Hugos There Podcast

This isn’t a typical episode, but when you have David Brin on your podcast, you just kind of want to let him talk. So we occasionally touch on Robert A. Heinlein’s Beyond This Horizon, which won the 2018 Retro Hugo for Best Novel. But mostly we just chat. No real spoiler section for this discussion, … Continue reading "HT#74: Beyond This Horizon, by Robert A. Heinlein (feat. David Brin)"

During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, I joined Adrian and Matt from Spectology for a draft of our favorite underrated SFF movies. As it happens, each of us had not seen at least one entry on another person’s list. So I decided to bring the guys on for a follow-up in which we … Continue reading "Spectology “Underrated SFF Movies” Reunion"

This is a project that got lost on my computer (through neglect, not technology) for a long time. Dan Smith from Coffee In Space joins me for a discussion of the allure of Apocalyptic Fiction. Dan’s podcast is here: https://www.coffeeinspacepodcast.com Some titles mentioned in the podcast: A Canticle For Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller Alas, Babylon, … Continue reading "“We seem to not want a utopia”: A Conversation With S. Daniel Smith"

Seth is joined by repeat guest (of other Hugos There content) Sarah Elkins to discuss the winner of the 2004 Hugo Award for Best Novel, Lois McMaster Bujold’s Paladin of Souls. Start – 9:39 Intro through “Why this book?” 9:40 – 31:41 Non-Spoiler discussion 31:42 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: Chaucer, The Canturbury … Continue reading "HT#73: Paladin of Souls, by Lois McMaster Bujold (feat. Sarah Elkins)"

A little bit of bonus content here. Dr. Jim Woosley, author of “Terraforming Ganymede: Science and Technology in Robert A. Heinlein’s Farmer in the Sky,” joins me for a conversation about his history as a SFF fan (books and film), and about his essay included in the Baen version of Farmer in the Sky.

Seth is joined by Rick Childs to discuss the winner of the 2001 Retro Hugo for Best Novel (for 1951), Robert A. Heinlein’s Farmer in the Sky. Start – 6:15 Intro through “Why this book?” 6:16 – 20:43 Non-Spoiler discussion 20:44 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: Rick’s links: https://twitter.com/SmartassSciFihttps://twitter.com/bank_doc

Seth is joined by Andrea Johnson of RetroRockets to discuss the winner of the 2016 Retro Hugo for Best Novel (for 1941), AE Van Vogt’s Slan. Start – 9:28 Intro through “Why this book?” 9:29 – 21:59 Non-Spoiler discussion 22:00 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: The Regeneration Trilogy, by Stephanie Saulter The Bourne … Continue reading "HT#71: Slan, by A.E. Van Vogt (feat. Andrea Johnson)"

Seth is joined by Kristen (BookTuber) to discuss the third book in the Broken Earth trilogy, The Stone Sky, by NK Jemisin, winner of the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novel. Start – 5:12 Intro through “Why this book?” 5:13 – 12:22 Non-Spoiler discussion 12:23 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: James Baldwin quote … Continue reading "HT#70: The Stone Sky, by NK Jemisin (feat. Kristenelle-SFF Reader)"

Baseball writer Keith Law guested on the podcast four years ago. Since then, he’s finished reading all the Hugo winners, and Seth wanted to have a chat with him about which books lived up to the hype, which surprised him, and a few that let him down. Seth weighs in on the same questions, despite … Continue reading "Catching Up With Keith Law"

This is an audio-only version of a video Seth recorded with his sister Erin, along with JW Wartick and Sarah Elkins, discussing (lots of spoilers) the 1986 Hugo-nominated fantasy film Ladyhawke. Video available on YouTube! https://youtu.be/2XGBq6c6mk4 Seth’s Spectology appearance where he mentions Ladyhawke: https://www.spectology.com/e/in-conversation-our-favorite-underrated-sf-movies-with-seth-heasley-of-the-hugos-there-podcast/ JW Wartick: https://twitter.com/jwwartick Sarah Elkins: https://twitter.com/configures

Seth is joined by Kevin, the producer/editor of Hugo, Girl! to discuss Robert J. Sawyer’s 2003 Hugo winner, Hominids. Trigger warning for sexual assault. Start – 6:47 Intro through “Why this book?” 6:48 – 12:57 Non-Spoiler discussion 12:58 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: Fringe Michael Burstein’s “Broken Symmetry” stories Mama Doctor Jones talking … Continue reading "HT#69: Hominids, by Robert J. Sawyer (feat. Kevin Anderson from Hugo, Girl!)"

