) Average (F-) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Crunchy humans, errant organs, and family curses, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by John Wiswell to discuss his new novel, Someone You Can Build a Nest In. Together, they explore John’s approach to narrative, tackle the beauty and terror of body horror, chat fairy tales and aromantic protagonists, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript! Thanks to Trish. John Wiswell’s Things: Website Bluesky Instagram Someone You Can Build a Nest In (BUY IT) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Collapsing societies, feminist interpretations, and harsh truths, oh my! Trish Matson and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss Suzy McKee Charnas’ Walk to the End of the World (1974). Together, they explore the book’s worldbuilding, its feminist themes and historical significance, Charnas’ prose, the oppressive feeling of living in a society that is collapsing, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Walk to the End of the World by Suzy McKee Charnas Transcript (machine generated, lightly edited by Trish Matson to fix names etc.) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Dolph Lundgren’s pecs, terrifying Gwildor, and strange plot devices, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss the 1987’s Masters of the Universe! Together, they tackle the film’s desperate attempt to adapt the source material, Dolph Lundgren’s history with language, Skeletor’s whole “deal,” the film’s aggressive connection to Friends, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Masters of the Universe (1987) Transcript, automatically generated and lightly edited by TrishMatson! Our Grades: Shaun (D) Daniel (D+) Average (Dish) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Inept spies, bad pilots, and Russians, oh my! Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Becca Evans join forces to discuss the 1982’s Firefox! Together, they explore the film’s literary roots, why Clint Eastwood talks to chairs, what it really means to be a good pilot (bad movie), the Cold War, and much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Firefox (1982) Transcript! Auto-generated and lightly edited by Trish. Our Grades: Shaun (D-) Paul (D) Becca (D-) Average (D-) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Jumping worlds, snarky teens, and human nature, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by Joma West to discuss her novels Face and Twice Lived, out now where book objects can be found. Together, they tackle West’s approach to narrative, writing perspectives different from our own, the complexities of parenthood, straddling genres, and much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript! Thanks to Trish. Joma West’s Things: Publisher Page (w/ book links; buy the books) Linktree Twitter If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Phages, microbes, and scientific conundrums, oh my! Shaun Duke turns the tables on Daniel Haeusser to ask a metric ton of questions about microbiology. Why? Because Daniel is one of those legit scientists. Join us for a wide ranging and utterly wild conversation about bacteria, viruses, micro-whatsits, and speculative wonders! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript! Auto-generated, then lightly edited by Trish to fix names, etc., but not punctuation. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Beautiful rage, twisted lines, and terrors of the mind, oh my! Shaun Duke, Brandon O’Brien, and Trish Matson are joined by Stephanie M. Wytovich to talk about her latest poetry collection, On the Subject of Blackberries. Together, they discuss Wytovich’s approach to poetic form, to representing post-partum depression and motherhood in speculative poetry, and so much more. Plus, Shaun reads a haiku or two because everyone asked… Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Stephanie Wytovich’s Things: Website Instagram Facebook On the Subject of Blackberries (buy it!) Transcript, lightly edited (to fix names, etc.), by Trish Matson. If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Tree magic, complicated wars, and bard-acity, oh my! Shaun Duke and Paul Weimer are joined by Kevin Hearne to talk about his latest novel, A Curse of Krakens, the thrilling conclusion to The Seven Kennings series. Together, they discuss Hearne’s approach to storytelling in an epic fantasy setting, weaving complicated kingdom politics and unique magic systems into the world, the wonders of worldbuilding shenanigans, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Transcript, thanks to Trish! Kevin Hearne’s Things: Website Instagram Mastodon Bluesky A Curse of Krakens (buy it!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Military inaccuracies, confusing tactics, and burrito problems, oh my! Shaun Duke, Becca Evans, and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss the 2012’s Battleship! Together, they explore the film’s bizarre treatment of the military, whether the lead character should be court-martialed, disability representation, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Transcript, thanks to Trish! Battleship (2012) Our Grades: Shaun (F) Daniel (D) Becca (C+) Average (D) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Optimistic futures, climate disasters, and punk attitudes, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser are joined by writers and editors Phoebe Wagner and Sarena Ulibarri for a wide ranging discussion about Solarpunk. Together, they explore the roots of the genre, where the “punk” fits into the form, the politics of climate change and extinction, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! The Transcript (thanks to Trish for helping us with these) Phoebe Wagner’s Things: Website Instagram TikTok A Shot of Gin from Parliament House Press When We Hold Each Other Up from Android Press Sarena Ulibarri’s Things: Website Instagram LinkedIn Another Life from Stelliform Press Multispecies Cities: Solarpunk Urban Futures edited w/ Christoph Rupprecht, Deborah Cleland, Norie Tamura, and Rajat Chauduri from World Weaver Press If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Funktastic morning routines, cereal messages, and whatevers, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss 1999’s Muppets From Space! This is the second show we’ve done on a Muppet movie, and it’s a fun one. Together, Shaun and Daniel tackle the film’s financial history, its central themes of identity and found family, what a Gonzo is…really, talking bears, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Muppets From Space (1999) Transcript! (Thanks, Trish!) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Weirdly respectful men, suggestive rockets, and sewage sludge, oh my! Shaun Duke, Becca Evans, and Trish Matson join forces to discuss the 1979’s Meteor! Together, they explore the film’s surprisingly feminist themes, its approach to building tension (zzz), hating the Dodgers, and so much more. Plus, there are delicious tangents to make you giggle! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Follow us on Twitch! Meteor (1979) Transcript (thanks, Trish!) Our Grades: Shaun (C+) Trish (C+) Becca (B-) Average (C+) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Empathic fungi, revolutionary politics, and dirigibles, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by Nisi Shawl to talk about their new novel, Kinning, the sequel to the much-loved Everfair. Together, they discuss Shawl’s approach to writing alternate history, anarchism across the sea, the moral complexities of hiveminds, and more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Nisi Shawl’s Things: Website Bluesky Kinning (Buy the book!!!) Transcript (generated and edited by Trish Matson) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Roving hypocrisy, legacy admissions, and magical hierarchies, oh my! Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien are joined by Kacen Callender to discuss their newest novel, Infinity Alchemist. Together, they explore the novel’s treatment of magical schools, its themes of wealth and power, the weirdness of alchemy, and so much more! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Kacen Callender’s Things: Website Infinity Alchemist (BUY THE BOOK) Transcript (generated and edited by Trish Matson) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Weird Kermit, questionable friends, and terrifying dogs, oh my! Shaun Duke and Daniel Haeusser join forces to discuss Through the Night Like a Snake, a new collection of Latin American horror stories (in translation) from Two Lines Press. Together, they explore the collection’s themes, the ways the authors explore the concept of horror, serial killers and terrifying toys, and so much more. Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Through the Night Like a Snake: Latin American Horror Stories from Two Lines Press (BUY IT) Don’t forget to support Locus Mag on Indiegogo! Transcript (generated and edited by Trish Matson) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!

Bad hair days, broken systems, and anti-imperial struggle, oh my! Shaun Duke, Trish Matson, and Paul Weimer join forces to discuss science fiction empires! Together, they tease out some of the threads of this massive topic, exploring why empires are so common, what makes them collapse, and more. There may be more to this topic for another day, so let us know what you think! Thanks for listening. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Send us your comments, questions, and suggestions! Locus Magazine’s Indiegogo Campaign! SUPPORT THEM! Transcript (generated and edited by Trish Matson) If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our new intro and outro music comes from Holy Mole. You can support his work at patreon.com/holymole. See you later, navigator!