Starship Alexandria

Latest Episodes:

Episode 18 - Helen of Wyndhorn Oct 09, 2026

Show notes

For our October 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Adrian puts forward the graphic novel Helen of Wyndhorn by Tom King, Bilquis Evely, Matthew Lopes and Clayton Cowles for Emma's consideration.

Other talking points:

The craft of framing devices

Nested narrators

Tellings, retellings; narrative and meta-narrative

Killing people is not cricket

Badass butlers

Just 100% appreciation for the art

Equal Opportunities objectification

The apparent taboo of just making things up

Civilization vs Barbarity

Unspoken histories

The "Ninth Art" (French term for comics, not the "Tenth Muse" as I said in the podcast)

Media Mentions:

The Conan stories by Robert E Howard

Wuthering Heights novel by Emily Bronte

The Barsoom stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The fantasy art of Boris Vallejo

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde novel by Robert Louis Stevenson

Star Wars movie dir. George Lucas

Fargo TV series

Next month we look at the film Sinners directed by Ryan Coogler.

This month's patron episode is our live discussion of Event Horizon from Octocon in Cork.

Adrian's music recommendation: Musik ist keine Lösung by Alligatoah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNdcr7Uu7Jc&list=RDwNdcr7Uu7Jc&index=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book is Engines of Reason https://bookshop.org/p/books/engines-of-reason-elder-race-book-ii-adrian-tchaikovsky/b69799af416d2980

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 17 - Lolly Willowes Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vjkh-acmTE&list=RD3vjkh-acmTE&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book is Engines of Reason https://bookshop.org/p/books/engines-of-reason-elder-race-book-ii-adrian-tchaikovsky/b69799af416d2980

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 16 - Soldier of the Mist Aug 09, 2026

Show notes

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

Surprise spider nomenclature

Werewolves? There wolves

Necromancy LinkedIn

Reading and re-reading Wolfe

Unreliable narrators and narration perspective

The past as a foreign country

Memory and amnesia in fiction

Wolfe and descriptive style

The hero as werewolf

Audiobook narrator voice choices

Media Mentions:

You can find Re-reading Wolfe on your usual podcast platforms. I will also note other Wolfe-flavoured podcast resources, Alzabo Soup, The Gene Wolfe Literary Podcast and a large chunk of Shelved by Genre, if you have a thirst for some deep dives into his work (none have done Soldier yet to my knowledge)

The Shadow of the Torturer, The Book of the New Sun series and the wider Solar Cycle novels of Gene Wolfe

Piranesi, novel by Susanna Clarke (and see our prior coverage of that)

A Game of Thrones novel by GRR Martin / TV series

The Green Knight movie dir. David Lowery (and see our patreon episode on that)

Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series, specifically the episode 'Darmok'

Next month we look at the novel Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner

This month's patron episode is the indie film The Gamers 2: Dorkness Rising

Adrian's music recommendation: The Sad God by Gorillaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQE0FnpfqQo&list=RDfQE0FnpfqQo&start_radio=1 , also the entire album The Mountain and in particular this animated sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucRulNQsuYQ&list=RDucRulNQsuYQ&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book is Green City Wars https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/green-city-wars-adrian-tchaikovsky/686e574129a9b37f?ean=9781035045723

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 15 - Do You Dream of Terra-Two? Jul 11, 2026

Show notes

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 initial lukewarm thoughts about spoilers for this book, there are definitely some moments that are better raw, so do take this as a note that there's something to be gained by reading ahead of the 'cast.

Other talking points:

The Science of Spoilers

British alt space history

When you call your spaceship "Damocles"

Everyone Hates Harry

Orlando Boom (sorry)

The 2012 Olympics and national pride

The brutal logistics of being in space

Authorial treatment of the moral quandary

Super-elite child training academies

Competitive personalities, the pros and cons

YA or not YA

Balancing multiple character arcs

Mysticism and an ambivalent attitude to woo

Coral and reef building

Media Mentions:

2012 Olympics opening ceremony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4As0e4de-rI

Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman

The Expert System's Brother by Adrian Tchaikovsky (I promise we only flag our own stuff here when it's genuinely relevant!)

Aurora, novel by Kim Stanley Robinson (not named but this is the one I mentioned)

'The Cold Equations', short story by Tom Godwin

The Martian, novel by Andy Weir

Philosophers in Space podcast https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/philosophers-in-space/4068539 (or wherever you get your podcasts from)

Star Trek various TV series

Next month we look at Soldier of the Mist by Gene Wolfe

This month's patron episode is Look to Windward by Iain M Banks

Emma's music recommendation: Taking What's Not Yours by TV Girl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox5ENW0CeAU&list=RDOx5ENW0CeAU&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 14 - Piranesi Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

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

Other talking points:

The State of What the F Is Going On

The joy of found document sources

The Triangle of Information ™

Two views of the nicest character in fiction

Analogues with dementia

Shadows on a cave wall

Psychic ideating communion(!)

One author enters, two classics leave

The ignorant unreliable narrator

Media Mentions:

Mythago Wood, novel by Robert Holdstock (and our coverage of it here: https://starshipalexandria.com/episode-8-mythago-wood

The Magician's Nephew, novel by CS Lewis

Red Dwarf TV series (very tangentially!)

Wayne's World sketch series and movies dir. Penelope Spheeris

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, novel by Susanna Clarke

The Life of Brian, movie dir. Terry Jones (also very tangentially!)

