Season 2, Episode 10 With co-host Perry overseas at present, David talks to Dr. Lucy Sussex about her recent book Outrageous Fortunes and her visit to Scotland where she spoke about her research and attended the Bloody Scotland convention Introduction (0:52) About Dr. Lucy Sussex (1:03) Outrageous Fortunes by Megan Brown & Lucy Sussex (10:47) Visit to Scotland (39:47) Undercover Agents conference (9:26) Bloody Scotland (27:36) Travelling by Plane (1:53) Windup (0:49) Illustration by Dream by Wombo.ai. Click here for more info and indexes

Season 2, Episode 9 David and Perry discuss the film Children of Men and the recent Miles Franklin Award winner, Ghost Cities by Siang Lu. Introduction (0:11) AFL Grand Final (2:14) 2025 Ned Kelly Awards (3:13) Reading slowdown and film watching (3:17) Discussion (1:20) Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón (film) (18:50) Ghost Cities by Siang Lu (13:04) What else we've been watching (0:02) Alien: Earth, Season 1 (TV show) (7:43) Singin' in the Rain, directed by Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen (film) (4:55) The Bear, Season 4 (TV show) (0:45) Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger (film) (6:49) Windup (1:31) Click here for more info and indexes Image generated by Wombo Dream A.I. Children of the future age,Reading this indignant page,Know that in a former time,Love, sweet love, was thought a crime. William Blake, "A Little Girl Lost"

Season 2, Episode 8 Perry and David discuss the film Asteroid City directed by Wes Anderson, and the novel The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera, among other topics Introduction (0:26) 2025 Hugo Award Winners (3:47) Discussion (0:11) Asteroid City, directed by Wes Anderson (18:52) The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (18:43) What Else We've Been Watching or Reading (0:09) Superman, directed by James Gunn (3:42) Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky (1:42) Let Me Tell You by Shirley Jackson (0:49) Firefly (TV show) (1:22) Serenity, directed by Josh Whedon (0:20) Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman (5:59) Heretic, directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (4:13) Windup (0:51) Click here for more info and indexes If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is, infinite. A Memorable Fancy: William Blake Illustration generated by Wombo Dream AI

Season 2, Episode 7 David and Perry discuss the novel Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and the film Dark City directed by Alex Proyas Introduction (1:44) Anniversary of Aussiecon (3:23) Discussion (0:12) Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky (9:49) Dark City directed by Alex Proyas (17:47) What Else We've Been Watching/Reading (0:11) Station Eleven (DVD) (2:06) F1 directed by Joseph Kosinski (5:21) The Amateur directed by James Hawes (0:35) Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham (4:14) Shrinking (Apple TV+) (3:44) Wind-up and Next Episode (1:21) Click here for more info and indexes Image generated by Wombo Dream AI Violet:You do not know what has been going on, Ivy.And if you did, you would not understand it.I do not understand, so how could you?... Ivy: Oh, I'm sorry. But can't you explain?Why do you all look so peculiar? I think I might be allowedTo know what has happened. Amy's voice: Agatha! Mary! come!The clock has stopped in the dark! -- Family Reunion by T. S. Eliot

Season 2, Episode 6 Perry and David discuss the latest Mission Impossible movies and the novel Julia. Introduction (01:15) Discussion (53:05) Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning / Final Reckoning (17:03) F1 and Other Apple Movies (06:21) Julia by Sandra Newman (18:41) What Else We've Been Reading and Watching (10:39) The Songs of Penelope by Claire North (03:40) Jurassic Park Series (02:01) Murderbot (Apple TV+) (04:04) Warfare directed by Alex Garland (00:48) Windup (01:07) Image generated by Wombo Dream AI Click here for more info and indexes My soul, do not seek immortal life, but exhaust the realm of the possible. —Pindar, Pythian Odes, III.109

