Critical Friends Episode 16: Length and Breadth

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by the novelist and critic Redfern Jon Barrett and the reader and reviewer Nileena Sunil. They discuss those novels that feel too short or not long enough: what's behind that feeling we have that a text is lacking something, or that it's overstretched? And how can we meet works of fiction on their own ground?Redfern's review of If the Stars Are Lit by Sara K. EllisNileean's review of Orphan Planet by Madeehah Reza

Celebrating 25 Years with The Strange Horizons Editorial CollectiveIn this special episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Senior Podcast Editor Kat Kourbeti and Editor Michael Ireland welcome current members of the Strange Horizons Editorial Collective for a series of interviews to give you a glimpse behind the curtain of each department and to celebrate 25 years of this pioneering speculative fiction magazine.A big thank you to Arturo Serrano, Proofreader; Dan Hartland and Aisha Subramanian, Senior Reviews Editors and hosts of Critical Friends; Hebe Stanton, Senior Fiction Editor; Romie Stott, Administrative Editor and Senior Poetry Editor; and Gautam Bhatia, Co-Ordinating Editor and Senior Articles Editor, for joining us for these interviews. Happy 25 years, one and all, and here's to many more!

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Malda Marlys' 'Of Flowing Stone, of Liquid Gold, of Justice, Ash, and Battle' read by Emmie Christie.You can read the full text of the story, and more about Malda Marlys ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠Content Warning: Disregard for personal autonomyBloodBody transformationDeath/dyingDysphoriaMurderViolence/combat

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by the literary reviewer Sneha Pathak and the host of the Going Rogue podcast, Tansy Gardam. They discuss the kinds of text which many don’t find worthy of criticism at all: books or movies or TikTok reels that might be termed popular, populist, or popcorn. What are we doing when we spend time with a text which—perhaps only at first—exhibits few pretensions?Sneha Pathak's review of The Blaft Anthology of Gujarati Pulp Fiction, edited by Rakesh Khanna, translated by Vishwambhari S. ParmarTansy Gardam's review of Jurassic World: Rebirth

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with writers and critics Octavia Cade and M. L. Clark about writing in hard times. How and why is speculative friction written in contexts of defeat, despair, or decay? They discuss climate change and artificial intelligence, systems political, biological, and economic—and how SF might be, and yet sometimes isn't, a key tool in opening up new modes of understanding during a time that Octavia suggests might best be termed the Necrocene.M. L. Clark's review of Ray Nayler's Where The Axe is Buried.Octavia Cade's review of Vanessa Saunders's The Flat Woman.

In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, editor Kat Kourbeti chats to author Debbie Urbanski about her 2018 Strange Horizons publication and the 13 years of submissions it took to get accepted, writing in the gray areas between genres, and what it means to be artistically honest in your work.Links and things:Want to leave us a happy birthday message? Click ⁠here to record an audio message⁠, and ⁠here for video⁠.Join our ⁠Patreon⁠ for early episode access, or donate through any other way to hear your name and message in our next episodes.Want to meet the team? Podcast editors Kat and Michael will be at Seattle Worldcon! Come to our Table Talk on Wednesday morning, or to our live episode recording on Friday evening, grab a ribbon, and tell us about your favourite Strange Horizons stories, poems, or special issues.Episode show notes:Read Debbie Urbanski's story, Some Personal Arguments in Support of the BetterYou (Based on Early Interactions)Visit her website, or follow her on Instagram and SubstackBuy her book, After World, or her short story collection PortalmaniaRead Andy Sawyer's Strange Horizons review of After WorldFind more links to her work and other things mentioned throughout the transcript page on our website.

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Angela Liu's 'Time is an Ocean' read by Emmie Christie. You can read the full text of the story, and more about Angela Liu ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland speaks with reviewers and critics Rachel Cordasco and Will McMahon about science fiction in translation (SFT), and specifically about those books appearing from small presses based in the US. They discuss recent news on NEA grants to these publishers, the SFT ecosystem in general, and how the literature might reach wider a wider readership.A transcript of this episode is available at the Strange Horizons website.Episode LinksPublisher's Weekly article about the NEA funding withdrawalRachel Cordasco's list of SFT from Small American PressesThe first episode of Open Letter's 3% Podcast recent seriesThe Translated Hugo Initiative

In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, Michael Ireland presents Ariel Marken Jack's 'Sister, Silkie, Siren, Shark' read by Emmie Christie.You can read the full text of the story, and more about Ariel Marken Jack ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Subscribe to the Strange Horizons podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Content Warnings:Disregard for personal autonomyBloodBody transformationDeath/dyingPregnancyRape/sexual assault