The Skiffy and Fanty Show

In today’s episode of Signal Boost, Shaun Duke interviews the fantabulawesome C.S.E. Cooney about Desdemona and the Deep and the wonderrifical Carlos Hernandez about Sal and Gabi Break the Universe! Unlike other Signal Boost episodes, this one features both guests on the same mic! And that means in addition to talking about Cuban food, the politics of wealthy society (and goblins), their unique journeys to publication, and the powerful themes of loss and change in each of their works, among other things, you get some delicious banter between these incredible writers! We hope you enjoy the episode!   Show Notes: C.S.E. Cooney’s Things: Twitter Website Desdemona and the Deep (BUY IT!) Carlos Hernandez’s Things: Twitter Website Sal and Gabi Break the Universe (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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Shadow dominoes, buddy psycops, and genocidal love, oh my! The Babylon 5 re-watch of Season 3 continues! Shaun, Mike, and Paul tackle episodes 13 through 17. They explore the progression of the war with the Shadows, Centauri courtship culture and the complex “racial” politics of the show, our beautiful dreams for a buddy cop show featuring Garibaldi and Bester, and so much more. So climb aboard the the White Star and join us on our adventures in the B5 universe! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: S3E13: “Sic Transit Vir“ S3E14: “Ship of Tears“ S3E15: “Interludes and Examinations“ S3E16: “War Without End, Part One“ S3E17: “War Without End, Part Two“ 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Shenanigans, pastelitos, and tele novelas, oh my! Jen Zink and Paul Weimer are joined by Valerie Valdes, author of the banging new space adventure, Chilling Effect. Together, they discuss Valerie’s approach to precursor aliens, building multicultural space systems, and the found family vs. bio family trope. They also take a dive into the influence of video games on Valerie’s work! We hope you enjoy the episode! Don’t forget, if you sign up for our Patreon, where you can get access to other nifty podcast features! Show Notes: Chilling Effect (GO BUY IT!) Valerie’s Twitter Valerie’s Website 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Dirty mice, invisible plots, and Leslie Nielsen, oh my! Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, and Paul Weimer throw themselves on Freddy’s clawed hand to discuss Stan Helsing, a movie made by drunk people to torture the dead. Together, they discuss the film’s approach to humor, its nonsensical plot, why Leslie Nielsen is in this movie, and all the ways that this film is both offensive and hopelessly lazy. You picked it, so we watched it. Thanks a lot, y’all. We hope you enjoy the episode!   Overall Grade: F- ish Show Notes: Stan Helsing (2009)(IMDb) Our Grades: Shaun (F-) Alex (F) Paul (F-) Average (F- 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Welcome to Righteous Kicks — the podcast where two science fiction writers geek out about men in spandex bodysuits who kick evildoers to death in abandoned quarries until they explode! This month, because you all voted for it, Iori and Brandon begin Kamen Rider Fourze! Deep space and high school drama collide! We note that this is essentially every American teen movie if they were all partially set on the moon, we have intense feelings about all of these silly teenagers, and we realize that the monster metaphors here are actually pretty dark for a show about a boy who just wants to be friends. Plus, we briefly discuss the upcoming Reiwa Era series, Kamen Rider Zero-One — the first series to have a female Rider in the main roster?! Next time: we continue with episodes 17 to 32 of Fourze! Who is that man with a meteor for a head doing kung fu? What are the villains’ master plans? And will Gentarou actually befriend everyone at school? Be Transformed, and Stay Righteous! Show Notes: Kamen Rider Zero-One on the Kamen Rider Wiki Kamen Rider Fourze on the Kamen Rider Wiki Gentarou demonstates the best reason to befriend someone Fourze at KRDL.moe If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page or email Righteous Kicks at righteouskickscast @ [gmail.com]. You can also find the hosts on twitter: Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano. The intro and outro music for Righteous Kicks is ‘Kamen Rider Love Song’ by Berserk, which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Hello, Rangers! In today’s exploration of Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga, Trish Matson, Kate Sherrod, Alex Acks, Stina Leicht, and Paul Weimer take a stab at A Civil Campaign. Together, they talk about the novel’s exploration of gender roles, the wild world of regency romances, how the book feels like an endpoint for certain narrative threads, and butterbugs! Next time in our journey through the Vorkosigan Adventures, we’ll discuss Winterfair Gift! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: A Civil Campaign Chronological Reading Order of The Vorkosigan Saga (though we’re not totally using this) Winterfair Gifts If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page, and if you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page. Our new intro and outro music comes from “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Rachel and Daniel return this month with a wide-ranging conversation about the SFT they’ve been reading/hearing about/wanting to read from the summer. While Rachel was reading Liu Cixin’s Supernova Era (tr. by Joel Martinsen), The Aayakudi Murders by Indra Soundar Rajan (tr. Nirmal Rajagopalan), and The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresan (tr. Will Vanderhyden), Daniel was finishing Laurence Suhner’s Vestiges in the original French, starting Jean Ray’s Whiskey Tales (tr. Scott Nicolay), and reading Francesco Verso’s Nexhuman (tr. Sally McCorry). Then they talk about some of their favorite short fiction from the summer, what they’re looking forward to in the fall, and the very sad closing of Haikasoru, Rachel’s favorite SFT imprint. Remember: with new stories and books coming to their attention each week, make sure to check the SFT website for updates. Enjoy, and keep reading! A bientôt! Show Notes: SFT in 2019 Out This Month: August Out This Month: July Out This Month: June Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our new intro and outro music comes “No Disclaimer” by Jesse Spillane (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In today’s episode, David and Shaun take a good look at Werner Herzog’s Fitzcarraldo (1982). Before digging into the film, they discuss the controversy surrounding lead actor, Klaus Kinski, including relatively recent revelations about his abuse of his daughters and his relationship with other actors and Werner Herzog. From there, they look into the film’s themes of colonialism and indigenous betrayal, the role of opera in the narrative, the film’s portrayal of relationships and masculinity, and much more. Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault and other abuse committed by Kinski. Prepare yourselves for another foray into cinematic greatness. Enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Today’s Movie: Fitzcarraldo (1982; dir. Werner Herzog) Resources: Fitzcarraldo (Wikipedia) Klaus Kinski (Wikipedia) Conquest of the Useless: Reflections from the Making of Fitzcarraldo by Werner Herzog Werner Herzog: Interviews by Eric Ames A Companion to Werner Herzog edited by Brad Prager The Cinema of Werner Herzog: Aesthetic Ecstasy and Truth by Brad Prager Our Next Movie: Hausu (a.k.a. House. 1977; dir. Nobuhiko Ôbayashi). The film is available at these locations: Amazon Prime ($3.99 to rent / $14.99 to buy) Vudu ($2.99 to rent / $14.99 to buy) iTunes ($3.99 to rent / $14.99 to buy) Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our intro/outro music comes from “Sundancer” by Wild Shores. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0  

