The political economy of speculative fiction
Excludes Emissaries of Profits from the feed.
In this weeks episode we discuss 2020 Hugo award winning novel A Memory Called Empire. In which we discuss American Empire and the politics of being a stranger in a strange land.
Special thanks to the Spectology Podcast Ep 22.1 and 22.2, who also did an excellent review, and inspired our own take on this episode. We also speak about the following Guardian article.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Netflix’s Space Force is ostensibly a political satire created by Greg Daniels and Steve Carell. It attempts to poke fun at the American President and the wider political system that created Space Force.
We talk about why the show isn’t funny and, worse, is morally dangerous.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
We had the absolute pleasure of talking to Corey J. White about his recent novel, Repo Virtual. This is a near future, cyberpunk that tackles heavy issues of our day like wealth inequality, corporate overreach, and douchey tech-bro companies all set in a very believable world wracked by climate change and fracturing nation states.
We talked about the warnings in his book and the need for a truly universal basic income to begin to address the global system of oppression called capitalism.
You can get updates on Corey’s work and other interesting news by subscribing to a newsletter he runs with some friends, nothing here.
Image credit goes to Solvent Image.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
We have another incredible podcast crossover event. Adrian of Spectology joins us to talk about China Mountain Zhang by Maureen McHugh. This is a beautiful and touching novel and, despite being written nearly thirty years ago, it still feels very relevant. We’re very glad we read it.
This post is much later than it should be. Apologies to Adrian and to our listeners. Some references to then current events might feel dated.
Never Let Me Go — Kazuo Ishiguro
The Waste Tide — Stanley Qiufan Chen
The Paper Menagerie — Ken Liu
Mission Child — Maureen McHugh
Follow Spectology on Twitter and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts.
We’d love to hear from you! Reach us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at info@androidsandassets.ca
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Op-Eds From the Future is a fantastic initiative from the New York Times. Edited by Susan Fowler, these Op-Eds are science fictional writing imagining an op-ed we might see in the near or far future. Some great writers have already contributed and we hope more do.
We picked four op-eds and talk about them in this episode. Some are good and some are less good.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Last week, we had the great pleasure of sitting down with Malka Older to discuss her Centenal Cycle series of books (Infomocracy, State Tectonics, and Null States). Enjoy, as we get do a deep dive on the functioning of the political economy of science fictional microdemocracy. Malka shares with details of the inner workings of her setting and speaks to the intersections of her work with the current political landscape. Big thanks to Malka for taking the time to speak with us.
If you want to find more of Malka’s work you can check out her website @ malkaolder.wordpress.com
Her most recent book …and Other Disasters is available from Mason Jar Press and wherever fine books are sold. She also writes for Serialbox.com.
Image by Allana Taranto of Ars Magna Studio.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
We’re lucky to be joined by James D’Amato of the One Shot Podcast Network. We talk about his show Skyjacks and about role-playing more widely.
Flying Circus by Erika Chappell – Available on DriveThruRPG or itch
Honey Heist by Grant Howitt – Available free on itch
Star Crossed by Alex Roberts – Available on DriveThruRPG or itch
For the Queen by Alex Roberts – Available on Roll20
I Need Diverse Games was referenced as a great group making games better and more inclusive for everyone.
James also has some books. They’ll help you play a better RPG. You probably like them, you just may not know it yet. You can find them here.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
A conversation with author Louis Evans, in which we discuss his recent short story Flash Crash, published by the good people at Escape Pod. We talk commerce, nuclear war, and the nature of value.
If you want to read/hear Flash Crash follow this link: https://escapepod.org/2019/06/06/escape-pod-683-flash-crash/
In this interview Louis Recomends the following texts:
Fondly Fahrenheit by Alfred Bester
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh
The Sorcerer Of The Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
Amid a lively public discourse on the Covid 19 Virus the androids and assets team sits down to talk out depictions of disease and crisis in Science Fiction, and how different fictional depictions of illness shape our reactions. The pair find that collective action is the best defense against sickness and disease.
Recommended content:
Station 11 , Emily St. John Mandel
The Mask of the Red Death, Cory Doctorow
A Paradise Built in Hell, Rebecca Solnit
Radio War Nerd Podcast
Dawn of The Dead (1978)
28 Days Later (2002)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS
A conversation with author Nino Cipri about their new novella, FINNA. We talk about labour, unions, and love. FINNA is on sale Feb 25 and we can’t recommend it highly enough.
Nino’s newsletter, Cool Story, Bro
Nino’s author photo, the image at the top of this post, is by Korbin Jones.
Sarah Pinsker, Twitter – A Song for a New Day
Our Opinions Are Correct, the podcast hosted by Annalee and Charlie Jane.
Meow Wolf House of Eternal Return – If we’re ever in Santa Fe, this is on the to-do list.
Hannah Abigail Clarke, Twitter – Scapegracers
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS