Arthur C. Clarke Award

This episode is focused on the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Science Fiction. Scott and Steve speak to Tom Hunter, the Award Director, about how he got into reading SF and how he became involved with the award itself. They also talk about the perception of the genre and the evolution of the award over the years. 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the Clarke award and the discussion looks ahead to the next 25 years and challenges in the future.

Our current book club selection is Dune by Frank Herbert and the deadline to send in any comments and feedback is April 11th. For the next book club selection we are going to read one of the 6 shortlisted books for this year's Arthur C. Clarke Award. The decision about which book we choose is completely down to you, the listeners. At the bottom of the show notes, and also on the forum, website and facebook page there is a link to a survey. The shortlisted book with the most votes will be our next book club selection. So select the one you want to read and not which one you think will win, although they could be one and the same. Towards the end of the episode Scott and Steve read a brief synopsis about each of the shortlisted books but there are lots of reviews online as all of the books were published in 2010.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HRBYY8W

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Masked edited by Lou Anders

Welcome to the book club. This episode we're discussing the superhero anthology Masked edited by Lou Anders. Featuring short stories by, amongst others Paul Cornell, Gail Simone. Stephen Baxter, Mike Carey, Peter David and Kim Newman. We talk about the book in general and the idea of switching the superhero genre into an unusual medium. We then go on to highlight some of the stories that we particularly enjoyed.

Our next book club choice that we will be talking about in around 8 weeks time is the classic 'Dune' by Frank Herbert. A true sci-fi epic which also popularised the word 'ecology'. Hope you enjoy reading and let us have your feedback!

In some parts of this episode Scott sounds like he's recording in a bathtub. Apologies for the audio quality - we'll aim to get it fixed by the next show.

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Interview with Lou Anders, editor of Masked

Lou Anders is the Editorial Director of Pyr Books, but he also edited the Masked anthology for the Gallery imprint of Simon and Schuster, which is our current book club selection. In this special episode we spoke to Lou about his love of comics, how he got involved in publishing and how the Masked anthology came together. The deadline for Masked is the middle of January so there is still plenty of time to pick up a copy and then send us your feedback and thoughts.

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I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

In this episode of the book club Steve and Scott tackle the classic 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson. First published in 1954 and directly influencing four movies (The Last Man on Earth, The Omega Man, I Am Legend and I Am Omega). A post-apocalyptic tale of loneliness, vampires and a famous ending that none of the spin-offs managed. Join us as we dissect this great novel.

The next book club selection will be 'Masked' a collection of superhero related short stories edited by Lou Anders and featuring contributions from: Stephen Baxter, Paul Cornell, Peter David, Daryl Gregory, Marjorie Liu, Ian McDonald, Kim Newman, Chris Roberson, Bill Willingham, Gail Simone...and others!

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Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow

Join Steve and Scott as they talk about their current book club selection, Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow. Set in the near future the book is a novel that Doctorow also uses to put forwards some of his ideas about the future of technology and sharing of culture.

Our next book club selection, to be discussed around the start of November is 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson. Inspiring three movies and a faithful comic this is truly a classic of science-fiction literature.

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Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

In this episode we discuss our current book club selection - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. The book was first published in 1961 and we discuss our impressions of the book and also include comments and feedback from listeners. We also talk about the author and his background, the era in which the book was written and its importance at that time.

This episode we also announce the next book club selection which is Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow. We will be discussing this book around the middle of September and will post a more specific date closer to the time, so you have about six to eight weeks to read it. This book is available to download for free in a variety of formats. It is also available to download as a free audio book from iTunes, or you can buy a hard copy from various online retailers.

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The City and The City by China Mieville

In this episode we speak to China Mieville about our current book club selection, The City and The City. Amongst other things we discuss his influences, the genesis of the book, and the awards he recently received for this novel, including the Arthur C. Clarke award. We also speak briefly about his latest book Kraken which he is currently promoting around the UK at various events.

After the interview the hosts, Scott and Steve, discuss their impression of the book, sharing their thoughts and feelings, as well as comments and feedback sent in by listeners. We also announce our next book club selection which is the classic Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. The deadline for this book club selection is the week commencing 26th July which gives you plenty of time to read the book and send us your thoughts and feedback for the discussion.

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