The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

Reading Rangers #5: Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

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https://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/ReadingRangers5CetagandaByLoisMcMasterBujold/ReadingRangers5–CetagandaByLoisMcmasterBujold.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSHello, Rangers! We’re back from our break to tackle the 5th book (chronologically) in Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Vorkosigan Saga — the unfortunately somewhat disappointing Cetaganda. Our newbie, Kate, is joined by Vorkosigan Veterans, Paul and Alex, to discuss the somewhat transhumanist Cetagandan empire, how Miles is still woefully caught up in the patriarchy, why Cetaganda could have really used a Cetagandan POV character, and, of course, why Ivan killed a kitten. Next time, we’ve decided to tackle the novella omnibus, Borders of Infinity, utterly bypassing Ethan of Athos (because everyone hates it). We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below):

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Comics Review – A Weird Beat in the Motor City: ABBOTT #1 and 2

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Welcome to the latest installment of my comics review column here at Skiffy & Fanty! Every month, I use this space to shine a spotlight on SF&F comics (print comics, graphic novels, and webcomics) that I believe deserve more attention from SF&F readers. This month, I’m shining a spotlight on a new series that debuted in January, 2018, and that, as I predicted in the Skiffy & Fanty Looking Back, Moving Forward: The 2018 Edition podcast, checks absolutely all my boxes: Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä’s Abbott. (This review contains spoilers!)

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Book Review: Hammer of the Witch by Dakota Chase

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Dakota Chase continues her young adult series, Repeating History, with Hammer of the Witch, returning to a contemporary world featuring magical, time-traveling shenanigans surrounding two teenagers. To recap: In the first novel, The Eye of Ra, we met up with Aston and Grant at an unfortunate time in their lives.  After a visit to juvenile court both boys are sentenced to a year at the Stanton Boys School, where their shenanigans intertwine after an incident in their history teacher’s office (which they manage to set fire to, destroying several priceless artifacts housed within).  And it just so happens that their history teacher is the esteemed wizard Merlin.  He-who-ran-with-King-Arthur, Merlin.  Why the man would want to teach high schoolers is beyond me, but maybe he enjoys it.  Aston and Grant have never been in this much trouble before, but an unlikely solution is found when they are tasked with going back in time and retrieving some of these artifacts for Merlin.  In the first book Aston and Grant traveled back to Ancient Egypt in the times of King Tut, but the second book sends them back to medieval Europe, in the midst of the witch hunts.  

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SEA Quest: Listening To My Ancestors (Reprint)

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Joyce Chng is currently at ICFA 2018. This is a reprint from June 2014, but still relevant. Recently, I was rocked by a wonderful and startling revelation from my dad about his grandmother. My great grandmother was a herbalist and a travelling physician. From his tone, I could tell my dad admired her. She had “ben shi”, ability, talent. She could do stuff. Yet, my grandmother, my great grandmother’s daughter, wasn’t that forthcoming. She let out her stories in weak spools. She didn’t talk about things that made her sad. According to my dad, she quarreled with her mother who forbade her to leave for Nanyang (the Chinese term for Southeast Asia). My grandmother left for Singapore soon after that. Imagine the wounds still unhealed, the words left unsaid, unvoiced. My grandmother passed away last year.

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The Intersection: Context, Honor, and the Strong Female Character™

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I told myself I wouldn’t write this essay. I’m not a fan of publicly criticizing another writer’s work, particularly a living author’s work. I’ll never do that to anyone. It’s not cool, and it’s definitely not professional. However, there’s a distinction between criticizing a work in order to make yourself look bigger and genuinely criticizing a work because it’s a culturally significant piece requiring extensive deconstruction in order to examine its effect upon those who it is supposedly supporting. I’ve had this discussion with other authors who happen to be women—and well…it’s time, guys. I’ll add that if you’re a fan of the novels I’m about to discuss, no matter your gender, good for you. I’m happy you found something you enjoy. That’s what SF fandom is all about: finding the thing you love. I don’t disrespect fans for their fandom. Therefore, the following is not a personal attack. It doesn’t mean the author is a bad person, either. It doesn’t even mean that the series in question should never have gotten published.[1] Got it? Cool. [deep breath] Now, let’s do this.

SF in Translation, The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

Speculative Fiction in Translation #2: Biohorror and Dwarves

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https://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SFiTEpisode2BiohorrorAndDwarves/Sfit-Episode2-BiohorrorAndDwarves.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSIn which Rachel fills you in on all of the SFT-related goodness since last month, including stories and novels out in February and March (February 14 – March 15), what Rachel’s currently reading and translating, and more. While February offered us slim-pickins, March gives us some great reads to look forward to, including Japanese biohorror from Haikasoru and Catalan science fiction from Wesleyan University Press. And with new stories and books coming to our attention each week, check the SFT website for updates. Enjoy, and keep reading! A bientôt!

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