610. Megan McArdle, host of Reasonably Optimistic

Jonathan Kay joins us to discuss Season 1 of the Apple TV+ series Pluribus, about an alien virus that transforms most of humanity into an extremely cheerful hive mind, and his book Panics and Persecutions, which explores some of the worst excesses of cancel culture. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony Ha joins us to discuss the first half of the book The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson. Stories discussed: “Venice Drowned” (10:53), “Ridge Running” (19:25), “Before I Wake” (26:55), “Black Air” (34:18), “The Lucky Strike” (44:23), “A Sensitive Dependence on Initial Conditions” (55:29), “Arthur Sternbach Brings the Curveball to Mars” (1:09:15), “The Blind Geometer” (1:17:30), “Our Town” (1:25:25), “Escape from Kathmandu” (1:28:54), “Remaking History” (1:44:05). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David P. Silverman, author of Fighting God: An Atheist Manifesto for a Religious World, joins us to discuss his new science fiction novella Darkshiner. Topics discussed: David's childhood, Star Trek and Trekkies, science fiction conventions, Douglas Adams, atheism among sci-fi fans, persuasion vs. coercion, the idea behind Darkshiner, fiction like Darkshiner, AI collaboration, human editors, scientific accuracy, character names, cover blurbs, Babylon 5, the current state of sci-fi TV, church tax breaks, Atheists for Liberty, Dungeons & Dragons, setting aside differences. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Gerencer and Rajan Khanna join us to discuss Roger Zelazny’s classic novel Roadmarks, about a magical highway that runs through time and space. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle joins us to discuss her favorite science fiction and her new podcast Reasonably Optimistic. Topics discussed: Robert Heinlein and libertarianism, working in book publishing, Lord of the Rings and Rendezvous with Rama, Peter Suderman and video games, Dungeons & Dragons and Call of Cthulhu, Megan’s science fiction novel, the state of book publishing, explaining science fiction to women, Dune and artificial intelligence, Megan’s podcast and optimism. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Tom Gerencer join us to discuss the Stephen King movie adaptations The Running Man, The Long Walk, The Dead Zone, and The Mist. Time stamps: The Running Man (17:44), The Long Walk (47:14), The Dead Zone (1:10:45), The Mist (1:30:20). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mercurio D. Rivera joins us to discuss the last nine stories from the book The Best of Larry Niven. Stories discussed: “Flatlander” (2:06), “The Borderland of Sol” (17:15), “The Magic Goes Away” (31:40), “A Teardrop Falls” (44:00), “The Return of William Proxmire” (49:43), “Limits” (57:45), “Smut Talk” (1:07:21), “The Missing Mass” (1:12:35), “Cautionary Tales” (1:21:30). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Tom Gerencer join us to discuss the Jean-Claude Van Damme movies Timecop, Universal Soldier, Cyborg, and Replicant. Time stamps: Timecop (15:21), Universal Soldier (41:27), Cyborg (1:01:35), Replicant (1:19:53). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrea Kail, Matthew Kressel, and Anthony Ha join us to discuss Season 1 of the FX series Alien: Earth, a prequel to the classic films Alien and Aliens. Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony Ha joins us to discuss the last six stories from the book The Best of Greg Egan. Stories discussed: "Crystal Nights" (1:27), "Zero for Conduct" (19:18), "Uncanny Valley" (37:31), "Bit Players" (52:11), "3-adica" (1:05:17), "Instantiation" (1:19:51). Ad-free episodes are available to our paid supporters over at patreon.com/geeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices