Science Fiction Book Club

Abu and Obssa continue their read-through of Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. This middle third is where the two of them split hardest: one is all in on Zelu, the other can barely stand her. Between them they get into grief, exoskeletons, and who gets to decide what makes someone human. IN THIS EPISODE Zelu's custom exoskeleton, the line "I'm no one's robot," and whether augmentation frees h...

Abu and Obssa begin their read-through of Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. They examine the three layers of the story: the present-day story of Zelu, the far-future robot novel she is secretly writing, and a string of interviews with the people who know her. They also break down Okorafor's career and where the book gets its title. IN THIS EPISODE Meet Zelu: a paraplegic adjunct professor and...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa are joined by Cody from the Hugonauts podcast to break down the thought-provoking short story by Ursula K. Le Guin. They explore the moral philosophy at the center of this tale, and debate whether the ones who leave Omelas are worthy or praise or disdain. Check out the Hugonauts podcast: https://hugonauts.simplecast.com/ Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fict...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa complete their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. They discuss the lessons from this book about cultural exchange, and what it means to treat others through the lens of "I and Thou". Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep up with the reading schedule: ⁠⁠⁠https://sfbc.netlify.app/schedule⁠ Join the con...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. They discuss the misunderstanding between Genly and Estraven, and break down the pitfalls of Orgoreyn's bureaucracy. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠⁠ Get bonus content an...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa begin their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. They discuss incredible impact and legacy of this book on the sci-fi genre, and it's profound explorations of gender and politics. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠ Get bonus con...

In this bonus episode, Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa share their thoughts on the movie adaptation of Project Hail Mary. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠ Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠ Keep up with the reading schedule: https://...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa complete their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Project Hail Mary⁠ by Andy Weir. They discuss the satisfying conclusion and break down Ryland Grace's character arc. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠ Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.c...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa begin their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. They discuss the tropes and science the book leans in to, and why it's not working for them. Learn more at ⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠ Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon....

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa complete their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This Is How You Lose the Time War⁠ by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. They explore the ways love fundamentally changes Red and Blue, and redefines what it means to win the war. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠ Get bonus co...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa begin their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. They explore the depths of true connection, and the paradox of being lonely in an always-connected society. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.loreparty.com/science-fiction-book-club⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠ Get bonus content a...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa complete their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the ninth short story in the collection, Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom, and explore the horrifying and empowering cost of true free will. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the eighth short story in the collection, Ompahlos, and explore the philosophy of existentialism. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the seventh short story in the collection, The Great Silence, and explore how close we are to communicating with animals. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dis...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the sixth short story in the collection, The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling, and explore the ways technology has always helped us remember our lives. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠⁠⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the fifth short story in the collection, Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny, and explore the challenges of raising children in a technological world. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the fourth short story in the collection, The Lifecycle of Software Objects, and explore the realities of forming relationships with artificial intelligence. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discor...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the third short story in the collection, What's Expected of Us, and explore the existential dread of not having free will. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠⁠⁠ W...

Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa continue their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Exhalation⁠ by Ted Chiang. They dive into the second short story in the collection, the titular Exhalation, and explore why humans are unique in their pursuit of meaning. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j...

Abu⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa begin their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠Exhalation by Ted Chiang. They dive into the first short story in the collection, The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate, and explore the power of storytelling to change our perspective on life. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠https://disco...

Abu⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa complete their read-through of ⁠⁠⁠Parable of the Sower⁠ by Octavia Butler. They explore how Lauren Olamina embodies an ideal leader, the evolution of religion in the face of scientific understanding, and the importance of community and connection in survival. Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going i...

Abu⁠⁠ and Obssa begin their read-through of ⁠⁠Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. They reflect on the relevance of Butler's work in today's society, highlighting the prophetic nature of her writing and the urgent themes that resonate with contemporary issues. In their takeaways, they analyze the character of Lauren as an unreliable narrator, and the dangers of denial in the face of change. Get...

In this bonus episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa share their thoughts on the season one finale of the Apple TV+ show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murderbot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch the video version of this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠...

In this bonus episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa share their thoughts on the ninth episode of the Apple TV+ show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murderbot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch the video version of this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.yout...

In this bonus episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Abu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Obssa share their thoughts on the eighth episode of the Apple TV+ show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murderbot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Get bonus content and helpful reading materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/scifibookclubpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Keep the conversation going in our free Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/bVrhwWm7j4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch the video version of this episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/...