Robots, twisted motherhood, and Swankery, oh my! Shaun, Jen, Alex, and Paul join forces to discuss the truly compelling science fiction film, I Am Mother (2019). Together, our ragtag survivalist bunch talks about the film’s approach to motherhood, the power of independent SF cinema, the meaning of the film’s ending, and so much more. It’s a spoilerrific podcast, folks, but you know you won’t be able to resist. We hope you enjoy the episode!   Show Notes: I Am Mother (2019)(IMDb) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Prep your survival manual and press those imperial officer uniforms! Shaun, Alex, and special guest, Tiara W., cast reddish eyes at the new canon to discuss Timothy Zahn’s return to the universe in Star Wars: Thrawn. Our intrepid crew talks about this new incarnation of the only member of the Blue Man Group that matters, with some attention to how his character differs from the Legends universe and just what it means to be in Thrawn’s good graces. Plus there’s a lot of conversation about imperial politics and the infamous Grand Moffs, Zahn’s exploration of the imperial navy, and even some love…err…hate for the wrinkly grumpster himself: Emperor Palpatine. We hope you enjoy the episode!Show Notes: Star Wars: Thrawn (Wookieepedia) Star Wars: Thrawn (Wikipedia) Star Wars: Thrawn (Del Rey) Tiara’s Stuff: Tiara’s Twitter The BiblioSanctum Kate’s Stuff: Kate’s Website Kate’s Twitter Alex’s Stuff: Alex’s Website Alex’s Twitter Shaun’s Stuff: Shaun’s Twitter Shaun’s Website Our NEXT book (get it NOW to read along with us!): The New Rebellion by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Legends) If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page. Want to suggest a book? Think we should add a feature? Have a question? Feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our intro music comes “Juno” by Chronox (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Footnotes, diaries, and doors, oh my! In today’s episode, Jen Zink and Paul Weimer interview the Hugo Short Story winning writer, Alix E. Harrow, about her debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January! Find out how this book puts Alix’s cheating methods on display, how she worked to subvert the white colonial narrative of classic portal fantasy, what books she used as a model, and so much more! We hope you enjoy the episode! Don’t forget, if you sign up for our Patreon, you’ll be able to listen to our Patreon exclusive interview, 5 Questions with Alix E. Harrow! Show Notes: The Ten Thousand Doors of January (GO BUY IT!) Alix’s Website Alix’s 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Greasy chest hair, lasting 2 minutes, and animal abuse, oh my! Recorded (sorta last minute) in a hotel room in Dublin, Ireland, this special edition features Shaun Duke, Alex Acks, Julia Rios, Jen Zink, Brandon O’Brien, and special guest / friend of the show, Linnea! Together, our intrepid crew tackles yet another Nicolas Cage debacle, Next, which could charitably be called a loose adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story. From questionable dating practices to equally questionable government tactics to additionally questionable life choices, this episode is packed with laughs, jetlag, absurd rants, and, well, lots of the stuff y’all want in an episode of Torture Cinema! We hope you enjoy the episode! Overall Grade: D+ Show Notes: Next (IMDb) Next (Wikipedia) Linnea’s Stuff: Starcrashed Podcast RobotMariaReviews on YouTube! RobotMaria199 on Twitter! Thanks for joining us, Linnea! You rock! Our Grades: Shaun (D-) Alex (C) Julia (D+) Linnea (D) Jen (D) Brandon (C-) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

The Hass, chauvinist robots, and Italians, oh my! In a Torture Cinema podcast that meanders almost as much as the movie, Shaun Duke, Jen Zink, and Trish Matson get together to discuss this month’s Patreon selection, Starcrash! Not only do the team discuss everything from the truly awful logic to the surprising inclusion of an… uhhh… active female protagonist, we also introduce a new segment to Torture Cinema called, “What is Paul’s Like?” Make sure you listen, because it includes some of the absolute best aspects of this truly terrible film. We hope you enjoy the episode! Overall Grade: D+ Show Notes: Starcrash (IMDb) Starcrash (Wikipedia) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

WEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! This is a slightly different Signal Boost than usual. Instead of our usual two boosts, this time we want you to focus completely on the super extra important fund drive for the amazing STRANGE HORIZONS!! Today, Jen Zink is joined by by Strange Horizons newest Editor-in-Chief, Vanessa Rose Phin, to talk a little bit about the structure, history, and the voice of Strange Horizons and then, most importantly, their 2020 funding drive on Kickstarter, what the Kickstarter backers can get out of their support, and more! They might have made their base funding goal, but lets get Strange Horizons all the way to the top! Stuff they’re getting now that they weren’t at when we recorded: Mexican SFF issue Climate Change issue What they still want to get that you can get them to in the next 24 hours: 10 CENTS PER WORD PAY RATES FOR WRITERS! LET’S DO IT! And don’t forget, Strange Horizons is a finalist for Best Semiprozine! If you haven’t voted yet, don’t forget to do so NOW! Like, seriously… time is almost up!!   Show Notes: Vanessa Rose Phin, EIC of Strange Horizons Strange Horizons Strange Horizons on Twitter Strange Horizons 2020 Funding Campaign(GO SUPPORT IT!) Strange Horizons on Patreon Variations on a Name: The -Punks of Our Times by Jaymee Goh Vanessa Rose Phin on 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

