I interview Dr. Cameron Kunzelman of Georgia State University about science fiction in video games. Dr. Kunzelman's game recommendations: Bioshock Halo Mass Effect Recommended reference book: https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Video-Games-Tringham/dp/148220388X Link to the Jacob Geller video in which Dr. Kunzelman appears: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPiL3-CYzWk ..read more

Robert Silverberg is the last major author whose career stretches all the way back to the Golden Age of Science Fiction. He is an extremely prolific writer and a long-time friend of Isaac Asimov. Hear his story in this interview. Silverberg’s top picks from his catalog: Dying Inside Downward to the Earth The Man in the Maze First-Person Singularities (anthology) Lord of Darkness (historical) The Majipoor series (fantasy ..read more

In the first episode of Season 3, I interview Jim Harris, the creator of the Classics of Science Fiction book recommendation aggregator, which I have referenced several times in the past. The database and list-builder Jim's website Scan of the original list from 1989 (page 46) Jim's book recommendations not from the list: Empire Star by Samuel R. Delany The Sea and Summer by George Turner The Hopkins Manuscript by R. C. Sherriff ..read more

In the series finale, I interview Dr. Lisa Yaszek, a sci-fi historian from Georgia Tech, about where we can expect science fiction to go in the future. Dr. Yaszek's recommendations: Wormwood Trilogy by Tade Thompson The Matrix Sunspot Jungle, ed. Bill Campbell Other works discussed: Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor "The Sixth World" by Nanobah Becker The Stars are Legion by Kameron Hurley The Universe of Xuya series by Aliette de Bodard Unstoppable series by Charlie Jane Anders ..read more

Not quite as space-themed as I intended, but these are the latest stories about aliens and comets and such. Movie recommendation: Dune (2021) Other works discussed: Greenland Don't Look Up Moonfall (anti-recommended) The Tomorrow War The Firefly tie-in novels ..read more

In this episode, I interview Donna Barba Higuera, author of the Newbery winning sci-fi novel, The Last Cuentista (which I've previously recommended). Donna's book recommendation: Reclaim the Stars, edited by Zoraida Córdova Donna's website ..read more

In this episode, I bring back my cohost Greg for a conversion about how science fiction has shaped video games, and vice versa. Classic game recommendation: Chrono Trigger ..read more

I catch up on the sci-fi movies for kids that have come out in the pandemic era. Movie recommendation: The Mitchells vs. the Machines Background on Lightyear here and here. Other films discussed: Sonic the Hedgehog Over the Moon Flora and Ulysses Space Jam: A New Legacy Strange World Lightyear ..read more

In this episode, I give an overview of the different ways that religion and religious themes are used in science fiction. Book recommendation: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny My review of A Case of Conscience. Other works discussed: Riverworld series by Philip Jose Farmer A Case of Conscience by James Blish Terra Ignota series by Ada Palmer ..read more

I interview Dr. Margaret Weitekamp, Curator and Chair of Space History at the National Air and Space Museum about her new book, Space Craze: America’s Enduring Fascination with Real and Imagined Spaceflight. Media recommendation: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ..read more