Season 2, Episode 5 Perry and David discuss the novel Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway and the film Parasite directed by Bong Joon Ho. Introduction (05:40) Discussion (45:39) Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway (27:12) Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho (18:26) What else we've been reading/watching (07:43) Click here for more info and indexes Illustration by Wombo Dream AI. ...She never told her love,but let concealment, like a worm i’ the budfeed on her damask cheek... —Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Season 2, Episode 4 Perry and David discuss the novellas Typhoon by Joseph Conrad and The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler, as well as the film Birdman directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. Introduction (07:52) Discussion (45:51) Typhoon by Joseph Conrad (16:30) Birdman directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (16:56) The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (11:47) What Else We've Been Reading/Watching (09:57) Windup (01:28) Interview with Alejandro González Iñárritu in Variety Magazine Click here for more info and indexes Photo of hurricane from NASA

Season 2, Episode 3 David and Perry discuss the film "Never Let Me Go" and the novel "This Kingdom of Dust" in depth as well as mentioning a few other books and films. Introduction (03:07) Never Let Me Go (film and novel) (25:24) This Kingdom of Dust (novel) (24:17) What else we've been reading and watching (14:22) Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (01:46) Dusk by Robbie Arnott (03:35) Conclave (05:00) The Conversation (03:22) Windup (02:04) END (50:24) Illustration by Wombo Dream AI. Click here for more info and indexes

Season 2, Episode 2 David and Perry discuss the films and television shows they watched during 2024 and give lists of their best in each category. Intro (03:26) Favourite Film and TV of 2024 (01:30:51) Favourite Films of 2024 (45:18) Perry's Favourite Drama Films (06:30) David's Favourite Drama Films (02:05) Perry's Favourite SF/Fantasy/Horror Films (05:01) David's Favourite SF/Fantasy Films (02:10) Perry's Favourite Action/Thriller Films (05:22) David's Favourite Action/Thriller Films (01:23) Perry's Favourite Comedy Films (05:03) David's Favourite Comedy Films (02:22) Perry's Favourite Crime Films (06:03) David's Favourite Crime Films (00:19) Perry's Favourite Other Films (04:18) David's Favourite Other Films (01:00) Perry's Best Films Overall (01:58) David's Favourite Overall (00:37) Favourite TV Shows of 2024 (44:53) Perry's Favourite Drama TV (06:35) David's Favourite Drama TV (03:03) Perry's Favourite SF/Fantasy TV (02:17) David's Favourite SF/Fantasy TV (06:18) Perry's Favourite Action/Thriller TV (07:08) David's Favourite Action/Thriller TV (00:47) Perry's Favourite Comedy TV (03:57) David's Favourite Comedy TV (00:47) Perry's Favourite Crime TV (06:55) David's Favourite Crime TV (00:47) Perry's Favourite Documentary TV (03:46) David's Favourite Documentary TV (01:00) Perry's Best Overall Tv (00:43) David's Favourite Overall TV (00:33) Windup (04:09) Image generated by Apple Image Playground. Click here for more info and indexes.

Season 2 Episode 1 David and Perry discuss the books they read during 2024 and give lists of their best five in each category. Plus their most disappointing read of the year. Intro (01:44) Our 2024 Reading (45:12) David's Best SF for 2024 (10:27) Perry's Best SF for 2024 (12:05) Perry's Best Fantasy for 2024 (06:32) David's Best Crime for 2024 (10:31) Perry's Best Crime for 2024 (15:45) David's Best Thrillers of 2024 (10:45) Perry's Best Thrillers of 2024 (06:22) David's Best Historical Fiction of 2024 (08:49) Perry's Best Children's Literature for 2024 (04:45) David's Best Childrens Literature of 2024 (05:48) Perry's Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (14:27) David's Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (11:15) Perry's Best Non-Fiction of 2024 (06:28) David's Best Nonfiction of 2024 (08:05) David's Best Overall for 2024 (00:24) Perry's Best Overall for 2024 (01:14) Perry's Biggest Disappointment of 2024 (03:19) David's Biggest Disappointment of 2024 (03:20) Windup (00:56) Image created by Wombo Dream A.I. Click here for more details and indexes.

In this special episode, Perry hosts a discussion panel at Conflux, a science fiction convention held in Canberra in October 2023. The topic was "Fanzines: the State of the Art". Introduction (01:10) Panel discussion (59:21) Windup (00:20)

In this special episode, David and Perry give a talk at the Nova Mob about the SF novels of the 1960s. To decide on the best, we treat the exercise as a draft, each of us picking a title in turn in order to try to get the best "team". Who will win? Meeting starts (00:45) Introduction to the draft (01:53) Why the 1960s? (02:02) Perry's first pick (02:45) David's first pick (02:24) Perry's second pick (02:24) David's second pick (03:04) Perry's third pick (02:40) David's third pick (03:41) Perry's fourth pick (02:00) David's fourth pick (02:47) Perry's fifth pick (03:38) David's fifth pick (03:24) Perry's sixth pick (04:37) David's sixth pick (03:34) Possibles and reserves (03:24) Voting (08:56) Results of voting (00:24) Discussion (10:19) Windup (54:20)

Perry and David celebrate the 100th episode of the podcast by discussing the best books they read during 2023. And bid you all a fond farewell. Introduction (00:12) Our 100th Episode! (04:14) Let's talk about Books (02:10) 2023: Highlights of our reading (01:11:53) Best Science Fiction read in 2023 (David) (04:24) Best Science Fiction read in 2023 (Perry) (03:41) Best Fantasy read in 2023 (David) (03:40) Best Fantasy read in 2023 (Perry) (03:34) Best Crime read in 2023 (David) (05:28) Best Crime read in 2023 (Perry) (05:59) Best Spy/Thriller read in 2023 (David) (02:01) Best Spy/Thriller read in 2023 (Perry) (02:57) Best Historical Fiction read in 2023 (David) (05:50) Best Novellas read in 2023 (Perry) (05:26) Best Literary read in 2023 (David) (02:13) Best Literary read in 2023 (Perry) (04:32) Best Children's Literature read in 2023 (David) (02:27) Best Collection/Anthology read in 2023 (Perry) (02:19) Best Nonfiction read in 2023 (David) (03:16) Best Nonfiction read in 2023 (Perry) (02:36) Best Overall read for the first time in 2023 (David) (01:22) Best Overall read for the first time in 2023 (Perry) (01:11) Best Overall re-read in 2023 (David) (01:10) Best Overall re-read in 2023 (Perry) (02:39) Windup and Farewell (06:02   Image generated by Wombo AI.

Perry and David discuss their recent reading, including several crime or crime-adjacent books, a middle-school fantasy, and an excellent piece of historical fiction. Intro (03:20) General News (03:33) Goodreads Readers Choice Awards (03:32) What we've been reading (58:11) Winds of Evil by Arthur Upfield (10:43) Dorothy L. Sayers Novels (07:00) A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (09:31) The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann (06:24) Black Sheep by Susan Hill (06:56) Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (04:25) Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley (06:51) Loot by Tania James (06:14) Windup (03:33) END (00:10) Title and image from TV Show Get Smart.

Perry and David discuss recent book awards and go on to discuss their recent reading, some of which evoke strong emotions and others which have kept us on the edge of our seats. Intro (04:07) General News (14:02) Prime Minister's Literary Awards 2023 (03:21) The Hugo Awards 2023 (03:41) World Fantasy Awards 2023 (00:35) Le Guin Prize for Imaginative Fiction 2023 (01:17) Death of Michael Bishop (01:36) Death of A. S. Byatt (03:22) What we've been reading lately (45:49) All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien (04:49) Beast in View by Margaret Millar (03:04) Blindness by José Saramago (07:11) The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey (05:32) The Conversion by Amanda Lohrey (04:16) The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth (06:18) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (05:55) The True Story of Spit McPhee by James Aldridge (08:13) Windup (00:24) Sorrow and silence are strong, and patient endurance is godlike. —Evangeline, Part 2. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Image generated by Wombo art

David and Perry talk about their recent reading, ranging from a confronting story of racism and murder in America, through a pleasant coming-of-age novel, a comedy TV series and an engaging piece of historical non-fiction. Introduction (02:35) Conflux: National Science Fiction Convention (05:40) General News (16:13) U.S. National Book Awards (03:05) Ditmar Awards (02:15) Nobel Prize for Literature 2023 (01:58) A.I. Translation of books (08:42) What we've been reading and watching (55:01) All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby (07:42) The Will of the Many by James Islington (08:51) The Odd Angry Shot by William Nagle (09:36) Among Others by Jo Walton (10:50) Only Murders in the Building Season 3 (08:26) The Wager by David Grann (08:52) Travelling with books (01:19) Windup (00:35) Image generated by Wombo.ai.

