Episode 14 - Piranesi

Episode 14 - Piranesi

For our June 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Piranesi by Susanna Clarke for Emma's consideration. Other talking points: The State of What the F Is Going On The joy of found document sources The Triangle of Information ™ Two views of the nicest character in fiction Analogues with dementia Shadows on a cave wall Psychic ideating communion(!) One author enters, two classics leave The ignorant unreliable narrator Media Mentions: Mythago Wood, novel by Robert Holdstock (and our coverage of it here: https://starshipalexandria.com/episode-8-mythago-wood [https://starshipalexandria.com/episode-8-mythago-wood] The Magician's Nephew, novel by CS Lewis Red Dwarf TV series (very tangentially!) Wayne's World sketch series and movies dir. Penelope Spheeris Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, novel by Susanna Clarke The Life of Brian, movie dir. Terry Jones (also very tangentially!) Planetfall series of novels by Emma Newman Next month we look at Do You Dream of Terra Two? by Temi Oh Adrian's music recommendation: Damnd Anthem's cover of Muse's Uprising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w48-1IQxnM&list=RD_w48-1IQxnM&start_radio=1 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w48-1IQxnM&list=RD_w48-1IQxnM&start_radio=1] Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161] which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH] If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home [https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home] You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ [https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/] Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk [http://www.enewman.co.uk/] Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com [http://www.adriantchaikovsky.com/]

Episode 13 - Tales From Outer Suburbia

For our May 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan for Adrian's consideration. Other talking points: The difficulty of summarising Somehow avoiding the word "surreal" An emotional model railway trip. Reading around the story Balancing story collections Styles of art Media Mentions: The art of Edward Gorey including The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Insect God The art of Dr Seuss including I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew The art of Adrian Sykes https://www.adriansykes.co.uk/ [https://www.adriansykes.co.uk/] Next month we look at Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Emma's music recommendation: Future Boy by Turin Brakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekubF2xYlg&list=RDAekubF2xYlg&start_radio=1 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekubF2xYlg&list=RDAekubF2xYlg&start_radio=1] Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161] which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905] If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home [https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home] You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ [https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/] Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk [http://www.enewman.co.uk/] Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com [http://www.adriantchaikovsky.com/]

Episode 12 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

For our April 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the second in our new season – Adrian puts forward the film: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley. Other talking points: Wonderful Hugh Grant Rubbish sorcerers A certain ambivalence Dungeons we have Dragonned Save the cat! Everything wrong with Hollywood Remembering the Forgotten Realms The "It's him!" moment of failed fan service Media Mentions: Dungeons and Dragons movie dir. Courtney Solomon Middle Earth Role-Playing (MERP) TTRPG Dungeons and Dragons TTRPG Conan the Barbarian, movie dir. John Milius Lord of the Rings series of movies dir. Peter Jackson Heretic, movie dir. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods Bridget Jones's Diary movie dir. Sharon Maguire Dungeons and Dragons, TV series 28 Years Later, movie dir. Danny Boyle Galaxy Quest movie dir. Dean Parisot Next month we look at the illustrated book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan Adrian's music recommendation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEfYvY3bAg&list=RD5tEfYvY3bAg&start_radio=1 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEfYvY3bAg&list=RD5tEfYvY3bAg&start_radio=1] Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161] which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905] If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home [https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home] You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ [https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/] Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk [http://www.enewman.co.uk/] Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com [http://www.adriantchaikovsky.com/]

Episode 11 - The Demolished Man

For our March 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the first our our new season – Emma puts forward the novel The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. Other talking points: The perils of returning to past reads Difficult books to summarise Cunning schemes for the perfect murder Psychic earworms Psychotherapy in science fiction Particularly big warts (not) the Time Machine Factory Heroes and anti-heroes The Poochy effect Skeezy gender dynamics Eugenics Contradictory attitudes towards murder Typographical games Inadvisable titles Media Mentions: The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, novel by Douglas Adams The Lathe of Heaven, novel by Ursula le Guin The Simpsons TV series (twice!) Gormenghast, series by Mervyn Peake Babylon 5, TV series Illuminati, card/board game Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV series, particularly "Remember Me" The Life of Chuck, movie dir. Mike Flanagan (based on the work of Stephen King) Next month we look at the movie Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Emma's music recommendation: Punk Tactics by Joey Valance & Brae https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OklSZmIx9-o&list=RDOklSZmIx9-o&start_radio=1 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OklSZmIx9-o&list=RDOklSZmIx9-o&start_radio=1] Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161] which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award Adrian's most recent book: Pretenders to the Throne of God https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/pretenders-to-the-throne-of-god-adrian-tchaikovsky/7953437 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/pretenders-to-the-throne-of-god-adrian-tchaikovsky/7953437] If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home [https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home] You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/ [https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/] Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk [http://www.enewman.co.uk/] Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com [http://www.adriantchaikovsky.com/]

Episode 10 - A Sword of Bronze and Ashes

For our February 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Adrian puts forward the novel A Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark for Emma to consider. Other talking points: Potato Guys Getting old as a female fantasy hero Marriage and long term relationships in fantasy fiction Amazing prose styles Being brought up by buccas in a tin mine Levelling up as a reader Media Mentions: The work of Haruki Murakami The work of KJ Parker (particularly the Scavenger trilogy) Legend, novel by David Gemmell The Conan stories by Robert E Howard The Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman Excalibur, movie dir. John Boorman This marks the end of season 1 of Starship Alexandria! Season 2 will commence in March with a look at Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. (For the curious, the seasons are mostly to do with our bulk recording of the regular episodes in advance.) Adrian's music recommendation: '39 by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8kGMfXaFU&list=RDkE8kGMfXaFU&start_radio=1 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8kGMfXaFU&list=RDkE8kGMfXaFU&start_radio=1] Emma's latest writing is a short story included in the Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) anthology: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161] Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html [https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html] Follow us at: Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk [http://www.enewman.co.uk/] Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com [http://www.adriantchaikovsky.com/]