Science Fiction Book Review Podcast

Part 2 of Luke and Juliane’s discussion of The Lord of the Rings, focusing on The Two Towers, the power of wizards, action vs fights vs battles vs sieges, a diversion on Ents, and who is tempted by the One Ring. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via...

Part 1 of Luke and Juliane’s discussion of The Lord of the Rings, focusing on the audiobook performance by Andy Serkis, appreciation for the first movie in the trilogy, how Tom Bombadil can be so annoying, and Luke takes a stab at the question “what even are elves?” See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp....

Luke delves into The Silmarillion for the first time, and talks to Juliane about myth creation, map confusion, and the genealogy of a silver tree. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Bluesky: @lukeburrage.bsky.social...

Juliane finished Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky and so Luke joins her to discuss academic politics, totalitarian politics, aliens, and clay. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Bluesky: @lukeburrage.bsky.social Dis...

Luke revisits Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds, and tells Juliane about the four different levels of understanding available to discover and enjoyment to be had. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Bluesky: @lukeb...

Luke talks to Juliane about Neverness by David Zindell, an epic space opera from 1988 which for years he considered one of his favourite science fiction novels, and debates adding it to the SFBRP Must Read List. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via...

Luke and Juliane share their thoughts on Earth Abides by George R Stewart, an influential post-apocalyptic novel from 1949. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Bluesky: @lukeburrage.bsky.social Discuss this book at G...

Luke tells Juliane why Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson ended up on his did-not-finish list, and why it was such a disappointment after The Space Between Worlds. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Mastodon:...

Luke and Juliane discuss the second instalment in what they now realise is a Dune movie trilogy, Dune: Part 2 (2024). To keep the full story fresh in their minds, Luke re-read the novel and they both rewatched Dune: Part 1. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane fina...

Luke re-read the multi-award-winning Gateway by Frederik Pohl. Juliane joins him to discuss why 1970’s science fiction can be very clever but still misses the mark for current readers. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luk...

After diversions on buying and reading the hardcover version of the book, Luke and Juliane talk about Heavy Time by C J Cherryh, the first Company Wars novel by internal chronology. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke o...

Luke reviews a new (to him) translation of Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky and discusses with Juliane if it should make it onto the SFBRP Must-Read List. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Mastodon: @...

Luke revisits Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein and shares his thoughts on the political ideas it contains with Juliane. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @...

Juliane read The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell for the first time, and Luke for the second time, and they talk through how the book impacted their emotions. See every book/episode of the SFBRP here: https://www.sfbrp.com/episode-lists-3 See the SFBRP Must-Read List here: https://www.sfbrp.com/must-read Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@...

Luke re-reads The Forever War by Joe Haldeman to see if it could make it onto the SFBRP Must-Read List, but discovers there are more versions of the novel than he knew, and he read a version that didn’t win the Hugo or Nebula awards. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this...

Where is the best place to start for new readers of science fiction? Which books are the best examples of science fiction available to read today? Which old books stand the test of time, and which new books will we still be thinking about in decades to come? For episode #550 of the SFBRP, Luke and Juliane compiled a list of 52 “must-read” science fiction books to answer these questions and more. S...

Luke re-reads The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K LeGuin to see if it is worthy of inclusion on the SFBRP Must-Reads Science Fiction Novels list. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Minding Tomorrow”...

Luke tells Juliane about a minor Ursula K LeGuin novel he read weeks ago: The Eye of the Heron. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Minding Tomorrow”, “Combat”, “Get that rat off my f...

Luke dips into the first book in the Uplift Saga to see if Sundiver by David Brin is worthy of a place among the greats. Spoilers: it isn’t. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Minding Tomorrow”, &#822...

Luke enjoyed the literary dick-swinging in Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky, but tells Juliane how the novel ends up less than the sum of its five parts. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Minding Tomorr...

Luke and Juliane discuss why Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds might make it onto a future SFBRP Masterworks List, plus a spoiler section to go deeper into an important plot device. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, lik...

It’s wizards versus lesbians in Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs, but Luke is ultimately disappointed in a book that kept promising more than it ever delivered. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Mindi...

Luke and Juliane review Rogue Moon by Algis Budrys, an old SF Masterwork that’s very dated and not very good. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Minding Tomorrow”, “Combat”, “Get tha...

While Luke waits for Juliane to finish Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds, he checks out the duo of novellas collected in Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss this book at Goodreads.com Luke writes his own novels, like “Minding Tomorrow&#8221...

Luke read three novellas by Adrian Tchaikovsky, catches up with Juliane and explains why they are all about 3.75 on the enjoyment scale. They are: Walking to Aldebaran, The Expert System’s Brother, and The Expert System’s Champion. Luke on Mastodon: @lukeburrage@masto.nu Juliane on Mastodon: @JuKuBerlin@mastodon.social Support Luke and Juliane financially via Patreon.com/lukeburrage Discuss...