Planetfall series of novels by Emma Newman

Next month we look at Do You Dream of Terra Two? by Temi Oh

Adrian's music recommendation: Damnd Anthem's cover of Muse's Uprising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w48-1IQxnM&list=RD_w48-1IQxnM&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book is the graphic novel Salvation's Child https://www.amazon.co.uk/Final-Architecture-Salvations-Comixology-Originals-ebook/dp/B0FH2KR8LH

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 13 - Tales From Outer Suburbia May 09, 2026

Show notes

For our May 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria Emma puts forward the book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan for Adrian's consideration.

Other talking points:

The difficulty of summarising

Somehow avoiding the word "surreal"

An emotional model railway trip.

Reading around the story

Balancing story collections

Styles of art

Media Mentions:

The art of Edward Gorey including The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Insect God

The art of Dr Seuss including I Had Trouble In Getting To Solla Sollew

The art of Adrian Sykes https://www.adriansykes.co.uk/

Next month we look at Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Emma's music recommendation: Future Boy by Turin Brakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekubF2xYlg&list=RDAekubF2xYlg&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 12 - Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

For our April 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the second in our new season – Adrian puts forward the film: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.

Other talking points:

Wonderful Hugh Grant

Rubbish sorcerers

A certain ambivalence

Dungeons we have Dragonned

Save the cat!

Everything wrong with Hollywood

Remembering the Forgotten Realms

The "It's him!" moment of failed fan service

Media Mentions:

Dungeons and Dragons movie dir. Courtney Solomon

Middle Earth Role-Playing (MERP) TTRPG

Dungeons and Dragons TTRPG

Conan the Barbarian, movie dir. John Milius

Lord of the Rings series of movies dir. Peter Jackson

Heretic, movie dir. Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

Bridget Jones's Diary movie dir. Sharon Maguire

Dungeons and Dragons, TV series

28 Years Later, movie dir. Danny Boyle

Galaxy Quest movie dir. Dean Parisot

Next month we look at the illustrated book Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

Adrian's music recommendation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEfYvY3bAg&list=RD5tEfYvY3bAg&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book: Children of Strife https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/children-of-strife-adrian-tchaikovsky/7864905

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 11 - The Demolished Man Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

For our March 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria – and the first our our new season – Emma puts forward the novel The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester.

Other talking points:

The perils of returning to past reads

Difficult books to summarise

Cunning schemes for the perfect murder

Psychic earworms

Psychotherapy in science fiction

Particularly big warts

(not) the Time Machine Factory

Heroes and anti-heroes

The Poochy effect

Skeezy gender dynamics

Eugenics

Contradictory attitudes towards murder

Typographical games

Inadvisable titles

Media Mentions:

The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, novel by Douglas Adams

The Lathe of Heaven, novel by Ursula le Guin

The Simpsons TV series (twice!)

Gormenghast, series by Mervyn Peake

Babylon 5, TV series

Illuminati, card/board game

Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV series, particularly "Remember Me"

The Life of Chuck, movie dir. Mike Flanagan (based on the work of Stephen King)

Next month we look at the movie Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Emma's music recommendation: Punk Tactics by Joey Valance & Brae https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OklSZmIx9-o&list=RDOklSZmIx9-o&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is included in Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161 which was recently shortlisted for a BSFA Award

Adrian's most recent book: Pretenders to the Throne of God https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/pretenders-to-the-throne-of-god-adrian-tchaikovsky/7953437

If you'd like to support the show, and get an additional monthly patrons-only episode, you can become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/c/starshipalexandria/home

You can buy our official t-shirts and mugs at https://starshipalexandria.teemill.com/

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 10 - A Sword of Bronze and Ashes Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

For our February 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Adrian puts forward the novel A Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark for Emma to consider.

Other talking points:

Potato Guys

Getting old as a female fantasy hero

Marriage and long term relationships in fantasy fiction

Amazing prose styles

Being brought up by buccas in a tin mine

Levelling up as a reader

Media Mentions:

The work of Haruki Murakami

The work of KJ Parker (particularly the Scavenger trilogy)

Legend, novel by David Gemmell

The Conan stories by Robert E Howard

The Discworld books by Sir Terry Pratchett

Planetfall, novel by Emma Newman

Excalibur, movie dir. John Boorman

This marks the end of season 1 of Starship Alexandria! Season 2 will commence in March with a look at Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. (For the curious, the seasons are mostly to do with our bulk recording of the regular episodes in advance.)

Adrian's music recommendation: '39 by Queen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE8kGMfXaFU&list=RDkE8kGMfXaFU&start_radio=1

Emma's latest writing is a short story included in the Creative Futures (Beyond and Within) anthology: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/creative-futures-allen-stroud/7847161

Adrian's most recent book: Starseer's Ruin https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/ebook-starseers-ruin-eng-2025.html

Emma: @emmanewman@bsky.social and www.enewman.co.uk

Adrian: @aptshadow.bsky.social and www.adriantchaikovsky.com

Episode 9 - Godzilla Minus One Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

For our January 2026 episode of Starship Alexandria, Emma puts forward the movie Godzilla Minus One directed by Takashi Yamazaki for Adrian to consider.

Other talking points:

A monstrous regiment of Godzillas

Survivor's Guilt

Redemption arcs

Found boat family

The Unbearable Weightiness of Kaiju

Convenient mattress factories

Godzilla amplification

Media Mentions:

Godzilla (Gojira), movie dir Ishiro Honda

Subsequent Godzilla movies, dir. various

Pacific Rim, movie dir. Guillermo del Toro