Strange Horizons
Speculative fiction and poetry, literary criticism, and interviews from award-winning Strange Horizons magazine, updated weekly on Mondays/Tuesdays. Find us online at strangehorizons.com
Episodes
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Ryan Elliott and Roseanna Pendlebury, who have both recently reviewed works for us of speculative fiction now shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
What do mean when we say something is “literary”? How do we know it when we see it … and what is it good for?
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, A. J Odasso and Electra Pritchett join Dan Hartland to talk about popular fiction. Science fiction and fantasy has a long and complex relationship with questions of popular culture. Where does this stand today?
So often ignored or derided by so-called higher culture, how should critics approach it? And where should we situate it in our readings?
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Amritesh Mukherjee and Abigail Nussbaum join Dan Hartland to talk about literary awards. Discussions and debates about awards shortlists often seem to be a point of gravity in broader critical discussions, and can even affect how individual reviews get commissioned and written.
How do and how should critics interact with awards? What are they for? And d...
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Because I Held His Name Like a Key" by Aimee Ogden, read by Jenna Hanchey
You can read the full text of the story, and more about Louis Inglis Hall here.
Content Warnings:
- Disregard for personal autonomy
- Drug use
- Sex
- Rape/sexual assault
- Suicide
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dean Leetal and William Shaw join Dan Hartland to talk about reading queerly: How do, should, and can reviewers and critics interested in LGBTQ+ people and their representation approach texts both avowedly queer and apparently heteronormative?
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Kate Macdonald and Duncan Lawie join Dan Hartland to tackle the question of the back catalog. How should reviewers and readers approach writers with a number of books already to their name? How should we think about and access authors who have enjoyed a career of some duration?
Kate's review of The Curve of the World by Vonda N. McIntyre.
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Cold Comfort" by Louis Inglis Hall, read by Emmie Christie
You can read the full text of the story, and more about Louis Inglis Hall here.
Content Warnings:
- Animal cruelty/death
- Disregard for personal autonomy
- Body transformation
- Death/dying
- Mental health issues
- Suicide
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Hana Carolina and Alex Kingsley join Dan Hartland to think about reviewing debut books and writers. Is there an extra responsibility reviewers owe to new writers? And if so, what might it be?
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "Four Steps to Hunt a God" by Athar Fikry, read by Emmie Christie
You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lio Abendan here.
Content Warnings:
- Disregard for personal autonomy
- Death/dying
- Murder
- Spiders/insects
- Violence/combat
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Jenny Hamilton and Anushree Nande join Dan Hartland to discuss romance and romantasy. A huge proportion of science fiction and fantasy works and sales are now accounted for by this form. But what is its appeal? What is it doing? And where is it going?
Jenny's review of Into The Midnight Wood by Alexandra McCollum
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "I Wish You Died Laughing" by Lio Abendan, read by Jenna Hanchey
You can read the full text of the story, and more about Lio Abendan here.
Content Warnings:
- Animal cruelty/death
- Disregard for personal autonomy
- Death/dying
- Homophobia
- Shaming
- Trans misgendering or other transphobic depictions
- Violence/...
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Paul Kincaid and Dawn Macdonald join Dan Hartland to discuss style: What is it, what does it do, how can we think about it? And why does SFF seem to have such a fraught relationship with it? Get ready for Ursula K. Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut, verse and poetry ... and police raids.
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents "The Aquarium of Lost Souls" by Natasha King, read by Jenna Hanchey
You can read the full text of the story, and more about Natasha King here.
Content Warnings:
- Abuse
- Animal cruelty/death
- Disregard for personal autonomy
- Blood
- Body transformation
- Death/dying
- Dysphoria
- Violence/combat
In this episode, as part of our 2026 criticism special issue Tristan Beiter introduces us to the Ursula K. Le Guin book club he's been taking part in. The group discusses the book club as a forum for, and a practice of, criticism. How does it differ from the academy, from more formal venues, from fan spaces—and what kinds of critical activity and insight do those differences, equip it uniquely to deliver?
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Shannon Fay and Marisa Mercurio to discuss horror, and especially its cozy variety. From the gothic to the slasher movie, how might texts within an increasingly broad tradition be judged as a success? And what should reviewers do when a given example falls short?
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland reads 'Orchard Village Catalog' by Parker Peevyhouse.
You can read the full text of the story, and more about Parker Peevyhouse here.
In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Dan Hartland is joined by Cameron Miguel and Nick Hubble to discuss fantasy and its relationship to history and history-writing. Is some sense of the recordable past baked into the genre? And, if so, with what effects?
In the first part of episode 5 of Writing While Disabled, Kristy Anne Cox and Kate Johnston discuss some adjustments they'd like to see at science fiction conventions that would help create a more inclusive experience for all science fiction writers and fans, including moderator training, fire safety, a technology mentor-buddy system, and more.
If you prefer, you can watch the full episode with close-caption subtitles here.
Show Note...
In this episode of Strange Horizons at 25, Podcast Editor Kat Kourbeti sits down with long-time Strange Horizons contributor RB Lemberg for a conversation about their extensive work with the magazine, using poetry as a tool to refine short and long-form fiction, writing about the diaspora experience, and the comfort one can find in stories from perspectives outside one's own. Oh, and Ursula K LeGuin, of course.
Links and things...
In this episode of the Strange Horizons Fiction podcast, editor Michael Ireland presents B. Pladek's 'The Spindle of Necessity' read by Arden Fitzroy.
You can read the full text of the story, and more about B. Pladek here.
Content Warning:
- Disregard for personal autonomy
- Dysphoria
- Sexism/gender discrimination
- Shaming
- Trans misgendering or other transphobic depictions
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