Seth is joined by his Take Me To Your Reader co-host to discuss the 1998 winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Forever Peace, by Joe Haldeman. Trigger warning for suicide. Start – 2:44 Intro through “Why this book?” 2:45 – 16:09 Non-Spoiler discussion 16:10 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: The Matrix … Continue reading "HT#68: Forever Peace, by Joe Haldeman (feat. James Ralston)"

Brent and Cody from The Hugonauts podcast join me for a discussion of Network Effect, by Martha Wells, winner of the 2021 Hugo Award for Best Novel. Start – 8:50 Intro through “Why this book?” 8:51 – 22:03 Non-Spoiler discussion 22:04 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: The Ancillary Series, by Ann Leckie The … Continue reading "HT#67: Network Effect, by Martha Wells (feat. Brent and Cody from The Hugonauts)"

For the first time, I host a panel of people discussing the nominees for Best Novella for 2022. Previously, I’d only covered short story and novelette nominees. A video version (not quite as tight) is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leFYsmtGU4s Time codes and links to panelists’ social media below: Time Codes: Quick point about novellas from Juan … Continue reading "2022 Nominees for Best Novella – Discussion Panel"

This is the audio-only version of a Zoom discussion panel about the 2022 Hugo nominees for Best Novelette. It’s slightly shorter than the video, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK00Q96yMQc Time Codes: Bots of the Lost Ark: 07:45Colors of the Immortal Palette: 23:17O2 Arena: 40:55That Story Isn’t the Story: 53:10Unseelie Brothers, Ltd.: 01:02:57L’Esprit de L’Escalier: … Continue reading "2022 Hugo Nominees for Novelette – Discussion Panel"

This is the audio-only version of a Zoom discussion panel about the 2022 Hugo nominees for Best Short Story. It’s slightly shorter than the video, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfmZaNdsflo Time Codes: Mr Death: 6:25Proof by Induction: 20:31The Sin of America: 43:22Tangles: 58:12Unknown Number: 1:12:33Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather: 1:26:37 Story Links: “Mr. Death” … Continue reading "2022 Hugo Nominees for Short Story – Discussion Panel"

Seth’s nephew Jacob joins him for a quick conversation about Mirror Dance, winner of the 1995 Hugo Award for Best Novel. No real non-spoiler discussion on this one since it’s pretty hard to discuss without spoilers both for this book and for the rest of the Vorkosigan Saga.

Marshall and Steve from Androids & Assets join Seth for a discussion of the second and third books in Kim Stanley Robinson’s MarsTrilogy Green Mars and Blue Mars, which won the 1994 and 1997 Hugo Awards for Best Novel. Start – 7:56 Intro through “Why this book?” 7:57 – 19:55 Non-Spoiler discussion 19:56 – end … Continue reading "HT#65: Green Mars and Blue Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson (feat. Androids & Assets)"

Hugo-nominated Fan Writer Paul Weimer joins me for a discussion of …And Call Me Conrad, by Roger Zelazny, co-winner of the 1966 Hugo Award for Best Novel. Start – 10:26 Intro through “Why this book?” 10:27 – 22:59 Non-Spoiler discussion 23:00 – end Spoiler discussion Notes & Mentions: The Dying Earth, by Gene Wolfe Cage … Continue reading "HT#64: …And Call Me Conrad, by Roger Zelazny (feat. Paul Weimer)"

Something I’ve wrestled quite a bit with over the years is my dawning understanding that the evidence for evolution is, contrary to the many attempts to deny it, very good. I’ve read extensively on the subject and thought long and hard about how to integrate this understanding with my Christian faith. It hasn’t always been … Continue reading "Bonus: Discussion With Christians Who Accept Evolution"