Starship Alexandria

For our October 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, Matthew Lopes and Clayton Cowles for Emma's consideration. Other talking points: The craft of framing devices Nested narrators Tellings, retellings; narrative and meta-narrative Killing people is not cricket Badass butlers Just 100% appreciation for the art Equal Opportunities objectification The apparent taboo of just making things up Civilization vs Barbarity Unspoken histories The "Ninth Art" (French term for comics, not the "Tenth Muse" as I said in the podcast) Media Mentions: The Conan stories by Robert E Howard Wuthering Heights novel by Emily Bronte The Barsoom stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs The fantasy art of Boris Vallejo Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde novel by Robert Louis Stevenson Star Wars movie dir. George Lucas Fargo TV series Next month we look at the film Sinners directed by Ryan Coogler. This month's patron episode is our live discussion of Event Horizon from Octocon in Cork. Adrian's music recommendation: Musik ist keine Lösung by Alligatoah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNdcr7Uu7Jc&list=RDwNdcr7Uu7Jc&index=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book is Engines of Reason https://bookshop.org/p/books/engines-of-reason-elder-race-book-ii-adrian-tchaikovsky/b69799af416d2980 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

For our September 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner for Adrian's consideration. Other talking points: Unspoiler warnings Deniable wizbiz Period writing styles The straitjacket of expectations Burning Bedfordshire Lit and genre Media Mentions: Memoirs of a Survivor, novel by Doris Lessing (and our patrons-only discussion) Writers referred to in general: Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Mervyn Peake, Jerome K Jerome, PG Wodehouse Next month we look at the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by King, Evely, Lopes and Cowles This month's patron episode is the novel A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge Emma's music recommendation: Washing Machine Heart by Mitski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vjkh-acmTE&list=RD3vjkh-acmTE&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book is Engines of Reason https://bookshop.org/p/books/engines-of-reason-elder-race-book-ii-adrian-tchaikovsky/b69799af416d2980 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

For our August 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe for Emma's consideration. Other talking points: All Greek to Emma Surprise spider nomenclature Werewolves? There wolves Necromancy LinkedIn Reading and re-reading Wolfe Unreliable narrators and narration perspective The past as a foreign country Memory and amnesia in fiction Wolfe and descriptive style The hero as werewolf Audiobook narrator voice choices Media Mentions: You can find Re-reading Wolfe on your usual podcast platforms. I will also note other Wolfe-flavoured podcast resources, Alzabo Soup, The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast and a large chunk of Shelved by Genre, if you have a thirst for some deep dives into his work (none have done Soldier yet to my knowledge) The Shadow of the Torturer, The Book of the New Sun series and the wider Solar Cycle novels of Gene Wolfe Piranesi, novel by Susanna Clarke (and see our prior coverage of that) A Game of Thrones novel by GRR Martin / TV series The Green Knight movie dir. David Lowery (and see our patreon episode on that) Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series, specifically the episode 'Darmok' Next month we look at the novel Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner This month's patron episode is the indie film The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising Adrian's music recommendation: The Sad God by Gorillaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQE0FnpfqQo&list=RDfQE0FnpfqQo&start_radio=1 , also the entire album The Mountain and in particular this animated sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucRulNQsuYQ&list=RDucRulNQsuYQ&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book is Green City Wars https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/green-city-wars-adrian-tchaikovsky/686e574129a9b37f?ean=9781035045723 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

For our July 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Do you Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh for Adrian's consideration. We talk about spoilers in this, and despite my initial lukewarm thoughts about spoilers for this book, there are definitely some moments that are better raw, so do take this as a note that there's something to be gained by reading ahead of the 'cast. Other talking points: The Science of Spoilers British alt space history When you call your spaceship "Damocles" Everyone Hates Harry Orlando Boom (sorry) The 2012 Olympics and national pride The brutal logistics of being in space Authorial treatment of the moral quandary Super-elite child training academies Competitive personalities, the pros and cons YA or not YA Balancing multiple character arcs Mysticism and an ambivalent attitude to woo Coral and reef building Media Mentions: 2012 Olympics opening ceremony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4As0e4de-rI Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman The Expert System's Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky (I promise we only flag our own stuff here when it's genuinely relevant!) Aurora, novel by Kim Stanley Robinson (not named but this is the one I mentioned) 'The Cold Equations', short story by Tom Godwin The Martian, novel by Andy Weir Philosophers in Space podcast https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/philosophers-in-space/4068539 (or wherever you get your podcasts from) Star Trek various TV series Next month we look at Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe This month's patron episode is Look to Windward by Iain M Banks Emma's music recommendation: Taking What's Not Yours by TV Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox5ENW0CeAU&list=RDOx5ENW0CeAU&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

