Brodacious Book Club

Strap in for some summer fun with a formative piece of science fiction set on the, er, extremely cold planet of Winter. Perhaps we didn't plan this out so well. In any case, join us as we discuss sex, gender, and popular fan fiction tropes as they appear in Ursula Le Guin's masterpiece of feminist science fiction. We know, it sounds thrilling.

Intro:
Pump Sting by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.f...

It's summertime! Join us in easing into the season with a cool, refreshing, relatively relaxing look at Katherine Addison's 2014 hit, The Goblin Emperor. Looking for some truly escapist fantasy, in which good and decent people can actually make a difference in the world? Tune in for our discussion of this, as well as the implications of remaining good in a world of politics.

Also, our apologies to Kimberlé Crensh...

We return with the second half of our dive into the Shadow and Bone book and its Netflix adaptation! Here, we discuss the ending of the show, the various arcs in progress, and the trials and tribulations of young adult romance.

Once again, CW for discussions of racism/racial slurs, sexual violence.

Intro:
Pump Sting by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4251-pump-sting
License: h...

Welcome to the world of the Grisha! Join us as we discuss the book Shadow and Bone, as well as its recent Netflix adaptation. Whether you're a book fan, a newcomer to the show, or neither, we'll take you through the nuances and intrigues of fantasy Russia - I mean, Ravka. Important discussions include heists, late 1800s technology, and the Ben Barnes Cinematic Universe.

CW for mentions of sexual slavery/abuse, ra...

BE SURE. This week, we revisit Seanan McGuire's excellent Wayward Children series with a look at the first prequel, following twins Jack and Jill Wolcott into the terrifying, exciting world of the Moors. What is worth sacrificing in the name of belonging, and are the terrors of the mundane worse than the terrors of a literal horror movie?

CW for brief, non-graphic references to abuse and gore.

Correction: we ...

Happy (belated) birthday to us! In this Very Special Episode of the Brodacious Book Club, we dive into Isaac Asimov's extremely influential science fiction anthology, I, Robot. Join us as we discuss alternative futures, the nature of servitude, and whether or not your roomba has free will.

Intro:
Pump Sting by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4251-pump-sting
License: http://creativ...

Does this episode sound the same in the next universe over? You tell me! This week we dive into Micaiah Johnson's 2020 multiverse epic, The Space Between Worlds.  Join us as we discuss such light-hearted topics as free will and how to topple deeply entrenched systems of inequality. And, also, copious cat-talk.

CW for discussions of structural inequality, including poverty, racism, and homophobia; mention of guns and v...

We're back, baby! This week we return to the Chronicles of Narnia with the second book (chronologically), Prince Caspian. The Pevensie children return to Narnia to find it all very changed, but is the story all that different, or just a retread of the past? And will the series ever manage to let its characters do something other than "wait patiently for Aslan to fix their problems"?

CW for discussions of col...

Happy holidays! This week, we are bringing you a vaguely-Christmas-themed classic. Listen, Santa is present, and sometimes that's the most you can ask. Many of our listeners are surely familiar with this story of childhood adventure (and also heavy-handed Christian allegory), but when was the last time you really dove into the details? A long time ago? Same for us! Join us as we wade through topics like Extremely English Child...

Welcome back to the deeply engrossing world of The Poppy War! Join us as we pick up with the sequel to 2018's breakout fantasy hit, and reconnect with Rin and the country of Nikan. Here we follow as she ends up part of a revolutionary movement towards democracy (maybe), and draw comparisons to some of the real-life inspiration from the story, the Chinese Civil War.

Note: we recommend listening to our episode covering ...

Happy Hallowe'en! Join us for a creepy recap of T Kingfisher's 2019 horror novel, The Twisted Ones, which follows freelance editor Mouse's absolutely completely normal attempt to clean out her grandmother's old house. This week, we discuss some classic horror tropes, including but not limited to, the mystery of the spooky deer.

CW for references to forced birth, gruesome depictions of animals

I...

Happy October! Welcome to the first of our Hallowe'en spooky episodes, featuring Caitlin Starling's nail-biting science fiction horror, The Luminous Dead. What is truly the most dangerous thing that lies in the caves? Is it the Tunnellers, the monsters who crawl through the caverns, the unknown fungus, or perhaps our protagonist's duplicitous employer? Or maybe ghosts??? Tune in and find out!

Also, the prota...

Welcome to the matrix. Er, not that matrix. Join us and special guest author and podcaster Evan May as we attempt to make sense of William Gibson's incredibly influential, incredibly complicated science fiction novel. Ever wanted to understand the origins of the cyberpunk genre, and many of your favourite sci-fi tropes? Tune in to hear us discuss artificial intelligence, space Kardashians, and street samurai.

Intro:

And we're back! Join us for the epic conclusion to Tehlor Kay Mejia's revolution-soaked duology. Will our heroes succeed and overthrow the oppressive government? Will they manage to grapple with the question of how far is too far, or will they get subsumed by bad actors (and questionable plot decisions)?

Also, apologies if the audio quality is a bit below the normal standards this week! Turns out this book might ...

Viva la revolución! What happens when you combine a school rivalry turned romantic, a system of political oppression, and a revolution that might be going too far? Join us this week as we discuss Tehlor Kay Mejia's at-times uncomfortably realistic dystopian fantasy, We Set The Dark On Fire, and only mention Billy Joel, like, once.

CW for mentions of riots, protests, and gun violence

Intro:
Pump Sting by K...

This is not a Narnia podcast. No, really, we promise. Even if we do get sidetracked by Narnia at least three times. Instead, this week we're diving into Seanan McGuire's award-winning novella, Every Heart A Doorway. Join us as we explore the fascinating fantasy worlds McGuire has created, and discuss themes of freedom, belonging, and what it means to have a queer sensibility.

CW for references to gore, mentions o...

Will Murderbot and friends be able to take down the shady corporation that has been pursuing them? Will it manage to gain personhood and acceptance from those around it? Will we finish recording before our brains melt out of our ears due to the extreme heatwave? Listen to us talk about the third and fourth Murderbot novellas (Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy), and find out!

Intro:
Pump Sting by Kevin MacLeod
Link: ...

Robots and space travel and philosophy, oh my! This week, we look at the first two novellas in Martha Wells' The Murderbot Diaries series, All Systems Red and Artificial Condition. Join us for a discussion about humanity, anxiety, and the future of bad soap operas.

Intro:
Pump Sting by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4251-pump-sting
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/...

This week we're bringing you an exciting tale that has been likened to a "fantasy Godfather."Join us as we dive into Fonda Lee's action-packed world of magic gangsters, complicated family dynamics, and honour - and, finally, maybe, get some closure for a discussion opened about two months ago on a previous episode! 

CW brief mentions of sexual abuse, violence

Also, apologies for no music this w...