This month, Rachel has a special guest on the podcast! Julia Meitov Hersey (@JuliaMeiHersey), who translated the psychological-fantasy-thriller Vita Nostra from the Russian, comes on to talk about how she first started translating the complex, lyrical work of Marina and Sergey Dyachenko (@DyachenkoW); what makes translating speculative fiction unique; and her own future projects. Insightful and entertaining, this interview will send you straight to your local independent bookstore to buy Vita Nostra. You’re welcome! Remember: with new stories and books coming to their attention each week, make sure to check the SFT website for updates. Enjoy, and keep reading! A bientôt! Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our new intro and outro music comes “No Disclaimer” by Jesse Spillane (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In today’s episode, David and Shaun turn their attention to Cat People (1942) and its loose sequel, The Seventh Victim (1943). Together, they discuss the impact these films had on the development of the horror genre, the terror of the beast within, the treatment of cults and psychiatry in each film, and much more! Prepare yourselves for another foray into cinematic greatness. Enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Today’s Movies: Cat People (1942)(IMDb) The Seventh Victim (1943)(IMDb) Resources: Cat People (Wikipedia) The Seventh Victim (Wikipedia) Our Next Movie: Fitzcarraldo (1982). You can watch the film at these locations: Tubi (free) Amazon Prime (free with Prime subscription or $3.99 to rent) YouTube ($2.99 to rent) Google Play ($2.99 to rent; $7.99 to buy) VUDU ($2.99 to rent; $9.99 to buy) iTunes ($3.99 to rent; $9.99 to buy) Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our intro/outro music comes from “Sundancer” by Wild Shores. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0  

In today’s episode of Signal Boost, Paul Weimer and Kate Sherrod interview the wonderful Ada Hoffmann about her debut novel, The Outside. They discuss the really fun basis for the novel, the mash-up of horror and space opera, representation of neurodivergent characters, AI gods, linguistic spiders, and a bunch more fun stuff! Then Shaun Duke talks to David Wellington about The Last Astronaut, his new science fiction horror novel. They discuss what it’s like to talk to actual astronauts, what draws David to the horror genre, space-themed horror and what makes for good alien menaces, and even a bit about how David tackles a dark tale of the future of the space program while still being a NASA super fan. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Ada Hoffman (01:00 – 21:28) Ada’s Website Ada on Twitter The Outside (GO BUY IT!) David Wellington (21:32 – 48:23) David’s Website David’s Twitter The Last Astronaut (GO 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Bad haircuts, beer, and delicious pandering, oh my! Shaun, Alex, Trang, and Stina assemble to tackle one of the biggest films in cinematic history: Avengers: Endgame. This one is a spoilerrific podcast, y’all, which means we talked about some of the biggest permanent changes to the MCU, from who dies to who gets redemption and more. We also tackle some of the controversies about the film, including that scene and that other scene. You know what we’re talking about. So get yourselves ready. This one is a doozy! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Avengers: Endgame (2019)(IMDb) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Irma, Imperialism, and Islands, oh my! In today’s episode, Shaun Duke and Brandon O’Brien interview Cadwell Turnbull about his debut novel about aliens in the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Lesson! Cadwell discloses the myriad of themes he either explored or was thinking about while writing the novel including Colonialism, systems of violence, disaster capitalism and Hurricane Irma, power dynamics in relationships, and so much more. There was so much for our interviewers to chew on in The Lesson and this is just the top of the Island, so to speak. You do not want to miss it! We hope you enjoy the episode! Don’t forget, if you sign up for our Patreon, you’ll be able to listen to our Patreon exclusive interview, 5 Questions with Cadwell Turnbull – coming soon! Show Notes: The Lesson (GO BUY IT!) Cadwell’s Website Cadwell’s 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Boat cars, “Killa Cockaroaches”, and cannibals, oh my! Much to Jen’s chagrin, in her absence the team, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, and Alex Acks, discover a lot to criticize in the 1977 film adaption of a Roger Zelazny book, Damnation Alley! Jen likes to think they only criticize it because they just wanted it to be better than what we got which is a monotonous 90 minute post-apocalyptic road trip across the entire US. Regardless, they share their adoration of George Peppard’s mustache and grooming standards, their dislike for discount Starbuck, how the movie manages to make exciting things boring, but also some bright points, like how this movie ignores many post-apocalyptic tropes. There’s lots more than that, so go have a listen! Hopefully this 70 minute episode is more exciting than the 90 minute torture film. We hope you enjoy the episode! Overall Grade: C- Show Notes: Damnation Alley (IMDb) Damnation Alley (Wikipedia) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Welcome to Righteous Kicks — the podcast where two science fiction writers geek out about men in spandex bodysuits who kick evildoers to death in abandoned quarries until they explode! This month, Iori and Brandon wrap up the final episodes of Kamen Rider Drive! Heroes and villains resurrect from the grave, old cases are finally solved, Gou’s worst fears are finally realized, Iori delights in the reappearance of the fake-dating trope, Medic takes care of a dog, and Chase even finally gets his driver’s license. Now, it’s time for a new series — and we’re putting the choice in your hands! Which interests you more, based on very little information: Kamen Rider Kiva, which has ~vampires!~, or Kamen Rider Fourze, which is all about ~space!~? To vote in the poll, go to What Should Righteous Kicks Watch Next?! Be Transformed, and Stay Righteous! Show Notes: Kamen Rider Drive on the Kamen Rider Wiki Chase is really proud to get his driver’s license, everyone Tomari’s response to being asked if he’s in love is failing to drink water Drive at KRDL.moe If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page or email Righteous Kicks at righteouskickscast @ [gmail.com]. You can also find the hosts on twitter: Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano. The intro and outro music for Righteous Kicks comes from “Shinigami” by XTaKeRuX (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