Perry and David talk about their latest reading, listening and watching in the crime genre, from a classic PI novel to the latest best-seller. Introduction (05:56) General News (11:06) Ned Kelly Awards 2023 (02:13) Dragon Awards 2023 (07:00) Queensland Literary Awards 2023 (01:43) What we've been reading and watching (55:24) In the Morning I'll Be Gone by Adrian McKinty (11:43) No Plan B by Lee Child and Andrew Child (11:46) The Sisters by Dervla McTiernan (05:01) D Is For Deadbeat by Sue Grafton (08:54) Down Cemetery Road by Mick Herron (07:58) The Lincoln Lawyer (Season 2) (06:01) Deadloch (03:54) Windup (01:10) Image generated by Ideogram.ai "Arrogant priest, this place demands I keep calm,Or thou shouldst find thou hast dishonor’d me.or you would be punished for your insult.Think not, although in writing I preferr’dDo not think that just because I wrote downThe manner of thy vile outrageous crimes,the details of your revolting terrible crimesThat therefore I have forg’d, or am not ablethat I have made anything up or cannotverbatim to rehearse the method of my pen." Henry VI Part I, Act 3 Scene 1

David and Perry discuss a wide range of reading and movie watching, ranging from Restoration period historical fiction through a contemporary true story to the fantastic and not-so-fantastic futures of science fiction. Introduction (04:40) General News (08:31) Hugo Voting Package 2023 (02:59) Worldcon Site Selection 2023 (01:36) Ditmar Awards Ballot 2023 (02:29) Other Awards (01:22) What we've been reading and watching (01:16:30) Red Notice by Bill Browder (07:15) Every Version of You by Grace Chan (13:18) Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris (08:52) The Migration by Helen Marshall (09:31) All Systems Red by Martha Wells (10:00) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (07:32) The Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs (06:30) Oppenheimer (13:10) Windup (00:36) Illustration generated by Wombo Art.

Perry and David discuss audiobooks, cover a swag of awards and recent news, and then go on to talk about what they've read (or listened to) recently. And Perry talks about a great TV series he recommends. Introduction (01:40) Listening to audiobooks (11:57) General News (13:42) Hugo Ballot 2023 (06:20) World Fantasy Awards 2023 (01:32) Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award 2023 (00:37) Miles Franklin Award Winner 2023 (00:58) The Booker Prize long list 2023 (02:46) Death of Milan Kundera (01:20) What we've been reading (55:00) The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney (07:18) Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild by Philip Reeve (07:33) An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (07:04) Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber (07:28) Here’s Luck by Lennie Lower (04:24) The Russia House by John Le Carre (11:05) The Bear (08:33) Windup (01:34) Illustration generated by Wombo Art.

David and Perry take the Hugo Time Machine back to 1970, the year that The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin won the Best Novel Hugo. David has a bone to pick, and Perry discusses the latest Indiana Jones movie. Introduction (03:46) General News (10:01) Hugo Voting ballot (04:53) Locus Awards 2023 (03:49) Death of Cormac McCarthy (01:13) Hugo Time Machine 1970 (01:13:46) Heicon '70 Convention (04:11) Short Stories (12:28) Deeper Than the Darkness by Gregory Benford (00:46) Winter’s King by Ursula K. Le Guin (00:40) Not Long Before the End by Larry Niven (01:46) Passengers by Robert Silverberg (01:17) Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones by Samuel R. Delany (05:19) Other possible nominees (02:12) Novellas (10:18) We All Die Naked by James Blish (00:10) A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison (01:26) Dramatic Mission by Anne McCaffrey (01:01) To Jorslem by Robert Silverberg (01:22) Ship of Shadows by Fritz Leiber (03:41) Other possible nominees (02:11) Novels (46:38) Macroscope by Piers Anthony (05:07) Up the Line by Robert Silverberg (03:23) Bug Jack Barron by Norman Spinrad (06:11) Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (10:44) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (18:30) Other possible nominees (02:34) What we've been watching (06:15) Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (06:09) Windup (00:21) Image generated by Wombo Art.