Geek's Guide to the Galaxy - A Science Fiction Podcast
David Barr Kirtley
** Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks ** Host David Barr Kirtley, author of the book Save Me Plz and Other Stories, talks geek culture with guests such as Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Richard Dawkins, Simon Pegg, Bill Nye, Margaret Atwood, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy has appeared on recommended podcast lists from NPR, The Guardian, Wired, The A.V. Club, BBC America, CBC Radio, WVXU, io9, Omni, The Strand, Library Journal, and Popular Mechanics. CBC Radio writes, "You may not think a podcast about science fiction and fantasy would be the place to go for political insight, but -- it is. Geek's Guide to the Galaxy manages to be more insightful about politics than many pundits." View a complete list of guests and topics at geeksguideshow.com/episodes/. Listen to the show on YouTube at youtube.com/@geeksguidetothegalaxy to easily skip ahead to our discussion of a particular movie or story.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 43min
601. Fantastic Fiction at KGB (with Matthew Kressel)
Matthew Kressel joins us to discuss Fantastic Fiction at KGB, a monthly science fiction reading series in New York City. Support the Fantastic Fiction at KGB fundraiser over at www.gofundme.com/f/fantastic-fiction-reading-series-at-the-kgb-bar. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 20, 2025 • 1h 39min
600. Steph Grossman, co-host of The Basement Girls
In this special 600th episode David Barr Kirtley interviews his wife Steph Grossman, short story writer and co-host of the Basement Girls horror podcast. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 10, 2025 • 1h 30min
599. The Clarion Writers' Workshop (with Tom Gerencer)
Tom Gerencer joins us to discuss the book Storyteller: Writing Lessons and More from 27 Years of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop by Kate Wilhelm. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 28, 2025 • 1h 29min
598. The Story of Elden Ring (with Matt London)
Matt London joins us to discuss narrative design, George R. R. Martin, and the new book Grace Given: The Mythology of Elden Ring by George Truscott. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 11, 2025 • 1h 29min
597. Matthew Kressel, author of Histories Within Us and Space Trucker Jess
Matthew Kressel joins us to discuss his short story collection Histories Within Us and his new novel Space Trucker Jess. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 25, 2025 • 1h 46min
596. God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert Review
Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Rajan Khanna join us to discuss God Emperor of Dune by Frank Herbert, the fourth book in the Dune series. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 9, 2025 • 1h 11min
595. The Business of Science Fiction (with Tom Gerencer)
Tom Gerencer joins us to discuss the book The Business of Science Fiction by Mike Resnick and Barry N. Malzberg. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 26, 2025 • 1h 27min
594. Andor Season 2 Review (with Andrea Kail, Erin Lindsey, Matt London)
Andrea Kail, Erin Lindsey, and Matt London join us to discuss Season 2 of the Disney+ series Andor, a prequel to the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 18, 2025 • 1h 9min
593. Roger Zelazny's Writing Advice (with Warren Lapine)
Warren Lapine joins us to discuss editing the book On Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy by Roger Zelazny. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 8, 2025 • 2h 24min
592. The Best of Greg Egan Part 1 Review (with Anthony Ha)
Anthony Ha joins us to discuss the first eight stories in the book The Best of Greg Egan, part of the SF Masterworks series of science fiction classics. Stories discussed: "Learning to Be Me" (20:42), "Axiomatic" (44:03), "Appropriate Love" (50:10), "Into Darkness" (1:00:30), "Unstable Orbits in the Space of Lies" (1:14:47), "Closer" (1:26:42), "Chaff" (1:38:50), "Luminous" (1:52:12). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