April brought us stories and books about the merging of the biological and artificial, zombification, organic routers, and much more. Plus we talk about what we’ve been reading, our favorite stories this month, and translations that we wish we could have yesterday. Remember: with new stories and books coming to their attention each week, make sure to check the SFT website for updates. Enjoy, and keep reading! A bientôt! P.S. It’s Jen’s fault this is late! Sorry about that, folks! Show notes: SFT Out in April Books we’re reading/want to read Waste Tide by Chen Qiufan, translated from the Chinese by Ken Liu (Tor Books). The Weight of Snow by Christian Guay-Poliquin, translated from the French (Quebec) by David Homel (Talonbooks). Dark Constellations by Pola Oloixarac, translated from the Spanish (Argentina) by Roy Kesey (Soho Press). Flowers of Mold by Ha Seong-Nan, translated from the Korean by Janet Hong (Open Letter). Our favorite stories “The Flowering” by Soyeon Jeong, translated from the Korean by Jihyun Park and Gord Sellar, Clarkesworld Magazine, April 1. “Seventy-Seven” by by Francisco Ortega, translated from the Spanish by David Bowles, The Dark Magazine, April 4. “The Last Journey” by Florin Purluca, translated from the Romanian by the author, SFinTranslation.com, April. “In Search of Your Memories,” by Nian Yu, translated from the Chinese by Andy Dudak, Clarkesworld Magazine, April 1. “Paulina” by Laura Ponce, translated from the Spanish by Toshiya Kamei (Moon City Review). “I Have a Secret” by Raquel Castro, translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel, Tales From the Shadow Booth #3, April. What we’re looking forward to The Redemption of Time by Baoshu, translated from the Chinese by Ken Liu (Tor Books). The Heart of the Circle by Keren Landsman, translated from the Hebrew by Daniella Zamir (Angry Robot). Legend of the Galactic Heroes Vol.9: Upheaval by Yoshiki Tanaka, translated from the Japanese by Matt Treyvaud (Haikasoru). Whiskey Tales by Jean Ray, translated by Scott Nicolay (Wakefield Press). Translations we want The entirety of The Straggler by Flemish author Yves Petry Reader’s corner Afro SF Vol. 3, ed. Ivor Hartmann (StoryTime) Mars by Asja Bakić, translated from the Croatian by Jennifer Zoble (Feminist Press). General Links Speculative Fiction in Translation website Speculative Fiction in Translation facebook page SFT on twitter: @Rcordas Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our new intro and outro music comes “No Disclaimer” by Jesse Spillane (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In this episode of Into the Wardrobe, Shaun Duke and Jen Zink talk about the dark and somewhat terrifying — but also whimsical and often hilarious — first major production of Don Bluth films, The Secret of NIMH, released in 1982 and based on Robert C. O’Brien’s book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Our intrepid duo discuss the film’s garage-style production, the history of Don Bluth Productions and his love of classical animation, the film’s tone and artistic style, the role of motherhood in the narrative, and so much more. Plus, they tackle the standards: their personal relationship to the film (childhood, y’all) and what impact the film might have on audiences today! They seriously couldn’t shut up about this movie because it is just that good. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: The Secret of NIMH (1971)(IMDB) The Wiki Page (Film) Rotten Tomatoes 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In today’s episode of Signal Boost, Jen Zink interviews Tracy Barnett, podcaster, writer, and TTRPG designer, about their work as a TTRPG designer, from their first game, School Daze, to their most recent (as of the recording of the podcast, which we must apologize for posting 2 months later than expected) big project, Iron Edda! Jen finds out all sorts of interesting things about TTRPGs, from how the independent TTRPG design community has exploded, how new TTRPGs are redefining what a game is, to the themes that Tracy likes to explore in their own games, and more. This is a treasure trove of information so have a listen! Then Jen talks to Evan Winter, self-published turned traditionally published, author of the debut epic fantasy novel, Rage of Dragons! They discuss why Evan originally decided to self-publish Rage of Dragons and how that eventually brought The Burning series to Orbit, including new edits to the originally published manuscript, how his time as a Music Video Director helps Evan plot both the larger plot of his books and individual scenes, some of the influences for the book, including his childhood memories of Africa, the magic system of Rage of Dragons, and more!! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Tracy Barnett (01:00 – 22:40) Tracy’s Website Tracy on Twitter Tracy’s Podcast Tracy’s Published TTRPGs (GO BUY THEM!) Evan Winter (22:48 – 40:27) Evan’s Website Evan on Twitter The Rage of Dragons (GO PRE-ORDER 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Nuclear families (hyuck, hyuck), boat-cars, and Transformers, oh my! In today’s episode, Shaun Duke, Paul Weimer, Alex Acks, and Jen Zink tackle the giant roaring beast(s) that is Godzilla: King of the Monsters! There are definitely opinions in this episode, y’all. LOTS OF OPINIONS! We basically took the Kaiju plot of King of the Monsters and turned it into a podcast. In today’s episode, Shaun is the evil Ghidorah and Jen is the good and kind Godzilla. Yep. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Listen as the team discusses their disappointments, why the movie is a bit of a mixed bag, what really pissed us all off, how white liberalism makes an appearance, how the scale of the monsters didn’t always work, MOTHRA, and more! Lots and lots more because this is a team with OPINIONS! Footnote: David Annandale was missed terribly. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)(IMDb) “(Spoilers) All 17 Titans in GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS Identified” by Josh Millican “Godzilla for Beginners: My picks” by Cinemassacre 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Dystopian shenanigans, busted councils, and Centauri rivalries, oh my! The Babylon 5 re-watch of Season 3 continues! Shaun, Mike, and Paul tackle episodes 9 through 12. This podcast is packed with big reveals, terrifying prospects, and disturbing ideas. We tackle the collapse of Earth Federation, the echos of the Nightwatch, the development of our favorite characters, and the show’s approach to imperialism and racism. And that’s just scratching the surface! So climb aboard the the White Star and join us on our adventures in the B5 universe! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: S3E9: “Point of No Return“ S3E10: “Severed Dreams“ S3E11: “Ceremonies of Light and Dark“ S3E12: “Sic Transit Vir“ 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Survival, corporations, and stolen tech, oh my! In today’s episode, Paul Weimer and Daniel Haeusser interview Megan O’Keefe about her new Space Opera novel, Velocity Weapon! But is it a Space Opera? Or is it a heist novel? Perhaps a thriller? No, wait! It’s a time-travel story about the unbreakable bond between siblings! Find out what compelled Megan to tackle Space Opera, how the story evolved into it’s present form, the importance of showing a functioning family unit, why she showed the dark side of a highly advanced society, and so much more! There are some spoilers in the latter half, so watch yourself if you haven’t read the book yet! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Velocity Weapon (GO BUY IT!) Megan’s Website Megan’s Twitter Megan’s Magic Soap Business (Blushie!) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Crazy paint, unicorns, and post-graduation life, oh my! Alex, Stina, and Trang join forces to take a look at Brie Larson’s feature length directorial debut, Unicorn Store (2017)! Together, they discuss the deep metaphors of the film’s central concept, the way it elicits strong personal reactions that make us think about our own lives, the performances, and so much more. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Unicorn Store (2017)(IMDb) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Jack up your hyperspace engines and get your Sith bath salts ready! Shaun, Alex, and Kate bounce back in time to the OLD Canon (Legends) for an in-depth discussion of Paul S. Kemp’s Crosscurrent. And “time” really is the word of the day. The crew of this absurdly comical starfreighter take a look at how Kemp’s novel deals with Force users in two drastically different time periods, the role of vengeance and doubt in the battle between the Dark and Light, and even the eccentricities of the Unknown Regions. Plus, this is the first book they’ve read that is downright creepy, so you better believe they’ve got a few things to say about getting the willies while reading a Star Wars novel. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Crosscurrent (Wookieepedia) Crosscurrent (Wikipedia) Crosscurrent (Del Rey) Our #StarWarsFanJoy: “Lucasfilm Unveils Complete ‘Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker‘ Publishing Program” via StarWars.com “California votes to officially declare May 4 ‘Star Wars Day‘” by Aris Folley (The Hill) “CC Sabathia drove to Yankee Stadium in a Yoda costume to hand out bobbleheads on Star Wars Day” by Adrian Garro (MLB Cut4) Wernor Herzog on The Mandaloria via AP Entertainment Kate’s Stuff: Kate’s Website Kate’s Twitter Alex’s Stuff: Alex’s Website Alex’s Twitter Shaun’s Stuff: Shaun’s Twitter Shaun’s Website Our NEXT book (get it NOW to read along with us!): Star Wars: Thrawn by Timothy Zahn (New Expanded Universe) If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page. Want to suggest a book? Think we should add a feature? Have a question? Feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our intro music comes “Juno” by Chronox (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Ape men, nicked bits, and shirtless Sorbo, oh my! Shaun, Stephen, and Daniel join forces to fulfill their dudetastic Torture Cinema destiny by discussing 1997’s Kull the Conqueror (starring Hercules). They discuss the history behind the film, why it fails miserably at just about everything (action, romance, adventure, carefully crafted plots), and what it’s like to contemplate Kevin Sorbo’s bedroom abilities. We’re sorry about this one, folks, but our Patreon supports picked it, and we are bound by honor and blood to fulfill our sacred duties. Join us for this special dudetastic discussion of one of the most horrifically awful action movies of all time! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Kull the Conqueror (IMDb) Kull the Conqueror (Wikipedia) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In today’s episode, David and Shaun once more talk about the films they’re currently enjoying, from big blockbusters to television epics and more. Then they turn their critical brains to the film of the day: Fritz Lang’s M (1931). They cover some of the history behind the film — including 1930s Germany and the background of the Lang and the cast — how the film explores the role of trauma and terror in the theme of good vs. evil, the claustrophobia of cities, the reception of the film in the 1930s, and much more! Prepare yourselves for another foray into cinematic greatness. Enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Today’s Movie: M (IMDb) M (Wikipedia) Resources: BFI’s Fritz Lange Page “Fritz Lang’s M: the blueprint for the serial killer movie” by Geoff Andrew (BFI) Gustaf Gründgens (IMDb) Fritz Lang: Interviews edited by Barry Keith Grant (University Press of Mississippi) The Films of Fritz Lang: Allegories of Vision and Modernity by Tom Gunning (BFI) M (BFI Film Classics) by Anton Kaes (BFI) “The Daesseldorf Murders” by M.H. (New York Times) Our Next Movies: Cat People (1942) and The Seventh Victim (1943). Here are some places where you can watch them: Cat People Amazon YouTube Google Play Vudu The Seventh Victim Vudu Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our intro/outro music comes from “Sundancer” by Wild Shores. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0

