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Is the author dead or have reports of their demise been greatly exaggerated? This week, join Chris, Oren, and special-bonus host Dash as they discuss how much an author’s intent actually matters. Is your favorite ship still legitimate after the author nay-says it? Should you … read more »
Technically we’re all time travelers, moving forward at a rate of one second per second. That’s boring time travel though; let’s talk about the interesting stuff where doctors with bow ties hang out with medieval knights. This week we discuss good and bad uses of … read more »
What could make for light listening better than a discussion of religion? This week, the hosts discuss how gods, faith, and worship are portrayed in various spec fic stories. They delve into deep and introspective topics such as Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman’s concept of belief-driven deities and argue over why … read more »
Last time, we looked at some of the illogical designs of various ships in our favorite science fiction franchises. This week, we’re doing it again! Science fiction churns out illogical designs faster than a Rube Goldberg factory, so we have plenty to choose from. Keep … read more »
It’s a basic rule of storytelling: the stakes get higher as the story goes forward. But how do you do that? How do you know what’s good escalation and what’s just skipping all the necessary build up? What should you do when you’ve escalated as far as … read more »
Can you trust everything you’re told? How about the sights and sounds of a viewpoint character? Mike, Oren, and Chris discuss the use of unreliable narrators. They sort out the liars, the delusional, and the ill-informed whose voices we hear our stories through. Read more »
Mike speaks with returning guest host Jim and new special guest Elise. The three discuss how law is presented in the Star Trek universe and why a Captain is no substitute for a trained attorney. In addition to poking fun at where Star Trek got … read more »
Mike brings Chris and Oren back for a deeper dive into the depths of deep worldbuilding. Did we mention this topic was deep? Tune in for further discussions of what aspects of worldbuilding are successful for long running stories and what stories are best suited … read more »
Chris, Mike, and Oren get into the weeds of worldbuilding. How much culture is too much? What little details are distracting? And do you really need depth, or just an illusion of it? Read more »
Mike, Chris, and Oren discuss what makes an antagonistic organization shine in fiction. They examine their favorites and describe villainous groups that failed to feel plausible or threatening. Listen in to find out how to make an evil organization a fan favorite. Read more »