Strange Horizons

Critical Friends: Episode 6

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, we air an interview with the reviewer, editor, and critic Niall Harrison which Dan conducted at Conversation, the 2023 UK Eastercon, at which Niall was a Guest of Honour. Through a series of books from various parts of his life, Niall talks about how he began reading SF, why he started reviewing it ... and where criticism might or should go in the future.

Niall Harrison is author of All These Worlds: Reviews and Essays (Briardene Books, 2023). Eastercon 2024 will be Levitation, hosted in Telford; Eastercon 2025 will be Reconnect, to be held in Belfast.

Critical Friends: Episode 5

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Reviews Editors Aisha Subramanian and Dan Hartland are joined by Abigail Nussbaum to tackle one of the thorniest issues in criticism: the negative review. What makes for a good bad review? Why do reviewers feel driven to write them? And are we now in an age where the hatchet job has had its day?

Critical Friends: Episode 4

In this episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, Reviews Editors Aisha Subramanian and Dan Hartland talk to novelist, reviewer, and Strange Horizons’ Co-ordinating Editor, Gautam Bhatia, about how reviewing and criticism of all kinds align—and do not—with fiction-writing and the genre more widely.

You can read the episode transcript here.

Critical Friends: Episode 3

In this special episode of Critical Friends, the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, reviews editors Aisha Subramanian and Dan Hartland introduce audio from a 2018 recording for Jonah Sutton-Morse’s podcast Cabbages and Kings which included Maureen Kincaid Speller discussing with Aisha and Jonah three books: Everfair by Nisi Shawl, Temporary People by Deepak Unnikrishnan, and The Winged Histories by Sofia Samatar.

Critical Friends: Episode 2

In the second episode of Critical Friends, reviews editors Aisha Subramanian, Dan Hartland, and Maureen Kincaid Speller discuss the role of trust in criticism: how is it built and lost, and how can the reader decide whether a particular piece of criticism is worth paying attention to?

Read the full transcript on our website.

Poetry of the 30 January Issue, Read by Ciro Faienza, Catherine Rockwood, Romie Stott, and Maureen Kincaid Speller

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Ciro Faienza presents the poetry of the 30 January issue.

• “In memoriam Maureen K. Speller” by Catherine Rockwood, Read by Catherine Rockwood. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Catherine here.
• “In Review” by Romie Stott, Read by Romie Stott and Maureen Kincaid Speller. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Romie here.

2 May Poetry, Read by Ciro Faienza and Sara S. Messenger

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Ciro Faienza presents the poetry of the 2 May issue.

• “i roll up to the club in a gundam” by Eric Wang. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Eric here.
• “your subcutaneous mermaid” by Sara S. Messenger, read by Sara S. Messenger. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Sara here.

Poetry of the 18 April Issue, Read by Blaize Kelly Strothers, Ken Haponek, and Ciro Faienza

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Ciro Faienza presents the poetry of the 18 April issue.

• “the West is dead” by Blaize Kelly Strothers, read by Blaize Kelly Strothers. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Blaize here.
• “Responding to Poetry and Prose Poems (pg 36 of Practice of Creative Writing)” by Ken Haponek, read by Ken Haponek. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Ken here.

Poetry of 14 March, Read by Samuel A. Adeyemi and Lalini Shanela Ranaraja

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Ciro Faienza presents the poetry of the 14 March issue with readings by the poets.

• “Limbs” by Samuel A. Adeyemi, read by Samuel A. Adeyemi. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Samuel here.
• “Tricona” by Lalini Shanela Ranaraja, read by Lalini Shanela Ranaraja. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Lalini here.

Poetry of the 7 March Issue, Read by Ciro Faienza

In this episode of the Strange Horizons podcast, editor Ciro Faienza presents the poetry of the 7 March issue.

• “Gorgons” by Kay Billie Oakes, read by Ciro Faienza. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Kay here.
• “Final Resting Place” by Gerri Leen, read by Ciro Faienza. You can read the full text of the poem and more about Gerri here.