Shakespeare, geology, and sacrifices, oh my! In today’s interview, Jen and Paul are joined by Ann Leckie, award winning author of the Ancillary Series, to talk about her debut fantasy novel, The Raven Tower. They start with what books inspired the plot and unique characters of the novel, move into the narrative techniques Ann used and how those allowed her to… perhaps withhold some information from the reader, why she enjoys language and the ways that it has power, transgender representation, the female characters of Hamlet and, as usual, much, much more! We hope you enjoy the episode!   Show Notes: Ann Leckie’s Things: Ann’s Website Ann’s Twitter The Raven Tower (GO 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Canadian Geese, foot fetishes, and vest clones, oh my! Shaun, Jen, David, and Trang, in her first ever Skiffy and Fanty Podcast appearance, discuss the 1973 Hammer Film Productions classic(?), The Satanic Rites of Dracula! The last time that Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee would reprise their roles as Van Helsing and Dracula together. Thankfully, David is here to do some legitimate film criticism and teach us all about the history of these characters, horror films of the 70s, and more, because otherwise this podcast would have degenerated into a series of very bad jokes. Also, Shaun gets depressed about Canadian politics, Trang is jealous of Peter Cushing’s cheeks, and Jen yells at Shaun a lot. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) (IMDb) The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) (Wikipedia) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Welcome to Righteous Kicks — the podcast where two science fiction writers geek out about men in spandex bodysuits who kick evildoers to death in abandoned quarries until they explode! This month, Iori and Brandon discuss the latest developments of the middle batch of Kamen Rider Drive. Heroes and villains change allegiances, Shinnosuke learns something curious about his cop father, corruption slithers into the police force, the show’s only OTP reveals itself briefly, and Otta Genpachiro is finally cured of his pesky difficulty pronouncing the word ‘Roidmude’. (Although we don’t blame him.) Next time, we finally close out Drive with its final sixteen episodes. Will the show respond to its latest tragedy by finally making Shijima Kiriko a Rider? We still hold out hope… Be Transformed, and Stay Righteous! Show Notes: Kamen Rider Drive on the Kamen Rider Wiki a very short video of Harley Hendrickson telling Krim Steinbelt to shut up Drive at KRDL.moe If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page or email Righteous Kicks at righteouskickscast @ [gmail.com]. You can also find the hosts on twitter: Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano. The intro and outro music for Righteous Kicks comes from “Shinigami” by XTaKeRuX (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Hello, Rangers! We’re back with everyone’s favorite Space Nancy Drew in Komarr! This time Stina, Paul, and Trish sit around the campfire to talk about women’s agency, budding relationships, whether or not Miles is “dad” material, how good intentions can go horribly, horribly wrong, the politics of isolationism, and more! Stina gets personal and, as is common when discussing Bujold, the team has lots of praise for her ability to write strong characters. Next time in our journey through the Vorkosigan Adventures, we’ll discuss A Civil Campaign! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Komarr Chronological Reading Order of The Vorkosigan Saga (though we’re not totally using this) A Civil Campaign If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page, and if you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page. Our new intro and outro music comes from “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

