Originally recorded October 17, 2023

A suspicious man lingers around a playground, watching. A worrisome start to a story of a man called Ian. Jack and Sam try to figure out his goals and his "interesting" rationale behind them in a tale where time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.

Recommendations:

Gravity Rush developed by Japan Studio

Hardspace: Shipbreaker developed by Blackbird Interactive

"The Long Morrow" episode from The Twilight Zone

To Your Eternity by Yoshitoki Oima

Next Episode: 2017's "Seasons of Glass and Iron" by Amal El-Mohtar

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com, Pixabay.com, and Joel Steudler

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Originally recorded September 4, 2023

Puberty is a difficult time for everyone, but some have it worse than others. One of those is a girl named Kelsey who's early blooming causes endless bullying from her classmates. Fortunately, another discovery she's made about her body is that it can turn into a wolf. The bullies (and neighborhoods dogs) will not be so lucky.

Closed Systems Kill: An Interview with Suzy McKee Charnas by Joan Gordon

Recommendations:

Eight Grade directed by Bo Burnham

Jennifer's Body directed by Karyn Kusama

The art and comics of E.M Carroll

Next Episode: 1982’s “The Pusher” by John Varley

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com, Pixabay.com, and Joel Steudler

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Originally recorded July 25, 2023

We REALLY recommend you read the story first.

When we first looked over the list of stories we had to read, Jack was thrilled at the chance to eventually talk about honorary friend of the pod Ursala K. Le Guin and her utopia of Omelas. Since then Sam has also gotten aboard the Le Guin train and the two gush over one of the best stories we've read so far. This is EHE at its finest: politics, philosophy, morality, tangents from the past and present, and Sam annoying Jack by agreeing with him. All wrapped up in some beautifully written words. Oh, and the boys get to talk about wrestling! This is a good one, folks.

Spoilers for The Last of Us at 1:02:00

The essay Jack mention by Micheal Moorcock criticizing Tolkien and praising Le Guin among other authors

Recommendations:

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Next Episode: 1990’s “Boobs” by Suzy McKee Charnas

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com, Pixabay.com, and Joel Steudler

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally recorded June 27, 2023

Content Warning for descriptions and discussions regarding sexual assault after the break.

Apologies for the rough audio. These files have been through the virtual wringer over the months.

From Romulus and Remus to Washington epically crossing the Delaware River, empires and nations throughout history have used stories of their founding to be the bedrock of their society, Many are fabrications, others leave out critical details, and more have an uglier side. Geoffrey Landis takes us to the Martian penal colony, and how the few survivors murdered and pillaged their way into building a home on the red planet.

Recommendations:

Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

Mad Max: Fury Road directed by George Miller

Next Episode: 1974’s “Those Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com and Pixabay.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally recorded June 20, 2023

Back in my day you had to go to a store, in person, to pick up a DVD or VHS tape if you wanted to watch a specific movie at home. Ok, Sam and Jack aren't that old but they do remember when Netflix delivered discs in the mail. Tim Pratt writes about the old magic of browsing the shelves at the local video rental store in the 2007 Hugo Short Story winner "Impossible Dreams", and how stories on screen enrapture us just as much as those in text. Romance ensues.

Mentioned in this episode:

Superman Lives script (written by Kevin Smith!) and some more behind the scenes info

Quick read on how indie bookstores have survived corporation and digitization

An Oral History of Kingdom of the Sun (not Empire) and Yzma's song "Snuff Out The Light"

Short Film adaption by Shir Comay

Recommendations:

Ready Player One directed by Steven Spielberg

Your Name directed by Makoto Shinkai

I Met a Traveler in an Antique Land by Connie Willis

F for Fake directed by Orson Welles

Next Episode: 2003’s “Falling Onto Mars” by Geoffrey A. Landis

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com and Pixabay.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally recorded June 6, 2023

Harlan Ellison is a legendary name in the sci-fi world with numerous award winning novels and stories attributed to him. He is was also an author with a lot of baggage as a quick glance at his Wikipedia page can tell you. Sam and Jack read a very 1960s story about fighting against the Man and freeing society while musing on art done by not very nice people. You'll not waste any time listening to this one.

Recommendations:

Abbie Hoffman on Yippie Tactics - 1968

A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland

Next Episode: 2007’s “Impossible Dreams” by Tim Pratt

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com

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Originally recorded May 11, 2023

1973 had two winners. Listen to 3a - "The Meeting" if you haven't yet!

With over 70 stories to discuss, it was inevitable that one would disappoint. That story is Eurema's Dam. Albert the brilliant but dumb machinist rants and raves and invents, and in the end his words are lost to his audience and readers alike. Sam and Jack try and figure out what the Worldcon crowd in Toronto saw in this while arguing over whether the narrator also dislikes this story. With two stories about intelligence and Lafferty a... tad bitter about tying with "The Meeting", it is only natural to see which of the two stories has the edge. Ready Player One is mentioned for the first (and unfortunately not the last) time on the show.

Recommendations:

The Social Network directed by David Fincher

"Why No Roman Industrial Revolution?" by Bret Devereaux @ A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry

Next Episode: 1966’s “'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman” by Harlan Ellison

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This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Originally recorded May 10, 2023

1973 had two winners. The other episode will be uploaded one day after this one!

The Worldcon attendance in 1973 ended in tie for the top spot. The first is "The Meeting", where a father attends a PTO meeting at his son's school before receiving a dreaded phone call. Jack and Sam ponder the definition(s) of intelligence, an individual's act of evil versus society's, and making all the wrong decisions.

Recommendations:

Head Transplants and the Non-Existence of the Soul by Jacob Geller

"Symbols and Signs" by Vladimir Nabokov

Disabled People Destroy Science Fiction! Uncanny Magazine Issue 24

Next Episode (Tomorrow!): 1973’s “Eurema’s Dam” by R.A. Lafferty

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Watch the show on Youtube

This podcast is not affiliated with the Hugo Awards or Worldcon. Music provided by HookSounds.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.