Octothorpe 132: Almost Everything Is Not Mac
Apr 6, 2025
Dive into the excitement of the Hugo Awards finalists, where nominated works span from novels to novellas. The hosts share personal connections to literary gems, blending humor with community spirit. They explore the impact of fan artistry and anticipated TV adaptations, highlighting favorites like Fallout and comparisons to Doctor Who. The discussion expands to the dynamics of film awards and regional influences on nominations, all while presenting a lively critique on the evolving landscape of science fiction and its vibrant community.
42:09
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Intro
00:00 • 5min
Exploring Literary Nominations and Fan Art
04:54 • 13min
Exploring TV Adaptations and Upcoming Releases
17:41 • 2min
Navigating Film and Community Dynamics
19:16 • 4min
Exploring Literary Award Nominations
23:09 • 15min
Exploring Regional Influences on Award Nominations
37:59 • 4min
Sheine Lende
Elatsoe, #0
Darcie Little Badger
Monstress, Vol. 9
The Possessed
Sana Takeda
Marjorie Liu
So Let Them Burn
Divine Traitors, #1
Kamilah Cole
Your Visiting Dragon
Your Visiting Dragon
None
Devan Barlow
The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1
None
G. Willow Wilson
Chris Wildgoose
Moonstorm
Moonstorm Trilogy, #1
Yoon Ha Lee
Star Trek: Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way
None
Ryan North
Chris Fenoglio
We Called Them Giants
None
Stephanie Hans
Kieron Gillen
The Feast Makers
The Scapegracers, #3
H.A. Clarke
These Burning Stars
Bethany Jacobs
Ever Noir
None
Mari Ness
InCryptid
None
Seanan McGuire
The Butcher of the Forest
None
Premee Mohamed
My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Vol. 2
None
Emil Ferris
Lake of Souls
The Collected Short Fiction
Ann Leckie
The Deep Dark
None
Molly Knox Ostertag
The Brides of High Hill
The Singing Hills Cycle, #5
Nghi Vo
The Burning Kingdoms
None
Tasha Suri
The Tyrant Philosophers
None
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Navigational Entanglements
None
Aliette de Bodard
Black Sun
None
Rebecca Roanhorse
By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars
By Salt, By Sea, By Light of Stars
None
Premee Mohamed
Annihilation
None
Jeff VanderMeer
Someone You Can Build a Nest In
None
John Wiswell
Loneliness Universe
None
Eugenia Triantafyllou
Alien Clay
None
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Maid and the Crocodile
Maid and the Crocodile
Jordan Ifueko
What Feasts at Night
Sworn Soldier, #2
Ursula Vernon
Heavenly Tyrant
Heavenly Tyrant
Xiran Jay Zhao
there are no taxis for the dead
there are no taxis for the dead
Angela Liu
The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video
The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video
None
Thomas Ha
Signs of Life
Signs of Life
Sarah Pinsker
We Drink Lava
We Drink Lava
Ai Jiang
War of Words
War of Words
null
Paul Tripp
In "War of Words," Paul Tripp explores the profound connection between our words and our hearts, revealing how our communication reflects our inner state.
He delves into the biblical understanding of language, showing how words are not merely tools of expression but powerful instruments that shape our relationships and reveal our spiritual condition.
Tripp challenges readers to examine their speech patterns, urging them to align their words with God's truth and love.
The book offers practical strategies for improving communication, emphasizing the importance of humility, grace, and a gospel-centered approach to conflict resolution.
It's a call to transform our words from weapons of destruction into instruments of healing and reconciliation.
A Sorceress Comes to Call
A Sorceress Comes to Call
T Kingfisher
Stormlight Archive
Brandon Sanderson
Ministry of Time
Ministry of Time
Callie Ann Bradley
The Passage
Justin Cronin
The Passage is set in a near-future world where a government experiment involving a virus from a South American bat species leads to an apocalyptic outbreak.
The virus transforms people into superhuman, vampire-like creatures known as 'virals'.
The story follows FBI agent Brad Wolgast and six-year-old Amy Harper Bellafonte as they navigate this new world.