March brings us Indonesian sci-fi about intergalactic love, Portuguese fantasy about a family’s terrible secrets, Italian sci-fi about what it means to be human, a story from the “Lost Files” of Sherlock Holmes, and much more. We also discuss the books we’re looking forward to later in 2019 and what we’d like to see in English in the future. Remember: with new stories and books coming to their attention each week, make sure to check the SFT website for updates. Enjoy, and keep reading! A bientôt! Show notes: SFT Out in March “The Starry Sky over the Southern Isle” by Zhao Haihong, translated from the Chinese by the author (Asimov’s, March/April issue). “Meteors” by Clara Ng, translated from the Indonesian by Toni Pollard, Words Without Borders, March. “The Lord of Rivers” by Wanxiang Fengnian, translated from the Chinese by Nathan Faries, Future Science Fiction Digest, March 15. “To Save a Human” by Svyatoslav Loginov, translated from the Russian by Max Hrabrov, Future Science Fiction Digest, March 15.[available May 15] “Holes” by Clelia Farris, translated from the Italian by Rachel Cordasco, World Literature Today, March/April. “Saligia” by H. Pueyo, translated from the Brazilian Portuguese by the author, Samovar Magazine, March. “The Knack Bomb” by Bo Balder, translated from the Dutch by the author, Samovar Magazine, March. The Wisdom of the Dead (The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes #1) by Rodolfo Martinez, translated from the Spanish by the author, Sportula, March 1. Mars by Asja Bakić, translated from the Croatian by Jennifer Zoble (Feminist Press, March 19). Ha Ha Hu Hu: A Horse-headed God in Trafalgar Square by Viswanatha Satyanarayana, translated from the Telugu by Velcheru Narayana Rao (Penguin India, March 19). Reviews Peter Gordon reviews Flowers of Mold Rachel Cordasco reviews The Apex Book of World SF 5 Gautham Shenoy reviews The Gollancz Book of South Asian Science Fiction Gary Wolfe reviews Readymade Bodhisattva Rachel Cordasco reviews Broken Stars Articles/Essays/Interviews “Yoko Tawada: Wondrously strange subject matter from a fantastical imagination” Ken Liu Guest Post–“Is It Possible to Learn About China by Reading Chinese Science Fiction?” (via Locus) Readers’ Corner Rachel is translating an Italian story by Raul Ciannela General Links Speculative Fiction in Translation website Speculative Fiction in Translation facebook page SFT on twitter: @Rcordas Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our new intro and outro music comes “No Disclaimer” by Jesse Spillane (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Goose, goose, and GOOSE, oh my! Look, I’m not going to lie and tell you this is an entire podcast dedicated to the glory that is Goose, but… we really like Goose, OK?! Jen, Daniel, Alex, and Paul sit down for a rousing good chat about how much fun Captain Marvel is, but, more specifically how it’s a brilliantly feminist film, the fact that it packs in more layers than any of us were expecting, a bit of the comic book context and what that might mean for Captain Marvel 2, and how they would defeat Thanos. It’s our very own 90’s Grrl Power podcast, so buckle up and burn those engines! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Captain Marvel (2019)(IMDb) Captain Marvel’s Cat Wrangler Dishes on Goose the REDACTED – Vulture 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

The First Ones, dusty telepaths, and G’Quan’s glory, oh my! The Babylon 5 re-watch of Season 3 continues! Shaun, Mike, and Paul tackle episodes 5 through 8. They talk about the introduction of the First Ones, the development of G’Kar and the emotional resonances of the show’s complex colonial morality, the depth of the Shadows’ plot, and so much more! So climb on board the the White Star and join us on our adventures in the B5 universe! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: S3E5: “Voices of Authority“ S3E6: “Dust to Dust“ S3E7: “Exogenesis“ S3E8: “Messages from Earth“ 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In this episode of Into the Wardrobe, Shaun and Jen talk about the utterly delightful, but definitely problematic, 1971 Disney production, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, directed by Robert Stevenson and featuring a heavy production overlap with Mary Poppins. The duo discuss everything from why they loved this film, the amount of nuance that they didn’t pick up on as children, the heavy influence of British Empire and Nationalism, the wonderful relationships and character arcs, and honestly a lot more that you’ll just have to discover yourself by listening to the episode! Enjoy! Show Notes: Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)(IMDB) The Wiki Page (Film) Rotten Tomatoes 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Cool suits, touch telepathy, and tidally locked planets, oh my! We didn’t know it at the time of our interview, but Paul and Elizabeth sit down with one of our official Hugo Fancast nemeses, Charlie Jane Anders, to talk about her new book, The City in the Middle of the Night! Listen to why Charlie Jane picked her setting and what that meant for the story, how generation ships might actually work out unless designed in a very specific way, how concepts of time play a key role in the world-building, the effects of trauma on a species that communicates via touch, what fashion looks like on the planet of January, and so much more! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Charlie Jane Ander’s Stuff The City in the Middle of the Night (GO BUY IT!) Charlie Jane’s Website Charlie Jane’s Twitter Our Opinions Are Correct Podcast Writer’s with Drinks 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Welcome to Righteous Kicks — the podcast where two science fiction writers geek out about men in spandex bodysuits who kick evildoers to death in abandoned quarries until they explode! This month, Iori and Brandon talk about the first sixteen episodes of Kamen Rider Drive, the only hero in the franchise with the word ‘Rider’ in its name who never rides a bike once. We snicker about toy cars, constantly insist that Shijima Kiriko should have been the heroine the whole time, and muse on the fact that sometimes the literal monsters aren’t the actual monsters. Also, Iori teaches Brandon that sometimes fansubbers make changes to translation for the audience’s own good. Next time: we continue with episodes 17 to 32 of Drive! So many mysteries yet to solve, at even faster speeds… Be Transformed, and Stay Righteous! Show Notes: Kamen Rider Drive on the Kamen Rider Wiki a .gif from Episode 1 Drive at KRDL.moe If you have a question you’d like us to answer, feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page or email Righteous Kicks at righteouskickscast @ [gmail.com]. You can also find the hosts on twitter: Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano. The intro and outro music for Righteous Kicks comes from “Shinigami” by XTaKeRuX (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Rangers Trish, Brandon, and Daniel are back after their long break to tackle an anthology that is near and dear to our hearts. To be fair, our very own Julia Rios is part of it. Plus, we’re big fans of John Picacio and his MexicanX Initiative, and some of the initiative’s participants contributed stories to said anthology. That’s right! We’re talking about A Larger Reality: Speculative Fiction from the Bicultural Margins / Una realidad más amplia: Historias desde la periferia bicultural edited by Libia Brenda! The Rangers dig their heels into the stories to examine their styles and themes. They also discuss the thematic and tonal pairing of the stories and how they worked together to create the wonderful, FREE anthology from the MexicanX Initiative! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: A Larger Reality: Speculative Fiction from the Bicultural Margins / Una realidad más amplia: Historias desde la periferia bicultural edited by Libia Brenda The MexicanX Initiative 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Superman 4, motorcycle gangs, and *eye twitch* tentacle monsters, oh my! This episode exists thanks to the hardwork and determination of our lovely patron, Joseph. Thank you, Joseph, for repeatedly insisting that we watch the 1975 film, Super Inframan!! This Shaw Brothers Studio Production sought to capitalize on the tokusatsu craze in Japan, borrowing tropes, music, and more from tokusatsu series like Kamen Rider and Ultraman. With that in mind, Brandon, one of our resident tokusatsu experts with a new podcast series in the Skiffy and Fanty family focusing on Kamen Rider, Righteous Kicks (with co-host Iori Kusano), joins Jen and Paul to talk about this “3 stars from Roger Ebert” rated film. No, we don’t know why Roger Ebert gave it three stars, but he must have had a reason. There ends up being quite a bit to talk about, including the relative intelligence of the villain, the wide variety of monsters, how She-Demon was totally wasted, and why we all want an Infragirl movie. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Infra-Man (1975) (IMDb) The Super Inframan (1975) (Wikipedia) Righteous Kicks 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

February offered us more short fiction than anything else, though we did get the absolutely wonderful anthology of Chinese SFT edited and translated by Ken Liu: Broken Stars. In terms of the short fiction, fantasy dominated, with stories from the Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean. Rachel and Daniel also talk about the fiction they’re looking forward to in the upcoming months and the books they’re currently reading/teaching. Plus they discuss the great Korean SFT news from Neil Clarke! Remember: with new stories and books coming to their attention each week, make sure to check the SFT website for updates. Enjoy, and keep reading! A bientôt! Show notes: SFT Out in February “The Butcher of New Tasmania” by Suo Hefu, translated from the Chinese by Andy Dudak (Clarkesworld Magazine, February 1). “Art” by Alberto Chimal, translated from the Spanish by David Bowles, The Dark, February. “Everyone Sleeps at Night” by Anderson Fonseca, translated from the Portuguese by Toshiya Kamei (Idle Ink, February 25). “For Humanity Today and Tomorrow” by Sou Saito, translated from the Japanese by Toshiya Kamei (Aphelion, February). “A Young Man’s Fortune” by Alberto Chimal, translated from the Spanish by Toshiya Kamei (Bewildering Stories, February). “Home” by Soyeon Jeong, translated from the Korean by Sophie Bowman (Guernica, February 28). The Nine Cloud Dream by Kim Man-Jung, translated from the Korean by Heinz Insu Fenkl (Penguin, February 5). Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation, edited and translated by Ken Liu (Tor Books, February 19). Reviews Ian Mond reviews Mars in Locus Magazine Ruoji Tang reviews A Hero Born Daniel Haeusser reviews The Complete Stories of Leonora Carrington Alvaro Zinos-Amaro reviews Mouthful of Birds Articles/Essays/Interviews “Translating the Dark Surrealism of Samanta Schweblin’s Mouthful of Birds” Readers’ Corner Daniel is teaching Frankenstein in Baghdad Rachel is reading A Bond Undone (Legends of the Condor Heroes #2) Rachel is translating an Italian story by Raul Ciannela General Links Speculative Fiction in Translation website Speculative Fiction in Translation facebook page SFT on twitter: @Rcordas Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our new intro and outro music comes “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

