The Incomparable Superfeed

Eleven books later, our Awards Book Club has finally reached the end of the line. In this episode we cover our last uncovered book, “Shroud” by Adrian Tchaikovsky, recommend some Hugo-nominated short fiction, and rank all eleven books. Plus: What are we reading other than shortlisted novels?! See you next year. Jason Snell with Erika Ensign, Aleen Simms, Heather Berberet and Scott McNulty.

Episode 4 opens with some familiar and most welcome voices as we soon realize the team needs a common goal, a common enemy, or perhaps both! It’s a wild, funny, and somewhat comforting episode, and your pals Chip, Kathy, & Brian are here to discuss it. Hopefully nobody gets injured or arrested. Chip Sudderth and Brian Warren with Kathy Campbell.

What’s life without choices? How about books that are nothing but choices? Ross Cleaver discusses the choose-your-own genre with examples from both the U.S. and the U.K.: Edward Packard’s The Cave of Time (1978) and Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson’s The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (1982). John McCoy with Ross Cleaver.

Tink Talks to a fire. Levithia is a clumsy climber. Cherish is surprisingly sneaky. K’ronng is unsurprisingly sneaky. Jaee gets everyone in trouble. Tony Sindelar with Annette Wierstra, Erika Ensign, Kat Griffiths, Kathy Campbell and Monty Ashley.

The Encyclopedia Galactica defines a robot as a mechanical apparatus designed to do the work of a man. The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation defines a robot as “Your Plastic Pal Who’s Fun to Be With.” The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy defines the marketing devision of the Sirius Cybernetic Corporation as “a bunch of mindless jerks who’ll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.” John Siracusa and Jason Snell.