The novel spans over a century, beginning with the origins of the virus and its immediate aftermath, and then jumping forward 93 years to follow a colony of survivors in California.
The narrative is rich in character development and uses various storytelling devices such as emails, journal entries, and newspaper reports to paint a vivid picture of a world in collapse and the resilience of its survivors.
Tusks of Extinction
Tusks of Extinction
Ray Nayler
The Tainted
The Tainted
Megan Hart
In 'The Tainted' by Megan Hart, the protagonist navigates complex relationships, personal struggles, and the search for identity.
The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the human condition, offering a deep and emotional reading experience.
Calypso
David Sedaris
David Sedaris's "Calypso" is a collection of essays that showcases his distinctive voice and his ability to find humor in the everyday.
The essays are characterized by their witty observations, self-deprecating humor, and unflinching honesty.
Sedaris writes about a wide range of topics, from his childhood experiences to his travels abroad, always with a keen eye for detail and a sharp sense of irony.
His work is known for its ability to make readers laugh while also prompting them to think about deeper issues.
"Calypso" is considered a significant work in contemporary American literature, further solidifying Sedaris's status as a master of the essay form.
The collection's exploration of themes such as family, identity, and the search for meaning continues to resonate with readers.
The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain
The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain
Sophia Samatar
Service Model
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Service Model" delves into a world where advanced robots, known as 'servitors,' seamlessly integrate into human society.
The narrative follows a servitor named Unit 734, who reflects on its existence and the complex relationship between humans and machines.
The story explores themes of artificial intelligence, societal structures, and the potential consequences of technological advancement.
Tchaikovsky masterfully weaves together philosophical questions with thrilling plot twists, creating a thought-provoking and engaging read.
The novel's exploration of consciousness and the nature of servitude raises profound questions about the future of humanity and technology.
John, Alison and Liz discuss this year’s Hugo Awards finalists.
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: None
A note from John: I’ve done my level best to find useful URLs and link them below. Please let me know if there are better links or things I’ve missed!
- Best Novel
- Best Novella
- Best Novelette
- Best Short Story
- “Five Views of the Planet Tartarus” by Rachael K Jones
- “Marginalia” by Mary Robinette Kowal
- “Stitched to Skin Like Family Is” by Nghi Vo
- “Three Faces of a Beheading” by Arkady Martine
- “We Will Teach You How to Read | We Will Teach You How to Read” by Caroline M Yoachim
- “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J Kim
- Best Series
- Best Graphic Story
- The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag
- The Hunger and the Dusk, Vol. 1 by G Willow Wilson and Chris Wildgoose
- Monstress, Vol. 9 by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
- My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Vol. 2 by Emil Ferris
- Star Trek: Lower Decks: Warp Your Own Way by Ryan North and Chris Fenoglio
- We Called Them Giants by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans
- Best Related Work
- “Charting the Cliff: An Investigation into the 2023 Hugo Nomination Statistics” by Camestros Felapton and Heather Rose Jones
- r/Fantasy’s 2024 Bingo Reading Challenge
- “The Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars Hotel” by Jenny Nicholson
- Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt-Right by Jordan S Carroll
- Track Changes by Abigail Nussbaum
- “The 2023 Hugo Awards: A Report on Censorship and Exclusion” by Chris M Barkley and Jason Sanford
- Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)
- Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form)
- Best Game or Interactive Work
- Best Editor (Short Form)
- Best Editor (Long Form)
- Carl Engle-Laird
- Ali Fisher
- Lee Harris
- David Thomas Moore
- Diana M. Pho
- Stephanie Stein
- Best Professional Artist
- Best Semiprozine
- Best Fanzine
- Best Fancast
- Best Fan Writer
- Best Fan Artist
- Iain Clark
- Sara Felix
- Meg Frank
- Michelle Morrell
- España Sheriff
- Alison Scott
- Best Poem
- Lodestar Award
- Astounding Award
- Credits
- Cover art: “Scorching Hot Takes” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: A black background. Text in purple reads “Octothorpe 132” while text MADE OF FIRE says “Scorching hot takes on the Hugo finalists”.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Scorching Hot Takes” by Alison Scott