It’s the triumphant return of Totally Pretentious, David and Shaun’s silly-with-a-side-of-pretentiousness movie review project that disappeared for a brief moment in time. But now they’re back with an episode they recorded a long time ago and forgot to release! In today’s super late episode, David and Shaun talk about some of the films they saw (back in 2016), especially Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) and its relation to Roland Emmerich’s ouevre, the Conjuring and Saw films, and more. Then they dive deep into David’s pick for this episode, Jesús Franco’s 1966 horror film, Succubus. They discuss the film’s reception, its approach to horror elements and the femme fatale, the challenges it presents to the audience of 1966 and our perceptions of narrative, and more. Enjoy the episode, and prepare yourselves for their next foray into cinematic goodness! Show Notes: Today’s Movie: Succubus (1968) Succubus (Wikipedia) Our Next Movie: M (1931). Here are some places where you can watch it: Vudu iTunes Amazon Feel free to shoot us an email at skiffyandfanty [at] gmail [dot] com! You can also leave a comment on our website. Our intro/outro music comes from “Sundancer” by Wild Shores. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0  

In today’s episode of Signal Boost, Jen interviews L. D. Lewis, short story writer, author of A Ruin of Shadows, and Art Director of FIYAH Literary Magazine for Black Speculative Fiction! L. explains why the theme of changing allegiances after discovering the truth is something she likes to explore, how science fantasy helps her ground her world-building, her upcoming essay in Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Existence, and what it means to be the Art Director of FIYAH and how she uses that platform to boost the work of Black artists. Then Jen talks to fangirl, Associate Professor, and KidLit activist, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, about her new non-fiction work, The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games. Jen refused to cut anything because they talk about everything from the imagination gap in publishing to how Ebony’s long involvement with fandom and as a fangirl led to the critical lens through which she developed The Dark Fantastic, whether diversity in media is a moment or a movement, and so much more goodness that you just have to listen! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: L.D. Lewis (01:00 – 22:07) L.’s Website L. on Twitter A Ruin of Shadows (GO BUY IT!) Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance ed. by Bethany C. Morrow (GO PRE-ORDER THIS!) FIYAH Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction (GIVE IT ALL YOUR LOVE!) Ebony Elizabeth Thomas (22:13 – 57:53) Ebony’s Professional Bio Ebony on Twitter The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games (GO PRE-ORDER 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Origami, abused toys, and kissing daddy, oh my! Since it’s finally 2019, the year that Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner takes place, it was time for us to finally discuss one of the most influential science fiction films of all time. As such, Shaun, Jen, and Paul, sit down to have a chat about the biggest problems in the film (including the treatment of Rachel, the Orientalism, what it means that so many POC are left behind on earth in the world of Blade Runner), what the central theme of the film is and whether or not Deckard is a Replicant (or if it even matters), the brilliant cinematography and its inspirations, the pros and cons of the various version of the film, and more! We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Blade Runner (Final Cut) (1982/2007)(IMDb) 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Chill your coaxium and holster your blasters, the team is BACK!! That’s right, Shaun, Alex, and Kate have returned after a too long absence to tackle their first book in the NEW Canon, Bloodline by Claudia Gray. If you haven’t read the book yet, no worries, because the team will give you a giant spoiler wall just in case you think a book that whatever happens before Force Awakens and after Return of the Jedi could actually spoil anything for you. The team discusses how this is primarily a Leia book, what gave rise to the First Order, how and why this is not your mom’s hopeful Star Wars, and so, so much more. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Bloodline (Wookieepedia) Bloodline (Wikipedia) Bloodline (Amazon) Bloodline (Audible.com; read by January LaVoy) Kate’s Stuff: Kate’s Website Kate’s Twitter Alex’s Stuff: Alex’s Website Alex’s Twitter Shaun’s Stuff: Shaun’s Twitter Shaun’s Website Our NEXT book (get it NOW to read along with us!): Crosscurrent by Paul S. Kemp If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page. Want to suggest a book? Think we should add a feature? Have a question? Feel free to shoot us a message on our contact page. Our intro music comes “Juno” by Chronox (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

Increasingly terrified horror academics, high school musical, and Trish’s new job, oh my! Trish and Jen sit down with the CEO and COO of Escape Artists, Alasdair Stuart and Marguerite Kenner! The duo discusses the history of Escape Artists and the changes in both audio fiction and short fiction, their decision to withdraw from the Parsec Awards this year, their goal to hire diverse narrators for diverse stories, the difficulty of getting things right and learning from mistakes when you don’t, the larger podcasting market, and so much more. If you have any interest in audio fiction or podcasting, this is the… well… the podcast interview for you! (Hinthint: These folks are eligible for Hugos!) We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Escape Artists EscapePod PodCastle PseudoPod Cast of Wonder Alasdair Stuart’s Stuff Alasdair on Twitter Alasdair’s Website After the War RPG by Jason Pitre (GO PRE-ORDER IT!) Magnus Archives Marguerite Kenner’s Stuff Marguerite on Twitter Marguerite’s Website 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.

In today’s episode of Signal Boost, Jen talks to short story and interactive game designer, Erin Roberts, about her work. They talk about what Erin really enjoys exploring thematically, one of the key features that connects her story, Sour Milk Girls, with her game, Thanks for the Memories, the differences and connections between writing short stories and designing interactive games, and more! Then Paul interviews Sarah Chorn about her debut novel, Seraphina’s Lament. They discuss how she used a large cast to better tell the story, the historical events that inspired the novel and how she found that inspiration, where she plans to take the next book in her planned trilogy, and a few more things besides. We hope you enjoy the episode! Show Notes: Erin Roberts (01:00 – 17:00) Erin’s Website Erin on Twitter 2018 Eligible Works (GO ENJOY!) Sarah Chorn (17:06 – 37:58) Sarah’s Website Sarah on Twitter Seraphina’s Lament (GO 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 “Rock Thing” by Creo (CC BY 4.0), which has been slightly modified to include sound effects and for length purposes.