For our June 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Piranesi by Susanna Clarke for Emma's consideration. Other talking points: The State of What the F Is Going On The joy of found document sources The Triangle of Information ™ Two views of the nicest character in fiction Analogues with dementia Shadows on a cave wall Psychic ideating communion(!) One author enters, two classics leave The ignorant unreliable narrator Media Mentions: Mythago Wood, novel by Robert Holdstock (and our coverage of it here: https://starshipalexandria.com/episode-8-mythago-wood The Magician's Nephew, novel by CS Lewis Red Dwarf TV series (very tangentially!) Wayne's World sketch series and movies dir. Penelope Spheeris Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, novel by Susanna Clarke The Life of Brian, movie dir. Terry Jones (also very tangentially!) Planetfall series of novels by Emma Newman Next month we look at Do You Dream of Terra Two? by Temi Oh Adrian's music recommendation: Damnd Anthem's cover of Muse's Uprising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w48-1IQxnM&list=RD_w48-1IQxnM&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

For our May 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan for Adrian's consideration. Other talking points: The difficulty of summarising Somehow avoiding the word "surreal" An emotional model railway trip. Reading around the story Balancing story collections Styles of art Media Mentions: The art of Edward Gorey including The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Insect God The art of Dr Seuss including I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew The art of Adrian Sykes https://www.adriansykes.co.uk/ Next month we look at Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Emma's music recommendation: Future Boy by Turin Brakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekubF2xYlg&list=RDAekubF2xYlg&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

For our April 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the second in our new season – Adrian puts forward the film: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. Other talking points: Wonderful Hugh Grant Rubbish sorcerers A certain ambivalence Dungeons we have Dragonned Save the cat! Everything wrong with Hollywood Remembering the Forgotten Realms The "It's him!" moment of failed fan service Media Mentions: Dungeons and Dragons movie dir. Courtney Solomon Middle Earth Role-Playing (MERP) TTRPG Dungeons and Dragons TTRPG Conan the Barbarian, movie dir. John Milius Lord of the Rings series of movies dir. Peter Jackson Heretic, movie dir. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods Bridget Jones's Diary movie dir. Sharon Maguire Dungeons and Dragons, TV series 28 Years Later, movie dir. Danny Boyle Galaxy Quest movie dir. Dean Parisot Next month we look at the illustrated book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan Adrian's music recommendation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEfYvY3bAg&list=RD5tEfYvY3bAg&start_radio=1 Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905 If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

A deep dive into Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man, covering its telepathic police, elaborate murder plot and mind-bending sequences. They debate psychotherapy in sci fi, problematic gender dynamics and eugenics themes. Conversation also ranges over typographical play, the book's legacy in TV and fiction, and curious cultural predictions and tech.

A deep dive into a mythic fantasy about an ageing warrior, her traumatic past, and a corrupted sword. They discuss lyrical, precise prose and how everyday domestic details sit beside high magic. Conversation covers parenting tensions, grief and ageing, Cornish mine folklore echoes, and the book’s willingness to let characters suffer real consequences.

For our January 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Emma puts forward the movie Godzilla Minus One directed by Takashi Yamazaki for Adrian to consider. Other talking points: A monstrous regiment of Godzillas Survivor's Guilt Redemption arcs Found boat family The Unbearable Weightiness of Kaiju Convenient mattress factories Godzilla amplification Media Mentions: Godzilla (Gojira), movie dir Ishiro Honda Subsequent Godzilla movies, dir. various Pacific Rim, movie dir. Guillermo del Toro Jurassic Park, movie dir. Steven Spielberg Back to the Future, movie dir. Robert Zemeckis Oppenheimer, movie dir. Christopher Nolan Our next regular episode will look at the novel Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark. Emma's music recommendation: The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWz0JC7afNQ&list=RDLWz0JC7afNQ&start_radio=1 Emma's latest book: The Vengeance https://geni.us/thevengeance Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html Follow us at: Emma: @[email protected] and www.enewman.co.uk Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com