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For our September 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner for Adrian’s consideration.  Other talking points:  Unspoiler warnings  Deniable wizbiz  Period writing styles  The straitjacket of expectations  Burning Bedfordshire  Lit and genre    Media Mentions:  Memoirs of a Survivor, novel by Doris Lessing (and our patrons-only discussion)  Writers referred to in general: Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Mervyn Peake, Jerome K Jerome, PG Wodehouse  Next month we look at the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by King, Evely, Lopes and Cowles  This month’s patron episode is the novel A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge  Emma’s music recommendation: Washing Machine Heart by Mitski   Emma’s latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian’s most recent book is Engines of Reason   If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at     Follow us at:  Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and  

My Review: We’ve seen this story before - or at least we think we have. Scion of wealthy English family decides to take his American girlfriend home to the moldering family pile for a reunion. He’s a bit embarrassed about the staid, fusty traditions his family insists on, but he either loves her enough to let her see where he came from - or is scared enough of his family to need backup to get through the ordeal. Or, most likely, a bit of both. The vast, sprawling mansion, complete with gargoyles watching over everything and seemingly everyone, may not be moldering, but it certainly is a stately family pile.

For our September 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner for Adrian’s consideration.  Other talking points:  Unspoiler warnings  Deniable wizbiz  Period writing styles  The straitjacket of expectations  Burning Bedfordshire  Lit and genre    Media Mentions:  Memoirs of a Survivor, novel by Doris Lessing (and our patrons-only discussion)  Writers referred to in general: Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Mervyn Peake, Jerome K Jerome, PG Wodehouse  Next month we look at the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by King, Evely, Lopes and Cowles  This month’s patron episode is the novel A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge  Emma’s music recommendation: Washing Machine Heart by Mitski   Emma’s latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award  Adrian’s most recent book is Engines of Reason   If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at   You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at     Follow us at:  Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and   Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and  

Sci fi dystopias are often, paradoxically, hopeful: they show oppressive systems, but they also show resistance. Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky picks out five titles that deserve more…

For our August 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Soldier of the Mist  by Gene Wolfe for Emma’s consideration.

For our August 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Soldier of the Mist  by Gene Wolfe for Emma’s consideration.  Other talking points:  All Greek to Emma&nb...

For our July 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Do you Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh for Adrian’s consideration.  We talk about spoilers in this, and despite my initi...

For our July 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Do you Dream of Terra-Two? by Temi Oh for Adrian’s consideration.  We talk about spoilers in this, and despite my initi...

YouTube video by Yorkshire Tea

YouTube video by Yorkshire Tea

For our June 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Piranesi by Susanna Clarke for Emma’s consideration.   Other talking ...

For our June 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the book Piranesi by Susanna Clarke for Emma’s consideration.   Other talking ...